Riverrun, Seat of House Tully

[Axis Sunsoar]

Humble lords, hah there was nothing humble about this Bracken, same as his brother. If station dictated which lord was right, Tully should have listened to her cousin the king, so much was sure. She listened to his pleads about her uncle who was lucky to depend on her good nature - many would say that he has a superior claim to her castle in regards to his person. This has never been a real threat, however, since one of her cousins was lord of Winterfell and the other called himself King of no less then seven kingdoms.

She laughed hard and heartly on his comment that the coronation was uneventful but that at least the wine tasted good. Nothing less then Arbor wine, she expected it. "I think Lord Arbor had supplied the wine; as his sister then still planned in becoming a Targaryen Princess, being bound to the Redwynes has its perks I presume."
She followed his handsome gaze into the room. "I am sure that half of these men, don't have the finer taste in pleasure as you do." she smiled. but that smiled slowly washed away when he began speaking about his brothers game. "And what game would that be?" she asked curiously, on a soft demanding tone.

"I don't know," he answered quickly to try and cover for his slip. Then he stopped short and, after a moment, began to laugh softly and helplessly. It was true he realized. Again he repeated, "I don't know." This time his voice was soft, and hollow, somehow. He sounded lost, more than anything. After a moment, he shook his head quickly and looked back toward the lovely Lady of Raventree Hall. "I am sorry, Lady Bracken for disturbing such a fine, celebratory event with these ramblings. Sorry too for taking an honor which should, perhaps, have gone to your family." All of the flirtatious levity was gone from his voice suddenly, he seemed simultaneously to be a lost child, and to have abruptly outgrown his boyishness and careless nature. He fixed her eyes again, this time without the nervousness that had struck earlier, or the arrogance that was his normal manner. Instead he simply looked, evenly, into her own dark eyes with calm, as if trying to capture a last memory. "Perhaps I should let you be now, my lady. I have been enough of a burden on your evening already."

[Lord Dread]

"Call yourselves, my Lords. You were not invited here to contemplate open treason in my halls."

Tully eyed Baratheon in a somewhat irate manner.

"For your own query, Lord Arryn, of the lines in this room, the lines of House Arryn and House Stark are the oldest and most noble. They are untainted by common blood, and are ancient in their nobility."

Tully eyed the Lords balefully.

"As I have suggested, we should have the heirs of King Duncan set aside because of their baseboard nature. We must undo the peasant reforms, the magistrates and such ilk.

But my Lords, tell me, what will happen when we are finished? King Duncan will simply attempt to shore up his position and continue onwards.

We must pen our demands, put our names to them, and march to the very gates of King's Landing in force. Not massive hordes of levied and militia foot, but at the heads of our own retinues, and the retinues of our sworn men. We must march to the gates of the city, with a thousand or more of the landed gentry and our vassals behind us to deliver our demands.

And then, my Lords, we must assume positions upon the Privy Council - or appoint trusted men to said council - in order to prevent such treachery occurring again. "

"The Stormlands can agree to this method", Baratheon agreed, "If no one opposes what Lord Tully proposed, we shall do so."

[Jokern]

Banners can be seen on the horizon from the ramparts of Riverrun; the red and gold of House Lannister has arrived. Lord Tybolt Lannister and his retinue present themselves and enter once the drawbridge has been lowered, dismounting and making their way to the rest of the Lords Paramount. Tybolt roars once he sees the other lords.

"Hail, lords of the Seven Kingdoms! I hope I am not too late to join your discussion for the future of the realm? Lord Tully, thank you for orchestrating this meeting in your home."

[Poach]

"I approve of Lord Tully's plans," said Lord Tyrell with a nod, "overthrow is not the answer, we must merely assert our rights to retain our traditional powers that the King's laws seek to undermine."

[The Mad Skylord]

"Then we are agreed, my lords, and the Declaration of Riverrun shall be put into writ and issued to the King."

Tully rose, and a servant brought forwards vellum and ink, and soon wrote the demands of the Westerosi nobility.

To King Duncan I Targaryen, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Faith,
We, the peers of Westeros, do hereby make the following demands of your Crown. You have broken solemn pacts, failed to compensate for the breaking of said pacts and you have shown what the word of your Crown is worth. Not only this, but you have stripped away our inalienable rights and responsibilities as the Lords of our lands, empowered mere merchants and given ridiculous rights to the wretched peasantry. Above all of this, you stand married to a peasant, and the future of your line is tainted by such association.

