Redfork Menace

Patchwork Pattern pt.3

{Yes, this is a full Martyn pov but it had to be done. The women all know too much right now but that's okay. Bewildered man is like in my top three favorite categories of guys. As always any of the lore is informed from https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Main_Page with some of my own creative liberties worked in. }

                                    "Every Eye but One"
"Surely you've heard the tale, Martyn? The way an unkindness flew down to chase a herd of horses from the shallows. Ten and hundred they flew, blotting out the sun with their wings."

She was speaking just loud enough for everyone else in the hall to hear her words. Martyn wanted to roll his eyes at her, so much for subtly. But the atmosphere in the room started to perk up at her words so he indulged in what was sure to be a disaster orchestrated by the women of the riverlands.

"A lie, the herd was ten thousand strong. The very wind inside their veins, they held firm."

He yawned, pretending to be tired of old news. And it was an old story, one he'd heard a million times growing up. The Brackens and Blackwoods had been feuding for so long they had several mythical stories, each wilder than the last, about their rivalry.

"But this group was full of skinchangers, Blackwoods behind those eyes. Blood thirst was their first and foremost desire."

Martyn's eye bulged out of his head at her words and he nearly choked on the sip of water he'd taken. He cut his gaze towards his betrothed, giving her a critical look. It was one thing to speculate about a house engaging in magic practices, it was another to admit it in front of the public. Sure, it was a myth story but he knew the riverlanders would be reading into every word she said. Was that her plan?

"The ravens rained down upon the chestnut herd, clawing and pecking. They ripped and tore, a tangle of feathers and hide."

He interrupted her to finish the story as he'd heard it a thousand and ten times before. "On the horizon the sun cracked open and the ravens burned into nothing."

She smiled at him and said, "The heavens opened and a flood swept the horses away."

In both versions there was only one end, everyone perished save one lone survivor. It was meant to be discouraging; it was told to children who were overeager to die for a feud.

In unison they said, "I'll hold you close tonight, cause soon they'll come and close every eye but one."

It made him feel melancholy to say the words. It reminded him of a golden childhood that was lost to him now. A special few years he couldn't really appreciate until they were over and gone from him. It colored his words with a tinge of sadness.

                              "The Eagles over Seaguard"
Martyn's cousin Marcelle Grey spoke up after Alysanne's story. But she did not speak about her own house like he'd expected. Instead she began to tell a rather queer tale about her soon to be husband's house.

"Oh Martyn, what an interesting story." Her tone did not indicate it was interesting at all but that this was simply a way to transition into her own story. He watched in a sort of detached amusement as she went on. Elmo Tully could not get any angrier with him than he already was. Martyn was interested in the show for once, having already done his part in it he could sit back and wait for it to unfold.

"It reminds me of a story I've heard whispers about. About a flock of eagles who flew down from a mountaintop nest, where they lived together, and began plucking the sealife up. This went on for a while, you see the sea is always hungry."

Martyn could see the man beside her, Colmer Mallister growing more taut the longer she spoke. Marcelle paid him no mind though and continued speaking as if he weren't there.