[D2, EN] Night Whispers

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Gwyn spooned up against Baelon's side in the bed they shared in the House of Bracken at Warrior's Seat. Timing had been tricky to decide on. She hadn't wanted to spoil the mood bringing it up too soon...and it seemed like moments in comfortable beds where they could just relax, or not, were too few and far between to casually give up. But she knew that he tended to drop off fairly quickly as well. And of course, she wasn't far behind. The days of the investigation had set a grueling pace. This was important though.

Putting a hand on his chest she said quietly, "
Eyes open, you. We need to talk about something."


Baelon 'hmmed' under his breath and put his hand placatingly over hers. "
Of course,"
he said, eyes already closed. "
We should talk. Go ahead."


Any second now and he'd be snoring.

"
It's about Kerry Bracken,"
Gwyn said with a private smirk.

That ought to wake him up.

[Baelon Drakeson]

"
I don't snore."
He says reflexively, clearly the subject of many a late night conversation.
"
Wait, what? Kerry Bracken? Foolish girl. What about her?"

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

"
She's after you,"
Gwyn said, and rested her head against Baelon's shoulder comfortably. "
I want to know if you think we can use that. She might have something to say on what happens here, when no one sees her looking."

[Baelon Drakeson]

Baelon's face darkens, invisible in the unlit room, but Gwyn can feel him tense.
"
She is... and recklessly so. She tried to make a move during the hunt. In public. I don't know what to do about her."

He rolls over to face Gwyn and pulls her into a close embrace. "
I don't trust myself around her."

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Gwyn returns the embrace for a long moment before saying, "
It's going to get worse, not better. She's only gotten more determined. So what I need to know from you is...do you want me to handle her, or can we use her? The more she wants you, the more potential influence you have over her. But...if you genuinely don't know if you can resist her, we're both better off if she can be dissuaded. I know it's ha..."
she paused, the shifted phrasing, "
...difficult for you, but you aren't in this alone."

[Baelon Drakeson]

"
I think we may need to use her, and I... I think I can resist her. I want to resist her. I love you, Gwyn, and the last thing in the world I want is to hurt you."


He buries his face in the base of her neck, her hair - brilliant gold rendered black as night by the lack of light - cascading around his head. Her skin is soft and smooth and warm against his face.

"
I don't see a long-term solution to this feud without a marriage pact between the main families. In hindsight I wish we had not encouraged Kevan and Sofia - not that I am not happy for them, but she would have been a good pairing with Wyll Bracken, and Kerry with... someone. I'm not sure who - Ser Myles? Tyron? I don't even know whether or not they are already married. Regardless, it cannot even be thought that I have encouraged - or given into - her advances."

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Gwyn chuckles and kisses the top of Baelon's head.

"
Oh, the mighty seducer, laid low,"
she says jovially. "
But Kerry knows she can't have you...even if you succumbed. I haven't met her yet, so it's hard for me to say what she wants. What do you think? Is this just a bored young woman's game? Is she trying to rebel against her father? Or is she simply besotted with fair features and famous name?"

[Baelon Drakeson]

Or at least not permanently - but that may not be her goal.

"
I don't know. Perhaps she seeks to use me to influence the final judgement, though we do not get a vote of our own. Perhaps she sought to blind me to some part she played in the feud. I'm not even sure if she actually wanted to be doing it in the first place, or if someone put her up to it."


OOC:
Yeah, I wasn't about to take the time to use Read Target on her. Not when she could beat me in two rounds.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

"
Interesting thought. Maybe it's time she and I had a little chat then. I'll see what I can arrange."

[Baelon Drakeson]

"
She may not be the most receptive to you - particularly if she sees you as competition. I'd rather not make an outright enemy of her. Perhaps it would be best to give her a second chance at me - with you waiting in the wings to interrupt if things start to get out of hand. Perhaps somewhere relatively out of the way, but not so much so that it would seem like as assignation."

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

"
Oh, I wouldn't be confronting her about you directly,"
Gwyn says. "
Not at first. Not this time. I just want to take her measure. She'll be each easier to handle if we know what she wants. Really wants, I mean."


"
That said, your idea isn't bad either. No reason we can't do both. Lets keep your schedule rather close for a bit, then let 'slip' a detail about where you'll be. And I'll make a point to be close as well...but not too close."

[Baelon Drakeson]

"
Mmh. I was planning on going to the library again tomorrow, maybe that could work... or maybe the chapel?
I should probably have that talk I've been planning with Lord Haig sometime soon, too."

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

"
The library I suspect will have some traffic,"
Gwyn says. "
The chapel...possibly less. And the irony is appealing. Do you want me to be with you when you see Lord Haig?"

[Baelon Drakeson]

"
Yes, absolutely, if you are available. Tomorrow is shaping up to be a busy day."

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