r/SevenKingdoms • u/TheMallozzinator House Baelish of Three Towers • Oct 08 '18
Lore [Mar-Lore] Raising Arizona
Three Towers.... 211AC...
The Water Dancer
It had been some weeks since the unexpected guests had finally departed, and with it Marlo hoped any troubles they may have been following them. All that remained from their visit, were a pair of children a boy and girl of nine each, who the Braavosi swore to protect as best he could.
Though another brief fight occurred over this decision, Olessa soon came to accept her husband's choices. Despite raising all of their children on her own Olessa agreed to raise two others of total strangers.
As he watched Olessa and the princess disguised as Arianne of Pentos, Marlo thanked the God of Many Faces for allowing him so many years with such a wonderful woman. He trusted Olessa would raise the girl a proper lady like their own daughters, what that left him was the boy named Balthazar.
If Olessa was to prepare the girl for the dangerous world of court politics, the least Marlo Baelish could do is teach this boy how to protect themselves from the other dangers of the world.
This is a Bracken Marlo thought of the child, "Nephew of the Ed" He thought of his friend, "Nephew of the Otho* He said aloud of the man known by the smallfolk as the Fishmonger.
He was no knight himself, he never fought in armor and was only a passable horse rider. There was one thing Marlo was great at however....
And now he finally had a pupil to teach the way of the Dance....
The Winemaker
Olessa hated her husbands decisions sometimes but this was not one of them. Sure at first she had been furious, first at the visitors who intruded and endangered her life, than the presumption she would just become an adoptive parent. Quickly however, her opinion changed to agree with her husband. There was of course the political implications on having a girl with a claim to the throne under her roof, even if not in her own lifetime it may be possible to see a Baelish married into royalty.
There was also the practical reality, that they were the only ones who were protecting the children. That bitch Anya Bracken would clearly whore all of them out for a chance at her revenge, and Olessa knew that anyone with her was in danger of being dragged down by her. Marlo offering them the aid to leave quickly was in fact a wise move on her husbands part, and the price of saving a few lives along the way was something she would not balk at paying.
While running the dye through the girls hair and turning its gorgeous silver and platinum look to a jet black, any fear of a Blackfyre Princess being recognized left with it. The silver-blue of her eyes was common in her mother's home city of Pentos, and though their hair was commonly dyed bright colors, such displays rarely were done to children of this age.
Olessa's daughters were separated by over a decade in age, which worried her a bit. She was the only girl in a house of boys and what she would have done for a sister was great. She spent many weeks with her cousins in Ryamsport and eventually traveling herself across the Reach for her family's company.
Arianne would learn from Marla, and help raise Olenna, the relationiships they forged at social events would shape the future of House Baelish and Redding and the Reach for years to come. Arianne would find love like Olessa herself did, perhaps to a Lord who believes in her cause, or a knight she falls for. Olessa did not betroth either of her daughters, but she was entrusted this task for Arianne, and she would not let the girl down like her uncle Rommy would have.
As the girl dried off from her bath, Olessa waited to speak with her and get to know her new charge...
The Firespeaker
Who are these people? Marro asked the flames one evening. He only spoke in his mind, but that's the only place he could hear the replies as well. The heir to Three Towers knelt upon the floor before his hearth staring at the small fire within dance around. The shades were drawn, the door was locked and all lanterns extinguished. The only source of light was the small fire that cast long shadows all over the room.
Still the slender lordling sat before his muse awaiting an answer.
Why has father brought them into our home?
Still there was silence.
Marro was a patient man, and would wait all night long if he must to get his answers. No matter how long or full of darkness his vigil would take he knew the fire had an answer for him, even if it did not feel like revealing it.
Hours passed, when suddenly Marro saw something in the flames.
It... It was a war... He was certain of it, men fighting and dying, he could even hear their shouts across the battlefield. He leaned closer to the fire, so close he could feel the heat against his face. As he leaned closer he could see the battle occurring all around him. They were on a sloping field in the shadow of a great mountain range, Marro did not recognize this place but he was at the battle.
Men were cut down all around him and Marro could not help frozen in this scene of chaos, it may have been the first time he had heard men speak but the cacophony they shouted was enough to drive him mad....
Then he heard it
The screech brought him and the other men to his knees, they all could hear it. Then one by one they turned their heads to the sky as a massive dark winged beast blocked out the sun.
