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Post by The Smith on May 30, 2009 0:15:37 GMT -5
Selwyn returned to his tent after the council, flanked by Roxton and Groomsman. He stalked in and spun around facing the flap, his eye was cold, and his face frozen into a blank slate.
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Post by Marie on May 30, 2009 6:20:50 GMT -5
Rhaenys looked grim too. She wanted to broach a delicate matter with Selwyn but hated to do so when he looked so unhappy.
"My lord, let us be seated," she said, and immediately took a seat. "Before we get to the important matter, I'd like to know what you made of the council of lords, and particularly of the Pretender, Ariel."
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Post by The Smith on May 30, 2009 7:33:30 GMT -5
Selwyn eyed the seat but remained standing, "You should have made her kneel or let me take her head for you."
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Post by Marie on May 30, 2009 8:09:35 GMT -5
Rhaenys sighed. Ariel was going to be a problem. Gods take the woman! I could do without this right now.
"Both options tempt me, but I don't care to start my reign with bloodshed, and I don't believe the woman would have knelt if I'd demanded it. I'll let her live...for now. If she causes difficulties for us, that's a different matter. It may be that she will see sense now that the lords have sworn for me. If not, we shall look into all the options, but I'd sooner not kill her until she provokes me to it. Please sit, Selwyn. It is not meet that I should look up at you and I do not care to be standing at present."
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Post by The Smith on May 30, 2009 8:39:01 GMT -5
Selwyn sat. His dark eye locked on to a spot on the table.
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Post by Marie on May 30, 2009 10:36:20 GMT -5
"Thank you," she said. "We are living in desperate times. The realm bleeds and I must heal it."
Rhaenys' determination was clear in both her eyes and her voice. She had a hard road to walk but there could no doubt that she would fight hard to set Westeros to rights as her mother had meant to do.
"You've already agreed to be my Hand but there is something else I would ask of you. The realm needs stablity and a queen needs an heir. Marry me, Selwyn, and you shall be father to the future king."
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Post by The Smith on May 30, 2009 18:00:02 GMT -5
Selwyn's expression remained stone. He simply replied, "I will do as you command."
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Post by Marie on May 30, 2009 18:11:04 GMT -5
She frowned at him. Her sisters had been difficult over the question of marriage. She hadn't expected Selwyn to do the same.
"I had hoped you'd show more enthusiasm than that. My mother wished one of her daughters to marry you and I thought it best if I were the one to do so, but I want my husband to want me, not go into it unwilling."
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Post by The Smith on May 30, 2009 18:14:24 GMT -5
Selwyn started at her blankly, "I can see the political strengths of the union, and acknowledge its as a need. But I doubt either of us are particularly excited about the pairing." He motioned to the ruined side of his face.
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Post by Marie on May 30, 2009 18:22:43 GMT -5
Does he have to be so blunt when we must make the best of a difficult situation?
"Your scars are unfortunate," she said. "But I would not judge a man solely on appearance. I know already that you are courageous, loyal and skilled in the arts of war. Those things matter more than your face. Besides, appearances don't matter at all in the dark."
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Post by The Smith on May 30, 2009 18:26:52 GMT -5
Selwyn's single orb blinked drawing his scars tight, "Your grace," the words stumbled roughly of his tongue, "I will not resist. As soon as you command I will wed you. You have need have no concerns over that."
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Post by Marie on May 30, 2009 18:37:17 GMT -5
Her eyes were sad as they looked upon him. She'd largely mastered her shock of his scars now, fortunately, though secretly she wasn't as confident about being able to deal with that in the bedchamber as she had implied.
"That is good, but you may call me Rhaenys when we are marrie. In faact you may do so now when we are private. I believe in keeping up appearances in public but formality is all to the good in private, and it will help us to get accustomed to one another if we dispense with titles. I hope I will not have to command you in all things relating to our marriage, Selwyn."
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Post by The Smith on May 30, 2009 18:40:57 GMT -5
Selwyn placed his left hand down atop the table, and brought his right over to scratch at the nubs of the fingers he had lost, "I will do my best, Rhaenys. I can not abide failure."
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Post by Marie on May 30, 2009 18:52:28 GMT -5
She wondered what it would be like to have that damaged hand on her but quickly thrust the thought aside, knowing it was unworthy of her, or of Selwyn. Poor man, he does not deserve such injuries. Life has treated him unkindly. I hope I can deal him a better hand than he has been accustomed to.
"Nor should you," she said. "We will succeed, I am sure of it. Together we shall make a kingdom for our sons to be proud of. We must have faith, now."
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Post by The Smith on May 30, 2009 18:54:05 GMT -5
Selwyn's lip curled in smirk, smile or snarl, "Faith." He said, and then repeated it, "Faith." He let the word play on his lips and then he added, "We shall see."
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Hope you all are well and happy.
Feb 9, 2021 15:35:26 GMT -5
Hope you all are well and happy.
Feb 9, 2021 15:35:26 GMT -5