The Dun Fort

[Flex]

"Ah, good day milady. I would be Darien Stone and my friend here is Yozs." Darien studied the woman for a moment. She seems familiar... "I heard there was a tourney going on?"

[Deleted]

Aranya looked grim. "I am sorry, sers, but the tournament is cancelled. I am investigating a series a murders."

She looked sharply at Darien, seeing something in his face that seemed eerie. Stone. Aranya did not often see highborn Vale bastards these days. It was not polite to inquire about a bastard's origins, but Aranya never had such reservations, and right now she was not particularly interested in being sensitive.

"Stone, is it?" Aranya said. "Whose ill begotten spawn are you?"

[Flex]

"Oh, I am sorry about the murders. I have heard much of what happened in Dorne... very sad business. As to my heritage, well my mother was a Corbray, and up until not so long ago I did not know who my father was." Darien briefly wondered if this blunt woman might have known his father. "Upon my mothers death I received a letter, naming one Edwyn Royce as my father... shame I never knew the man."

[Deleted]

Aranya's eyes had widened very slightly. "Edwyn Royce?" she asked. "The brother of old Lord Alyn Royce?"

[Flex]

"Hm, I believe so. The letter didn't mention much about him, but I gather he had quite a few bastards. Why, did you know the man?"

[Deleted]

Aranya looked at him for a long moment, and then said, "Clearly you have not spent too much time in the Vale. Ser Edwyn Royce never kept his breeches laced. I knew he had a Corbray mistress, but then, he had many mistresses and would plant a seed in every woman he met. He has not actually sired many highborn bastards though. My mother, Lady Alyssa Hunter, was one of his mistresses. And yours, it seems was another."

She smiled faintly. "It seems you are my little brother."

[Flex]

For a moment Darien stood stunned and even Yozs, who usually bore no facial expression, seemed a little taken back. "Well, ah... This I did not expect. I have only recently landed back in Westeros so I know little of who is who and what is going on. I do not mean to insult, but I am still unknowledgable of your name..." with a smile he added "Sister."

[Deleted]

"I am Aranya Stone," Aranya said, her smile turning wry. "Though these days I am known as Lady Aranya Royce." She was a bit uncertain as to what to do, and kept staring at the young man. She could see the resemblance now. He was her brother...

She shook her head and smiled again, "What am I thinking? Come and sit. You and Yozs. I am always available for my kin."

[Flex]

"Why, thank you. First however I must ask... are there any other brothers or sisters out there?" Darien had so many questions, about his family but also about the current events in Westeros, but he decided not to be rude. "Oh, but maybe I should tell you a little about me. Firstly, Yozs here isn't much of a talker, but he is a very good bodyguard." Darien knew he was smiling stupidly, but he had just found out that he had a sister; for once it was granted to let true emotion show.

[Deleted]

Aranya shrugged as servants brought them wine. She had tested this wine several times and knew it to be safe. Aranya had no appetite for it, though, and gestured for only her guests to be served.

"Who knows? He must have sired dozens. Many women would have taken moon tea, I know. Our father slept with my husband's mother once long ago, and she killed her unborn bastard with moon tea." Aranya gave a twisted smile. "There are probably many of his bastards on common women running around the Vale. I've met people who claim he sired them. Who knows?" she shrugged.

"So tell me more about yourself. If not the Vale, where have you been? You look around twenty years or so."

[Flex]

Darien poured himself some wine and was about to drink when Yozs took the glass and had a sip himself. "Ah, you must excuse my guard, Lady Royce. He does not mean to insult, but he values my life dearly." Yozs nodded and handed the glass back to Darien. "Now, myself I have spent some of my youth in the vale, allthough I was then sent to Qohor and after that to Pentos. The free cities have their charm but I wanted to know more about the country of my origin." Darien took a sip of the wine and nodded in approval. "As to my age, I turned 22 earlier this year. But now I must ask, what is happening in Westeros? I heard there was a war?"

[Deleted]

"I have been living in the east for the past few years myself. There was a rebellion in Dorne and an attempt by one of the Blackwoods to take the Regency, but all that is done now. The Crow is dead and Dorne is destroyed. There is some modicum of peace."

[Flex]

"As much peace as some murders at a tourney allow it? Mhm." Darien took another sip from the wine and took a look around. "I am still unsure of what I plan to do here. My original intent for coming was to be hopefully legitimized, perhaps even knighted. It seems that with the war over I may have come a little late to get my chance."

[Lord Howland Royce]

A non descript messenger enters with a letter for the Lady Royce.

[Deleted]

"Well, for now you must stay with me. I would be glad to have you," Aranya said. "I think we could get you legitimized, in time. As for knighting, I assume you have some skill with a blade?"

She turned and took the letter from the messenger, nodding curtly.