driftfleet | Sixth Blight

Entry tags:

Sixth Blight - video

Who: Riona and you!
Broadcast: Yus
Action: On the Blue Fish, if you'd like!
When: Now?

[There's the distinct sound of a canine sniffing nearby when the feed turns on. Anyone with an acute ear may also hear a different kind of sound, something akin to snuffling. The animal causing it is revealed a moment later. To those not from Thedas, it looks like a pink, hairless mole. But any Thedosian would know that it's a nug.

The camera pans over to Riona, who's feeding said nug while Kiter cautiously sniffs at the other animal. She shakes her head.]

A favor for a favor, I suppose. Sister Nightingale has fallen into one of those comas. For the time being, Schmooples here is in my care. If you were expecting to see her in the interfaith center, I'm afraid it'll have to wait. [She looks over at her puppy, smiling conspiratorially.] You and I will be brainstorming what to draw on her face. Tit for tat, too.

[When she looks back at the camera, her smile falters, and pronounced concern sets in its place.]

Also, Dr. Beverly Crusher seems to be missing. Normally I'd suspect she's gone home, but her things are still here and her name still shows up on the communication device. Something is amiss. If anyone has seen her the past few days, please do let me or any of the crew on the Blue Fish know.

[Her disappearance puzzles her, along with her obvious worry. It's not like Beverly to do that, and with them having left the planet, there are only so many places she could be.]

Those matters aside, we've now returned to the dull void of space and to confinement in our ships until we make land again. There's only so much to entertain in the fleet, especially when you've been here awhile. Recently, I returned home for a few months. Here only a handful of days passed, but it felt much longer. I find myself feeling a bit homesick. So, I have a request.

[She pauses, uncertainty flitting across her face. For a moment she glances down, and finds herself fiddling with her wedding ring, which she's recently gone back to wearing on her hand. She clasps her hands together and looks back at the camera.]

But first, I suppose I should introduce myself to those who don't know me. My name is Riona Cousland [And here there's the slightest pause, a moment of hesitation. She swallows the trepidation back.] Theirin. I've been here nearly eight months.

[Whatever caused her hesitation seems to have passed. She relaxes, and continues:]

In my time, I've heard quite a few things about people's worlds. Comparing them to Thedas - where I am from - always interests me. I love hearing stories, and I'm always happy to share ones from my world, in particular the ones of my home country.

So. Let's do an exchange. A tale for a tale. It can be anything you experienced, or perhaps a legend or fable from your world that you're fond of. And I will tell you one in return. Simple enough, and a good way to pass the evening, no?

[She smiles, wiggling her fingers in good-bye before shutting off the feed.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh, you know how much I love a good story. What kind would you like, fair lady?

[Yes, Tyrion delights in stories, what are you talking about.

...and then ... ]

Beverly is missing?

Edited 2016-08-07 02:09 (UTC)

She is, I'm afraid. There's been no sign of her. But her things remain and she can still be sent messages.

[Which means she should still be in the fleet somewhere.]

Oh, whatever story suits your fancy. Though I will add that Margaery has already told me the story of Aegon the Conqueror. [She points it out for the sake of avoiding duplicate stories.]

That is troubling ... I have friends all over the fleet, I will have them keep an eye out.

[He thinks for a moment, tipping his head thoughtfully.] I could tell you of Lann the Clever.

Thank you so much. Hopefully someone will have heard something.

[Her brow raises.] Please do. What made him so particularly clever?

Hopefully so. [His lips press together, before he smiles a little.]

Well, he was particularly wily. So wily that he once managed to convince Garth Greenhand, a man with so many children that he was one of his own child. While Garth was running around trying to explain where this extra youth came from, Lann took off with the entire inheritance of all of the Greenhand children.

[Her mouth drops.]

Truly? Maker's balls, the nerve of him! How did he manage such a feat?

As one version of the tale goes, he spun a particularly believable tale of old Garth being rather too deep in his cups when he met a rather blonde young maid. While Garth was trying to figure out if it was true -- and all his children were bellowing after him to adding a bastard to the inheritance, Lann nipped in, and stole it all from Garth's vault.

I cannot - how? There must have been a considerable sum, and for one man to carry all by himself? Surely he had accomplices.

[Her tone isn't skeptical, just full of wonderment as to how this crafty man pulled off such a feat.]

Oh, you would thinks so ... but Lann the Clever had quite a few tricks up his sleeve. You see, he took it out, bag by bag, while the children were arguing with his father. He had one of the fastest horses in all the realm, and a secure little cart besides.

