The Gardens

[Elizabeth Banefort]

Elizabeth signed and hung her head

"don't i know it, no matter where i go, i'm shadowed by his bad luck, even my own mother won't be seen with him. However he is my father and it is his job to find me a suitable husband (Elizabeth Laughs) so i must follow where he leads."

Elizabeth signed again and looked out to sea.

[Viea Greyjoy]

"I meant no harm Lady Elizabeth." Mari said. "Im sure your father does his best by you. If you dont trust him to find you a husband, find one yourself!"

Adelene played with a flower.

[Elizabeth Banefort]

Elizabeth laughed,

"I wish it was that easy, i have rarely left the keep and know no one outside The Crossing. When i do go out its with my father and people don't talk to me, i'm guessing they think they can catch my fathers bad luck from me. I'm half expecting him to come out here any moment to find out where I am, so he can steer me in the direction of some other old man who he thinks would be perfect for me, but whom avoids even talking to me."

Elizabeth started to twirl her hair round a finger.

"I am sorry, here i am pouring my heart out to a complete stranger"

[Viea Greyjoy]

Marianne smiled. "Sometimes that is the best way. A complete stranger can tell no-one about what you say. it is also good to meet strangers, who knows, they may be the ones to help you out in time."

[Elizabeth Banefort]

Elizabeth returned her smile. "Thank you, i hope that we do meet again and thank you again for listening. I'd better return to my father and hope that he ahs not embarrassed himself to much."

Elizabeth stood, bent her head in apreciation at Marianne and walked back towards the hall in search of her father.

[Jherek Doryn]

/////

Jherek sat in the garden, leaning up against a tree not too far from where he had been ambushed by Konrad and his men. His juggling routine was not fit for the royalty, his music was turned away, his stories were rejected at every turn by the overstuffed residents of the castle. There appeared to be only one person who truly appreciated his work. Even so, she was in Lannisport, and too far away for him to perform. He reached into his cloak pocket and withdrew his flute, tuning it before playing a soft, sad song guided by the wind.

[Princess Lyssandra Martell]

Arya was walking in the garden with her entourage and approached the bard she recognized from the feast. She stood until he stopped playing or noticed her.

[Jherek Doryn]

Jherek opened his eyes at the sound of the grass rustling. He looked around and saw Aryanna Dayne standing not too far with her guards around her. He stood up hastily and gave a quick bow, not even replacing his flute from whence it came.
"Lady Dayne. I did not expect to see you here. May I help you with something?"

[Princess Lyssandra Martell]

"I am usually in the gardens when not with the Queen. If you would like to help me you can try to lift my spirits." She looked at his flute and then at him in general.

[Jherek Doryn]

Jherek's face brightened up immediately. A lady that wished to hear something from him? And a friend of the queen, no less!
"Absolutely, Lady Dayne. Would you like to hear anything in particular? I am afraid I cannot juggle for you, due to a near traumatic experience with my knives, as you well know, but I can still play my flute, harp, lute, and tell you stories of brave knights and heroes of far away lands."

[Princess Lyssandra Martell]

"I would like to hear some stories, perhaps playing along while you tell them would be fitting." She sat down in the fluffy grass. "I'd rather not be anywhere near knives right now."

[Jherek Doryn]

Jherek let out a small chuckle and drew his lute from his cloak.
"As you will it, Lady Dayne. Tell me, have you ever heard of the corsair Thomas Reid?" He asked her, tightening and loosening the knobs on the top of his instrument as he spoke.

[Princess Lyssandra Martell]

"No, one tale I perhaps have not heard, was he handsome?" She asked hopefully.

[Jherek Doryn]

"Handsome enough." Jherek strummed a few experimental chords on his lute, then found a central tone. He began playing a simple arpeggio on the instrument, speaking as he did so, "He was a great warrior, one of the finest swordsmen on the seas during his time. Tall, with raven-black hair and eyes that reflected the color of the sea. He had one of the most loyal crews in all of Westeros, and loved the woman he had his sights set on with as much intensity as he loved the sea."

[Princess Lyssandra Martell]

"Who was this woman?" Arya asked, following along to the story intently. She liked that she had not heard of this tale. "She must have been as beautiful as he was handsome."