Re: [Day 7, Mid-Evening] The Gathering of the Three

[Dyana Marsten]

Dyana is swirling a glass of wine, and absentmindedly observing the erratic pattern of the liquid, when she looks up at her sister.

"
Oh."
She says simply, then glances between her and Corrine.

"
I... I wasn't paying much attention, to be honest. You're both so boring."
Her lips curl in a sad smile of solidarity, but then her hand rises and begins to open and close, mimicking a prattering mouth. "
Blah blah Baelon, blah blah Dunstan, blah blah let's drag Dyana in the middle of a goddamn ball to talk about goddamn Kevan Lyras."
She says playfully in a little, odious voice.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Gwyn's eyes narrowed slightly...it was one thing to be insulted, but it was quite another to be accused of being boring...but she smirks.

"
You were busy thinking about Daveth, weren't you?"
she inquires sweetly. "
I've heard you two wandered off during the party, to the dark woods. By yourselves. So what was that like? Does that interest you more? I know it interests me. What about you, Corrine? Would you like to hear more about Dyana's little tryst with Daveth?"

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine smiles sweetly;


"
Oh, most definitely. Ben &
I had a most enlightening conversation with Daveth earlier, and I am keen to find out Dyana's thoughts about him."

[Dyana Marsten]

Dyana's eyes go dark as she looks at her sister, though they smile. "
You're a fucking viper, Gwyn."
Her tone is forced seriousness, and she is likely almost giggling as she says it.

"
Surely you also remember I appeared not too long after that at Ser Baelon's tent? Or do you not?"
She takes a swig of her wine, then looks about, slightly frustrated she didn't have a table to slam the glass against. She settles on holding the empty glass awkwardly. "
We went to the wheel tower to talk some things over. Nothing happened, and a page even interrupted us, for what I had to left."


She sighs, shakes her head, and her face eases. She looks pointedly at gwyn, then shakes her head again, a challenging smirk crossing her lips. Then she turns to Corrine. "
My thoughts about him? He is... a very sensible man. I like that about him - he doesn't have that look about him, like a wolf only trying to devour you, you know? Which I see too often. It's like he's genuinely interested in you.

"
But there's not much more to it."
Dyana shrugs. "
Perhaps I'll see him here tonight, chat some more. He said he'd attend."

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

"
He struck me as a timid man at first,"
Gwyn said, rather pleased at Dyana's reaction. "
But he must have some steel in him to be chasing you."
Her tone shifted to teasing. "
And you must like him rather a lot, since you'd said three words to him without punching him. It's a shame you and Ben won't wait just a little longer, Corrine. We could marry all three of the Marsten girls in one ceremony, perhaps."


She laughed.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Or Daveth could up his game,"
Corrine replies with a playful smile. "
It will be another week, most likely, until I hear back from the Eyrie. Plenty of time to convince dear Dyana that Ser Jon Cobb is best left to mother and the strumpets at The Painted World."


Her tone is jesting, though not unkindly so.

"
In seriousness, Dyana, I do not mean any ill to say you are now past the usual upper age limit as a marriage prospect, and while we value your independent and progressive nature, we also want to see you secure for the future. Daveth seems to be very enamoured with you, and undeterred by the things that would put others off you. In fact, he seems to value your uniqueness as much as we do. He's a rare find, dear cousin. You advised me well when you arrived here, to choose Ben, to choose happiness. I feel it is my turn to tell you that I think Daveth could make you very happy indeed."


She gives Dyana a warm, affectionate smile.

[Dyana Marsten]

"
He struck me as a timid man at first,"
Gwyn said, rather pleased at Dyana's reaction. "
But he must have some steel in him to be chasing you."
Her tone shifted to teasing. "
And you must like him rather a lot, since you'd said three words to him without punching him. It's a shame you and Ben won't wait just a little longer, Corrine. We could marry all three of the Marsten girls in one ceremony, perhaps."


She laughed.

"
What are you implying?!"
Dyana frowns at her sister. "
That I go around, punching every man that speaks to me, and..."
She gestures exasperatedly around her, then reins in and lets out a deep sigh and a dismissive handwave. "
You know what, Gwyn, you're baiting me. I won't listen to you anymore."

"
Or Daveth could up his game,"
Corrine replies with a playful smile. "
It will be another week, most likely, until I hear back from the Eyrie. Plenty of time to convince dear Dyana that Ser Jon Cobb is best left to mother and the strumpets at The Painted World."


