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Post by Trystane Sand on Jul 25, 2019 2:59:46 GMT 1
Occurs shortly after 'Moving In Certain Circles'.
The talk with Eustace had raised a number of questions. The talk with Laena had raised more still, though now Trystane had something approaching a lead in one of his tasks for the would-be Lord of Mustard Hall. A sighting of someone bearing Lynesse's likeness in the Rutting Boar.
However, rather than report back to Eustace himself, Trystane instead calls upon Lynesse to invite her to come for a ride. Trotting up to the pavilions on Bard, his blood bay destrier, he greets the guards cheerily and requests an hour of Lady Lynesse's time.
Hopefully she trusts me enough to help shed light on this situation. And I can always tell Eustace I was trying to extract a confession or something, he thinks to himself.
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Jul 25, 2019 5:26:19 GMT 1
Lynesse, being a ward of House Blackbriar, does not enjoy complete freedom of movement. However, Trystane's request is not denied, merely accommodated.
Four knights, sour and severe in look and disposition will accompany them, and Lynesse will be returned to the Blackbriar encampment within the half-hour. The Blackbriar men keep a discrete distance, their hands never straying far from the longswords at their flanks.
"I am sorry for the conditions", Lynesse apologised, "But an attempt on the life of house retainer in the dark has the men quite on edge."
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Post by Trystane Sand on Jul 25, 2019 17:42:50 GMT 1
"I noticed. A pity you must suffer restrictions for it, but your safety is important, and after all, I'm an evil, scary Dornishman. Anything could happen," Trystane quips as they walk their horses through a wooded path. He rides as close to Lynesse as he can without arousing suspicion, and keeps his voice low.
"Joking aside, I am glad they are out of earshot, because with our allocated time being short, we don't have as much room for the pleasantries, so I am going to be more direct than usual. I am sure you are fully aware that you are being observed almost constantly, but how much do you know about the reasons for that?"
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Jul 27, 2019 8:56:35 GMT 1
Lynesse winced at Trystane's quip, as it reminded her of her foolish words at Summerhall.
"You are right to be direct. My parents were murdered in cold blood. I was warded with the Blackbriars because of the attempts made on my life on Daverhyl lands. If I were not under constant observation, I would likely be dead," she replied, succinctly.
But he knew that, or should. She turned to face him as they rode alongside, and asked quizzically. "Unless you have heard something that might cast such things in a new light?"
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Post by Trystane Sand on Jul 27, 2019 23:02:16 GMT 1
"I have. Aside from justified concerns about your physical safety, I have learned of concerns about your... shall we say, your virtue and your private conduct. You were sighted in the Rutting Boar, you see, and your uncle is very concerned about this, for what I am sure are obvious reasons, pertaining to your marriageability mainly."
He puts a hand over his heart and leans in very slightly, speaking sincerely but also confidentially;
"I personally would never judge you for making such a visit, as in the culture of my homeland, it's not such a scandalous thing to seek pleasure for its own sake, regardless of one's status. But here, people don't like highborn ladies attending such places," he sighed ruefully, clearly implying he found that way of thinking tedious.
"If it is true that you did go there, I would of course keep your secret, but I felt you ought to know that you were spotted, and that word of it reached Eustace's ears. I intend to try and counteract the whispers on your behalf, unless you tell me you did it deliberately to make yourself less desireable to Lord Merryweather..."
He looks at her with casual, empathetic interest, searching for the truth of the situation in her eyes. A blush? A flash of displeasure? Fear? Remorse?
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Jul 28, 2019 7:06:39 GMT 1
"In truth such a rumour would damage the value of my hand in marriage to all but Lord Eldon, I suspect. Which is perhaps why such a rumour exists to begin with," Lynesse remarked, refusing to dignify her uncle's accusation with a categorical denial. A slight flaring of her nostrils is a minor clue about her ill-feeling toward Lord Merryweather's reputation. Her grip tightens on her reins, and her knuckles whiten.
