(122-02-15) Stories, Innocence, Some Wine
Stories, Veiled Threats, Some Wine
Summary: Four individuals meet in the Dragon Door Manse, entirely innocent conversation, some commanding and storytelling follows. Drinking, too.
Date: (15/02/122)
Related: http://gobmush.wikidot.com/log:122-02-13-confirming-suspicions

Eonn is standing in the doorway that leads out to the garden, eating oysters out of his helmet. He never seems to use the thing for anything else but carrying shelfish about. He cuts an oyster's shell neatly open with his dagger and tips the poor blob of mollusk down his throat.

Kelinyx is catchasing in the garden for the time being. It's the orange kitty she's after today, Eonn's constant companion until she decides she wants to cuddle the scruffy thing. Her giggles of delight are muffled by a hand often, her nature of wanting to be quiet obviated in such acts.

A lone individual is admitted into the manse, an individual who happens to quite a stranger to the manse, which cops him a few sidelong looks from curious servants. Kai spots Eonn from quite a distance, and turns a little to adjust his course, en route towards Eonn himself. The young man is simply dressed, again. Plain black tunic, high-collared for once, with his sleeves rolled back a little up to his wrists, and he still lacks a weapon, not carrying even one of the three swords he once had hauled about, he'd move with a small limp.

As the swornsword nears Eonn, he'd nod firmly and offer the man a small smile, left arm secured in a white sling, "Good evening." He'd say, glancing off towards Kelinyx afterwards, "I see your old companion has still not left your side." He'd say, still addressing Eonn as he would smirk again.

He looks a little paler than the last time Eonn had seen him, and he appears to have decided that his left arm actually did need supporting.

Eonn watches Kai's arrival with an assessing eye. He opens another oyster and offers it to the man, saying, "My daughter, or the cat?"

"Both, actually." Kai'd say in response to Eonn, keeping a small smile, which would actually be uncharacteristic if one was comparing it to his behavior before he went on his 'journey north', but was at least consistent with how he acted recently, minus, perhaps, the implied insanity.

"By the Seven she's a dreadful one, isn't she?" Visenya's voice is heard at the doors to the manse. Her comment is followed by a laugh from one of her handmaids. "Still…" She does a full turn for her maid, revealing pale tresses that are the length they used to be before her encounter with the Whoremaster. "She said it took the hair from three Lyseni virgins." She touches the carefully coifed length admiringly before stepping further into the garden. "Kelinyx." She says to the girl first. "Eonn. Kail."

Eonn is still offering an oyster on the half shell to Kai. He nods his head to Visenya, though, and says, "Princess."

There might be a few recent red scrapes over her forearms and some orange fur stuck to her clothes, but Keli is otherwise clean and whole. Visenya gets a grin - Keli doesn't flinch or dart like she might have been seen doing in the past. "Princess Visenya," she says, dusting herself off a touch before trundling toward Eonn despite her own personal disinterest in his oystery obsession.

Kai reaches forward slowly, suddenly realising Eonn was offering him the oyster. He'd take it with a nod, and then look to Visenya as she approaches, bowing his head and echoing Eonn, "Princess."

Visenya continues toying with her long-again silvery blonde hair. "So." She asks in an absent sort of tone, "What are all of you getting into?"

"I," says Eonn, "Am behaving myself. And the cat will keep my little cat-child daughter-menace under some level of control." He opens another oyster, now offers it to Visenya.

"I met Lady Hellan Stark," she blurts. "But I didn't cause her any trouble. Not this time." She
smiles toothy, Keli hugging around Eonn's middle and ducking any chance of oyster juice dripping on

Kai raises his head after a few moments, and looks to Kelinyx and Eonn each and then smirking, simply holding onto the oyster for the time being. "I, most likely, will be getting into bed." He'd say, crossing his arms slowly, and then sparing an idle glance in the direction of all the servant girls.

