argo

Lord Elwinn of House Argo.

[elwinnargo]

mayhem || arthur&elwinn

μοιρίδιος (moiridios) destined, doomed | for inspiration, listen here                                                         Rumors of figures on the ruins of the Keep have pulled both Elwinn and Arthur to the site. Although caught off guard by the appearance of the other, soon, they sense something else on the air: a dark rage that permeates the space around them, creeping beneath their skin and causing a spark of violence on their tongues. With such a feeling, they see distant figures themselves. A god’s curse, the rumor finishes. Beware.

@arthur-belfast​

Elwinn was running out of sacred patience. The research was proving itself useless. None of his knights or commoners would bring him anything useful - only rumors heard around the city in ruins. All he wanted was to know what was stopping him from going back to the silent darkness of the North, and so he decided to do the work himself. 

He stood in front of what used to be the mighty castle of the Vitello dinasty, now reduced to stones, filth and ashes, showing the real nature of the inhabitants of the region. Lord Argo clenched his jaw at the overwhelming hatred he felt towards them all, as if they had just commited a fault against him. Yet there was nothing. Only dust. The man quickly turned around at the sound of steps, as an intense glare studied the intruder. 

There were only so many things Elwinn Argo could force himself to endure, but to tolerate a grown man sneaking behind his back was not one of them, and today was not a day to test Lord Argo’s self-control.

But something distracted him, if only for a brief moment. A strange figure, vague, as if it was formed by snowflakes in the wind, and spoke in whispers. 

‘Beware.’

There was only so much he could tolerate.

“Get out of my sight if you want to keep your skin on.” 

crossroads || naria&elwinn

[elwinnargo]

nariaargo:

      Something was … OFF on these roads. Naria couldn’t put her finger on what inspired the darkness in the air, but she knew it followed them from Westdell. She frowned, glancing out the window and past the nearest knight, looking to the woods that surrounded the road. ( something … something there. ) Then, the carriage slowed, indistinct words flying from the lips of their driver. “Why have we stopped?” She asked the knight, but he offered no answer. Naria’s lips thinned in frustration as she moved to open the door and see for herself. 

                             — “A curse?” 

      Her features were suddenly serious, pulled tight with the understanding that whatever before them was grave, indeed. Without another thought, Naria pushed the doors of the carriage open, lifting her skirts as she stepped out of the cart. “I would like to see this for myself, Your Majesty,” she said, lifting her head to look at him atop his horse. “If it would please you, send the knights back; but such things are … of interest to me.”

Lord Argo expected no less, with a clench of his jaw successfully repressed the primitive instinct of protection, to let through a more logical solution. Elwinn remembered his father had once told him about a dark moment in the history of the Vanguard, where strange creatures left the bodies of their victims shaped in strange symbols, yet the reason was still unknown. They were only stories, he’d always thought, but this was a moment to find out the truth about them, if there was any truth at all. “Then I have no choice but to respect the Queen’s interests,” he said, his lips crooked in a charmed smirk. 

He got off his horse and ordered a group of knights to wait for them, and as the rest of the caravan began to move, he led the Queen of the Vanguard to the frozen dismembered corpses. It hadn’t happened too many days ago, or else the they’d be rotting and the air would be foul. But it wasn’t recent either. There wasn’t much information he could gather. “What do you think, Lady Argo?” 

[elwinnargo]

crossroads || naria&elwinn

@nariaargo

Lord Argo rode his horse alongside his wife’s carriage, as it was accustomed in the North, where the small caravan was heading. The family was travelling with only a few knights, and some civilians they had recruited with the promise of a new home they’d have to tame and conquer. They had barely crossed the imaginary borders between the territory of the Highcrest and Westedell when the group began to slow down before stopping completely, and so the head of House Argo gave a soft kick to his horse and rode to the front of the caravan. His knights whispered once again the rumours Lord Argo had ignored, but he now saw it himself, and it was enough to convince him they wouldn’t be able to move beyond. At least not in this shape. 

“Turn around. We’re going back.” He instructed the knights as he rode back to the side of the carriage.   

“We must go back, my dear,” he said to Naria through the vehicle’s window. “Something strange, beyond our wisdom, has cursed these lands.” 