When she speaks of her uncle, her words are cold and hard, with a quiet anger in them that Trystane would know to listen for, based on previous revelations. "You say my uncle is very concerned about these rumours, and has taken you into his confidence regarding them. I pray you do not take offence, Ser Trystane, but what have you done that would earn his trust in this matter? What does my uncle know of you, except what I can only assume is an unflattering description from the quill of Lord Blackmont, his close ally?"
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Post by Trystane Sand on Jul 30, 2019 1:14:05 GMT 1
Trystane sees her body tense in speaking of Lord Merryweather, and he almost reaches out to touch her hand in an attempt to soothe her. As it stands, however, he wisely keeps his hands to himself.
"I know enough of Lord Merryweather's proclivities to know I would not let him near any woman in my charge for all the coin in the world," he says, shaking his head grimly. "If I could free you from it this instant, I would do so without hesitation."
It will take longer than that, but I'm trying.
"And no offence taken. Please, allow me to explain. I use the word "concern" advisedly. I am not convinced that your uncle's concern is for you personally. What I perceived - admittedly with my limited knowledge of both him and the finer points of intrigue - a concern more for his standing and his own prospects, to which you are inextricably tied - for the time being."
He pauses a moment to gather the next thing he wishes to say, feeling the precariousness of the moment as an uneasy energy passes between them both.
"I would not say he has taken me into his confidence, as such, or that I have earned his trust entirely, though both are things I am, in a very particular way, trying to achieve for a longer term greater good. He has shared some information that I asked for, which I have yet to verify, and the matter of your clandestine sighting came up in passing. Perhaps he has heard unflattering things about me from Lord Blackmont and thinks me an expendable resource, or perhaps Lord Blackmont does not consider me worth writing about and your uncle sees me as someone with potential future clout he can use because of my royal blood, or he may be keeping my acquaintance in reserve for leverage at a later date as I ascend the ranks. I'm still trying to find out exactly what his angle is, but until I do, I need to seem like I'm just a grasping Great Bastard trying to work my own little schemes and keep him thinking I am at least amenable to him. Please do not mistake me, my lady. He & I both may have a connection to Lord Blackmont, but mine is far less strong and amiable than his. Mine is the opposite. I don't blame you for being wary, but I am about as far from those two as one gets. Not that I am perfect, but at least I try to do what's right and honourable. Which is why I'm here with you right now, and why I'm trying to get closer to him."
He makes a point of meeting Lynesse's eyes for a moment.
"So that, perhaps, if I play my cards right, I might find a vulnerability to exploit, and through that, a way to alter your current path."
He holds her gaze a moment to ensure she fully understands his sincerity, then looks back to a point just between Bard's ears.
"He wanted me to tell him if you had been seen doing anything untoward, such as visiting the Rutting Boar or similar places of a certain repute. But instead of going to him with the information, I have come directly to you, and I will not tell him about what I learned unless you will it. I don't think he knows that we have been confiding in eachother, or at least underestimates the extent to which we have done so. I would like to keep it that way, for your safety. Let any observers think I'm actually worming my way into your confidence to serve him, or that I'm just a Dornish cad looking to despoil a chaste Andal woman or something," he says with a little shrug. "However they decide to think, the longer those observing underestimate us both, the better."
Another meaningful glance, the mismatch of his eyes made more prominent by her proximity to his left side.
"The position you are in, I would not wish on anyone. And I swore a solemn oath to protect all women, so here I am."
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Aug 1, 2019 5:49:37 GMT 1
"I am glad that you are a knight who remembers his vows, Ser Trystane. More than anything else, this is what distinguishes you from my Uncle." She is conscious of the distance he keeps, and the respect it entails, so different from Eustace's grip at Summerhall. His eyes too, are different from the Vulture's stare. And yet she cannot shake the shroud that hangs over her, a learned distrust of the Rhoynar, unchallenged in her life until she encountered Ser Davos and Trystane at Summerhall.