Visenya stares down at the mucousy blob offered. "Oh. No, thank you." She manages to only wrinkle her nose ever so slightly in revulsion. "Kai. Have you ever jousted before?" She flicks one of her curls. "The tourney for the festival is going to be one involving a spot for the Queen of Love and Beauty. Rhaegor will probably be busy." She rolls her eyes. "He's always busy. I can't have a champion beyond my betrothed or my sworn sword because blah blah blah propriety. And, well, I'm prettier than Lynesse Hightower. I don't give a fig if she is getting married before me." She wrinkles he nose, "A Mormont? I hear they don't take their boots off when they sleep." She catches Kai's line of sight and snaps her fingers before pointing at him, "You keep away from the servants or I'll have you gelded."

"Good," Eonn tells Keli, "I am fond of the Lady Hellan." He nods to Visenya when she rejects the
oyster, and tips it down his throat, then looks at Kai. "That bad, hm?"

Kai raises a brow as Visenya speaks, before releasing a sigh, "Well, I've done something /similar/ to jousting." He would say, his expression laxing a bit into a neutral state, not seeming to be overly worried by a potential gelding, "I did not have such intentions, but as you command, princess." He would say, and then look at Eonn and smirk a little, keeping a hold on his oyster.

"She won't let me braid flowers into her hair," the girl pouts. "I need her to. She needs flowers. Maybe thistles." Kelinyx giggles. "A mule might bite her, though." A font of poetic genius, this one, off in her own world.

Visenya gives Kai a flat look. "No one likes a smirker, Kai." That said she looks to Keliynx. "Thistles? Give her winter roses. I hear it's the only decent flower that grows up north of the neck."

"Thistles are too sticky," says Eonn, opening another oyster and watching Kai.

Looking to Visenya, Kai would offer her a slow nod, as his smirk shifts into a simple, slight smile instead, "Understood." He'd state, glancing towards Eonn again as he would speak, and then opening his mouth as well, "As for the joust, my only experience is with light armor and spear, I've no particular training in jousting."

Keli appraises Kai and seems to have reason to mildly shake her head, but then shoot him an encouraging smile if he'll look her way - is she saying, 'good luck?' She lets go of Eonn's waist and asks, "Since it is a nice night, I could always pour us some magic grape blood."

"Than I suppose you will have to learn." Visenya tells Kai with some finality. "If Prince Rhaegor is disposed-" She frowns slightly as she says this, "And he so often is lately, you will have to ride for me. I want that title. I'm not going to loose it to some second tier Hightower." She twitches her nose slightly before turning to walk back to the house. "Goodnight."

Eonn looks at Keli, and nods. "I think that is a fine idea," he tells her. "Shall we sit under the trees?" He watches Visenya go, with a nod, but doesn't reply to her.

Kelinyx gives a skinny-armed wave to the departing Princess, disappearing the other way for a
eather bag hidden out in the garden. Of course it has cups and wine. of course Keli stashes party kits all over.

Kai would bow his head as Visenya turns to leave, "As you wish, princess." He would calmly say, not appearing overly perturbed by the prospect of being forced to contend with jousting veterans. He'd stand up straight afterwards, and idly lift his oyster, pry it from the shell a little and then tip the oyster into his mouth, swallowing it after a few moments. "I'm going to go, and collapse in, a bed."

Eonn looks at Kai. "Have a drink," he says. "What happened to you?"

"Aw…I have enough for all of us…it is a good night to drink in the garden. Might help you relax and heal a little better," Keli probably just makes up.

Kai would look over Eonn for a moment, and then Kelinyx in turn, before smiling a little and nodding, "Very well." He'd say, hands hanging by his sides. "On the day I swore myself to Visenya, I was present during the hunting of the sea serpent." He'd say, shifting his left arm a bit and wincing.

Eonn nods to Kai, "I know." He turns and gestures for Kai to preceed him into the garden. "It has gotten worse."

