Ch. 1 - Seeds

Drezielle
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Zel helped where she could after the jousting. There was a flurry of activity to get Toby safely off the field, and then a while later to get him from the hospital tent back to the Felsward pavilion. He was conscious but senseless, and Zel could see that the pain he was in was overwhelming. At last, the maester deemed it safe enough to drug him to sleep, and there was quiet for a little bit. It didn't last long, though, because after spending some time fretting over Toby, Florie started to talk about how they would have to go to the last celebratory feast of the event. Zel kept silent this time, since she knew there would be no way to keep them out of it.

Cyril, though, said that he was out of certain herbs he needed, and would have to go out to look for them before he could easily rouse Jonys. Florie asked Zel to go with him, and looked over the maester in his robes. "At least one of you should be wearing pants," she muttered to Zel. Zel smirked, and followed Cyril out to the forest. He was collecting willow bark and some sort of fungus that Zel had no interest in identifying. Then he stopped and stared at a tree for a while, while she failed to find anything interesting about it.

"Zel?" Cyril asked, sounding distracted. "Do you think you could climb up this tree?"

"Maybe," she said dubiously. "Why?"

"See that hollow up there? I think it's the nest of a crowned pheasant, but I can't tell from here."

Zel rolled her eyes, but she agreed to try, and so with a bit of help up, she scrambled through the branches of the tree to root around in the nest, describing how it was made, and looking for a black, yellow-tipped feather that he said might be there. She saw a couple, and grabbed one, but in trying to get down the tree, she slipped and sort of fell branch to branch and ended up knocking Cyril down so that they both landed in a heap on the ground. Face scratched and pride wounded, she practically threw his stupid feather at him. Cyril studied the feather with a grave expression, and explained that the pheasants only made nests like these when they sensed that winter was approaching. He said he hadn't recieved word from the Citadel, even though they watched for these things, but this was a sign he trusted.

Zel stared a bit. Winter was no small matter, especially with the plotting Florie had recently engaged in. They finished gathering what Cyril needed, and wandered back to the encampment, where Cyril told Florie what he suspected from the nest. Her face went tight, and she nodded, saying that they had better get their stores in order. But then she went back to planning their evening, once again dragging Zel aside and asking her if she'd rather come as a boy, and be her eyes and ears but less able to communicate with her, or as a lady, where she might overhear things and more easily share them. Finding herself horrified at the idea of putting on a dress, Zel declined as politely as she could, and said she would work as a boy. And so once again, she and Cyril accompanied Florie and her older brother to another lavish party, and while the nobles talked and danced as they were supposed to, she and Cyril got to sit and eat.

Then Zel heard a hissed conversation behind her, and listened more closely. It was a woman's voice she heard, saying, "There's his Hand, will you not speak to him?" She turned to see a man dressed in black and gold, with a dark-skinned woman at his side. She nudged Cyril and directed his attention to them, and as they walked away, he murmured that the two were Lord Denys Darklyn of Duskendale and his Myrish wife, Lady Serala. Nobles wanting conversation with the King's Hand seemed like the sort of thing Florie would want to hear, so as soon as she saw Darklyn follow Tywin down the hallway, she crept along in the shadows nearby. Darklyn got in front of Tywin and forced him to stop, and wanted to speak about port levies. Tywin looked even more irritated, and said that they had already spoken, multiple times, about the matter, and that Duskendale must pay the levies, and would unless the Crown were to change its mind. Then he shoved the lord aside the way a man would with a dog begging for scraps, and strode on.

Florie
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Florie had tried to soak up every detail she could of Highgarden as she walked through it to the great hall, her mind racing with everything she had to think about. She still did not know how to identify potential allies, or even if any were here. She only knew that right now, she was to all eyes a steadfast subject of the Tyrells. It had to be advantage enough, until she could gain better. She had hardly walked into the hall when Tywin Lannister strode right towards her, and greeted her with a smile on his lips that she could not quite interpret. She greeted him as prettily as she could, for whatever his aim, it was best to be in the good graces of the man who was the King's Hand. Moments after, though, Axel Florent approached, and said that unless Lannister objected, Florie had promised him the first dance. Again, Tywin gave that little smile and said "I make no claim."

