To: everyone (a few days after all arrivals)

[northerndragon]

[Jon writes in a very fine hand, but to many, it will seem archaic.]

I would like to speak on duty, if you will.

What does duty mean to you, if it means anything at all?
How do you know what your duty is?
How do you know when you have done it, or failed to do it?

If it doesn't matter to you, why doesn't it matter?
If it does, why then?

I seek to learn from my fellows.

— Jon Snow, of Thorne

Comments

[chainedqueen]

[She knows that style of penmanship well and feels at home reading it.]

Duty is all. I have known my duty since I was very young, as all women know their purpose. I was meant to marry where my father deemed I should and bring a strong alliance for my family. My duty was to become a mother, to expand my husband's House and to serve the Gods and the realm.

There are moments where we might all stumble or mistake our path, but duty is something that is difficult to ever truly mistake. It is a rigid arm to guide.

[So rigid and so suffocating. This is fine.]

Are you questioning your duty, Jon Snow?

[northerndragon]

More a guiding star than a fixed arm.

I do not question it, but what it is is not always clear. Not when we are far from home. It is different for a bastard son than a trueborn, highborn lady, Your Grace.

Is it only to do what is right?

[chainedqueen]

Perhaps, but it has kept me steady at my more precarious moments. I do not think a lord or a swordsman needs a steadying arm in the manner a lady might.

[He's speaking on something that has already kept her up at night. Now that she's in this new realm, what exactly is she supposed to do? There are no children, no husband and no Westeros here. She's Alicent again, not the Queen.

She does her best not to panic, though it has seemed closer at hand of late. Her cuticles suffered for it.]

It is not clear, but perhaps you could look to the role you served before? You served your family, your gods and the realm. Could your duty not be to protect others here and guide them as they may need? There are many that will feel lost and will need someone with experience and honor to aid them.

There is nothing else but that. To cease doing what is right, it puts everything at risk and harms many in the process.

[northerndragon]

My family is not here. This is not my realm. I'm not sure that much of anyone here needs my protection or my guidance, or of what I can do for them.

But I try to act with honor. I try to aid my friends, and anyone else who needs help.

I'm not alone in this.

Why should a lady need more steadiness in her duty?

[Let's talk about that, Alicent.]

[chainedqueen]

No, they are not, but there are many new arrivals that will need guidance and advice. You may not be certain, but it is a path to take, one that might give strength more than you might assume.

[Must we?]

It is not uncommon to be mislead or to waiver in the face of difficult decisions.

A lady is as capable of that as a lord or a king.