Our demands are as follows;

• The Council of Merchants shall be disbanded forthwith. Such an institution is an insult to the Lords of the Realm, and shall not be tolerated.
• All Royal Magistrates will be stripped of their powers and responsibilities, the Lords of the Seven Kingdoms refuse to have their right to adjudicate taken by upjumped commoners.
• It will be declared illegal for a person of noble blood to marry a commoner.
• Incest in among the members of House Targaryen will no longer be tolerated. For too long has this affront to the Seven gone ever on, and no longer shall such debauchery be allowed.
• All heirs of your body - resulting from your marriage to Jenny of Oldstones - shall be excluded from the line of succession as if they were bastards, on account of their baseborn nature.
• The governing of the Realm shall be attended to by the Lords Paramount.
• The Peasant Reforms of King Aegon V shall be undone.
• The sycophants of your Privy Council will be removed from office, replaced by those deemed worthy by the greatest Lords of the Realm.

There is no doubt, Sire, that our demands are just and true. Your mismanagement of the Seven Kingdoms is legendary, but no longer will you be allowed to rob us of our traditional rights.

[SIGNED} Lord Axel Tully of Riverrun {TULLY SEAL]

"Your signatures and seals, if you please, my Lords."

[Lord Dread]

Lord Baratheon read the declaration before he signed it.
While though he didn't opposed the Targaryen incest, he assumed that it was merely a necessary meaning to call the realm to order while showing the Targaryens that their power of old days was gone.
And judging by the loss, Lord Tully had to witness by Jaehaerys breaking his betrothal, no matter how much Baratheon appreciated the man, it seemed merely fair. The issues began already under Aegon V's rulership - under Duncan's they would end these.

To King Duncan I Targaryen, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Faith,
We, the peers of Westeros, do hereby make the following demands of your Crown. You have broken solemn pacts, failed to compensate for the breaking of said pacts and you have shown what the word of your Crown is worth. Not only this, but you have stripped away our inalienable rights and responsibilities as the Lords of our lands, empowered mere merchants and given ridiculous rights to the wretched peasantry. Above all of this, you stand married to a peasant, and the future of your line is tainted by such association.

Our demands are as follows;

• The Council of Merchants shall be disbanded forthwith. Such an institution is an insult to the Lords of the Realm, and shall not be tolerated.
• All Royal Magistrates will be stripped of their powers and responsibilities, the Lords of the Seven Kingdoms refuse to have their right to adjudicate taken by upjumped commoners.
• It will be declared illegal for a person of noble blood to marry a commoner.
• Incest in among the members of House Targaryen will no longer be tolerated. For too long has this affront to the Seven gone ever on, and no longer shall such debauchery be allowed.
• All heirs of your body - resulting from your marriage to Jenny of Oldstones - shall be excluded from the line of succession as if they were bastards, on account of their baseborn nature.
• The governing of the Realm shall be attended to by the Lords Paramount.
• The Peasant Reforms of King Aegon V shall be undone.
• The sycophants of your Privy Council will be removed from office, replaced by those deemed worthy by the greatest Lords of the Realm.

There is no doubt, Sire, that our demands are just and true. Your mismanagement of the Seven Kingdoms is legendary, but no longer will you be allowed to rob us of our traditional rights.

[SIGNED} Lord Axel Tully of Riverrun {TULLY SEAL]
[SIGNED} Lord Ormund Baratheon of Storm's End {BARATHEON SEAL]

[Pericles of Athens]

“How many products of incest has the High Septon crowned King?” Jasper questioned. “The faith lost many years ago, and right or not that binds is. All of us. Until the leadership of the Faith stands against it I will not, Lord Tully, such a move questions the legitimacy of all born from Targaryen blood.” He sighed deeply, rubbing his knee. “Nor do we have the authority to seize governance of the realm, lest the High Lords of our own Kingdoms cite such an action against our own rule. Particularly your own rule Lord Tully.” The trouts were the least noble of all the Lord Paramounts, next to the Tyrells. “I can agree to disassembling the merchant council and removing the magistrates, as both spit upon the King’s obligations to us. Even demanding representation on the Small Council is fair, but to go further would disregard the oaths each of us swore.”

