Page 264: An Offer
An Offer
Summary: Lord Rutger Nayland extends one to Gedeon Rivers.
Date: 10/04/289
Related Logs: Opportunities
Players:
Rutger Gedeon 
Tent — Pyke Island
A much nicer tent than Gedeon's.
10 April 289

The night comes over the camp and already the camp has a buzz that hangs over it like some flimsy firmament. Torches flicker and men talk about the day to come. in the rather spartan tent of Rutger Nayland, the knight is busy enjoying a cup of drink, while eyes go over his assembled armor. checking where he received his wound, to see how the repair has held and if it was clean. Another sip of the ale in his hand, and he turns a glance back to the squire who nervously stands by.

"A fine job, Lucamore. A truly fine job. Make sure it's clean and then in the morning we will make sure I am dressed to kill. Also, sharpen over my sword. And check your own gear. Tomorrow." silence follows as if to show some uncertainty, before he is shrugging. "Sleep well, when you are done."

Tents don't really suit for knocking, being cloth and all, so when Gedeon Rivers arrives outside of Rutger Nayland's tent with four men from Oldstones, he simply calls, "Lord Nayland? Ser Gedeon Rivers, here. Do you still wish to speak?"

Well one could knock, Senna has managed to do that, but with the call there's a turn back to the flap, before the Nayland Knight is peeking out spying the small contingent of Oldstones men, with Gedeon. There's a faint smirk before he is nodding. "Please come in, though I don't think I have enough cups for your friends.." A nod is given to his Armsman who sees to tying the flap open, so as eyes can be kept watching. " I hope they don't mind standing out there with Wat? I think that's his name. The five of them should get along famously.."

A grin and Rutger moves back in to pour Gedeon a cup, as well as refill his own drink. "How are you Ser?" A sip from his wooden cup, before the other is passed over and held out for the Oldstones knight. "I am glad you have decided to join me, I really am." a nod of his head "How is your Lord Anton?"

"They're not coming in. They're simply witnesses to my coming here," Gedeon replies, stepping into the tent. He gives his men a faint nod, and they return the gesture before stepping back to settling in with Wat-or-whoever. The blond Rivers accepts the offered glass, though he doesn't drink from it. "My Lord Valentin is well, thank you for your concern."

Rutger nods once back towards Gedeon, before he is looking back to the Ale in the knight's hand. A brow raised, as he drinks his own. "It's cold, and not bitter. I'm sure you'll at least find it tasty." a chuckle in the rim of his cup, before he is lowering and moving to grab a seat in one of the two camp chairs within the tent's confines. "You're welcome." a motion is made for Gedeon to take a seat, if he cares to. "This must seem odd to you. Given that my family is rather against your claim." and there, the knight crosses his legs. "And were I in your position, I would feel the same." there's a beat. " Did those men come with you, to make sure I wasn't going to kill you?"

"I'm sure I will," Gedeon agrees mildly, though he still doesn't drink. He does, however, sit, setting the ale down beside the his seat. "I confess I do find it a bit odd, for reasons it sounds as if you understand." He glances towards the tent flap as Rutger does and smiles faintly. "I don't really imagine you'd be so brash while in the King's camp, but I wanted a few of mine to know where I was, just in case of the unexpected. I have found that not all Naylands behave… rationally."

"A fair enough call. I know some of my kin are not kind to others, but I try to strive to do that." And he smiles back, before drinking. "Please note, I am drinking the same as you have been offered- I know you are being cautious-rightly so. But I wouldn't kill myself over this bit of land." A sniff, and he drinks again before grinning. "Anyway- I shall cut through the bull and horse shit so we can set ourselves to brass tacks." and then Rutger sets aside his cup. "My asking you here tonight is not part of some sinister plot to throw you to the wolves, nor am I going to beg for you to drop claim to what you believe is yours." And there he idly scratches at his beard.

"I do like you, Ser Rivers. By all accounts you are an honorable man, and you serve an honorable Lord. I've heard how you've accounted for yourself so far, by those in my House who have seen you in the field. And I would like to offer you a chance at something-despite how the ruling will play out." And there he slumps back into his chair, relaxing a little further. "Are you game to hear it?"

Gedeon is quiet, listening with his hands resting on his knees and his grey-blue eyes regarding the man across from him with patient interest. "If I was not game to hear you out, my lord, I should not have come. Please. Go on."

Rutger nods. "I would like to offer you, the position of Knight of the Bridge." he lets that dangle. "I would of course need to clear this with Lord Nayland mind you, but it is a position I think that would suit us both. It allows you to have a prestigious office of your own, and to be close to family. For me, I know we have an experienced knight who is a native and knows the people and will be trusted. Perhaps a marriage can come later, as we can find it, after all your sister and step mother are considered our vassals now, and we do care about our vassals." he falls into silence for a moment. "It would mean you give us your allegiance. And please do not take this as a slight to your Lord, but I do believe it would be a step up from your current placement."

