text | un: stormsend

[bruxisms]

GREETINGS. I AM STANNIS BARATHEON, ONCE RIGHTFUL KING OF WESTEROS, AND LORD OF DRAGONSTONE AND STORM'S END, THOUGH OLD TITLES MATTER LITTLE HERE.

I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR ALL "REFUGEES".

[ is he using capslock because he believes that is the proper way to type? because he accidentally got his phone stuck on it? because he just wants to? the true reason will likely be lost to time, and none will ever know. ]

HAVE ANY OF YOU EXPERIENCED AN ODD OCCURRENCE WHERE YOU MEET SOMEONE THAT YOU ARE ACQUAINTED WITH, AND THEY RECALL EVENTS FAR DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU? NOT MERELY A LAPSE IN THEIR MEMORY, BUT ENTIRELY DIFFERENT EVENTS, SUCH AS A MAN STILL BEING ALIVE WHEN YOU KNOW HIM TO BE DEAD, OR HEARING THAT YOU MARCHED YOUR WIFE AND CHILD INTO BATTLE WHEN YOU KNOW THAT WOULD BE UTTER FOLLY AND RECALL LEAVING THEM SAFELY UNDER GUARD?

[ he still cannot believe that anyone would do that, least of all a man who seems to share his name, personality, and so many of his memories, yet is very much not him. ]

I WOULD KNOW IF THERE ARE OTHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR THINGS WITH THOSE THEY KNOW. AS THOUGH THERE WERE TWO VERSIONS OF YOUR WORLD. ONE THAT SOME OF YOU RECALL, AND ONE THAT OTHERS DO.

AND EVEN IF YOU DO NOT, I WOULD ALSO HEAR OF WHAT YOU KNOW OF DRAGONS FROM YOUR OWN WORLD. AS A MEMBER OF THE SIMWE INSTITUTE, ONE OF MY TASKS IS TO STUDYING THEM, AND I WOULD HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.

YOU HAVE MY THANKS, AND DO NOT WASTE MY TIME.

Comments

[bruxisms]

YOU OUGHT TO TELL THAT TO MOST OF THE KNIGHTS IN WESTEROS. MOST ONLY CARE ABOUT CAUSES THAT WILL ADVANCE THEM IN THE EYES OF THEIR LORDS.

[ is this man speaking truly? he was quite certain that such men only existed in tales or times long past.

or their names were Barristan Selmy. ]

HE DID NOT SEEM TO NOTICE. IF ANYTHING, HE WOULD FAVOUR OTHERS. WHEN I WOULD OFFER SUGGESTIONS TO HIM, HE WOULD DISMISS THEM, WHEN I TOLD HIM OF MEN WHO COMMITTED CRIMES UNDER HIS NOSE, HE WOULD LAUGH, AND TELL ME THAT WAS JUST THE WAY OF THINGS. I WAS HIS BROTHER, YET HE WOULD SCARCELY TREAT ME AS SUCH.

[ is he bitter? he is certainly not bitter. ]

[panzersoldat]

I would if I could.

[ he totally is. then again, even in his world he's considered an idealistic old fool ]

I think in the end, he must have realized. Sometimes, we do not appreciate what we have in front of us until it is gone. And while I know it's not my place, I'm glad for him. That he did have a brother who cared.

[bruxisms]

I KNOW NOT THAT HE DID.

[ that was something that he could perhaps relate to. while he had been infuriated by both Robert and Renly while they lived, he still felt some degree of affection for the both of them. and regret, in Renly's case, perhaps. ]

BE THAT AS IT MAY, HE WAS MY BROTHER, AND SO, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED, I WOULD ALWAYS FOLLOW HIM.

[panzersoldat]

I think that he must have. So have faith and hope and know that he did.

And know that I think he was lucky to have a brother such as you. I never had siblings, but if I had, I would hope they would have been like you.

[bruxisms]

YOU FLATTER ME SER.

[ this is perhaps the kindest thing anyone has ever said to him. ]

[panzersoldat]

It's not flattery, it's truth. Remember, I am a knight. My word speaks only truth.

[bruxisms]

THE ONLY KNIGHT OF WHOM I KNOW THAT TO BE TRUE WAS A LOWBORN FORMER SMUGGLER. AND HE WOULD NEVER SOFTEN HIS WORDS TO TELL ME WHEN HE BELIEVED SOMETHING WAS MADNESS.

[ the suspicion is great, though of no fault of poor Reinhardt. ]

[panzersoldat]

Perhaps he's more like me than you realize. Some day, should we ever meet in person, I will tell you the situation that led to my knighting.

[bruxisms]

YOU WERE COMMON BORN?

[ ...ok. trust level potentially going up. ]

[panzersoldat]

As common as they come. My mother was a cook and my father worked as a janitor. Though I must tell you the truth. In my world, knights had been nothing but ancient history, at least in the way that myself and the Crusaders were. By the time I was born, the only knights were discretionary titles given for this and that from kings and queens of their lands. Artists and actors have been knighted for their contributions, for instance. But my knighting was directly because of a war that threatened the entirety of humanity.

[ It's hard to admit that in truth, his not really a knight in the ways of the past. It had been a PR stunt, performed by his commander to give his country hope and give all of them something to be proud of before they all rushed towards certain death. ]

It's...complicated.

[bruxisms]

IT SEEMS SIMPLE ENOUGH, TO ME.

[ so the man was perhaps less than a "true knight". which might explain much. ]

IF ANYTHING, IT MAKES ME MORE WILLING TO BELIEVE YOUR WORDS. TO BE LORDLY IS TO BE FALSE. IF YOU WERE KNIGHTED FOR A BATTLE FOR HUMANITY, SOMEONE MUST HAVE SEEN VALOR IN YOU.

[panzersoldat]

I see.

And I was. All of us were. We were going to our deaths, but to the people who looked to us for hope, we became the immortal and unbeatable Crusaders. The knights of Germany. The shield wall that protected the people. We stood strong and we won. It cost us everything, but we won. And I am proud every day that I could be counted among them.

And I am grateful to you that you would think my bothers and sisters in combat as knights. Thank you. I means more than you know.