driftfleet | 🌹 ００１

Entry tags:

🌹 ００１｜ｖｉｄｅｏ

Who: margaery tyrell.
Broadcast: fleet wide.
Action: Marsiva ; hospitality deck
When: current

[ the girl who sits in front of the camera seems as if she is quite well-versed in this manner of communication. if she had spent precious time watching others from afar before trying her hand at it as to not look foolish, it does not show. the only hint of how foreign she is to this setting is her manner of dress but give it a few seconds and you might start thinking this is somehow natural, too.

after all, she does seem very comfortable. Margaery's smile is sweet and bright, her hair is flowing down her shoulders and a few roses are placed neatly in her lap, almost a portrait-worthy moment before she speaks. ]

If I am not entirely mistaken, these are our best chance of speaking to one another. I did not wish to appear ill-mannered in failing to introduce myself.

[ to her fellow hostages and to the audience watching. she made certain to appear especially lovely for this. if they love you from the first moment, they shall be yours forever if you mind your step. ]

I am Margaery of House Tyrell; some of you I had the pleasure of meeting already and as for the rest, I am eager to speak to you as soon as it pleases you. I understand we are to spend quite some time together and it would please me to know each and every one of you. I am certain you have fascinating tales to tell of your time here or where you come from; if you ever wish to share, I shall be honored to provide company. I know little of such vessels and adventures but I am keen to learn all that I may.

[ and win whatever game this is. she dips her chin, a humble gesture. ]

For now, I hope I am welcome among you and dearly hope this finds you well.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Likely so, unless they have not had the chance to see your message as of yet. Unfortunately your chances are they are not here, but that could always change.

[She smiles weakly at Margaery's good-will wish. She'll never see most of them again, and who knows when she'd be able to visit Fergus or vice versa. However, the intention means more than the reality of the hope.]

Thank you.

Hmmm. The name does not ring a bell. [Sansa, Robb nor Bran ever mentioned the name to her. Otherwise, she'd have said something.] But seven entire countries under one king? Impressive. [The place must be as large as Orlais, if not more so. And she can't even imagine trying to reign sovereign over that much territory.] Is Highgarden a lovely of a place as it sounds?

Though I do not wish any of them to be abducted by this place, I admit the thought of them here is likely to become sweeter by the day. we are not very used to be so far from one another.

[ especially not herself and Loras. ]

They were once separated until a man named Aegon the Conqueror of house Targaryen brought them together under his rule. He and his sisters had came to battle had many victories until eventually all the lords and ladies accepted their rule. He was called Aegon the Dragon, too for he and his sisters came to claim a throne riding their dragons.

[ but she digresses, doesn't she? she smiles a little ]

Forgive me, it is one of my favorite tales. It is a very old one, house Targaryen and their dragons are long gone from the shores of our realm. You asked me of Highgarden and I shall tell you, there are not words to describe the beauty of it. It is a castle my house has kept for many, many years, built upon a hill by the river, filled with sweet fruit trees and fields upon fields of golden roses.

[She listens to the story intently. It reminds her of the tale of Calenhad and how he united Ferelden, minus the sisters and dragons. A mention which causes her eyes to widen only slightly.]

Dragons can be tamed where you're from?

[They're nothing more than a big, dangerous pestilence in Thedas. ]

But I can see why you enjoy the tale. It seems like a rather exciting one.

[Golden roses and a castle by a river. It sounds so idyllic, like something out of a fairy tale. And a rather far cry from her childhood home in Highever.]

It sounds wonderful. It's a shame I cannot visit. I'd very much like to see these golden roses; we have no such thing in Thedas. [What she'd give to be able to pluck a few and show them to Alistair when she got home.]

Once, they could have, and only those of house Targaryen. The dragon is their sigil and the beasts have always shown an uncanny loyalty to them, so the old tales tell. They say their dragons were so large they could fill halls upon halls.

[ she smiles, her tone turns conspiratorial ]

A few roses came with me. They are not true Highgarden roses but I shall give you one the day we meet.

High dragons, then. [It's more muttered to herself. Thedas had drakes and dragonlings, which were relatively small. But the female high dragons? Hoo boy were they big. And a pain the ass to fight. It's really no wonder to her, then, that these Targaryen's could overtake seven kingdoms if they had dragons on their side.] I am impressed that anyone could have any capability in controlling those beasts. But then, things that hold true in one world don't necessarily do the same in another, I've come to learn.

[The offer surprises Riona. It's a very kind gift coming from a total stranger.]

My goodness, are you sure? I would not want to take something you have from home away from you. It may be some time before you return.

Are they matters of tales in your own realm as well? Fierce and untamed, I assume?