[ewoksarecute-deactivated2024072]

By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!

reunion || elise&elwinn

[elwinnargo]

enyoxelise:

            There Elise stood, back straight and chin raised, the head of the guard, defender of the Vanguard, so far from home. No one but those closest to her would be able to see that she didn’t enjoy being in Westedell, or that she was hurt. She wondered if Elwinn Argo noticed, but if he did, he was as good a deceiver as she, as it didn’t show at all in his expression.

            The left corner of her mouth lifted just a fraction, the barest of a wry smile sneaking across her face, gone like a ghost hiding in the shadows of the night as her expression settled into one of light concern. The creature was horrid, the material children’s ( and some adults’ ) nightmares were made of. And it had been very hard to kill.

            “I did,” the head of the guard said, but whereas any other would puff up their chest and tilt their chin in arrogant pride, she allowed genuine concern to shine through. “And I bear the scars.” Ugly, jagged lines from where the beast had hooked its dirty, giant claws into her left shoulder and dragged her down to the frozen Northern ground, where she’d repeatedly stabbed it in the neck and then cut off its head for good measure. The blood loss and infection had made her feverish for days, and that had been after an attack from only one of them. 

            “I’m afraid I can’t give an exact number.” There wasn’t a point to overestimating—or underestimating, especially since this matter was far too crucial to consider not losing face to be more vital. And if lord Elwinn knew her at all–-she had more than enough reason to believe he did; he had after all known her since she was but a wee little baby balancing on her father’s knee—he would understand. He must. “Their numbers are hard to keep track of. For every beast we kill, five new ones seem to take its spot.” Like a hydra. “We shall need every warrior that can be spared.”

            She’d thought about this for a long time, weighed all the options and found that the one that she was about to offer was the best she could offer. “At least the houses Pemberley and Balor should be urged into providing manpower for the cause. They are next in the line of fire, if…”  If Vanguard falls, and then all would be lost and for naught. “If the beasts crush the North.” She didn’t particularly care if Ironmoor and Highcrest fell, wouldn’t have bothered mentioning any houses at all, if Vanguard wasn’t in danger. Her Vanguard.

            Elise eyed the chair opposite Elwinn and although he hadn’t given permission, she sat down anyway, a slight defiance that she knew would make him mindful of her indignation towards the Argos’ absence from Vanguard as all of this went down. They often communicated like that; it was a simple language one only learned from trust and, in some way, love. Kinship. “My father believes it is our best option.” Her eyes betrayed that she thought the same, however little of an opinion she had on the other great houses.

He nodded once again approving, once again proud, though troubled nonetheless. Even without the words, the attack had been easy to picture, and the guard’s concern was taken into account. Perhaps,  the number of warriors needed wasn’t as important as the strategy used. He’d still need strong mento carry out his plans to perfection. This time, the safety of the Vanguard and its remaining inhabitants couldn’t be left to chance. 

His frown deepened at the implication. The Argos had never asked for help, and to expect to appeal to the will of House Balor and their allies was beyond outrageous. It’d been enough risk being at their mercy since the man became Hand of the King. Such a scandalous time, however, was worth considering, specially if the guard’s last words were ever coming true. 

“Nothing will crush the North,” he replied calmly, glancing again at the hideous creature’s head. “Not while we have strength left.” He watched her sit, as raised an eyebrow at her insolence, but it softened quickly. Any other soldier would’ve only earned some disciplining, but had Elise not earned the right to show discontent? 

“He believes...”Lord Argo repeated, understanding her father was still alive, and glad to hear it. “It is an option,” he conceded, even though he wasn’t fond of the idea, at all. “We will also recruit men, families, if needed. Some will be looking for a new home.” Westedell has proved itself wanting. He was convinced he’d find a small group willing to fight for the promise of new lands. “We shall do this with no delay, but for all this to be successful, you need to rest first. I’ll inform the rest of our family and we’ll prepare everything to return.” He covered the head, careful of not touching the fluids coming out of it, and quietly sat down. “Is there anything else you’d like to add?” 

