Andrya Tully dons a simple, dark grey wool gown and her fingers play with the delicate silver chain that hangs at her neck. Her mind is still thinking upon all that she witnessed this afternoon, what with the hanging of the Starveling and all. She is standing amidst the rooftop gardens the cold obviously not bothering her so much. Her septa is lingering nearby though is absorbed most profoundly in some texts about the Seven. She stands there as if waiting for someone, a pensive expression on her face.
Willard comes to the rooftop gardens. He expects to find someone and there she is - his prize of the evening. The -one- person he feels the real need to say goodbye to, to have her bid him a good voyage. To hear her say that he should return safe and sound, back to King’s Landing, back to the court, back to her… He comes closer and smiles his soft smile, like he always does, but there’s true light flickering in his eyes as he says “Lady Andrya. I was hoping to meet you before I departed” he bows deeply, takes her hand and plants a soft kiss upon it before she can react.
The septa watches the act warily, but does not seem to mark it all that vulgar, returning to the reading of the “Seven Pointed Star” after giving a somewhat curt nod to the Ryger knight. Andrya for her part smiles at him and shakes her head before turning slightly solemn “Ser Willard, it feels as if it has been too long. So when is it you depart to those dreary shores of Crackclaw point ser?” she asks as she looks at him.
Nodding the young knight stands from his knees “Tomorrow, dear lady. Tomorrow we will be on our way to Crackclaw Point. To destroy the Lyseni pirates and drive out the smugglers that are helping them” Willard grins menacingly as he says the words, but quickly smiles again, his eyes watching the lady Tully hungrily, drinking from her beauty “Yes, my lady, it has been too long. I… was busy. With my lord father, with training my men… Piss poor excuses, I know, but true” he sighs “You will be the only thing I will truly be looking to return to. The star, that will show me the way home, when the time comes to do so.” he tries to speak in a lower voice, so that the septa doesn’t hear too much.
A faint blush creeps up on Andrya’s cheeks and she looks away though she cannot help but chuckle “Willard, I love that you say such gallant things and then say “piss poor”, it really balances the whole speech out” she pauses and stares out at the Keep before saying “Tommorow! I…Well I did not expect to be so soon I must admit.” she shakes her head before a look of amusement flickers upon her face as she mentions “I was talking with lady Katla earlier, I hear you and Ser Josmyn had a spar..?” she arches an eyebrow in way of asking for an explanation of the whole event.
Willard grins and stifles a chuckle “Spar. If one could call it that. I had to teach the man a lesson in humility. He didn’t take it well, truly” he smirks again “The Reyne wanted us to fight for your favour. When I informed him, that it was the lady’s choice whom to favour and that there would be a quest, the fool challenged me to fight over the -right- to come ask you for a favor”
His eyes flicker in the evening sun “Of course, I could not let him win. And so I have arrived. The Crackclaw Point awaits, yes, but first I need to know” he kneels again “Will you let me bear your favour, my lady? What quest would you have me complete, what deeds to accomplish, in the name of your favour? And love.”
Andrya smiles in amusement “You should be nicer to the poor man ser he is a friend” she scolds playfully before she listens to him request her favour the septa has not noticed yet and for that she is grateful. She places an arm on his shoulder as if to tell him to get on his feet “Ser Willard thank you for requesting it, but well I must admit I need to give it careful thought, the matter of the quest and such” she replies and grins “I can only grant you the favour of course if you succeed in your quest so it will not be a simple task, however if you are courteous enough to return from Crackclaw point alive and in one piece, I think I may have one ready for you then” she pauses before adding “You must of course -only- seek my favour, for all outward appearences, because you mean to honour me and my house. The love that we speak of is one a knight bears for any lady not..” she trails of with a look, lowering her voice down to a soft murmer “Just a warning, I know many a lady would be scandalized if they even knew that was not the case.”
Willard’s lips part in one of his easy smiles “The love a knight bears a lady, no more” his mouth says yet his eyes tell another story “This quest, and your favour my lady, will be for the love as spoken by the poets, the queens and beggars alike. The purest essence of love, unbridled and clean. Innocent.” and still that dissonance between his smiling lips and his pale blue eyes.
The young Ryger stands from his knees “I shall try to be courteous and return from this expedition unharmed.” he smirks yet again “Let us hope your friend the Reyne does a better job against pirates and smugglers than he did against me. This is no spar and no joke - there his mistakes may cost lives.” he’s solemn now for a change, a serious look upon him.
Andrya nods as he reassures her and her expression also becomes more serious as he talks of Crackclaw. Looking at the cold, misty weather about them she comments “Grim weather for a grim day do you not think.” a sneeze escapes from her mouth and prompts the septa to glance at her worriedly, but Andrya waves her off turning to Willard and asking with concern “So how long will you be gone for? Do you have any clue as to your return?”