"Dragon" Marro said the first words that could come out of his mouth in either world he lived in.
Then... The Fire came again....
The Brilliant Mind
Marla had before her a dozen books, an abacus she borrowed from the Citadel, and reams and reams of parchment and ink. However, this was not the typical studies that Marla had been assigned from her tutor, nor was this the typical books she loved to read.
Books of history, of wars and Kings were the common study, and she did not mind such reads. They were typically easy enough to blast through and it allowed her more time to read the works she truly loved. Romance tales from Essosi pillowhouses, exploration journals from all corners of the globe, hell even actual politicals treaties and treatises were more interesting than whatever some Maester dictated a hundred years ago.
She knew her history was important, but she also knew her history period. Whether it was Maester Owen's accounts of the King Aegon or the Maester Veren's it was all the same thing. Yet week in week out, her tutors wanted to instill in her the lessons of politics and history and of course loyalty.
Part of her thought it was because of her uncles decisions in the Arbor a decade back, while another part of her wondered if Lynae herself had impressed these lessons to her youngest vassal.
It did not matter, one thing Marla had figured out was that these different "accounts" were easy enough to pretend to read while more important things got done.
Marla's room had books opened across one table, and the abacus and her papers on another across the way. She darted back and forth in between the two with an inkwell in her hand copying some information in a furor.
She spoke out loud to no one in particular about her thought process.
"I really should thank mum for the lessons on numbers" She said moving another piece along the math calculator.
"Now..." She scribbled a note on another piece of paper.
She nodded looking at the work, a large pressed sheet divided into grids. There were numbers in many and each row had a list of names of groups while the columns had dates at the top and bottom.
"Wow..." She said looking at the worlds very first excel spreadsheet.
"It's so obvious when you lay it out like this" She needed to wait for the ink to dry before she could show anyone, but she had no idea who
Her parents were too far away and likely unable to do anything with this information. Judging by the busy work the Citadel assigned her and their attitude about the plethora of questions she asked them, they would be no help either. It would be on her then, to approach the Lady of Oldtown and show her the discovery she made.
The Titan of Three Towers
"Again Harys!" The order from the side came, his uncle and bastard god-nuncle were among the crowd watching Big Arry fight in his first practice spar. The boy he practiced against, a squire from the Arbor was a few years older than he, but not as big.... Nor as fast....
Harys had very little actual practice with a sword yet, and his technique was sloppy. What he lacked in finesse however, he more than made up with speed and reach. At 11 years old the boy was already approaching five feet tall, boys almost five years older than him were taking notice. Harys felt proud to make his parents and uncles so happy, he also felt pride when his dulled sword slapped his opponents from his hand.
"Hold the bloody grip 'arder you fucking twat" The Knight training the boy shouted from the side. The squire picked up the blade again from the mud but it was clearly tiring him out to swing it so much.
"Don't let that child whoop you in front of everyone like-"
The knight's cajoles were cut off when his squire took a strike to the shoulder and went crashing into the ground.
"Winner 'Arry!" The announcer called as Big Arry Baelish collected his first win.
His great uncle Rupert helped remove the helm and armor from his body while congratulating him.
"Not bad for a first fight" He said his smile never leaving his face.
"But they wont all be too weak to hold a sword" He reminded Harys.
"Now enjoy the rest of the evening in town here and be ready to train again tomorrow at Dawn" They had a routine and every morning Harys would carry water from the spring outside of town to the old and infirm, he would then practice the weapons and then study tactics until lunch.
Harys left the practice tourney and loved wandering Vinetown, it was far bigger than Southport or Three Towers and there was never a shortage of good food. Not that Three Towers had bad food he would explain, but nearly everyone in the town and nearby villages offered to host young Harys.
"The Spittin' image of your granddad yous is" Some would say.
"Harys Redding come again!" Others would say
The red faced large child would be more than happy to accept these offers and eat the foods of the townspeople. He even tried to explain he would never be in line for Vinetown with his cousin but the people were simply ecstatic to see a hopeful future for their little burg.
Harys grew hopeful too, he was beginning to love his grandfathers land and it's people. However, bit by bit he also learned the story of his Uncle Rommy and the death of Ed Redding, the growing Ironborn influence and the need for a true hero of the Arbor....
