𝕒𝕝𝕝'𝕤 𝕗𝕒𝕚𝕣 𝕚𝕟 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖

"Well, when i see a fellow noble in struggle who am i to turn a blind eye away from them?" He said with a smirk on his face as the targaryen princess stood when he approached.

"I shall promise then for the next time you will get your own mode of transportation, something fitting for my favorite sibling." He joked with Vaoira. He loved all his siblings but it was easy to see how much alike they were to one another even when separated by time apart whenever he was away to the Crownlands and she was with their uncle.

mela nearly resents how comfortable her brother is, steeped in the culture of king's landing. it was an affront to the reach, she thought, how much he was enjoying this. how little he thought of anything other than becoming king. foolish. his pomp grated on her like the rough bark of a tree. " you are a preening bird, desmond. " tone accusatory, there is no mistaking mela's stance on their attendance at the kingsmoot.

"Oh come on Mela, must you wound your oldest sibling's pride with such words?" Desmond said as he looked toward her. "This is what comes with being master of coin I fear. At least at my age." He jested.

"Look once it is decided who sits on the Iron Throne, I promose i will make sure you are one of the first to leave so you can return to your endeavors once more." He answered.

the pale lilac of her gaze followed him across the hall, taking note of which lieges he spoke to and the ease in which he navigated the room ─ unconsciously, her lip curled into a look of faint disgust, if only to hide the begrudging admiration that shone in her eyes as his second round through the crowd brought him close enough that her unimpressed glare, purposefully exaggerated, drew his attention. ❝ it is not your joviality that insults but the sheer arrogance. ❞ was it disgust that curled at her mouth or amusement ? daenys shook her head, annoyed. ❝ i was hoping to find you humbled in my time away from the capital but i see no one has yet to do that ? ❞ she mused, beckoning a servant over for some grapes. ❝ yet another thing i must do, after my father is crowned king. ❞

"My arrogance? Why must you wound me with your words Daenys?" He teased sarcastically once he realize who he was now conversing with.

They had an interesting relationship with one another and yet he knew that she was someone who he could easily enjoy his time with. If not by her quips alone that certainly made him laugh.

He looked around the room as the other spoke. Goblet of arbor wine is his hand as he watched the nobles. Some that wanted the same as him and others that were here for other things.

"I have spent many years and I will say this is rhe first time i have ever seen the hall look more lively than ever." He quipped as he took a sip from his wine.

"and who can blame the excitement? i heard from a serving boy near the kitchens that there was secret passage. how many keeps have known but also unknown secret passages?"

"It is an honor to stand before you." He answered so easily. The sweet tone of his words escaping him aa if it came second nature to the Redwyne.

He could not hold the smirk when it came to talking of the secrets of the Red Keep. "I myself only know a handful compared to those who help us. Most of what I know is the ones to easily access the kitchens or the grounds when one is wanting a moment a peace. Sometimes it feels as if I spend much of time here stuck in a room of four walls talking of serious things instead of enjoying life." Desmond said.

they'd decided to take the unorthodox path into king's landing. being stuck in a wheelhouse on a long arduous journey seemed an utter bore on the best of days, but when the opportunity arose to explore the city and take a few detours, how could she deny herself? ever dutiful, aila did inform the captain of the household guard who traveled with them of her planned excursions, the usual promise and well-natured bribe to prevent her escapades being reported back to her parents and grandfather. even going so far as to make a brief appearance before their sister in proper attire, dolled up in the way only amerei was allowed to demand, said the briefest of hello and goodbyes to other nobles, all the correct things, before feigning exhaustion and slipping back to their rooms.

aila had found her escape after donning more comfortable garb. a plain tunic and trousers, material subpar for nobles, yet still a touch too refined for the smallfolk. the only clear indications of her identity were their signet ring and a small concealed weapon if trouble were to find them. sneaking around the edges of the red keep proved easy enough, making her way back towards the guest chambers, however...

it didn't help that what began as a drizzle of rain started to come down harder. aila ducked into the covered area, shutting the door gently behind.

