The Flight of the Falcon (Lena Arryn)

[targaryen]

Emre dismounted and nodded silently to his bannermen before turning to Torin Lannister, "Ser knight" he said dryly, "You grace us with your presence. Will you grace the battle at Harrenhal with your sword?". The nonchalant way Emre broke the news to his men that it was to Harrenhal that they would march was characteristic of a Lord known for keeping his cards close to his chest. His bannermen looked surprised - the Vale was marching for the first time since the rebellion.

[Torin Lannister]

"I will." replied the Knight of House Lannister, which was surely greatest of the Houses. "I even bring reinforcements. The Mountain clansmen tried to ambush me. Now they are bent to my will and what was once your brigands are now a well equipped vanguard." Torin always had the approach that a dead man was a useless man, if he had to steal to feed his family then why not give him a job as a soldier? His needs would be tended to by the marching quartermasters and his pay could be sent home to food the family.

There was a similar idea behind his recruiting of the mountain savages. They had a natural affinity for violence so why not force it to order? Once he was back at Casterly Rock his Knights would keep them in line.

[Lena Arryn]

Lena watched as the two men exchanged pleasantries. It was then that Torin boasted turning the hill tribes into fighting men.
She highly doubted how loyal they'd be, the knights of the Vale and the Hill tribes had a sort of unspoken rule, they didn't bother the knights, the knights didn't bother them. Once or twice a year the hill tribes would try to over through a village, the knights would fight them off and then everything went back to normal.
It wasn't that Lena wouldn't have round up all those fighting men and turned them soldier, but they often claimed they'd never fight under the banner of the Vale. It made her a bit peevish that they'd turn for Lannister Gold. But then again, that's why she was marrying Torin Lannister.

[targaryen]

"So you have taken a band of savages into your service, ser?" Emre breathed haughtily, "I cannot say I am surprised". He looked briefly to his sister before turning to his bannermen - "The Vale is to take Harrenhal, my lords. Lady Lena will command our army during the march". The lords nodded curtly, accepting the words of their liege-lord. "My sister has demanded that the castle be taken with the safety of the innocents in mind - there must be no slaughter. We cannot let it be said that the Vale puts no value in beating hearts. Our victory must be honourable my lords, as the Arryn words say". Emre's white steed breathed deeply and heavily as the bannermen offered counsel and opinions. Emre stood in perfect silence, absorbing their words before turning back to Torin Lannister once more, "Well, Ser Torin Lannister, 'Lord of the Mountain Savages', what say you of the march?".

[Torin Lannister]

"You must make demand of your Knights to spare the smallfolk? Perhaps I bought out the wrong savages. Ser Gregor Clegane would approve." Torin almost rolled his eyes when Emre reminded them of the Arryn words. The man wouldn't know honour if it slapped him in the face. Not that it would get such a chance as he hid behind his army and at the top of his Castle. Jon would be turning in his grave to see such a cretin.

"I have seen your siege towers outside the gate. They will make this easy. Lady Whent is no Commander nor is anyone under her service. This might aggravate the Tully's. But I have no love for them." Back in his seat Torin leaned back, armoured feet firmly planted on the ground and his sword standing at attention under palm.

[Lena Arryn]

Lena watched as Emre mildly aggravated Torin, and the Lannister in true fashion rose to the bait. But also rose a very good point, one which Lena had pestering her in the back of her mind but trusted her brother on.

Whent rode out under the extended banner of the Tully's, their mother's people. Sara Tully had long ago left the south for the Vale, but she still held tightly to her family name and her family credo- as all good Tully women did, but surly she wouldn't out right approve her son taken Harrenhal.
Which was in part why Lena so desperately wanted not to kill to many people.

[michael]

Lord Godwinson scratched gently at his stubble as the Lannister spoke. He was stood beside his liege, Lord Emre Arryn, and had mostly kept silent as they spoke; better to listen, better to wait. He was a bristly old man, and for a few minutes he was caught not giving a damn what some young lion thought of his homeland or anywhere else for that matter. Abruptly, however, he switched from the placid observer to the cranky old miser, throwing up his arm as he spoke.

