Sharra blushed. "Oh, some of the other Vale nobles are gallant, but so far I'm not aware of any serious suitors. I suppose my Lady Mother will tell me when the time is right"

"I'll be glad to introduce you!" she said warmly.

"Thank you," Arianne said. "I'm lookig forward to that."

She then leaned a little closer to Sharra and whispered so that only she could hear.

"And if you want to play and need my help. Just point him out to me and I will make him come to you. Little is as satisfying as playing."

Sharra kept herself from gasping in shock. Dornishwomen were just like stories said they were. "That's a very kind offer" she replied shyly, keeping her voice down. "You are very brave, Lady Arianne. I'd be afraid my Septa would find out."

Sharra looked around to make sure no one else could hear.

"As your guest, it is the very least I can do to repay you for all of your hospitality," Arianne whispered. "And if fear is your foe, let me assure you that I will make sure that your Septa will not find out. We are the closest allies in this."

On Sharra's left, and at the edge of the table, Lord Collin Melcolm, father of the groom, had been seated. As Sharra had been busy conversing with Arianne, he seemed to have focused on his food. Could he have heard?

On Arianne's other side was Lord Sylvayn himself and he seemed to be enthraled in an conversation with the father of the bride and the younger Lord Sylvayn on the other edge of the table.

Corwyn Sylvayn, the uncle of the three Sylvayn siblings seated in the High Seat, brother of their father Devon who was Lord Sylvayn until his death a few months ago, was the most famous person in the hall.

He had saved the life of their liege, Lord Jon Arryn, during Robert's Rebellion. So obviously he was known and respected throughout the Vale. But his fame had spread throughout the Seven Kingdoms. The fact that he even had been friends with him and his two wards, King Robert Baratheon and Warden of the North Eddard Stark, did not diminish his glory.

He was now seated near Lord Tormon Stormwood, the head of the house in which he had been fostered.

Hrokar Cragborn, the 16-year-old son of the Sylvayn banner house, was seated in between Clarice Melcolm, the 18-year-old daughter of Lord Melcolm and younger sister of the groom, and Garrett Grafton, the 16-year-old son of Lord Grafton. None of them heirs to their fathers' houses. But the mountain clan followed absolute primogeniture, so his older sister Gyllen would be the next head of the house, and not the agnatic primogeniture the rest of the Seven Kingdoms followed.

Well, with the exception of Dorne. Hrokar's eye wandered past the red-haired Dornishwoman that had been a shadow of Lord Stormwood since they had arrived at Arrowmark and to Princess Arianne Martell, heir to House Martell and the most beautiful and exotic woman in the hall.

Young Hrokar's most prominent features were his eyes. One was green and the other slate gray. With three small moles forming a triangle next to the corner of the gray eye. But to those in the know, his dire wolf companion was the most out of the ordinary aspect about the teenager.

[OOC: Corwyn and Hrokar both feel free to post IC.]

"My good Lord of Stormwood. Tormon, it does my heart good to see you and your's here." Corwyn said with a tone of great familiarity. "And with unexpected, though no less welcome, company." Corwyn offered a kind, yet charming smile to the fiery haired woman. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Lady..." Corwyn let the word hang lightly in hopes she would offer her name.

  Corwyn was middle aged man whose hair and neatly trimmed beard were starting to show the signs of silvering with age. He was not the largest man in the hall by far, but he was muscular, strength of arms through training and battle, though a slight thickness in the middle from comfortable living and too much drink in recent years. As this was a feast he dressed in finery of the Sylvayn colors rather than armored as some had chosen to do.  'Strangers are friends you've not had the pleasure of drinking with yet.' he would likely say if asked, and perhaps put too much trust in that belief.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:59, Sun 24 Jan 2021.

"Corwyn," Tormon said. "It's been too long." Tormon's blond hair was short, but not as short as Corwyn's. And his blue eyes seemed to see everything. All the way into your soul.

