(first lemon cake) voice ✧ seelie & unseelie

[steeledskin]

I offer my gratitude to those fighting the worms. [ here is a voice both measured and composed, albeit young. ] And gratitude is all I can give, barring my prayers. And they are given whole-heartedly for all of us. May the Warrior give you the strength and courage required for your victories. And may the Mother bless us all.

[ sansa stark has long come to doubt the efficacy of the seven new gods. she isn't entirely certain the old gods listen, either -- but their rustling leaves and independent ways give her more peace of late than anything the seven offer: incense and rituals. however! she has resigned herself to being alayne stone to those who are not immediately known to her or trusted by her. and alayne stone worships the new gods, not the old. she is meant to be exactly as petyr baelish described her: a pious bleater, whose ardent faith discourages unwanted questions. so she speaks of blessing of the seven, but holds the old gods in her heart. she only hopes that arya and her allies will forgive her this identity fraud across the lockets.

most of all, sansa doesn't want to disappoint the people to whom she'd promised her help. like in maegor's holdfast during the blackwater, sansa hopes to lift spirits and rouse bravery. perhaps if she voices her thankfulness, others will follow in kind.

before she ends, she has only one question -- the paranoid fugitive in her needs to know: ] These pendants are truly remarkable. Magic, is it? But more efficient by far than any raven. [ ... ] Can they be used to talk only to one person, and privately? If anyone has managed it, I would thank you to tell me how.

Comments

[steeledskin]

Are you saying you live alone, my lord?

[gordianknots]

Back home, yes. Hence why everything here has been a period of adjustment.

[steeledskin]

Is it lonely?

[gordianknots]

For me, not very. But I have a lot of social interaction when I'm teaching, so coming home to have a few hours to myself is relaxing for me.

[steeledskin]

If you're a lord, don't you have knights? Guards? Surely you're not completely alone.

[gordianknots]

We need a lot less of those back home. Although it does make cooking an adventure, without anyone around who's skilled to do it. I managed to get soup on the ceiling once, from sheer lack of skill.

[steeledskin]

[ had the locket been recording anything else, it would have caught her laughter. ]

Impressive, I'm sure. At least I can only assume, having never cooked myself.

[gordianknots]

[To be fair Waver laughed at the time. Mostly out of sheer disbelief, admittedly.]

The luxury of servants?

[steeledskin]

We have a few of them.

[ understatement. but even so, the eyrie (and the gates) boasted a small staff when compared to the red keep. ]

[gordianknots]

I'd nearly admit to being envious. But at least my mishaps create good stories.

[steeledskin]

And I suppose it hardly matters, here. Adjustments aside, you must find us well cared for.

[gordianknots]

You'd be right. For someone who says they aren't clever, you're perceptive.

[steeledskin]

Am I? You're kind to say it. Thank you, my lord.

[ to argue would only force her to display more wits; best to simply be gracious. ]

[gordianknots]

Don't mention it, I'm glad to give the compliment.

[steeledskin]

I do look forward to speaking with you again, my lord. In future.

[ there, she thinks. a gentle way to finish the conversation -- because there isn't much left to be said. but she's appreciated his forthright informative nature. ]

[gordianknots]

It was good to talk to you now too. Travel safe.

[It is a good place to end the conversation as any. Waver has a few suspicions that Lady Stone is in fact much more clever than she lets on, but hiding something like that is a good thing to do, in his experience.]