| Goodcousins |
| Summary: | Nerys moves into her room, Tiaryn comes to catch up. |
| Date: | 06/10/2012 |
| Related Logs: | Nerys Arrives: And From The North. And gets herself a room: A Guest In Highfield. |
| Players: |
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| Nerys' Guest Room — Highfield Keep |
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| Fresh rushes cover the floor of this guest room. A large four post bed sits of centered in one corner. Heavy curtains are pulled back upon entrance to show a lush, light blue velvet coverlet over a feather down mattress. Golden wheat stalks are haphazardly embroidered on the fabric's soft surface. Small tables sit to each side of the bed, on the surfaces of which sit a candle stick and holder. Another table modest in size, is set to the center of the room with two small soft cushioned chairs seated at its left and right. A couple of shelves are set about the room to house the private book collection of whomever resides, a wardrobe sits in one corner for the guests belongings. A window whose heavy coverings are pulled back by day, let a warm sunny glow in. By night, they are loosed and cast the room in complete darkness. |
| 6 Oct, 289 AL |
That steady trickle of black and grey has been moving through the courtyard and into the east wing of the keep for most of the afternoon. It's not that the woman brought everything she might need if it should turn out the world was ending, but a noble woman does have needs and some baggage just can't be helped. But at least she's not unwilling to help, though it's hot and tiring work, particularly as very few of her dresses have been re-tailored for this warmer weather. And perhaps that's why the door has been left open, to encourage the breeze, and the lady in question is currently standing atop one of her chests, sticking a head out the window like some common fishwife hawking her wares. Lucky for her the window opens up on nothing but a few of the far keep wall.
Tia has been here for a while, a guest room of her own, and more and more of the requirements of nobility back in her care over time. She was just passing by, but the open door invites exploration, so she pokes her head in, her guard and maid hanging back a bit. They're both in the hall though, and close enough for propriety. As Tia spies who is in there, her head tilts a bit. "Good day," she calls out, a curious but sunny tone in her voice.
There's little need to worry about propriety as is. Two of the handmaids that made the journey with Nerys are inside the room, working on unpacking some of her clothes, organizing them in some convoluted order that clearly no one but they are meant to know. Her guard, assigned by Anders isn't lounging, exactly, more like looking a bit horrified at the clothes being piled up all around him. The sound of the greeting brings Nerys around, though she's still standing on the chest. If Tiaryn does recall the young woman, she looks similar enough to the girl she was that a name can be placed with a face. But the younger girl has an advantage on the older. Being already a woman grown when Nerys last saw her goodcousin, her features have not changed so much, "Lady Tiaryn! A good day to you." Hands lift her skirts to allow her to hop down, stockinged feet making much less noise than her boots might have.
Tia has a bard's gift for names and faces, but even so, it takes her a few moments to place the young woman's name, it having been some time. "Nerys? You have grown!" she exclaims, as she steps into the room. The guard gets a look, but Tia has her own Jacob guard, so she doesn't pay much attention to the other. "I thought I'd heard a rumour that you were arriving here. It is nice to see you." Tia's all in green, her own clothing quite nice, though far from the greys of the Flints.
"Only a little, and not all in the right places," is the girl's laughing answer. The room, for all its comforts, is not large, and it does not take but a few paces to bridge the distance between Tiaryn and herself, Nerys holding out her hands for the other woman to take, or not, as she pleases. "Goodcousin. You are still my goodcousin, aren't you? That Charlton devil hasn't stolen you away yet, has he?" But the tone of her voice is teasing, and there's no sting in the words. "Father told me Uncle Tulketh had told him." Nothing is sacred amongst family.
Tia promptly reaches for Nerys' hands, as they are offered. "I should think it looks to be all in the right places to me," she replies warmly. And then at the next, she laughs softly. "I am still your good cousin yes, for a short while, at the least. And even after that, even if not officially. You will meet my Lord Saethwyr I am sure. How was the trip?" She stays away from the topic of Tulketh, not entirely in favour with everyone back up North and well aware of that.
