[IMVU Logs] Castle Black

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ShiftingSky: It was a particularly windy and blisteringly cold day at the Wall, and the sun was already beginning to set. Cold golden eyes swept all the black forms hustling and bustling to and fro in the courtyard below as the elevator slowly trundled downwards, one of the only safe ways to traverse the incredible height of the wall. He'd received a raven some time ago that there would be a particularly interesting visitor coming to the wall. It hadn't had much to say, but it'd borne the signature of a notable individual from far to the south. Farther south than he or any of his kinsmen in collective memory had ever been, perhaps barring one or two of the recruiters who took some strange delight in the weirdly warm climates of the far south. The good maester had informed him that it'd be better to meet the guest in person and then bring her atop the wall himself rather than having any of the errand boys fetch her. Seeing as most of the errand boys were former criminals, the Maester felt there might be some perceived slight at a noblewoman being fetched by a common criminal. As such, as the gates were thrown wide for her arrival, the monstrous Lord Crow himself was standing there, a man of incredible height whose mere presence demanded attention and obediance. His hands rested on his hips, and a smirk tugged at his lips as he awaited his new, and reportedly very lovely guest. The tell-tale white wolf's head pommel, the very pommel of the valyrian blade Longclaw, rested on his shoulder. The blade was the true signature of the Lord Commander, and it had been passed down from Commander to Commander for several centuries. He always made sure to wear it when there was official business about, it tended to draw attention.

Biird: Stranger marched through the snow with such high stepped he looked like a trained show pony who grumbled and fussed like an old man. His shaggy unkept coat was longer than that of a normal stag and his rack was twice the size, constantly covered in brush and leaves. The woman atop of his back held the reigns loosely in one hand, the other hand upon the staff of her Warhammer to keep it from tapping the beast as they moved. He despised that and refused to move if he felt the staff whacking his side with every step. They had an understanding. She was allowed rides, the comfort of his swift transport so long as he was comfortable too. They’d journeyed two long days in ripping, frigid winds, and ankle deep in snow, maybe deeper. They shared dried fruits and hunted for roots to keep themselves sustained. The difference between the climate in Winterfell, the Gift and the Wall was daunting. Her long, thick black lashes often had to be rubbed free of frost, but not often enough to skew her travel as the great stag did most of the navigation. Finally, the great doors of Castle Black could be heard churning in struggle to open and reveal a great black beast of a man standing amidst the whipping winds. Even through the haze of the snow, Rhaelle could tell that the stories about his giant’s blood were not quite so far off as she’d imagined. Dismounting Stranger, Rhaelle, a woman of 5’9 sank into the snow making her seem petite. She too wore all black and had left her dual daggers and Warhammer on the massive stag that had already started to wander away from the great gates of Castle Black as if he’d had better things to do all along. “I am Rhaelle Baratheon. I see my raven found you in a timely manner.” She left out the lady. Not finding herself much like a lady it seemed pretense to tag herself with the title especially amongst Free Folk.

ShiftingSky: He looked up at the woman as she approached on the large stag, letting out a low whistle of appreciation at the size of the beast. He had heard of people beyond the wall who tamed great beasts such as this and others, and he had some hand for it himself, but he hadn't encountered quite the like of the beast he saw before him. He gave her a small nod of his head as she dismounted, holding out his massive hand to her in a greeting. "And I'd be Alistar Crow, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch." He said, grinning widely as he gave her a very obvious once over with his gleaming golden gaze. Once his eyes met hers again, he gave her a wink, and then gestured through the courtyard back towards the elevator. "In any case, it's a pleasure to meet ye Rhaelle. Come on up with me to Castle Black, we'll get ye settled in nice and pretty before we get on to what brings you up to my wall, with winds so cold they'll freeze the nips right off those pretty tits of yours eh?" He said, tilting his head back and letting out a mighty belly laugh, his voice carrying far and catching the attention of all the nearby brothers and sisters. As soon as they saw the source of the racket however, most turned back to their task, with only a few continuing to peer towards their commander, though more to examine the newcomer than to discover the source of his frivolity. His laughs were often in reaction to something only he found funny, and as such most of his men had learned long ago to simply not bother to question it.

Biird: Almost instantly, Rhaelle recoiled to see his massive hand coming toward her. She was not one for idle touching. In fact her son was the only person she shared contact with routinely. A master at keeping her features in check despite whatever was reeling through her mind, Rhaelle tilted her head up and let her eyes climb the mountain of a man in front of her. Her freakishly bright blue eyes, like that of a walker, beamed out past her careful wierwood makeup and dark lashes, standing taunt against the biting white haze about them. Though her features were not pale she was no true shade of a southern woman. Her broad face with the pinched cat-like features made her both beautiful and ugly. A little to masculine for most men, with her broad shoulders and squared way of standing as if at attention. Though she’d hesitated to take his hand, she did reach out and grip his forearm in greeting. Of course, the option to completely ignore his hand was there. The rules here were much different than that of any place south of the Gift, but she had indeed grown up the daughter of a noble and it seemed something even as slight as this was a frown when you came begging for favors of people who would rather watch your lands burn and the world begin again. She released him immediately, not blind to his wandering eyes. Personally, she didn’t think he’d find anything to appealing. While she had the shape of a woman, narrow waist, wide hips, long legs, and arms that looked gently under the black leathers she wore, she had no great bosom or backside for admiration. Of course his comment about her tits left her unphased. After she was a woman of noble birth who lost her maidenhead in a whore house to a pirate of her choosing. Rhaelle followed behind Alistar to the elevator and kept her lips sealed as to her true intentions for the time being.

