Gulltown, Seat of House Grafton

[Poach]

"Marriage, you say?" Kevan said with a laugh, before leaning in and taking on a mock-conspiratorial tone, "I have many suitors, my Lord." He winked.

By now the serving girl had returned with some proper food: legs of cooked chicken, smoked fish, and roasted nuts.

"Excellent, food!" Kevan exclaimed, tossing a roasted nut into his mouth and crunching down upon it, "Tell me, my Lord, what do you make of this 'magistrate' system the King proposes? Barbarous, is it not? Does he think we highborn to be children?"



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[Trot]

Belmore suppressed a grimace, some lords it seemed were little better than children. "I think the King is a fool for thinking such a proposition would have any power." Belmore chuckled dryly turning the conversation back to the purpose of his visit, "While I am sure you have many suitors Lord Grafton, you are not getting younger, and a Lord needs a wife." The man paused looking at the low cut bodice on the serving girl that was bringing in a tray of tarts. "Even if you keep your pleasures on the side."

[Poach]

"I am still young, my Lord!" said Kevan in an exasperated tone. Old men, they always acted as if death were right around the corner: it may be so for them, but not for Kevan, "but very well, send her here: I shall meet with her."

Maybe she'd be nice, but she'd probably be uptight and frigid like most noble women were. At the very least this would get the old man off his back.

"I shall warn you, I have particular tastes."

[Trot]

"It shall be as you say," Lord Belmore replied.



Some time later another party from Strongsong would arrive.



The Lady Sansa Belmore was not in a good mood. Her Grandfather had decided she was to wed the Lord of Gulltown who was by all accounts an asinine lout with the ambition of a fig. A man who spent more time drinking and chasing serving maids then doing anything productive. Still her Grandfather had made his mind up and few had the will to say no to Lothor Belmore. Still she was not happy with the arrangement. She rode at the head of the party wearing as she did a coat and britches rather than a woman's riding dress. She knew it was not proper, but being a proper lady had never appealed to her. Wasting away her time on embroidery by the light of the seven was there anything worse then embroidery? The thought of it soured her already poor mood.

[Poach]

"The beautiful Lady Sansa," said Kevan with a smile as she was introduced, "it is truly a pleasure."

Kevan was dressed rather better than he was when he saw Lord Belmore, wearing a fine doublet of silk instead of a simple linen shirt. A table had been arranged with food and wine for the pair, with Kevan having rose from his seat to greet the guest.

"Please, sit," he said, pulling out her chair, "your father was most insistent​ we meet."

[Trot]

The lady sniffs when she sits down, picking up a goblet of wine and sipping before bothering to reply. "My grandfather," she corrects her voice not quite cold but certainly lacking warmth. It was clear that she did not view this as an ideal match. "So tell me Lord Grafton, what do you do in your spare time, I understand Gulltown is quite a prosperous city." Gods this was dull conversation, why had she allowed herself to be coerced into this. The coat and britches serving as her own small rebellion, but even that hadn't got a response from the foolish Grafton boy.

[Poach]

"Grandfather, of course," said Kevan humbly, before launching once more into his more optimistic tone, "Why, I spar, discuss Gulltown's affairs with the great men of the town, hunt, and entertain wonderful guests such as yourself. What of yourself, my Lady?"

Of course, by "spar" he meant showing off swordsmanship to ladies who really didn't know whether he was actually any good or not (in truth he was a below average swordsman) and by "discuss Gulltown's affairs with the great men of the town" he meant attending drinking parties with the wealthiest segments of the town's populace, and by "entertain wonderful guests" he meant the women present were usually wearing far more revealing outfits than Sansa was now.

Still, the meeting appeared to have got off to a frosty start. Should be easy enough to avoid marrying this one.

[Trot]

"I quite enjoy hawking," she says a touch dryly, she would have said hunting but her grandfather had put a stopped to that when he learned she was learning to shoot the bow in secret. She still snuck out at night to practice but she could not do so as she once did. The embroidery the septa had tried to teach her had never gone well, and eventually the poor woman had given up in frustration. "I often go on rides through the Snakewood, ore travel the Lakes of my families lands by boat." She much preferred the Snakewood. The dense forest had always been a wonder to her, it felt as though it sat untouched from the days the children of the forest roamed what would become the seven kingdoms.

[Poach]

"Ah, hawking,” he said with interest, “Certainly an entertaining bit of sport! Can’t beat the thrill of a true hunt, though. Have you ever accompanied a hunt? Marvellous fun! Meat never tastes as good as it does when you’ve killed it yourself: you can taste the satisfaction."

Food was brought forth: a very well appointed meal with generous servings of a great many things. Kevan never had a simple dinner, much preferring opulence and variety over the idea of austerity and simplicity that some more religiously-minded (or money-minded) Lords might espouse.

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[chesser2538]

Uthor Royce has rode south with his niece and nephew to visit with Lord Grafton and discuss current events and prospects of marriages.

[Trot]

Sansa accepted the food graciously, but grimaced at the mention of hunting, "I.." She paused unsure of how to continue but decided to just tell the truth, "I used to go on hunts, before my grandfather put an end to it. He decided that they were not fitting of a lady of my station." She flushed a bit slightly embarrassed. She missed the hunts when she went on long rides into the Snakewood with he r brothers."