Florie couldn't help feeling a little insulted, but she went with Florent, who spoke in low tones to her as they danced. He said that he had heard of both of Toby's triumphs, and that the knight must be brave, but the way he said it made it sound as if that wasn't a good thing. Florie defended Toby, saying that he fought as many would not, for honor. She agreed, though, that he could learn to be more cautious, and Florent said that she hoped that she would take her lessons from a more prudent master. He also asked about her preparations for her brother's marriage, and caught like this, as if she had not only days before gotten the date set, she couldn't help a slightly hysterical laugh. "Ribbons?" She said, and then choked on her next words as he grabbed her arm hard on the next pass and hissed to her that she had best understand the gravity of this event. She schooled her tone, freed herself from his grip, and replied frostily that it was not lost on her, and that she knew how vital it was to be moving into The Arbor. She did, too, but she wondered if Florent understood the growing delicacy of her position, as the only member of her family aware of what was being plotted. He continued, saying that in the coming events they would need to find some way to turn the attentions of King's Landing away from them, a point on which Florie agreed, but wasn't certain how such a thing could even be accomplished.

Florie had a chance afterwards to check in with Zel and Cyril, both of whom she had asked to keep their wits about them and their ears open to gossip. She wasn't disappointed. They recounted a conversation between Lord Darklyn and his exotic wife, Lady Serala. Florie smiled slowly. Duskendale was just a little ways north of King's Landing, and this encounter showed more than a little discontent. Having seen how easily discontent could get ugly, as in Meadowlark, and in Silver Hill, Florie thought that perhaps, all Duskendale needed was a little push. Still, she could not focus too much on this. She had other pleasantries to make, so she made her way over to Lady Olenna and gave apologies again for her mother, and they talked a bit, with Olenna asking if she had any marriage prospects, and teasing her a little cattily about dancing with the married Tywin Lannister. When conversation turned to Toby's victory, Olenna congratulated Florie, but then said she had lost money on those fights. She gave Florie a long look, and said, "I suppose I've learned that one should not bet against the Felswards." Florie just dipped her head and smiled.

She danced a bit more, but her mind was on other things. She was intensely worried for Toby, no matter how much she spoke of his valor, and she could not stop thinking about how much it would take to topple the Tyrells from their seat of power, and to think that for all Florent's certainty, this was no less reckless than any of Toby's fights against strong odds. And yet... Toby had triumphed, against what many thought were insurmountable odds. Florie wondered if, on a much larger scale, she could do the same for the Gardener line. And then she saw Jonys flirting with the Dornish wench again, and she hastened to get her friends to drag him away once more.

Cyril
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The trip back to Blackbane hall was quiet and somber. Jonys and Vallya had to be drugged still for much of it, and Cyril spent most of his time tending to Ser Tobias, carefully stitching the knight's wounds, changing bandages and keeping infection from setting in. It was good work, though, and Cyril was happy to see his two ill charges no worse for the wear after such a trip, and Toby upright and healing by the time they were back. The first days back in Blackbane were spent getting the household in order again, and resting from the trip. Lord Garon had sent word from Silver Hill that the town had been brought around once more and he would be returning home, victorious. Once things were settled, though, Florie called Cyril, Toby, and Zel to speak with her in The Tomb. The little cell was the safest place to speak in the entire hall, and Cyril had no doubt what they would be discussing. Florie, her eyes lit by the flickering candlelight, laid out their problems one by one. Highgarden was a strong location, and the Tyrells had military might that the Gardners and their supporters might not hope to match. King's Landing would send reinforcements to their faithful bannermen, and once more, Tyrells would have Targaryen support. King's Landing might be distracted by an uprising in Duskendale, but that would have to be pushed somehow. They would also eventually need the support of Florie's family, and her father would have to be brought around somehow. They had started discussing methods when Jonys came in.

