The Hunt for an Heiress

[The Mad Skylord]

A grand procession of riders arrived to Berkley Manor, with the proud banner of John FitzAlan, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury fluttering overhead. The Earl requested an audience with the Baron Berkeley, regarding a marriage with his sole daughter and heir.

[Gandalfus]

Berkeley Castle, infamous for being the place where many believe the second Edward to have been executed, loomed ahead. The Berkeley family was as old and storied as their castle; the current baron's grandfather, also named Thomas de Berkeley, had taken the side of Mortimer and his ilk against Despencer and Edward. He and a certain John Maltravers, his brother by marriage, held custody of the King here, and were rumoured to have had a part to play in his murder.

Shrewsbury's party is shown into the fortress, his and his party's horses taken away by stable-hands. They are made to wait within one of the castle's halls, for a while: the Baron was old, his knights said, though that much was true. Berkeley was nearing his fiftieth year.

Eventually, the Earl is brought into a large dining chamber, where Berkeley was having luncheon. Dark grey fuzz sprouted from both his head and chin, lips hiding behind a thick moustache. Berkeley's daughter sat nearby. Only thirteen, not yet even a woman, the pale, heart shaped face framed by very straight, brown hair.

"Lord... Shrewsbury." Greeted the Baron, gruffly, emotions hidden behind enigmatic green eyes. ​"Please, take a seat with us. We have just begun."

[The Mad Skylord]

Shrewsbury was amused to be at a castle where one of his own ancestors had once slain a King - an omen, perhaps, for times to come. Accompanying the Earl was his middle son - for whom this match was intending. The boy looked little like his father, with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. He was short and stocky, as well as pale - taking more after the 11th Earl of Arundel than the 1st Earl of Shrewsbury. The boy was scarce 12 himself, but it was obvious that his father intended him to have every chance to do well for himself in the world.

With a gracious bow, Maltravers, sat with Berkeley. "Lord Berkeley, I am honoured by you hospitality - though I doubt I am the first to come knocking at your door." Shrewsbury's auburn mane of hair was hidden beneath a chaperon and he wore a dark green houppelande - though the sleeves were not as extravagant as some you could find in the Royal Court. Having been offered, the Earl politely took some beef and wine, while his son helped himself a little more fiercely. "I have come on business, as you can imagine - though I would understand if your wished to leave it until after luncheon."

[Gandalfus]

"It can wait." Came Berkeley's casual response, before he bit into a chunk of meat.

He chewed on it thoughtfully, for a time. "I fear I am woefully uninformed as to recent events." The Baron washed down the meat with a mug of ale.

"So forgive my rudeness, but I have found I know little about you, Lord Shrewsbury. Tell me about yourself, and your kin." A gesture towards FitzAlan's son.

[The Mad Skylord]

Sitting next to Berkeley's daughter, young Thomas chatted animatedly with the girl - or maybe at the girl, Shrewsbury cared more about her inheritance than her small talk after all. Maltravers focused on old Berkeley, quaffing down some wine and putting down meat and bread with it. "My house is a branch of the FitzAlans, I was nephew to the 11th Earl - hung for treason against Richard II. I used a title that would no doubt be well known to your house at the time - that of Baron Maltravers. However, it is only recently that I have come to be called the Earl of Shrewsbury, after my kin were restored to their large estates in Sussex, as well as their titles."

Shrewsbury glanced at his son. "Thomas is the second eldest of my children and - like any good father - I am determined that he should have a place in life."

[Gandalfus]

Berkeley kept on chewing. The name of Maltravers was known to him, as was that of FitzAlan.

"Who are you married to, my lord?" Berkeley finally responded, after a long look at Thomas FitzAlan. No woman was present next to Berkeley himself; the chair remained ominously empty.

[The Mad Skylord]

A slight smile cracked at the side of the Earl's mouth. "Elizabeth le Despencer, daughter of the 1st Baron le Despencer. And you, my lord? Who did you tie the knot of matrimony with?" FitzAlan carefully phrased the question to cover both past and present - attempting to avoid insult.

[Gandalfus]

Berkeley nodded. Their children would be cousins, then, in some degree. His own mother had been the daughter of the the infamous Hugh, the younger Despencer.

"I was married to Margaret, the baroness Lisle. She passed on seven years ago." ​Leaving him a sole daughter. Berkeley hadn't bothered to remarry. He was too old for it.

[The Mad Skylord]

Shrewsbury nodded awkwardly. He was better at making widows than comforting widowers - especially grumpy old men like this. He had known they would be cousins of some kind - but it was only natural for a man to want to marry his cousin, right? "I think, my Lord, you can guess why I came."

[Gandalfus]

Berkeley looked down into his food for a time, brow furrowed, as finding something he disliked within it.

"I suppose you want to marry your son off to my daughter." He looked up at him, then.

[The Mad Skylord]

Shrewsbury looked at him idly and then looked away again. "Are you opposed to such a match? My house stands as one of the most prominent in the Realm." Maltravers winced slightly. Too clinical an approach? "I look after all my children, Lord Berkeley, blood and in-law. She could scarcely find a better husband than my son - who is kind, gentle and caring, as well as her own age."

[Gandalfus]

Berkeley nodded, slowly, ambiguously.

"Yes, men's fortunes rise as quickly as they fall." The Baron gave a thin-lipped smile, joyless.

"You came to prominence by supporting the new King, Henry, did you not?"

[The Mad Skylord]

Shrewsbury let out a short, lilting laugh - relatively unemotional. "That much is true, I could die tomorrow and my house could fade into obscurity." Eyes quickly flicking to Berkeley's face, Maltravers was unsure - was the Baron a Lancastrian, or an Edwardian? "Indeed, I was his oldest supporter."

[Gandalfus]

"Well, I'll need time to consider this proposal." Berkeley set down his mug of ale, carefully, then looked back to Maltravers with a furtive gaze.

"If that is acceptable of course, Lord Shrewsbury."

[The Mad Skylord]

Shrewsbury nodded. "Of course, Lord Berkeley, it is a hard decision to make - take all the time you need." With the talks over, and luncheon finished, FitzAlan left and awaited word of acceptance or refusal.

[Gandalfus]

Berkeley sends a missive to Shrewsbury, a few months later, with the news that FitzAlan's proposal is rejected for the time being.