She doesn't have to ask for a clarification of "it" because the curious look on her face says it all,
the littel thing grunting as she wrestles out the items, pours up a simple and sharp wine of dark red into wooden cups and serves up others before herself. "Die must all men / serve they might / but not all men are drunk / like I'm going to be tonight!" Quill & Tankard should hire her, perhaps.

The Swornsword steps forward slowly, wincing a bit, but then taking a deep breath in and exhaling afterwards, and then strolling forward towards the garden, "I figured I'd start wearing my sling." He would say, releasing a low sigh as he walks along, "But you are right, I should have stayed in a bed."

Eonn smiles faintly. "The sling won't help your leg," he says. "Let me look."

"Eonn is a field medic and secret Maester and also queen of the kingdom and a horse. That meansyou should trust him." Big drink.

"Ah, don't bother- I've already seen the maesters, and a friend." He'd say, glancing over towards Kelinyx, "A horse? That means I can take him to the joust." He'd say, grinning a little.

Eonn smiles at Keli and takes the cup of wine she offers. "She means I am the queen of a horse, I think," he says, "And clearly your maesters and friend have not done entirely well by your wounds, if they're worsening over a day. Let me look. You should trust me, because I am murderous."

Kelinyx cackles at Eonn's comments happily, drinks more happily, producing dates dried fruit from within that leather bag for any who might like a nibble. "And only I can ride this trusty steed into battle."

"I've only just come from the maester's, myself, which is what I meant." He'd say, slowly taking a seat taking Kelinyx's offered wine with a smile, and then lifting it to his lips and drinking down a mouthful or two, before lowering it to his lap. "Perhaps you should take my place in the joust, I can see it clear as day." He'd say, addressing Keli.

Eonn gives Kai a skeptical look, and shakes his head slowly. He has a swallow of wine and drops his helm. It's just full of empty oyster shells now.

"He gots an infection," Keli determines. "I fear he might have caught it from being here." She shakes her head, playing Maester. "He has a disease of pride, keeping him from trusting murderers and cat girls."

"Pride, indeed." Kai would say, chuckling a little as he'd drink some more of the wine briefly, "Perhaps wine shall fix my problems?" He'd ask, nobody in particular.

Eonn smiles. "Maybe," he says. "They say that with wine comes honesty. I doubt it, though." He sits on the grass and drinks more of his own wine.

"It brings a loose tongue, that's all. That's to say nothin' of the ideas what wag it, yeh?" Glug glug. "Howcome orange cat doesn't sleep with me like normal cats? Doesn't orange cat love me, da?"

Kai would look between Eonn and Kelinyx slowly, before letting out a small chuckle, before downing the rest of his wine, and setting the cup down. "The only secrets I let out whilst drunk are the ones that involve how much I love all of the people around me.

"Cats do what they want," says Eonn to Keli. "I think that one does not love you, yes. Do you want the love of cats?" He seems amused. Then he returns his attention to Kai and says, "A good secret to let out."

"I want the love of cats because I know I can't ever convince 'em to give it. It's that thing that makes all you adults do that adult stuff that causes so much trouble and meddling. Except I don't do it to wet my wick. I just do it to cuddle a kitty. So If I keep it to kitties, maybe I won't ever get caught in that messy adult stuff." Keli clears her cup, too, then prowls nearer Kai as if giving in a proper up-close inspection, kitty style.

Kai sits there, cross-legged with hands resting atop his lap. "I don't have any kittens." The man would say, offering Kelinyx a small, calm smile, ever the relaxed individual, although he seems to be leaning a bit to the right.

"At least I don't think so."

"Messy adult stuff has its merits," says Eonn. "Though I am probably no bloody good at the part that's not, mm, physically messy." He watches Kai, then shrugs. "I've got this one, but I didn't do the messy part to get her, exactly. If there are others, I don't know it."

"I made most of my messes in my last household," Keli says with an oddly amused sureness before returning to Eonn who is no longer holding stinky things, demanding his lap space. "What should I know if I am around Lady Hellan Stark again?"