ShiftingSky: "Bah. Lass, yer no fun at all." He said with a snort and a chuckle, guiding her up the steps to the elevator and letting her step in before him. The elevator noticeably shifted beneath his own weight as he stepped in, and he slid the door shut, locking the two of them in. "Alright boys, take 'er up!" He bellowed, and a man nearby pulled on a large lever, and almost immediately the elevator began it's slow but steady ascent upwards. He turned towards her in the elvator, leaning lightly on one of the walls as he gave her a single appraising glance. "Alright then lass." he said, his eyes flicking down to the courtyard slowly falling away from him. "I'll be frank with ye, since ye seem the type to cut right to the quick aye?" He said, nodding and confirming before she even had a chance to speak. "I've no clue why yer here, but given that ye didn't openly state your business in the letter, or right away upon our meeting, I'd take it it's something ye'd like to keep quiet. Well." He motioned to the open air about them. "This is about as private as one can be on the wall. Even my own offices can be overheard if someone has their ears pointed in the right direction." He said, his grin not fading from his face for so much as a moment. "So the way I see it, we have two options. ye tell me while we're here, or we go for a roll in the hay right here in the elevator. Say lass, I doubt ye've ever joined the sky high clan eh? It's something the lads cooked up a long while back, about how no one else anywhere in the world could claim to have had sex as high up as they had." He laughed, the force of his laughter filling the very air around them like it was part of the wind itself.

Biird: Rhaelle moved into the elevator, the decent sized space of which was quickly sucked up by the great mass that shadowed her. Shifting over, her gaze dropped as the wooden box began to ascend. There was nothing really to see just yet but she’d never felt this sensation of rising like this before. Her arms parted, sliding across the railings of the elevator. Hips jutted forward, shoulders back, her pose was probably more welcoming to the flirtatious Lord Commander than was realized. For a woman that thought herself more a man than a lady, the mistake was often made. The Beast of Storm’s End let the man rattle on and make his passes until he rolled himself into laughter at his peak of his own jokes. The sound was like the great banging of a drum that signaled war and yet somehow joyous as a man in the presence of his first son. “Quite right.” Rhaelle nodded, the winds whipping through her hair, shading her half her face. “My matters are private and though your offer is quite tempting, I would rather have a conversation now and preserve the offer for sex.” They’d risen a good twenty feet off the ground, if that, but it was enough to grab her attention again. The people pushing through the wind in the courtyard grew ever smaller. “My cousin, Dante, plans to take the throne from my cousin, his own brother. His madness is a disease that must not spread. It will spread if he remains on the throne. His eyes are already turning toward the Gift and the Wall. His panic seeks to reclaim what was given and tear it all asunder.” She leaned forward then, reaching down into the top of her boot and removed a scroll, handing it out. “In exchange for your backing for the throne you have no care for, my cousin and his line offer a treaty of freedom. That no man, and no southern king will every set sights on the Wall or the Gifts and seek to reclaim what was given. Will you help us protect what is rightfully yours?”

ShiftingSky:  He took a long and admiring look at her backside as she leaned on the railing, his eyes snapping back to her face as she spoke again. "Preserve eh?" He said, rubbing his short beard thoughtfully at the mention, only briefly side-tracked by the day dreams of a good tumble with the woman before him. She'd bear him strong children, that was for damn sure. And just like that it was back to business. His grin wilted a little at her words, and it vanished entirely when she mentioned the current king's motive to try and take back the Gift. His face was set as hard as the ice of the wall itself by the time she was finished, and wrath rolled off him in waves. "I recall a time not so long ago in the minds of men when a Baratheon rode to take the throne from a Mad King." He said, a growl escaping him. "But I'm no witless honor-bound Stark to throw himself at your feet and play your hunting dog." He said, his massive arms folding across his equally massive chest. He let the silence between them stretch for a few moments, even as they passed the hundred foot mark, they had several hundred feet yet to climb. "If ye recall, the Gifts were given in trust to the Night's Watch in the same manner of the "treaty of freedom" ye're now claiming to grant us. How can you promise the same thing that those so long ago promise and expect us to think any better of it." He said with a snort. He turned and stared out into the void of swirling snows and cold winds, his jaw hard and set. "No southerner could fight me and mine on our own lands. All the armies of yer precious southron lordlings could amass and march northwards and none that hadn't been born and bred in the north could fight here." He said, his eyes flicking back to hers. "You back your words with threats supposedly from another man, and empty threats they are at that." He snorted derisively. He finally reached out and took the scroll, but he did not open it, he merely held it up. "And what would this be then? The same treaty of freedom ye promised, all written in flowery script tomake itseem of more import?"  

Biird: Reaching out, Rhaelle snatched for the scroll in his hand. “This flowery script is the law itched in stone to those southern bastards.” The woman wasn’t upset, not nearly so taken by the offer as the man in front of her, in fact she’d been prepared for just this reaction. Bartering with wildlings was no easy task and there was little nobility had that they wanted or even needed. Years beyond the wall made them nearly completely self-sufficient and where the strongest would fail they lived prosperously. “I am not here to give you what is already yours, only to protect it, not with armies but with words. I would rather spare the lives of a hundred thousand men sent to fight and die in an unwinnable war by having your backing than destroy every family from Winterfell to Dorne because one man has lost his mind. You may win that war, Lord Commander Crow but make no mistake your men and women will die to defend it. Your numbers will dwindle just as our will and your weapons will crack against our own. My cousin doesn’t ask for you to play a hunting dog, he asks that you spread the notion of freedom south. Don’t bend your knee to a new king, stand beside him. Don’t just protect your own, but free men and women, even if they don’t realize they are free.” Her own wildling blood, as diluted as it may have been was starting to boil to the surface. She’d always believed everyone deserved to be as free as they were, to follow the man or woman of their choosing. But her cousin wasn’t here to convince them he was a good man, she was. And if she failed him in this than she would have failed him completely. You can’t convince free men to be free. What she wanted was for free men to set others free.

ShiftingSky: "Oho." He said, a small smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. His temper cooled a little at her words, but he was not convinced. Words were the the meat and potatoes as they say of the southerners. Wildlings spoke with actions, and while he felt some of the sincerity behind this girl's words, all the sincerity in the world meant little when it came to the reality of things. "But ye did not answer my quesiton lass. Yer not giving me anything, and that's precisely the point." He said simply, his arms falling back to his sides. "Yer claimin' that this mad cousin of yours wants to take my people's land, land that's been ours since before yer great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-granddaddy had lain with a woman for the first time." He said with a growl. "ME and mine have no love for southerners, that much should be obvious. And I'd dare say some would jump at the chance to test their blades on the flesh of some weak southern fools." He laughed at that, just imagining how some of his men would react if he told them that a war was coming to the wall. "We train to fight things infinitely more cruel and destructive than mere men. And from what I know of all yer southern cultures, you pamper your children, and by the time they're men they can barely hold a sword. Here, by the time you can stand, you're fighting, boys and girls all." He narrowed his eyes and took a step towards her to let his incredible height prove all the more intimidating. "And what's more lass, yer words dance awfully close to a threat of your own. Help ye or let yer cousin come and try to kill us." He kept his eyes on her, turned his head, and spat off the side of the elevator. "Yer words mean less to me than that gob of spit, and my opinion of yer king is falling just as fast." He said with a laugh.