[ there is a dark side to the house of dragons as well. much like the beasts themselves, those born to dragon blood seemed to be as unexpectedly violent but those are morbid thoughts, hardly necessary now. ]

I am certain. You have been kind to me in my most uncertain hour, it is the least I can do for a friend.

Oh absolutely. They're fierce predators and can wreak utter havoc when they come out of hiding to nest. Fortunately that's the only time they appear, and they're not terribly common. A huge relief, given how difficult it is to fight one.

[She's only ever fought one proper high dragon but that was enough for her.]

Then I would gladly accept your gift. Thank you very much, Margaery.

You seem to know so much of the subject. Have you ever seen one? I can imagine a dragon is quite a sight.

[ she nods ]

You are always welcome, sweetling.

Oh, I have. Up close and personal, in fact. Tried to make a meal out of me and my companions, breathed fire, and so on. Nasty thing.

[And that was just the high dragon that watched over the Temple of Sacred Ashes which, if Oghren hadn't been a drunken idiot and stumbled into that damned gong, she never would have had to fight the thing.]

Truly?

[ she gasps and then chuckles at her own dramatics. she leans forward, catching every each one of her words, eyes widening. ]

and you fought against it? have you defeated it?

We did and we won. Barely, I might add. By far the most difficult and exhausting battle of my life at the time.

[A pause, and then she smiles conspiratorially.]

Would you like to hear the story? Now that I think about it, it's not too bad a tale.

[ even if she were not interested, margaery is fortunate enough to have a gift of making those she speaks to feel as if there isn't anything in the world more fascinating than themselves. When she is taken by her company, quite like now, she becomes joyful and giddy. ]

I do greatly enjoy stories. Now you must tell me.

Then I shall not disappoint you. Though to understand this story in its fullest will require me to explain a few things beforehand. Do forgive me for it; I'll try to make it quick.

[She gets comfortable in her seat, knowing this will take a bit of time.]

My country was embroiled in a civil upheaval at the time of this story. Our king had died suddenly in battle and his advisor, Teyrn Loghain Mac Tir, seized power, instating himself as regent. [She smiles bitterly.] It didn't go over well with the nobility, as you might imagine. [There was also the Blight occurring, but that wasn't necessary to know for the story and would make the tale twice as long as needed.]

My companions and I, among other things, were trying to unite the nobles of Ferelden to confront Loghain and bring an end to the civil war. The best man to help us with that was a man named Eamon Guerrin. Eamon is an Arl in my kingdom, a noble lord with considerable influence and power. Unfortunately, as luck would have it, he had fallen ill. Poisoned, we later learned. And no known medicine or treatment worked to cure him.

The only option left to us was a legend that told of the Sacred Ashes. They are said to be the ashes of Andraste, a prophet from a thousand years before my time that spread the word of the Maker. Her teachings are the basis of the Chantry and the Chant of Light, the dominant religion in my world. It was said that her ashes had potent healing properties and could cure any illness.

[She pauses to take a breath before smiling in apology.] Forgive me, that's a lot to take in.

You must not apologize, I find the tale fascinating.

[ it gives her a look into another realm aside of her own. it does not sound so different than westeros in the way of politics and poisons. different names but the same agendas. it gives her the benefit of looking into the life of the lady she speaks to ]

please, speak freely. It appears that we have ample time to speak to one another in this realm.

Thank you. You're too kind.

[With all the background out of the way, now she can get on with the tale.]

Eamon's wife had sent many of their knights out into Ferelden to track down the ashes. Piggybacking off what information they had gathered and from the accounts of the at-the-time missing Brother Genitivi, we eventually tracked down the location of the ashes. They were hidden in the mountains behind a village called Haven, an isolated location in the Frostbacks, west of my kingdom. The town did not take kindly to outsiders. They had essentially cut themselves off from the rest of the world for centuries. And, ah, when we said we needed to get to the mountain to get to the ashes, they really did not take kindly to that. [To say the very least.]

After several unfortunate encounters with the local population, we found Brother Genitivi. Poor man had gone to the village to find the ashes as well and got taken prisoner. Once he was patched up, he led us to an old ruined temple, filled with more angry villagers. He stayed behind while we were forced to fight our way through the place to get to the mountain. [It's clear by her tone that she wished it hadn't been that way, but the villagers had left them no choice.] The temple led into a series of caverns that wound their way up through the mountain. We ran into several dragonlings and drakes - male dragons that are much, much smaller than their female counterparts. Typically signs that a high dragon is nearby or at least lives nearby, anyway. Worrying, but we had more pressing matters to worry about.

