The Books of Renly.

The night was calm and seemed to last forever as he lay awaiting the return of Sola and the events of tomorrow weighing heavy on his mind, the murals on the ceiling beared the brunt of his attention as he followed the stories laid out before him. Sola howled from the keep walls as she entered to find him sniffing out his scent she pushes open several sets of doors which could be heard echoing through the halls loud enough wake to the dead, girl’s screams growing closer as she slammed her nose through several doors sniffing for him. It did not take her long to find him she almost enjoyed the search, bursting into his room he could immediately see the red witch had obviously caught her with her dust again, while she slept that witch had covered her in red roses and she was not best pleased rolling over the floor and itching trying to get them off of herself grunting, snarling and growling as she tossed. “Give it up Sola I will get them off you tomorrow” Tajaar called out as the guards banged on his door looking for her, “was that your hound sire” they called through the open door. In no mood for stupid questions Tajaar picks up his bed pan and launches it towards the door the guards quickly closing it to avoid the splash of it contents they could be heard seconds later shuffling down the hall away from the room.

The two of them drifted to sleep still hearing the whimpering of the women in the rooms in the keep almost chuckling to themselves at the ridiculous over the top reactions of them. The night slipped by with barely a displaced noise or reaction to disturb their sleep, the morning sun bursting through the long drapes warmed the vast room as the fire in the mantle grew weak and cold burning out as the night passed into day. TaJaar awoke to the sound of a gathering crowd at his door in deliberation as to which one of them was to knock and wake them incase they annoyed the hound, who was currently snoring sounding like a animal in complete rage waiting to pounce on the other side of the door. Before Tajaar could reach the door it burst open one of the men falling through the door pushed by the commotion between them as the squabbles climaxed into pushing the weakest of them forward into the door, closing his eyes almost in dismay at them he beckons them to enter into the room still shaking his head almost wondering how they came to be in such prestigious jobs. One by one they shuffled themselves through the door carrying the finest of clothes and jewels to dress him for the day’s events. Pushed back wards into a chair they began with a hair trim and shave, clattering of scissors and blades as they trimmed and pruned him into shape for the wedding. About to undress him he calls an end to the actions of the group claiming he could dress himself, their attention turned to Sola as she lay upon the floor still covered with flowers taking a step towards her she let them know teeth showing she was is no mood to suffer the fate of her owner.

Still sat upon the chair he orders them to leave him and the hound to prepare for the day’s events, one by one they left the remainder of his garments and clothes upon the bed, rings and bestowed gifts of the lords, the remainder of the group staying behind where the scribes who had the vows of the kingdom and lordship brought forward from years of pledges of lords who vowed to keep their kingdoms safe for his rein on pain of death, the oath was taken very seriously and to not know them was as big of a pofar as to break them. “You must recite these vows upon acceptance of your arraignment to your city and marriage to Lady Carris, your sigil ring will seal the documents making the ceremony complete my liege,” he explained handing him the ring in a iron box sealed upon approval of Lord Hatch. Tossing the box onto the bed Tajaar began to dress pulling on each layer of fine garments made for his size. He felt the drawings of power and wealth almost poisoning his mind as the only thing he could think of that was close was this warmth and comfort was of a woman’s bosom. Not wanting to daunt on his day he placed his mind into a locked vault repeating the vows back and placing on the jewels and trinkets associated with a lord.

