Elane's House

[Lord Rhodri Arryn]

Rose squeaks with pleasure and rides the pony her way. After the session is over, she asks Elane if she can learn how to waterdance.

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"Certainly not," Elane looked appalled. "I will not have you turn out to be anything like my sister. Gods bless her, I love her, but she has lived a horrible and dangerous life. You must be a lady, Rose."

[Lord Rhodri Arryn]

"I'm not a lady, silly, I'm a bastard," Rose says, with an almost absurd pride for such a young girl. "Bastards should be tough." She makes a serious, tough face.

[Deleted]

"Bastards should be proud, yes...and ladies," Elane said, with growing dread. But she recognized this sort of spirit when she saw it. "Very well," she sighed. "But only if you show me you can play the Valyrian air you learned yesterday on your harp. You can't be tough if you can't be a lady. Those are my rules."

[Lord Rhodri Arryn]

"Okay. I like the harp," she says.

[Deleted]

"So bring it out and play for me," Elane settled down on her cushions. They were in the garden. Rose's grey pony was led away. "If I like what I hear, I'll have one of my bravos teach you waterdancing. We're surrounded by bravos, I'm sure one of them will be a good teacher."

[Lord Rhodri Arryn]

Rose Storm sits down and starts to pluck at the harp. She has a lot of learning to do, but she plays intently. She can be a very focused child.

[Deleted]

Elane smiled as the girl sang in a high, childish voice that nevertheless held the note and sounded sweet. When the girl was done, she clapped and smiled almost fondly. "Good girl. That was charming, although in need of a lot more schooling. Perhaps I will allow you your bravo. Ser Brandon, where is the bravo you dueled with? He was quite good, I think. Although perhaps you would be a better judge of that. I am woefully ignorant in matters of fencing."

[Lord Rhodri Arryn]

"He had surprising skill, Mistress. He could have had me dead on his first strike, but pulled the blade back. He seemed to have some honor, as well," Ser Brandon says. "Fredico is his name. We've spoken a few times since that day."

[Deleted]

Elane had the captain of her guard find Fredico and bring the bravo. Fredico was a lithe and slender Braavosi, bald and young, with flashing dark eyes and an easy smile. He smiled at Ser Brandon and bowed before Elane. "The Naemyr called for me?"

"Ser Brandon's daughter wishes to learn waterdancing," Elane gestured to Rose. "You will be her tutor. See that she learns well, but do not push the child too hard. She's only seven."

Fredico twinkled down at Rose. "I am happy that the little lady wishes to learn. She will soon fence as well as she rides, yes? Come with me, little Rose."

[Lord Rhodri Arryn]

Rose jumps up from the harp and follows her new fencing master. Ser Brandon follows along to watch -- it could be an interesting chance to gain insight into the craft of the waterdancer.

[Deleted]

The servants carry the harp back inside. Smiling slightly, Elane retires to her books.

[Deleted]

Fredico hands Rose a wooden sword. "Usually these practice swords are filled with lead," he said. "But for my pupil's little arms, I have chosen little swords."

He flashed a smile at Ser Brandon. "Ah, tell me this is not so! I will be exposing my secrets to a Westerosi knight!"

[Lord Rhodri Arryn]

Ser Brandon smiles. "I must stay ahead of Rose, mustn't I?"

[Deleted]

"When I'm done, she'll knock you over," Fredico promises. "We will disarm your father and fling him to the ground, won't we, Rose?"

As the lesson continued, Fredico was a strict and demanding teacher, but kind and patient, and full of jests that tickled Rose into laughter.