Princess Joanna's apartments - 598 AC

[Marie]

The suite of rooms in the Red Keep inhabited by Princess Joanna and her family when they are in the city. The rooms are large and lavish as befit a princess royal.

[Viea Greyjoy]

Marianne knocked on Joannes door, she had been there many a times, and enjoyed seeing her big half sister whenever she came to the city.

[Marie]

One of the maids let Marianne in at once. Joanna was standing in front of a mirror in a long robe, while another maid held up a successsion of dresses in front of her.

"Lady Marianne, my lady."

"Oh."

Joanna turned and smiled as she saw her sister.

"Hello, Marianne. How are you? Have you been at the Eyrie with Mother and Maekar or visiting one of our other brothers?"

[Viea Greyjoy]

"Been with mother and with Steffon." Marianne said, entering the room almost silently. "Steffon has an idea to get me married." Mari wrinkled up her nose, showing what she thought of the idea.

"I like the green dress."

[Marie]

"Me too."

Joanna took the dress from her serving woman and held it against her, preening into the mirror. Then she stopped and grinned at her sister through the glass.

"Yes, it suits me well. You have a good eye, little sister."

She twirled and tossed the dress at the maid, naturally assuming it would be caught. It was.

"So, Steffon wishes you to marry? That's no surprise. I was wed at seventeen and a mother at eighteen. Has our brother picked you out a husband yet?"

[Viea Greyjoy]

"Naturally." Marianne sighed. "Ive met him once. Lord Wylde. I know nothing about him, I wager that you at least met yours a few times before your betrothal! I think Steffon just see's me as a thing."

[Marie]

"Men," Joanna said with a frown. "That's why we have to show them otherwise. I thought better of Steffon, though. Mother taught us all better than that, our brothers included. I assure you that I would have refused to wed Jon if I disliked him. Just remember, no brother or septon can make you say the words if you don't want to. Nor can anyone else."

She crossed over to the settee and seated herself.

"Sit beside me. We need to decide upon our strategy. What did you think of Lord Wylde upon this first sighting of him?"

[Viea Greyjoy]

"Lord Wylde is tall." Marianne said with a slight smile as she sat beside Joanna. "He seems nice, hard smile though. What did you think of Jon when you first met him, were you scared?"

[Marie]

Joanna laughed loudly at her sister's comment. Fortunately she had quite a musical laugh so it didn't grate on the nerves.


"Scared of him? Oh, my dear, Jon is two years younger than me, and I had known him most all my life. I was seven eyars old when we first met and he five. How could I possibly be frightened of a scruffy little boy who was nervous of meeting me?"

[Viea Greyjoy]

"Fair point." Marianne said, starting to blush slightly. "There is something about Lord Wylde that makes me nervous of him. That is all."

[Marie]

Joanna turend penetrating vioelt eyes on her younger sister.

"Nervous in a bad way or a good way? There are good ways of being nervous, believe me. Especially where men are concerned."

[Viea Greyjoy]

"I dont know." Mari admitted. "Just nervous. I think I would rather take on a wild boar barehanded then anything else."

[Marie]

"Alright."

Joanna considered for a moment.

"Let us suppose it is Wylde himself who makes you nervous. Are there any men who you like, who do not make you nervous?"

[Viea Greyjoy]

"Well I get on with most people, man or woman, sister. I've never been nervous about them, I am friends with most men at the Eyrie when I go."

[Marie]

|"So therei s no one man who has stolen your heart?"