"I believe your word, and trust in your intentions, but I must warn you, my uncle is not a man to be trifled with. It may seem that you are winning him over, to gain his trust," she laughed drily, "in truth I tried the same trick myself at Mustard Hall, for what else could I do? But no, he is not a man easily fooled. In truth, I doubt he has much trust to win. He is always sensitive to the leverage he can win over you, for he enjoys wielding power over others. I warn you in good faith: do not share you heart's desire or plans with the man, for he will turn your dreams to nightmares and your hopes to ash."
For the first time, she seriously considered the allegations her uncle appeared to be weaving, finding them unsettling to say the least "You say you have come directly to me, rather than my uncle, and I am glad for this, but also somewhat perplexed. I will not protest my innocence, for the guilty and innocent would both do so, but I would be most perturbed at evidence of a thing that has not happened. What have you heard, and from who?"
If you'd like to open an intrigue, feel free. Lynesse may initiate one depending on what is revealed, if you don't mind.
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Post by Trystane Sand on Aug 3, 2019 14:56:07 GMT 1
"I will be mindful of your caution, my lady. I had no intention of actually confiding in him, but I will be particularly vigilant in guarding my intentions and desires. In all honesty, you are one of the few people outside of my family that I have felt able to trust with the true contents of my heart."
He gives her a self-effacing, almost shy smile.
"I must confess you have made an impression," he chuckles softly, though he returns to a more serious expression as he addresses her question.
"What I heard was fairly vague. Only that you were seen inside the Rutting Boar's common room. Whether you actually partook of any services was neither confirmed nor refuted, and if you went into the back rooms, you were not specifically seen doing so. In terms of damage limitation, that is quite manageable. It can easily be dismissed as a mere rumour, the result of either error or fantasy. I am unable to reveal the identity of the person who spotted you, or whomever it was they mistook for you, as they are in a similarly precarious position where it can't be made known they were in the Boar. However, they admitted that it was but a glimpse they caught, so they cannot be certain it was you."
Hang on. Laena wouldn't...would she? She is wroth with Lynesse, but would she stoop to spreading a baseless rumour?
Is it baseless though?
Are you only asking that because you want there to be a shadowcat under that lamb cloak?
Hmm. Either way, it wouldn't make sense for Laena to tell me she had seen Lynesse if it was her spreading the rumour. That would basically be admitting to it, and she wouldn't be so careless as to implicate herself.
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Aug 4, 2019 6:08:46 GMT 1
Lynesse's nose pinched at the mere mention of the place. "The Rutting Boar?" A rosy blush bloomed in her cheeks as she stifled a girlish giggle, taking a long moment to collect herself. "I would be most wroth at such a suggestion Ser Trystane, but I know such a mistruth is not of your own design, nor intended by you to do me harm. You are Dornish, and open-minded, and so you forgive in a maiden what I would never permit or forgive in myself." Her blush deepened as he confessed trust and intimacy. What did she feel? Confusion mostly. A layer of affection over a thick pit of murky blackness, a pleasant cosmetic over gnarled scar tissue. In looking on Trystane and hearing his words she became aware of her own brokenness. The same brokenness that had stirred her words at Summerhall. The same brokenness that has made her look on him as a tool to be used, rather than an earnest young man, striving to do justice in an unjust world. She turned away from that brokenness, because she could not feel the limits of its hold upon her heart, and was not ready, yet, to challenge it. Her brow furrowed as she pondered various impossibilities. "I would wave off your witness, but for the fact that Ser Eustace has already drawn the connection himself. If your witness is not his creature, then that is a second source for the event, lending it credibility. It would not be impossible for someone to place a lady of similar complexion and clothing to myself in such a location, but to what end, other than the sullying of my name? .""Rather than obscure his suspicion, Eustace seeks to draw more attention to it. I wonder how many other acquaintances he has asked the same question of, "have you news of my niece's time at this whorehouse? I am most concerned for her reputation, such and so on." The weasel, the adder, the viper!" Lynesse fumed. "As if this was not how such a rumour might gain legs and walk to begin with, but an uncle's loose tongue, all while wearing the face of civility and concern." As she spoke, Lynesse became more certain of the truth of her words. This was how Eustace would work. This was his style. "And the best among them, yourself included, why of course they follow up such a rumour, and ask questions of those who might be seen at such a place, those with loose tongues themselves, and the rumour spreads further, until so many have asked and answered among those who WERE there, that many presume there must be some truth to it, perhaps remembering a face that was not there, simply because they have been asked to recall it! The absolute gall of it.""Were there an ounce of truth to my uncle, he would have made the inquiry of me, or of the Blackbriars, who can account for my movements at the time in question, but there is not, and he has not."She looked him dead in the eye, meeting his compelling stare with her own , 'And so you see, dear Trystane, you have already been drawn into the plots against me."
