| Curing Ignorance |
| Summary: | Cherise visits with Ramsey, a cousin and also imprisoned, who has been estranged from the Riverlands for almost two decades. |
| Date: | 8/6/2012 |
| Related Logs: | They Came in the Night |
| Players: |
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| Ramsey's Guest (Prison) room, Tordane Tower |
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| Normal room with no bars? |
| Thursday June 7, 289 |
She had never left Aerick out of her sight and nor her arms, even if the lady Cherise chose to remain in her room seeking no other contact besides demanding to speak with her husband. When denied the lady had chosen to instead visit with other kin and offer what little words of condolences that she may. With the sleeping Aerick in arms, bundled in a blanket, Cherise had proceeded towards Ramsey's assigned chambers. Septa Enya would knock on the door due to the lady's full arms.
"Come in…" Ramsey's voice drifts outward, and when they open the door, they'll see the man stripped down to his breeches, standing in front of a mirror. He's rinsing off a shaving blade and lifting it to delicately groom the faint goatee that he has going on. His silk shirt is hanging damp over the back of a chair, likely drying after a rinsing.
Septa Enya pressed to the door, opening it for Lady Cherise and son with guards posted in the hallway. They were not given a second thought as the woman pressed into the room. "You're Lord Ramsey?" Hearing only his name for the first time during these statements of questioning the lady had a natural inquisitive interest in a good cousin she had yet to meet.
Ramsey narrows his eyes at himself in the mirror for a moment, wholly focused on the facial trimming. Then he lowers the blade and turns to look. He has a lean, toned frame. There's no great bulk of muscle, though his upper arms do have a bit of definition to them. He probably has some skill with that braavosi blade of his that was taken away. His torso bears a couple of scratches, but he doesn't have the plethora of scars that professional soldiers or knights usually accumulate. "I am." He offers a smooth, graceful bow that's slightly over-flamboyant in it's execution, then flashes a charming smile. "Two lovely ladies enter my room. I am wondering who they are…"
The Septa nods her head appropriately, silent beneath the highborn's introduction. "Cherise, Aleister is my husband." Her eyes shift left, "And this is Septa Enya." Lovely was a courtesy as the woman was quite aged in her years. With the bundled young her arm Cheris continues with the man, "And our son, Aerick who appears to have taken to the relocation quite nicely." The young was slumbering peacefully. "If you would forgive my husband and I for not making your aquaintence sooner, things have been quite unsettling as of late." Given slightly faded bruise upon her cheek that was left unpowdered.
Ramsey shares the charm equally between Cherise and the aged septa equally. "Ahhh, then it is twice a pleasure to meet you. Your beauty was a pleasure for my eyes and your relation is a joy for my heart." He says after he learns her name and association. He peers at Aerick curiously, leaning in a bit to get a look at the child, "A strong babe." He observes. "I am cousin to Aleister, though I do not think we have met that I can recall." He reaches to set the blade aside, then takes up the silk shirt and shake it out a few times.
When Cherise makes her apology, a wry smile tugs at Ramsey's lips. "Yes. I am learning this. Unsettled is an apt word for the situation."
The guards ensured the door will be left open during Cherise's visit with kin. As Ramsey spoke both lady and Septa offered up their utmost attention. "M'lord cousin is far too kind with his words and still they are appreciated." She couldn't hold back the small threat of smile while lowering her eyes and guising that blush within the awe of observing her young. "He is son of Jon and Kaytlin, grandfathered by Lord Ramsey." The Charltons had a wide branch so it was no surprise there had been a few she had not met, given she and Aleister were a few months over a year deep into the nuptuals.
"Stonebridge seems to have its fair share of situations cousin, this, I am afraid, is unfortunately one of them. And I am afraid ignorance would be far from bliss for you."
Ramsey pulls on the shirt, though it's dampness sends a little wash of goosebumps over his skin. As he deftly ties a few of the laces, he gives Cherise a nod. "Yes. This I remember. His father, Jon, is brother to my own father, Brenton." The man's lips break into a grin, "My name was chosen after Lord Ramsey." Mirth dances in his eyes, "I do not think I take after him much beyond that, however."