Looking the two over, Kai would smile slightly as he leans back, propping a knee up and draping his arm over it. He'd slowly look about at the area, examining his surroundings idly, becoming one with the moment as it were, relaxing a wee bit.

Eonn lets Keli climb into his lap. He's wearing his armour, including codpiece, so he's entirely blase' about her clambering over him. He puts an arm around her and says, "I want her to like me. Maybe I want to do messy adult things with her. Do you think you need to know something more?"

Kelinyx cackles. "I meant mostly about coverin' my ass, not sayin' dumb things, not embarassin'. She knows you're my father, and she said she likes you in a way that makes me think that she both really meant it and also hates ever saying anything nice to anyone."

Kai absently watches the two, eyes a little glazed over. Damn, he's tired. His eyes flutter closed slowly, and he'd simply sit there, perhaps dozing off, albeit with some pretty monitored breathing.

Eonn grins at that, then swallows another swig of wine. "That may be true. And she's a lady. She's not supposed to like smallfolk." He squeezes her against his boiled-leather and steel-clad chest. "You're not embarrassing, even when you are, girl. Don't worry about it. Have you been saying dumb things?" He watches Kai doze, and reaches to touch the man's shoulder, very gently.

Kelinyx speaks more softly. "I don't know if I embarassed myself until it's too late sometimes, so not too sure there. I like her teeth. She has good teeth. She looks like she could bite really well. I want to be around her more. It old her I'd win her over from that big man she's with cuz I like her air. but really it's cuz I like her teeth and nose. And her hair. But you can't braid flowers into teeths or noses."

As Eonn would touch Kai's shoulder, the man's eyes would open so fast that it'd seem like he hadn't even been dozing off to being with, but he'd wince regardless, twisting away from Eonn's touch a little. He'd look the man over for a moment, blank-faced, and then he'd smile a little. "Curious, are you?" He'd ask, before slowly, before turning to his right a little, and then lifting up his right arm to loosen his collar and then tug aside the fabric to reveal his back, the area beneath his right shoulder. It'd be rather heavily bandaged, and Kai would begin speaking, "A sailor threw a marlin spike down from above whilst I was on the Grey Gull, nearly took me out."

Eonn grins at Keli, showing his own teeth. Then he says to Kai, "I wondered if you slept. It's clean, then?"

Kelinyx is instantly leaning in for the horror show, smiling big, not at all nervous about such. "I'm glad you survived. Some woman some day is going to find that terribly charmin'. Everyone likes scars with funny stories. And only some people like teeths and noses." Mumbling that last bit, she calms down, curling with Eonn, not refilling any cups just yet.

Kai would grin as Kelinyx speaks, slowly pulling his collar back up and then reaching down for the sleeve of his left hand, "Whilst I was riding on top of the sea serpent, with my harpoon stuck halfway inside of it, the beast dived under the water and I was forced to hold my breath." He'd say as he rolls back the sleeve, all the way up to his bicep, revealing the entire arm is more or less bandaged. He'd point to his forearm first, "As I was losing consciousness underwater, I began to lose grip, so before I passed out, I thrusted my arm into the wound alongside the harpoon, so that I would not fall free of the serpent and sink to the depths." He'd say, pausing dramatically for a moment before he'd continue speaking, "And then it surfaced, and I took in the sweetest breath I had ever tasted."

Eonn listens to this, raising his eyebrows. He's curious now, yes. "What did it look like?" he asks. "It must have been something, to take you down with it. Or to fit your arm in it's wound."

Kelinyx is every bit the fascinated storytellee, jaw slacking a bit and her eyes glittering, especially with talk of wrenching limbs around in wounds. "That sounds like the most fun a man could literally have in his life. I want to do that every day, forever."