"So that's where you all got off to!" He said loudly. "Funny place to be." He had a wineskin on his belt, and had clearly been at his drinking for a while. Before anyone could say anything more, he started talking about how he planned, at his wedding, to gift Tynker Tower to someone. He thought it would be a memorable gesture. He'd like to give it, he said, to someone loyal in service to his family, to someone trusted and liked. He asked for ideas, and Cyril began to tease him towards saying Toby's name, at least partly in jest. Toby didn't seem amused, but Jonys wasn't getting it at any rate, and he soon started to ramble about how he'd like to do something good, if he was doomed like his mother anyhow, and what was wrong with having some fun first? It was clear he was still upset about the Dornish woman, and dissatisfied with Lysette's mismatched eyes, and the more he talked, the redder Florie got, until she could stand no more. She defended the match, and how lucky Jonys was, but he told her to be quiet, because the men were talking. Furious, Florie hissed that she would be in the sept, and stomped off.

Cyril, seeing a turn for the worse in the situation, started trying to talk Jonys down, but the alcohol had him talkative still, and he worried at how his marriage would kill his mother. When Toby didn't agree much with him, Jonys started to look at him with a darker gaze, and said maybe he would give Tynker Tower to Toby after all, and send him away so he wouldn't be around Florie. Cyril saw Toby stiffen as if he'd been struck, and suggested that Jonys sober up and then think about making decisions. Then it was up to Cyril to try and coax Jonys back to bed, which was no small task.

That evening, a traveling caravan begged leave to make camp outside of Blackbane, and Florie allowed it, and then smiled prettily at her friends and said they should go see what it was all about. They went out to wander through the camp, where merchants plied their wares from their carts. Cyril walked beside Florie and Zelto look at some of the wares, and a man with tanned skin and dark hair caught sight of Florie and waved her over, promising to show her something amazing. He picked up a basket and cracked the cover. Inside were a number of caterpillars, writhing over each other. They had long, sily hairs that flowed out of them in autumn colors, so that it looked like fire as they moved. Florie was a little taken aback, which Cyril thought was just as well. He knew what these were, and he wanted them nowhere near the hall and its lands. These were a Free Cities pest, fast-breeding and voracious. They did not live off of many fresh plants, but they would eat almost anything stored-- grain, wool, dried meats-- and leave nothing in their wake. Cyril bargained with the man, suddenly intent on having the worms so that he could destroy them. Florie watched with amused patience as Cyril spent far too much money obtaining the entire box, but she grew serious when Cyril explained what they were. He said they would need to be destroyed, and was enlisting Zel's help in making sure nobody had any more here when Florie wandered off with Toby. He didn't know where they went, but he was set on his task, so he took Zel around with him to search out any more of the wretched worms.

He and Zel went to all the camp merchants, and spent a bit of time bantering with a performer, but it was clear soon enough that the basket Cyril held in his hands was all there was. He decided to drown them, to be able to see with certainty that none escaped alive, and that way, they would never be a threat to the stores that must be laid in before winter. He had Zel run for a guard so that they could get a large pot and water. Florie and her knight were still nowhere to be seen.

Tobias
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Toby wasn't sure he wanted to see the caravan camp. Though his health was much improved, and he was healing well, but he was worried now about what was coming. Especially with the treason that Florie had planned, there would be nothing but danger ahead. Toby didn't fear for himself, but he had to protect Florie. If Jonys did find a way to send him away, he couldn't be at her side any more, couldn't throw himself at whatever dangers threatened her. Even with all these worries weighing on him, though, he went out with the others to the camp, and reluctantly left Florie's side when an old woman called to him. She had him come sit in her cart, saying she would tell his fortune. She reached into a covered basket and pulled out a peeping chick, then with one swift movement broke it's neck. She slit it open and turned it's insides out into a wooden bowl in front of her. She gazed downwards, then dipped one thumb in the cooling blood and touched it to Toby's forehead.

