Ashara cries as she watches her sister go, but gradually calms down a bit after she is out of sight.
She turns back to Gabriel to head inside and catches sight of Bron. Her eyes go wide with surprise. "Bron! It's great to see you again!" she calls out, waving. She dashes up to Bron and Gabriel, smiling at the both of them.

"Bron, this is Gabriel Laurent, my bodyguard. Gabriel, this is Bron Storm" she introduced the two to each other pleasantly, even though she's still sniffling from her earlier crying.

In reply to Fatimah Ravenhowe (msg # 63):

Fatimah would notice her father looking upon her with pride as she spoke. She grasped the situation and both understood the potential threats, and benefits from engaging in such a deal. He did not speak but she knew he was happy with her answer.

Lord Perros stands "Well If there is nothing further to discuss then I will call this gathering closed and those traveling to King's Landing prepare, .... we leave in two days."

"Aye...well met." He offered his free hand to the knight. Being one of the free folk of the north, Bron often forgot courtly manners and status. Of course, most people never took his hand-his very presence put them ill at ease. Expect the Lady Ashara of course.

He grinned at her. "Good to see you well, my Lady." He glanced over at the knight. "What did this poor fellow do for you to make him suffer in all that metal! In this heat no less! I am getting overhot just looking at him!" He chuckled.

The Raindrop Knight was inscrutable behind that helm of his, seagreen eyes betraying nothing. He stood much shorter than the Northman, however, and the warrior was forced to look up to regard Bron. Without a face to read, the Northerner would have to interpret his stance if he wanted to know Laurent's mind.

Luckily, that was not difficult: he stood ready and fluid, lacking the stiffness of a nervous man - still though, there was no doubt, the Raindrop Knight seemed wary. Like a fox that had caught the distant scent of a wolf. Canny and on guard, but unafraid. His hand hovered near his sheath along his belt, under the pretense of resting on his belt. Something he made little effort to hide.

"Aye, it can be hot." Gabriel admitted, his youthful voice laconic as always. "But it was my choice." The Southron assured, his eyes slowly rolling over the newcomer and his cruel-looking spear. Measuring scrutinizingly. They caught on Bron's smirk, narrowing suspiciously. Those fingers danced closer along his belt, headed for Cloudbreaker's hilt.

"But who -" Gabriel began, before Ashara arrived. Something that alarmed the warrior at first... Having his charge so near an unknown man carrying a spear screamed danger to Gabriel, and for the first time his eyes widened in concern. Though, when Lady Ashara called out the foreigner's name, he seemed to soften in sudden realization: hand straying from his side to cross over his chest, eyes grown less accusatory. That Bron offered him his hand now elicited an immediate clasping of hands. Gabriel gripped the Northerner's with his own steel-girded fingers, hesitation absent entirely.

"A friend of the Lady's is a friend of mine." Gabriel replied.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:11, Mon 14 July 2014.

With the meeting adjourned Fatimah moves off to make her preparations. Getting acquainted with the people she'll be traveling with, trying to get an idea of what King's Landing will be like, and general talking with people she only sees occasionally.

Time Passes
OOC: So basically I don't see any obvious routes for Fatimah to take for more stuff to do. If anyone wants to include her or talk with her feel free to suggest it or start a conversation.

Ashara curtsies politely to Bron. "Thank you, Bron." She laughs, glad for something to cheer her up. "Well, I wouldn't know about wearing armor, but we're used to a little more heat than where you are from." She takes a moment to wipe her tears before continuing so as not to trouble Bron and Gabriel with her sorrow.

She smiles to see the two getting along. "Oh, Bron is more than just a friend, Gabriel Ashara says cheerfully. "He saved my life once, I mean" she adds with a slight blush when she realizes that she may have indicated something quite different that she meant.

"Excellent lad!" Bron said, and pat the knight on his back. Ashara would recall his lack of knowledge about the majority of the forms of courtly manners. Bron was just happy someone even claimed to be a friend. "We should go drinking later when your duties allow!"

When Ashara claimed he was more then a friend, he chuckled. "I told your lord father you are perfectly safe with me...for now." He shrugged. "In the future...who knows?" He winked and Ashara, enjoying teasing her, but that was all there was to it.

Truth be told she had been the only woman he had spoken to who had not shaken in fear. As a result Bron could not even want to be around ladies of the evening-as they looked at him as a brute and monster. Once he even paid one to just talk to him-and wished he had not. She basically said whatever he asked her, and barley kept control of her fear.