"I am Meleys Sand," the female said. She was very athletic and very lithe. Still in her soft leather armor. She was clearly a warrior even though she only seemed to be armed with knives. Tormon was still in his traveling clothes too, but then those were still more fine and expensive than what was being worn by the other nobles, even though most of them had gotten the chance to change out of their traveling clothes.

But his outfit was still tasteful. Though in passing Corwyn had heard someone comment on Tormon's need to show off his wealth. And his house had indeed become richer under his leadership. As well as more influential and a stronger military might.

For the past 400 years, every lord of Stormwood had had Targaryen blood, though it wasn't as visible as it was in House Sylvayn. Most of them looked more like the Andals that had invaded their lands millennia ago. And they had married them too. And the first daughter of an Andal house that married into the Stormwoods all that time ago had been of House Sylvayn.

But despite their Targaryen blood. Despite having sided with the Targaryens during the War of Conquest when they seized six of the seven kingdoms. During Robert's Rebellion, they sided with their first liege, Baratheon. Both times they had sided with the aggressor. Both times they had been victorious.

Their house was bigger, stronger, and better than it had ever been before. Well, their lands had never changed since their house had been formed. And their military might had reached their current level before, 360 years before the Conquest. But had then lost it to madness 300 years later. But since the formation of their House, it had never been better off than it was now.

"My brother thinks I need a bodyguard," Tormon said as he looked at Meleys. Brother obviously referring to Lord Anders Yronwood, his best friend and the current head of the house where Tormon had been fostered.

 "A pleasure, my dear." Corwyn offered Meleys before returning his attention to Lord Stormwood. "Wise counsel as lord of your house, one might say. I sense you are not terribly in agreeance though?" Corwyn sipped wine from his goblet as he gave Meleys an appraising glance, though whether of her appearance or some measure of her potential martial skill might be anyone's guess. Unlike others might in the Vale though, he seemed completely unphased by the idea of her being able to protect Tormon however.

Just the possibility that Lord Melcom could have overheard and thought Sharra was going to run off with some boy has her just dying of embarrassment. "How are the tournaments in Dorne, Princess Arianne?" she asks. "I always love watching them".

"Who would want to kill me," Tormon asked Corwyn. "We are at peace. I'm the Lord of a small House. I have no enemies." As he said the last sentence, he trailed off a little. As if he recalled something. "And talking about that, Godric sends his condolences for your brother. We all are of course. He was looking forward to seeing you in King's Landing. And if everything goes well here, I might have some interesting news for you about my nephew."


"We do not list, obviously," Arianne told Sharra. "But we fight and we have archery contests. And we drink." And then returning to her whisper. "And we play." And returning to her normal tone of voice. "So what do you do here for fun?"

As Hrokar sat at  the table, he silently reminded himself to, in his father's words, "Act appropriately and don't scare the lowlanders." He alsmost chuckled remembering the conversation, but, he caught himself and only let a slight smile show...so slight that it was just the marginal upturning of his lips on the left side of his mouth.

"Pardon my slight tardiness," he addressed the table as he settled in his seat. "I had to see to my pack's well-being and I just lost track of the time."

He looked at each person around the table, making sure to make eye contact.  Some might say that was a touch forward, but, Hrokar had learned long ago to read people's reactions to his appearance.  It helped in figuring out just how a conversation might go.

"Your pack of what," Garrett asked. He had dirty blond hair and bright eyes. He was slightly taller than Hrokar, but significantly lighter. He was dressed like most of the noble guests who had changed out of their traveling clothes after they arrived. He was not armed.

Hrokar had been looking at the lady next to him when  the young man next to him spoke.  He turned his head, slowly and looked him over.