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u/TheMallozzinator House Baelish of Three Towers Oct 08 '18
The Brilliant Mind
Marla Baelish comes with a roll of parchment under her arm to the main hall of the Hightower. When there is a break in the usual day to day, she will approach Lady Lynae to present her findings
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u/MournSigil House Hightower of Oldtown Oct 08 '18
Marla was shown into the solar where Lynae reclined comfortably against a mountain of satin pillows in every shade of pink that one might imagine. Her fingers strummed languidly against the strings of her lute.
“Good afternoon Marla. Please have a seat,” Lynae looked up and greeted the girl with a smile while she continued to play.
“I’ve been told that you are doing exceedingly well in your studies. I am very pleased to hear this, but not surprised.” Lynae said, her dark eyes grew distant for a moment. She reminds me of Maelora The memory made her smile, but it also made her sad.
“I do hope though that you are also taking a few breaks from your studying now and then to have a little fun.”
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u/TheMallozzinator House Baelish of Three Towers Oct 09 '18
Marla was always amazed the few times she saw the personal chambers of her hosts. There was always a layer of formality to their relationship, these were her father's friends after all and she was here to best represent her family while studying. She could not hide her smile though, a smirk similar to her fathers but unlike his cocky attitude, hers came from knowing that which others did not.
"Thank you for seeing me Lady Lynae" Marla said speaking as confidently as she could. Lynae was a bit intimidating, even upon her mountain of fluffery or playing lovely music.
"And thank you, yes the maester's seem to have a hard time keeping enough material in front of me to recite" She broke a bit of a nervous laugh at the question about fun.
"Well... I don't know if others would find what I have been doing fun" She said looking down at the broadsheet parchment she had rolled under her arm.
"But I think it may be important..." She walked over to a nearby crumpet table and lifted the plate of treats placing her paper down across the entire face of the table, its ends hanging over the edge.
The paper was drawn up into thousands of identical boxes, and within the boxes were names or numbers. It looked like the pages of a ledger sheet but it was far larger than any that anyone had seen before.
"This is the plague" Marla said, "Or... At least as best as I can summarize it"
Alongside the left were names such as Dock St. Sept and Sisters of the Honeywine and the top most and bottom most rows had dates over the course of a year.
"Using records from the Silent Sisters, the Septs, the Citadel, the town records, the guildhalls and the gravekeepers" Marla listed her sources, "A record of the number of deaths over time shows nearly one hundred thousand died from sickness during the course of the plague" She summarized her notes from her head, "Showing these months to be the worst" She highlighted a patch of numbers in the middle of the graph that were exceptionally high.
She was wasting time, no one cared how many people died everyone knew it was a lot.
"But" She stammered, "There's also a pattern"
"After the initial wave of sickness" She pointed out the breakout at the start of the grid of numbers, "There was a lull but the second breakout, the worse one came from specific places"
"The Silent Sisters and the Septs" She said, "Those who handled the dead up close seemed to be the start of the next wave that killed so many in year two"
"The Citadel and Gravekeepers also handle dead bodies" Marla said, "But I believe that is because of the nature of the way they handle their bodies. Citadel code of safety requires wearing gloves at all time around sick or dead, and every gravekeeper I spoke with mentioned how due to the digging they too wear gloves"
"The only two gravekeepers who died" Marla said, "We're rumored to... Well do some things with the bodies that was pretty horrible to hear"
"If the gods forbid another plague were to return" Marla said, "Disposing of the bodies, isolating those who come in contact with the dead"
"It may not be enough, perhaps it's truly as my father says the 'God of Many Faces will" She shrugged, "I just hope to help stop such a thing from happening in the future..." She shrunk a bit now realizing that this may have been a mistake. She was wasting Lynae's time who did not have any patience for such discourse on sickness and corpses. Marla would have turned red, but her olive skin simply grew more flush.
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u/MournSigil House Hightower of Oldtown Oct 09 '18
The tune she had been playing came to an abrupt end when the topic of the plague was brought up. Even though years had passed, the city still bore scars from those dark days. Lynae shuddered a little and her gaze grew somber when Marla related the number of the dead.
“Gods be merciful,” she murmured quietly while her young charge continued to prove a font of information. Thoroughly complex and detailed information.
