Methods of RestraintIndex | HomePage | GameLogs | HoldfastGameLogs | Methods of Restraint The tower seemed very quiet. Sewell perhaps was with Lord Hardy once more - usually there was more of a sense of his presence in the tower. As Godwyn turned a curve in the stairs, he saw through to the living quarters - the large bed where Sewell and Rhys slept together. Eryk Bolton was sitting there, his face pensive. When he saw Godwyn, he hesitated for a moment, then rose to his feet. "Thank you for coming. I ... I didn't want to go to the Maester's laboratory on my own. It seemed ... his place - in a way that this room is not." He smiled a little awkwardly. "Does that make any sense to you?" Godwyn nodded, an answering smile appearing on his face. "Yes," he said. "Yes, it does." He walked to a window and leaned against the wall, looking out over the courtyard, watching the activity below. "What is on your mind?" he asked. Eryk was silent for a long moment. "It's hard to explain it all," he said at last. "This marriage ... I didn't look for it. I mean, I ... I'm sure that your cousin is a delightful girl and will make someone a splendid wife. But she ... she clearly wants nothing to do with me. And I ... " He fell silent for a long moment and then said, very quietly, "There is someone else." "Oh," Godwyn said. He thought for a bit, then said, "Your father doesn't know about her? I'd think it would be dangerous for her and her family if he did." Another faint hesitation, and then Eryk gave a little laugh. "No," he said. "No, my father does not know. And you're right - there would be danger in it. But ... more for me, if I let my feelings be known, I think." "For daring to go against your father's will? Or just for having any softer feelings at all?" Eryk hesitated. "A combination of both, perhaps," he said at last. "At all events ... it's not something I want to talk to him about. But ... that's not why I asked to speak with you. You see ... " Again the hesitation - and then Eryk lifted his head and looked straight at Godwyn. "Whatever happens ... I want to stay here at Holdfast." Godwyn gaped at him. "What?" he asked. Eryk flushed slightly. "You heard what I said. I want to stay here - at Holdfast. If I go back to the Dreadfort - I'm dead." "But..." Godwyn appeared to be grasping for words. "But, Eryk," he said finally. "No one here likes you." Eryk's smile in response to Godwyn's words seemed a little forced. "No-one likes me much at the Dreadfort either - there'd be no change there. But ... " He stopped suddenly, frowning, as the door of the tower banged. But instead of boots, there was the patter of bare feet on the stones as someone approached. A second more, Limosa came into view, dressed in male breeches, a coarse shirt open at the throat, and a waistcoat, with her dark hair tumbling loose and her feet bare. She hesitated in the doorway, then ran across to Godwyn and began tugging at his arm. Godwyn straightened immediately when she came in the room, only gaping for a moment at her strange attire. When she began to pull on his arm he started moving immediately. "Looks like this is important," he said over his shoulder to Eryk. "Look, I wouldn't be the one to make that decision anyway. Kenrith's the one you need to talk to." He turned back to Limosa then. "What is it?" he asked. "What's happened?" By way of answer she pointed at her throat, then held up her wrists as though manacled, and then stomped her feet on the wooden boards and held them close together. Allowing Godwyn no time to ponder her meaning, she started to haul again - then paused and looked at Eryk, finally gesturing imperiously for him to come to. The Bolton shrugged - and then looked at her more closely, his eyes widening. "Lady Limosa! What's she doing here? Father will be furious ... " "Already is," said Godwyn, allowing Limosa to pull him out of the room. "But it's none of his business. She's Ser Corryn's daughter." "What ... but how?" He followed them out of the room and down the stairs, but then Eryk Bolton fell silent and merely followed along, for Limosa, barefoot as she was, still maintained an impressive pace. She led them briskly through the courtyard, through the gate and into the tourney field - then marched across to where Evan Tamm was on the ground, stocked, his wrists chained, and staked from a collar at his neck via a slightly dented chain to a stake thrust deep into the earth. Limosa folded her arms firmly and looked expectantly at Godwyn. Eryk, however, was looking at his brother. "You didn't think to gag him?" he asked mildly. Godwyn shrugged. "As long as he doesn't start yelling and bothering people." He met Limosa's gaze. "He's a liar," he explained