Biird: Standing her ground, Rhaelle angled her head, her ink blot locks falling across the sharp cat-like features of her face. She met his gaze squarely as he made a show of spitting off the edge of the moving elevator only to punctuate it with his verbal distaste. Pressing her finger to his broad chest, Rhaelle leveled this mountain of a man back to his own area of the small vessel they shared. She didn’t use force, only the obvious unwavering of her resolve. “If you hear a threat in my words it is of your own making. I’ve brought you only simple truths and the means to separate yourself from this impending doom.” There she paused, once more looking off the side of the elevator. When her face returned to meet his gaze, her features would be softer around those broad edges. “Make no mistake, I know how wildlings work. I know you'd rather see than hear, but I have nothing more for you than words here and now. I have promises, fickle as they may seem.” She motioned out toward the courtyard. “But my words are not so hard to grasp. Your latest shipment from the crown as light, wasn’t it?”

ShiftingSky: His brow twtiched dangerously at her mention of the shipment. It had been something of a sticking point with his forebears and the crown of the Seven Kingdoms. The Free Folk only wanted freedom, to not be beholden to anyone or anything not of their own choosing. But through some not-so-subtle actions, the crown had kept them from achieving their only desire, which was to be well and truly separate from the kingdoms of Westeros. They had continued to grow more and more self-sufficient over the years, but they were still far from reaching that goal. He'd even received whispers from some of his recruiters that the crown would actively block them from recruiting proper smiths. They had plenty of smiths of their own, but they constantly wanted to get their hands on one or two who were capable of making good castle-forged steel. It seemed that the crown didn't want weapons such as those in the hands of "wildlings" however, and had gone to impressive lengths over the years to prevent it. These days, the crown had even started slighting them on their monthly supply shipments. The Maester had informed him that this was likely a way for the crown to try and... mitigate the growth of the Free Folk population. This very topic had been the source of more than one fit of rage, and her bringing it up now brought those same raw nerves to the surface. "Aye, and the fact that ye know about that makes me like you and yours even less." He said with a deep growl, his body seeming to grow larger in her vision as he took a step forward. "The simple truth is that you fancy fools hold my people captive, whether or not my kinsmen are aware of it." He clenched his fists angrily, before his face split with a wide, menacing grin. "Fine then lass. You want us to help spread the "notion of freedom" to the south? Then that's my asking price. Freedom." He said, his eyes almost seeming to glow, in fact, if she didn't know better, they actually were. "You get yer would-be king to agree to let me and mine alone for good, declare us our own sovereign state, no longer beholden in any way to the Iron Throne. We'll leave all our other agreements in place. We'll take yer shitty criminals, we'll guard the wall so you lot can sit in your fancy vistas and sip Dornish wine. And we'll back your new king, but we'll do it not as subjects, but as equals." He stood back up to his full height and let out a long, bellowing laugh. "Those are my terms girl. No more of these petty games you southerners love to play. Cut the leash once and for all and let the Free Folk be free like we've always wanted, and you'll have not only the gratitude, but the support of a neighboring nation." He said, looking down at her with a smirk, knowing very well that she couldn't just agree to such a demand, she didn't have that kind of power.

Biird: Freedom, she knew that would be the price. It was a price Rhaelle was willing to pay. Her cousin would be willing to pay that as well. Her only obstacle now would be the reaction of the court and the nobles. Who would they have to shut up, put down or behead to keep this separation of Free Folk and Westeros as peaceful as possible without starting an uprising? That in mind, Rhaelle was also aware that her cousin would soon take a bride, most likely a strong woman with strong ties to rule by his side. A woman of noble birth with a noble mind. Rhaelle's mind was noble but it was also set on freedom, not many other men in her home much less women viewed the world as she did. Trouble would brew for this entire plan if some temptress with a forked tongue swayed her cousin away from their original goal. As badly as she wanted to have Alistar sign next to the X, it couldn’t be so until her cousin wore a crown and his wife licked his ear with whatever her plans for the kingdom could have been. Damnit. Regardless, she was tired of standing in Alistar’s shadow. He towered over her, with his eyes glowing in the stretching shadow of the wall as they continued to ascend quietly. Fuck it. “Tell me what the Free Folk desire to truly be free.”

ShiftingSky: His grin split even wider at her words. He had expected her to reject him outright, but this... this was all together more interesting. He took a step back and gave her her space once more. "Well now. It seems the doe has a bit of stag in her eh?" He laughed at his own poor joke, before folding his massive arms across his equally massive chest. "Very well. Here would be the terms of the Free Folk's freedom. Formally and once and for all relinquish any and all claim your kingdom may still try and hold to the Gift or the Wall. Grant to us three smiths with knowledge of castle-forged steel. They don't need to be the best, but I expect them to know the process thoroughly enough to teach it. Grant to us glass for us to make at least one glass garden, and make the routes available for us to purchase them in the future. Declare the Gift and the Watch a sovereign nation beholden only to ourselves, and establish a trading agreement between the newly formed nation of the Watch and the Seven Kingdoms." He said, his fingers drumming on his arm, glancing up and seeing they were only a hundred feet from the top now. "And for six months, you will continue to send the current amount of supplies until we are more fully capable of dealing with ourselves, after which point you will no longer need to send goods north unless it's being done through a trade." He cocked his head to one side as he examined her, studying her intensely as he spoke, trying his best to gauge her reaction to her words. He was fully aware the terms he was asking for were ludicrous, but in his experience, when bartering it was always to start high and let them work you lower.