Initiate IntrigueTTales Initiative: 5d6k4+1 19ID: 12 DR: 3 [Disposition, Amiable] Composue: 12/12 Free Action: Breeding vs Passive Will(Dedication) TTales Free Breeding: 7d6k5+1 23 Goal: Incite - Ser Eustace is playing you like a fiddle, prostituting your honour to spread rumours at my expense. Mistrust and obstruct him. I think the nature of this intrigue is going to force Lynesse to use specialties she isn't particularly good at, and I may seek some advice in the OOC thread about how to choose the most appropraite specialty. |
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Post by Trystane Sand on Aug 12, 2019 23:07:20 GMT 1
When she blushes prettily and speaks of his open-mindedness and forgiveness of things others would not, he cannot help but smile at her. He is not even fully aware of how thoroughly she is winning him over without even seemingly trying.
"My lady, I could forgive you many things, even aside from my differing cultural attitude to seeking..."
Pleasure? No, too salacious-sounding. She won't like that. Be courtly.
"...companionship," he says, choosing his wording carefully.
He has to stop himself from flirting more, lest he scare her off, and so turns his demeanour more serious, addressing a related matter that had been on his mind.
"I confess that I had previously felt some measure of vexation about some things said in the past, but I have forgiven them, for I believe the words to have come from a misguided place, and from a lack of understanding about my people rather than real malice. Or perhaps just from how your uncle treats you, which would be understandable."
He looks at her directly, trying to make his sincerity felt.
"I have seen what real malice towards the Dornish looks like, and I see none of it in you."
He lets the short but more intimate moment go after a scant few seconds, remembering himself, and the seriousness of what else they were discussing.
"Perhaps there may be something in that, something that your uncle seeks to stir up or to mould to his own ends. Perhaps it is a show of power towards you for resisting his plans. It does seem strange that he has not confronted you about it though. That I did not know, and it does arouse suspicion. I'm not sure his goal is to sully your name, at least not as an end in itself. You do have a point that he may have asked others, and in doing so reinforces the rumour. But would that not work against his plan to marry you into House Merryweather by lowering your perceived value? Surely he would not undermine his own bargaining resource without a reason."
If it sounded like Trystane doubted Lynesse, it barely lasted a moment, as he once again met her eyes, this time not with his easy smile but with concern and purpose. Clearly her warning to mistrust Eustace have reached their mark.
"We must learn his true intent somehow. I would not be used in this way, nor let you be held hostage to his selfish ambitions. I have no desire to be his instrument, nor to be a fly in his web. But I must stay in it long enough to get you out. So, what shall we do about it? He is clever and more dangerous than I, so confrontation is out of the question. Telling him I found no truth in the rumour is trivial, though if what you say is correct, he will not accept that. How then do we subvert his will?"
"We"
He realises right then that he has been saying it to her. Not "I", like how he did when asking his siblings or friends for advice. It is no longer about him sweeping by to rescue a damsel, but a conspiracy of two, an implicit assumption of them working together. How quickly he was looking into Lynesse's eyes and thinking of "us" rather than "me". How unlike himself too, so unaccustomed to real closeness that only one person had ever gotten him to speak of "we" before now.
