Gold Rush // Harwin Strong

31. Shadows

''Harwin." Aelsa whispered as he hugged her. "Im so sorry. Im so sorry. I have put you in this position. I can tell I made you. That I demanded it." Aelsa offered as she hugged tight to him.

"You will do no such thing because those boys need you. You will deny it." Harwin declared.

"Harwin-"

"I have been removed from your guard." He added softly. "If pushed I need you to say I forced myself upon you."

"No." Aelsa corrected. "I love you. I couldnt say such things about you. The boys love you. I wont have your reputation ruined your legacy..." aelsa whispered. "I can make this right. Say we shared a kiss and you deeply regretted it. I wont see you ruined. I wont let you go without a fight."

+

'It is Lord Blackwood's contention, therefore, that the Brackens moved the boundary stones in the dead of the night and put their horses to graze in his field.'' Lyonel declared.

''Why was this issue not brought before Lord Grover? Has he grown so feeble he cannot settle a quarrel over rocks?'' Tyland countered. Viserys looked at Aelsa surprisingly quiet. She always had many things to add and he loved her mind. But now she sat quietly his hand in hers as she tried to think of a way to get Harwin back in her service.

''I've heard tale that Lord Grover's son now rules Riverrun in all but name.'' Jasper wylde remarked.

''Well, he is also a Tully and this remains a Tully problem.'' Viserys  told them all.

''I would agree." Aelsa added softly.   "If we may move on, my lords...''

''And yet, the Brackens and the Blackwoods will use any excuse to spill each other's blood. So... this dispute bears looking into. There will be country folk who know where the lines have been drawn for generations.''

''That is easy enough.'' Lyonel agreed ''Of course. Ser Tyland.''

''Uh, we should address the latest developments in the Stepstones, my lords" Tyland said with a sigh.

''Will we ever be done of that blasted place?'' Viserys murmured

''If you ask me, I think the Blackwoods have the upper hand.''

''And the Triarchy's new alliance with Dorne.'' Tyland went on louder.

''I was hoping our negotiations with Sunspear might persuade them to see reason.'' Viserys said with a cough ''To trust a Martell is to be disappointed.''

''And where, I wonder, is our Prince Daemon? Or I suppose I should call him King, as he styled himself when he won a battle there... once.'' Jasper offered

''That was a decade ago and he has since left the region undefended. '' Aelsa reminded them. "But perhaps it is us that has left it undefended. There should've been fortifications built, watchtowers, a fleet of ships, a garrison of soldiers sent to hold our ground.'' Aelsa remarked gently. "But we cant afford it. The stepstones do have a good exit to the outter realms and sorce of control for delivery..." aelsa went on thinking out loud. "We can reach out right cousin see if our Lannister name holds up."

"Of course my queen." Tyland agreed. Viserys smiled back at her fondly before coughing out.

''Let us be finished.'' Aelsa suggested as she ran a hand over viserys back.