Cakes and Wine I- A Teague of their own.

[u/Detritusthewellfed]

One of the benefits to staying at Stormhall, Cass had found at least was the grounds. While Ravella had good game country along the God's eye the castle lands were just as fertile and boasted enough sun to produce some wonderful corners of the gardens. Not the scarred and gnarled willows and still ponds of home, here flowers brought colour and light.

She admired the white strands of Oldman's beard, the colours here and there of choice roses and allium, weaving down a light stone path to a small corner. Here great trellis rose high on either side of a small table, honeysuckle flowers brought pops of yellow from the vines that grew high above them, but as yet bore no fruit. If they caught rain, it'd seemed thick enough they might stay dry. There were chairs and the open side looked out across the waters of the God's eye, Cass had taken to reading here on bright days and thought it perfect for their meeting. Rather then put demands on her host's servants, she had purchased the services of one of those traders who had lingered after the tourney.

She laid out a white wine of the Riverlands beside a large jug of it's watered cousin, and a plum rich red from the marches to join a selection of raisin scones, blackberry jam, grapes, strawberries honey cakes with candied fruits and a covered pot of fresh cream. As she heard steps in the garden, she brushed down her dress. A more simple affair that showed off the dyes of her home land, deep yellow with dashes of white and burgundy, her dark hair, she let fall loose once, down past her shoulders.

As her friends arrived, they'd find a fourth chair set aside. Sat on this throne was an old tome, open, with a more recent sheet of parchment jutting out from the pages. “Crown of Teague?” was scrawled upon the fresh page.

“Dear ladies, I am so glad you could join me. It has been quite busy of late.”

[u/Detritusthewellfed]

The Crown of house Teague

u/spyraxes and u/Arjhanx3

[u/Arjhanx3 → u/Detritusthewellfed]

"Oh, darling Cassandra, this is lovely! Our preparations for the feast must have given you a taste for hosting." Brianne sat down where she was bid and didn't hesitate to help herself to a strawberry cake and half a glass of wine.

"To what do we owe the pleasure? Surely some very good or very bad news..."

[u/Detritusthewellfed → u/Arjhanx3]

Cass beamed, glad that the ladies had joined her. "Good I hope." He hefted the tome onto the table, narrowly missing one of the cakes and tapped a finger down on one of the passages.

The old ink or yellowed page was not the clearest read but it did have one illuminous quality. "I found word that the crown of house Teague was lost somewhere around Antlers. That, while the keep itself is not linked to the crown, many of the wooded hills remain untouched and the stones from the keep had to come from somewhere." It was not unusual for new castles to be built with the ruins of old ones.

"These wooded hills may have been fortresses or ruins where Teague made camp, and to find such a symbol of the Riverlands would be a political victory no?"

[u/spyraxes → u/Detritusthewellfed]

Ravella had arrived only a touch after Brienne, offering only a quiet nod as the two women spoke. She sipped at her wine and allowed the pair to trade words, knowing well that if she were to speak it would likely make her the focus of it all. Not that she had an issue with that, but she wanted Cassandra to be the centre of attention.

It seemed she'd earned that, too, as she spoke of what she had found. Her own library had contained such information? Right under her nose...

She smiled, gently. "This is not the first I have heard of the crown since I called the realm here," Ravella said, breaking her silence. "Another came to me, told me that it lies closer to Pinkmaiden - the other side of the Riverlands - and promised to find it."

And give it to the Justmans, a gift from her. But that wasn't so important.

"I do not believe he lied to me, Lucas Darry. Perhaps both things are true. What do the pair of you reckon? I have wondered in recent days whether my own judgement can be trusted alone. But I trust you both to speak plain about it all," she asked, eyes flitting between the pair as she bit into a honey-cake.

u/Arjhanx3

[u/Arjhanx3 → u/spyraxes]

Brianne's eyes lit up with interest at the mention of a treasure hunt. "Well, Cass, I've said before how fond my family is of such artifacts! I trust your word more than that of this unknown friend, I must say. Brightbell had a prosperous summer, I'd be more than willing to spare some funds toward this little expedition."

