A New Beginning (Part I)

It was a bleak morning when I received the command.
Leaving Kings Landing with a group of appointed soldiers we followed the kings road looking for the site of our mission.

The Kings Hand Jon Arryn had heard of slave traders in Westeros and called upon me to hunt them down and end their foul business. It wasn't long before we found them, they were holed up in a seemingly wretched keep, with an equally wretched village.

Passing through the small village I was preparing to lead the attack with my soldiers when someone ran out from the street in front of us and halted us momentarily.
Kneeling down in the dirt the stranger said "I am Sir Hugo Flint my lady, my wife died when those slaving bastards tried to snatch her. I will be your sworn sword for life if you'll give me a swing at them."

Looking behind me to survey the amount of troops I already had and then looking down at this man kneeled in the dirt I thought that maybe one more soldier to fight this battle would end it much easier and much faster, I accepted his offer of assistance but warned him not to risk his life just for revenge. 

The battle was swift and fierce, the keep was quickly overcome with our sheer force and was soon ours.

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Upon freeing the innocent and ridding the keep of those horrid slavers, we began surveying our surroundings. "Locate the raven's" I commanded "We must send word to The Kings Hand immediately"

When a man we had thought to have rescued stepped forward and replied "My Lady I will procure the requested raven at once" 

"Good sir, might I ask who are you?"

"I am the Maester of this keep, Maester Lucas My Lady."

"Well met Maester Lucas, did you serve the slavers also?"

"I did My Lady, being Maester of this keep I serve whoever rules this keep, hence I wish to serve you"

"Your service is accepted Maester Lucas, but the first sign of treachery there will be consequences"

Leery of accepting the service of anyone who had served the slavers, I decided to keep a close eye on this "Maester" until he could prove his loyalty. 
Everyone that had been imprisoned by the slavers I supposed deserved a second chance so I decided to be lenient and forgiving, and offered the slaves I had free'd a home in the village if they chose to stay.

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Sir Hugo although injured in the swift battle, did as I requested and served me well in the capturing of this keep. I called on someone to give him immediate medical attention and appointed Sir Hugo captain of the guard as a reward for his service.

A New Beginning (Part II)

We weren't long in waiting for the reply to our raven.
I was summoned back to Kings Landing immediately to report to Jon Arryn and meet with King Robert Baratheon.

As I prepared to travel The Kings Road back to Kings Landing I decided it may be best to leave behind a majority of my troops, to defend the keep in my absence.

"Sir Hugo, I am leaving The Keep in your command. As my Captain of The Guard I expect the keep to still be in your possession when I return"

"It will be My Lady, it will be a cold day in hell when those slavers reclaim this keep"

"Thank You"

"God speed My Lady and I wish you a safe journey" Said Maester Lucas

"Thank You, Gods willing it wont be long until I return."

and with that I left with a smile on my face, and looked forward to the journey ahead and what awaited me in Kings Landing.

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Upon leaving Kings Landing on my mission Jon Arryn had promised that King Robert Baratheon would reward me greatly for my service, but I was never expecting something as great as this.

After giving The Kings Hand my full battle report, I was then escorted by him to the Throne Room where King Robert himself sat on The Iron Throne. In front of the whole court I was praised by him for my victory and awarded The Keep and it's surrounding lands if I promised to continue to serve The King and The Iron Throne as I did that day when I achieved my victory.
I of course promised him, thinking of my family and my future if I continued to serve him so obediently.
He then motioned me to approach him closer to step up onto The Dias where he sat on his throne, slightly nervous being so close to The King I was surprised when he then handed me a deed to The Keep and it's lands, but also the papers giving me my new title "Lady Thorne"

He winked at me and chuckled at my surprised I courtseyed  said my thanks and descended from The Dias when curtsying again The King spoke to me.

"So Lady Thorne, what mayhap are you to name your keep?"

"Brethyr Keep, My King"

"Brethyr Keep, tis a nice name, I hope to hear good things come of your ruling"

"Yes My King, Thank You"

with that he gave me permission to leave the chamber, and all the courtier's eyed me as I left.

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My business was not yet finished at The Red Keep. I still had yet to speak with Jon Arryn before leaving.
I hurried through the halls to his office, as I hoped to return to Brethyr Keep before sundown.

"Lady Thorne is here you see you My Lord" announced his guard before I was permitted inside.

"Very well, see her in" replied Jon Arryn "Please close the door behind you, Lady Thorne."

"Yes, My Lord" I replied as I shut it. Something must be of great importance if he bids me to close the door I thought, Something not even his guard could hear.

"Lady Thorne has a nice ring to it does it not?" Smiled Jon, as the chamber door clicked shut

"Yes it does My Lord, I owe you and Our King many thanks for this great honor" I said happily

"You have done a great many good deeds for this kingdom Lady Thorne, it is us who owe you many thanks"

I smiled blushing knowing not what else to say

"You usually are very quick to reply My Lady, you seem to be at loss for words today"

"That I am My Lord, a great many things have happened this day that have still yet to fully sink in."

Jon Arryn chuckled, as it was a rare occasion indeed when I had barely any words to speak.

Getting down to business he said "Being the new owner of what is now Brethyr Keep, I would like to inform you that a whore named Falyse has recently left King's Landing for your holdings, bringing her bastard son Derryck with her. I must know the boys hair color."

"Yes My Lord I will leave immediately and get this information for you" I replied quickly wondering at this odd request.

"Thank you Lady Thorne, I wish you the best and hope to hear from you soon"

"As to you My Lord" wishing him well and curtsying, before opening the door and departing for Brethyr Keep.

And So It Begins

Quickly riding home to Brethyr Keep I arrived just after sundown, a little later than I had planned to be back but I was just in time to meet with my daughter Jayne, she had arrived at the keep during my absence and had settled into her new chambers while I was gone.

"I see that Maester Lucas has already seen to you"

"Yes Mother he has, he's very kind. He ordered that my new chamber's were to be unpacked and arranged to my liking, and that I was well fed after my journey"

"That was very kind of him to look after you in my absence. How do you like your new surroundings?"

"They are very admirable mother, I see potential in these lands. I hope to ride out tommorow on Ebony to further explore"

"Be careful my daughter, these are strange lands yet. Be sure to take a guard out with you tommorow."

"Yes mother, if you dont mind I wish to retire for the night."

"You may, rest well."

I bid her good night and set out to attend to business matter's concerning the whore and the boy Jon Arryn and I had discussed.

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I called a meeting between Maester Lucas, Sir Hugo Flint and I.

"It was an urgent matter that we locate Falyse and Derryck, if they are as important as I suspect they are their safety is paramount and they may already be in danger. I was ordered by The Hand of The King to find out about a matter concerning the boy"

"My Lady if you dont mind me asking, why is this whore and her son so important?" Asked Sir Hugo

"That is precisely my question, Jon Arryn did not necessarily elaborate on the subject but it seem's to be a matter of...Hair color"

"Hair color?" Questioned Maester Lucas

"Yes hair color. I'm in the dark about as much as you are. All I know is The Hand of The King asked me to find out what his hair color is, therefore I must obey because if it's the wish of The Hand it's also the wish of The King, so we have to get this matter settled immediately"

"Yes My Lady, I will get some guards assembled immediately once found we will escort them safely to Brethyr Keep"

"Maester Lucas could you find their approximate whereabouts to aid Sir Hugo in his search?"

"Yes My Lady"

Both Maester Lucas and Sir Hugo departed to prepare for this mission. Maester Lucas seeking their location and Sir Hugo prepping his best men and their horses. I sat for a few more moments pondering precisely why hair color could be such an important matter. I did not know, but I was determined to find out.