"There are two paths ahead of you," she said. "One long, one short. Both are bloody. The long one... it has love." She squinted at Toby for a bit, coming to some sort of decision for herself. "Choose the love."

Tobias stammered out a thanks, then hastened away to rejoin the group. The fortune had crystallized his thoughts, turned his worries into something else, so that now he knew what he must do. "Florie," he said when he walked up next to her, "can I talk to you?"

She looked up, then looked a little alarmed, her conversation with the maester and Zel forgotten. "You have blood on you," she said, and Toby winced, assuring her it wasn't his and wasn't important, and led her into the shadows a bit where they would have some privacy. He didn't like the worry in her eyes, he hadn't meant to alarm her, not with what he intended to ask. He started talking about how he'd been thinking that when her father chose a husband for her, she would have to marry him. And what if her husband was far away? Florie's eyes dimmed a little at that, and she looked down, agreeing that it would be a problem.

Toby hesitated for just a moment, then stepped in closer. "Marry me, Florie," he said. "Let's elope." She stared, and before she had a chance to speak, he went on, afraid of the next words that would come out of her mouth. "I've always loved you. If you say yes, let's leave tonight. If you say no, I... I'll leave, but..."

"Oh, Toby," she whispered. "Yes."

That shattering step out of the way, Tobias grinned, and took her hands in his. They realized that neither of them had the faintest idea of how to go about it, and that if they had trusted Zel and Cyril this far, they should trust them as witnesses to the wedding. They hurried to find the others and found the two getting ready to drown the box of caterpillars in a vat of water outside the hall gates. Florie held up a hand just before one of the guards put the water in, and she ordered the action halted. They sent the guard away and Florie, clearly nervous, said she had thought about them, and wanted to use the creatures. She wasn't just stalling, Toby saw, she had something in mind. She asked Cyril about what damage they did, and about what killed them. He said drowning and fire he presumed would work as with anything, but that they were susceptible to cold. Florie nodded decisively, and said she wanted to send them to Highgarden. They could not weaken the Tyrells through force, but these pests would destroy their stores, and with winter approaching, this would be a grave problem indeed. She had all the pieces now, it seemed, to start action. Someone would have to stir up trouble in Duskendale, but she could write to Florent and he might be able to send someone. Zel could take the worms to Highgarden and find a way to get them somewhere they could eat.

Toby stayed quiet while Florie did her planning. He wondered if he was the only one who could hear the unusual tension in her voice, or if the others noticed some other matter was also on her mind. Finally, she drew a deep breath and said that Zel would have to leave soon, but first, she needed to ask something of them. She pursed her lips, then said that she and Toby were to be married, and that they would have to leave right away, to do this before anything could interfere. Toby could see that their friends were taken aback, but it was to their credit that they didn't protest the match.

They got themselves ready in a hurry, Toby and Florie both dressing nicely but not so much that they would stand out too far, and Maester Cyril preparing the basket of caterpillars for safe travel. They chose a rode that pointed vaguely southwards, so Zel would be that much closer to Highgarden, and rode fast for a while to put some distance between themselves and Blackbane. They stopped at a tiny town called Mistmill, where the stream made a little waterfall that they could hear nearby. The sept was tiny, but when they knocked, a tall, grizzled-looking septon opened the door for them. He grunted, and asked what they needed, and Toby choked out that they were getting married. The septon looked them over a bit more, and asked if they were running away from disapproving parents. Florie flushed a bit, and agreed it was something like that. The septon brought her into the sept first, to speak with her alone, then came back out to ask Toby questions about his sincerity in this matter and his love for her. Once satisfied with the answers, they all stepped into the little sept while the man read to them from the books of the Maiden, Warrior, and Father. Cyril took Toby's cloak from his shoulders and Zel took Florie's off to settle Toby's in its place. Then, hand in hand, they rose, and kissed.

They sent Zel on her way and rode back to Blackbane, making it in just before the dawn. Tired but elated, Toby bid Cyril goodnight, took Florie into his arms, and went with her to her chamber.