Biird: Finally, some space. A bit of breathing room that didn’t come with the overbearing scent of meat and mead. Swiping her unruly, windswept hair out of her face for it to simply swing back and cover half of her features again, there was a moment when a small smile could be seen in conjunction with his flat joke. As the great crow detailed the terms of the agreement she’d brought to him, Rhaelle shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Her mind whirled as she tried to think of how to suspend time long enough to bait the lords of the Seven Kingdoms into realizing relinquishing the Gift was no true loss. She stretched a bit, pulling her arms behind her back and arching her back as he spoke. Settling onto her two foot stance with her fingers laced behind her neck. “The creation of a glass house is no easy task. You would do well to negotiate a knowledgeable engineer to teach your people. A single house for a growing people will not sustain you through unharvestable winters. The castle forged smiths will be given, if at all, rather begrudgingly. I said when I arrived I intended to help the Free Folk remain free and I would argue your terms with my own tongue, but send with me a man of even temper to handle your affairs in the capital until the matter is carved in stone.”

ShiftingSky: He lifted his heavy brow in a single, smooth motion. He was surprised by how forthcoming she was with information and suggestion. He narrowed his eyes again, his instincts briefly rising up and telling him to be careful. Throughout history, the only other southerner to have done his people any sort of kindness was Jon Snow, and he was the exception, not the rule. "Forgive me, little doe, but in my experience people like you don't usually have the best interests in mind for me and mine." He said, giving her a more critical look now. "Your words have a somewhat dual reaction within me. On one hand I am glad to hear you speak so openly of the future prosperity of my kin. On the other it makes me feel like your words are but bait placed with a trap, left to entice me before the wire encircles my neck."

Biird: Rhaelle snorted. “I am the Stag, not the doe.” By the arch of his brow and the pinch of his winning smirk, she knew what he felt before he voiced it. There was no faulting him for it. “I am Rhaelle Baratheon. A woman of the house Baratheon a family of fierce warriors and kings. My blood is half Stark, same as your Jon Snow. Even closer still, my veins run with the blood of the Free Folk. Diluted as it may be, I feel it in every bone, with every swing of my hammer with every decision I make.” She stepped forward now, crowding his space, squaring her shoulders and looking up into his face. “I am Rhaelle Baratheon, a woman of her word and her weapon and say that if the Free Folk wish to be free, I would see that treaty signed before I draw my last breath.”

ShiftingSky: Alistar's face split in a grin yet again as she stepped up to him once more, a different light entering his eyes as he looked down at her. "Aye then, if yer so keen to defend the wildlings, I'll add one more thing to my terms." He said, leaning down until their faces were a scant few inches apart. "I hear of a custom down south, and I think this would be as good a time as any to partake of it." He looked directly into her eyes and grinned. "If yer to be the voice of the wildlings, then ye should be one properly. My final demand is that ye come up and join me, as my wife." He never broke eye contact as he spoke, curious to see just how much wildling blood ran in the girl's veins after all.

Biird: Until this point their conversation had become quite intense, but his final demand drew raw and real laughter from her lungs. Her head fell back she laughed so hard. It bounced off the thick and ancient slab of ice wall he protected. She laughed so hard and so long, the woman ended up doubled over heaving for breath. It wasn’t so much that his proposal was ridiculous, as it would seems to him more than likely, but it was really that she’d never in her life imagined herself proposed too, much less by a man of the Free Folk. It was almost as ridiculous idea as being married off to some noble man and being forced to wear gowns and bare children to turn into little lords and ladies. Her son was the product of her own desire and bred to live free like his own pirateering father. When Rhaelle finally righted herself enough to stand straight, she had to wipe tears of humor from her eyes. Her face sombered as she met Alistar with her own eerie eyes of a White Walker. “If you want me, Lord Commander Crow, come and claim me.”

ShiftingSky: [size=85]His golden eyes seemed to glow again as one of his long arms suddenly curled around her waist, pulling her against him. "Claim you I shall then." He said, his voice a mixture of playfulness and lust. He dipped his head beside hers for a moment so she could feel his hot breath against her ear. "Welcome to the Wall." He said, before suddenly releasing her and stepping away with a grin, just in time for the elevator to crest the ridge and come to the top of the wall. "Oh and, I should probably mention." he said, his eyes boring into hers with an incredible intensity. "No one gets to leave the Wall without my permission. I have but to will it, and you'll be staying with us for a very... very long time." He laughed, opening the doors to the lift and taking a step out. His tone was only about half in jest, the other was all too serious. He wanted this woman now, with a surprising passion.[/size]

Biird: Almost instantly, the gravity of her words came down on her head with a sudden rush. Shit. As her head spun, Alistar invaded her space with lust laced words. That was a tone of voice not often turned in her direction and it made the hair on her arms spring to attention. ‘Welcome to the Wall.’ Fuck. How could she be so stupid? Inwardly she panicked, mind reeling, but her face remained neutral. It was a trait she trained herself. When the lift stopped and he stepped out, Rhaelle remained inside of it for a long moment. She gave a shrug and stepped out, brushing past him to inspect the wall, the edge of the North. “We’ll see. Like you, Lord Commander, I don’t respond well to threats.”

ShiftingSky: He let out a long, loud laugh as she spoke, the men around him all turning wary glances towards the new woman. He waved them off and stalked after her. "No threat." He said, easily catching up to her with his much longer strides. "Merely a tease. Up here, it is considered the only way to properly acquire a wife is by stealing her. What kind of wildling would I be if I didn't try to hold you here at least a while." He said, giving her a wink before stalking across the expanse of the wall and to the opposite side, gesturing for her to follow him and then casting his arm out in a gesture outwards. "Welcome to the real North, Rhaelle Baratheon. The home of many of your ancestors." He said, turning his own golden eyes out to the expanse with a smile. It was one sight he would never grow tired of seeing, no matter how long he lived.