to her. "You shouldn't believe anything he says. He's a murderer, too," it was clear, though, that the second was a lesser sin in Godwyn's eyes. Limosa nodded without any surprise in her expression - she had, after all, followed the first part of the events in court. But she pointed firmly to the chain around Evan Tamm's neck - clearly this was the cause of her disapprobation. "It must be said," said Eryk, "that if he is to fight your champion tomorrow, keeping him like this beforehand might weaken his chances of success." He was studying the horizon, not looking at Evan Tamm at all. "On the other hand, my father will undoubtedly be delighted." "Oh," said Godwyn. He thought about it for a minute, then nodded. "You're right," he said finally, "He shouldn't be chained like this. Unless he wants to be, like he asked to be left chained up in the cell when I wanted to take the chains off him." He looked at Evan, "You there, whatever you want to be called today, do you want me to leave the chain on, or do you want it off?" Evan cracked one eye open, in the manner of someone who is trying to have a peaceful nap, if only people wouldn't insist on standing over him and talking. Or not talking, as the case may be. "Why, Master Godwyn," he drawled, folding his arms behind his head. "What a pleasant surprise. Thank you so much for your concern, but it makes no difference to me. I was expecting to wait out the rest of the day in the dungeons, but for some reason your guards thought it would be more appropriate to put me out here. Can't imagine why. I think they put this on just to make sure I wouldn't wander off." Limosa made a sound of impatience at all this, clearly seeing it as prevarication. She walked across and set her bare foot on the chain attached to Evan's neck, then looked up calmly at Godwyn, with perfect confidence. "It was probably something you said," Godwyn said. He looked at Limosa, then back down at Evan. "Right, then. I won't have it said we don't trust in the justice of the Old Gods." He gestured to a guard and called out, "Come here! Take this chain off the man. He's not going anywhere with these stocks on." The chain came off with a snap, and Evan sat up, rubbing at the raw spots on his neck. "So you want me just wandering around Holdfast, then?" he said, a corner of his mouth turning upwards. "Hardly that," Godwyn answered dryly. "You still need to be chained, I'd say with a short chain between your feet. That will hobble you a bit, keep you from moving too fast or too far. And we'll assign a guard to watch over you and keep you from causing any trouble. Or getting in any trouble from any of Hairy Bolton's men who aren't willing to wait for a sign from the Gods." Limosa nodded her approval of this and gave Godwyn a radiant smile. Evan, released from his strict confinement, no longer seemed to interest her as she knelt instead to stroke one of the inevitable hounds who had accompanied Godwyn. Eryk Bolton stood still, gnawing at his lower lip as he shot a swift look at Evan Tamm. "His hands too, I'd suggest," he said. "He's dangerous still." "Whatever makes you happy," Evan said offhandedly, closing his eyes with the air of a man settling down for a long nap. "I've got no intention of escaping, so as I said, it makes no difference to me." "See," Godwyn said to Limosa, ignoring Eryk's comment. "You can't talk to the man at all. I'm not surprised they chained him up like this, he probably told them to." He looked around the field, thinking, then told the guard, "Fix a long chain, say four or five yards, between the post and the chain on his feet. That will let him move about a bit, and get some exercise. He's right here in plain sight, so be sure there are always a couple of men detailed to keep an eye on him, that shouldn't interfere with their other duties." He looked back at Evan. "If you feel any religious stirrings and want to visit the Godswood just send a message to me through the guards. I'll see it happens." He offers an arm to Limosa. "Shall we go find your father, my lady?" Limosa hesitated, and then slipped her arm through his. She pointed in the direction of the Laughing Knives, where a Knight's tourney tent had been set up (and several more humble tents besides). As they went over, she suddenly stopped, looking down thoughtfully at her muddied feet. She gave a sudden thug at his arm, diverting him to where the wagon was drawn up at the back of the tent. With a swift grin at him, she climbed aboard, a gesture telling him to wait for her. It was pleasant behind the tent in the drowsy sunlight. He could hear rustlings from the wagon, and also voices coming from the tent. Familiar voices ... Syndra, and Corryn. |
