The Feast at Highgarden (For all Reach Lords)

[Jokern]

It was a sunny day over Highgarden, the air smelling sweet from the blooming flowers in the garden. Servants were running about, with food, fruit and bottles of wine and cold water, putting it all on a gigantic long-table covered with big white cloths. The Lord of Highgarden had invited all of his High Lords for a feast to celebrate the recent peace as well to discuss the future of the Reach. Everyone knew that this was an important event and everything had to be perfect. The wealthiest men and women in the Reach would sit by side, any mishap would bring shame upon House Tyrell. None of the servants wanted to be lamed for that, so they hurried along with their tasks while the pale and thin Lord Seneschal Eon Webber loomed over them with his sunken eyes.

Lord Alesander Tyrell stood at the short-side of the long-table when the preparations were finished, enjoying a glass of cold water and a ripe plum. The guests would soon arrive and be entertained to their heart's content. From the grand courtyard the lords and ladies would be led through the great garden, past statues of great kings and lords who once claimed Highgarden as their home, Gardeners and Tyrells alike. At the feast they would enjoy rich foods and ripe fruits grown along the Mander, Arbor gold and sweet reds and apple cider from Cider Hall. The best musicians, singers, fools and mummers in the Seven Kingdoms would make them laugh for weeks. This would be a glorious moment to remember the greatness of their ancestors, remind the Reach of what it once was: a kingdom that spanned thousands of years, the hear of chivalry and piety.

As the first guests arrived, Lord Alesander welcomed them as they took their seat at the table.

[Poach]

[OOC: To be clear the 'feast' is just the RP way to gather the Reach Lords, it's not the edict. Tyrell won't be receiving any bonuses from this and it doesn't lock the feat edict for 2 years.]

[Honors Bastion]

Lord Simon Hightower arrives at the feast along with his wife and his two eldest sons and their wives. The Hightower lord brings along with him a series of gifts for House Tyrell that were all sourced directly from the Hightower lands along the Honeywine River including freshly ripened fruit from the Honeywine fields, the sweetest honey in the world coming from Honeyholt, and beautiful sunflowers picked form the fields outside Sunhouse. The Hightowers were proud to displa what their lands had to offer int his celebration of Reach nobility.

Before taking his seat, Lord Hightower and his family gave a respectful bow to their Lord Paramount and then waited for the other Reach nobility to come.

[Jokern]

Lord Simon Hightower arrives at the feast along with his wife and his two eldest sons and their wives. The Hightower lord brings along with him a series of gifts for House Tyrell that were all sourced directly from the Hightower lands along the Honeywine River including freshly ripened fruit from the Honeywine fields, the sweetest honey in the world coming from Honeyholt, and beautiful sunflowers picked form the fields outside Sunhouse. The Hightowers were proud to displa what their lands had to offer int his celebration of Reach nobility.

Before taking his seat, Lord Hightower and his family gave a respectful bow to their Lord Paramount and then waited for the other Reach nobility to come.

A small retinue numbering around one hundred knights, servants, and other retainers escorting the Redwynes to Highgarden arrives some time after the Hightowers do,bringing with them several casks of Arbor vintages, some food caught by the fishermen of the lesser islands, and some exotic Essosi products brought in by some of the numerous merchants who visit the Arbor to purchase wines. Lady Rohanne, Ser Lucifer, three of their siblings, Lord Vyrwrel, and two of Rohanne's children walk into the great hall, all bowing to Lord Tyrell before taking seats near the Hightowers.

Lord Tyrell rises from his seat, a large oak chair with colored designs of vines, flowers and fruits, and walks over to Lord Hightower and Lady Redwyne and welcomes them. While servants places the gifts on the long-table, Alesander personally leads the two families to their seats right next to his own family: the Redwynes with Hugor Tyrell, Olenna Redwyne and their children, while the Hightowers were seated next to Lord Tyrell's lady wife Alicent hightower, his son Axell and his twin daughters Mariya and Jeyne. As the two houses with marriage tie to the main Tyrell line, it was their right to sit next to their liege.

As he looked around, he could not see Lord Garlan Rowan or his kin anywhere. Alesander found it strange, but all the other lords had gathered now, merrily chatting, eating and drinking. It was time to begin. Lord Tyrell nodded to Eon Webber who took up a glass and gently hit it, the gentle sound calling the attention of the guests. Alesander rose, holding up his glass of sweet red.

"Lords and ladies of the Reach, I called you here today to celebrate the peace that our wise and benevolent king, Robert of House Baratheon, have granted us. The smallfolk plant their crops and tend their fields once again, bringing us the true wealth in this world. For what are precious metals and jewels but lifeless rocks, when you have no food? The true wealth of the world, and the Reach is therefore the richest in the world! Our farmers grow the finest and most plentiful crops along the great Mander, our fishermen catch the best fish, on the Arbor the greatest grapevines are cultivated, bringing us Arbor Gold and sweet reds, sold even across the narrow sea! Let us toast to the Reach, the riches it grants, the hardy and true people who live here and of course, the lords who wisely have ruled these lands for generations. The Reach!"

