The dutiful man had made himself busy with analysis of the lands to find a pack that he could serve honestly and faithfully. The light of the Seven had shown upon him recently, finding decent suitors for the pack role however none of them convinced him to the amount where he would actully join the pack, though many of them considered with high regard in his heart. Ser Barristan Selmy had been travelling since his first nameday to find such a place that matched that of his former home of Kingslanding, once the bratty prince had gotten him kicked out, but none of them had a sense of honor. That was the hardest thing for him to find, a sense of honor and unity amoungst a pack.


He found himself that morn in a stunning woods, searching and searching for something he might be able to use as a clue to find the place he had sought out for nearly two years to the day, no, perhaps a year and a half, but not two. He hadn't celebrated his second nameday but he knew it had past almost two season ago, him being born in the early spring. That damned Joffrey had screwed everything up for him. However, Barristan never took matters of personal harm into regard, the Seven would punish him as they saw fit. When it came to threats to an empire, it was then he took things into his own hands.


He gave his grey and white fur a ruffle as he pushed towards the forest that he had sought out with an unexplained interest only to halt at the strong scent of a border. A border to a pack. The Seven had led him there, that much was certain to him, so his curiosity piqued to what the pack was all about and if they were to meet his high standards. With a calm and soothing breathe beforehand he called for a member of the pack, any member would do. When they were to arrive he would examine everything about them, literally everything. It was a matter of how they held themselves, how they reacted to a potential member on the borders, everything about them would speak for the pack. What also mattered is their trust, did they react calmly to himself, who could be a potential threat as they know nothing of him, or would they blow a fuse just by his very prescence. He took a few paces back from the border just to be safe.

The Queen had been keeping herself busy, which wasn't a surprise. When wasn't she busy these days? Lately, the flow of potential members had been nearly overwhelming but she loved it. She finally felt as if she would live up to the high expectations that she felt she had to meet. A daughter of Nephisa the Queen of her tribe, and a daughter of Isardis the king of the northern empire. She had one hell of a reputation to live up too. Her father was fearless in battle, her mother calculating and strategic but just as fearless. While Roman enjoyed battle, and fighting- the way the adrenaline coursed through her veins during an attack- she also could work things out with words. The way she had handled Fugue living in Ebony would probably cause her father to nearly kill her for stupidity, but she wasn't able to bring herself to attack the man who cowered before her... no matter what crime he had committed. Did that truly make her weak? Or did her compassion and ability to forgive him, and take the lesson that he had learned from that day... make her stronger? A call rang through the forest, bringing her from her thoughts. She lifted her head, from where she lay eating a hare, licking the blood away from her jaws. A stranger at the borders? A new member perhaps? Rising to her paws, her salmon tongue kissed along her jaws- removing the traces of her meal, though anyone would be able to scent that she had just ate. Giving herself a slight shake, she turned and trotted towards the caller, her ears pricked- her head high, carried with pride. She approached the border, slowing to a walk, her tail carried high behind her, but she moved without aggression. Nodding her head in greeting to the stranger, she spoke, her tone warm yet gaurded. "Welcome to Tortuga. I am Roman Armada, the Queen of these lands. What brings you to our borders?" Her voice is strong, and firm but she isn't hostile. She has no reason to be. She sits back on her haunches, indicating with her relaxed posture that he is free to come closer to the border if he wishes. Speech,

The man heard the stern words and let his eyes flutter open to see a white fae with a strange red marking above her brow. She greeted him and then sat down relaxed, begging him the permission to approach but not cross, which he heartily took up as his role. He placed his butt on the ground and sent out a greeting equal to the one he had received as he analyzed the situation further. "Greetings Queen Roman Armada of Tortgua, it is an honor, I am Ser Barristan Selmy, from a far off country of Westros, more specifically the region known as Kingslanding. I am here to inquire about your pack in the possibility of a request to join." He explained to her, his voice not stern but rather emotionless, often he tried not to mix emotions with his work, as it could end in a bad way.


The white colored man with the dark grey or brown, depending on the lighting which happened to suggest grey at this time, gazed forth at the lands, noting that they seemed to be a small pack by the scents of the borders, though most of them might be scouts or hunters and off the territory, he would not judge them. He held his tail curled up again the side of his body, almost reaching his paws as a relaxed demeanor. He preferred to think of himself as the calm type. His eyes swerved to meet her as he examined her, though his eyes did not meet with hers. She seemed like a strong, abled, and young leader. No doubt she could use more wolves, a pack with larger numbers was a pack to be feared, but that might not be what she had been going for. He never knew with leaders, sometimes they were foolishly stupid, sometimes weak, sometimes cruel, and sometimes compassionate.


What made a good queen? Wisdom? No, he had served under a wise king who trusted his brother so much as to only be stabbed in the back and murdered by him. Pious? Yes, a wolf had to be pious, one king also made a pup his preacher for his pack because he believed he'd do a good job at it. A good queen or kind listened to their advisors. The wolves should not fear their leaders, but the leaders their wolves. It was a lesson that Kingslanding had learned the hard way. "I wish to know the values of your pack, if you'd allow me to know them."