Her tone is jesting, though not unkindly so.

Dyana shrugs. "
The question isn't whether I prefer Daveth or Jon. You'll notice I didn't say anything of my affections for the Wrecker, only that he's been sneaking some bread and cheese into places and then taking me there for a lunch."
She seems surprised at the silliness of her own words. "
It's not like I'm terribly in love with the two of them. Or like I'm eager to confront aunt. Gods, no."
She shakes her head, trying to dispel the thought.

"
In seriousness, Dyana, I do not mean any ill to say you are now past the usual upper age limit as a marriage prospect, and while we value your independent and progressive nature, we also want to see you secure for the future. Daveth seems to be very enamoured with you, and undeterred by the things that would put others off you. In fact, he seems to value your uniqueness as much as we do. He's a rare find, dear cousin. You advised me well when you arrived here, to choose Ben, to choose happiness. I feel it is my turn to tell you that I think Daveth could make you very happy indeed."


She gives Dyana a warm, affectionate smile.

She nods to Corrine. "
I... I will take your counsel to heart, cousin. I'm just, you know, not really... sure about any of this. I always figured I'd know, in my heart, when I wanted to marry someone, and I'd chase it with certainty, or not at all. I don't fancy getting myself into the messes you two do, calling off marriages at the breakfasts held to celebrate them, or... I don't know. I like my life as it is."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
I understand, Dyana,"
Corrine replies, gently. "
And we love you as you are, despite Gwyn being a meanie at times."


She shoots Gwyn a good-naturedky scolding glance.

"
I promise that I won't let anyone push you into something you don't want. I just wanted to give some encouragement. I think Daveth knows fine well that he is not guaranteed a place in your heart or in your life. But his hope and his drive, I find admirable and worthy. I have said my piece, and thus shall shut up about it henceforth."

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Gwyn giggled and sidled over to Dyana to give her a one-arm hug.

"
Oh, I'm just getting under your skin. You did the same to me, after all. You oughtn't swat at a tiger if you don't like the claws."


"
For what it's worth, I was rather impressed with Garrett and Daveth both. They're neither of them what the rumors suggested. Not a big surprise, that, but it's still nice to see. Anyway, you shouldn't turn your nose up at our misadventures. My situation with Dunstan and Baelon was...complicated, and you don't know enough about it to judge me."


She glanced at Corrine. "
And...I'm sure Corrine's is...something like that. Somehow."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Well, having to field three suitors was a tad... complicated,"
Corrine replies, rather awkwardly.

[Dyana Marsten]

Dyana returns the hug grudgingly, though she is caressing Gwyn's hair afterwards.

"
It'll all work out in the end, I'm sure. And I'm not judging you or Corrine, Gwyn... I just don't want to get into these complicated cases of yours. My life is supposed to be simpler."
She says with a soft smile.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Gwyn beamed and leaned her head against Dyana's side, perhaps relishing that she'd pulled a lion's tail and gotten away with it.

"
To be fair, my life COULD have been simple. It only got complicated because I tried to change things to my liking. I think we have to be prepared to navigate some complexity if we want control over things. The world pushes us where it wills, and if we row against that current, it makes things complicated. But that doesn't mean one should avoid doing it. It just means you'd better be prepared to deal with whatever comes."


She smiled at Corrine. "
Including having help, when needed."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine nods in acknowledgement.

"
Very true. Now, I think we've embarrassed Dyana enough."

[Dyana Marsten]

Still embracing Gwyn, Dyana smiles at Corrine.

"
You two are picking on me a bit, aren't you?"
She lets out a muffled chuckle, then glances over at the Ball's attendants. "
Where are the fine gentlemen that accompanied you two? I figured Ben, at least, wouldn't detach himself from you, cousin. Not tonight!"

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
We're not physically attached to eachother, you know,"
Corrine laughs. "
We both have other people we wish to speak with at the ball. Besides,"
she adds, with a bashful smile. "
He knows I can't stay away for long."

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

"
Baelon's around here somewhere,"
Gwyn said. "
I told him I was going to drag you two into a corner to talk, so I doubt he's waiting for me to get back anytime soon. There's plenty he can do without me hovering at his side."


She pulled away from Dyana so she could look up at the taller woman.

"
I know I pick on you, but I really do want to see you happy. You hold yourself apart so often...let us help you from time to time. You may frown on our methods, but I think our results speak for themselves."

[Dyana Marsten]

"
We're not physically attached to eachother, you know,"
Corrine laughs.