Biird: Two days passed in a haze. Rhaelle’s own words rang constantly in her ears like the bells of shame from the Faith Militant. Although she wasn’t shamed. Not even in the slightest. Perhaps at first she had been kicking herself for accepting marriage from a man she’d only once spoken too all because he had … well proposed marriage, something she’d never thought would have been brought to her. A bit of the female she thought she’d so thoroughly repressed had sprung to life and flung herself at a mountain, or more the point a mountain of a man. A mountain of a man with eyes like the sun that were constantly watching her, the way she often saw noble men watch her Lady Mother. He made her uncomfortable, her throat dry and her palms sweat. She rubbed her face. The icy water in the basin with which she splashed her face didn’t break the heat in her cheeks. Thankfully she was alone, alone with her thoughts. With the memory of how, without a warning, he slammed down an empty mug of mead the size of giant’s little finger, stood and announce to an entire room of crows that Rhaelle was his. At first the sound of that phrase infuriated her. The initial thought of being owned, by a man of Free Folk most of all, made her blind with rage. So mad that she’d flung a chair at the wall and stormed into the courtyard. Her actions were followed by uproarious laughter which only served to fuel her anger even more. The first night they shared a room and spent most of the night arguing about the bed accommodations. Only to end up sleeping on the floor. Day two was spent returning glowers and glares from the abundant amount of spearsisters that obviously had been vying for his attention only to have this black haired witch woman from the south with her tanned skin and washed hair rob them of his attentions. Rhaelle spent most of the time in her own head, wondering how the hell one statement could have slipped from her mouth in the first place. The only time she pulled herself together, was the moments they spent alone in the lift discussing the terms of their treaty with the would be king. She dried her face with a rough cloth and looked down at the last of her weirwood makeup as it came off on the fabric. A frown creased her features. She despised being without her make up. Her eyes would be bold now. She sighed and pulled her hair in front of her face, but one side was longer than the other and so often behind one ear it was practically molded. Yanking the door of Lord Commander’s room open, Rhaelle stepped out into a seemingly empty hall way and made her way out to the courtyard as the first rays of light started to breach the line of the wall looming in the distance.

ShiftingSky: A chesire grin split the features of that self-same mountain as he cut around a corner, his large figure appearing in her vision, silent as a shadow and just as swift. "Well there my lady." He said, using the term he'd been slighlty mocking her with the last two days. Ever since her honesty on the ride up, and his sudden proposal, she seemed to have swung between wandering around the castle in a daze, or going through intermittent spikes of random anger. And he'd started calling her 'my lady' as a way to tease at her, remind her just how wild she really was. He had somehow become even more infatuated with her in that time, because he saw it for what it was. She wanted him, he could feel it. And what's more... she didn't say no. She told him to catch her, so he would. But no hunter starts his game with his prey in a trap, the capture comes at the end. So, to prove himself to his kin and his soon to be wife, he would let her return home, just to come steal her properly. Rather romantic really. In fact, by the end of the second day's conclusion, the castle was awhirr with talk of the two. It seemed that some of his men had picked up on the Lord Commander calling her "Doe", for soon enough many of the brothers and sisters of the watch would greet her by calling her "Lady Doe", both in reference to her nickname, and her parentage. But by and large they trusted their commander, and if he wanted the woman, there was surely more to her than what they were seeing. On the morning of the third day, he planned to tease her mercilessly until noon, and then tell her that she was free to leave. "I do hope your accommodations were, adequate?" He said, forcing himself to adopt a southern accent and giving a half bow.


Biird: Rhaelle winced at the sound of Alistar’s voice. Not so much for the sound but the words he used. Her frown deepened and her eyes squinted with displeasure. She hated that damn nickname and he knew it. She wasn’t a lady, she’d told him that, and now he was calling her Lady and Lady Doe at every turn. Stopping in her tracks to keep some distance between them, she watched with folded arms and clear distain as he bowed and mocked her accent. The urge to dart forward and knee him in his smug face curled her toes, but she’d stopped short of him for that exact reason. However, she couldn’t quell her rage. She hated that drop in her gut she got every time he loomed over her; and it wasn’t from fear. Grunting like an ox she whirled to one side, snatched a stool from under a man of the watch causing him to drop to his ass so suddenly the bowl of gruel in his hand was now all over his face, and hurled the stool at Alistar. “I hate that title.” She growled brushing past him, as no doubt her sharp aim would cause the small chair to just bounce off of him like a coin on a tight ass.

ShiftingSky: He side stepped the incoming make-shift projectile with a laugh, his eyes sparkling in the morning light. "Oh I know it." He said, stepping into stride behind her. "And so does the rest of them." He motioned out to the small crowd of brothers and sisters of the watch who were watching them pass. Some were looks of amusement, other annoyance, and some borderline hatred. The other women of the watch were somewhat irritated with her at the least, and Alistar was eating it up. He couldn't count the number of drinks different ladies had tried to bring him the previous evening, all the while he kept his attention solely focused on Rhaelle. And he loved keeping her in his gaze, the way she squirmed under his attentions was nothing short of perfection. He loved that he could get under her skin so easily.

PainlessLaceration: They said she would never catch one and she did. A great big fat one. It started like any normal hunt. You had a deer. You had a hunter. Hunter finds deer, hunter stalks deer. You've all heard the story before. Problem today was, the hunter had to do a little extra work to catch the great buck. This buck was massive! How regal as it made its way through the snow. The thick hide, all that meat.. Had to weigh nearly 200lbs.. It made the wildlings skin crawl and her mouth water. What was supposed to be a early morning hunt for some rabbit turned into a game of cat and mouse that lasted well into the morning sun. A buck of this size Jenrit could not pass up. With hungry mouths to feed, it was better to fight to get this deer then come back with some meger rabbits. Anywho, this was the moment. Any hunter would tell you time itself stops when you reach that final second. When you are about to release your arrow.. Your heart races and your throat tightens. One has to get dangerously close to its prey when using a bow and arrow. One wrong move, one change in the wind. You weigh the circumstances but you must act fast, or you risk losing your catch. Jenrit was as close as one could get to this buck. She hid behind a tree, peaking out with a arrow ready to fire. The buck was on edge, but it continued to forage. The wildling female said a quick prayer, before stepping out into the open and drew her arm back, aiming at the buck just under the shoulder hoping to hit something vital. The buck glanced up, this was her cue. She released the arrow. It made its mark and the buck cried out before running in the opposite direction a few paces before collapsing. Jenrit ran after in, falling to her knees before the great beast. She removed her quiver and set it aside from the kill next to her bow. Long fingers reached out to the creature and she stroked it gently. "Thank you." She muttered, before shrugging off rope around 10 feet in length and began tying the bucks hind legs together. She had to work fast and get this buck sanguinated and dressed. Making quick work tossing the rope over a heafty branch and using her great strength to haul the deer into place, the sanguination and gutting of the animal was quick. The kukri went through like butter, and she kept the organs save for the stomach and intestines. She had no way of transporting the animal, so it looks like Jenrit would have to carry it over her broad shoulders. Took some prepping, however Jenrit managed to get the great beast to the Wall. Tying her fiery red hair back with some leather string and giving the organs to the cooks to be prepped, Jenrit in her cloth and leathers strung up the buck again and began skinning the animal. Men passed by and offered congrats to Jenrit and that they would be eating well tonight. One deer cannot sustain the entire horde, but it was a start. Hopefully other hunters did not return empty handed. In her mind she had hoped the Lord Commander would be somewhat pleased that his men were not going to be complaining as much this eve. One man with a shaggy beard approached, asked if supplies would be pouring in this day. "Aye, that is the plan. Should be here soon. I could not pass up on this chance is all. They will be here I promise you." The man stood at about her height and stuck around while she butchered the animal. "Have you seen the new prize?" He'd pry at her. She would grunt in response. He continued to try and gossip. With a grin, Jenrit pauses and turns to him. "Brother. Have you nothing better to do than carry on like an old crone? Away with you, please. Or else your bowl may just be empty tonight." Her words were not sinister, but the tone was flat even though she was smiling. He leaves her be with a scowl. Jenrit turns back to her kill taking a quick glance around... No sign of the Lord Commander yet. Wiping the sweat from her brow she gets back to work.