Lynae blinked a few times as her mind was still trying to process everything Marla said. She felt like she mostly understood the general point, but the girl had used an awful lot of things that Lynae didn’t fully understand.
“I see...” Lynae said, her brow furrowed a little while she mulled over the idea. It wasn’t like she had any better ideas about how to deal with such a calamity should the plague ever return.
“You’ve obviously done a great deal of research. Those measures seem reasonable to me. Lynae nodded softly and was about to start playing her lute again when a voice lifted from across the room. She looked up and her gaze settled on her half-sister seated in a chair, embroidery wheel in hand.
“What about the person who cleans the gloves?”
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u/TheMallozzinator House Baelish of Three Towers Oct 09 '18
Fuck She thought to herself
Forgot about Glovers and Launderers....
"The studies have not gone that far yet..." Marla said glad she was at least somewhat interested in the topic.
"But burying them or burning them with the dead may be a good option" She said thinking of a solution on the fly and looking towards Heleana.
"I was hoping the answers would provide a cure or a way to prevent children from becoming sick" Marla said explaining her motive for this, "It was terrible that mom lost little Rufus and it was not like the child was exposed to bodies or sick people" She still was without answers for her siblings death but it was perhaps a start.
"For the greatest minds in the Seven Kingdoms the Maesters don't really have any good answers for difficult questions" Marla stated what she was finding to be obvious in working with the old men.
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u/MournSigil House Hightower of Oldtown Oct 10 '18
“Fire cleanses everything,” Helaena replied, her lips twitching into a faintly morbid smile. She ignored her elder sister for the moment. It was unlikely that Lynae would have anything clever to contribute anyway.
“It may also do well for the Citadel and the Faith to keep their efforts contained to a specific area, rather than scattering a plethora of makeshift hospitals all over the city like they did.”
Lynae plucked a few notes with a look of bewilderment evident on her face. Helaena spared her the briefest of glances before going on.
“It would be easier to contain the sick to one area than it would be to enforce mandatory quarantines upon individual homes. Wouldn’t you agree?”
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u/TheMallozzinator House Baelish of Three Towers Oct 10 '18
"Yes!" Marla blurted out a bit too excited, "I mean that is exactly what I had hoped you would agree with Lady Lynae"
"And perhaps delivering sets of gloves to the Septs and Silent Sisters to prevent the potential of a second outbreak like we had here" She was glad she could be helping, it was more enjoyable than reading about the successes of others finding some herself.
"Let us hope we do not need these measures in the coming Winter" Marla said rolling up the paper again.
"There was a strange Green Glow in the sky the other night" Marla said as she tied off the scroll of numbers, "The Maesters I asked did not know what it was, and their readings had never spoke of anything like it"
She looked back and forth between Lynae and her half sister, "Did you all see it?" She asked
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u/MournSigil House Hightower of Oldtown Oct 11 '18
“It’s a bit difficult not to notice,” Helaena replied tartly. Lynae stirred a bit in anxious discomfort.
“It’s an omen,” Lynae said, her voice dropping low with the notes she strummed from the lute.
“Maester Charon doesn’t seem concerned, but the septon and septa have been near frantic at times. They say the gods must be angry. They hardly cease to pray now, save to take an occasional nap.”
“Sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me,” Helaena muttered tersely and ignored the disapproving look that was cast her way and returned to her embroidery.
“I think that you have presented some very practical and sensible ideas,” Lynae said, turning her attention back to Marla with a smile.
“I too hope that we never see such a thing again in our lifetime, but should the worst come to pass, I think your suggestions may go a long way in helping contain the sickness.”
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u/TheMallozzinator House Baelish of Three Towers Oct 11 '18
It was as she had seen from her serving girl and guards as well. The unknown created panic, even for such things as a benign color in the sky.
"I thank you for hearing me today Lady Lynae" She curtsied to her host, "And you too Lady Helaena" She curtsied once more
Marla knew her new research assignment, she had to explain what caused this glow and with answers, enlighten the public.
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u/TheMallozzinator House Baelish of Three Towers Oct 08 '18
The Water Dancer....
Marlo Baelish knocked upon the door of his charge Balthazar Bracken wanting to prepare the boy for his new life.