"
There are ways to change that, cousin. Take care you do not indulge in them too much."
Dyana giggles back.

"
Baelon's around here somewhere,"
Gwyn said. "
I told him I was going to drag you two into a corner to talk, so I doubt he's waiting for me to get back anytime soon. There's plenty he can do without me hovering at his side."


She pulled away from Dyana so she could look up at the taller woman.

"
I know I pick on you, but I really do want to see you happy. You hold yourself apart so often...let us help you from time to time. You may frown on our methods, but I think our results speak for themselves."

She looks down at her sister, shakes her head slowly, crosses her arms. "
I don't... frown on anything! And I'm not holding myself apart, Gwyn! I just... I have so much to do. It takes time, so much time! Though I wouldn't wish any other burden beset on me, I can't do anything if I just sit my ass at Hartshorn indefinitely. You know I need to leave, and often too. To the rest of the Vale. Sometimes, even, I wish I could just... wander a bit. Go south. Cross the narrow sea. If that is holding myself apart, then, I'm sorry. I just don't think I was made to be idle."

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

"
You don't think I want to wander too?"
Gwyn returns, a touch hotly. "
You don't think I want to cross the sea?"
She stops herself and looks away for a moment, then shakes her head.

"
That's not even what I mean though. I don't mean physically. I mean...you don't always talk to people about your problems. At least, not to me. Sometimes I feel like your drinking friends and soldiers know you better than I do. That's all."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
We're not physically attached to eachother, you know,"
Corrine laughs.

"
There are ways to change that, cousin. Take care you do not indulge in them too much."
Dyana giggles back.

[ooc: fixed that, since we're cousins, rather than sisters. :;
): )

Corrine raises an eyebrow, looking quizzically at Dyana;


"
What do you mean? And why not often?"

[Dyana Marsten]

"
You don't think I want to wander too?"
Gwyn returns, a touch hotly. "
You don't think I want to cross the sea?"
She stops herself and looks away for a moment, then shakes her head.

"
That's not even what I mean though. I don't mean physically. I mean...you don't always talk to people about your problems. At least, not to me. Sometimes I feel like your drinking friends and soldiers know you better than I do. That's all."

Argh... of course she was not meaning it in the physical sense. There you go, trying to avoid it, but you won't.

Dyana looks at her sister, pursing her lips. "
I know, Gwyn, that I can be distant. But I just... I don't like others to be burdened with my problems. I strive to solve them myself, as quickly and quietly as possible, and so everyone can go on with their lives like nothing happened. Myself included. That does not mean I do not share with you, specifically, you understand?"
Though I have soldiers that share my burdens a hundred times more than you glimpse them, it is true. The bonds of battle are not as thick as those of kin, my sister, but they are twice as strong. And that, you will never know.

[ooc: fixed that, since we're cousins, rather than sisters. :;
): )

Corrine raises an eyebrow, looking quizzically at Dyana;


"
What do you mean? And why not often?"

[OOC: D'oh. Fixed that as well. Brainfart.]

Dyana looks incredulously at Corrine for a moment, then giggles again, waving a hand dismissively.

"
Nevermind that, you know. Just, nevermind it."
She keeps giggling girlishly.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine blushes as she realises her cousin is being bawdy.

"
Oh... Of course. Well, hmm, yes. Quite."


Her attempt at a straight face fails miserably as she too giggles wickedly.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

"
Ah, so if you're not sharing with me, at least you're not sharing with anyone else?"
Gwyn asks. "
That doesn't help nearly as much as you think it might. Not the least of which because I don't entirely believe you. But so be it...you'll do as you do. As you've always done."


She looks around the grounds, peering out through the shrubs and branches.

"
I should probably try to find Baelon again before someone throws herself at him."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
I'm sure you will fight them off valiantly,"
Corrine chuckles.

[Dyana Marsten]

Dyana just sort of shrugs at Gwyn, not willing to dispute the point but still embarassed by the stinging truth behind her sister's words. She smiles at Corrine's jab, more in an attempt to let the subject slide than by actually finding it funny. "
If Baelon's to be ambushed anytime soon, then you better see to it that he's escorted."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Perhaps she could fit him with blinkers, to keep that roving eye of his at bay,"
Corrine chuckles light-heartedly, with a friendly nudge at Dyana's elbow.

"
Come on, you two. Let's keep in good cheer. We have all done well at this tourney."

[Sponsored content]