Unhappy Departure |
Summary: | Aboard the ship headed for Starfall, Princess Visenya Martell and Lady Lara Gargalen have a slightly emotional exchange about the occurences that have led to their departure from Oldtown. |
Date: | 06/01/2015 (Date of RP) |
Related: | Recent logs dealing with the duel of Daevon and Manfryd. Follows directly after Leaving Oldtown. |
Players: |
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Below deck of the ship heading for Starfall
The groans and creaks of the ship, a merchant vessel manned by a crew out of Plankytown, are more distinct below deck. It is also dark and dim. The sounds of the boat are only interrupted occasionally by a serpentine hiss or a snap of jaws followed by a scolding tone in High Valyrian.
Visenya is sitting in front of the cage that her two hound-sized dragonets have been placed in for the voyage to Starfall. She has her hand placed through the bars, an act that would surely result in a mauling should anyone else do it, and is busy scratching the chin of one of her dangerous pets. The Princess is dressed plainly for the voyage; she had been smuggled aboard as a servant. Her free hand rests on the slight swell of her abdomen. She speaks to herself, or perhaps it is to the dragons. Or her unborn child. Either way, it is more like talking to herself than anyone else. "We shall never go home again, you realize."
Descending the steps from above is another female figure, wrapped in part in a cloak, below which glimpses of dark blue sandsilk are visible. Black hair is worn in one thick braid, hazel eyes scanning the place as they get used to the comparatively dim lighting. High Valyrian may not be a tongue Lara Gargalen does understand, let alone speak, yet, spending time with Visenya and seeing her now and then with the dragons she has grown accustomed to the strange sound of the language. Pausing for a few moments, the Gargalen lady will watch Visenya kneel before the cage and stick her hand through the bars, before she addresses her. The remark, however will elicit a faint smile, Lara nodding to herself, as the words somehow match her own suspicion. Clearing her throat first as not to startle the Princess overly much, she will then address Visenya, keeping the tone of her voice soft and smooth. "Your highness…"
Visenya takes her hand from the cage to wipe her eyes on her sleeve when she hears that throat clearing. "Lady Lara." She says when she hears the other woman speak. She affixes her face into something more neutral, and luckily for her the dim lighting below deck hides the red around her eyes. "I hope Ser Manfryd has been settled in properly?" She stands up from the floor, but remains close to the cage. When she leaves it for too long her beasts become disquieted, and so she's remained near it most of the voyage, and she remains near it now. "Has the Captain told you how soon we are to arrive?"
There is a faint flicker in Lara's gaze when Visenya turns and acknowledges her presence. The dim lighting may hide the sombreness of the dragon princess, yet even a Cockatrice may suspect the recent turn of events hold a certain amount of grief for her. "He has," Lara replies to the question, the attempt to keep the tone neutral does not quite succeed, a hint of stubbornness and warmth evident there should Visenya pay attention. When the princess moves to stand, Lara steps beside her, to offer her a hand and support should it be needed. "The captain said, the voyage to Starfall will take two days, more or less, depending on the wind and weather conditions.", the Dornishwoman offers. Hazel eyes shift to the dragonets in the cage, curious caution flickering in her gaze, before Lara Gargalen turns her attention back to Visenya. "Do you need anything?" The question offered again in her smooth tone, even if the intent and concern might be genuine.
"Good." Visenya sighs, and she shakes her head a little before saying, "I suppose no more need be said about the reasons Ser Manfryd left Oldtown." She gives Lara a serious look then, "He shall have to guard himself. He cannot be alone with girls or boys. He cannot drink overly much." She lifts a hand as if to silence Lara before she can speak, "I do not know if he did it or not. And at this point I don't care. I don't want to hear about it anymore. Prince Torren grows tired of Ser Manfryd putting himself in positions where Prince Torren must make excuses for him." She shakes her head at the question. "No. I'm fine, but thank you." She lets out a frustrated little sigh.
A slight shake of the head is given to Visenya's remark. "I am aware," the Gargalen states softly, her brows drawn together in a slight frown. "This has all been rather… unfortunate. I am aware he has not always conducted himself like he should, your highness. The Scorpion… while he has been able to prove himself as a capable knight in the tourney, he was not inclined to give up on certain… provocations." To put it mildly. And even if Lara sees the hand Visenya raises as if to forestall any opinion she may have on the matter, it does not keep her from insisting: "He did not do it, your highness.", even if her voice is kept to a low but still slightly imploring murmur. She falls silent then, inclining her head in a nod to Visenya's words. "Just let me know if there is anything you need.", she says after a moment. "Do you prefer me to leave…?"