He raised his glass together with the High Lords and sipped on the delicious red drink. He continued his speech.

"Now, after years of war, the king wants to tie the Reach close to his new reign. Our strength is necessary, for our knights are the strongest and noblest, our armies the greatest in the realm. Now he offers me a deal to secure an alliance. A marriage, a royal one, between His Grace and my cousin Ser Hubard's lovely daughter Rowena, and a marriage between Stannis and Ser Mern's daughter Tanda. He offers me the posiiton of Master of Coin and the grant to recommend a man for the position of Lord Commander of the City Watch of King's Landing. A noble and fair deal, some would say. An insult on their very honor, others would reply. What are your opinions, my dear guests?"

[Xion]

A small retinue numbering around one hundred knights, servants, and other retainers escorting the Redwynes to Highgarden arrives some time after the Hightowers do,bringing with them several casks of Arbor vintages, some food caught by the fishermen of the lesser islands, and some exotic Essosi products brought in by some of the numerous merchants who visit the Arbor to purchase wines. Lady Rohanne, Ser Lucifer, three of their siblings, Lord Vyrwrel, and two of Rohanne's children walk into the great hall, all bowing to Lord Tyrell before taking seats near the Hightowers.

[Honors Bastion]

OOC: Stannis (Rowan) will be inactive until the 3rd of July so he shouldn't be appearing until then.

Lord Simon Hightower was slightly awestruck by the deal that Lord Tyrell had managed to wrangle from King Robert. "My Lord Tyrell, truthfully, I am amazed by what you have managed to secure from King Robert Baratheon. We were losers during this war and I fully expected us to be treated like ones, to be left off the Small Council and relegated away from the capital in favor of Robert's allies in the Vale, the North or the Riverlands. To offer us so much when we are defeated gives us great insight on the King's intentions."

Lord Simon paused to take a sip of wine before he continued. "It seems that the King either wishes to secure his reign by reaching out to his former enemies or he is trying to find new allies for he fears that his current ones are not to be trusted. It could be either and it makes me question, is there some kind of rift amongst the former rebel Lord Paramounts, something that we could exploit to our advantage? What do you think my Lord?"

[Xion]

Rohanne tilts her head slightly out of confusion, but then faintly smiles. "Surprising, that is far more than the paltry amount I had expected him to present to you..but I am skeptical he will uphold all those conditions. Promising a lord all those things is easily done, delivering on the promises is another matter as those who have his ear will likely try to dissuade him from marrying into a former royalist house, or as Lord Hightower has stated, his allies get the majority of the power while the royalists are left with the few scraps left primarily to make it appear they are not shutting us out of the capital entirely while in truth they are."

She takes a sip of her glass of Arbor Red. "If this offer is truly genuine and every condition is met, we will be firmly tied to the Baratheons for whatever good or ill may come of this, depending on what he has doled out to his fellow rebels and the lion as rewards, or is promising Dorne to placate them as well. Or if Lord Hightower's assessment is correct and Robert seems to have had some issue with his fellow rebels, who is to say he may not have a similar one between the Reach and himself?" "That and if a dragon was to return...we would be forced to fight our true overlords.." Rohanne quietly thinks to herself while waiting for Tyrell to reply to his vassal's questions.

[Jokern]

"In truth, I share your suspicions as well. To give so much, if he keeps his word, makes one wonder how well His Grace is keeping his old allies together. Only time will tell if this is true or not, but one fact is clear: King Robert needs the Reach by his side. We will most likely find the answers to why that is if I accept His Grace's offer."

He picked up an apricot and takes a bite before continuing.

"You might have a point, Lady Rohanne, but Robert Baratheon doesn't seem to be he kind of man to go back on his word. If he does, however, then it would be an insult to the Reach and that would be the last time he drinks your magnificent Arbor Gold or eats the fruits from the Mander, as well as seeing Reachmen in his armies again. We do not forget slights."

Alesander turned to Lord Simon.

"Dear brother-in-law, it is my intention to find the rifts in the realm. However, I am still unsure of the wisdom in agreeing with the king. The small council and the goldcloaks can be lifted from our hands at any moment, but a marriage seals two families forever. That could... complicate future matters, so to say. Seeing how Robert Baratheon wants the Reach, I suspect he would turn to you, my fellow lords, for a suitable daughter instead if I refuse him. I would ask of you, if it ever comes to that, to wisely choose, as I won't let the Reach get involved in the politics again. Tens of thousands died last time, that was too much for whatever scraps we gained."