[Poach]

Trot

"Outrageous!" said Kevan in theatrical anger, "to deprive anyone of such joy, lady or no. Are you a good shot, then?" he asked jovially.

A woman who enjoyed a good hunt? Fiesty. Kevan wondered if she was similarly adventurous in the bedroom...

Chess

The party are brought to the keep of Gulltown and treated to good wine and grapes. Lord Uthor couldn't help but notice the many serving girls, and their low cut attire. Eventually Kevan rides into the hall atop a horse, wearing riding leathers and a loosely-fit shirt that was loosely strung to show off his chest. His hair is swept back by the wind and the horse visibly looked, and smelled, of sweat: he was clearly riding at speed.

He flashed the party a smile as he dismounted, taking a cup of wine and draining it in one.

"Ha!" he shouted, facing the party and offering a bow, "A good race to get the blood going, eh?"

Not seconds later another man rode into the hall.

"Blast, Kevan!" he shouted, in good humour, "That's a fine horse you have! Dornish?"

"The very same, Willem!" he said, before turning his attention to the Royces "Lord Royce! What a pleasure! What brings you to Gulltown?"

He sounded almost surprised to see them.

[Trot]

She smiled a little defensively, "I was accounted fair before I had to... let my practice fall by the way side." For more of that accursed needle work. Why anyone thought embroidery was entertaining was beyond her, however if this marriage meant she could practice the bow again then maybe it would not be as bad as she feared.

[chesser2538]

Lord Royce took in the Lord of Gulltown, he had of course heard the stories of Kevans wild escapades, but had thought them exaggerated. Smiling and showing an amenable disposition "Ah, strait to the point, well lord Grafton I rode here to discuss the happenings of the capital, and to see your port improvements. House Shett wrote to me about their scale and I wished to see it with my own eyes." Reaching to take one of the glasses of wine spread out across a table, he downs it before reaching for another this time chosing to sip at it. "Additionally I wanted to meet with you about marriages, I have quite a few unmarried nieces and nephews that could do well wed to a Vale house."

[Poach]

Chess

Kevan waved over a nearby guard and had him take the horse away, while he drained another cup of wine.

“What news from the Capital, then?” he asked , “Are those dreadful arbitrators or what have you being sent to the Vale?”

He raised a finger and took on an indignant tone, “I tell you my Lord I have many friends in in the seafaring business. Sailors are all a very rough and ready folk. A man making trouble about town might find himself… well, roughly handled, shall we say.”

Trot

He wasn’t interested in marrying her, but he did feel a bit of pity. Too many of these old stuffy Lords seemed to just dislike the idea of good fun. A good hunt with the boys was never to be sniffed at of course but then neither was a woman in tight riding trousers, and showing oneself engaged in such a vigorous pursuit as felling wild game always made them swoon. What good was anything otherwise? Everything man had ever achieved and ever would achieve was ultimately for one thing: impressing women. Or other men, sometimes, like with Maesters. What a sausage fest the Citadel must be. The thought made him shudder. Can you imagine agreeingto forsake women? Some Northmen, he supposed, also went to the Watch willingly, but they’re a dour and humourless bunch anyway, and their women are all half feral.

Kevan realised he’d been sitting in silence a little too long while pondering life’s great purpose.

“Well this shant do, you must at least be allowed a good time while you’re here, beyond your grandfather’s prying eyes. It must be terribly dull knitting things all day.”



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[chesser2538]

Lord Royce takes another sip from his goblet before continuing. Apparently these magistrates are to be sent all over the seven kingdoms, from Sunspear to Winterfell. Though some may get lost in the deserts or at sea. We do live in dangerous times." Looking down at his wine goblet and noticing it empty Lord Royce scowles at it for a moment as though it held some fault for its state, before casting it aside for another. "Lord Grafton I must say this is fine wine"

[Poach]

"Ah, yes, some sort of Essosi brand I believe," he said, taking a mouthful and swilling it around in his mouth before swallowing it.

"Benjen! Where is this from?" he shouted, before an elderly man appeared from a side room, presumably this 'Benjen', and spoke, "An import from Lys, my Lord." he said in a soft voice.

"There you have it, Lord Royce, the fine city of Lys!" Kevan said proudly, "You have excellent taste, my Lord, truly excellent. Perhaps I can spare a few bottles for you, I'm sure my merchant friends that ply the routes to Lys will be most willing to entertain new customers, eh?" he said with a chuckle.

[chesser2538]

"Ah yes, I am sure it would make a fine addition for my cellar, it only fair that I send you some arbor red in return" Having had a nice fill of wine Lord Royce sets down his goblet and looks to Lord Grafton, "While I would enjoy nothing else than to wine and dine here all evening, I must confess that there was a secondary reason for my visit." looking over to where his kin are standing around awkwardly chatting among themselves "You see my niece, lovely as she may be, is yet unmarried. A situation I seek to resolve." Looking at Lord Grafton with a friendly smile he waits for a reply.