She watched, as he moved closer, a slight smile pulling at her jaws. Yes, he could be a threat- but she had no reason yet, to think of him as hostile. He greeted her politely, and she inclined her head slightly at his words, a sign of respect, a mutual thing she would show any wolf that she was introduced too. Just because she was a Queen, didn't mean she was necessarily better than anyone else. She had been a loner before, and understood the status that held in regards to some rulers, all to well. She refused to be like that. Warmly, she would speak. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ser Barristan. I will answer your questions about Tortuga, as best as I can." With that she'd fall silent, waiting on his inquiries. Would he ask meaningful questions, or vague ones. He would surprise her, asking about the values of Tortuga, and she would pause for a moment, thinking about her answer. It wasn't a question that she was often asked, finally ready to speak- she would begin. "Tortuga is my family. I suppose our values are simple. We don't stand for the meaningless harm of anyone, we don't seek wars over fickle ideas, but we do hold true to our allies. Should any of our allies call for assistance, we'd be there in a heartbeat to back them up. I value loyalty, honor, wisdom, bravery, and compassion in the wolves that accept. I'm not looking simply for pack numbers- but wolves that are capable of being part of our family." She fell silent, her violet eyes curious. Did she answer his question? "Did that answer that question?" She asked, her tone warm. Better to get her expectations of any Tortugan wolf in the open quickly so that he wouldn't waste either of their time if the family that Tortuga was, wasn't what he was seeking. Speech,

Her answer was quite the interesting one as she spoke of all the values he had held close to his heart since becoming a royal guard, a kingsguard as there had not been a queen under his protection since he had taken the arms and duty. Compassion, something many rulers lacked, it was a good thing that she seemed to understand the need. Honor, something he saw as necessary for the survival of a kingdom like that of Tortuga. Bravery, something that was rarely found by a wolf but everyone had, they just needed to access it. Loyalty, it was then that Ser Barristan realized that it might be the place for him as she tipped his head again as he tried to formulate the correct words to use. "Queen Roman Armada, your homes sounds simply divine, all the values I've been searching for since I took my leave from Kingslanding." He explained as his tail waved slightly.


He would make his requests after saying what he had to say simple. "I seek a home much like yours, I'd be honored if you would allow me a place in your kingdom." The request was a simple one, one that he was not use to giving to be honest. So often had he just turned away on kingdoms that could suite him for the most part. This kingdom was different. It had the one trait all the others missed. Compassion. It was something Westros had until Joffery Baratheon, first of his name, came to the throne. His slate colored muzzle parted the slightest bit as he took in a breathe of fresh air. It happened that events like this made him nervous, weary. However the feelings had subsided after the queen had arrived. She seemed like a very nice wolf and he felt a sense of pride to be at her borders, asking to be apart of her kingdom.


He held that breathe of fresh air as he waited for her to respond to his request in hopes of hearing an acceptance or another question about him instead of being turned away.

As she listed her kingdom's values, she realized that they were values that she held to her heart. Sure, she could fight viciously when it was required, could slum it with warlords, but that wasn't what she had truly wanted when she took over Tortuga. She wanted them to be strong, fit warriors- capable of making sure the pack would hopefully remain strong in one area, but she also wanted a family. Wolves she could lead, but also be friends with. As Barristan spoke again, she smiled slightly, apparently her honest answer was exactly what he was looking for. He wanted to join her empire, and she wouldn't deny him that. "I must admit, out of the wolves I've accepted into my home. You're the first to ask such a deep question. I think that speaks to your character, and what you value in your life." Her tone was warm, and truthful. The fact that he had cared of the packs values- and wasn't just seeking a home for the sake of a home spoke wonders to the pale woman. "Welcome to Tortuga, Ser Barristan Selmy." She would speak, granting her homelands, and giving him the respect of addressing him by the name he had introduced himself by. He seemed to like custom, and she definitely found herself curious to see what kind of world he had come from. She had to wonder what Kingslanding was, but perhaps there would be another time to ask that. She could only assume he was eager to explore his new home. Speech,

The words surprised him, for how could a wolf find a home without knowing the values of the home they sought out? It seemed like a simple question to him but deep all the same. She welcomed him with a warm tone and a small smile spread across his muzzle as he stepped onto the pack lands, his pack lands for now he was a wolf of Tortuga. "It is an honor, your grace." He said respectfully as he had grown accustomed to in Kingslanding and Westros as a whole, as he had not spent his entire life in the region run by the king himself. He had been to Winterfell where he met Lord Stark and his pups, some of them almost hitting adulthood. He'd been to Casterly Rock where he met Lord Lannister, crude and arrogant fellow, but smart. Now he was officially leaving it all behind and he was approaching his new life, one more complex and honorable than the last. Joffrey kicking him out of the Kingsguard because of whatever stupid reason the foolish king had was a great offense, but he was confident that it would not happen to him here in Tortuga.


^Short Fade^