Aegon: *Sitting in the corner of the room, not minding much the crowd, Toothless Yoren was giving his best at cleaning each of his tar black nails. He'd press the tip of a small dagger in to the hard skin and push upward, throwing small amounts of dirt to a brothers back just beside him. He smiled proudly for the fact he was unseen in this act, as well as for the pleasure of making that cunt filthier then he already was. Yelling and loud noises made him lift his eyes from this crucial task at hand, watching Lord Commander and a woman storming in the place.* "Well id let her warm my bed at night, ay?" *He pointed out in whisper while watching a stool flying away. She was a noble female he knew, he could smell that nobility even beside all there filth combined* "Oh she's fine indeed, y'a think Lord Commander bedding that or n'a?" *Toothless asked first brother beside him, realizing soon after its a sister, giving him a 'look'..* "W'at? Don't act high and noble with me.. You jealous?!" *He didn't miss good chance to laugh finally at someone else when chance arise.* "Yea I bet he dose, which mean non of you lot will warm his bed any time soon." *He hugged the spear woman and place his chin on her shoulder, watching at the Alistar and Noble woman* "Y'a know, my bed will always be open.. Old Toothless never pushed no sister for some noble piece of slippery seal.." *She punched him in the balls with her knee, and let him jump off to the fire and closer to the others* "Savages.."

Biird: A spike of heat ran up her spine from his deliberate teasing about the name. ‘I know you know.’ She thought angrily but fed up of giving him the satisfaction of hearing it. Forced, yet again to muscle her way through a crowd of wildlings that parted for him like the Red Sea, Rhaelle stifled a groan. This was becoming tedious and soon she’d have to put one of this scowling whores down just to a make a point and it wasn’t something she wanted to do. Especially since she was not his goddamned woman. Her foot stomped at the thought. She couldn’t help it, even if she looked crazed. She wasn’t his until he fought her for it, and stalking her like a shadow cat in a cave while making snide remarks just for reaction certainly was not her idea of a chase. In anycase, their negotiations were about done and he was going to have to either throw a tantrum as she walked right out those great gates or let her go. The crowd finally thinned as she marched forward. Off to her right a deer was being cured for the night’s dinner, and some man had just been taken out by a woman. Rhaelle rubbed her temples, moving to the lift for their final conversation. She spent so much time fighting at night to stay out of his bed that she hadn’t gotten much sleep the past two days. Aside from that the constant stress created by her lack of control or understanding of her own emotions was driving her mad. Her stomach growled forcing the morning conversation to be put on hold, but it was going to be a struggle to get a bowl of gruel since there was a sister manning the station this morning her face was already set to “fuck off.”

ShiftingSky: He finally stepped up to keep pace with her while striding beside you. He could feel her irritation and it pleased him to no end. In this moment he felt very like a cat, content and a little bit smug. His own personality constantly brushing up against hers, like a cat seeking attention that wasn't getting it. He hadn't said much about holding her here since the first day, but as of yet she hadn't even asked. He was surprised she hadn't tried to do so earlier, but he supposed different minds thought different ways. He opened the door to the lift and motioned for her to go inside, giving her another mocking bow and a wink. "Alright then, Rhaelle" He said, smiling at her as the lift suddenly went into motion. "Have you decided whether or not you are going to take my terms in full to your cousin?"

PainlessLaceration: Blood browning up to her elbows and smeared against her forhead, the animal now skinned and butchered, Jenrit wondered what all the fuss was about. It took someone backing into her for the freakishly tall Wildling to turn and witness the Lord Commander and.. There was no way it was who Jenrit thought it was. Giving her knife a quick wipe, eyes stuck on the two she hurried her way over to the ruckus going on, settling down over by Yoren. What was normally a bit of tight squeeze, no one really wanted to bump into a bloodied red head so it was easy to approach the atrocious man. "Yoren. Who is that with Alistar, eh?" She flicks her chin toward the.. lovely couple, eyeing them carefully with nothing but curiousity. Finding someone of this womans station here was obviously something to gossip about.. But now with one of their own, that just seems.. Weird. Whatever the case may be, the woman sure did look like a handful. Her eyes burned like smoldering coals this Jenrit could tell even at this distance. It was attractive.