No intrigue needed, according to Father. Our goals are similar enough. Trystane will work quietly against Eustace and wants Lynesse to help him in whatever ways she can.
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Aug 15, 2019 1:55:07 GMT 1
“By nature he is drawn to power, and is willing to ruthlessly use those who he can manipulate, and remove those he cannot. This is why I sought to warn you against him.”
“Spreading such a rumour about me would drag my name into the ditch with reputable lords, but titillate the worst of their peers. Lord Eldon, and men like him, perhaps some few Lords in Dorne, may look upon such a rumoured transgression as,” Lynesse blushed, embarrassed, “a sign of inclinations, dispositions, or appetites that they find desireable in a match. Chastity is a virtue before the Seven, but not in the eyes of such men.”
The most direct paths to power that lie before Ser Eustace are in using his influence as the regent of House Daverhyl to influence the Hightower succession, and to marry me off to the highest bidder, to seek the inheritance of House Daverhyl, and to build influence within House Blackmont, or supplant their main line in favour of himself.” She stated these designs in increasing order of magnitude and difficulty. Ser Eustace is a careful man, who guards his person and his secrets well. But in the pursuit of his goals he is more likely to extend himself and expose his true nature. If he seeks to marry me to a high lord, social custom dictates that he visit upon that lord, rather than receive him in the safety of Mustard Hall. If he plots again to harm my brother, his agents might reveal themselves, though I do not count such a thing likely,” she mused darkly. “If he was given reason to focus his attention more closely on what could be pursued in House Blackmont, it might at least buy me and my brother time, and some short reprieve from his abuses.” She wondered at the scope of Ser Eustace’s plans, and whether he looked on Blackmont as an ally or a possible conquest. She remembers Trystane's personal stake, and offers him a warning. “If he does seek to advance himself in the Blackmont succession, Lady Amata Gargalen will find herself in grave personal danger, though there is little we can do to aid her.”
“I will not urge a particular course to thwart him, for none presents itself as yet. Perhaps go to him with what you have heard from your source, for if he has laid bread crumbs, he will expect you to find them. Win what little trust he has, but do not find yourself in his debt, for he will sully your honour simply to make you a more pliable tool for his purposes. With luck, he may expose himself by underestimating you, and we can set matters to right.”
She steels herself again, knowing that what she was to ask for next was perhaps more than he could accommodate, and certainly more than she had any right to ask. She clears her throat and holds tightly to her reins as she begins, finding her eyes pulled away from Trystane's as she contemplates her failings "Regarding another matter, that we have danced around for some time. I could blame my Uncle for my words at Summerhall, that he has darkened my predisposition to his Rhoynish kin, but I am not prone to blaming others for my personal failings. I have sent a letter of apology to Lord Ulbert Starkwood for my uncouth words at Summerhall, but fear they will accomplish little. I have offered to assist in whatever matter I can regarding the investigation into Lady Ashara's death, but he has little reason to trust or value such an offer. I have wronged your hosts in the Reach and find few opportunities to set matters to right. The sole untested idea I do have, I would benefit greatly from a friendly face who might present the idea to the Starkwood Maester, but if it is foolish or hare-brained, then I would take seriously any advice on the matter." She does not pose the idea directly, as yet, unsure at how Trystane might respond.
Don't worry about the intrigue then  . I think Lynesse was a little paranoid about Trystane, but if it's mechanically superfluous then we shan't worry about it. For now, Lynesse is happy for Trystane to continue co-operating with Eustace, but her warnings of the dangers of doing so are deadly serious. As for this second matter, it's unlikely that Trystane has heard of the letter if Lord Ulbert wasn't sharing it about the household, but it was certainly sent.
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Post by Trystane Sand on Aug 19, 2019 1:54:43 GMT 1
Trystane nods along thoughtfully with what Lynesse tells him about Eustace and Eldon, and their respective nefarious goals.