Rutger reaches down for his drink. "Would that be something you are interested in?"

Gedeon considers for a long moment, the fingers of one hand drumming slowly against his knee as he listens to this proposal. "I understand, that from your perspective, what you make is a generous offer, my lord. But, no. I am sorry, but I do not believe that is a position that would interest me, presently."

Rutger nods. "I thank you for hearing it. I will keep the offer there, should you still want it, all you would need do, is ask. I want a competent man there who can help the Lord in running the Tower and seeing to our levies. You were one of the most competent men, who had qualities that I liked." a grin back before he is looking back into his cup. "You also have ambition, which we prize." Eyes study the Oldstones knight, before he nods. "I do hope we come out of this alive." the subject turning back to the siege. "Good luck tomorrow- rumors as I've heard them is that we should be assaulting the fortress on the morrow." A pause "Did you serve down at Dragonstone?"

"Your family does seem to have much ambition, the words of your crest suit," Gedeon replies mildly. "I do not feel, just now, our ambitions are companionable, but time has changed things yet stronger. It may yet be that the running of the Tower and the managing of the levies will no longer be Nayland concerns." He pauses before changing the subject to Dragonstones. "Lord Valentin and I marched there, aye."

"I am sure the Hand and the King will honor what is legal and what has been discussed." And he leaves it at that. The amused grin fades from Rutger's face before he nods slightly. "So you have assaulted a castle during a siege before? This will be my first." Though given the subject there is no tremor of fear or excitement. Indeed one could take it as he is learning to draw. "I know how a battle in open field can be, and I know how damned hard taking Lordsport was. This." a gesture to the flap. " I believe will be an entirely different fish all together."

"I was a squire, yet, then. I did little of note and could barely see past the heads of the men grown, but I was there.," Gedeon answers. "But, it seems that this whole war has been a different sort. The terrain, the battles, even the castles. Certainly I have never seen anything quite like Pyke, before."

"I don't think many have. It shall be something to see tomorrow when we breach." There's a glance back towards the flap for a moment as he watches the men outside. "Seven and all willing we'll not have the bridges cut out from under us, or be fodder for arrows, it will all just fall down." A shake of his head and he looks back to the other knight. " Do you have any questions for me, Ser Rivers? I know my request to have you here was for my own means, perhaps I foolishly thought bot of our ends. But surely, you do have something swimming in the back of your mind about all this?"

"So it shall," Gedeon agrees. He cants his head to the side a little, thoughtful. "Seven willing, we'll return home in one piece, but who's to say what the fight will hold for any of us. I think, my lord, what you offered would have been generous, had I been another man's bastard. But to invite me to serve my father's house in the name of the family he never would have wished to see hold Stonebridge, while even now we both know I fight to win the right to his name and his inheritance, as he asked of me… well. Perhaps you can understand that your generosity sours in my mouth. I also cannot believe your father would approve such an offer, so I cannot help but wonder what made you decide to undermine him for my sake."

"I don't see it as undermining, Perhaps it would rub him raw, but I do want what is best for Stonebridge, and my House. Surely, you understand that. If there can be a compromise-then I would have it, as opposed to have any relations soured to where you and I cannot do business or either of us have to worry for the other." A grin comes up on Rutger's face after he falls silent for a moment. His cup empty he is content to toss it to a corner of the tent, and allow his hand to rub over his face. "And I understand completely about that being perhaps a souring thought. Please know, it was not my intent to insult." And with that he rises up carefully, his arms stretching out for a moment. "I spoke the truth when I said I bid you no ill will. I know the position you are in, all too well, though it probably seems as if I would not."

"In that we may agree. I want what's best for Stonebridge as well, though we may disagree on what that actually is," Gedeon allows, standing as Rutger does, "and had I felt you were seeking to insult me, my lord, I should have parted from your company. But, well as you feel you may understand me, I'm sorry to say I cannot claim the same about you. In what way are our positions similar?"

"You are fighting for your inheritance and holding as you believe your father laid out for you." Rutger says evenly. "And we are both thought to be bastards by a rather large group of people." A half grin there before he nods and moves over to pick up the unclaimed cup still full, that the knight left. "Where we are similar, Ser Rivers, is that we have the best intentions for our people and our family at heart. And I feel we both have our things to prove." a shrug there. "If I am wrong, then I am wrong."

"Perhaps so," Gedeon murmurs. "For now, my lord, I shall bid you good night." He glances towards the full glass before adding, with a soft smirk, "Thank you for the drink."

There's a faint grin from Rutger, before he is taking a drink from the still full cup in hand. "Quite welcome, Ser Rivers." he states before nodding to the tent flap. "Good night, and may the warrior be with you tomorrow.." He calls out before he is turning back to his things. Only once Gedeon is out of earshot and sight, he nods for the flap to be closed "be with us all.."