Leaning against balustrade and looking away into the coming evening the heir to Willow Wood shrugs “We do not know. The Crackclaw Point is quite a bit of land. Though Ser Josmyn supposedly scouted it out and has some information as to where to find whom, I…” he stops, shrugs again and rubs his fingers on the dice signet on his left hand “Let us hope that it will be quick and we return before Queen Daena’s nameday tourney, so that I may go off on my quest to gain your favor, my sweet lady” he smiles now. His solemn look replaced with a more merry one, his eyes reaching for the Tully yet again.
Andrya still retains her solemn look mingling with uncertainty as she stares at him and contemplates something. She breathes in and reaches up as if to manage her hair and fiddles around with her necklace for a while before it disappears into one hand.
Finally lowering her hands, one of which is closed tightly, she says to him quietly “Your hand please, ser.”
Willard’s head snaps up, he turns to lady Andrya and raises an eyebrow in question “As my lady wishes” and with that he extends his right hand…
Andrya presses the delicate, thin silver chain into his open palm and closes his hand for him, her hand lingering on his for a while before she draws it away. “Keep that ser, for as long as you’re away from Kings Landing and us.” she says simply “Now you must return whole and unharmed if only to return it to a lady who is quite partial to it. So see that you keep it and yourself safe.” giving him a quick shy smile, she turns from him and looks out towards the sky though every now and then her eyes flicker back to his face.
The thin chain falls into his palm and his fingers close upon it. The touch of Andrya’s hand sends a warm wave and he cherishes that little moment of intimacy they were granted. He bows his head “I shall guard it, like the treasure it is for me, my lady. And I promise to bring it back. With me alive, of course” he smiles, but this smile is different. A bit sad, a bit melancholic, with a hint of longing there as well.
“I bid you farewell, my lady. I need to go prepare myself and see to my men, that they are prepared for the trip as well.” he takes her hand yet again and plants another soft, delicate kiss upon her fingers “Wish me luck” he whispers, rubbing his other hand’s fingers against the shooting star pommel of his sword.
And with that he turns around and walks towards the door. Leaving for battle, for blood, for glory and for the king’s peace. Leaving for Crackclaw Point.
Jannia walks up the stairs and goes to knock on the door of Ser Luthor and Lady Pennei. As she ascends the stairs Ser Willard was going down them, she nods to him as he passes by and upon reaching the top step she notices her sister in the garden. Shaking her head she approaches her sister before Knocking on the Smallwood door, “Andrya Tully, what have I told you? There are little birds all over King’s Landing, you can not be up here without real purpose. Our place in the Kitchen Keep is downstairs.”
Andrya has a smile upon her face and she walks towards her septa about to ask her something when she jumps in fright. She knows the voice, but looks over her shoulder to greet her sister with a nod “Jannia” she greets “Fresh air is the reason, too stuffy down there and needlework is trying enough” for that she gains a shake of a head and ‘tsking’ from her septa for which she knows she shall pay later.
“None the less sister you need to choose different locations for your “needlework”. And different times, “Jannia knows Andrya will pick up what is implied in her words. “We do not need anymore scores of impropriety on our house, and court already has ideas of your meetings with Ser Willard. DO NOT play me for a kings fool Andrya Tully. Feign knowledge all you please in public, but you will not feign it to me now, you will get us both in trouble if you keep this up.” Jannia’s Septa nods and joins Andrya’s for a stroll of the gardens as the two sisters hash it out. Jannia lightens a moment, “If it stays I will have to write Mother, and I don’t want to, if he desires you so, then he best make it proper. Please Andy.” She looks at her sister pleading for her to listen.
Andrya bristles a little as Jannia mentions their house “Do not think that I take the responsibility lightly sister, I know the name I carry about me here and I do not mean to bring any dishonour to it.” she replies curtly before shaking her head and sighing “If you mean what was Ser Willard doing here, he was here merely to say farewell as he departs for Crackclaw Point tomorrow. He is a friend and I did not mean for him to leave without wishing him luck. I have done the same with Ser Josmyn as well. Nothing was improper Septa Morgan was here and various guards and maidservants”
Jannia nods, “Granted sis, you are not rumored to have a relationship with Ser Josmyn either, and guards and maidservants can be made to remain quiet.” she lowers her voice “As well as Septa’s” Jannia shakes her head at her sister, “I will not be lied to Andy, I know how you feel about him and him you, it may as well be written across your faces.” She giggles a bit, “You do not hide it well sister, mayhaps you should work on that.”
A faint frown appears on Andrya’s face at those words “Pray tell Jannia how do you assume any of this. From what I can recall you have never been in the company of both us at the same time nor have I ever spoken to you about Ser Willard. Ser Willard has also not that I can recall mentioned having spoken to you much. I do not know where you get these ideas from but, they certainly hold no ground.”