As Fatimah walked out into the court yard, he blinked. "Is that a woman in armor...in the south no less!? Oi! Lassie! Come over here!" He waved at her. "I am a close personal friend of the Lady Ashara! What's your name!?" He gestured to Ashara, as proof he was not some local brute. While he expected no less of a reaction from Fatimah as he got from most women...or men...he hoped Ashara's presence would keep the fear at bay.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:20, Tue 15 July 2014.

"A drink," Gabriel nodded agreeably as the Northman patted his back and the threadbare cloth cloak covering it "I would like that." His stance seemed relaxed now, not on edge as it had been a moment before. The warrior said nothing of Lady Ashara's accidentally suggestive comment, though his eyes did trace a quick and questioning path between the two as Bron made his jest.

Of course there wasn't time to say much of anything at all, before the Northerner called over Lady Fatimah. The Raindrop Knight looked her way, briefly, before offering a nod of respect and turning back to his charge. "Lady Ashara, I ought prepare for the road. I promised Ser Ernesto a bout, before we depart." Gabriel suggested.

"By your leave?" He requested. Now, when Ashara was in the company of Fatimah and an apparently very capable old friend, was as good a time for Gabriel to allow himself to be distracted by preparations. She would be safe with them.

If so permitted, Gabriel would begin to pack his saddlebag and other belongings for the road. Including a tourney lance of timber, painted in twisting patterns of violet and silver that ran round the lance's shaft like a barber's pole.

Then, when evening came, he would find Ser Ernesto in the training yard. So that they could have their match, prior to departing.

OOC: I have more plans for Gabriel, once on the road. Specifically him visiting his father's grave when they pass near.

"Good to see you two getting along" Ashara says happily. It had worried her for a moment, Bron could look threatening and bodyguards rarely responded well to that.
She giggles as Bron winks at her. "I had no idea you were such a ladykiller. I'll be on my guard" she says jokingly.

"Of course you have my leave, Gabriel. I don't mean to hold you up. May the Warrior strengthen your arm in your bout with Ser Ernesto." She gives Gabriel an encouraging smile and bids him farewell.

"That's the Lady Fatima Ravenhowe, daughter and heir of Ser Hassan Ravenhowe. Hassan is a landed knight and one of our most important friends, as well as my uncle" she explains to Bron. "Did you get all that?" she adds. Bron was comparatively new to all this. It was hard to remember sometimes that so many concepts she'd taken for granted since she was a child were unknown to commoners and foreigners like Bron. "You shouldn't call her lassie, it might be taken as a slight" she whispers.

She waves to Fatima.

When Bron first called out Fatimah froze. The guy was scary and not much scared her. But as Ashara responded and Fatimah reviewed what was happening in her head, it seemed he was actually being quite friendly. Fatimah laughs You scared me there.This is Dorne. Women wearing armor are nearly as common as men. We can't afford to let half our potential armies sit uselessly like other lands. she says smirking And no offense taken, its always good when people realize you can be a lady or "lassie" and a warrior.

"I am not totally dim...just a bit. A wee, little bit." He snorted in amusement while holding up a space between his finger and thumb showing how dim he was. "Still-you could have saved yerself about 30 words and just said 'she's my cousin.'"

He grinned at Fatimah when she proclaimed herself a fighter. "Of course! The free folk all hunt, all fight, and all lead. Woman or man. The kingdoms to the immediate south of the wall have the lassies all wearing...these...these..." He looked over at Ashara, and then down at her dress.

"What are they called? Dresses? You can't run in them, can't hunt in them, hell-certainly can't fight in them! I know bloody well you could not swim in that!" When they had escaped from the pirates, Bron had to rip Ashara's dress to make sure they could make the swim to shore.

"I used to think the ladies hid their legs so you could not trip them as easy...but they seem to do that all by themselves..." He chuckled and poked at Ashara's dress at bit.