Visenya looks unhappy. So very, very unhappy. "Unfortunate? The man has done nothing but be an absolute thorn in Prince Torren's side. If he had done one small thing that was decent or good…" Her smooth brow furrows, and she shakes her head a little in disgust, "But he hasn't. Every single time I turned around it was someone else saying 'Ser Manfryd has done this thing. Or that thing.'" She looks to Lara quite seriously, "It doesn't matter that he didn't do it. What matters is he's made himself into the sort of man who could be thought to do such things. Do you think if he had behaved differently such accusations would have been leveled at him?" She ignores Lara's last question, and instead looks at her expectantly.
Lara meets the expectant look with the most earnest expression the princess may ever have beheld on her. Features that usually have been so capable of displaying a smooth facade of everlasting amusement, are for once showing genuine concern. Eyes that have been showing off a wicked glint most often, suddenly appear a touch darker. She sighs as well, a deep heartfelt sigh, that. "I was there, your highness, when your brother dueled him. It was I who spat at your brother's feet. It was I who denied the Scorpion did what Ser Daevon had accused him of. And it was I…" Another sigh there as she turns slightly, her gaze going distant as it shifts away from Visenya. "It was I who followed along when the Scorpion was brought to the Citadel." A faint twitch of a smile there. "You should understand… It does matter to me that he didn't do it. They should understand what it means… The taint to his name. It is not just!"
Even if she keeps her voice calm, there is a slight tremble there, as Lara Gargalen lifts her gaze and looks back towards Visenya, now ready to answer her question. "Are you meaning to tell me that your brother's words against his would have weighed less? Or… that all of this was brought up to get rid of him? An intrigue, after he so pointedly showed disrespect again and again? Would that make it right?" A low mirthless chuckle leaves Lara's lips as she shakes her head. "It is true, he has been rather… misguided in his behaviour, your highness," Lara allows, with a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth, "but all the way his antics were aimed more against House Targaryen. Not against Prince Torren, at least not intentionally. A foolish plan, especially when pursued in an arena where the Dornish are the foreigners. So… yes, I agree. Perhaps people were quicker to believe a lie directed against the Scorpion, as he had managed to become as unwelcome as a Dornish could be in Oldtown." A low snort. "It still remains a lie, though."
"You treat my brother like a villain in this, and yet you refuse to hold Ser Manfryd responsible for his part in this." Visenya says flatly. She lets out a little laugh, but it doesn't sound amused. She continues to listen, but when Lara accuses Daevon of bringing it up to get rid of Manfryd her amethyst colored eyes go cold. "You know nothing of the sort of man my brother is. If Ser Manfryd had given my brother reason to doubt that he is a bad man then my brother would not have acted so brashly. Ser Manfryd is the cause of his own downfall. Daevon just happened to be the instrument."
She takes a step towards Lara, "Oh, do you think him trying to anger the Targaryens is funny? You little goddamn fool!" Her voice raises then, "Princess Amarei arranged my marriage to Prince Torren so there would be peace between Dorne and the Kingdom. Do you honestly think that working against what his liege hopes to accomplish is not against Prince Torren?" She puts a hand over her face, "Get out of my sight! Just go."
"You mistake me, your highness," Lara contradicts with a slight tremble in her tone, even so her posture straightens as she meets the ire in those amethyst eyes with undeterred fervor. "All I want to know is… does an accusation need less proof when it is directed against a supposed villain?" She inhales. "I agree, that the Scorpion has been acting foolishly - against what serves House Martell, as it threatens what your marriage to his highness aimed to achieve. Even if I… were so much more at ease if things were more simple…" Words trail off, as the Gargalen lady swallows. Inclining her head, before she lowers herself into a curtsey. "Your highness," her voice thicker than usual, her eyes blinking, but maybe something got in her eye there as she turns to depart. "I shall leave you now, just one last thing… It seems Ser Manfryd has learned something new during his stay in Oldtown, your highness, as one of your Targaryen cousins has obviously managed to earn his respect." Hazel eyes find Visenya as Lara glances towards her over her shoulder. "Prince Rhaegor." Allowing that to sink in, Lara inclines her head a second time, before she takes her leave climbing up towards the deck, visibly agitated, and in need of fresh air and the soothing display of the waves. She won't return for the next few hours.