"Best not to compare us too much to savages, Lord Lannister, or you might just see how uncivilised the Men of The Vale can be!" He proudly proclaimed, to the grunted agreement of his two sons, either side. Yes, that fit the role of the old warmonger nicely. Contrasting with Lord Emre's honour, but not so much as to cause offence. Now watch.

[targaryen]

Emre raised a hand slowly to cool the temper of his bannerman - "The Lannister is without manners, Lord William - let us hope that his sword is half as sharp as his tongue and twice as sharp as his mind". Torin had raised a point that Emre had considered carefully when planning this march - House Tully would not take kindly to an attack on one of their bannermen. "Let me assure you all that House Tully will not stand against us when we siege Harrenhal. With the King in the North rising, my dear Ser Edmure will need to rally to the Stark cause. It would be most imprudent for the would-be Lord of Riverrun to engage us when King Robb will have great need of Tully swords". Emre eyed his sister as he spoke, "And family is important to House Tully, my lords. Lena and I are born of a Tully woman, and we count both Edmure and King Robb as kin. We need not not fear a reprisal when we take Harrenhal". He eyed Torin Lannister now, smiling behind his mask at the simple man who sat before him. Emre knew that he must tolerate the petulant oaf until Lena was with child - but then his tolerance would end.

[Torin Lannister]

While Torin could let the minor threat of Emre's bannerman slide for now, but the audacity of Emre had gone on long enough. It seemed that as soon as Torin had arrived his thinly veiled jabs and insults had started, so long as they were relatively alone with the exception of several of his Knights. But now after Torin had offered aide in taking Harrenhal after Emre had sent him a raven asking if he would join. "Forgive me Lords and Sers, I was merely trying the customs of the House that has hosted me these last few days. Perhaps I mistook a lack of manners with cowardice." The Lion rose from his seat and took a step away from the table.

"But clearly House Arryn has a fine plan, a solid plan to declare war upon his kin Lord Edmure Tully when he cannot fight back. You can steal his bannerman's Castle out from under his feet with an army ten times the size needed and let the Pretender-King in the North force away his attention." He let the words sink in with those around him and looked to Lena, she was perhaps the only one he knew of this place that actually lived by an honourable code but returned his gaze to Emre. "As High as Honour indeed." Confident feet carried him in the direction of the exit.

"I shall take my leave and rejoin my fellows of the Westerland and the savages that don't pretend to be anything else." At that he glanced between Emre and Godwinson. He gave an apologetic glance to Lena but was soon gone, to await when Emre would decide to resume hiding behind his great walls and let his sister and bannermen do his fighting.

[michael]

Grunting with disdain, William leaned down and spat upon the ground where Torin had stood; such was his feelings towards a man who spoke and left. Childish and dire. Torin fit into every negative stereotype the Bards had concocted about the Lannisters.
"We should crush the Lannisters, Lord, as timely as we can. Harrenhal is a key piece towards insuring our independence, and your seat as King of The Vale with it...but it irks me, my liege."[/color] The man said, giving his sword, Old Talon, a pat.

Old Tom sat perched upon his shoulder, occasionally shuffling atop his perch, giving every one who ventured close a foul eye, and answering only to William's reassurances..
"For it is also nigh impossible to defend. Oh, the fortifications are strong, but it is a simple thing to leave it stranded and without supply. Tread carefully, Lord Emre, lest this graveyard of Hoares become one for our Armies."

[Lena Arryn]

The young woman standing next to her masked brother stirred.
"Hold your tongue Godwin." Lena said standing to attention. "He may be a arrogant and haugty, but he's our invited guest." She looked to her brother, her voice low so that only he could hear her. "We can't afford a war with the Lannisters, and we sure as hell couldn't out man them- they'd march with all the kings men."
With that Lena strode out of the war room and stormed down the hall, not giving any of the others the chance to respond to her reprimands.

When she caught a sight of Torin she sped up, not bothering to break into a run.
When she was closer to him she reached out, and called his name. "Ser Lannister." Lena spoke again. "Torin!"
She moved closer towards him as he stopped.
"Ser Torin, please, some times my brother's ambitious mind runs away with his ambitions. Emre means well but some times his words escape him."
She stared into his green eyes her own blue ones hard with resolve. "I know what has happened here today has damaged your patience for Emre, and perhaps even the Eryie, but I would still see our commitment through."