Aegon: *Walking off seemed like a good idea after every hit in the balls he gone threw, and the Lord Commander and female guest took there leave toward the lift, which made walking out on cold easier for Yoren. He grabbed his heavy black fur overcoat from wall and toss over his head, wobbling down the stairs while still putting it on. Pain in his balls was too much to stay still. Warm steam from freshly opened deer caught his eye, 'Big Jenrit ay.. cant take hit from her' , he thought with care, watching her broad shoulders and big hands while snow sing under her feet. His eyes rolled down ones he noticed shes coming to him, his back lean on to the wall and arms crossed over chest. 'I'll look tough' .. On her question he turned and followed Commander and the woman with her, spitting first then answering* "Ah, some highborn flower cam to be plucked by a strong savage arm no doubt" *He rubbed his balls with his knee as best as he could without Jenrit noticing it. Pulling the fur more over his naked neck.* "he called her Doe, and Lady. I'm guessing not 'cuz shes doe-eyed southern minx. Why, jealous?" *he grinned after saying it, but instinctively covered his balls right away*

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Biird: Letting out a sigh as she stepped into the lift, Rhaelle stretched out her hand quickly with the pure intent of mushing the side of his face in a half hearted slap. What irritated her the most about him was that she found him funny. For all his smugness and his teasing he’d wormed his way under her skin and in a few instances she could see his compliments through all the bullshit he wrapped around them. As with every time they were in the lift, she moved off to the same side she’d had when they originally began their negotiations, allowed him to close the door, signal the man by the lever and waited until they hit that familiar bump about 200 feet down before she answered his question. “I will. Have you decided which of your men you’re sending back with me?” This was the first time she’d brought up the prospect of her actually leaving the wall since first they had their talk. Of course the first time he had implied that he didn’t want her to leave but there was no keeping her here. Even if she didn’t have more important things to do than explore a part of her she’d never expected to explore, he was still duty bound to chase his kill not trap it and wait for it to die. Instead of looking up to find the reaction in his face, she was looking down at her hands. Her long fingers were almost blue with cold from not being dried properly in her haze. They curled and stretched over and over, rubbing against each other for warmth, and finally cupping over and brought to her lips to see if warm breath might stave off the cold.

ShiftingSky: Alistar reached up and with a casual gesture wrapped her hands in his, leaning down to blow a heavy breath of hot air directly across her cold fingers. "You're going to need better gloves for when you come back." He said, looking up at her, a twinkle of mirth in his eyes. "As far as my men... I'll send one of my recruiters down. They're usually a bit more... lets say understanding of southern ways, and a few more men besides. Recruiter to use the words, men to provide the muscle to back up those words." He flashed her a large grin as he spoke, standing back to his full, monstrous height. "I'm surprised to say that I think I'll miss you little Doe." He said, his eyes smiling as he gazed at her. "But don't you worry, I'll be chasing after you soon enough. And I'll throw you over my shoulder and drag you all the way back to the wall if I have to." He chuckled at that, finally releasing her hands before turning and gazing out to the south. "I hope this cousin of yours is worth it Rhaelle." He said, using her name for what was likely the first time since she'd arrived. "I'd give damn near anything to win the freedom of me and mine, but if I back your cousin and his grapes turn sour, I'd be left with quite a shitty cup of wine." He said, his face turning slightly grim despite the smile he still held. "And what's more, my bones ache." He rolled his shoulders as he spoke. "I feel old, and while I might be getting prettier, I'm certainly not getting any younger. I won't be here to defend my kinsmen forever." He said somberly, resting his elbows on the rail. "And I want to be sure that I can leave behind a Free Folk who are truly free."

Biird: Massive hands covered hers, causing her lips to part as if she wanted to say something but no sound left her. A tightness formed in her chest that was quickly dispelled by his words. Rhaelle yanked her hands free of his and folded her arms and ignoring his statement about her returning. “Stop calling me that.” She said through gritted teeth. The whole Doe thing grated her nerves more than anything that ever came out of his mouth. Was it because she didn’t want to be seen as delicate? Or because if she accept the nickname she’d be accepting that her masculine ways waned when she was around him and that led to a whole new pile shit she wasn’t ready to dig through? Probably. Either way, she wanted him to stop. Of course the following statements about coming for her in King’s Landing made her stomach jump. She’d let herself become a bargaining chip. A nail to hammer the coffin of freedom for a people she respected but still she felt like an object more than ever. Not wanting to think about it, she glossed over those words as well. “My cousin is a good man. Granting freedom to a nation of people with a wild nature is no easy thing to go over with Southern snobs, but we will do our best not to send our nation into a roar while giving yours not only what it wants but frankly what it deserves. I’ll take your men south and see they return safely, but for the purposes of not frightening the delicate, I need them to go about their usual ways in the capital until summoned to the Red Keep to continue negotiations.” Speaking her name for the first time in two days didn’t put her to the ease she’d thought it would. She shifted, leaning back on the railing, while he looked south, face souring the more he thought on what may not be. “I understand…”

ShiftingSky: He turned his gaze back to her as she spoke, the light returning to his eyes as he looked at her. "I hope you know that Doe is just a term of endearment." He said, as if reading her mind. He knew the name got to her, and it was half the reason he used it. It was 100% of the reason the rest of the wildlings used it. "It's not meant to demean or dishonor you in any way, it's merely a reference to your house and the fact that you are female." He said this in such a matter-of-fact way that it would likely put her off guard. He turned back towards her and folded his massive arms across his chest once more. He had an eerie way of seeming to know her thoughts better than she knew them herself. Perhaps it was simply because wildlings were more honest with their feelings than those of the south were, but he read her like one would read a book. "I believe in you, Rhaelle. You have shown me the strength of your character and conviction these past few days. And if your cousin is half as honorable as yourself, then we may yet broker a long and lasting bond between our peoples." He finally stood fully from the railing, taking a single step towards her and overshadowing her once more. "But I meant what I said in the hall." He uttered softly, barely loud enough to be heard over the howling winds as they descended. "You belong to me, Rhaelle Baratheon. And no treaty, man, beast, giant or white walker will keep me from claiming what is mine." He said firmly, his form filling her field of vision as he wrapped her in his arms and gave her a squeeze. He released her just as quickly and stepped back. They were only about 200 feet from the bottom now and he didn't want to show that level of emotion to his men. "My men will keep you safe, but I don't know if you want them being themselves in King's Landing." He said with a laugh. "I highly suggest you stick them somewhere private, and far away from the common populace."