"But what were these villagers doing, hiding out in a cavern system with such beasts?" you might ask. That's what we wondered, too! Since dragons and drakes like to munch on humans. We discovered the truth when a leader of the villagers - Kolgrim, I think his name was - confronted us as we were leaving the caverns. Apparently, the villagers had taken up worshiping the local high dragon, believing she was Andraste reborn. They had been trying to get to the ashes to destroy them because they were certain that if they did so, the magic in them would be released and Andraste would achieve her true form. And the leader was so generous as to offer me forgiveness if I took some of the dragon's blood and poured it in the ashes. Seeing as I was not keen on being remembered as the lunatic who defiled the ashes of the Maker's Bride, I said no. They got mad, and they attacked.

[It's the story of Riona's life as a Warden, honestly.]

After that unfortunate incident, we finally emerged from the caverns and saw the mountain which housed Andraste's ashes. Now, the villagers were a crazy lot but they were right about one thing: there was, in fact, a high dragon. And she was right there, sleeping above the entrance into the mountain.

[She pauses for another breath and to let Margaery take it in. And also, admittedly, for dramatic effect.]

[ she's a good audience, margaery is, gasping and smiling and bringing a hand to her lips at the appropriate moments, taking in the places and the names as much as she can. ]

How brave you have been! Braver than many knights I have met, to have fought so many battles so gallantly.

[ but then, she gives her a little look, full of curiosity ]

and what happened after that? with the high dragon? had she rose from her slumber?

Brave? [Funny, she never really considered herself such.] I suppose. Feels hard to call it bravery when I was driven by sheer necessity. But I thank you for the compliment.

[Now onto the good part of the story.]

Well, if things had gone well she would never have woken. She was rather high up, you see, and the wind could be strong at times. High elevation and all. The ten of us agreed to keep as quiet as possible while we trekked into the temple containing the ashes. After going through the village and the caverns, none of us particularly wanted to fight the creature. With that in mind, we began to walk towards the temple. Our pace was slower than normal, as we didn't want to risk moving too quickly and making noise with our armor and whatnot. The path sloped downwards before inclining upwards again, towards the temple entrance. At the bottom of the slope was a gong. I... assume the villagers would ring it to summon the dragon or somesuch.

[And here her tone goes from friendly narrative to mildly annoyed and, well, long-suffering. A scowl sets into her expression as she continues.] Now, to this day I am not exactly sure what happened next. The accounts varied after it was all said and done. I was in front, leading the group. Some say he was pushed, others that he stumbled of his own accord. All I know is that as we went down the slope, I suddenly heard a slight shout before my dwarven companion goes rolling past me down the hillside. Stumbling and tumbling straight. Into. The gong. I swear, if I didn't know better, I'd have said he was aiming for the damned thing.

As you can imagine, with him wearing plated armor, he made quite a ruckus when he collided with it. Certainly enough that the high dragon heard it and woke up, very cranky from being roused from her nap. I'll admit that we all sort of just... stood in shock for a moment, unbelieving as to what happened. Then things were said that I won't repeat in polite company [Most of which came from her mouth] before we were all forced to dive out of the way as the dragon swooped down in a flourish of fire. She landed and it felt like the whole earth shook. As she did she let out this... piercing roar. I'll never forget it. It felt like someone was screaming directly against my ear, it was so loud. And terrifying. Let me tell you, I wasn't feeling too brave in that moment. It was the most terrified I ever felt in my life.

I find that the truly brave so very rarely admit themselves to be that. Most men who boast at their titles may yet prove to be disappointing in one manner or another.

[ her beloved joffrey comes to mind. ]

I can imagine! I am quite alarmed just hearing it. How frightened you must have been for your companions, faced with such terror.

[ and then she gestures with her hands ]

Please, continue. I do not have the nerve in me to wait, I am so eager to hear the rest of it.

You are absolutely right. I've heard similar boasts myself, though there is usually someone willing to knock said boaster down a few pegs.

[She smiles at Margaery's enthusiasm and at her behest, continues in earnest.]

So, yes. One very miffed dragon. Ten fighters who had never gone up against one before. We'd never even got up against something that large before. Everyone's instinct - rightly so - was to spread out and form two lines around her. The warriors with the heavy armor in the front line, and the mages and lightly armored in the back row. Now, to our great fortune, and to the dragon's considerable consternation, we had a stone golem named Shale with us. A dear friend of mine. She's... well, an over seven foot tall being composed entirely of very durable stone. The dragon was not used to such creatures, you see. She likely had grown used to stomping on and eating "squishy meatbags", as Shale liked to call us non-golems. Shale... perplexed her. She tried to take a bite out of her and got an enormous stone fist to the muzzle for her efforts. Her fire also had little effect on Shale, so she was quite enraged. Dragons are intelligent but they're also temperamental creatures, so in her rage, she kept going after Shale. Shale drew most of her ire, and the rest of us could wail away at the dragon without too much trouble, for the most part.

