(121-05-09) Home Again
Home Again
Summary: After six months abroad, Samael returns to Oldtown, and Brynden comes across him moving back in.
Date: Date of play (DD/MM/YYYY)
Related: none
Players:
Samael..Brynden..

The Hightower — Battle Island

The great tower is all of white stone, ancient and beautiful. This lowest tier is quite wide and grand enough for any palace. There are two stories of this widest and lowest one. The tower has a narrower tier above, and a circular balcony-garden on the roof-space left unoccupied.

The ground floor is dominated by this grand receiving hall, and the great main doors lead directly to it. High windows let in light that reflects off the white stone walls and makes the space airy and bright. It is here that the Lord of Hightower holds his local court, from a large chair on a tall wooden dais. Both chair and dais are carved with images of the tower itself, and with dolphins and sea-dragons. They are inlaid with stones of white and grey, and decorated with silver-leaf. There's space for the Lord's councillors to sit alongside him, but visitors seeking audience must stand.

Past this grand hall there is a wide gracious stone stairway allowing access to the higher levels. Hidden behind the wall behind it and to and on one side, ramps allow wagon-loads of firewood for the beacon to be hauled up.

———

Oldtown is home of House Hightowers, but not all of those Hightowers are home at a given time. Samael and his immediate family have been abroad some six months, traveling among the Free Cities of the East. That they have just recently returned is an event that caused hardly any fanfare or great deal of notice, save for the assorted strange and exotic items that footmen have been carrying from the harbor into The Hightower as Samael gets himself situated. Otto's youngest brother is currently carrying a wooden box of items that clink and clank softly as he walks towards the stairs. He pauses, though, the frown up at said stairway which seems to have rather more stairs than he recalls, now his arms are full with precious and breakable things.

Stepping down those stairs, Brynden's looking rather lost in thought for a few moments. The clinking and clanking makes him pause a bit, and he looks over towards the source, pausing as he spots Samael. A brief pause, and a grin as he steps further down the stairs, towards his cousin. "Now look who's decided to come back home," he remarks a bit lightly. "I didn't know you had returned already."

Samael peers over his box, and a bright smile lights his blue eyes and flashes fairly tidy teeth. "Hello, cousin," he greets. "Yes, we've only just arrived. Hello." He bends down, setting the box gently at the foot of the steps and brushing off his sleeves. "You look well."

"Welcome back, cousin. I hope your travels were quite interesting and rewarding," Brynden replies, before he nods a little bit now. "Thank you. I have been mostly well too. Been a few things it's taken some time to adjust to, but all in all that has been quite well."

"They were, indeed they were," Samael agrees, arms crossing as he offers another smile. "I would have stayed longer, but, well. Time presses on and all that, and when Aona was using more Braavosi words than common, I think that was the tipping point for Malena."

Brynden chuckles as he hears that. "I can imagine that would be a bit of a tipping point, yes." A nod, before he smiles, "Did you stay in Braavos for most of the time, or travel between the various cities?" Sounding a bit curious now.

"Malena and the children spent most of the time in Braavos and Pentos. I traveled a bit more and visited most of the others," Samael replies. "Myr has some incredibly fascinating techniques for shaping glass… but I didn't want the children too close to ports with slavers. Not that anything would have happened, but a man worries."

"Understandable, those worries. I suspect I will have to get more used to such worries soon as well," Brynden replies, before he smiles. "It sounds like you have had quite an interesting journey."

Samael's brows lift and he smiles faintly. "Have you wed, then, cousin? What have you been up to while I've been away?"

Brynden nods a bit at that question. "I have, yes. Half a lifetime of betrothal was done a few months ago. Well, an entire lifetime for Nika, of course. And now we are waiting for our firstborn." A brief pause and a bit of a tired grin now. "What I've been up to? Trying to keep out of trouble, mostly." A brief pause, before he adds, "Someone attacked one of the Cockshaw holdings, killed a lot of people, including my nephew. And then someone attacked a Blackmont holding in return, and some of my friends were accused of it. So there was a Trial of the Seven, where I helped them get cleared of the accusations."

"Well, congratulations to you, then," Samael replies with a warm smile, "well done." For the rest, his expression becomes more somber. "Yes, I had heard a little about that ordeal," he agrees softly. "Strange business, that, but I suppose it's settled, now."

"Thank you," Brynden replies, before he nods a bit, "And hopefully that business is over and done with, yes. It's been quite troublesome for all."

"Interesting," Samael muses. "Oh. And terrible, of course," he adds hastily. "That, more."

Brynden nods, expression neutral as he they speak about the business with the Dornish. Glancing around the room briefly, he adds, "Oh, and aside from those things, I ended up with a task from my friend Ser Laurent Tyrell. Trying to help his brother to a knighthood."

"Oh?" Samael asks, his head canting in the other direction. "You've a Tyrell squire? Hmm, that's always fun."

"Well, he's only been my squire for a few days so far, but yes. And the challenge I've run into is that he is an aspiring actor as well, and stubborn like his brother," Brynden replies, before he adds, "But I will just have to do as well as I can."

"So, then, he means to act and not pursue knighthood?" Samael asks, brows furrowing. "Whyever for? Acting is smallfolk's business."

Brynden shrugs a little at that questions, "I think we might have made him realize both can be done. That he can be a knight but do the occasional acting. His cousin took over the Whimsy a little while back. But as long as those doesn't interfere with each other too much, they might help each other, possibly."

"Hmm," Samael muses. "Acting help knighthood. An interesting proposition, certainly. On what observations is it based?"

"What is acting if not improvisation, cousin. And every now and then even a knight might need that to get out of troublesome situations," Brynden replies, before he adds, "Besides, letting the boy keep his dream will probably make him more attentive to his lessons and training than having him resenting both his brother and me for ruining said dreams." Another shrug now. "It has taken some of the stubbornness out of him, so far," he adds.

"Oh, yes," Samael muses, as if the thought that placating might work better than denial never quite occurred to him. "Yes, I suppose that is perfectly sensible. Hmm." He fishes a small, red-covered notebook from his breast pocket, as well as a bit of charcoal, and jots down a few quick notes. "Well, it seems you've the lad well in hand, then."

Brynden nods a little bit as he hears that. "I need to work a bit on his swordplay, though. He can do some good attacks, but he's usually too eager in them, and with more problems on his defense. But I believe we will manage to turn him into a good knight with time."

"Well, if I can help," Samael offers, "I would be glad to. Not that I have any great skill, but I understand well enough how to handle a blade or an axe."

Brynden nods as he hears that. "I'll keep that in mind," he replies, before he adds, "Did you learn any new tricks with a blade or some other weapon over on the other side of the sea?" Sounding a bit curious now.

"Well, I observed a bit of Braavosi 'waterdancing'. You can hardly avoid it, they del as oft as they clasp hands, there. But I'm afraid i was too distracted with my other works to attempt to seek out any lessons. Speaking ow which…" he glances down at his box of glass tubes and phials before crouching down and hefting it up into his arms again. "Suppose I'd best get this tucked away."

"Of course," Brynden replies, with a quiet smile now. "We will speak later, cousin. Say hello to your wife and kids from me."

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