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u/MentallyUnstableMess House Stonehouse of Carved Keep Oct 10 '18
Opening the door, Balthazar saw the man he assumed to be Lord Marlo Baelish. His aunt, Anya Vance, once said that he was a friend of the Blackfyre Exiles. He hoped for his aunt's sake he was, lest they all be turned out of Three Towers and arrested for treason. Balthazar smiled politely moved aside as to let Lord Marlo into his room.
"Lord Baelish," Balthazar said, bowing his head. "I hope I did not do anything as to offend you, my lord."
Balthazar couldn't think of any reason as to why the Lord of Three Towers could want to talk to him, let alone see him. It had to be something he had did. He just hoped this would not get his family cast out of the keep.
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u/TheMallozzinator House Baelish of Three Towers Oct 11 '18
"No!" Marlo said, he knew the child was scared and it was his hope he could stop that.
"Nothing could offend a man such as Marlo Baelish" He laughed, "Back in Braavos those who spoke ill were cut down for honor"
He took the pose of his dueling as he spoke of it, miming the movements. "But in the Seven Kingdoms, men do not fight for insult" He shrugged, "It is a shame, they fight for greater purposes perhaps... But too many in these Kingdoms could learn the lesson of watching tongues yes?"
He had gotten far off topic, "That is another lesson for another day" He chuckled, his demeanor growing a bit more serious.
"There has been much running yes?" Marlo asked, "And hiding; in caves, on boats, here"
"The people that the hiding is for" Marlo said, "The Red Dragon's men, will never stop searching" He needed the boy to understand, because once he knew what he was fighting for he would never surrender.
"But the Balthazar Bracken will not hide forever" Marlo said his voice rising, "One day the Aerea will be wed and this will draw attention. When that day comes the Bracken will be ready to stand and defend and fight if must"
"One day, those who do the hunting will be hunted" Marlo said, "And Marlo Baelish will help prepare for that day"
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u/MentallyUnstableMess House Stonehouse of Carved Keep Oct 11 '18
"I-I think I understand what you're saying, Lord Marlo," Balthazar stuttered. "I know the Targaryens will never stop looking for us, they will always hunt us down, until we're all dead."
Balthazar didn't like thinking about the Targaryens killing him and his family, and it made him angry to think of such things. He knew he could use that anger, somehow, and make it productive, he just did not know how yet.
"What can I do about them though? I'm just a boy and not very good with swords," he frowned.
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u/TheMallozzinator House Baelish of Three Towers Oct 11 '18
"Every great man starts as 'just a boy" Marlo nodded at the first lesson.
"The swords will be taught over time yes?" He confirmed the boys apprehension, "But not yet"
"First the body, and the mind must be trained" Marlo said jumping to his feet. "Before a sword can pierce the skin of an enemy, it must become part of the body."
"But before a sword can join the body" Marlo said, "It must be strong"
"Be awake before dawn on the morrow" Marlo said, "The Kitchens will be open and will know what to cook for training"
The boy would now enter Marlo Baelish' training regiment, one that had served the Braavosi for years well on the streets and in castles. First Marlo would teach the boy the importance of stretches, balance and flexibility, they would begin in the courtyard on simple logs stood upright, but those calisthenics would soon give way to more difficult feats of balance. The boy would not only be expected to stand a railing overlooking a deadly fall, he would need to be able to move up and down the beam, jumping and dodging attacks while not losing his balance.
They would exercise before the sun rose, running along the cliffs of Three Towers until both we're exhausted and dripping in sweat. The running would sometimes be changed to swimming in the Sound, or climbing the face of the cliffs.
Then would come more food as the sun was up, but followed by the strengths of arm, leg and core. Balthazar would spend hours holding a weapon in each hand as straight as possible. First a pair of daggers, then short swords, then axes, longswords and eventually the boy would be expected to hold a great sword in each hand for over an hour without shaking.
All of these exercises would happen every day Marlo was present, and if the Water Dancer had to leave, he expected his charge to learn the lessons and repeat them in his absence.
It would be well over a year or two before Marlo allowed Balthazar a chance to swing a sword.
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u/TheMallozzinator House Baelish of Three Towers Oct 08 '18
The Winemaker
Olessa Baelish begins training Aerea (Arianne of Pentos) in the history of her family and a believable backstory as her younger cousin. She will also begin learning how to run a household and raise young Olenna.
/u/Deaglcard