Jannia laughs at her sister, “Do I need to hear it all from you sister, you seem to rely on your little birds for information. Then it is for me to do so with mine. Do I ask you where you get it from, no I do not. But I will tell you that it doesn’t take very much after my incident with Ser Albyn I have made many friends, some that are high and most that are low. And if ever you are spoke about in conversation big sis, not by me of course, I sit and listen intently. I only need to look at you after your farewell to Ser Willard to know that I have seen the look upon your face many a time before. Even my little birdies do not need to tell me that.” Jannia laughs, ” I do not care if you like him, truly I don’t, but do it properly, that is all I ask of you. If he is truly a decent Knight he would never ask you to seek him out in the Godswood, he would do everything in his will to keep you from the slightest words of impropriety.”
“Have you ever considered that your little birds may lie, or that they know not the whole of the matter or subject. That certain words are chosen and discarded at their fancy.” Andrya replies calmly “Perhaps it would be well if you do not speak so on matters that you know close to naught about. As for impropriety I believe I have already stated that this meeting was proper”
“Then you demote someone that I hold in great confidence sister, you do not know who you speak of and I do not intend to sully the name of whom I speak of. They have no need to pick and choose words. Why do you attack me sister, I only mean to give you advice. But do not listen that is for you to choose. Just do not ask for my sympathy when things get put around, just know I will not defend it. But I will not spread it either, you are not the only one that goes to the Godswood sister, just remember that other ladies use that for a place to hide from propriety, it is almost known right away when a lady comes out of the Godswood, that is not from the North, what they truly were doing in there.” She offers her sister a smile.
“I am not attacking you Jannia, just tired of you making such a fuss about things” Andrya says gently to her sister “Do not worry so, I see now that you will not believe me on what has happened in the past, but perhaps if I promise you now that nothing improper as you deem it shall take place, will that reassure you?”
“Do not coddle me like a child of one and ten sister, I do not need it, I am a woman grown. I know how to play this game, I do believe better than you. After the Muddy Way I have been out of society for the most part and rightfully so, doing deeds for the realm.” Jannia shakes her head “But yes just stop the impropriety and I will stop the scolding.”
Andrya cannot help but smile at that though she knows better than to comment on it instead nodding at her sister’s words before looking around at the garden after a while she asks politely “What brings you up here then sister?”
“I was going to ask Ser Luthor if the Tully Knights and Gaurds that I procured for him, have arrived yet.” She looks to her sister, ” I figured he would be here saying his goodbyes to Lady Pennei, I do love her company so. I forgot to ask him earlier at the inn when I was sitting with him, his sister, Lady Melissa, Ser Ethos, and Ser Alek. I was too busy eating, a hanging will make you hungry, who would have known.”
“That hanging, it was quite hard to watch. Not to watch the Starveling man die, but for Ser Almer” Andrya shakes her head as if to indicate that she cannot even comprehend what it must have been like for the Connington knight, her voice is tinged with concern and sadness, but turns into disgust when she adds “The Starveling was quite mad…”
Shakes her head at her sister’s offense, “Sister, we are all born and we all die, sometimes tragically, I feel that Ser Almer got to close the pain chapter in his book today, and for that I am grateful, but there are still more and more dreadful things that happen, that could happen. You know this, think of our dear sister. But it is not for me to question the gods, they are the ones that choose who to take and bless, and who to take and throw in the seven hells. That is how I think, death is the one thing that is out of my hands, as well as life. Even the executioner that is seen as the death bringer he did not cause death, because that death was supposed to happen, that mans fate was chosen by the gods, and it is something we were supposed to go through. I have faith in that, not to sound overly pious, but that is the way of life. I am sure we will see much more tragic things than a broken heart here in King’s Landing sister.” She looks a bit solemn as she cants her feelings. “I am sorry if this is dreary talk but it is true. May the seven bring Ser Almer peace, where they spared by taking his wife and child.”
“I see where you are coming from Jannia I do but such atrocities as what happened to Ser Almer’s wife and child I refuse to think of as natural or the work of the Seven” Andrya sighs, another sneeze escapes from her and this time her septa is not going to let it go. A glance from her is enough to tell Andrya that it is now time to leave the fresh air and all that has taken place in the garden this evening behind and retire to the manse “I fear if I stay out here much longer Jannia I shall acquire a most unwanted ailment so I shall see you back at the manse” she says smiling to her sister and clutching her cloak about her for warmth, she gets up and smoothes down her grey gown before walking out of the place with her septa and handful of maidservants in tow.
Jannia’s jaw drops as her sister doubts the Seven and watches her walk away…