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[wont]

— » 003 » 005 QUARTERS | THIRD LEVEL SEAMSTRESS | FIFTH LEVEL PETYR'S LIBARY | FIFTH LEVEL DEVICE, IN-PERSON, BY RAVEN

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[audio]

[wont]

And you do yourself much discredit by saying so, [ she insists. ] Do not underestimate the comfort given by companionship in a strange place, in knowing that there is another who wishes to see you protected and well. Even though you did you look to swear immediately, that you did not turn me away with a scoff and a laugh means more to me than you know. Please, [ it is a softly spoken word. ] Accept my gratitude. It would mean much if you do.

[ Then a lapse into quietness as Alayne tries to find the right words, for these are no small matters. She clicks the message over to video so that he may see her face when she talks and know, through the passage of her eyes, that she takes these words truly to heart. ] Murphy Pendleton, do you offer your banner to me — Alayne Stone, natural-born daughter of Petyr Baelish and child of Vale? Do you give it to me freely, with a clear heart and with the knowledge that I will never misuse it nor lead you astray? Do you swear upon what is most precious to you, just as I swear in the light of the Seven and in the eyes of the Old Gods and the new?

[audio]

[yardbird]

Ah. [He doesn't know what to say to all of that at first. Kind words are still strange things to his ears. After being alone for so long, isolated with bitter thoughts and threats, he gets so used to all of the bad things that he not only accepted and adapted to his failures, but even believed them. And it all rings back to him in the echoes of a woman he loved and trusted so much that it couldn't have been anything other than the truth...

[I only ever asked one thing of you, and that was to be a good father to our son.

[And he failed.]

...Alright. [A solid word is uttered, but with herculean effort.

[When the video then snaps on, Murphy almost jumps. He may have without realizing it, slightly, because eye contact requires an equal amount of effort as Murphy forces himself to pull forth then, listening to Alayne speak. He lets the words sink in, not because of hesitation or doubt, but because, again, the sounds are strange to him. Years and years spent in a dark place, there's a meaning there that genuinely holds something dear to him.]

Yes. I do.

[He honestly expected more ritual to it. Like kneeling and swords and whatnot -- but then, Murphy's seen way too many movies so maybe he's being a little presumptuous. Still, the depth of it all is there.]

[audio]

[wont]

[ Were she a true-born daughter there would maybe bit more pomp and circumstance. Though, truth be told, were they keeping to the strictest writs of oaths and oath-taking it is certain that Murphy would not be allowed to swear at all. She is, after all, a girl and by being of the fairer sex, is unable to gather such things as banners whether noble or no. (That is a lord's prerogative, not a lady's. Her rites are of the wedding vows and the birthing bed; nothing more.)

Charitably, Alayne smiles. ] Know that I will never ask of you something that will bring you dishonor. Nor hold you to a standard to which I do not hold myself. Trust in me, as I trust you in. And so, the oath is sworn. By earth and water, by bronze and iron.

By ice and fire, it is sworn.

[video]

[yardbird]

[To Alayne's advantage, Murphy was completely ignorant to the customs of her world. Even if he did have any knowledge of such things, being an outsider to it all negated any meaning that it might have held to him. The fact that Alayne went ahead and did it no matter what was "true-born" or regulated would've only earned more respect from Murphy instead. Because fuck the po-lice.]

By ice and fire, huh? [He takes a moment. Again, the words sink in, and after a long moment, he eventually nods, accepting the words that had been offered to him:]

I'm not gonna let you down.

[Or he'll go down trying.]