Ch.10 Home
"So, that's what happened, unfortunately, we found Lady Lyanna Stark dead." Sylas gave a recount of everything that happened on The Tower of Joy to his father and mother
"I still can't understand why you went alone with only one knight!" Lady Malessa yelled while hugging her son.
"Thankfully Dareon is skilled enough, and you two didn't get injured." Said Franklyn, the head of House Fowler.
"Yeah, although I stabbed Arthur two times, I was merciful and let him live." Said Sylas with a big toothy grin.
Arthur stood behind Sylas and quietly hit his head. "Tell your parents the truth." He said sternly.
"Muahaha! Only the three of us know what happened, for all I know I made The Sword of the Morning submit to me with my martial prowess!" Sylas hugged his mother tightly so that Arthur wouldn't hit him again.
"What will happen with the title and the sword? Now you are under my son's name, is there going to be a problem with it?" Asked Franklyn with some concern.
"If someone gets cocky when they get to know that he was beaten by a thirteen namedays kid, he'll just beat them up, no problem. When Arthur dies, I personally will leave Dawn in Starfall." Sylas said seriously.
"Why would I die before you?" Arthur murmured.
"Because I'm built different." Sylas retorted. "Also, we are going to go to Starfall, I want to take Ashara with me to The Water Gardens."
"Will you need coin, my child?" Asked his mother.
"No, Mother, I've used all the money that I have won these years and made some more money, I have enough to maintain myself and these two… knights," Sylas said with a smile.
"It's alright if you need money, dear, with the ideas that you've given your father, our income is as big as when we were independent!" His mother said with a smile and a tight hug.
Among the ideas that Sylas proportioned his family was terrace farming, along with some methods to catch the humidity, the betterment of a road network inside the lands of his house and more production of metals, stone and using every bit of arable land to produce food and many other products, grapes is one of them.
"Since you are going to Starfall, you must take care of yourself, the growth of our lands not only attracts working people but also brings jealousy from other people." His father said with a hint of poison in his last words.
"Are the Yronwood being annoying?" Asked Sylas.
"There have been a few skirmishes on the border, near Feakridge castle," Franklyn said.
"Do you need me to intervene?" Sylas said.
"No need, I'm still capable of taking care of those cunts, enjoy your youth, my son, for the future doesn't look bright." His father said sternly.
"You sound like those Starks, dear," Malessa said softly while putting her delicate hands on the man's shoulder.
The group of three was on the move again and after two weeks, the group finally got to Starfall.
"Welcome, Lord Fowler, Brother, Ser." Lord Ulrick Dayne said calmly while opening his arms to hug his brother.
Arthur went in for a hug with his brother while Sylas looked at the two men. "I prefer to be called Sylas, Lord Fowler is my father, please, don't kill him so early, as for this man, he is Dareon, my sworn shield." He said with a smile on his face while pointing at Dareon with his thumb.
"Hahaha, my apologies, I guess we ought to be closer since my little sister is betrothed to you!" Ulrick said with a small laugh while nodding at Dareon.
Sylas was about to talk again, but in the corner of his eye, he saw a beauty of purple eyes peeking into the hall. With a smile, he winked at her and said. "Lord Ulrick, I come here to ask for Ashara's presence in The Water Gardens, since we are to be wed, I would like to develop my relationship with Ashara." Ulrick seemed to be thinking deeply about Sylas' proposal.
"I will allow Ashara to go with you, I can't stop her talking about you and you are to marry in three years, I know of her feelings and I love my sister, so I will allow her to go with you, remember though, hopefully, pregnancy can wait until you are of age," Ulrick said with a smirk on his face as he saw Sylas looking over to Ashara, who was peeking into the hall.
"Then I beg of you to excuse me, since Arthur has some things to talk about, I wish to talk with my beloved betrothed." Said Sylas with a small bow.
Lord Ulrick just nodded and Sylas moved quickly towards Ashara, who showed herself completely. Sylas opened his arms and Ashara ran towards him, jumping into his embrace.
"It's been a long time." He said softly in her ear.
"I've been looking forward to the day you would come." She said, putting her head on his chest. "We should go somewhere to talk more privately." She said with a giggle.
"How've you been?" Sylas said softly while hugging his lover.
"I've been extremely good, thanks to the letters you wrote I didn't feel lonely." She said softly on his chest.
"Since you've heard what I say, what do you think?" He said while caressing her silky black hair.
"I really want to go, I wish to meet with your sisters, you've told me many things about Jeyne, Jennelyn, and Nymeria."
"Remember that Nymeria is Oberyn's daughter," Sylas said with a small laugh.
"Hehe, I know."
Sylas spent many hours just hugging Ashara, but they were called for supper, when the duo got to the table, they saw Narelle Dayne, Ulrick, Allyria, and Dareon at the table.
"Please take a seat, Sylas," Ulrick said while showing a modest smile. "I've heard from Arthur about what you've done." He said while standing up and bowing slightly. "Thank you for not killing Arthur and making him see another way, House Dayne will be forever in your debt."
Ashara looked beside her and saw Sylas warmly smiling at her eldest brother. "Arthur is Ashara's brother, I would've never hurt him that much, and he is a capable knight, since he swore to me, then from hereon on, House Fowler and House Dayne should be as close as kin." Then, he looked at Ashara with a bright smile on his face, making her blush madly while she grabbed his hand.
"I agree with such a statement, I've heard that the Yronwood is acting shamelessly in your borders, we were considering helping House Fowler, but now, we'll stand behind your House, since we've heard how you've helped your father to develop the land rapidly," Ulrick said calmly.
"I can tell that the words from the Starks are going to become true, I've heard that the Lannisters married Cersei to Robert, such a marriage is bound to fail, and with all the bastards that Robert's going to sire, we can expect a second Aegon the unworthy. Alliances between Houses will start to flourish under a weak crown, I believe that if our houses stand together as one, we have an opportunity to not only survive but to thrive. If you are willing to gamble your House's prosperity, I'm willing to bring both of our houses to the very top." Sylas said. "That includes Fowler's resources injected into House Dayne's land."
"I can agree with our House being under a strong leader. I have seen personally how quickly Skyreach, Widewatch, and Hoodridge have developed." Ulrick said determined.
"Since our houses are going to be bound by marriage and even the most important knight of House Dayne is going to follow me and you are so far as to follow my House, then from hereon, House Dayne are brothers and sisters of House Fowler, may The Seven, The Old Gods, and Mother Rhoyne witness what we have talked about this day!" Sylas said while raising his cup with a wide smile.
Everyone raised their cups and started cheering. Although Ulrick wasn't completely sure to make his house bow their heads to another house of similar prestige, Arthur convinced him that Sylas was different, he was a genius that Westeros hasn't seen, in his words, "If my intuition is right, not even Aegon the conqueror can compare to this kid." Although Ulrick didn't want to believe it, he had received many letters of merchants buying food from Skyreach and Hoodridge and that massive terraces of rock and soil were being built to have even more land to farm. Since his younger brother praised Sylas, he chose to trust him.
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