The pinnacle of the Guest Tower serves as garden, watchpost and refuge for the King’s most honoured guests. The stairs ascend to a lengthy hall, which branches to east and west; to the north and south are several spacious apartments with luxurious furnishings, including bedchambers, baths, sitting rooms and counsel chambers.
Ahead, to the east, a pair of glass-paned doors open to a sheltered rooftop garden, where primroses, jasmine and other fragrant flowers are lovingly tended. Upon the high parapets which crown the tower are small stairways, accessible from compact balconies within each apartment, and granting access to the breathtaking view. And, atop the spire in the centre of the tower, the royal banner flutters above the flags of residents of rank.
Janden paces the garden, hands together in back of him. Notes have been sent back and forth to arrange another meeting, this time more or less indoors given the design of the area atop the Guest Tower. There aren’t many others around right now as he moves along a path with flowers to be found to either side of it. Dressed plainly today, he wears a dark blue doublet over the rest.
Luthor is likewise plainly dressed as he mounts the last of the steps to clamber to the roof of the guest tower. The wind and in autumn there is always wind catches his dark green cloak and he tugs it back into place while turning to fix his gaze on Janden for a moment before calling out to him. “Ser Janden,” he says as the cloak is brought to heel. “Well met.”
Janden does have a cloak with him but right now it’s folded up and tucked around his left arm. The weather outside is hardly great, but it’s not terribly bad up here. Upon hearing his voice, he turns to face the Warden and offers a dip of his head. “Ser Luthor. I wanted to catch you up on things since I’ve spoken to a couple people since the last time we met.”
Luthor nods and strides into the garden taking it in with a curious glint to his eyes. He’s never been up here before, that much is plain. He strides over to the parapet and looks down, way down, to the yard below and smiles brightly like a man who has a love for high places. “Quite the view,” he remarks before getting down to business. “And I suspected as much, who did you speak to, and what did they have to say?”
“Aurana and I used to come up here often,” Janden remarks. “It’d been a while.” Seems just being in the garden again is a step for him, and a good one. “Speaking of, I met with both her and Melissa Lannister. They’re both behind this, though Aurana cautioned against letting Farin catch wind of it just in case. She didn’t think he’d try to sabotage anything and I know your relation to him as well. I’d think even he ought to understand the need to have this position filled by someone suitable.”
Luthor leans against the parapet a gust of wind blowing his hair about for a moment. “Hmm, for Pennei and I it was the garden on top of the Kitchen Keep,” he says with a fond turn of his lips, then he nods thoughtfully. “Farin is sometimes not himself where you are concerned, best we keep this from him until it is almost finished. Easier for everyone. He’ll be angry when he hears of the appointment but eventually he’ll accept you are the best man for the job.”
Janden’s head cants slightly to one side at the similarity drawn. “How is she?” he asks as a matter of course, though it’d seem he’s genuinely interested to know. “Yes, and I am often not myself where he is concerned, but I don’t think I register as being of much interest to him these days. Still, I’d rather not find out the hard way. Even if you’re the Warden, I know his fingers stretch far into different places.” A shrug follows. Of course he’s still suspicious of the ways in which Farin could choose to make his life difficult. “All that said, I thought it good to figure out our plan for the hunt itself. Aurana suggested waterfowl as well, and if we’re to have hawks involved it’d best be done in a more open place. We could use dogs as well.”
“Pennei? She is well enough,” Luthor says a bit too wide a smile for such a casual answer. Then once more it is business. “Hawking is best done on open ground, but if it’s water fowl you’re after there’s a place near the wood along the Blackwater Rush where we’ve hawked before,” he says. “Failing that there are fields on the way to Rosby that are said to be good for hawking too. Either way, dogs will be necessary and men to beat the bushes and flush out the game.”
Janden returns a nod and quips, after the man’s sizable smile, “Keeping her occupied when you can, I take it.” On to the more important matter again. “The Blackwater Rush? I think I’m familiar with that area to an extent. Would you recommend it over the fields headed to Rosby, then? And do you think the men need a little practice prior to the hunt itself?”
Blayne arrives from below: Guest Tower
.
Blayne wanders along the corridor looking at the tapestries with a look of interest on his face
Luthor nods and says no more of Pennei focusing instead on the planned hunt. “For waterfowl, it’s the better spot, with the Blackwater so close,” he observes and then adds. “And yes, after how the men performed on the last hunt, practice will be needed.”
Janden and Luthor are in the garden area, exposed to the wind. He has a cloak that’s rolled up under an arm, but as it gusts further he changes his mind, shakes it out, and puts it back on. It’s lined with fur along the neck. “Hopefully we’re not getting too late in the season for it, but that sounds like the best place to go. As for the practice, how do you suggest handling that in the meantime?”