"That is the conundrum we face today: should I accept our gracious king's offer, or go against his wishes? One inevitably ties us to the new dynasty, the other isolates us completely. What are your thoughts?"

[Xion]

Rohanne takes another sip of her wine before replying. "Likely poorly if he is so eager to court the Reach to his side. If he had no need of more swords and ships on his side, why else would he try to present such a generous offer to you, my lord Tyrell?" she paused for a moment before continuing. "He may not be, but if his council or those who have influence with him protest his offer enough, they may turn him against the offer he made, and naturally. Although I feel if we cut him off from the Arbor's wines he may sail down and try to break into a vineyard with that warhammer of his in pursuit of wine."

Rohanne remains silent for several minutes after Tyrell presented the conundrum, thinking of her response. "I would have to say refuse. Tying ourselves to his rule could have dire consequences for us should he prove to be a poor king and if he slights any of his allies, that they may view us with malicious intent as it may be we benefit the most from his..offer. While yes, accepting the offer may present a great deal of influence on a new dynasty, as you said yourself my lord, most of what he promises can easily be torn away from your grasp. That and the isolation may not be that much of a negative, we could focus our resources on expanding and rebuilding the Reach's military prowess while searching for these...rifts Lord Simon and yourself are looking for, my lord. Which then may allow for you to act upon expanding them perhaps to weaken the realm should a successor to the dragon return.."

She then shrugs. "Also, staying out of the politics could make us have a powerful position if another war was to erupt between Baratheon and rebels, we would have the advantage in negotiations if either side came seeking our aid against the other..as presently it could be argued we are in the inferior position for negotiations, having lost the war against the Usurper and his allies."

[Honors Bastion]

“If we are to accept the new King’s offer Lord Alesander, then we must be willing to commit to the marriage, the offices, and any future conflicts that we are brought into because of this relationship with all of our effort and heart. Otherwise, the entire union and anything that we manage to achieve will be fruitless if we are willing to commit Lord Tyrell.” He pauses for a few moments to a sip of wine before he continues.

“The question right now Lord Tyrell and my fellow Reachmen is … are we willing to make that commitment? Do we want to tie ourselves to this new regime so early in its lifespan when the reign of the new King is still not yet and risk committing ourselves to another lost while betraying our former masters in the process, the ones we risked so much for these three years?”

Lord Simon paused for a few moments to let these words sink in before he said “Like Lady Rohanne said, isolation is not such a bad option. It would allow us to rebuild our military and economic strength and it does not even have to be total isolation either. All we need is to wait for an opening, a rift between King Robert and his allies and exploit that rift to our advantage.”

He then turned to his liege and said “The decision is yours Lord Tyrell. I will follow you in whatever decision that you take.”

[Iron Aquilifer]

A concerned looking group of knights clattered in to the courtyard of Highgarden, their leader brandishing a sealed letter. As soon as the stableboys got close enough, he threw the litter to them, commanding them to deliver it to Lord Tyrell. And with that, they galloped away, tearing across the land, aimed like an arrowhead back to Goldengrove.

Lord Alesander Tyrell,

It grieves me to inform you that me and mine will be unable to attend the festivities. My loyal bannermen and I have suffered much, and need now to rest, and try to move on from such drastic changes to the realm. Should you require an audience, I humbly request that you send for my person specifically. Until such times as I understand the place my family now stands under our new king.

signed
Garlan Rowan, High Lord of the Northmarch, Lord of Goldengrove

[Jokern]

Lord Alesander stood silently for several minutes. He looked over the table filled with mighty lords, out over the garden where children were playing and up to sky. A hawk drifted over him, its shadow blocking his visage of the sun for a moment. This was a tough decision, one that would determine the future of the realm for years to come. How would he be remembered in the history books: a small note on the pages telling of other men's great deeds, the lord who saved a new realm from chaos, or helped restore the old order? So many questions without answers. Had Harlen Tyrell felt the same way when he opened the gates of Highgarden to Aegon the Conqueror? If only dead men could talk.

Lord Alesander Tyrell turned back to his vassals. The thoughts of Lord Simon Hightower and Lady Rohanne Redwyne were visible on their faces as well. They held no love for the Usurper and his rebel lords who defiled their lands. They wanted no part of this new realm, just like their Lord Paramount. He straightened himself, as steadfast and confident as the statues of the Kings of the Reach. Great beasts sooner or later died, but the rose would always grow ever strong.

"I have listened to your counsel, my lords, weighted your words against one another. The Reach has enough ties to the new realm. We swore fealty to the Stag, to bring him food and wine for his feasts, but we will not help him rule or give him sons. There are others he can turn to. We must serve the needs of the Reach before all others'. Let us grow strong together, my loyal lords! For the Reach!"

The lord raised his cup to toast.

[Xion]

Rohanne smiles and raises her cup to toast as well. "For the Reach!"