Again at Lord Hardy's DeathbedIndex | HomePage | GameLogs | HoldfastGameLogs | Again at Lord Hardy's Deathbed Kenrith once again knocked softly at the door, this time that of his father, and opened it so that Sewell would not need to cross the room. His father was lying, half-propped on his pillows. One of the old women of the castle was, it seemed, nursing him. Sewell was nowhere in sight. "Where is the maester?" Rhys asked the woman. He went to get some herbs," said the nurse. "Fresh from the gardrens, he said would be best." Kenrith crossed the room to his father's side and gently rest his hand on his shoulder while trying to stay out of the nurse's way. His face was sad. He listened to the answer to Rhys' question as well. He'd alienated Edlyn shortly after arriving, and Celia not long after. He may well have done the same to Sewell and his youngest brother in the same breath, and he'd certainly alienated his father. Damn near killed him. Corryn seemed to have forgiven him for getting his man killed, but then again he might not have, and now Rhys. But maybe he could save them all, before he was done. "By your leave, Kenrith, I wish to go to my uncle. Is there anything you need from me here, or may I go?" Rhys asked. "Please, go to him and tell him what you told me, also what I asked you to do in response," he replied. Rhys nodded. He left Lord Hardy's rooms and made his way toward the gardens. Rhys continues in Urgent Errands "How is her Ladyship?" asked the nurse quietly, looking toward Lord Hardy. "I have hope that she will recover soon," he said as he tried to meet the nurse's eyes. His eyes told a different story, then he glanced down to his father. His eyes were half-closed and he seemed to be keeping up a steady, incoherent muttering. Whether this came from pain or something else was unclear - just as it was unclear whether Lord Hardy was still observing anything from the external world. "Ah, welladay," sighed the old woman, and she moved away from the bed to begin soaking some clothes in warm water. A movement by the fire on the far side of the room revealed to Kenrith that they were not alone - and Kenrith caught a glimpse of his young half-brother, trying to be inconspicuous. Kenrith patted his father's shoulder gently, and crossed towards the young man. "How are you doing," he asked him quietly. Jonas looked up at his older brother a little apprehensively - presumably remembering their last encounter. "Where is my Mother?" he said. "She told me she would come back once the tournament was over." Kenrith was struck dumb for a moment by Jonas' question, so he asked one of his own to buy a moment. "Do you know where... Katina is?" It only took him a moment to summon his half-sister's name, but he wished he'd had it on the tip of his tongue. Another mark against him. Jonas frowned. Kenrith's hesitation had not gone unnoticed. "She's with Septa," he said flatly. While he waited for Jonas' reply, he took a knee so the younger man could look him in the eye without looking up. This presaged bad news. "She was standing next to Ser Herys during the tourney, Jonas... he struck her. Come, I'll take you to her," he offered as he moved his hand from the boy's shoulder to a level where he could choose to take it in hand if he wished. Jonas considered the proffered hand gravely for a moment - and then thrust his own small, sticky paw into Kenrith's grasp. Kenrith felt another pang of guilt at her injury-- he still felt that leading the Boltons off was the best call to protect the Hardies, but perhaps, if he'd simply knifed them as soon as he'd left the walls... No. He couldn't have taken them down, tested the Laughing Knives, confirmed there was no pressing wilding threat, and made it back in time to protect Celia. But he wished he could have... everyone's safety was now his concern. "Can we see her now?" asked Jonas. Kenrith nodded, and said "Mmm-hmm," which was uncharacteristic for him, but Jonas had no way of knowing that. Once they were out of the room, Kenrith paused again. "Jonas-- she is hurt very badly. Sometimes, events prevent people from keeping their promises. Sewell has done all he can for her, and may be getting herbs for more medicines for her-- if they aren't for father. You are seven now, which is why I'm taking you to see her now. If you were younger, I wouldn't," Kenrith said. He took a deep breath, waited for his voice to steady, and