Blayne stumbles upon the conversation
Blayne says, “sorry…....”
Blayne turns round to head downstairs again
Blayne hesitates
Luthor looks up as Blayne enters the confines of the rooftop garden, he knows the man from the war in Dorne and bows his head to the man in silent greeting. “You’re asking the wrong man, but I’ve seen some ducks on the Blackwater as late as yesterday so they’ve not all flown to Dorne yet,” he smiles. “And as for training, no better practice than the real thing.”
His eyes track the Northern knight’s movements and a slight frown appears on his lips. “Ser Blayne, did you have need of something?” he asks.
“True enough,” Janden answers, pausing as the Condon knight that works for the Hand comes and abruptly seems set to go again. “Among the worst that could happen would be trekking out there and everything to hunt already being gone.” For the moment he leaves Luthor’s question to stand, only adding by way of greeting, “Ser.”
Blayne hesitates by the door ” I do apologize, I heard the view from here was quite splendid and I had time to view it. I didn’t realize people would be here”
Blayne glances round and is distracted by the view
Luthor smiles and gestures towards the parapet with a grand gesture. “Be our guest and have a look,” he says before adding to Janden. “Indeed, well lets take a trip out there with the men we will bring on the day. We can make sure both the hunting ground and the hunters are ready.”
Blayne steps up to the parapet whilst looking over to the two men wondering where they might be going “it truly is stunning”
Janden casts a brief glance toward Luthor before looking back to Blayne. “When there’s a view to be enjoyed, chances are you won’t be the only one there to see it all the time,” he says, a hint of amusement in his expression. He and Luthor are simply standing there in the garden area speaking. “I’ve got nothing keeping me from it before we announce the time to the others,” he tells the Warden.
Blayne recognizes the man with the scar’s crest just under his cloak
Luthor nods. “It is,” he agrees with Blayne before turning back to Janden. “Then shall we take a look tomorrow? See if there’s game and if my men can find it without drowning in the bloody river.” A small smile creases his lips.
Blayne recognizes the other man as the Warden of the Kingswood
Blayne studies the different parts of King’s Landing from the parapet and appears to be in a world of his own
Janden keeps one eye casually on Blayne, at least part of the time, remaining otherwise focused on Luthor while they talk. “Yes. If anyone’s going to drown in the river, better they do it in front of us than the entire hunt. Less hysterics that way, don’t you think?” He /sounds/ serious enough as he says it, in any case.
Blayne looks over his shoulder and wonders if he should be hearing this. He moves to the furthest part of the rooftop.
Luthor chuckles, and does so all the louder when Blayne moves away. “Good to see such discretion in a member of the court,” he remarks to Janden with a smile before continuing. “And yes, better any mistakes happen in private rather than before half the ladies of the court.”
Janden’s voice lowers as Blayne begins to move off. “You think he realizes that was sarcasm?” he asks Luthor with a brief grin, returning to a normal speaking tone afterward. “Better none happen, mind, but from what I’m understanding it sounds like there’s a lot to tighten up.”
Blayne was realizing that they might have been sarcastic for a moment then. He frowned to himself as he was not always quick on these things.
Luthor lowers his voice. “I hope so,” he says then smiles. “I suppose we’ll know if he calls the guards on us or not.” He lets out a breath at the mention of the huntsmen. “Agreed, there’s much about them that needs tightening. We’ll see to it though. No more failures, not when so much is on the line.”
Blayne sees that the sun is slowly making for the horizon and realizes that his view will be lost for another day. He turns to the two Knights. ” I thank you for sharing such a view with me Gentlemen, but I must take my leave now.” With that he bows courteously and makes for the door
Janden laughs again in spite of himself. “Imagine having to explain that one.” He doesn’t sound terribly concerned. Anybody could ask for a clarification and have one given easily enough. “It sounds like you’ve got a list somewhere. Whether this works or not, whoever ends up over them has some work ahead of them.” As Blayne goes to take his leave he gives the man a wave. “Be well, ser.” Then to Luthor, “Shall we meet again in the morning?”
Luthor bows to Blayne then nods to Janden. “I do have a list as a matter of fact,” he says off-hand before nodding. “The morning then, I will inform my men. Shall we meet at the stables?”
Janden makes to rub his temples, as if trying to cope with a headache. “I can see why you’re so eager to have this position filled,” he says with a half-grin. “But it’s a challenge I believe I’m up for. I’ll see you there on the morrow.”
Luthor nods. “On the morrow then,” he says and with that he pushes off from the wall and descends into the tower out of the wind.