[elwinnargo]

a shot in the dark || naria&elwinn

@nariaargo

The night turned out to be darker, without the lights of the Keep shining from the distance. Where the majestic castle once stood, only ruins, ashes and columns of smoke were easily seen from his window at the decaying inn the Argos were staying. Elwinn breathed deeply as he turned from such picture, to face Lady Argo. “There’s not much we can do here,” he spoke, still thoughtful. “It seems there is no place as strong as the Vanguard.” 

reunion || elise&elwinn

[elwinnargo]

enyoxelise:

           It didn’t take Elise very long to find out where her beloved Argos were holding themselves up. She’d wandered through the city, accompanied by the sounds of song and shout. She’d reached the execution site just moments before the sword went down on the man’s neck and clearly severed it from his body. ( So the rumors she’d heard along the road were true—today was the day the Vitellos would lose their heads ). She’d left before it was the woman’s turn to rest her head on the executioner’s block, still wet and slick from the blood of her husband. 

                    She did not care for Vitellos and their ends.

          Accompanied by the sounds of explosions ( she did not know what was going on, only that the sounds were coming from far away, at the docks and that she did not want to waste time ) she entered the keep and only once paused to address a teary-eyed servant, who stuttered through directions to where she would find her Argos. 

          Elise paused again in front of the door. She’d left her horse and her belongings under the watchful eye of a stableboy and all she carried with her now was a sack with something indistinguishable in it. She took a breath. Let it out. Gathered herself. 

                    And opened the door. 

          Elise killed for the smallest curve of that mouth, the spark of recognition and pride in those eyes. It was all worth it; every single drop of blood she spilled, warm on her hands, her arms, her tongue. She stood, staring as he bowed his head. The wolf within her bared its teeth; lord of nothing, you would be without me. Lord of snow and beasts. You would have no Vanguard to return to. Elise dipped her chin and pressed her right hand to her heart in a semblance of respect. Some things you can’t unlearn. “Lord Argo,” she said.

             So many questions, and Elwinn held all of the answers. Elise regarded him, passive as a beta wolf gazing at the alpha. She didn’t know what to ask, first. What happened, what is going on now, why didn’t you tell me, why did you not give me orders?

                    Why did you leave me?

          Elise instead strode forward and dumped the bag on top of his desk, where it hit the hard wood with a dull thud and rolled a bit before settling against a stack of papers. Her questions could wait. There were other, more pressing matters to tend to.

                    “The North needs support.”

While he looked at the warrior with a careful gaze, he remained in silence for a brief moment as he tried to understand what this was. It felt like long breath of warm air filling his lungs and, much to his surprise, Lord Argo realized it was something resembling pride. Not at her words, not at the journey that led her back to his family, but at the fact that she was alive. Perhaps it was that he had grown used to the lack of a proper attitude and aptitudes of the local warriors what caused him to succumb to such vain emotions, but the regal, yet feral stance of the knight before him, made him long for the Vanguard.

He nodded once and with his hand, he reached for the opening of the bag to lift the cloth and a waft of the repugnant smell of rotting flesh made him scowl in revulsion. It was exactly what he expected. The beasts had taken over the North, as foreseen by Akira Lee - - his most trusted advisor - - and Lord Argo himself. It had been a long time away, the creatures had their chance and they had killed and fed off the weak enough now. In addition, Elwinn had been unable to see any particular reason to keep his family in the city of Westedell, and considering there was a crown upon his own head, instead of his daughter’s, it was clear the time to go back to the Vanguard was now. 

With a swift movement of his arm, he took the dagger attached to his belt and cautiously inspected the head of the strange animal. Saw its deflated eyes, corroded fangs and thick skin. “Did you kill it all by yourself?” He raised his eyebrows before lifting his gaze to meet Lee’s eyes. He knew he could rely on her judgement, but such trust was often left unsaid. “How many warriors do you consider would suffice?”

[elwinnargo]

destructionofeva:

—-

Eva narrowed her eyes at her father’s words. Truth be told, she did not give a rat’s ass for ‘‘their’‘ people, for all she cared the entire world could die in pain and she would not blink, but people talked. How could they get any help or gain any allies if people had certain – damaging opinions on them?

“They are not my people, they are our people, father. The weak have died, in that I am sure of, but with them so did our possible allegiances with powerful families. Do you think anyone would back up a family they deem dishonorable and ruthless? The fact remains, I care about no one but myself and this family, for love is weakness, is it not? I did not say that out of love I said it so you can be aware how will it be for all of us once we return back home.”