[The Mad Skylord]

"We have authority aplenty, Lord Arryn. We are the greatest peers of this kingdom, and are the only men fit to manage it in light of the King's incompetence. It is not the disregarding of an oath, the King shall keep his throne and his crown, and it is well within our authority, nay it is our duty, to prevent the mismanagement of the Realm.

I do, however, fear you may be right on the clause of incest."

[Alexandrine]

"I don't know," he answered quickly to try and cover for his slip. Then he stopped short and, after a moment, began to laugh softly and helplessly. It was true he realized. Again he repeated, "I don't know." This time his voice was soft, and hollow, somehow. He sounded lost, more than anything. After a moment, he shook his head quickly and looked back toward the lovely Lady of Raventree Hall. "I am sorry, Lady Bracken for disturbing such a fine, celebratory event with these ramblings. Sorry too for taking an honor which should, perhaps, have gone to your family." All of the flirtatious levity was gone from his voice suddenly, he seemed simultaneously to be a lost child, and to have abruptly outgrown his boyishness and careless nature. He fixed her eyes again, this time without the nervousness that had struck earlier, or the arrogance that was his normal manner. Instead he simply looked, evenly, into her own dark eyes with calm, as if trying to capture a last memory. "Perhaps I should let you be now, my lady. I have been enough of a burden on your evening already."

At first she was a little bit suspicious when he suddenly let his guard down. She didn't know him well, but she had not expected this kind of behaviour from this man before her. He was clearly being used as a puppet by his elder brother. "Don't take it all to hard on yourself." she said to him, with a caring nature in it. "I will share a little secret with you. No one really knows what they are doing. All lords, high and low only do what they think what is right and none know exactly what right is or should be. My Gods know a mans true nature in his heart; my Gods don't have false expectations for any man like your Seven do. Perhaps you should visit a Weirwood once, if you even have one at Stone Hedge." She expected not that they should have one. "No matter who is deserving of it or not; you are lord of a castle now. You can take your own leadership. You don't have to follow your brothers game no longer. Find your own place in the world." She did not know why she cared about this young Bracken at all; but truth was she didn't know many lords her own age and could not relate to the pompous old grey men.

[Gandalfus]

(Simply because this is taking so long...)

After the process was completed, a knight known as Ser Longwaters wished to speak with the Lord Tully, if it pleased him.

[Alexandrine]

Ser Roger Blackwood came to Riverrun - as was suggested by Lord Tully to his niece Melessa Blackwood.

[The Mad Skylord]

(Simply because this is taking so long...)

After the process was completed, a knight known as Ser Longwaters wished to speak with the Lord Tully, if it pleased him.

Ser Longwaters found Tully in his solar, and the middle aged Lord had the hedge knight brought in promptly. The Knight would find Tully sitting, idly twisting his signet ring around his finger. As Longwaters entered, the eyes of Axel Tully were drawn to his face, which he studied intently as the Knight began to speak.

Ser Roger Blackwood came to Riverrun - as was suggested by Lord Tully to his niece Melessa Blackwood.

Blackwood was swiftly brought to Lord Tully's solar.

"Ser Blackwood, there has been a change of plans. Lord Frey's uncle has failed my expectations, you will take his appointment upon the Blue Fork instead, if it is agreeable?"

----

Tully looked at the Lady Blackwood long and hard.

"I think not, my lady. Since marriage will clearly not work, I have other news.

Frey's uncle has declined his position. Your uncle will have the Blue Fork instead."

[Alexandrine]

Blackwood was swiftly brought to Lord Tully's solar.

"Ser Blackwood, there has been a change of plans. Lord Frey's uncle has failed my expectations, you will take his appointment upon the Blue Fork instead, if it is agreeable?"

----

Tully looked at the Lady Blackwood long and hard.

"I think not, my lady. Since marriage will clearly not work, I have other news.

Frey's uncle has declined his position. Your uncle will have the Blue Fork instead."

She smiled. "I will send for him a soon as possible. I am happy that House Blackwood can still be of service to you."

