Hagen Greyjoy
Between his blood still boiling over the unfortunate encounter, and his mind racing over what Kaylee would think of him after all of it, while his little trip back to the Iron Islands was still fresh in their memory, Hagen chose to say nothing following Visenya's words, but instead, he briefly shot her a frowned glare as his response. He was far from holding her words against her. She had a point, and even though the order in his house was lost on her, he understood that she merely went by what has been offered for her to see.
"At the risk of repeating myself. Do not drag her into this mess," Visenya proceeded, and for the first time since she started her lecture, did she get a proper reaction from Hagen. Exhaling, he leaned back in his seat, shaking his head briefly.
"It's a given," he managed to add in to the conversation, before she proceeded.
"I do not need to know what has happened between you and Lady Grimm, but I do need to know that my cousin will not have an additional headache because of tonight."
Tapping his finger against his table, the ironborn though of his answer briefly, in order to make it as clear as possible.
"What happened, happened many summers ago. The only reason it is an issue now is because Grimm decided to be--"
No. Stop that!
Upon realizing that his tone grew angrier and louder than he wanted it to, being carried away by the moment in which he felt upset, Hagen stopped himself mid-sentence, breaking it off with an inhale and a brief pause needed to collect his thoughts. What was he doing anyway? What in the bloody hell did he believe throwing blame over something so redundant would do? Although there was no question that he would have appreciated addressing it at a different time if there was still a need to, it was not a good enough reason to justify himself by blaming the other. After all, Tamsyn Grimm was a treat for some summers long ago Hagen, and not something that was forced upon him.
Once the storm in his mind calmed down, the ironborn spoke up again, calm and collected.
"No. Let me rephrase that... It was left unaddressed for a while, and even though this is arguably not the best way to get my attention about it after so long," he jested, dropping his glare down at the mess on his garments.
"It's been a long time coming. Good for her she got that out of her system."
It was somewhat a relief that Visenya's response was a light-hearted one with a generous tap on his back and he accepted it with a nod and a lopsided smirk.
"That being said, I do feel for you," she directed her attention to the unfortunate wine smudge that now soaked into the fabric.
"Though wine stains had never been an issue on my clothes." Hagen met her words with a brief chuckle as he got off the chair, giving the stain another assessment.
"Well, you arguably have a better way of clearing the air in that case. Would have been useful to learn from you back then, but alas."
Pacing around the room, he swore under his breath over the ruined gift.
"I would've appreciated if she had chosen a different garment to do this on. Do you think this has any chance of being fixed? It's... Important to me," he asked slightly insecure about his whining over a thing that in any other case would not have bothered him as much.
"In the mean time, I will see to fresh garments being brought to me. Shouldn't take all too long." Albeit, annoying regardless. But he sure as hell wasn't going to return out there looking the way he did. Even though people's opinion of his presence there did not bother him at the slightest, lord Greyjoy was still a severely proud person, and Tamsyn Grimm, as much as he did not hold it against her, managed to struck bone-deep into it, and it was hard to simply brush off.
NOTE: I know Catlyn is arranging to get him something to change into but he doesnt :P
@Applo
@DayDreamer
Arley Baratheon
After the main event settled down with lord Greyjoy apparently being politely taken out of the room, and after his small scold towards Kaylee, Arley sat calmly, his head propped up by his arm in a pondering position as he listened to whispers and comments around him. Even if lady Lannister responded to him, it met the lord's silence as he Catlyn's witty response to lord Manderly, limiting the defiant smirk that briefly formed under the finger strategically placed across the bow of his mouth, hiding the movements of his lips just enough not give out wrong impression. It was not the worst situation, but certainly not the best either. whatever issue the two had in the first place, had no place to be resolved in that moment and in such manner.
Just on time, as if he waited for his sister to excuse herself form the table, Eddard Stark got up and off his seat right after, making his way down the table, paying no mind to the opinions and thoughts he had to share in the light of the recent event.
"You would think after Iron Islands became independent at the end of the Long Night, Greyjoys would be happy being Salt Kings and raiding Essos or simply sailing the High Seas." Being blind for the most of his life, Arley's ability to focus and sharpen his hearing was without competition. People tended to forget and a bit of a harmless eavesdropping always carried a benefit with it.
Tap. Tap. Tap...
Rhythmic tapping of Arley's finger against the armrest of his chair was the only sign of his annoyance, as his face usually calm and neutral in the light of the obligation he had towards their respectful hosts.
"Does Hagen Greyjoy really think he has a claim over all the Seven Kingdoms?" The tapping stopped as the voice of the young man approached, and the stag concluded his pondering with a disappointed sigh. At that very point, Alrey Baratheon could not see himself fully supporting any of the sides willing to present their case in favor of Iron Throne, and the way young Stark took his heritage for granted and his belief for a fact troubled him deeply. It was hard to believe that Ned had few months more in his favor compared to Baratheon, and was yet to grow into them.
