The release of Brest

[Oznerol]

As agreed on the treaty between the sovereigns of France and England, Brest must be returned to His Grace the duke of Brittany, John de Monfort. John Holland was dispatched to deal with the return of the lands currently held by England in Brittany since the times of Robert d'Artois, in order to conclude the terms of treaty between his half-brother and Charles VI. He landed in Brest with an impresive entourage, including a number of armed men and a myriad different retainers, including a score of priests, musicians, various artists patronized by the ducal couple, wards, servants clad in their liveries, minor noblemen part of Exeter's household and even the kennel master and several falconers. Such a retinue soon occupied the castle of Brest: an impresive stronghold that had, for long, been the iron fist that held the English possessions in Brittany in place. John Holland send word to John of Monfort, warning him of his arrival.

Brother of Brittany,

My dearest, mightiest and noblest Lord of Monfort, Duke of Brittany and count of Dreux, we John Holland, your brother, Duke of Exeter and Earl of Huntingdon, have arrived on behalf of our mightiest, noblest and most enlightened sovereign, Richard, King of England and France, Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitaine, to return this place of Brest and all the lands currently in his most merciful rule to your Lordship, the noble Duke of Brittany, in order to upheld the agreement reached some years ago between my master, His Grace Richard, and your sovereign, His Grace, the noblest and mightiest Charles, King of France. In the name of God, our Lord and Saviour, and Saint John the Baptist, shall they preserve your Grace,

John de Holland, Duke of Exeter.

[Dirty Chai]

A summary reply returns, more or less asking when the Duke of Brittany can expect this release of English control over his Dukedom (which he so eloquently does not state as being or not being under English suzerainty)

[Oznerol]

A reply is sent with haste. Before the end of the year can the duke expect the return of his lands, considering the size of the English possessions and the intense military presence, including several garrisons of note, like Brest's own, it would take a while for Holland's clerks and underlings to figure out everything. Middle-men and go-in-betweens would be rarely inactive during these months: officers had to be confirmed or replaced, minor knights had to change their oaths, debts had to be cancelled or paid, supplies had to be suspended and so on. Holland graciously invites the duke, his former brother-in-law, to Brest, if John of Monfort indeed wants to meet the duke of Exeter.

[Dirty Chai]

The duke responds by saying that he wants English soldiers out of Brest by the end of the following month, but the commanders and captains sworn to the King of England have until the end of the year to resign their posts. Clearly, the duke of Brittany expects a full withdrawal of the English nobility as well. He states that he will be willing to meet the Duke of Exeter in Brest once the soldiery have departed and can be replaced with his own men.

[Oznerol]

As orderly as posibly, the English garrisons packed things, overseen by agents of both Exeter and Brittany. Wages were paid, debts fullfilled and fortresses changed hands, one by one. Officers on towns and boroughs were replaced by Brittany's own, and slowly but without a pause the English-held lands in Brittany were returned to its lord, John IV. Once everything had gone to plan and the men prepared to be sent to England, set to arrive to Southampton, God willing, Exeter send the required message to the Breton duke.

[Dirty Chai]

The Duke came to Brest then with his garrison replacement, inordinately smaller than the English one.

[Oznerol]

The Duke of Exeter awaits him at the gatehouse of Brest's imposing stronghold, holding a set of golden keys. By his arm, Lady Elizabeth of Lancaster, Holland's pampered wife. Both wear magnificent robes, and are a couple to behold, both quite handsome and well-dressed, elegant and arrogant. Both bow to welcome the duke of Brittany:

"My Lord of Brittany"

[Dirty Chai]

The duke was a whitened man, coming into Brest on top of a horse, dismounting just at the gatehouse. Across the river at the Tower of Tanguy was a small encampment of sorts, probably a small retinue of soldiers. None of his vassals were with him, just a large handful of knights, for he would never trust nor benefit one of the powerful families in the duchy ever again, not after what they had done to him decades ago.

"Duke of Exeter," John of Montfort reciprocated as he approached, giving a glance of his eyes to both members of the fancifully dressed Holland couple.

[Oznerol]

"We give thee the keys of this might fortress, now all Brittany is under thine sole control and authority, mighty Duke"

Said Exeter, while handing John a pair of golden keys. He bows slightly, while equal in rank, Brittany was a sovereign prince.

"My sovereign, the mighty and noble king Richard wanted it done. Thou will remain England's good friend and ally, brother of Brittany"

[Dirty Chai]

"Good," he said, eyeing Exeter only now, "I am content to hear it. My friendship with his majesty shall stay as it has been." Though, there was only formality in his voice. The English-raised duke was actually occupied mentally with whatever this meeting was truly about, and he was feeling quite impatient about all of the formality trying to ease him into something.

John of Montfort, who a few lickspittles called a "conqueror" - if you asked John, the only ones who did any conquering were the longbowmen at La Roche Derrien - gestured towards his former brother-in-law, his left hand raising out of a long, hanging sleeve of his coat, waving a few fingers in a way that told one of his men to take the keys and for the others around him to hurry and do away with the ceremonial standing-about.