Kai looks between the two for a moment, hand moving to hold his bicep for a moment before he'd roll the sleeve down, "When I first saw it, I was hanging from a net of ropes above the deck of the ship. There was a twin blast of mist rising from the water, and then, a flash of light - bright blue, bright yellow… Before it dived once more." He'd say, keeping a calm smile, not making the usual exaggerated movements of a storyteller, "A short time later, there was another set of mist puffs rising from the sea, and it raises its head, slicing through the water towards us. A snake, but massive, blue on top and striped yellow and black on its underside."

The sellsword-turned-swornsword sits there silently for a moment, closing his eyes, as if reminiscing, "And then it was there, rearing its head up over the Grey Gull's bow, right before my eyes, thicker than the biggest man I know even at the narrow of its neck. It whipped its body to hit the underside of the ship-… But I was already flying." He'd say, grinning a little and leaning forward, keeping his eyes closed, "My heart pounded in my chest and I released a roar as I leaped from the net towards the creatures head, harpoon poised to attack… I had planned to hit it in the
eye, but I did not judge my aim correctly, and instead my harpoon slammed into its jaw, and then slid through its flesh down to neck level, blood washing over my hands as the other ships threw their harpoons… That was when it dived."

Eonn is silent, evidently entertained. He reaches for Keli's wineskin and refills his cup, then waves the skin at Kai in a silent offer.

"And you were washed away to sea and eaten by the monster and you made a house in its belly and after other people started moving into other mosnters nearby it wasn't such a nice neighborhood so you decided to come back here?" Keli smiles big and re-wines herself at some point.

Kai would open an eye as he pauses to gather his thoughts, "I was rather drunk at the time, so mine may not be the most accurate telling of events." He'd say, smiling faintly at Kelinyx's comment and then lifting up the offered wine, "Something like that, little one-… I mostly left because my wife started to tell me to get a job." He'd say, releasinga lengthy sigh and then taking a sip of his wine, before he'd lower cup and continue to tell the story, "Now, we come back to the middle of the battle, as I arose from the water atop the beast with my arm wedged into its wounds…" He'd once more pause, for the sake of drama, "In most circumstances I may well have leaped away, but unluckily- or luckily, for me, my arm remained wedged inside the snake's wounds. The snake was bleeding badly now, and it moved to dive once more, and with my arm stuck inside of it, I was forced to draw my sword, flick it around and begin thrusting into it again and again, after taking the deepest breath I could manage."

His eyes are closed again, and he keeps a slight smile, eyes visibly moving under his eyelids, as if he were ordering, reviewing the events, "Eventually it rose up from the water once more, unable to remain due to its wounds from the others harpoons, and my own persisten attacks with my falchion- That is, to say, until the blade once more slammed into the beasts scales, and snapped in half." The swornsword would look absent for a moment after saying this, "Twas' a good sword."

"Pity," says Eonn. "Perhaps the princess will have another made for you."

"I would let you borrow mine but…" Keli yawns, curling her spindly body in Eonn's lap. "But… they're mine." Her eyes close and she listens on, grinning, at ease in her father's presence and hearing a thrilling tale, Kai no doubt gaining much favor in Keli's eyes for his tale.

For a few moments, the storyteller in this circumstance would remain silent for a number of moments, "Now-… With the serpent no longer prepared to dive, I cast my broken falchion aside and took hold of the harpoon that I had first used to pierce its flesh. I crunched my body up, placing my feet against its scales, and then with a roar, I pulled my arm out of the wound, the blade of the harpoon slicing into my forearm." He'd speak slowly, firmly and with a focused tone. He does not sound like he is exaggerating, and yet his tale may be hard to believe, "With my arm freed, I tore the harpoon from the serpents flesh, flourishing it off to the side and then stepping forward atop its scales, before I'd slip, leg flying upwards and my body going with it… I think it would make for a good dancing move." He would say, grinning a little in a somewhat self-depreciating manner. "However, I was focused- My heart pounded, my mind focused, body pushed to its limits… And I twisted, air hissing through my teeth as I spun through the air, bringing my harpoon around and slamming it into the serpents throat… Diamonds of sparkling water and rubies of the serpents blood soaring through the air as it reared its head up after my harpoon pierces its throat, before another round of harpoons would slam into it and the beast would slowly begin to go limp."