The smile fades when she brings up the matter of ignorance and bliss. He speaks more softly, glancing towards the guards at the door, "A man has had little opportunity to remedy the ignorance he has for this situation. An attempt to explain his uninvolvement bore no fruit."
Infected by his mirth the corners of Cherise's mouth deepens as she sways with Aerick in her arms. "I am afraid I know very little of the late Lord Ramsey only that he was a very wise man. A mind that could forsee ten steps ahead of any course of action." The lady softly laughed, "As for his other habits well, Lady Keera has been strictly tight lipped." The implications there could be endless.
Her amusement had faded quickly as the dark clouds of realization of their current situation rolled with haste. "It wouldn't." Truth be told however Cherise's voice remained at her normal range as to not give the guards issue for concern. "Stonebrige is in peril between two house. Our hosts the Naylands and the Tordanes. Particularly between the legal claims two children, one a daughter married to the Naylands and the son, a former bastard made legitimized. The King had ruled in favor of the bastard, who was then challenged by Ser Rygar and lost his life." Cherise pauses a little, swallowing as thought forced her eyebrows to knit closer. "My cousin, Danae Westerling accepted the legitmized bastard as her husband. She is now the widowed Tordane and one who may or may not be carrying the legal heir to Stonebridge."
As if to keep the young Aerick in slumber Cherise had begun pacing back and forth in slow movements. "As to why we are here I do not know. He mentioned the charge was agitation, but of what? We've done nothing wrong to the Naylands since our arrival. I was their guest, I had my son their tower for Seven Hells." The Septa murmured a soft prayer of forgiveness.
Ramsey grins at the compliments that she pays to the late Lord Charlton. "A good man to share a name with, I think." He comments. His hands drop from the laces of the shirt and he leaves it untucked, simply clasping his hands comfortably behind his back. As Cherise explains the situation, he follows her pacing with his eyes and a serious expression on his face. "This is a very interesting situation." He comments at the end.
The young man's eyes wander to the guards outside the door, and then he looks back to Cherise, "Two houses have a quarrel, and a third is swept up and locked away. A third, powerful house. Yes? It is a perfect time for things to be done while a matter of arrest is being settled, no? While all eyes are on this situation, what is being done in the shadows? This is what Ramsey wants to know."
Interesting to some. Cherise continued her idled pacing back and forth even as Ramsey spoke. She glanced to Ramsey before speaking. "Powerful yes but Stonebridge has no interest to the Charltons. My husband has been immensely dedicated to the construction of a cadet house, Highfield just a little east of the Fallen Oaks. Men have been constantly traveling back and forth between there and here." She guarded her words due to the unwanted ears just outside of Ramsey's door. "As for our current situation we may only need to wait and see what fabricated law they accuse us of breaking when this entire time not one of them has attempted to open up talks with my husband. They take his solidarity demeanor as a means of insult I suppose." The woman chuckles a little. "Aleister is not the warming sort."
Ramsey just nods, "Charlton's interest may not be in Stonebridge, but there is interest in Charlton, yes?" He asks. "To pull people from their beds in an inn in the dark of night. This is a big fuss to make. All ears and ears are on the fuss. They are not on the Naylands or the voice that whispered in the Nayland's ear." He watches Cherise, waiting a moment, then adds, "As you say. They do not make talk with Aleister. They wish to close eyes to other actions."
Cherise is given pause in her walk with Aerick as Ramsey speaks. "Perhaps." The word is drawn out as if the man was resposible for a spark of insight flashing in her mind. "Danae is my cousin the one who holds them from being the lawful lords of Stonebridge, surely you do not think all this is because we are kin?" The woman shakes her head. "The Charltons will make a powerful ally to any who may wish to seek it, if this is the Nayland's method of gaining one's attention …" The woman exhaled slowly as she and child relocated to a nearby chair. The Septa remained standing, ever quiet and mindful of the guards in the hall. "This was too drastic and highly unnecessary."
Ramsey gives the woman a little non-committal shrug. "There is not enough that Ramsey knows of this place to say. Kinship is a powerful thing. It pulls a man into situations he does not expect." There's another wry smile on his lips as he gestures at the room around them. Then he moves over to another chair and slinks down into it.
