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Post by Laena Pyre on Aug 16, 2019 10:08:47 GMT 1
[Chronologically, this occurs during Gorman Peake's Hunt] 'Moral conflict' was not something Laena ever really struggled with. Even if you didn't know exactly why, people always had it coming. At least, for most uses of 'it'. But, annoyingly, one of those rare exceptions had popped up. She could just let it go - it had nothing to do with her. But, as she'd said many times in the past, *inaction* is a choice just as definitively as action, and frequently a cowardly one. She is Laena Pyre. She *acts*. So it is that during Lord Gorman's hunt, she hunts down prey of her own. Having begun incorporating the lessons she learned from her evening with Malyk at the Tear, her attire is harsher and more dominant than the norm, but nowhere near enough to provoke scandal, merely to provide a sharp edge to her refined force of will.
"'Lady' Lynesse Daverhyl." She greets the other lady in a tone that makes clear she gives the title solely to avoid giving her the time a duel would require, than feeling she in any way deserves it. "I won't pretend to be your friend, but there are some fates so terrible that even *you* don't deserve them. Or, if you do, that is solely the Father's domain, not man's. "I heard a rumour that you are not fighting your uncle's intent to marry you to Lord Eldon as much as you could, because you hope to have influence over the 'lord'. If that is true, *know* that you are wrong. That is no insult to you or your capabilities, merely a clear-eyed assessment of Lord Eldon's. "Fight. Fight with everything you have. Even if it costs you everything. Because even if you lose everything in this world, you will pass an intact soul to the Father for the next. And if you don't fight hard enough, if you lose... "...then Lord Eldon will *crush* your soul, and there will be naught left for the Father to judge." She turns to leave. "Heed or ignore my warning as you choose. Either way, my conscience is clear." |
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Aug 20, 2019 9:38:59 GMT 1
A clear conscience is an enviable thing, and a Lord or Lady driven to act by theirs is a precious thing indeed. I thank you for your warning,” Lynesse responded with honest admiration, as she reasoned through the Lady’s harsh tone, Valyrian features, and the content of her warning, “Lady Laena, once of House Starkwood, I presume?”
She does not speak directly to the content of Lady Pyre's warning, for fear that disagreement would interrupt a matter she held more important in her own heart.
I had hoped to track you down personally, but received no reply to any missive sent to House Starkwood. Please, will you do me great honour and share a cup with me? I know neither my inferior rank, nor my previous affront to you and yours gives you any reason to do so, but…
She had more to say, more words that aggrandised Lady Pyre at her own expense, but they tasted sour on her tongue. Insincere.
Laena was on the cusp, the threshold of departure, and she could not dare risk the lady would depart too soon.
“I…” images of the mourners at Summerhall flashed before her some outraged by her words, others adding their own in turn.
Words failed her, as her voice cracked. When they did emerge, her words were tattered, broken things, scoured of artifice and charm, they are more the words of a child than a woman grown.
“I am sorry. For what I did. For those stupid words at a stupid time in a room I should never have been in.”
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Post by Laena Pyre on Aug 20, 2019 11:01:53 GMT 1
Laena pauses, half turned away. She was considering just how rudely she could decline the invitation to a drink without inviting a duel, when the other lady's voice broke as she apologised.
There's a few moment's silence where her thoughts are carefully masked, before she gives a small sigh, then responds softly without turning. "We nobles are raised steeped in pride. In many ways, it defines us. This is why so many would choose an honourable death sooner than humiliation. And why the simple words 'I'm sorry' are so very hard to say. And so valuable when they are."
Another sigh, and she turns back to face Lynesse. "If a drink with me is how you wish to spend that value, I will honour that request." But I'm not drinking from anything that's been out of my sight for even a moment.
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Aug 21, 2019 0:15:38 GMT 1
Lynesse pours two glasses from the same flagon, and offers both to Laena, that she might take her own pick. It is a wordless gesture of hospitality and transparency, and one imagines that the only possible subterfuge would be if both had been tampered with. She sips from her own cup, hesitant to lose her head in front of Lady Laena. Her own clothing is less refined and impressive, the garments of a lesser daughter of a minor house turned ward. She wears her simple Silver Star and the black and green colors of her house.
"My Uncle informed me of his plans to betrothe me to Lord Eldon on the night of Lady Ashara's death. It is the mistake one might expect from a child, rather than a woman grown, to mistake one for another based on a simple shared feature, and to lash out at one because the other is unassailable. It was a foolish mistake. I did not go to the funeral in the expectation of speaking such nonsense. Indeed my goal was to honour her, as my cousins in House Blackbriar did when they stood vigil."
She pauses. Her voice has found its firmness, no longer quavering like some sobbing girl-child, but only by dint of a slow pace, with a tumult of emotions scarce bridled.
"Until Summerhall I had not met a Dornishman who did not wish me personal harm. It has... skewed my view on our cousins from the East. Having met Ser Davos and Ser Trystane, I have been given cause to reflect on preconceptions." Both men had conducted themselves with honour, though in Trystane's case, not without a share of miscommunication.
"I say this not to excuse my actions, but to explain them. I am in the debt of Lady Ashara's kin, yourself included, for the dishonour I laid upon her name. If I can set matters to rights, I will do so gladly, though my means are limited."
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Post by Laena Pyre on Aug 21, 2019 14:32:43 GMT 1
Laena takes one of the offered glasses at random, but waits until she sees Lady Lynesse clearly take a sip, swallow, and talk clearly afterwards before her lips grace her chosen vessel. She too drinks carefully, though more because she's aware of how she can get when she lets loose, and the connections she can make at this event are too important for her interests to have it weakened by over-indulgence.