The young Chaos saw the reaction Elwinn held when she spoke of her two arranged marriages and she has decided to ignore it completely. That was, she has planned to ignore it completely, until her father spoke once again and she had to fight her every urge to growl and yell at him. A child? He did not deem her a child when he asked for her opinions back in Vanguard. He did not deem her a child when he cast her into the, from the beginning, condemned marriage with Hamish Vitello. She was a child when it suited her family and she was terribly tired of it.

“It appears that a child is the only Argo doing something of value. You always say we should not underestimate our enemies, father, but you should also know that you should not underestimate me, either. You and mother raised me, yet it appears you have no idea what I am capable of. You call me a child, but I am first and foremost an Argo. You know better than anyone that I do nothing half-way.”

He huffed, unamused. “If anything,” he said as he sat down next to his wife. “I overestimated you, Eva.” Lord Argo regarded his daughter one last time and vaguely gestured with his hand for her to leave. “Go, then. Show me what you’re capable of.” 

[elwinnargo]

reunion || elise&elwinn

@enyoxelise

He wrote in a letter many lines explaining part of the things that had happened in such a brief period of time, and some others that were yet to happen. On the outside, the sound of explosions did not worry him — for he knew the cause of it —, yet they prevented him from paying attention to his immediate surroundings, and so he clenched his jaw to repress the surprise of his door opening so suddenly, and his hand had reached for the dagger resting next to the inkwell on his desk. 

And he saw as if the figure of a familiar warrior materialized from the darkness of the room. There she was, Elise Lee. 

“Lee,” Lord Argo greeted as he stood up and bowed his head in respect, understanding the woman might want an explanation, knowing she would be understanding as well. 

[elwinnargo]

destructionofeva:

Eva halted in her steps the moment her father’s voice echoed to her. Turning around, her venom faded, her teeth gritting as something close to shame and fear seeped into her. Elwinn was to be feared and young Chaos was not immune to it, even though she visibly defied him by holding herself higher than she felt. Hearing her father’s question made Eva grit her teeth tighter as she approached the bars. She was about to say something snarky when he kept talking. As he finished, there was no more fear left in Eva – only anger and defiance.

“True Northerners and true Argos. Such noble words coming from you, father. Do true northerners and true Argos leave their people behind to die? My plan with Holden failed because he was not the stupid chess piece we thought he was, that I do admit. But, I was not the one to arrange the latest fiasco of my marriage. Poor and kind princeling. A good match, someone who inspires nothing but pity and mockery wherever he goes. I have heard whispers, dear father. He, along with the other Vitellos, will be executed if found guilty and, let me tell you, the executioner is already sharpening his ax and his sword. Do you wish to see my head next to theirs?” She retorted, looking at her father this time with sadness in her eyes as she approached the bars.

“Father. I am doing all in my might to get you and mother and my brothers out of this place. Vitellos are done for. Do you wish to see our family fall alongside with them? Balors are no better, but at least they are not behind the bars. Live to fight another day. We can easily manipulate all of this in our advantage, but we cannot do so if I am the only one fighting.” Eva tried to reason with her father, speaking in calm and soothing tones.

Leave their people behind. He had heard the very same sentence spoken from lazy southerners and their lazy ways of govern, yet he had never expected to hear such a indolent reasoning from his own daughter. “The weak will die. Are you the voice of the weak? Are they your people, to show such concern?” 

The young chaos kept repeating these words, and Elwinn began to suspect she did not know the meaning of them and the entire chess board their world was. He stared at her, eyes wide open as the man paid fully attention at her, for her words spoke much more than what the girl intended to say. “We thought?” Lord Argo raised his voice even more, as if the child hadn’t heard her very own words. Had he, Lord Elwinn Argo of the Vanguard, son of Rulf, taught his own children to underestimate their enemies in such basic ways? He surely had not, as in his ancient household, the mind began a training even earlier than the steel did. And so such impertinences he would not accept, but what could he do while she was on the outside of this damned cage? 

“Are you so obtuse, Lady Argo, to care for the mockery he might inspire? Are you so fatuous, Eva Argo, to believe for one second that this family would be kept to rot in these lame dungeons?” He could go on and on questioning the girl’s judgment, but it was clear she did not wish to admit her faults, nor the flaws in her strategy, and he wanted to remain cautious of the witnesses jailed so close to them, probably listening to this whole nonsense. 

