Re: [Day 3, ME]The lady and the rogue[Closed]

by **Theomore Tullison** Mon May 04, 2015 7:47 pm

"
You may yet have the chance, my lady."
Theomore offers with an encouraging smile. "
When I was your age, I had seen little that lies outside the Vale and Riverlands, some of it of course, like King's Landing, Dragonstone, Driftmark and the Stepstones, but not much beyond this."

by **Lady Corrine Marsten** Mon May 04, 2015 7:52 pm

"
Being the Lady of Hartshorn will likely keep me from venturing far, I fear,"
Corrine replies regretfully. "
It would not be proper to go off travelling on my own. My House needs me, and that must come before my own desires."

by **Theomore Tullison** Mon May 04, 2015 8:17 pm

"
Does my lady not have a capable regent to take care of things?"
Theomore's smile indicates that the suggestion is merely said in jest. "
It worked well enough for me. "

by **Lady Corrine Marsten** Mon May 04, 2015 8:22 pm

"
I suppose so, but what would people think? Rather than seeking a marriage before it becomes too late, Lady Corrine goes off gallivanting across the Realm for the sake of her own curiosity."

She chuckles a little at the notion, though it is clear in her eyes that it tempts her greatly.

by **Theomore Tullison** Mon May 04, 2015 8:45 pm

"
And that would make you give up so easily, my lady?"
Theomore's expression take a somewhat taunting expression, though with a slight pause, he lets it shift. "
Have you ever heard the legend of lord Theomore Tully? A particular favorite of my great-grandfather or so I understand."

[Since I just made that legend up, and thus have to explain it anyhow, it's probably best if Corrine doesn't]

by **Lady Corrine Marsten** Mon May 04, 2015 8:59 pm

She notices his challenging tone, and it tickles at her bolder side, and makes her wonder why indeed she suppresses her own desires. After the argument with her mother, after asserting herself, why was she still allowing herself to be influenced? She gives him a look that says "
challenge accepted"
.

"
I have not heard the tale, Ser. Do tell it. I am all ears."

by **Theomore Tullison** Mon May 04, 2015 10:12 pm

"
It would be a pleasure, my lady."
Theomore makes no grand moves on the dance floor by now, the real dance long since moved on to words. "
It is said that lord Theomore was the most splendid knight of his day, never once defeated in the joust, a man of unsurpassed gallantry and honor beyond question. But for all this, he knew not of love, the hands of the fairest maids of the Riverlands were offered to him, yet none found affection in his heart, and Lord Theomore would not marry a lady he could not find it in himself to honor a wife the way a lady deserves to be honored. If none of it was real and merely dutiful courtesy, it would be nothing more than lies and falsehood...."

And so the tale goes, of how he puts his brother in charge of Riverrun while he travels the length of Westeros to find a wife his conscience could allow him to bring home, for a lord's first duty is to find a wife to give him heirs. Eventually, he is beset upon by the sort of weather that gives the Stormlands their name. Lightning scares off his horse and he is left to wander in the cold wind and rain throughout the night, coming upon a cabin just as he is on the verge of collapse. A young woman lives there all on her own, and she takes him in, and gives him hot stew and thick blankets.

"
Turns out, she was the storm king's daughter, choosing a simple life over marrying a man she could not find love for in her heart. The tale of the seven trials Lord Theomore had to go through for the high septon to declare that it was the will of the seven that the original bethrothal should be set aside in favor of the true love between lord and lady would take all night I fear.... "

"
Perhaps my lady could embark upon a similar journey to seek a husband of her own?"

by **Lady Corrine Marsten** Mon May 04, 2015 10:41 pm

"
That's ever so romantic,"
Corrine says, with a wistful sigh. "
Though can a woman get away with such behaviour? Lord Theomore's decision was likely more acceptable by virtue of gender. It is expected for a man to... explore."

Her expression becomes more serious, rather determined.

"
I must confess though, I have no desire to be passive. My mother would have me meekly accept her chosen fate, but I do intend to be discerning in my choice of husband. I will not give my hand to one not worthy of my heart, regardless of how my mother may nag and my suitors compete. I am not a mere object, some bauble to win and display for vanity. As the future head of my House, it should be my choice. I am not a prize to be won."

by **Theomore Tullison** Tue May 05, 2015 12:02 am

"
It is unexpected for a lady to rule."
Theomore seems to like his choice of words in reply to the notion that it was expected of a man to explore. "
And we do live in interesting times indeed as far as what gender means, the Vale is ruled by lady Jeyne, princess Rhaenyra has been named her father's heir, and you are the lady of Hartshorn, at least by title. Might be that we pick up Dornish customs eventually?"

"
And how would a man prove himself worthy of your heart, my lady?"

by **Lady Corrine Marsten** Tue May 05, 2015 12:09 am

"
You speak truly. Times are changing. I'm not sure the Targaryens would allow the Realm to become too Dornish though, given the bad blood between them,"
Corrine mused. She was barely paying attention to the dance now, though her motions were graceful and effortless.

"
As for what a man might do to prove himself worthy, surely I would be better to keep that to myself, lest I give someone an unfair advantage,"
she chuckled, the flirtatiousness returning to her tone.

by **Theomore Tullison** Tue May 05, 2015 12:31 am

"
Perhaps you are right to do so, my lady."
Theomore flashes a grin full of mischief "
I fear you would scare them all away if they should learn the truth of it..."

by **Lady Corrine Marsten** Tue May 05, 2015 12:35 am

"
It is my mother who usually does the scaring,"
she laughed. "
I do not think I seek the impossible, merely the uncommon. A man who will be both competent and loyal."

