Page 366: In Memory
In Memory
Summary: Saffron and Kell finally talk about Elinor.
Date: 22 July 2012
Related Logs: None particularly.
Players:
Saffron Kell 
Coastline, Terrick's Roost
The Cape of Eagles looms out over Ironman's Bay, a vast, blue ocean inlet, that spreads its watery depths out beyond the horizon. The path that leads down to this coast winds down behind the towers for several hundred meters before arriving at the rocky water's edge. Rather than sand, the coast is covered with innumerable smooth and rounded stones about palm-sized. They stretch up and down the coast in all directions with the battered remnants of driftwood scattered about. Above the beach, one every mile or two, are towers with a large bell and mallet atop them which are to be beaten to warn of an incoming invasion. A small dock is being constructed of thick northern timbers, with mooring space for two large ships, or perhaps a half dozen smaller craft.
July 22, 289

Saffron Banefort was seen riding for the Cape's coast some time early in the morning — very early for a noblewoman. She was accompanied by her two offset guards, leaving Mistresses Morla and Hara back at the Roost to inform visitors she would not be returning until late in the afternoon. It is actually just shy of noon when the three horses are seen returning at a rather heavy canter; the chestnut palfrey belonging to the Banefort lady has an empty saddle, and a bedraggled looking Saffron shares a saddle with the lanky Timmen. Her dove-colored dress is torn and stained in blood, and Saffron looks to be holding tightly onto her left leg.

The Coastline is one of the quiet places that Kell favors when he isn't out on his knightly duties of keeping the Roost safe or training with the guards of the Four Eagles. And this is where the Terrick Sworn was headed on his own steed, named Havok. He had heard that Lady Saffron was perhaps there as well so would have assumed he would run into her, but not in this manner. Seeing the state that the Lady is in, Kell's calm expression turns worried, brows furrowing as he kicks his mount to speed to close the distance between himself and the Lady. "Lady Saffron! Timmen! What happened!" Comes the quick question, yelled when he is close enough though his eyes are quickly scanning the surroundings while he waits for an answer.

The sound of the yelling draws her wet head around, a bit of seaweed still clinging to her locks. She is a bit paler than usual, but she actually offers the knight a smile — not as full and dimpled as her normal expression, but still a smile all the same. The horses are guided up to meet the knight, and all begin to slow as to not cause a collision there on the rocky beach. Timmen seems to be mumbling disgruntledly, though only bits and pieces of his complaint is audible, "… fell… told her … stupid…" The Lady in the saddle casts the guard a glare before she turns her gaze back toward Kell. "I'm alright, Ser Kell… I promise. I took a fall from Shygirl. As fate would have it, there was much more than sand to fall on." She winces a bit as she adjusts in the saddle, keeping a hand firmly on her leg.

Hearing that it was only an accidental fall, Kell looks much relieved as if a huge weight of worry had been lifted off of his shoulders. That means it wasn't a group of bandits ambushing the Lady or worse, reavers again. "Thank the Seven…" His eyes does look the girl over to see what wounds she has now gained, the left leg noted though there is not much else the knight can do as his expertise lies in dealing out wounds, not tending them. "I can ride hard back to the Roost to bring healers, and your maidens, to assist you, M'Lady."

"Please, Ser Kell… this may be strange, but regardless of the state, I find this to be fortuitous. I have been trying to find an opportunity to speak with you." She casts a glance toward her other guard. "Master Punbah, could you ride ahead and see if you can find Mistress Dania or even Lady Muirenn?" She smiles toward the rotund of the guards, who nods his head and immediate begins to ride forward on his speedy little rounsey. "Timmen, help me down." The redheaded Banefort smiles toward the lank guard as he awkwardly slides from his saddle as to help the girl down. There is indeed some pain in her eyes as the guard helps her down, and she looks down at the dress. "Ruined," she sighs before she glances up toward Kell. "Do you think its too much to request every sharp rock on the coast be removed?"

The expression Kell has on certainly shows that he finds this strange as he tries to find a way to answer to that. Running a hand through his hair, the knight finally shakes his head slightly, "If you wished to speak with me, all you had to do was seek me out or send me a message, I would've easily made time for you, Lady Saffron." As the Lady sends one of her knights ahead, the Terrick Knight also dismounts from his steed and moves to assist Timmen in helping the Lady off if needed. "Dresses can be replaced, M'Lady, lives cannot." As for the rocks, Kell can only manage a thin grin, looking towards the coast, "It would take quite a bit of time to find all the sharp rocks, M'Lady."