"None of us had expected this cousin." That is said with certainty as she shifts Aerick's head upon her shoulder, stroking the babe's back while he sleeps. "Let us use this time to become better aquainted with one another hmm?" Cherise smiles, cuddling her son's warm body against her unblemished cheek. "If you do not mind endulging my natural curiosities."
Ramsey gives Cherise another nod, that grin working onto his lips again, "Then I am lucky to be part of such excitement." He says with that mirth back in his eyes. When she suggests becoming better acquainted, the man twists in his chair. He hangs one arm over the back as he leans his side against it and stretches his legs out, crossing them at the ankle. "Speak of your curiosities, beautiful cousin."
Aerick stirs awake, making baby cooing sounds while having his back rubbed. "I see your pools of charm are bottomless." Cherise smirks while asking, "When had you last stepped foot in Hollyholt?"
"Let us hope we do not drop anything into the water, then." Ramsey quips with another grin, a relaxed ease falling over him as he lounges on the chair. "My feet were but four years old when they last walked the lands of Hollyholt." He answers, then asks a question in return, "Where does the lady hail from before she was wed?"
Cherise laughs softly, "Fear not cousin, I can swim passably well." While seated a set of large blue eyes survey the man's immensely relaxed demeanor while she maintained a level of propriety even in the company of kin. "Four? That is quite a long time, do you remember anyting at all from there?" She asked while also sharing. "The Crag. House Westerling was my maiden house."
Ramsey meets her gaze confidently, that casual mirthful demeanor lingering on his face. "The time is long, yes. There are memories this man has that are very faint. He does not know if they are real or imaginations dreamed up as a child. They are pleasant imaginings, though. I think that means I liked Hollyholt. How do you find the house of Charlton?"
Listening Cherise nods when it is appropriate. "I cannot imagine who wouldn't find a fondness of Hollyholt. The impressive halls and landscaping alone is simply beautiful." Compared to the broken down halls of the Crag. "Charlton found me, particularly Aleister did. They desired access to some of the mines in the Westerlands as I suppose the majority of them, once belonged to my maiden House, are now firmly locked in the grasp of others." She forced a soft sound of amusement through her thick lips, "Lacking those mines I would wager I'd still be in the Westerlands perhaps married to some pauper."
Ramsey's smile grows when Cherise speaks fondly of Hollyholt. "It is a nice place, then? That is good." He says warmly, "I shall look forward to seeing it again." As she explains about the mines, he quickly shakes his head, eyes sparkling again as he replies, "No pauper would be married to you. A man that married Cherise would immediately become rich for having such a kind, lovely lady for his bride."
"It is." She compliments her 'home' away from home away from another home. A thought kept to herself caused her lips to curl into another smile. "Flatterer." She accuses him while attempting to return onto her feet with Septa Enya's aid. Once on her feet, "I suppose we shall be here for some time cousin, I would not mind if we are at least make the most of our restricted freedoms. I wish you a good day." Permitted only to nod her head due to the wriggling Aerick against her shoulder Cherise begins to start for the door until something urged her to turn around, "If I may, why do you speak in such a tongue? So… 'strange'?"
Ramsey just gives a little bow of his head when she accuses him of flattery. "I like to see your smile." He says in answer to the statement. When she rises, the young man stands as well. "Thank you for the visit. I am glad we have met." He says with another warm, charming smile for her. Her question of his dialect brings him pause, "It is the way things are spoken in Braavos. The tongue of the free cities…", he thinks for a moment, "arranges words differently."
"Then I should gladly wear one freely." With no effort, however as 'prisoners' she may wear it less. "The Free cities? I would love to hear more about it when we are permitted each other's company once again. Until then, be well. I will pray our stay is just temporary." And not fatal. "It has been a great pleasure cousin Ramsey in meeting you." Another bow of her head would send she and the Septa off for the lady's chambers with her Nayland escort guards.
"If the end of our stay is a gruesome death, this man would rather it be longer." Ramsey says with another grin, but will sweep another elegant bow to Cherise and see her out. "May the evening be pleasant for you both." He says cheerfully.
