(third lemon cake) voice ✧ open to both courts

[steeledskin]

( VOICE: OPEN TO BOTH COURTS )

Fellow [ ... ] shardholders. Seven blessings upon you all.

[ sansa is back in caer glaem, but there is no visual recording to accompany this address. (perhaps foolishly) she believes she may be somewhat protected from joffrey's attention. she would avoid an address altogether, but she feels there are those in the opposing court who ought to be quietly warned against the evil presence in their midst. trouble is, she doesn't know their names. and so here is a quiet attempt to draw out some of those people she'd spoken with at the very outset of using these lockets. ]

These lands are impressive. I have spent the larger part of two turns of this moon travelling them. Their roads are hard, perhaps, but I find myself oddly...pleased that I made any progress at all. [ there is a quiet (and honest) reverence in her voice. improvement and daring is not a thing she expects of herself, and so the mere understanding that she can now build a fire or ride a horse for days? it kindles something in her heart. a spark of pride. ] Seelie. Unseelie. Both territories boast beautiful landscapes -- I should like to see them painted, perhaps. Are there any artists in either court? Painters? Sculptors? [ ... ] Have we any musicians? These kingdoms must have their own songs. I would fain learn them.

From what played at the first feast, I imagine fairy music must always be a delight.

[ a protracted conversations, perhaps. but she hopes to catch the ear of wary allies and would-be friends. and as for her public behaviour? ah, well. she will be alayne stone a little longer. she is not ready to reclaim herself in one headlong rush. small steps and little leaps must be made. ]

(ooc: this post comes on the evening of june 27th. if your character is in caer glaem and is more apt to find here somewhere around the castle, go ahead and hit me with an action thread instead. i'm good with it. )

Comments

[teenyoda]

Orders? It can be hard to go against something when you're used to being obedient. Or they're just a-- bleepholes.

This is why I don't really adhere to authority. Authority isn't always right.

[COUGH COUGH ARGENTS COUGH.]

[chromosomes]

Sometimes orders. Sometimes- well, like Stiles said. I can't speak for every man.

[ A pause, then- ]

Sometimes they're just too damn scared to stand up and say no.

[steeledskin]

[ for those of us playing at home, it is perhaps no surprise which sort sansa's heart aches for: ] Those poor men.

[teenyoda]

War sucks.

[He nodded, like he'd just dropped some intensely intelligent news bombs.]

People can suck too. But hey, there's some good people out there as well. Johnny boy here seems to be on the side of those that don't suck too hard, so... chat it up with him if you need to.

[chromosomes]

I was one of them, once. [ His words are meant for Sansa, even if Stiles is right there. ] Too nervous about what they'd do to me if I said no, if I refused to go along with what they wanted.

But eventually... if you're lucky, eventually you realize that what they could do to you doesn't matter as much if you're losing yourself to it. There are some times in war that it's kill or be killed, no matter who's on the other side -- but there are other times where you can show that you're still human.

[ He settles back, runs a hand over his face. Human or something like it, anyway. ]

[steeledskin]

[ at first, she thinks she's asking about the knights who had struck her -- hurt her and punished her under the king's orders. she think she's asking for some glimpse into their minds and how they could allow themselves to do it.

but no. in the end, she's asking about herself: how could she have let so much happen? she had rendered herself an object just as quickly as they had. and today is just another stumbling step back to humanity.

sansa reaches out and oh-so-gently touches stiles's arm -- on his elbow -- and she nods towards the locket. ] Th-thank you. Both of you. I've learned so much. [ she keeps her voice even. ] But I'm tired, now. I would retire to my chambers.

[ it's too much; it asks too much of her heart and memory. she depends upon her station and her frailty to grant her an exemption from the rest of the conversation. ]

[teenyoda]

[Keen senses pick out that something's off with her, but he's not going to press. Not right now and not in front of John. He nods at her and gives a quiet 'talk to you later' to John before closing the locket.]

No, that's fine. You, uh, want me to walk you there?

[He knew that 'ladies' got escorted pretty much everywhere, but he wasn't sure about the policy on walking them back to their rooms.]

[steeledskin]

Yes. Yes, please.

[ stiles is not (perhaps) the most ideal escort for her purposes. but he was still someone -- and kind enough. she shuffles down the bench a few inches before pulling herself gracefully to her feet. ] I would like that.

[teenyoda]

[He got up, staff going to the hand that wasn't nearest her. Then he held out his arm and gave her a smile.]

Come on. Let's get you back to your room. Sorry for wearing you out. I know... it's a lot. The whole modern thing and where you're from, and you only just got back from your trip. Sorry, Alayne.

[steeledskin]

It's not your fault; you're not to blame.

[ she hooks her arm stiffly around his elbow, wrapping her fingers 'round her cocked wrist so she might hold her arm in place. ] I ought to pace my curiousity. I ask too much of you. It's not fair -- you're not a book or a scroll, to be studied.

[teenyoda]

[He shrugged.]

You're curious and I'm your friend. I know these things and I'll point you to other people that know things I don't and you can find out as much about it as you want. I don't mind. It's not like it's often I get to ramble on and on with someone actually listening.

[steeledskin]

Then I promise to always listen. [ she has derided herself so much in his earshot, she may as well praise one strength: ] I think I'm an awfully good listener.

[teenyoda]

That you haven't just walked away or thrown something at me makes you a great listener, Alayne.

[steeledskin]

Why would I throw--?

[ she breaks off, mid-sentence. the idea is too ludicrous. sansa shakes her head. ] You're interesting. It makes it easy to listen.

[teenyoda]

[He's looking down as they walk and smiling. Interesting? Him? Hah, that was a first. But it was a nice first and he looked over and gave her another almost shy grin.]

Thanks. Just let me know if I'm going on too much about something. I have a tendency to ramble.

[Especially without his meds.]

[steeledskin]

I like it.

[ when he's talking, she doesn't have to. she can stand back and let the words fill all the empty spaces, distracting her from her own hollowness. ] It isn't a terrible tendency. Too many can barely hold half a conversation, let alone carry the brunt of it.

[ flattery comes easy to her. even easier when it's true. ]

[teenyoda]

Then you're in a minority of people I know. Most of them can't wait for me to shut up.

[He led her inside the castle, heading towards where he thought her rooms were.]

You can always tell me when I'm talking too much. Just... give me a jab and tell me to shut up.

[steeledskin]

A...jab?

[ surely, he cannot be suggesting what she thinks he's suggesting! she frowns, and watches as they pass towards the keep. ]

[teenyoda]

Yeah. You know, like a poke. Prod. Jab. Shove. Punch. Nudge. Whatever works.

[steeledskin]

-- I would never...!

[ indeed, as they walk together it seems he's just offered up the opportunity to do something she finds utterly unbelievable. impossible. she could not punch-shove-prod-jab him. not at all. ]

[teenyoda]

No? You should. Just once. Just to see what it feels like.

[He's half teasing her now, knowing she's too much a delicate flower to just haul off and punch him, but hey, maybe he could get a poke out of her.]

[steeledskin]

It would absolutely not be appropriate.

[teenyoda]

Maybe not where you come from, but in case you haven't noticed, we're not exactly where you come from, Alayne. Go on. Give my shoulder a bit of a poke. I promise I won't bite.

[steeledskin]

No. [ another shake of her head.

except. except he wants her to prod-poke-jab him, does he not? and so she must navigate this tricky crossroads: the understanding that to fulfil his wishes she has to do something that might ordinarily be seen as wrong. ] A-are you certain?

[teenyoda]

[He gave her a look with raised brows.]

Do I look like I'm going to explode from a poke to the shoulder?