[OPEN] 🌿 And I see winter broken like lace

[ofwovenstone]

WHO: Cassandra de Rolo (ofwovenstone), Aella Tabris (fangoffenharel), Lyanna Stark (ylgr) and OPEN
WHEN: December 15th onward
WHAT: Winter shenanigans and general catch-all for the month.
WHERE: Gazin and the surrounding area.
WARNINGS: None other than the usual ones that come with Cassandra de Rolo (potential for talk of trauma, blood, near death, etc).
NOTES: starters in the comments

Comments

Boar hunt

[ulfur]

The rider from Lothalian drinks the hot mug the bartender passes him eagerly. It had been a chill journey. As he dethaws, he tells the news from the town.

"The creatures from the wood've been growing bolder. Or hungrier. They've always kept to Vasari, before. We've been driving them back, but we're no hunters. The worst, though, was this week. A dreadful mean boar goring our sheep and poor Shep's boy watching them. It nicked our best archer fierce, he's lucky he won't lose the leg."

The man glances around at those at the tavern. "Would you spread the word? See if anyone could send a hunting party to help?"

Ned meets Lyanna's eyes. He's been on plenty of hunts with his father and brothers. Lyanna, though...

[ylgr]

Lyanna listens intently to the rider’s story, making careful note. Something will need to be done about the creatures. The boar, at least. The others might come later. But they need to find the boar. Which means a hunt.

Her brother looks at her and she knows what he’s thinking. She’s already nodding, though, leaning forward. “We can help,” she tells him. “My brother and myself.” Spoken with confidence in the both of them; Ned doesn’t know. Doesn’t know that she had been the Knight of the Laughing Tree at the tourney in Harrenhal. She hasn’t been on many hunts, but she can fight. And she can ride.

And she’ll be with Ned. Two Starks are a force unto themselves.

[ulfur]

The Starks were certainly amongst the best-prepared to deal with a wild boar. And Ned will save the precise details of Lyanna's involvement in it for later, when they can speak privately about it, but for now, he just nods at her and turns back to the man.

"We have hunted boar before. They grow huge and savage in our homeland too. We will make sure it troubles you no more."

The rider's face fills with relief. "Thanks be. It's rooted up our gardens and dug up our truffles, and we can precious little afford to give up a harvest like that." Lothalian lived harvest to harvest, as Aella had explained to Ned, and they relied on the more rare commodoties grown in and near the forest to sell and feed their families.

Ned asks him some more particulars about the sightings, where exactly the last one was, who had seen it, how big it was, and the like. When he felt sure he had gotten all he could from the man, they take their leave, and Ned draws Lyanna towards a table in the far corner so that they can talk, with another mug of mulled wine for each of them.

"We will need more than just us," he says. "At least three, if our third is experienced. Your speed will serve well, but we will need a good hand at a spear or bow."

[ylgr]

Oh, Lyanna knows. She KNOWS her brother is going to have something to say about her involvement in it and what part she might play, and she is going to have words right back. She’s not being kept out of this hunt. She has every intention of being right alongside him through all of it.

He draws her to a table in the far corner with another mug of mulled wine once they’ve gotten all the information they can from the rider.

“I hope my skill with a sword or a bow will count for something,” she replies. He doesn’t know that she was the Knight of the Laughing Tree... but maybe it’s time he learns. “As well as my speed.” Swords aren’t the best weapon for dealing with boars, but with Ned and another it will be fine. Or she can simply use a bow. “Do you have anyone in mind for our third?”

[ulfur]

Ned feels like sighing but wisely does not. This was going to take some delicacy. He knows how Brandon would go about this, and he wants to do it exactly the opposite. Which will take some placating of his fierce sister.

"Certainly they count. I've seen your skill with a bow, and you are the best horsewoman in the North." Ned raises a brow. "You will need to stay mounted, and shooting from horseback is not easy. We can practice along the way."

He doesn't want her near the thing with a sword, much as she would probably like getting a whack in, but no need to mention that unless she insists.

"As for our third...I do, in fact." The other brow goes up. "There is another Stark here who may have experience." This is the strangest part by far to say, even after telling her that night after the tavern. "My...my son. Jon Snow. I think we should ask him to join us."

[ylgr]

Oh, she will not be placated. She is going, and she is participating. Whether Ned likes it or not. (Or any of her brothers would.) She knows how her brothers feel about her... wilful, stubborn determination to fight and do the things that they do. As their equal. But Ned is the one who at least indulges her a little. He just might need a little convincing in this.

“If this boar is as dangerous as they’re saying, I don’t know that I want to risk Ice. We don’t know how our horses will react in the situation. It might be safer to be on foot.” If one of their horses startled and threw them, they would be in worse shape than if they started on the ground.

Lyanna looks at him, stunned. She hadn’t expected him to suggest Jon... or for him to say THAT about him. “Your SON?” She is... beyond shocked, and incredulous. This is Ned they’re talking about. He doesn’t... do that. He’s not Brandon, who has no doubt fathered more than his share of bastards. “He reminded me of Brandon.” He LOOKS like Brandon, more than he looks like Ned. But he is definitely a Stark. She just... thought he was her nephew by a different brother. Or something like that. “Are you sure?” She means that as much as ‘are you sure he’s your son?’ as she means ‘are you sure you want us to ask him?’.