"Wonderful to see that the esteemed lord Stark hadn't changed a bit," Arley mumbled cynically and his voice sounded only to those close to him; young Selmy and Kaylee Lannister.
"Yes, my lord," the young squire responded with slight insecurity but with a brief smirk. As Arley's squire, he for the most part thought his duty to agree even though for the most part Arley encouraged his own thought process to be expressed. But if anything, he had learned to recognize the sound of sarcasms and witty cynical remarks from Arley's vast conversational opus.
"Seems like he has Ironborn's typical brazeness my Lord." The voice sounding in a response quickly revealed young Tully, a rather fond follower of Lord Stark, and it was a given why. The boy was still learning, but Arley had feared that the boy's ideals were directed all wrong.
"Well said Lord Tristan," Eddard laughed amused by his companion's jest, just before their steps halted in front of him and Kaylee. Almost immediately, Tyne Selmy bowed to the lords with a respectful greeting, before he made a few steps back, giving the lords more space while still remaining close in service to Lord Baratheon.
"Lord Baratheon, Lady Lannister," Eddard greeted them both, and as a response, Arley adjusted himself in his seat appropriately straight up with his clasped hands resting on the table.
"Lord Stark, Lord Tully," the Stag greeted in a respectful, polished manner, content smirk on his face revealing naught of his inner thoughts.
"It has been a long time since we last met, but I see time has been generous with both of you."
"Flattering as it is, Lord Stark, I cannot possibly compete with lovely Lady Lannister keeping me company," Arley complimented with a cheereful grin, gesturing briefly towards Kaylee.
"Man must be more than just blind not to appreciate her presence." By now, the Stag jested and refered to his impairment as a part of his life than he no longer considered a stain on his personal history.
"But if I may, you sound rather healthy and strong yourself. I am truly happy if that is so," he returned the favour with a polite nod. Before he was able to refer to lord Tully, another highborn in their presence, Eddard rushed forth with the burning question. And indeed, judging by the eagerness in his voice, he was more than willing to build up on it just as well.
"I wonder what your take is on the matter? Do you really think Kraken wishes to rule over land as it rules the deep?" Lord Baratheon's face remained of an unchanging, polite expression. Eddard Stark had all the potential to be a good ruler, but sometimes in not so ideal of moments, his vanity peeked through in the most uncomfortable of ways, unknowingly putting those involved in just as awkward position. This time, it seemed to be Stag's turn to juggle it.
Unbeknownst to him, his young squire desperately attempted to maintain his position and his neutrality while his eyes darting quickly from his Lord to Lady Lannister and then to the lords that have approached. It was certainly not his place, but poor boy had a working pair of eyes and ears and a rather intelligent mind. It did not take long for Tyne Selmy to add up two and two and shyly pull himself more behind Arley's chair, smelling the potential storm in the air as lady Kaylee seemed like anything but pleased with her cousin's words. Unfortunately for him, he was not excused from the awkwardness and so all he could do is stand and wait for the things to go south.
"Interesting question," Arley interrupted the silence, lowering his glare ahead of himself as he tapped the top of his adorned cane leaning against his seat between him and Kaylee. Although he was well aware of a never-changing string of thoughts flowing across more or less all of the great houses of Westeros, it was also the bane of his existence and the never changing story of history repeating itself on same old mistakes he previously referred to while answering Kaylee's question. It was getting old, and even though neither of them were too long to see all of it, Arley was already tired of repetition. Perhaps even more so than many others. Spending his days with books being read to him, if anything was certain, it was that Arley saw the history of their vast kingdom from more sides than one. And no history of no house was as holy and as pure and for that reason, he himself often chose to set his prejudice aside for the sake of giving a chance. Gods knew he had many of those rising against him in the same manner.
But politics were politics. Saying things like those without nicely forging around them first were sure to mark you the way you did not want to be marked, and Eddard Stark almost certainly did not ask such question simply to pass time. No one has. And so, rather than sounding like favoritism, Arley resorted to a cryptic diplomatic response with his usual warm smile, while he was ever so vigilant of the reactions that may come from Kaylee, ready to interrupt anything she may come to rethink.
"If I may be honest, I am just as curious. Seeing how Wolf reached a long way down south from the vast North, I do not see why Kraken wouldn't be just as capable to conquer the ground as it conquers the vast sea." He allowed it to linger briefly, before he proceed in a light, optimistic tone, clasping his palms together.
"But I certainly believe new pair of hands at the table doesn't worry you, Lord Stark? I believe we will all get the ever so admirable North tomorrow. I am looking forward to it," he nodded respectfully, intertwining his fingers and turning his head lightly towards Kaylee with a knowing smirk.
"I am certain Lady Kaylee shares the sentiment." At the very least, he had hoped to bring her back to the reality of those encounters and the need to play by the rules out of her light, wine-induced annoyance.
@Sailor Arti