"My pack," he started as there eyes locked. There was a glint in Hrokar's eyes, mirth, happiness...it was clear he enjoyed this topic.  "You might know something of my family, our hounds...but, the odds of you knowing much about me are pretty slim. I mean, I am no Ser Corwyn," he nods his head in the knights direction as he spoke.  "I," he continued, "have three companions, my friends, my pack.  A large wolf I saved as a pup and two of our families war hounds.  I trust them, they trust me, they are my brothers, my pack..." His tone softened and his words trailed off.

He smiled, and turned his head to where he could glimpse some of the others at the table, "I hope I answered your question and didn't bore you all..."

The handsome Ser Argos Moore was seated straight across the table from Hrokar. The green in his eyes was the same as the green in Hrokar's. The dark-haired man was only 19 years old, but still one of the more skilled knights of House Corbray. And though he had worn both sword and armor when he arrived with the bride's house, he now wore neither.

Diagonally to Hrokar's right and across the table from Garrett, was Loren Stormwood. The youngest of that House attending the wedding. Blond and blue-eyed like the rest of them. The Andal blood first infused into the House by the Sylvayns was stronger with them than the Valyrian blood that had been infused into the Sylvayns.

And across the table from Clarice was Cat, the beautiful, blonde 18-year-old ward of House Sylvayn. Hrokar likened her to a wild dog in his mind, though due to her name and build, most used feline comparisons. A wild dog from the Iron Islands pretending to fit into a more civilized land. Similar to Hrokar himself, though for different reasons.

There were others further away at the table, many, more or less surreptitiously, looking at the Sea Cat, one of her more polite nicknames. Argos, who was seated next to her, didn't seem to be interested in her. Looking only at her while in conversation as was polite.

"Dogs of war," Garrett said. "Yes, I should have known."

"My uncle just returned with a few hounds from the Reach," Loren said.

"No man of honor goes to war with dogs," Ser Argos said. "Hunting certainly, but war is a man's job. Not dogs." As he finished speaking, Argos was looking straight into Hrokar's eyes. And it wasn't clear if he was talking about Hrokar's brothers or about Hrokar himself.

"Boys will be boys," Clarissa said. "Always wanting to know who the top dog is."

"And never realizing that it's the bitches that make all the rules," Cat said.

Hrokar smiled, not quite a predatory smile, but not a bright and open smile either.

"The ladies," his smile softened as he glanced at them before returning his gaze to Ser Argos, "are, of course, correct.  Men will preen and puff themselves up to try to outshine other men.  I think it is a mating instinct," he laughed.  "We have this need to be better than other men instead of just accepting who we are," he continued, "but, in the end, we will tend to do what the women in our lives want us to do."

"Honor, Ser Argos, is such an interesting concept.  I believe in the honor of living ones life.  When a person can look at you and know your word is strong and that your loyalties are as well, that is honor...but, what is honor on the field of battle?  One life versus another life and, at the end, the man who survives is what matters."

"A simple scenario for you to consider, Ser," he took a sip of water, "You are charged with protecting a woman of your house.  Another man confronts you, his intent could be to kill, rape, or take your charge.  This man gets the better of you...you can choose to continue fighting honorably and, most likely you will die and your charge becomes chattel for your adversary," he paused, "OR, you can take an action that might seem dishonorable, but leads to your and your charges survival...What is more honorable, keeping your word to your liege and saving your charges life, or dying and letting them be taken?"

He let his words sink in and could see the young knight thinking, "You see," he continued, "too much honor, or pride, in combat, just leads to a man becoming meat," he speared a bit of mutton and ate it, "for the beast," he finished.

He continued to look into Ser Argos' eyes as he spoke, but, as he finished, his gaze wasn't cruel or mean...just an honest, appraising look.

His eyes brightened after a moment, "Ahh," he said, "another thing for you to consider.  A knight rides a trained war horse into  battle.  As the knight fights a man to his side, the horse uses its hooves to kill a man the knight did not see.  How is that more honorable than the knight who fights on foot with his trained war hound.  Both animals are trained for war and both give the man fighting an edge...If you would like, Ser Argos, I can take you to meet my pack after we eat.  Maybe seeing them might change your perspective...a little," he added

"That is a false dichotomy," Ser Argos said. "Honor will prevail. Without honor, there is no life."