--

Roger nodded. "Certainly, my Lord." he spoke to him. "Pity about Frey, but I would gladly take up residence at the Blue Fork. Is there anything I else I can do for you?" ​

[Gandalfus]

Ser Longwaters found Tully in his solar, and the middle aged Lord had the hedge knight brought in promptly. The Knight would find Tully sitting, idly twisting his signet ring around his finger. As Longwaters entered, the eyes of Axel Tully were drawn to his face, which he studied intently as the Knight began to speak.

Longwaters bowed steeply to the Lord Tully. He appeared a little solemn - nervous, even.

"My lord. I am Ser Jon Longwaters, in the service of the Lord Baratheon."

His time in the service of Baratheon had thus far been uneventful; he'd failed to find an opportune moment to broach his true purpose.

"But I... ehm, I am not here on his business, my lord."

He figured it would be easier to get to the point. Aegon straightened his back, and decided to simply leap.

"King Aegon the Dragon would certainly be shamed by the fool who currently sits upon the Iron Throne, I am certain."

A pause.

"I believe the Lord Baratheon has too much respect for the King and his brothers; lesser men, oathbreakers and peasant-ers. Many in the realm are waiting for someone to... Tell it how it is, my Lord."

[Poach]

Lord Tyrell nodded in agreement as Jasper Arryn spoke, "I find myself in agreement with Lord Arryn," he said, "these demands go further than I feel necessary. Disbanding the merchant council and withdrawing the power of these magistrates would restore our rights."

A division had thus appeared: Lords Arryn and Tyrell favoured a far more conservative list of demands, whereas Lords Baratheon and Tully sought further-reaching reform. Lords Stark and Lannister had yet to make their positions on the document known. A grouping of four Lords Paramount would be entirely sufficient to press these demands on the King, even without the Reach or the Vale.

What's more, House Tyrell was tied to House Tully by marriage: if the King were to respond to the petition by calling his banners, the Reach would be drawn to the defence of the Riverlands through their marriage pact whether Luthor signed the petition or not.

[Lord Dread]

"If some of the points are debatable then we can fix them easily", Baratheon proposed as a compromise, seeing that both Arryn and Tyrell seemed to oppose.
Especially Tyrell's opinion bothered the Stormlord more, as he was a direct neighbour towards his realm.
"I can abstain on the demands of forbidding incest, even though I understand Lord Tully's position there, while I also think that the highest authority shall remain the Crown, wheras our position is to keep the King's Peace, mylords", he said with a look towards Tully, "In order to get at least our common goal accomplished before the King reacts upon this meeting, I think we should scratch those headlines, which bother the other Lord Paramounts, mylord Tully.
We came here for a common cause and in order to get things done, not to debate about potential ifs and whens from what I understood."

[The Mad Skylord]

Longwaters bowed steeply to the Lord Tully. He appeared a little solemn - nervous, even.

"My lord. I am Ser Jon Longwaters, in the service of the Lord Baratheon."

His time in the service of Baratheon had thus far been uneventful; he'd failed to find an opportune moment to broach his true purpose.

"But I... ehm, I am not here on his business, my lord."

He figured it would be easier to get to the point. Aegon straightened his back, and decided to simply leap.

"King Aegon the Dragon would certainly be shamed by the fool who currently sits upon the Iron Throne, I am certain."

A pause.

"I believe the Lord Baratheon has too much respect for the King and his brothers; lesser men, oathbreakers and peasant-ers. Many in the realm are waiting for someone to... Tell it how it is, my Lord."

If Tully was uncomfortable voicing open treason, he did not show it, he simply continued to watch that face, that oh-so-Valyrian face very carefully. He stopped twisting the ring. "Are you from Dragonstone, Ser Longwaters?" There were Targaryen bastards aplenty on that island, and the name Longwaters would fit. It would also explain the dark hair, but the lineage of this man was somewhat obvious - unless he was a Volantene bastard, which was possible perhaps.

Tully gently sat the signet ring in a small metal bowl, and leaned back into his chair. Curly brown hair was pulled back into a pony tail and the Lord of Riverrun's broad shoulders shifted as he settled into a more comfortable position. He gestured to the chair in front of him as he poured two goblets of wine himself, not caring to summon a cup bearer to do it for him. One was placed in front of the Knight, and Tully watched Longwaters thoughtfully, though he no longer studied his features. "What makes you think I wouldn't hang you for such talk and use it for my own political capital?" Tully was certain the young knight knew he wouldn't, but Lord Axel was curious as to the intelligence of the young man in front of him.