Kai would once more be quite absent, smiling a little sadly, "I dropped down with the harpoon and dropped into the water as harpoon after harpoon slammed into the dying serpent-… With a friend's help, I was dragged down under the water and then launched myself up, slamming the harpoon up under the snakes chin, up into its skull as it finally passed onwards." The story seems to be done, judging from the way Kai leans back a bit more, and picks up the cup of wine, taking a deep drink of it, finishing it off in one go. "Tis' a shame, truly… A magnificent beast to be sure, one of the most beautiful I've ever seen."

Eonn chuckles, rather warm and kind, as Kai finishes the tale. He nods, seeming to take it all at face value. "And now you are all torn up, from top to bottom," he says. "Do you still want to get to bed?"

Kelinyx notes, sleepy and slurry, "I dragged Peri..n'I wasn't sober then, neethur."

Kai would sit silently for a few moments, head tipping to the side a little. It appears he's a bit tipsy, his injuries probably making things a little more intense than usual, "No… I think I will stay out under the stars for a small time." He'd say, smiling faintly as he'd go to lean back, groaning a bit in pain before he'd find himself laying down on his back, exhaling slowly as he'd stare up at the night sky, "And now Peri drags you… Hmm-heh-hmm…"

"I sleep out here oft enough," says Eonn. "It's a warm country." He sets his cup down and gathers Keli up so he can stretch out on his side and cuddle her to his chest without lying down on any bits of her. That orange cat comes creeping up to curl up against the two of them.

"I may be tempted to do the same-.. But I shall go back to my room soon enough, perhaps once the alcohol numbs the pain." Kai would say, chuckling idly, before inhaling through his nose and then exhaling evenly, beginning to take steady, deliberate breaths. "I've not told a story in a long time, perhaps I should more often?"

"I think so," says Eonn. "You do it well."

"Hmm… Then perhaps it is something to consider." He would say, continuing to breath in and out steadily. "Is there something you would ask of me, Eonn?" He would absently ask, but perhaps his question has more meaning than it sounds?

"Oh, I don't think there's much point in my asking questions," says Eonn. A pause. "I would hate to kill you." That last isn't said in any threatening sort of way, he just sounds lazy and sleepy, like it's just an odd little afterthought.

Kai simply keeps a calm smile as he looks ups at the night sky, the light barely seeming to reflect off his bright-grey eyes, "I would hate to be killed by you." He would say, letting out an idle 'hmm' afterwards, "But I doubt it will come to that." He'd idly twist his head side to side against the grass underneath, taking in another deep breath.

"I think you're right," says Eonn contentedly.

"I'm glad you think so." The grey-eyed man would reply, his lips curling upwards as he lets out a quiet little chuckle, "Loyalties can sometimes be difficult things." He continues, before his eyes would suddenly open, "Ah-… I'm going to fall asleep." He'd say, before going to sit up, which causes the man to wince violently, and go to grasp his left side. "Ah-hah… that was physically painful, but also emotionally."

"Do you want help?" asks Eonn, sleepily. He doesn't sound eager to give it, but willing enough regardless.

"No, I'll just… Cry a little." He'd say, slowly placing a hand against the ground, and hefting up his right leg, exhaling through his nose as he slowly moves to stand, wincing a bit and holding his left shoulder.

"My body is light,
My head, it is white,
With sound, I animate,
Those whom fight, whom kill, and die."

With that, the sellsword would idly wander off, limping lightly, stumbling a bit in his drunkness. Where is the servants quarters again? He supposes he'll find it.

Eonn opens his eyes to watch the other man go, at least for a little time. Then he closes them, smiles, and lies there with Keli in his arms.
