Dusk Falls Over Hayford

**Barry Goldwater** · July 07, 2016, 11:19 AM

The host of Duskendale has finally reached Hayford, seat of one of the recalcitrant Holy Lords. As thousands of soldiers in the gold-and-black of Darklyn, the various colors of their bannermen and the dull browns or grey plate and mail of their myriad mercenaries march into sight of the walls under the flags of Houses Darklyn, Darke, Buckwell, Byrch and Hollard - and above them all the black dragon on red of Blackfyre and the red seven-pointed star on white of the Faith, chosen by Lord Darklyn to be flown at equal height with the royal standard not just to confuse the Holy Lords but also to denote his belief that Daemon Blackfyre had been favored by the gods to take the Iron Throne - a herald rides forth under a flag of truce, calling on the commander of the Hayford garrison to meet Lord Darklyn for talks.

**Poach** · July 07, 2016, 11:42 AM

The Castellan, a knight from one of the villages owing fealty to Hayford, meets the army.

"Good day, my Lord," said the knight with a worried look on his face as he surveyed the host before him, "Is there something you need?"

Unbeknownst to Lord Darklyn, Lord Hayford was not present, not were his troops. The Holy League in the Crownlands had recently marched themselves, converging on Byford not days earlier due to House Rowan crossing the border and assaulting the keep.

**Barry Goldwater** · July 07, 2016, 11:46 AM

"There is," Lord Darklyn answered from beneath the walls. He had yet to don his armor, but his brother Dontos and his household knights around him had already done so, and he prominently displayed the badge of the Master of Laws on his breast. "The King has sent me here to ensure that Lord Hayford bends the knee and does homage unto him. Pray tell, where is he?"

**Poach** · July 07, 2016, 11:49 AM

[OOC: The Knight would've rode out to meet you on neutral ground.]

"He has marched to Byford, my Lord," said the knight, "House Rowan has treacherously crossed the border and besieged the castle there, so those Lords sympathetic to House Gaunt have gathered what forces they have and march to relieve the siege."

**Barry Goldwater** · July 07, 2016, 11:57 AM

That certainly took Denys aback. While his knights looked at each other with perplexed expressions or spread the news in hushed tones, he blinked in confusion twice before finally responding, "You mean to tell me that Lord Rowan has assailed Byford? Now what on the gods' green earth could have possessed him to do that? Has he forgotten that he is breaching the King's Peace, and that Byford does not even fall under the jurisdiction of the Lord Paramount of the Reach?" The Lord of Duskendale remembered the last time a Rowan visited his halls, a good-spirited young man who he had mistaken for the Lord of Goldengrove in his melancholy and who offered trade that his house could not actually afford. Where he was simply mistaken, it seemed his father was mad.

**Poach** · July 07, 2016, 12:03 PM

"I cannot say my Lord," said the knight with a shrug, "I only know that Lord Hayford marched with all haste when he received the raven. He has been gone a few days now."

**Barry Goldwater** · July 07, 2016, 12:30 PM

"Very well then." Denys prepared to go after Hayford, but he would not leave empty-handed if he could help it. "I mean to approach the host of the Holy League and to ask Lord Hayford, as well as his compatriots, to bend the knee in person. In the meantime, I ask that you as Castellan submit to King Daemon's rule in your lord's name and open the castle gates to the King's men, should they come - or to us, again, should we return. I further ask that you entrust to my care one of Lord Hayford's children, just for the duration of this trip, so that he may see proof that I have visited his seat. I swear on my honor and on the Seven that not a hair on their head shall be harmed for the duration of their stay in my company." Not even should their father prove hard-headed, for I am not the kind of man to murder children - especially the children of good men, faithful men - but any threat I make would be more effective if they do not know that. As an afterthought he added, "And if I may, I would also like access to your castle rookery. I must send a message to the court about this Rowan incursion."

**Poach** · July 07, 2016, 12:35 PM

The knight considered the requests for a moment.

"I shall permit use of the Rookery," he said, "No harm can come of that. I'm afraid I lack the authority to surrender my Lord's children or keep: you must understand I was entrusted to keep both safe while Lord Hayford is gone and would be failing in my duties if I were to surrender either. You are not Lord Rosby nor the King, my Lord."

**Barry Goldwater** · July 07, 2016, 12:43 PM

"I am not," Denys affirmed, "But I am His Grace's Master of Laws, with this as my proof of office - " He lightly tapped the Master of Laws' brooch on his chest, " - and he has charged me with the task of ensuring that Lord Hayford bends the knee, one way or another, though I would prefer it be done bloodlessly. I speak with King Daemon's authority on this matter. I shall propose a compromise, then: keep your gates closed, save for the door to the rookery, but entrust to me one of Lord Hayford's children. I rode with him in support of Steffon Baratheon once, and he - and you, I hope - know that I am a man of honor and piety, who will not raise a hand to the child of a good man, a Godly man."