She listens carefully and silently as Lynesse speaks, sipping lightly occasionally. Letting her say her piece uninterrupted, face clearly assessing, but hiding its assessment.
When she is done, Laena twirls her glass absently in her hands for a few moments before answering. "I was fond of Lord Bryce Bridges. When I was informed of his murder, with no suspects, I too lashed out unwisely - though in my case, at least I targeted *a* villain, if not *the* villain I wanted. Still, it was ... cruder than my usual work. Atypical. So it would be highly hypocritical of me to condemn someone for lashing out atypically after receiving such horrific news. And I do at least try to not consciously be a hypocrite."
She points at the other woman using the hand holding her glass. "You apologise, explain, acknowledge you're giving reasons not excuses, and acknowledge the debt. To me. Given you mentioned his name, I have to ask how much guidance Ser Trystane gave you regarding me."
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Aug 22, 2019 8:48:18 GMT 1
She was as sharp as Valyrian Steel, to draw such a connection between Trystane’s acquaintance and Lynesse’s words, though also suspicious by nature, Lynesse decided, a little perturbed. It was a sobering moment for Lynesse, realising that she was in the company of one more practiced and, and likely more intelligent, than herself. She smiled in what she hoped was a self-aware and disarming manner.
"He had nothing but praise for you, I assure you, though in truth he seemed a shade intimidated, which I could hardly fathom in a knight such as himself, until you descended on me like Queen Rhaenys might have, upon Meraxes," her attempt at humour was couched as praise, and in truth, Lynesse's heart had scarce stopped thundering in her chest since Laena had made herself known.
She considered omitting Trystane's role in her apology, but dismissed it. It would only anger Laena later to learn that she had been dishonest, and undermine whatever progress she might hope to make here today.
"I spoke to him of my regret, and the letter I had sent to Lord Ulbert expressing the same, and he told me of how close you and Ashara were, more sisters than cousins.
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"He did not coach my words… beyond encouraging me to speak with you as I had spoken with him, and written in the letter to Lord Ulbert. In that at least, I owe him full credit. It was shortsighted of me to fall into formality, and apologise for wronging a house by apologising to its Head, when in truth, I had wronged a family, and every member of it, personally.
" Her words remained solemn and contrite when speaking of her past wrong, with none of the self-deprecating humour of her praise.
"As I said, Trystane has given me much cause to reflect on my preconceptions regarding the Dornish.
" In truth there was much to reflect on, and Lynesse had not yet begun to unspool the twisted twine of her own thoughts on the matter. "I hope you will not think me duplicitous, for taking his advice and speaking with you, as I had with him and in my letter to Lord Ulbert." She took small solace in the fact that, if the letter survived, it would speak to her intention to speak openly of the matter, prior to Trystane's advice, though she doubted Laena would be so invested as to check.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Aug 22, 2019 12:41:15 GMT 1
She gives a brief but firm shake of the head. "It is not duplicitous to seek the advice of those who know the one you wish to speak with better. It would have been duplicitous to attempt to claim credit for thoughts which were not yours. I was fairly sure Ser Trystane would have done such. He had attempted to advocate for you to me before. But that was before I was aware of your .. porcine problem, and I was .." her head tilts side to side in thought briefly "..less receptive to his words.
"I will not and cannot speak for Lord Ulbert and Lady Allyria's feelings or actions in this matter. But had you merely sent *me* a letter, the only one to consume it would be my fire. But had you visited before I learned of the .. *weight* of your problems, you may have simply taken your letter's place." Her tone is ambiguous enough that it's hard to tell how serious her words are.
Her gaze and stature firms, and her next words are clearly serious. "What you did was cowardly, immoral, selfish, and hurtful. Injurious to heart and mind both, gaining my hatred and contempt. But in our conversation here, you have displayed the courage to admit wrongdoing and wholeheartedly apologise, you have admitted your flaws and voiced a desire to overcome them, you have given credit to others where it was deserved rather than taking it for yourself, and you have acknowledged the debt your actions caused. All while having the courage to do so face-to-face with me, rather than hiding behind quill and ink and many, many miles.
"So, it is clear to me that the contemptible little *bug* I saw before was an anomaly. A human may fall to the nature of a bug in times of duress, but a bug can only emulate a human rarely and poorly. The injuries to my mind are soothed. Injuries to my heart take longer to heal, however. Though with time, and without further causes for irritation, that wound is likely to follow the mind."
She begins turning to leave. "Take your victory, Lady Lynesse." While far from warm, the title lacks the pure contempt it carried earlier. "You played the game well this time. I will let you know if I come up with a way for you to repay the debt."
[Unless you say something that requires a response, Laena will then swoop off as suddenly as she appeared.]
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Aug 25, 2019 11:26:08 GMT 1
The words were harsh, but not unearned. Lynesse took them in stride, knowing that doing so was the lesser part of her debt to Lady Laena.
She curtsied, again in deference to Laena's higher rank, and bowed her head slightly as the other departed, managing to keep her voice from quavering, "My Lady's will."
And in that moment it was, as Meraxes took flight once more, as quickly as she had descended, and mere mortals did what they might to avoid the dragon's ire.
Only when Laena left did Lynesse dwell further on her words. Trystane had taken her part with Laena when the lady had no reason or inclination to hear it, and when Trystane had no selfish motivation for doing so. That he had failed spoke more of Laena's tenacity than anything else.
With no-one there to see, a pleasant blush suffused Lynesse's cheeks.
[/Scene]
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