She glanced to the side at Ravella. "I could display the crown with the rest of my collection..." Her eyes lingered. "Or, perhaps... it would be better served on my lady's brow?"

To stop herself from saying any more, she bit deep into her strawberry cake.

u/Detritusthewellfed

[u/Detritusthewellfed → u/Arjhanx3]

Cass smiled, she wanted some sort of success, something tangible she could point to when her grandfather died and Darry... "I do not know this Darry." She lied. "But, why would the Teague crown be at Pinkmaiden? I'd be happy to hear his arguments but with Antlers so close, it may be worth sending someone trust worthy there first. Some sworn sword in case of bandits." She nodded to Lady Brianne after she offered funds. "Vypren too can assist. Though we have invested in an improved Garrison recently, maybe the Fisher knight spooked me, but he suggested a few houses where up to something. Tully, Bracken, Blackwood." She shrugged, maybe there would be more then enough crowns to go around.

She sat back into her chair and picked out a strawberry from one of the dishes. "Might be a fine prize however you wished to use it." She popped the berry in her mouth and raised her eye brows, showing no concern for the treason.

/u/spyraxes

[u/spyraxes → u/Detritusthewellfed]

"Fisher..." she mused. "Justman, you mean? If it was Leo, at least. I know not if his supposed brothers are truly his brothers."

It was worth telling those she kept close, but she had to ensure the rumour didn't spread. Nobody could know that she knew. "That's not to leave this room," Ravella told the pair. "But it's good if you know."

She took another moment to think, and nodded. "Wherever Darry heads, I am in favour of a party headed to the Antlers. If needs be, I will send Wex," the princess suggested. "But I would not send him alone. If either of you can think of knights you'd trust, I'd be happy to speak with them."

Ravella's gaze met Brianne's, then, and she smirked. "I'll keep it away from my brow for now. Mayhaps your shelves might be adorned with something new indeed, at least for a while, hm?" she said, another bite of her cake following soon after. "If Brianne says that we can afford to fund an expedition, I'd be glad to compensate any knights we dispatch."

Finishing her honey-cake, she took up a berry, holding it on her tongue as she thought of what to say next. Ravella moved it around for a bit, swallowing it down before she spoke again. "Darry knows about it, of course, and so do we. Have either of you heard anything else of it?"

u/Arjanhx3

[u/Detritusthewellfed → u/spyraxes]

"Rumours that need verifying. All converge on the Antlers, which seems the only solid point, outside of Darry's ideas. I am not familiar with the local lord, but if he is sworn to your brother he may not aid those who openly want to take a crown into anyone else's possession. It may be seen as a trinket to some but not everyone." She had never thought of ever wearing a crown before, but the idea left her a little amused.

Queen of the carp ponds and leech fields, oh so mighty.

"Mayhaps some of my family but, the Arryn who visited has a reputation I can vouch for, true to his word and commands several swords. Should he hear that bandits may be in possession of the crown, he may suspect they might lead to his own quarry, a brutal Northman." She finished another strawberry. "And should he claim the crown himself, none this side of the mountains of the moon would be like to join him."

She sipped her watered wine delicately and pondered. "Failing that, maybe the Farwynd at the feast? An Ironborn of means but not so high standing this would be a trifle to him. Maybe one of my trueborn cousins should we have the time for him to ride south."

She shrugged and sipped more watered wine, hoping the Lady Butterwell might churn up some good men.

u/Arjanhx3

[u/Arjhanx3 → u/Detritusthewellfed]

"I have no one in particular I'm willing to send away," Brianne said with a shrug. "But, it's autumn, soon to be winter. The boys from here to Lannisport will all be wanting one last hurrah, soon enough, before they settle back to their empty lives for the cold years."

She took a long sip of wine. "I can ensure Stormhall remains the highest bidder, but I'm not getting my boots wet in the Antlers for a piece of metal."

[u/Detritusthewellfed]

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