She blushed a little, and gave a coy glance;

"
Good-looking and charming would be nice too. I am a romantic at heart, I suppose."

by **Theomore Tullison** Tue May 05, 2015 12:50 am

"
How a man could not possibly be loyal to a maid of my lady's beauty is something I fail to think of."
Theomore's agreement with himself to stay honest is broken already, he himself would be disloyal to her for Sofia, for Floreta, for Gwyn, for Ayleth, for many more, ah yes, most definitely for Ayleth.

"
Men of competence, now that is a rare thing indeed. A man might be charming, good looking and excellent with weapons in hand, but when it comes to make a wise decision, many and more will fail utterly."

by **Lady Corrine Marsten** Tue May 05, 2015 1:03 am

She glanced down coyly for a moment, then looked up again with a playfully arched eyebrow;

"
If I did not know your reputation, I would be convinced, but I thank you for the compliment, truly. But you are right about decision-making. My mother believes that riding well, fighting well, and being charismatic makes for a competent man, but it is so much more. What the head of a house needs is an equal. A fellow leader."

by **Theomore Tullison** Tue May 05, 2015 1:20 am

"
I have a reputation, my lady?"
Theomore wondered what that might be, aside from the fool boy, he had never done anything anyone had taken note of. Unless of course, Gwyn had figured as much as he suspects she had, and passed on the gossip.

by **Lady Corrine Marsten** Tue May 05, 2015 1:24 am

"
Well,"
she begins to explain, his incredulous response making her suddenly unsure of herself. "
I have... heard you are... something of a heartbreaker. It might not be true, but it is just something I have heard."

by **Theomore Tullison** Tue May 05, 2015 2:02 am

"
I do indeed find that my way with words does hold a certain appeal to young women, my lady."
Theomore needs to think quick to avoid lying while keeping certain things discrete "
I enjoy their company, and they enjoy mine, but I am but a lone knight, I can only marry one, and many a lord father would be loath to offer the hand of a daughter to one without lands to pass to his sons."

"
And much like my forebear of legend, I have traveled far and wide, and met many a fair maid that have caught my eye and attention, but the one my heart would like to belong to have as of yet proven most elusive, it is hardly unthinkable that all of this has lead to quite a few shattered hopes."

by **Lady Corrine Marsten** Tue May 05, 2015 2:09 am

"
Of course. I understand,"
Corrine nodded slowly, biting her lower lip a moment. "
One with your charm could surely not help making an impression. I apologise. I meant no harsh judgement. It is your business. I should not have mentioned it. I fear I lack a certain kind of tact. My mother tells me I ask too many personal questions."

by **Theomore Tullison** Tue May 05, 2015 5:36 pm

"
Better to ask such questions now, my lady, lest you discover answers you dislike only after you have been bound to the man until death takes you apart.."
Theomore just shrugs the apology away. "
If that is who you are, then you would not want a husband that cannot tolerate such, ideally you would want one that will enjoy it."

by **Lady Corrine Marsten** Tue May 05, 2015 7:03 pm

"
Very true. Which is why I am not in a rush to choose someone. Better to take one's time to make the right decision than to hastily choose poorly. Is there someone special in your life, Ser?"

by **Theomore Tullison** Tue May 05, 2015 9:29 pm

"
I am afraid not, my lady."
Theomore smiles a little sadly. "
And I am not getting any younger, soon I will be twice the age of the fair maids I might court."

by **Lady Corrine Marsten** Tue May 05, 2015 9:52 pm

"
I am surprised that no-one has claimed you yet, Ser,"
Corrine replies. "
Does this mean you are seeking a match, or are you planning on making the most of being unattached?"

by **Theomore Tullison** Tue May 05, 2015 10:10 pm

"
Love is an interesting thing, my lady."
Theomore takes a pause, both to consider what he should say and to give drama to his words. "
I understand it can both strike like lighting at the first meet, or require years for it to take hold, and sometimes it can dissipate as swiftly as it came. Aside from a childhood crush, I cannot say that I have noticed such affections for another."
True enough, at least up until this evening, his thought finding their way to the godswood for some reason, but he tosses those aside, here and now, it was him and Corrine, and nothing to distract him from the dance at hand.

"
I believe I would have the liberty to marry a fair maid of my choosing, should she be of suitable station, and her father agree to the match, I am merely the lord's uncle, and the alliance I would forge is not so important as those my nephew and niece will form. Some might even put forward that I ought to seek a daughter of a lord with a hamlet or other tract of land that he requires a dependable knight to hold in his name. That I marry for the future of my children rather than love."

by **Lady Corrine Marsten** Tue May 05, 2015 10:35 pm

"
Well, marrying for love is a luxury that not everyone can afford,"
Corrine replies, though the admission makes her a little sad. "
I wish you fortune in finding someone. There are many eligible ladies to choose from here, I am sure you will succeed."

by **Theomore Tullison** Tue May 05, 2015 11:34 pm

"
Oh, I do believe that I make my own luck"
Theomore smiles confidently, with the slightest hint of mischief in it. "
Perhaps my lady might do so too?"

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