Biird: She frowned as he rolled back to the title of “Doe”. This was not the first time he’d dove inside her head and explained herself to her; that to was disconcerting enough to drive her up a wall, and icy, frigid wall. She waved a hand dismissively, trying to push this matter aside. “I know what you mean, I just don’t… It bothers me.” Before she could go on, he did and crowded her as he spoke, forcing her further back against the railing and she had to look up to into his face. If she hadn’t, she might have missed what he said but certainly not the heat in his voice when he said it. She opened her mouth but her rebuttle fell out of her mouth as a meep of surprise when he hugged her. Blinking quickly she shook like a dog and began to dust off her own awkwardness, quickly grabbing on to the last of their conversation before the lift hit the ground. “Yes, well… I meant go about recruiting as usual. Besides, I don’t need protecting. I’m fine, but thank you. Either way. Ready them. We leave in the morning.”

Biird: Rhaelle painted her eyes with the paste she made of weirwood leaves that had been so unceremoniously planted in her hand by Alistar before he left the room the night before. She went through her usual routine of smearing khol around her eyes and the weirwood paste around that. Standing naked in Alistar’s room, painted her chest between her simple breasts, drew lines around right bicep and dotted her left forearm. She decorated her ankles with rings and thigh with dots and lines, waited for the paste to dry, praying to the Old Gods the great beast of a man she shared a chamber with didn’t return before she could get her clothes on. Indeed, she was able to do so without him coming back. She left the room, dressed and ready to head back south and join her brothers and cousin at the Harvest Festival with men of the Night’s Watch by her side. And this time she made sure her hand were completely dry before she lost a finger to the frost. On the landing of the stairs that looked out in the courtyard, Rhaelle watched the Free Folk move about their daily business. Nearly every man or woman that passed her, stopped, gave her a nod and addressed her as Lady Doe. Already frustrated, Rhaelle moved into the courtyard toward the gates.

ShiftingSky: The massive lord commander stood waiting for her by the gates, with several men standing behind him, holding light conversation amongst themselves as their Lord Commander stood in wait for his lady. As soon as she came into view his face split with a massive grin and he bellowed out across the courtyard. "Attention men! There's a lady present!" He snapped, at which the men behind him all snapped to attention, while a chorus of chuckles erupted from those elsewhere in the courtyard. The Night's Watch by and large held little esteem for noble titles, and as such they thought their Lord Commander was poking fun. In reality, he was, but he was also testing the men he was sending with her. He knew that down south people took all kinds of offense if you didn't bow right or use the right titles. As such he'd picked several of the more mild-tempered men under his command to follow her down to King's Landing. They would never bend a knee, no matter who asked it of them, but they'd bow and use the titles as necessary, even if it was somehwat uncomfortable for them. As Rhaelle approached, Alistar took a few strides forward and wrapped a large arm about her shoulders. "I take it you liked my gift?" He said, taking in her appearance with a nod of approval. "Good." He stated, then guided her over to the others. "Men, this is Rhaelle Baratheon, as you know. You are to escort her to King's Landing and ensure that she is not accosted by anyone, yourselves included." He spoke with a wry smile, and the men all smiled back. "She's mine, and before too long I'll be riding south to claim her properly. Not much of a hunter if she started off in a cage eh?" He laughed, and then men laughed with him. It was a common joke amongst the folk of the Watch that if he had tried to hold her at the wall, it would be no real marriage, since she didn't really have any chance to flee. "Rhaelle, this is one of my recruiters, and a few more of my less tempermental men. They should serve you well in your trip south, without ruffling too many feathers."

Biird: Alistar made her cringe, his antics made her want to burn down Castle Black with him tied to a post, but swallowed her rage and continued through the courtyard toward him. His heavy arm should have weighted or slowed her stride but it didn’t. She was used to heavy men. Lifting his arm off her shoulder, Rhaelle ducked and moved, stepping out from under his grasp, looked back long enough for him to see her makeup was applied. Alistar Crow caused a great swirling of her emotions. In one hand she hated all his stupid antic and snickering followers. On the other hand, she couldn’t help but like his stupid jokes, or the stupid way he always watched her with that stupid smile and well she had no intention of asking him for her weirwood leaves and he’d sent for them. After a good fight over the bed again, he’d handed them over and left with his usual stupid laugh echoing through the halls. Gods she hated that man and yet part of her wanted to leave his arm about her shoulders. She shook the off the thoughts and nodded to his men. “Just keep your cocks to yourselves boys and I can take care of myself.” She said moving closer to the open gates and letting a banshees howl of a whistle. Turning back, she looked over the men and the recruiter and frowned at Alistar while he went on about coming south for her. She didn’t like the feeling of her chest tightening every time he spoke of coming to claim her. Part of her didn’t believe he’d actually do it. It was too far south for one woman when he had a hundred with just the same amount of attitude to warm his bed instead of fight him for it. As she closed the gap between them, Stranger came through the haze, his head shaking making his usual grumbling noises. “When will you stop talking about this nonsense? When I bring your terms to my cousin, I’ll be back. You’ll have your treaty and your staple. There’s no need for you to abandon your post.”

ShiftingSky: "Oh?" He said, his voice filling with honey as he heard her speak. He leaned down until his face was a few mere inches from hers. "Are you saying you'll come back to my arms and bed of your own free will lass?" He growled, his eyes boring into hers and she could almost see the lustful thoughts burning behind his eyes. "But that's makin' it too easy on me. And besides, I'd like to meet the man I'm supporting. And it's much more fun to come down and toss you over my shoulder and bring you back up here myself." He stood back up to his full height and let out a raucous laugh. "Besides, if yer to be my wildling bride, you'll have to be treated like one. A wildling bride fights and runs, and a wildling husband drags her home. You've got the fighting and running part down so far, now it's up to me to come and claim you." he suddenly stepped up to her and wrapped both his arms around her, pulling her against him and lifting her up and off her feet suddenly. "Don't you worry Rhaelle." He spoke gently so only she could hear him. "You'll be here where you belong soon enough." He murmured, leaning in until he almost kissed her, before suddenly letting her down once more. "Alright boys, you treat her well, or I'll give you an express trip off the edge of the wall, are we clear?" Each of the men stood straighter and let out a playful laugh, until they saw the feral grin he was giving them, and their laughter rapidly died. They suddenly felt very uncomfortable as they realized just how serious he was about his statement.