"Ah, well," Saffron manages as she gently rests a hand on Kell's shoulder as he assists, and she sets her feet down into the ground cautiously. There is a bit of pain in her expression as she puts some weight on that leg, and the muscles recoiling through the pressure. "It was worth requesting," she says in an earnest voice as she bounces aside a bit to take a seat on an appropriately sized beach log. She stretches out that injured leg, looking over it carefully. "I promise, it looks worse than it is." She offers him a gentle smile as she rubs at the point of her hip, trying to distract the pain. It also allows her a moment to gather up her thoughts. "To be honest, Ser Kell… I wasn't sure how to approach you. It felt… callous to just summon you up… especially when I wanted to talk about the favor you wore at the tournament…"

Kell seems to nod understandingly when Saffron mentions that the wound looks worse than it really is as he helps her as she slowly finds a seat on the beach log, "Usually wounds like this look a lot than it really is, though it is best we wait here until a healer arrives. Just in case." Some inconsquential looking wound sometimse end up being worse than it looks too.

As for the request and subject Saffron wanted to speak with him about, Kell looks away for a moment before shaking his head, "It wouldn't have been, M'Lady. Even if it is about something like…" He then looks down at his sheathed blade where the ribbons are tied around, "This." Slowly, he unbuckles the sheath from his belt so he can hold it in his hands.

Saffron is quiet, observant. She takes note of each little motion, change of expression, from the knight. When he reveals the ribbons, she drops her gaze to them. There is a strange bit of shyness in her own expression, and she breathes in through her nose to steady her own heart. "There are not all that many Baneforts that have comes this far North, Ser Kell. And it would be inappropriate if you were still carrying a favor given to you by Lady Anais." A bit of guilt catches in her chest. "Elinor gave them to you," she half states, half inquires. Her pale eyes lift toward his own gaze, though she cannot quite bring herself to meet his eyes.

There is no immediate answer or response from the knight when Saffron offers her conclusion of her deduction on who the ribbons belonged to. "These ribbons were given to me by Lady Anais, but I asked for them in memory of Lady Elinor." There is no attempts at avoiding the truth or misleading as Kell continues to look down at the ribbon wrapped hilt of the blade. "I asked for them after the Siege of the Roost was lifted, when we were to march south to Seagard, and on. Elinor, she gave…" But that is all the Terrick Sworn says for now, perhaps unsure with himself whether he should be sharing anything. Even now, Kell is doing what he can to protect Elinor's properness, even if she has passed on.

They both lapse into silence then, Saffron picking at the light grey skirts, trying to keep the silk from sticking to the wound. She breathes a bit through a twitch of pain, and then she looks up and out across the shore. "I didn't know my cousin very well," Saffron confesses. "She was closer to my older sister's in age, and Anais and I preferred getting into mischief together." She glances over toward the knight now. "Would you tell me about her?" She asks quietly. There is no real cruelty in her question, but there is still a bit of uncertainty to the question. "I know I could ask Anais, but… if you wished to remember my cousin, I want to know what about her you are seeking to remember."

Kell eventually decides to take a seat on the ground as well, though not on the log next to Saffron, as that may be inappropriate. Setting the sheathed sword onto his lap, he looks out to the waters, considering the Lady's question. "She was the kindest of ladies, the most… proper of ladies." Where Saffron and Anais seem to enjoy mischief, it appears that Elinor was the opposite. "She knew her duties very well and didn't appear to be one to have complaints." At least vocally that is. "And she was beautiful. Elegant. Graceful." It is almost as if Kell is describing a Princess, ones that would appear in stories that children read of.

There is a small smile that starts to bud at her lips, though it is a bit sad. Saffron nods her head gently with each little detail he provides on the picture of Elinor, and then she looks back down at her lap. "And you… had affection for her," she says softly. It is not an accusation. After all, Saffron is a lover of stories and tales — she has heard her share of the common man who loved the noble lady. There is however a bit of awkwardness, as if she is being awkward on both of their behalfs.

There is again no denial in Saffron's assumption and Kell doesn't take it as an accusation, perhaps willing to admit to the simple truth, "I had first met her briefly at the Roost, in the Lichyards, a day after the Masqued Ball at Stonebridge. Then again back at Stonebridge later on where she asked me to be her escort when she returned to the Roost." A simple duty for a simple knight, "As I spent more time with her though, and got to knew her better, my attraction to her grew as well." There is a small smile appearing on his lips, as the memories of those quieter days are rather pleasant ones.