“You? An unmarried female with no connections? A child?” He huffed and averted his gaze from her in a demeaning manner. 

He recalled his own father’s words, as he often did in times of doubt or trouble. Elwinn then looked at his beloved friend, his wife, Naria, before addressing the spoiled girl once again. “Very well, then, child.” The man frowned deeply, considering his limited options and the many plans his mind had already started building up. “One last advice, before you continue with your half-witted plans, little Argo. Do not say the word ‘manipulation’ out loud. It kills the effect.”

[elwinnargo]

@destructionofeva​

“No.” 

“You are not yet dismissed.” His voice echoed in the darkness for an eternal second, and it seemed to quiet the noise of the entire hall of the condemned. Lord Argo had listened in silence as his two most beloved women discussed such a ridiculous subject, but it was enough. 

It was easy. Naria was right, and Eva was not. Yet, who could blame the younger Lady Argo? She had had an easy life - - as easy as it could get in the harsh Vanguard - -, and despite of the many successful tries of proving herself mature and worthy, she was behaving like a child, and like a child she would be treated. Vermin, she called the Vitellos. Were the Balors not vermin as well? “Lady Argo,” the man calmly spoke to his daughter, but something dark lurked behind his gaze. “Why are you on the other side of this door?”

He walked closer to the girl, whose neck was safe from her father’s grip only because of the bars between the two, and spoke before she could answer. No. This was her turn to listen. “Is it not because you ran back home when your plan FAILED?” The man clenched his jaw and his expression grew stern. “And now you plan to submit to the second child of a Balor.” 

“Go on, child. Go on and do prove your mother wrong.” His eyes pierced through the Argo kid standing in front of him, believing herself a Queen, when she had lost the crown before even winning it. “Or face the implications of your mistakes and lack of respect, like true northerners, like true Argos DO.” 

[elwinnargo]

galenvance:

Lord Argo was calmer than any of the other prisoners he’d addressed that day. No insults, no pleas, no hostility. And yet, interestingly enough, it seemed that they were more at odds than Galen had been with anyone else he’d greeted in the darkness of the dungeons. Those intelligent eyes kept staring him down in a way that made him feel as though he’d been assessed and found lacking. It was unnerving, but he didn’t react.

He was ready to hand the man a loaf of bread and be on his way when faced with a direct question of his betrayal. It made Galen pause even as his fingers were wrapping around the still-warm loaf. “In a sense, yes.” That had been Pierce and Belfast, really, but he couldn’t divert the blame when he’d arranged it all. Didn’t want to, when it seemed dishonest. “I had it arranged. Why do you ask?” he replied without much inflection, neither proud nor ashamed of his involvement. He wouldn’t put it past the older man to be plotting something—almost all the nobles in the Keep seemed to be plotters, though he didn’t have much room to talk—but he wasn’t going to lie about it. 

Galen held out the bread. He didn’t anticipate visiting again that day; he figured the man would be better off accepting it, but he wouldn’t force him to. Many people were hungry, after all.

Lord Argo tilted his head, interested and curious about the chamberlain’s answer. In a sense. He then nodded in a strange sign of approval, yet his expression was still blank. The man hadn’t opened the gates, and was merely managing everything from the shadows, though he spoke of it as nothing but a duty that needed to be done. Who was he truly serving? No wonder he had escalated from being some sort of slave, to a somewhat respected chamberlain.

“Smart.” He glanced around, to the other cells. It had worked quite well. “Curiosity,” he simply said, still observing the other man as he received the piece of bread. “It has caught my attention how everyone in this castle seems to row towards different directions.” As usual, Elwinn was thankful of his own family. They all had their differences, but every single member knew their respective duties and they acted according to it. “For the good of the Realm appears to be a hollow saying. Wouldn’t you agree?” 

[elwinnargo]

bringerxfdeath:

@elwinnargo

With aching limbs from too long confined in a space too small for his comfort, Thane rose to his feet.  Ever since their arrival in this forsaken city he had wished for nothing more than to return home. To go back to the soft, brightness of the snow that seemed to illuminate everything around and warm him from the light rather than make him shiver as it did most. There was an ache in his chest as he thought of the forests where he had spent hours in blissful solitude and there was a vow made to himself that one day he would return there, sooner rather than later. But of course to do that he needed out of his cell.