Ashara giggles. “I’m a highborn maiden. Saying things simply is for commoners” she jokes in a mock-haughty tone, sounding as imperious as a princess.
She smiles at Fatima. She was quite fond of her cousin even though she found her habits unusual. "Coz, it's good to see you. This is Bron Snow, he hails all the way from the North. Bron, Fatima has been trained as a fighter by my uncle, and is a fine fighter."
"Fatima, you exaggerate" she chides softly at Fatima's comment that women in armor are nearly as common as men in Dorne.
"Really, all soldiers? Do you have a great deal of wars?" she asks, surprised, when Bron proclaimed that all the Free Folk were fighters. It seemed strange, but then Beyond the Wall was so far away, they probably had many strange customs. At least Bron wasn’t shocked by Fatima like the people of the Six Kingdoms would probably be.
"Of course we wear dresses. They're modest, elegant and lovely, perfect for ladies" she replies. She twirls about for a moment, letting her skirts swirl about her to demonstrate.
"I can hunt in a dress. Anyways, they aren't designed for fighting. They're designed for everyday living, and for looking beautiful. I doubt any of your wild girls look half so lovely as myself right now, or lady Fatima when she gets dressed up.” She smiled teasingly at Bron. “Can you deny that?”
She blushes brightly when Bron mentions that she can't swim in her dress, remembering wearing her torn dress. “Th-that’s true, I c-couldn’t swim in it” she stammers, suddenly shy.
When Bron rescued her, she’d been mostly concerned with escaping with her life, though she’d squeaked a bit in surprise when he ripped her dress. It wasn’t until they got to land that she had time realize how immodest she looked in her torn, soaked dress.
She swats Bron's hand as he pokes her dress. “Whatever your opinion on my dress, I’m certainly not taking off my skirt" she says, her confidence and teasing smile returning.

Before leaving Ser Hassan had Gerrin tell his story to Lord Perros, and everything that went with it, as well as insuring the others who had evidence had it be heard. Once he had ensured everything was done that needed to be. He left the keep to begin training the boy who would hopefully one day become a knight. "Come now Gerrin." It was shortly after that Hassan had stepped out of the keep, he was wearing his bronzed scale armor, the scales on his chest had accents of Purple Enamling, as well as Raven upon it, using the scales expertly to represent the rampant bird's feather patterns. On his head was a helmet that was tipped in a small spike and wrapped with a purple and black sash around it, his face was drapped with chainmail obscuring most of it. From a cultural stand point his armor was traditional dornish. Clipped to his armor and flowing behind him was a very light cloak. He began to make the prepartions they needed and tied his helmet off to his saddle. He looked over at Ashara and the northman, "Poors Bastard will be red as a lobster before the day is through," he said to himself quietly. Northerners were always burnt by the harsh dornish sun. When he approached his brother Godfrey the two shook hands, they spoke for some time but the only thing that was picked out from it was a foreign tongue, Ashara had heard her Uncle say these words many times and in the common tongue, they meant "Peace be Upon you," he had told her these words were Rhoynish. But as there was no time like the present. Using what time they had they saw the older knight take the small boy aside and like many young pages before him, he began to tell him what it meant to be a knight.

In reply to Ashara Kolwyn (msg # 77):

Okay, so I exaggerate a little. Fatimah admits. Dresses certainly aren't practical They certainly look lovely and turn heads, and a lot of times looking pretty is more important than carrying a sword. Fatimah says performing a little spin and a faux curtsy. They tend to frown upon dressing for battle during a party.

Ashara giggles as Fatimah spins around. "Exactly. Fighting has its place-" she tosses up one of her throwing knives and catches it to emphasize "-but charm and beauty can be just as effective. Plus they are much less messy. Good thing, too, blood would ruin this dress."  Although Ashara knew a bit about ranged weapons, she was no fighter herself.
"Dressed up properly you're a vision, cos. Remember to use that" she says with a smile. The company of her cousin and friend is starting to cheer her up.
She waves to her uncle.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:35, Sun 20 July 2014.

In reply to Ashara Kolwyn (msg # 77):

Bron shakes his hand theatrically after Ashara slaps it. As if it hurt far more than she intended. Of course, he is still grinning when he does that. "In that case, I suppose all the men folk will go to the same fancy party also wrapped in a dress? Hmmmmm? Somehow...I doubt it." He wagged his finger at the highborn ladies. "Just admit it. 1000s of years ago, your menfolk thought up the ideas of dresses so ya could not avoid them at social events! They can run, and you can't in those things!"

Ashara giggles at the incongruity of the ultra-tough and intimidating Bron pretending she had hurt him.
She rolls her eyes at him. "Elegance, modesty and loveliness become women more than men, Bron. A man in a dress would look ridiculous."
She giggles at his theory. "So you think ancient men made dresses to make us pretty to look at and unable to avoid them? That would have been cleverly done. But I doubt a man could have invented them, there is something so perfectly feminine about them."
She smiles at their joking. "Thank you both, I needed something to cheer me a bit."

You just need to make sure the right man catches you. Fatimah says giggling. It had been a long time since she had a conversation like this. And when it comes down to it, the are so much better for hiding a sword in, in case the wrong man finds you.