"Horses are noble creatures. Dogs are not. It makes all the difference in the world. And I have no interest in your dogs."

"Oh, if you haven't see a joust, I hope you can while you are here. It's really thrilling" Sharra said enthusiastically. She thought for a moment when Arianne asked her what they did for fun. "Oh, we dance, we enjoy music, we go riding. Cat likes to fence, but I don't do that. Is music very different in Dorne?"

"I'm looking forward to the joust," Arianne told Sharra. "If for no other reason than to see how you northerners fight."

"Why don't you come to my wedding and you will see," Arianne told Sharra.



"I wouldn't mind meeting your pack," Loren told Hrokar. "If that's an open invitation."

"Me too," Clarice said. "Having a trained dog or two could never be wrong."
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:11, Fri 12 Feb 2021.

Hrokar nodded a little at Ser Argos' words, and then chuckled softly, "There was life long before there was the concept of honor...however, friend Argos, I truly hope that when your time comes to make that choice, your honor sees you through."

He sat back and, looked to Loren and Clarise as they spoke.

"Of course," he smiled broadly, "You are both welcome to meet them.  And, Lady Clarise, hounds make wonderful companions for man or woman.  They are loyal, strong, and can give you that unconditional love that you may not receive from any other."

"Well they are definitely better than marrying a Corbray," Clarise said. "Fortunately my brother had to bite that arrow. If they would have forced me to marry Florian instead, I would have killed him."

"I hope we can watch together!" Sharra says warmly. "I should be very honored to attend your wedding, Princess, but I don't know if I would be allowed to... Dorne is far away"

"Of that, I am very aware," Arianne said. "I have tried for years to convince my father to let me travel to the north and failed. And Lord Stormwood succeeded on his first attempt. Not that he hasn't had northern Lords come to propose, but all of them have been old and ugly. Now at least I have someone that is young and strong. And very good at playing." The last sentence she added in a whisper.

"I'm sure there are ways to convince your brother. Don't you think?"

A attractive woman in a Mummer's dress for an audience of higher station walks out with a case, limping badly from the right leg and hip, with a odd case and a servant brings a seat. Bowing to the main table and then her household and the others she sits and takes out an odd instrument it is a double stringed instrument, a mandolin no, but Bravossi by the style and places it in her lap the instrument against her as she places her hands into position.

"My good and kind Lords, ladies and honored guests I'm a retainer of House Sylvayn on this happy occasion a wedding to be done and a crowd of their family and friends. I honor the betrothed couple with a song of romance to be my gift to the beautiful bride-to-be and her husband. May the gods bless them and their houses.," Auriel begins to play a ballad using both hands one string set high notes and one low her hands skilled as she sings. Her accent is Braavosi.

THE MOONS EMBRACING ARMS

The moon astride the night and starry sky where the gods look down and smile,
on loves sweet kiss and loves reply as across the world the lovers look on high,
and two who wed will have bound to her for common or mighty her joy be found.
With light hearted and swooning the love affirming upon moons light may joy fill the
world and dark shadows repealing beauty that is love be found.

Dance oh dance gentle folk be happy and mighty lords your alliances be making ... may all good things in life be found!

(audience is urged to repeat twice loudly and happy)

It goes on for several stanzas the last a bit bawdy one for the men and the last for the ladies about the wedding first act of love. Its more enjoyment in the first time and asking the gods blessings. It is in marriage a sacred and good act after all. And the last for those seeking love very tender. Audience repeated parts the same as the first and three times at the end. And her flourishes and instrumental work required clearly a good deal of hard work to master.

She stands with difficulty and bows hoping it was pleasant enough and not offensive.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:25, Fri 12 Feb 2021.