Saffron tilts her gaze up toward him, brows arched with open curiosity. She offers him a small smile as he slips into those pleasant memories, and she finds herself unable to ask about the events of Tall Oaks. She instead gives him that moment, that touch of warmth. She tilts her head a bit. "Do you mind if I ask, Ser… did Elinor… did she have affection for you?" The question is almost whispered, as if she hopes that none will overhear it nor whatever answer might come. "You don't have to answer, but… I would like to think my cousin found… some happiness."

That question is one that seems to trouble Kell, since he doesn't wish to lie to Saffron but it is also one that may be dangerously improper if answered incorrectly. "I… perhaps she did, I cannot read her mind. Plus, we both had our duties and we both knew that in this world, any affections would've been… fruitless. We are who we are, that is determined at birth, M'Lady." There is a pause as his brows furrow slightly, eyes casting down to his blade again, "If I wasn't so selfish though, of my own pride and honor, then perhaps things would be different. And you would've been able to ask her yourself right now."

Saffron offers him the smallest of smiles, and she inclines her head a bit as if accepting the answer. "You do her memory… proud, Ser Kell," she offers quietly. "It is good that someone is here to remember her as she was in the… end." That word seems to falter a bit on her lips, and she drops her gaze back to her hands. "If I may, Ser Kell… I wouldn't put so much weight on your shoulders. It was not your fault, what happened." She lifts her gaze up to him with the smallest smile. "May I ask of you one more thing, if I have not already asked too much?"

Kell's shoulders can only rise and fall in answer to the fault, as if to say that it was open for debate. The request to ask another question has the knight nodding his head, as if he isn't afraid of answering or sharing his thoughts on what she may wish to ask. "The question you've asked wasn't too much, perhaps because of the time that has passed. But do not worry, the wound is an old one, one that has mostly mended."

"Will you let me give you some new ribbons?" Saffron tilts her head a little bit. "With the wedding coming, I have been sent so much in the ways of ribbons and cloth." She offers him the smallest smile. "Perhaps it is an old wound, but your memories of my cousin are not as frayed as the ribbons have become." She tilts her head a bit, disregarding the approaching speck that is Timmen and what looks to be a Septa riding alongside him on a squat little horse.

Now it is Kell who looks embarrassed as he looks down at the ribbon wrapped hilt, ribbons that have certainly seen much better days as they are indeed faded, ragged, and in some places torn. "I would like that very much, M'Lady. You have my heart felt thanks… I guess after multiple battles and tournies, they are no longer vibrant." Since these ribbons weren't gifted to him by Elinor directly, the knight has no adamant reason to not replace them. "And congratulations on your upcoming wedding, M'Lady. Ser Kamron is a good man." It seems like Kell is one of those that does not see fault in the Mallister Knight, despite some what may say due to his actions on the Iron Islands. Spotting the approaching guard and Septa in the distance, the Terrick Sworn sees that conversation is more or less over, though he does have one question he wishes to ask in return, "Lady Saffron, I would like to ask. Am I a fool?" The question not exactly specific to why, but one can probably deduce why and it looks like Kell wishes to see what she thinks.

Saffron brightens into a dimpled smile as he accepts her request, and she inclines her head. "It is my thanks that you will accept them, Ser Kell," she says softly with a small-growing smile on her lips. Then she looks up toward the approaching guard and septa. It is his question though that seems to catch her off guard, and she blinks over toward him. A girl of some intellect, she does not answer it right away. She mulls on it for a few moments, letting the question toss about in her head. "I would not call you a fool outright, Ser Kell. You seem a smart man, a good man…" She hesitates a bit. "But, you would be a fool if you never gave your chance to find happiness again. Perhaps none will ever compare to Elinor, but you would be a fool to pass up the opportunity to… find someone that can warm your heart." She offers him a gentle smile.

There are no words that Kell can say in response as he takes in Saffron's words, perhaps to think them over at another time, at length. However, he does rise to his feet so he could rescure his sheated weapon at his hip once more, to his belt. Not wanting to raise questions by the Dragonlady and the other guard. "Thank you, Lady Saffron." Are the only words offered, thankful for her views and thoughts on this matter. "It looks like your chaperone has arrived. Good luck." He says with a grin, knowing that the Dragon Woman will most likely be most concerned.

"Come see me later, Ser Kell… I will have new ribbons for you," Saffron says in soft kindness before she looks up toward the guard as he approaches. "Mistress Morla says you are to go straight to the healers to be looked after. I brought Septa Ryssa to escort you." Which means, Morla had Ryssa come down to escort her because she doubts Saffron will follow directions. The Banefort huffs out a bit of breath before she smiles toward Kell. "Luck? In my experience, there is no such thing." She offers him a tilt of her head. "Enjoy the coast. Perhaps it will be kinder to you, Ser." Then she is amassed upon to be guided onto her feet.