"Now, you know I am an impatient man, Lord Holland.. and an old one at that, so you must forgive me this blunt behavior.."

The white-haired de Dreux put the hand down, resting it on a fine belt which hung around a dark green felt coat. He frowned slightly, though it was hard to tell under his shaggy mustache. If you knew anything about the man (his wife did, for example), then you could discern the symptoms of a lifetime of paranoia.

"Why the request to meet, personally?"

[Oznerol]

"My Lord, we believe, and my wife is of the same opinion..."

"Indeed"

She said, with a sly smile.

"That friendship can be cimented with marriage"

Lancaster nodded.

"That's something my lord father always understood"

"Your eldest daughter, my noble duke, could make a fine match for my son and heir, Richard. That's how long-lasting friendships are achieved, doesn't it?"

[Dirty Chai]

"Again?" John's eyes widened in surprise for a moment.

[Roll: 1-5 negative, 6-15 middling, 16-20 positive; +2 charisma; rolled a 2, so 4/20]

"My eldest, Marie, is being promised to the count of Perche, the son of Alençon,"​

[Oznerol]

"We wouldn't like to break a contract, my Lord, but you should remember my son is His Majesty's nephew and a grandson of Lord Lancaster, noneless. Rarely you could find a better match for your daughter, moreso considering my son will one day be Duke of Exeter and Earl of Huntingdon, owner of vast estates across the sea"

He was midly offended, but an outburst wouldn't help.

"However, if you do so want, to marry your noble offspring to Alençon's son, we do believe you sired more daughters with your wife, Lady Joan. We do believe Lady Marie would be the better match, but we would never want to compromise your Grace's honor"

[Dirty Chai]

"And the count of Alençon is a son of the Valois and holds vast territory north of the Loire and upon the Maine and in Normandy," he said, with a patient and polite tone. The implication was that Alençon was much the same if not more, but also closer at hand. Equal, at the very least, though not a duke.

"Margaret is only two years younger than Marie, and I would be happy to begin talks of a possible betrothal."

[Oznerol]

"A betrothal could be interesting, my Lord. We are certain such a deal could be arranged with little or no issues, for our mutual satisfaction"

Replied Elizabeth, Lancaster nodded.

"My son would gladly spouse your own daughter when the time comes. We do know about His Grace Charles's erratic behavior and the increasing friction between the royal uncles and my Lord of Orleans. I'm sure your Lordship isn't unaware of such a problematic. Who knows what the stance of the Valois' court could be in some years, regarding your Grace, my Lord of Brittany. I offer English friendship, however. In exchange of marriage. As it was done in the past"

[Dirty Chai]

"I owe my duchy to English arms, sure, but I have repaid that in full over many decades, Exeter. And what is valuable to me is a continuance of that reciprocation," he explained with a bit of frankness, yet retained a polite tone, "You offer enduring friendship from across the channel, but I am afraid I have difficulty understanding this when His Majesty has sworn off war against Paris and agreed to withdraw from Brittany. What happens when de Clisson instigates the king against me again?" One could imagine why he hated his own vassals. It was no secret to the observant and patient that John of Montfort had kept his dukedom after all these years, against so many rivals and foes, by balancing the French and English against one another. If one withdrew, the other would eat him whole.

[Oznerol]

"He will not, for fear of our claws, my Lord. With His Grace, the Duke of Nemours and King of Navarre, staunchly on our side, and considering how hard both king Richard and king Charles worked for this peace, it would be unusual for one of them to break it; whatever their most unruly vassals could say or do"

Said Holland. Such a betrothal could do wonders to reaffirm Exeter's standing in the peerage, being distinguished with a princely match like one of Brittany's daughters. Moreso, his children were cousins of king Richard's young bride.

"Thus, it would be safe to say that Brittany could very well enjoy years of lasting peace, at last. A marriage would only ciment the notion of a new friendship between France and England, while strenghtening the ties between your Grace and our sovereign, Richard"

[Dirty Chai]

"And what about after Richard? He has no son, no daughter. I hear he wants a young Earl of March to succeed him; he is married to your niece, is he not? I can trust a continuance of our relation there."

The duke paused, allowing one thought and another to separate.

"But what if Lancaster becomes king? You're defying your own salic laws if he does not."

[Oznerol]

"To my niece noneless. Well, even if Lancaster becomes King... here it is, my wife"

He said, theatrically. She nodded.

"I'm Lord Henry's sister, my Lord"

[Dirty Chai]

Brittany grunted, apparently having forgotten how well connected Exeter truly was.
"Of course, my lady, forgive me a momentary lapse of logic. I have not been to England in many years," he excused himself the blunder.

He paused, shifting gears, readjusting. "So, Richard of Exeter to Margaret of Brittany. It would be many years before she may go across the sea. Your son will be long a man grown by then."