"no no, it is fine. it seems the rain has a way of catching people out of nowhere." desmond jested as he stood in the room. he had been busy making sure everything was going well. the money had been spent already but that did not mean he was to go around acting as if everything was going to run smoothly.

many said desmond was fit for the small council, the way he easily slipped into the role despite being significantly younger than the rest but there was one role he was very good at: being the overbearing brother. he would not say he watched over his siblings like a hawk after their parents passed but whenever he was away from home, des wondered what state the keep would be when he returned. engulfed into the hug was comforting after it felt as if he was surrounded by vultures.

seora had always hated king's landing. not for the noise -- noise she could tolerate. ports had taught her long ago how to drown in sound without ever truly listening to it. but king's landing carried a particular sort of filth that settled heavy in the air no matter how brightly the nobles dressed it up with banners and music. it reeked of piss and sea brine gone sour.

currently, she was lounging carelessly against a railing near the docks, one boot hooked lazily over the lower beam as she drank from a flask of dark arbor red that tasted barely acceptable by her standards. the silver rings across her fingers caught the lanternlight whenever she tilted the flask toward her mouth.

somewhere nearby, drunken sailors had started singing loudly enough to qualify as a public disturbance. she couldn't help but approve.

her attention drifted lazily through the noise before settling on someone staring at her a little too long. slowly, seora lowered her flask. her brows arched upward as sharp eyes fixed fully onto them now, entirely unbothered by their stare.

"what?" she barked out bluntly, voice carrying easily above the noise around them. "you never seen a woman having a drink before?"

they  wield  their  anger  by  burying  it.  there  will  come  a  time  they  will  pull  it  to  the  surface  again,  but  tonight,  the  realm  that  gathers  is  spared.  the  entire  event  spits  in  delfina's  face,  in  the  right  she  is  owed.  everyone  in  the  room  knows,  understands,  accepts.  and  still,  they  gather  to  declare  what  will  never  be  theirs.

they  worry  one  of  their  bracelets  adorned  with  rubies,  the  rune  for  steadiness  placed  between  each  stone.  a  breath,  then  another.

The master of coin lingers in the shadows as he makes his way around. Ever a present smirk on his face aa he says his hellos to anyone he deems worthy. Yet he knows what many are gathered here for, it the same thing he covets as well. A srat he feels that he is destined for soncw the momwnt he waa born. Still though he will act as if it something trivial, though underneath the pleasantries, he is making small miniscule moved.

FOUND  IN  ...  the  feast.

vaiora  smiles  brightly,  as  if  stepping  into  the  role  of  hostess  —  as  if  king's  landing  is  her  home,  already.  the  chandelier  of  wax  and  iron  reflecting  the  lady  of  the  arbor's  warmth,  amber  candlelight  allowing  a  halo  of  light  in  the  darkness,  the  seven  smiling  down  on  her.  it  feels  nice  against  the  deep  plum  of  her  silks,  drinking  in  the  light's  rays,  warming  the  bare  of  her  shoulders,  imbuing  the  collar  of  rubies  fastened  to  her  neck  with  a  gentle  sparkle.  “do  be  sure  to  imbibe,"  she  advises  sweetly,  palm  outstretched  to  hold.  the  other  nurses  a  gold  patinaed  goblet  inlaid  with  a  matching  scarlet,  swishing  nearly  half  empty.  "we  brought  near  to  a  hundred  barrels  for  the  occasion.  the  arbor's  finest,  of  course."  vaiora  resented  the  favour  of  dornish  reds.  "they  will  not  drink  themselves!”

"Here i was thinking you or any of our siblings might not fit in and it seems as if i had nothing to worry about." Desmond churns as he makes his presence known with a smile. He can see many eyes on him but this was something he was used to. It came easy to him, the ability to command a room.

THE ARBOR, The Reach