------

Tully rose from his chair, tall and broad shouldered, looking exasperated by such pointless pedantics. "My lords, I suggest no reforms. We will inhabit the Small Council ourselves, or with men we trust. How else do you propose we control this situation? How else shall tradition be restored? Do you intend to have the King say it and thenn forget all about it? To march every time he irritates us or our rights? To restore the proper institutions of the Seven Kingdoms, the Realm must be governed by an effective and traditional Small Council that operates in the interests of the nobility. That is how we shall govern - as the Small Council governs. It is the only path to the restoration of our rights and liberties. What will Duncan do next if left unchecked in government? Offer the right to the first night to peasants for our wives? Make us feed every commoner in the land? We must adhere to our oaths but we must also be pragmatic, only we can prevent further misrule."

[Gandalfus]

"While my vassal sits in chains, I don't wish to agree to anything. By royal judgement the matter was resolved, but Lord Tyrell here has sought to take matters into his own hands."

Interjected Lannister, late to the party as always. The Lord of the West stirred from his mountain less and less these days in his old age - the shaggy golden mane that framed his face was now tinged with grey.

"Lord Crakehall being a fool and the magistrate being some usurer is not relevant, in my view. I demand his release. Lord Tyrell is not the King."

The grizzled Westerman folded his arms across his barrel-chest. Gerold stood beside him, like a shadow: long, lean and foreboding in his silence.

--

If Tully was uncomfortable voicing open treason, he did not show it, he simply continued to watch that face, that oh-so-Valyrian face very carefully. He stopped twisting the ring. "Are you from Dragonstone, Ser Longwaters?" There were Targaryen bastards aplenty on that island, and the name Longwaters would fit. It would also explain the dark hair, but the lineage of this man was somewhat obvious - unless he was a Volantene bastard, which was possible perhaps.

Tully gently sat the signet ring in a small metal bowl, and leaned back into his chair. Curly brown hair was pulled back into a pony tail and the Lord of Riverrun's broad shoulders shifted as he settled into a more comfortable position. He gestured to the chair in front of him as he poured two goblets of wine himself, not caring to summon a cup bearer to do it for him. One was placed in front of the Knight, and Tully watched Longwaters thoughtfully, though he no longer studied his features. "What makes you think I wouldn't hang you for such talk and use it for my own political capital?" Tully was certain the young knight knew he wouldn't, but Lord Axel was curious as to the intelligence of the young man in front of him.

"My great-grandsire was the Oakenfist, my lord."

He almost visibly squirmed under the scrutiny. After a moment's hesitation, he took the cup placed before him, and took a hefty swig.

"I don't think the King would care, my lord, if some knight was hanged in Riverrun as a traitor. He doesn't trust you now and still would not after the event. A lot of effort for nothing."

[Pericles of Athens]

“That is a gross exaggeration, Lord Tully.” Arryn turned to Lord Tyrell with a nod. “Cast out the magistrates, dismantle the merchant’s council, I can even agree to placing trusted men upon the small council. But, I cannot take part in a rebellion to seize the Kingly authority of the Targaryens.”

[The Mad Skylord]

The Lord Tully was slow to drink his wine, but swift to refill the goblet of his young guest. The Arbor red flowed freely to the young man, while Tully sipped gently. "The Oakenfist you say? I can see some evidence of such a claim, at least." Tully smiled and nodded approvingly. "You are right, of course, a hedge knight would not attract much attention, though hanging a Valyrian hedge knight would perhaps elicit a response."

Tully continued to smile, offering fruit from a bowl on his desk, but all the while continuing to ensure Longwaters' goblet was filled with the most expensive and finest of wines. "You are a brave man, regardless, Ser Longwaters. You must have something to say, if you took such a risk in talking of open treason to a man still technically sworn to the wretched King."


------

"As I keep saying, Lord Arryn, I have offered no reforms. We will inhabit government to prevent further misrule and abuse of power. What would you rather do? Give the king his way? If so, my Lord, I fear you are in the wrong court."