She spoke of their marriage, and though it galled her to think of marrying some one at odds with her entire country she would do what ever it took to keep peace for the Vale.
"The Eryie can not afford war with Casterly Rock, and I would not see the people of the Vale needlessly slain. So I ask of you... I beg of you, Ser Torin, please honor our contract of betrothal." She closed the distance between. "For the Vale..." Then as her stomach twisted she took his hand and placed it against her cheek. "For me."

[targaryen]

"It appears words are enough to send a Lannister running, my lords" laughed Emre. "Perhaps Robb Stark should be readying a long speech, not an army". The Lord of the Eyrie had offended his guest, he knew it. "Go then, ser Torin". Emre paused as the Lannister giant strode from the room, probably ignoring Emre's jests, "And keep your guard up out there amongst my men, Lannister. They are prone to saying all manner of things that might wound you".

When William Godwinson, the most cantankerous of Emre’s bannermen, began to speak seriousness fell over the assembly once more. He called for blood – Lannister blood. Lena swept from the hall with rough words for Lord William and a warning for her brother after the gruff bannerman spoke. Her exit startled Emre, though he did not show it – had his sister been won over so easily by the Lannister? He prayed that she had not. “We must treat these overconfident gold miners with gentle hands, Lord William. We attack only with words while Lena is to wed Ser Torin” said Emre thoughtfully, mulling over the merits of a march on Casterly Rock in his mind – there were few if any. “The most important thing now is to advance the agenda of the Vale, and taking Harrenhal is the first step”. Emre had read tomes of Harrenhal history when considering his march. The castle had the highest walls in Westeros, and was considered indestructible. Lord William was right when he pointed out how vulnerable Harrenhal was to having its supply cut off, but Emre planned to ensure a supply line from the Vale was ready should any enemy ravage the lands that served Harrenhal. Emre admitted that Torin had the right of it when he said they had more than enough men to take Harrenhal. He was right too when he said that it was a shade devious that the Vale marched while the Starks had need of House Tully. It was all justifiable, Lord Emre decreed. With Lady Lena leading the march it was important that the Vale be seen to march in force - half measures would not do. Emre explained that Harrenhal would become a military bastion of House Arryn, so the marching host was not only needed for the siege, but for the garrisoning of the castle afterwards.

[Torin Lannister]

Ser Torin did indeed ignore Emre, he was a grotesque who hid behind knights and let his loose tongue spill words from his mouth when his bannermen and Knights surrounded him. He was fortunate he was a man of station, he'd be long dead by now otherwise. Torin took solice that soon he'd be rid of him out once he was outside The Vale he'd need no more dealings with him.

As he walked away he heard Lena calling him, pausing the Knight-Commander of the Lannisters turned on the spot to watch him approach her. "It is honourable that you would defend your brother, but you don't need to. He is Lord of the Vale, he has privilege and power in this land that allow him to speak as he would." As Lena continued to speak he realized she was most concerned about what the little exchange between them would mean. "Declare war? Because of words spoken absent thought? I have not met a single man in The Vale, only boys who play, but outside the Vale people rarely go to war for such small things. I have no intention of declaring war or breaking the deal. I would still see you be my wife. I simply have no interest in putting up with your brother any longer. I will station myself with my men outside and when your brother finishes satisfying his need to be heard by all around him you and I will lead our respective forces so your brother may declare war on your kin at Harrenhal." Torin had to almost bite his tongue to stop himself from saying less pleasant things about Emre. He was speaking to Emre's sister after all.

"You can return to your brother if you wish. I shall be with my men. We'll see each other soon enough on the march, then battle." He slowly took his hand away from her face and gave a little smile. "I look forward to seeing the finest Falcon prove how sharp her talon is."

[Lena Arryn]

Lena backed away from him slowly, before turning and walking to the war council. Her face flushed. She wasn't sure how much more she could take of Torin and Emre's bickering, and it was looking like it would be a life long problem. It made Lena feel ill.


She knew as soon as every one took their leave she'd be questioned about her reasons for leaving the room by him. He probably thought she was having girlish fantasies about Torin carrying her away on a white horse. But Lena was simply looking out for the best interests of the Vale.
At least, she certainly hoped thats what her marriage was about.