"We do at that, and nobody is better at it than us Dornish girls" Ashara says, smiling and happy to see her cousin enjoying herself. "I think I'll enjoy the chance to turn the heads of the men of the staid Six Kingdoms in King's Landing... What about you, Fatima?" she adds mischievously.
She sighs. "I doubt we'll meet any truly worthy men in King's Landing, though." She was too old to still be unmarried and it worried her sometimes.

"When you say sword...you mean...sword? Like the weapon. Just checking." Bron snorted with a bit of amusement. "Sometimes a sword is just a sword-got it." He winked at Fatimah.

When Ashara mentions king's landing, Bron raised an eyebrow. "Nest of vipers live in that place. Best to be careful what you eat and drink in there...or have a good food taster or 3."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:51, Tue 22 July 2014.

As the two younger ladies and Bron spoke with one another they saw Lady Aislin, Lord Kolwyn's sister, and Wife to Hassan step out and into the court yard. She was dressed this day in an Orange gown of house Kolwyn's colors, with the broach of an owl over her silken head dress. She approached the group holding the hand of a two year old boy, her son Rashid who was dressed in light linen of purple, the young boy seemed interested in picking up handfuls of sand before throwing them to the ground. She had the bags under her eyes of a busy mother, but there was always a smile on her face as she looked to her daughter Fatimah and her Niece Ashara. How ever when she lay her eyes upon the foreigner they narrowed quickly. "I trust you ladies are enjoying your selves?" she asked in a very pleasant voice.

"Bron!" Ashara responds to his joke, sounding scandalized. She nods in agreement when he talks about King’s Landing. “I know King’s Landing will be dangerous. I wish I had Jadis with me, she was always good at watching out for me. Gabriel should be able to protect me, though.”
"Aunt Aislin, wonderful to see you!" Ashara sings out, smiling brightly at her aunt. She is very fond of her aunt and loves spending time with her. "And you too, my lord" she adds to Rashid. "Yes, Fatima and I were just chatting about fashion, and our upcoming trip to King's Landing"
Ashara checks her face for a moment to wipe what remained of her tears. Her aunt was clearly very busy, and she doesn't want to burden Lady Aislin with her cares.
"Is there anything I can do to assist you, aunt Aislin? I want you to be as comfortable here as possible, you are family!" she asks sympathetically.
"This is Bron Snow. He comes all the way from the North." she introduces Bron, noticing Aislin's suspicious look at him. “He saved my life”

Aislin's brow cocked as Ashara made her offer, "Actually, yes." It was then that lady Aislin scooped Rashid off the ground into her arms and handed her to Ashara, "Please by the seven take this one off my hands for an hour, it's been years since I've gotten a moment to myself." She was obviously speaking in jest, but Ashara and especially Fatimah knew how much of a handful Aislin's children were. "So tell me my love," she spoke to Fatimah. "Are you going to play with the Boys in King's landing and compete in the tourney? I'm sure your father will. Against better judgment, still feels he has something to prove I suppose. " Looking at Ashara she smiled at her, "Though I did always enjoy watching him joust." She almost sounded like a young girl again when she spoke, looking over to Hassan he was leading some of the squires of te house with their knights through various drills. "First time I met him he was jousting, and he asked for my favor. He wouldn't admit it but I think he still carries that old scrap of orange silk"

 Strohan paused from his patrol on the docks for a moment. Setting his shield down and leaning his long axe against a barrel he took his helmet off. The slight breeze coming off the sea wasn't enough to cool him off but it helped as he wiped his head. He could taste salt with every breath he took, salt and sand.

 Licking his lips and looked up at the boat he was sent to watch. A ship ment for trade, not war. He couldn't wait to get in out of the sun but for the time being he had a job to do and was not one to complain. He set the helm down and picked up his shield. A shield that a normal man would be able to hide behind but Strohan was not a normal sized man. He reached out and gripping his long axe with the other hand turning to begin his patrol of the dock one more time.

 As he walked it seemed that less people stared at him. He had been here for a few days and those that worked the docks had come to expect him to be there. This wasn't the case the first two days. At that time he would walk the dock and those working would stop and stare or stumble to avoid his path. Strohan was used to that so he just went on doing the task he was sent to do. He wasn't the kind of man to bully others just because he was so large, in truth he didn't think much of those around him to bother trying to scare anyone. He knew his abilities and he saw no reason to flex his strength to impress others.