Now this dragon also likely wasn't used to having to put up such a fight, so her moves became predictable after awhile. There was only so much she could do: swipe, bite, or breathe fire. All of which were dangerous and required very careful movements and footing. For the most part, the fight consisted of most of us just hacking, shooting, or casting spells at her for over an hour, and diving out of the way when necessary. Which... was a lot. The one mage tried every spell she knew on the thing, trying to see what would stick, while the other kept us alive with her healing magics. Because, despite our best efforts, we all did get hit. We were already tired after the trek through the caverns and not fighting at our absolute best. Not... recommended when taking on a dragon.

Most of the injuries received weren't terribly serious, nothing our healing mage couldn't handle quickly on the field. And there were enough of us to keep the dragon distracted if someone did go down. [Here her expression darkens, and she looks away from the camera.] Ah, honestly, it was... pretty fortunate there was only one major mishap.

[...care to guess, Margaery, who made that mistake?]

A woman of stone? No bard could sing a song of a more exciting battle. Was she beautiful, despite of it?

[ it's not a shallow question as much as her wishing to try and imagine the person in question ]

Only one? tell.

In her own way. Shale does not look human - or dwarven, as she once was. [She describes Shale to Margaery, smiling fondly as she does so.] In battle she wore these crystals that made her stronger. Some kind of magic, I never quite understood it. But she was always very particular about them. They needed to match and, Maker help us if they made her look round.

[The interlude about Shale helps to ease Riona as she moves onto the final part of her tale. While it's a good one, it's not the most... flattering bit about her.]

Towards the end of the battle, we were all exhausted, me included. I came up from behind the beast to try and strike at one of its front claws. I hoped to disable it and hasten the battle. But the dragon was desperate and knew it was in danger of dying. I miscalculated. Shale had drawn its attention and I went in for the strike. Or, I thought she had. The dragon moved in a way I didn't expect, and she caught me running right up at her. And she did what could only be expected then: she struck me. [She motions with her arm, mimicking the movement of the dragon.] And it was not a light batting, either. Struck me square in the chest and sent me flying. Landed at the bottom of the slope, not far from the gong.

[She rubs at her chest where the claw had dug in.]

I had on heavy armor, thank the Maker. Saved me from certain death. Nonetheless, I was bleeding quite badly and the dragon seemed determined to make sure I didn't get back up. She went to move towards me. My war hound rushed forward and cuts her off. He knew I was in trouble and it didn't matter what was coming, he was determined to protect me. The dragon lunged forward to snap at him, he dodged and then... [She laughs a little.] I always told him to go for the throat, and that's what he did. A dragon's scales are near impenetrable but the skin under its belly and neck are soft. Kiter, my dog, managed to get a good grip and hung on for dear life. The dragon protested very loudly, as you can imagine.

Meanwhile, I... well, I was losing a bit of blood at that point so things get a little fuzzy here in my memory, but somehow my dwarven friend - the one who started this whole mess - managed to leap high enough, or was tossed as I figure, to imbed his axe pretty well into the thing's head. To make matters worse for the dragon, one of my other companions also managed to get up on her back and proceeded to drive both his daggers into the back of her neck. So she's got a dog biting into her throat, an axe in her head and two daggers digging into her neck. Desperate to get her attacks off her, she rears back onto her hind legs to throw them off.

[It was a hell of a sight.] One of the mages took advantage of the opportunity and sent an impressive bolt of lightning straight through the dragon's chest. Must have hit the heart or... something. It finally did the beast in. The dragon let out a final death knell before it came crashing down to the ground. Kiter and the men on her managed to leap out of the way in time and landed in a snow bank. I think. I... passed out shortly afterwards.

I never heard such a tale before.

[ there are stories of princesses and dragons to be certain but featuring dwarves and women made of stone, this one is unique in that and it makes its teller unique as well. margaery gives her excited applause ]

how brave you've been, how selfless! truly, that is what they speak of when they describe the gallantry of a knight. it is refreshing to hear such a tale of courage of boldness from a woman, not surprising at all - simply refreshing.

[Riona actually blushes a bit at the applause. She's never been known for her storytelling skills, and she's quite pleased Margaery liked it. Of course, it could be a case of her just being polite and kind, but it's a sweet gesture all the same.]

Thank you. I am glad you enjoyed it. I only wish my companions were here. None of us felt too brave in that fight, I think, and to hear such praise would have lifted their spirits a bit.

[And in a few cases, gone straight to their heads.]

Are women not allowed to be knights where you are from?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

🌹 ００１｜ｖｉｄｅｏ

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

i am so sorry for all this word vomit

you're good!

thank you ;;

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

🌹 ﻿００１ ｜ ｖｉｄｅｏ

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

i am so sorry for all this word vomit

you're good!

thank you ;;

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

🌹 ００１｜ｖｉｄｅｏ