"It does seem that your uncle must have a reason to want your good name sullied. I suppose I need not fully understand it all at once to begin working against it. But you are right, we must be careful, and I should assume he expects me to find certain information. As long as you consent to it, I will tell him what my informant told me. Hmm, perhaps I should be wary of that informant too. Gods, how do people do this? Once you know you cannot trust one person, it becomes a cascade of distrust where you cannot make decisions because you never truly know who is false."
He shakes his head incredulously and sighs.
"It is moments like this when I realise just how sheltered I was back home. My mother went to great lengths to keep me from learning how treacherous the world is."
While it is somewhat uncomfortable that the subject of Summerhall comes up, Trystane actually feels a sort of relief that it does, and he offers Lynesse a sympathetic smile.
"It is good that you have been able to reflect on your error. If only more people did the same. It might have been better to include Lady Allyria in your letter too, but I am sure Lord Ulbert took your words in earnest and relayed them to her. I can certainly enquire and help with that next time I see them. If I might offer some advice, a letter to Lady Laena might be a good idea. She and Ashara were as close as sisters, and she has been hit hard by both Lady Ashara's murder and the terrible insults spoken at her funeral. While I am fully aware that yours were the least among them, it might yet be prudent to extend your apology to her. She can be quick to anger, but she is not unreasonable, and she respects people who take responsibility for their actions. You have a fine way with words, my lady, so I am sure that your sincerity in your regret will come through and ease my sister's acrimony."
He remembers that she mentioned Summerhall for a reason, and draws the conversation back to it.
"I'd also be happy to explore your suggestion to do with Maester Ronnel that you mentioned, if it is within my power. Can you tell me more about it?"
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Aug 20, 2019 9:11:57 GMT 1
Lynesse tilted her head, with a sympathetic smile tweaking the corners of her lips upward. Such distrust had been her bread and butter for years, though she would have traded it in an instant. "This has also been my experience of distrust. It is the age we live in, regrettably, where even the bonds of kinship and family are not a sure safeguard.
I have found it best to presume distrust, but to risk trust with those precious few, knowing that it might fail, but preferring a life enriched with fellowship nonetheless."
“I find myself driven to ask, how precisely did she accomplish this in a land such as Dorne?” Lynesse asks curious to hear more of Trystane’s time across the Red Mountains “I do not mean to insult, but Dorne has its own robust reputation as a land of intrigue and deception.”
Lynesse was intrigued by Trystane’s words of Laena. Less at the prospect of her anger, than Trystane’s clear implication that this was an unwise or unfortunate position to find oneself. Still, his words were thoughtful and considerate.
“I will seek to do as you suggest, though I do not know Lady Laena personally. Perhaps the days ahead will give us a chance to speak face to face and make such apology personally. She is Lady Ashara’s kin?”
Maester Ronnel has produced evidence to support Ser Roland Cordwayner’s claim to Hammerhal. I thought perhaps I might discharge a debt to both the Starkwoods and to Ser Roland Cordwayner, who my uncle Sandor nearly butchered, by finding other Maesters to lend weight to this evidence. Oldtown is full of such learned men, and a few, carefully chosen, would likely take an interest simply because it is such a topical affair these days. It seemed an honourable way to set things right, or at least to begin to.
I would need to have Maester Ronnel's findings copied, so that I might have them presented by others who could support his claims and add weight to Ser Roland's claims, strengthening the chance that the matter can be resolved without further bloodshed." Lynesse's reply is heartfelt and clearly worded, as though she had spent some time weighing the merit of these words, either in preparing them for Trystane, or perhaps entertaining a fierce debate with her own conscience.
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Post by Trystane Sand on Aug 22, 2019 2:40:17 GMT 1
(I apologise for the wall of text.)
That smile. Coy but knowing. The implication that he is one of the few she trusts, and that she considers it enriching. It all generates a warmth in Trystane that is wholly unexpected. He almost reaches for her hand again, but his fingers never move from Bard's reins. The horse lets out a snort - almost derisory, like he can hear the fluttering in his master's heart and finds it tedious.
