Hawking across the Blackwater. (closed rp)

[Ganbarenippon]

Ser Harryn Arryn arrives at the mud gate in the middle of the morning with his wife, Lady Symanta, fifty guards and four falconers. The days hawking should be eventful and Symanta certainly seemed eager enough for it but Harryn was focused on other, more important things. Chief among them was the fact that he would get to know his only surviving relative from his mother's side; Lord Damon Bolton The Hand of The King.

[Pinkerton]

Damon arrived, along Patrek and two men.
One tall and the other short, one slim and the other chubby. They were the Hollard brothers and were friends with Master Bolton, which they had met about five years ago in one of the King's feast for the Crownlands Lords

[Ganbarenippon]

"My Lord Hand. I am so glad you could come." Lady Symanta smiles seductively, the Lyseni did everything seductively. "Harryn was worried you would not." She chuckled patting her husband's cheek. Harryn gives a half bow from his saddle. "My Lord Hand." He smiles. "Patrek lad, it's been a while since you been hawking too no?" He gives his nephew a knowing smile.

[Pinkerton]

Damn, maybe I should get a Lyseni. He smiled and kissed the woman's cheek

It's an honor to have been invited, milady

He then turned his attention to Harryn, bowed his head

Sadly, there's no kiss for you, Ser Arryn

[Ganbarenippon]

Harryn laughs. "Well, I'll not blame you there! Shall we?" He says indicating the large barge that would take their party across the Blackwater.

[Pinkerton]

Yes, let's go

Damon had bathed before going to meet Harryn. Mostly to wake himself up;
He had slept a dozen hours that night, it was the first time in a long time he calmly managed to rest without any kind of nightmare

[Ganbarenippon]

The barge slowly poles it's way into the middle of the river, a man at the bow bawling at the traffic to make way. Lady Symanta turns to Damon. "Tell me , My Lord Hand have you ever visited Lys?"

[Pinkerton]

No, but I've drunk a hell lot of Lysene wines. I've also heard it's beautiful, but not much else; So please tell me about it milady!

Damon's stomach was starting to stir, he wasn't very fond of riding any kind of boat. Ironically he was a merchant

[Ganbarenippon]

As the raft made it's way across the river Harryn listened with only half an ear to the conversation between his wife and his kinsman. He spent most of the trip across the river studying Damon. The man and he bore some resemblance to one another, including thsoe pale Bolton eyes. He looked tired, as though he had not slept well recently. Many would believe that the cares of being King's Hand would be enough for any man. Harryn was not most men however, and had his own suspicions.

The raft drew to a halt at the other bank of the river, and Harryn led the to a large open field. There was no shrubbery and no trees nearby, in short it was a perfect place for hawking. 'As well as being impossible to spy upon us here.' He thinks to hiself. "I believe here will do." He says halting the column. Servants run to set up a pavilion as the falconers begin to roust the birds in prepartion.

[Pinkerton]

I will trust your decision, Harryn. I'm a very very new falconer

Bolton smiled, and hoped he didn't screw up badly. The last thing he wanted is to rip an eye off someone

[Ganbarenippon]

Harryn laughs. "I'm afraid that whilst the falcon is the symbols of my father's House I am my mother's son when it comes to birds!" He looks at his wife with some affection. "My Lady is the more skilled. Though Patrek showed promise when he was a boy. Isn't that right lad?"
"Kind of you to say Uncle." the lanky young squire replies.
Harryn leads them all to the shade of the pavilion and pours a goblet of wine for Damon, and afterwards handing a goblet to his wife and even to Patrek, before finally taking one for himself.
"To finding what we seek." He says, holding up his goblet.

[Pinkerton]

To finding what we seek, in this field and in life!

He rose the goblet, and toasted with his nephew, Patrek and to Harryn's wife.
It was good to be there, those people were the closest thing he had to a family; It was a weird but nice thing to know that he could count on them if he ever needed anything

[Ganbarenippon]

"Ah! It looks as though we are ready." Lady Symanta says with genuine relish. "Patrek, perhaps you could pick out a bird for Lord Damon? I think a more docile creature would be suitable, perhaps a hawk of some kind?" she suggests. Patrek nods in knowing agreement and rushes over to the cages.
"Hawks are a little easier to handle if it is your first time, Damon." Harryn says quietly in explanation, where nobody can hear him instructing his relative. "Smaller and a little more agile, they aren't nearly so aggressive as a falcon or eagle. Actually..." He raises his voice. "A hawk for me too if you please nephew." He looked back to his Uncle with a smile. "I am out of practice. After you."

