Ghost Hill

[Marie]

The ancestral home of House Toland, a coastal castle backed by mountains and placed near the Broken Arm.

[Marie]

Viviane Toland, lady of Ghost Hill, sat in her solar, relaxing with a cup of iced wine while she waited for her husband, Merlyn Fowler, to arrive.

[The Smith]

Merlyn slips into the room quietly. He leans back against the wall, and just studies his wife with a small smile on his face, waiting for her to notice him.

[Marie]

She was deep in a book and didn't notice him until she reached over to sip at her wine. Spotting Merlyn at last, she slipped a scrap of embroidered leather into the book to mark her page and closed the heavy tome.

"Husband, welcome. Come drink a cup of wine with me."

She beckoned him over as she reached for the pitcher and another glass.

[The Smith]

Merlyn moved with the smooth glide of a dancer, and easily fell into the seat near here. He stretched out his long legs, and ran his fingers along the back of her hand. He said nothing, but simply took the proffered wine.

[Marie]

His touch made her smile,.as it so often did. She sipped at her wine then topped it up since the glass was half-empty.

"I had a raven from Sunspear. Princess Emelia writes to summon her lords to a council at her court. Would that I could remain here and leave this matter to Eleyna to handle but I dare not defy the princess. I would like you to remain here in my stead, and serve as castellan."

[The Smith]

Merlyin nodded, "Of course, my love." He sipped his wine, and waited expectantly.

[Marie]

"I will have to leave within a few days," she said. "You shall be castellan. Jorge will help you with anything you need and the rest of our kin too. I will be taking Triston with me and a dozen men."

[The Smith]

Merlyn nodded, and took his wives hand in his, "I will do what I can, but your presence will be missed... greatly." He smiled at her slightly.

[Marie]

Viviane laughed.

"Of that I have no doubt, Merlyn. You would miss me even if were gone for no more than a day, but then, a husband should miss his wife. I will miss you too, but I have a greater need for you to stay here. Eleyna and Mark are already from home, and neither Triston nor Lancel are interested in the business of governing Dorne so I must needs have my husband to do the job for me. BEsides, I do not fully trust Uthor to behave himself, even after all these years. No man likes to be beaten by a woman."

[The Smith]

Merlyn nodded, "As always it takes you but a single well crafted word to get to the heart of a matter." He replied, and gave her hand a light squeeze.

[Marie]

She smiled and kissed him. Her mouth was cool from the wine, and tasted of it too, a sweet Dornish red.

"Our daughter has a better gift for words than I ever shall. That's why she does so well at Sunspear. I'd sooner not go, Merlyn, beieve me. But duty calls. Mayhaps three will be time for pleasure before I go. we'll have to see."

[The Smith]

Merlyn nodded once, and laid a finger against her cheek, "There had better be, or else I will be quite cross." He kissed her once in return.

[Marie]

"I shall be waiting for you tonight," she promised. "And then you must think of me every night while I am gone. I will miss this dear old castle, but I will miss you more. Sunspear is nothing to it, and no-one is like you."

[The Smith]

Merlyin smiled wryly, "This old castle will miss you as well. It is empty when you are gone."