Every time some child wandered off in his direction, he would state that their father just promised them their horse as well, or their favorite doublet.

My goodness. [Doesn't sound like they were the brightest lot, but hey.] So this Lann made off with all the money? And I suspect he was long gone by the time they realized what had happened?

That was the way of Lann the Clever - in and about before anyone realized they had been taken for a ride. [Tyrion's mouth twitched up at the corners.]

What became of this Lann the Clever? [She raises a brow.] I wouldn't suppose he has something to do with your family?

Well clearly he ended up marrying some lovely lady and out sprouted all of us Lannisters.

Ah ha! I thought so. Granted, the name was a bit of a giveaway. [She laughs sheepishly.] And thus began the start of your house? [Man, what a foundation.]

Indeed! We have always been considered the crafty ones - and yes, the rich ones as well, for all that craftiness. [He gives her a cheeky smirk.]

It had to come from somewhere. [She laughs at his smirk, and then begins to clap.] Thank you, my lord, for the story. I very much enjoyed it. Now, I suppose it is my turn. Is there any kind in particular you'd like to hear?

[He bowed deeply, before a thoughtful look came over hi face.] If you wouldn't mind - I would like to hear about your family. Or at least, where they came from.

[Sadness flickers over her face; she can't help it. Not enough time has yet passed for it not to rise it when her family is mentioned. But luckily now she's at a point in her life where she can talk about them without the grief being overwhelming, helped a lot in part that she finally let the anger go, and has made peace with what happened as much as anyone ever can.]

Such as they are. My brother and I are the only ones left who bear the name.

My family comes from Highever, on the northern coast of Ferelden. It is one of two teyrnirs in Ferelden. From what I understand of your Westeros, they bear the equivalent rank of what the Starks and Tyrells are, in that they rule a particularly large area but still answer to a monarch. The teyrnir once belonged to the Howe family, but about... four ages ago? When the ruling lord passed and left no heir, it passed to the captain of his guard, a Cousland. We've reigned there ever since. [She pauses, a frown creasing her brow.] Well, with the exception of one year.

[She looks at him, and he presses his lips together. He could see that speaking of her family hurt her, and not out of bitterness but from true sorrow. He almost immediately regretted asking, pressing his stubby fingers together.]

I see ... yes, it would be like our great houses. [He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, tipping his head like.] So, you are of royal blood, and that is how you became Queen?

[His question turns her sorrow into panicked alarm. Her head raises up, eyes narrowed. Reflexively she makes the video private.]

I... no. I married into it. How did you know that?

[She's tried very hard to keep that under wraps. But somehow it got leaked and Tyrion knows, and now she wants to know how he found out.]

[Well ... that was surprising. He lifted both of his eyebrows upwards.]

You were married to Alistair Therrin, correct? Not the one that we had here, but one of the others. He was the King of Fereldan - is - I should say. I just made the logical leap that you were now Queen. Especially if you had a more legitimate line to the thrown through blood.

[That is a whole lot of information he knows, and a whole lot that she had been trying to keep hidden. Maker's balls, how had that leaked out?]

Let's just... back up a moment. Forgive me, Tyrion, but these are all things I've been trying to keep quiet, so it alarms me when someone knows them.

[She did just drop her married name, so she can understand where that connection is possibly being made, but she feels like she's missing something.]

How did you know he was a different Alistair, and how did you know he was a - ah, wait. He announced that when he came, didn't he?

[He looks at her for a moment, completely non-plussed, before he understands that it was not public knowledge from her end that yes, he had made that public. Ah ... ah.

Something like a wince covers his scarred face.]

Ah yes. Precisely so. Therefore I ... judged incorrectly that yours was the noble line, not his, and that you were not together ... I do apologize, Riona. I meant no harm.

It's all right. I just worried. For a time, I took pains to keep all that quiet. It's not so necessary anymore.

[She smiles wryly.]

If you want to hear the story, I can tell you and set things straight. It's... a little long though. Just as warning.

[As much as she loved her family, she prefers to talk about this than reminisce about them right now.]

I understand completely. My own past is ... equally complex. [His marriage to Sansa, his relationship with the Starks and Jon and Theon. All of the above.]

I want to - but only if you want to. It is rude to pry.

Video

Video

Re: Video

Video

Re: Video

Video

Re: Video

Video

Re: Video

Video

Re: Video

Video

Re: Video

Video

Re: Video

Video

Re: Video

Video

Re: Video

Video -> private

Private

Private

Re: Private

Private

Re: Private