"It must be very lonely, living like that. I'm sorry you have had to build a wall around yourself just to survive. I am glad that, though few, there are yet some you trust. I hope you never have cause to doubt any of those chosen few. Such a rare thing as trust is precious.
It feels as though their agreement about Eustace has lifted a weight from between them, and his shoulders relax as she begins to ask him questions.
"I take no insult by your asking about Dorne's reputation, my lady, though I think it no more or less treacherous than the rest of the Realm. The bits I have seen so far, at least. As to my mother managing to shield me from much of the courtly intrigue, well, I grew up in the Water Gardens, which is by design a haven from such things. My mother is also..."
He realises the words are still forming. The new, more complete understanding of Talya Martell that had begun to take shape after he left. But he had only said the barest hint of it to one other person before - Daeron, and even then a part of him did not want it to be true.
"...She is very... innocent, naive even, and I knew no better than what she told me. I honestly have no idea how she kept my perceptions so narrow for so long though. I'm only starting to really think about it and piece it together now. It's like I had a blind spot... like I didn't see anything she didn't want me to see. I am her only child, and her obsession with my father ran very deep in her, so I think she was willing to go to great lengths to keep me as naive as her so I wouldn't leave her - though this is conjecture."
Just be honest. Tell her your mother is mad and made you mad along with her by filling your head with fantasies your whole life.
"I wasn't totally credulous, though," he hastens to add. "I was aware of politics going on, but she had sort of... trained me not to look too closely. I remember just focusing on learning to ride and hunt and enjoy the arts. And by the time I was of age, I was too wrapped up in youthful frivolities that I may as well have been in another world. My 'political' world was the world of petty jealousies and squabbling love rivals. It was once Ser Owyn convinced her to let me become his squire that I travelled out of Sunspear and started to learn more of the real world, though I was now behind everyone else in that wisdom. And, to be honest, I don't think it's all her fault. I am an idealist and a romantic at heart, I think, and that will always mean the cruelties of the world disappoint me, even if I grow accustomed to them."
He lets out a small, sad sigh.
"I'm sorry I don't have a good, uncomplicated answer for you. You have found me at a time when I am looking back on the past twenty years and finding that it was not as I remembered, and I'm still working out what it means."
He gives her an apologetic little smile. The least he can do after waffling on about half-constructed memories and interpretations of a woman he felt he knew less and less the more he thought on her. The question about Laena comes as a relief. A question he can give a more solid answer to.
"Laena and Ashara were sisters in spirit, though only cousins in blood. I think, to her, that is even closer than blood, in a way. After all, we don't choose our families, and so we can be kin to those we do not hold dear, something we both understand firsthand. Whereas we choose who to hold in our hearts..."
He places a hand over his heart for emphasis.
"...so choosing, and being chosen in return, becomes deeply meaningful. From the few dragon-blooded people I have met, few of them are effusive with their love, so to bear Ashara so much of it openly is no small thing for my sister, I think. Don't feel like you must push for a meeting with her, but if your paths do cross, I think being as open with her as you have been with me on the matter of what you said would clear the air. If you felt anxious about it, I would even be there as moral support, if you wanted."
Her proposal to copy Maester Ronnel's writings in support of Ser Roland leaves him nodding along by the end of the first sentence, and he has to keep himself from interrupting with a firm "yes".
"I consider Ser Roland a good friend and one of the realm's most honourable men. I will gladly help with this. Ronnel would likely also be able to identify which of the other Maesters at Oldtown would be supportive. Are you thinking of us meeting with the Maester, or would we be clandestinely copying the notes? I am your man either way. I just need to know if we'll be asking permission or begging forgiveness."
His smile then is not self-effacing or subtle, as before, but a slightly crooked grin that promises mischief if one but asks for it.
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. I think Lynesse was a little paranoid about Trystane, but if it's mechanically superfluous then we shan't worry about it.