If allowed, Nerys will lead Tiaryn over towards the best, as yet uncluttered, the clothing not yet having spilled so far out into the room, "You are as good at overlooking my faults as ever you were. Come and sit!" It's been a long day, and will likely be longer still, relaxation should be taken when it presents itself. As for the girl herself, she climbs up onto the bed as though she were eight again and not eighteen, settling in cross-legged, skirts pooled all around her, "Long, and cold, and dreary and cold and wet. We took a ship, the Sea Courser, down from the Island to the Cliffs. The seas were terrible, some of the most ferocious storms I've seen. Did you know we nearly ran aground on the Stony Shore?" A wave of her hand, at Tiaryn's words, "You'll always be my goodcousin. You'll always be family."
Tia does go over to the bed, settling down at the edge and grinning at the younger woman, at her answer. "No, I did not know you nearly ran aground. It must have been quite an adventure," she says simply. "How much have you seen and learned already now that you are here?" she asks, her head tilting slightly. "There is a lot of gossip to be heard, unfortunately. And it is not all of it complimentary." Her maid comes into the room of course, though Jacob takes up a position in the hall.
"It was a terribly horrible adventure." That's almost said in what would be a serious tone, if her eyes were not so merry. "Mistress Meribald, the oarsmistress said if any of us should fall overboard, I'd be the most likely to survive, as I'd be the most apt to float." A hand claps over her mouth, not at all muffling the laughter, before she settles back onto the bed, "In truth, I had heard very little. Of Anders and his Lady Wife only the brief reports he sends home. We'd heard of the hostilities, we even traveled under the peace banner of the seven, though I did feel badly appropriating such a symbol, but of this house itself, very little, only what Anders writes, and you know he is not fond of idle gossip."
"I should hope he's not, though there are some bits of news that might be transmitted, as they are not idle gossip," Tia says, with a slight tsk. "At least if you fell overboard you have an advantage. I am certain I should sink like a stone," Tia retorts, though she then adds, "Lady Cherise seems to be quite ill, not doing at all well," she says softly. "And Lady Cordelya is having a most difficult time with this child. It is something heartbreaking, in many ways." Tia's voice sobers as she slowly speaks, filling in just a little bit of information.
"Father has sent me to assist Anders' as I may, in his endeavours for the House and to see that I help to protect him and the heir that is coming as well. If he has sent other word, Father did not tell me, but I was at the Finger only for a fortnight, before he sent me on. If there are things you think I should know, I would hear them. Serious and then sunny again, "We shall have to endeavour to fall overboard together." And then, as quickly, serious, "If we were home, or closer to the Neck. A woodswitch would put them both to rights, I know it. Or so I would believe. I know hardly anything at all of healing."
Tia nods her head, amusement flying over her face for a moment. "Only if you rescue me, as I cannot swim," she says, something that still has not changed. "But as for things you should know - there is the first bit, about Corrie and Lady Cherise." She switches to the familiar name for Corrie that has been used by Tia for quite some time, without thinking about it. "It is quite a distance to find such a person, clearly. Woodswitch or treetouched. Though - were Corrie well, I think she might be able to help Lady Cherise." There is a frown for a moment, and then a shrug. "As it is, I cannot think how I might even begin to assist, where a Maester has failed."
"I would rescue you as a good woman should." But as the older woman speaks, Nerys takes her time, considering the news, and the words she chooses next, none of the cheer of only a few moments before showing in her expression. And in that more sober expression, it is much easier to see that echo of her eldest brother in her, "Has anyone thought to send word to the other Houses? Surely thy must have others skilled in healing, or is the Lord too proud to admit his weakness?" How many woman have died because their husbands could not set aside their pride?
"I have not had occasion to ask Lord Aleister," Tia admits slowly, "though rumour is that someone has gone to look for help. One of her handmaids at the least." She only wishes that she had more information at this point. "And to be truthful, I have been lost in the woods more often than not, since I came here to Highfield. As often as I could be, at least. I had missed the trees." Those simple words maybe recall a much younger Tiaryn arriving at Flint's Finger so long ago. "I am thus not as current on the gossip and all that is going on as I should be. It may be time to correct that."
"And I do not know him well enough to ask. I do not imagine any man would take kindly to a stranger prying into his personal affairs." Publicly, at least. Gossiping is, well, as long as it's not overheard, out of sight out of mind, "There is a comfort in the trees. I would not begrudge it to you. As for myself, I miss snow, and winter. This place seems…too warm, too…bare," without a blanket of snow and ice everywhere. "Perhaps so…we could start with creating some gossip of our own…come." A smile, some attempt to return some of the good cheer of their first meeting, as Nerys leads her goodcousin over towards one of the chests she brought with her.