He bows his relative out of the pavilion and they walk towards Patrek, who currently holds a small brown hawk, with white patches on her tail. "She's comparatively new to this too, My Lord Hand." Patrek says. "Flurry. A sweet creature, she is used to being handled. But she won't stoop on command yet, so we'll use bait for her."

Lasy Symanta smiles. "A good choice Patrek, you have a good eye." She says with approval. "My dear, why don't you take Bloodwing?" She says to her husband. "He is just about ready to hunt live prey." She smiles mischievously as she removes a larger, male hawk from the cages. A beautiful black creature, with splashes of brilliant read plumage on the outside of his wings. Harryn sighs. "A most difficult bird, Bloodwing. He will come to hand, and is used to moving between handlers, and taking bait birds.; the same as Flurry. But when we let him go for untethered prey he tends to not want to return to hand, and he won't stoop yet." He grimaces. "Besides, the bastard seems to hate me!" He chuckles. "No bird for you yet my dear?" He asks.

"Not just yet. I think I'll wait for one of the falcons. My Lord Hand are you ready to take Flurry?" She asks.

[Pinkerton]

Well, I'm ready as ready I can be. Which is slightly unprepared!

He chuckled, trying to hide his nervousness and fear. He had never been fond of animals, he barely could ride his mare without falling. But any other beast was very intimidating to him.

Dogs, cats, you name it. Damon didn't like any of them, mostly because he was a city man. He was disgusted by the immense warhounds that some Lord owned and proudly shown to their guests, he disliked the cats that many Ladies had as company and he hated barnyard animals; Specially chickens, those evil demonic spawns were terrifying.

[Ganbarenippon]

Harryn hands a glove to Damon and a piece of meat. Patrek walks out to the further into the field with the bird on his wrist. She is held by the leather jesses in Patrek's hand, and hooded. "Firstly we need her to get used to you Lord Bolton." Lasy Symanta says. "So we'll have her simply fly to your hand. Hold out your arm like so." She demonstrates. "First time around, you should turn your eyes away from her direction. Birds notice the eyes first and, particularly when they do not know the handler, will often be reluctant to come if you stare them down. When she lands be sure to grip the leather jesses in you thumb and forefinger, then turn around and look." She smiles and gestures at Patrek to remove the hood.

[Pinkerton]

Too many instructions for him, he didn't know if he'd remember

He was good with numbers, but that's about it. He couldn't handle a sword and he was sure if he ever went hunting someone would end up with an arrow in their knee.
"Remember, don't stare and grip the jesses when the big chicken lands" He thought, trying to reassure himself

So Damon did as he was told, and hoped it would work

OoC: For s sakes Gan! You are an architect and a falconer?! Damn

[Ganbarenippon]

The small hawk sat on Patrek's hand for a moment, its eyes adjusting to the sudden light. Then spotting the outstretched glove, and more importantly, the meat in it, she flew in two, graceful long beats of her wings and settled on Damon's wrist. Her fierce yellow eyes staring into his, she did not blink, instead settling her weight more comfortably onto Bolton's arm.
"I think she likes you!" Harryn enthuses. "Would you like to put her through her paces?" He asks.

OOC:

[Pinkerton]

Sure!

Bolton shrugged, still amazed by what just had happened with the bird

[Ganbarenippon]

"Excellent! My dear?" He asks his wife.
"Let's have her take food, and return." She says. "Patrek...the rope!" She calls.
Patrek produces a length of thin, white ripe with another piece of meat attached to the end of it. "Lord Bolton, when Patrek begins to swing the rope you merely have to toss Flurry into the air. She will do the rest. Oh, and you may follow her with your eyes all you wish now, she will return to you. Ready?" Patrek begins to swing the rope over his head.

[Pinkerton]

Well, I believe I'll be able to do that without messing everything up

He prepared himself to toss the bird; His eyes were set on Patrek