Sitting now on the end of his bed he could sense the urgency of his present company growing and becoming more annoyed with his mistakes looking lost towards the floor he called for an end to it all and for them to leave getting up and heading towards the balcony to escape them, looking out across the keep and beyond he could see the gathering crowds building in the courtyard pouring out of the streets awash with colour and grace, familiar and unfamiliar faces had gathered. The lords were perched on seats and almost four times as many had gathered behind them stood looking out ready for the festival to begin, a familiar voice spoke to him from behind no need to turn to see who it was. The maester, “ this is the easy bit, you have earned this day and this challenge what you do next will determine if they love you for you or the free ale and food offered, better still i have a gift for you these books are the chronicles of the moors towns something in them may bring forth thoughts of your previous life.” Tajaar looks over the books the need to read them weighing on his mind he almost wanting to forget the wedding to read what they have to say, opening the front page of the first book he sees a woman painted on the first page dressed in a flowing white dress, closing the book tapping it he explains. “My rein does not trouble me as much as the bride I am about to marry, I couldn’t even manage one women last night and now I am responsible to one of the Hatch’s daughters a task I do not take lightly as her wrath may be one like her father’s” Tajaar sighs shakes his head before making his way inside the chambers picking up his sword calling Sola to his side looking back at the maester he asks “ shall we do this?” the maester smiled at his gestures offering him an arm of friendship as they made their way out the door and down to the awaiting crowds in the courtyard Sola in toe still trying to itch off the roses tied to her.

The crowds cheers upon seeing Tajaar and Sola emerge from the keep doors waving back as the maester as instructed they made their way to a ready prepared altar in front of the rows of seats, twelve lords stood as he exited the keep swords drawn held high in the air in an arch for him to walk through as he passed they would place the blade back at their forehead lowering their eyes and bowing before falling in line two by two behind him. They marched with him until they reached the altar taking a seat upon the first row of the seats as he took his position and the maester stands behind the lectum now turning the pages of a thick book placed upon it stopping at a page he smiles pinning the book open he asks the crowds to hush for the ceremony to begin. Striking into a fanfare the trumpeters sound the arrival of lord Hatch and his daughter at the gates of the keep standing arm in arm, the crowd stands and turns to them falling to one knee as they progressed down the aisle towards Tajaar now standing twitching and fidgeting with nerves to meet his new partner. With each step of their approach he could feel his heart gaining height and speed swallowing hard to calm himself, he draws a long hard breath, with only a few feet to go the veil covering her face could not disguise the deep green eyes that reflected their colour most as the light hit them and the smile she had melted and calmed his heart in an instant. He had not given much thought to how she looked but felt no disappointment upon laying his own eyes upon her a near utmost feeling of an uncertainty as to how such a radiant beauty could come from a vast man like lord Hatch tickled the recesses of his mind.

With only a few steps to go Lord Hatch stood in front of her blocking Tajaar’s view of her, the maester called for the people to be at rest before asking if the daughter of the lord’s house was given freely from his own house to be joined with another, replying to him the lord Hatch declared he did so freely and without cause to concern to their union. Thanking the lord offering him to step aside and instructing the lady to join him and Tajaar at the altar where we shall begin the ceremony, she approached Tajaar and standing next to him he was instructed to remove the veil before beginning his vows to her and to his subjects, lifting the veil he stopped for a moment to admire the beauty of his new bride almost forgetting where he was until a promptual clearing of the maester’s throat brought him back to the altar. “ I Tajaar do swear my oath to you Lady Carris daughter of the houses Hatch and Renly, to protect you in times of war and sickness, to feed and clothe you and your people, to lead your armies in times of battle and to honor your wishes, By blood and gods I give myself to you from this day until the day of my death,”

“Lady Carris” the maester announced.

“I lady Carris do offer my hand to you Tajaar, offering an oath to bare you aires to your linage, to serve and care for you, to raise and mother you’re aires through war and winters, by blood and gods I give myself to you this day until the day of my death.” the maester takes her hand and lays Tajaar’s over the top taking the sacred ribbon from the book he binds their hands once saying “ in the the light of the gods I bind you together in front of these here witnesses, I bind you twice so that they may know this bloodline now belongs together from now until the end of time and I shall bind you a third time so that the gods know there is a protection bond known for your aires. In doing so I now pronounce you Lady and Lord of the house Renly.” The two of them ebrasses and kissed before the crowds letting out a cheer as they met tossing flowers into the air, leading him down the aisle hand in hand past the lords and people until at the end of the aisle she leans to him and says “it’s time to see what you’re really made of pretty boy”