continued, "I'm sorry Jonas... this may be the last time," he concluded. Jonas looked up at him, his lower lip quivering, but all he managed in response was a single curt nod. Kenrith then led Jonas in to see his mother. Ser Ander was kneeling beside the bed, one of his sister's hands clasped in both of his, while the Septon hovered anxiously. As the door opened, he looked up sharply - and then nodded at Kenrith. "What is happening outside?" he asked quietly. "Rhys informed me that the rookery has been ransacked. I instructed him to avoid alarming the garrison, but to make use of the fareyes to look for signs of an approaching hostile force. If no such force is present, I may need to send a party to Winterfell to present our case," Kenrith reported with his usual reserve. Inside, he seethed that so many things could go wrong at once. Ser Anders looked grim. "Winterfell should certainly be alerted," he said. "And before the Boltons learn what happened." Jonas looked from one to the other, unhappy and confused. Kenrith nodded. "I agree... but if they are already aware, if this is a part of some larger design on Holdfast, you are needed here," he said. Kenrith looked to the septon, then out the window. A dark thought crossed his face. "I could send myself. You would then be here, whatever falls, to protect Jonas and the rest... do you think that the wiser course?" Kenrith asked. He did not wish to leave, to be potentially thought a coward or to be away when Holdfast needed him again... but it might have to be. Anders had the experience, and the loyalty of the men. Ser Anders hesitated - as though he would answer immediately. But then he hesitated. "Holdfast can spare neither of us," he said grimly. "I can hold the guards together - but the Castle needs a head - especially at a time like this with both your uncle and your father unable to supply that lead. But there is one you can send, although it must be with the best protection you can provide. And it will be the one of us who has the best chance of being listened to by Eddard Stark, for her father's sake." "Send the lady Syndra." Kenrith stared at him in silence for a minute, as thoughts went through his mind which must have passed through Ser Anders' moments ago. He glanced to Edlyn, then back to Ser Anders. Then, he nodded slowly. "The gods be with Celia, Ser," he said gravely, bowed his head in prayer again, then retreated from the room. It seemed Ser Anders was made of sterner stuff than he'd thought, when he'd asked Rhys to spare him the news of the rookery. Fortunately, he'd been able to make amends of that error. He made his way to the Maester's tower, and when he did not see Rhys on the roof working with the fareyes, assumed he was still en route from the garden. Consequently he headed out in that direction. There was, however, no sign of Rhys in the gardens - only Daft Ed, busily shovelling manure onto the vegetable garden. "Jack- sorry, Ed... Ed, have you seen Maester Rhys?" Kenrith asked. "Went to the godswood," said Ed, and then he shook his head. "Won't help. The Old Ones won't take that easy. Trouble coming, now." "Where is he now?" Kenrith asked. Ed turned round slowly and gawped at him. At least, that was what it looked like, but then daft Ed nodded slowly. "He'm behind you," he said, still nodding. "Goin' into t'tower. With t'other." Kenrith glanced over his shoulder and saw Rhys carrying another man. His first instinct was to rush up and ask what had happened, perhaps to lend his arm and shoulder to the task. Instead, he asked "The Old Ones won't take -what- easy, Ed?" A word burst from Ed in a deep dark voice - not like his own at all. "Sacrilege." And then he gave a foolish, high-pitched giggle. Kenrith considered running for the Godswood, but if Rhys' actions wouldn't have helped because the Old Gods wouldn't have taken it easily, he wasn't sure there was more he could do. Instead, he ran after Rhys. And came up the stairs in time to see Rhys having set Sewell on the main table, while Syndra hovered with water. There were other wounded laid in various places in the room - including a banadged young man being tended by one of the kitchen girls. He did not look at all familiar (even if Kenrith had forgotten names , there was a sense of familiarity about most of the other faces). But the focus of the room was surely Rhys, Syndra and Sewell. [Kenrith continues in Tending the Wounded] |