OOC: If a roll is necessary, Denys has +1 charisma. And an army that outnumbers the Hayford garrison more than a few times I'm sure (5500 point militia + 4950 points in hired professionals + 3000 points from Hollard Hall/Brindlewood/Antlers + 500 from Byrch Hall) if that has any effect, since their thousand-point militia are gone they should have around 200 guys to work with.

**Poach** · July 07, 2016, 12:47 PM

The knight had to concede that this man did hold a senior royal office, and came with an army at his back. Refusal would look to mean the offer would be enforced at swordpoint.

"Very well, my Lord," said the knight after a stretching silence, "I fear I have no choice but to accept these demands."

A daughter of Lord Hayford's, looking to be in her early teens, was produced. Lord Hayford's son and heir was already on campaign with his father.

**Barry Goldwater** · July 07, 2016, 12:56 PM

"Thank you, good ser," Denys said graciously. He had not looked forward to spilling the blood of the men of House Hayford, and now he was palpably relieved that he didn't have to, at least not at this moment. When Lord Hayford's daughter was brought forth, he courteously extended his hand to her and nodded, "Lady Hayford. I am Lord Denys Darklyn of Duskendale, the King's Master of Laws. His Grace charged me with seeing to it that your father bends the knee and does homage unto him, but the Castellan informed me that he has raced to Byford to counter - of all the things in the world - a Rowan incursion. I ask that you remain my honored guest until we meet him at Byford."

Hours later, having sent a raven to King's Landing from the Hayford rookery, the Darklyn host set out for Byford, not knowing that the Lord Hand had beaten them there already. Instructions have been issued to the servants & soldiers for Lady Hayford to be treated gently and afforded all the luxuries available to Lord Darklyn and his brother.

**Lucius Malfoy** · July 07, 2016, 04:13 PM

A raven arrives from King's Landing, bearing two letters.

I am aware of Lord Rowan's intentions, Lord Darklyn. It seems his are mutual with ours. Here is his letter.

"My King, I am here to report to you that I have some grave news. On my way to Kings Landing to visit you I passed though the land of Byford home of Lord Garth. I thought the man would be welcoming but he was not. before I could even get a word out to the man. He attacked me and my men. I elected to challenge him to a duel and I was lucky that I won. But not before he injured my leg wounding me as I am not able to walk on my leg currently . before he died though from his wounds from our duel he confess to me and my men that he was a holy Lord and that the Holy League will once again rise up to defeat you my King These are his words from his lips my King I swear it on the seven. I wish it was not true but it is.. The holy League is becoming a threat once more. I just thought i would inform you about what happened. Hopefully I can make it to Kings landing.. But unless I get help i do not think i will be able to make it. "

Sinecerly Your Loyal High Lord and Loyal vassal
Eddward Rowan

**Barry Goldwater** · July 07, 2016, 05:24 PM

The King's letters reached Hayford some days after the Darklyn host had moved on, and a messenger had to ride his horse to death to catch up with the Darklyns in time. Once Denys had read it out loud to his brother at their camp one night, a baffled silence fell over the two. The younger brother, Ser Dontos was the first to speak.

"Lord Rowan claims Lord Gaunt forced him into a duel? The Castellan of Hayford said Goldengrove's host laid siege to Byford."

"Aye, so he did. And there's another inconsistency there...Rowan claims he was coming to King's Landing to visit, but did he not just do so for the coronation? And furthermore, if he's coming to King's Landing, then he would have to head east from Byford, but though we are marching west on Byford our scouts have not reported any Rowan soldiers nor colors on the road."

"Well, perhaps he felt some urgent need to talk with His Grace over some matter or other, and took a different road to the capital."

"Perhaps - or perhaps he is just lying. His story and the Castellan's are incompatible with each other, which can mean that only one of them is telling the truth. I mean to uncover that truth."

Dontos turned to look outside his tent, into a clear starry sky and the darkened silhouettes of the small forest they had just passed through. "Should we send a letter back to the King?"

"How? We are already many days away from Hayford and that castle's ravens, it is too late for us to turn back before resuming our westward march now. If we do that, Lord Rowan will have more time to flee the King's justice, if he turns out to indeed be the liar in this case. No...we are closer to Byford now than Hayford, and with any luck Lord Rowan will still be in the area. In addition to interrogating both him and House Gaunt there, we can use the Gaunt rookery to dispatch messages back to the capital. Once we uncover the liar, I shall report my findings from there and defer further judgment to the Lord Hand and the King."

"As you will, brother. I'll inform the captains that we will resume the march tomorrow morning." With those words, Dontos left his Lord Denys to his thoughts in the dark tent.

OOC: I think I'm like 2/3rds of the way to Byford, bit late to stop & turn back now plus Hayford's castellan gave the Darklyns a story that contradicts Rowan's. I guess I'll continue in the Byford thread once I get there?