With quiet footsteps he made his way to his father’s side. There was a grim set of his jaw that usually only appeared in the few seconds before his sword was swung towards a man’s neck. However, it had almost been ever present since their imprisonment. Politics had never interested him but the safety of his family had his whole mind, body and soul and now that had been jeopardised by the greed and ambition of others he was willing to do whatever it took to reclaim it. “What will you have me do, father?” There was no reluctance that sometimes lurked in his voice, only a willingness to do what needed to be done.

Elwinn Argo, leaning on the bars, observing and measuring the dark hall outside the cells, heard as someone paced behind him. He briefly glanced back at his son as he walked closer to him. Perhaps the young man needed comforting, something Naria tended to take care of. 

“There is not much you can do,” he replied immediately after, harsher than needed and intended, but far from unusual. “Or any other of us.” 

The older man glanced at Thane once more, now standing up straight. “We must wait,” he explained in a rather understanding tone. “There’s nothing I despise more than bending to their will, but from this cell, our resources are quite limited.”

He regarded his son for a brief moment. If he was the main heir of the Argo name, he was supposed to start thinking like one. “What do you think we should do?” 

[middleearthsource]

[elwinnargo]

galenvance:

Though he’d never been particularly fond of the Argos—there was something about the northerners that made the back of his neck prickle—it was nice to have at least one somewhat agreeable prisoner who wasn’t cursing him or trying to attack him. ( Though, if he were honest, a part of him did appreciate Hypatia’s fighting spirit. ) Galen handed the man a flask of water, lips pursing. 

“I did not know you cared about children, Lord Argo,” he answered mildly, quirking a brow. He really had no idea what would happen to the Argos, as none of the Riverses had said anything about them. Talks were in place for each noble family to reclaim the rulership of their kingdoms, but he knew the Argos weren’t particularly popular. “It seems we’ll have to wait and see.”

“Children are the future,” he simply answered, lifting the flask in a brief salut before sipping. Elwinn knew from experience that young men were easy to break and put back together to create the strongest and most loyal soldiers. Out of fear, yes --  as some liked to warily observe -  , but the Argos have always known that this was the most practical way. Of course, he did not expect for southerners to understand any of this. To deal and ally with the Free Folk was the most obvious proof of their foul politics, he thought as he glanced at the man outside his cell. To allow their own manpower to befriend and share beds with the Wildlings, was even further beyond the understanding of Lord Argo. 

“You read my mind, chamberlain,” the shorter man said, with a small nod and even a smaller, almost invisible smirk. “We’ll have to wait and see.” 

He then regarded Vance for a brief moment, with a faint hint of curiosity. “Did you open the gates for the Free Folk?”

[carmen-berzattos]

Aragorn in the Two Towers 

[elwinnargo]

galenvance:

Galen stepped into the dungeons with a tired set to his mouth, quiet as he adjusted the heavy basket on his arm. It was full to bursting with fresh bread and wineskins full of cool water, the least he could do. ( The free folk had won, they had, but it still rang a bit hollow. Something didn’t feel right. ) 

He began handing out what he had, gently side-stepping pleas and demands alike. He was already weary by the time he was halfway through, but diligently pulled a loaf of bread from his basket. “Here,” he said as kindly as he could muster, meeting familiar eyes through the iron bars. He ignored the guards, free folk who gazed at the kindness with vague disapproval. They deserve to suffer, they’d said when he stepped inside. You do not need to help them. 

Of course he did. Most of them were innocent in all the ways that mattered most. And if he didn’t, well. He doubted anyone he knew of the free folk would. “I have food and water.” 

The sound of the crowded cells was enough to keep Lord Argo annoyed. His meditation had been interrupted in several occasions, yet this last time, he raised his gaze and saw Zion Vitello’s plaything. Rumors travelled fast, and Elwinn had learnt to be faster. Even though he had seen him only a couple of times, the chamberlain seemed to be rather invisible at court. Until, of course, he was not ---Argo recalled the emotion-filled scene Vitello put up during his flamboyant return, rudely, in the middle of his own brother’s wedding---. “So I see,” he replied calmly, glancing at the obvious. Lord Argo slowly approached the other man and signaled for the water. “Are you going to execute us all?” He asked, keeping his peaceful tone and his sharp accent, as he shot a curious look at the chamberlain. “Even the children?”