Prancing and Frolicking [D1 EA]

[Wylla Terrick]

Wylla raised a brow at all that, but rather than ponder the things that didn't quite get across, she would make an effort to guide her horse nearer to the lord, holding a hand out in proper greeting, as a sort of slow, but quite potent air seemed to stir about her, confidence in those useless eyes as she faced Lord Dunn. "Wylla Terrick, second daughter of his lordship. I certainly did not expect to meet Lord Dunn's firstborn son so quickly and without planning. My teacher will scold me later for being so ill-prepared."

[Kevan Dunn]

Kevan pursed his lips slightly in bemusement that a Sand was serving and in a sense representing anyone from the Stormlands. It was still not enough to give any credit to his father's paranoias but certainly something that registered. The outflow of courtesy that followed from the young Terrick lady distracted him from those thoughts, however. It took him a moment to interpret her condition, appreciate her looks and then finally try to recall what she had actually said.

"Perhaps he'll be lenient once you tell him that my ambush unfolded too quickly, my lady, and was a rather inconsiderate intrusion on your ongoing and probably very interesting conversation with Ser Davelyn." He responded with a soft tease colouring his voice as his eyes wandered a bit, flickering attention across points of reference before him.

[Davelyn Sand]

Davelyn watched what was apparently a very lecherous heir. His eyeroll was nearly loud enough to hear.

"Nothing that couldn't be made all the more interesting by your inclusion Lord Dunn."

[Wylla Terrick]

"If you believe any instructor of House Terrick to have been lenient, you are far too merciful in your beliefs~ Your ambush was nothing more than good fortune, as I enjoy surrounding myself with capable and respectable men. Ser Davelyn has been a kind and generous companion for the early day, so far. I'm certain your inclusion would only bring more entertainment, though I'll have to ask you tread with a slow enough pace for my Nimea."

Wylla's head bowed somewhat as she brushed the back of her hand through her palfrey's mane, and rose to full standing again. Her face showed none of her previous concern or shyness, merely projected strength and confidence as she blindly let Davelyn and Nimea keep her along the proper pathing.

[Kevan Dunn]

"Is it a fatal flaw to be merciful in my beliefs, my lady?" Kevan smirked, noticing Davelyn trying to mill the grains in his eyes into flour. He had nothing against bastards, a little against Dornish but quite a bit against people who presumed who knew him after a glance. "I am sure your education was better than mine though. Tread slow, provide entertainment... I suppose I could try to live up to that."

[Davelyn Sand]

"Mercy, like everything, has it's place. But I'd agree that place isn't in training," Davelyn replies.

[Wylla Terrick]

"Men can be so callous~ I suppose it is in the nature of a warrior to seek enlightenment through hardship. The softer gender often desires a more delicate and focused touch. I find I hardly need any harshness to get what I need done, so long as I am skilled enough to handle it."

[Davelyn Sand]

"Harsh lessons for a harsh world. sometimes it's the only way to really learn what you need to know," he replies. "But it's better when that's not necessary."

[Kevan Dunn]

"I'd think men are best off if they know both hardship and delicate and focused touch." Kevan smirked, adjusting the pace of his horse to the rest. "My father would be of your mind though were he asked, Ser Davelyn, and choose harshness of war with Dorne as the best education for men."

[Wylla Terrick]

Wylla grinned a bit as she relaxed in her saddle. Her retrainer following along, with an ever cautious eye. He might be aged, but his hearing didn't fail him yet, a soft chortle as the talk of Dorne was involved. Wylla didn't pay it any mind, instead facing Kevan with a brilliant smile.

"Let us not forget that it was delicate touches which provided the throne with true dominance of those lands, along with the threat of continued hardships from military hand. Soft and hard, working in conjunction to bring peace and profit to our lands as a whole. Yours as well, I pray Lord Dunn."

[Davelyn Sand]

"Indeed. War, while sometimes unavoidable, is best avoided when possible. I've trained to kill but if I never have to take another life then I would not be disappointed," he says. "I wouldn't hesitate to do my duty but I'd prefer diplomats do do theirs better than I do mine."

[Kevan Dunn]

"May this be the will of the Seven." Kevan nodded. "But what you said, my lady, about soft and hard, could mean you appreciate the military role my house plays in driving thoughts of renewed violence from the heads of some. I can tell with authority that not all Dornish are as peace-loving as Ser Davelyn."

[Wylla Terrick]

"It would be incredibly foolish to not account for the power of having force, would it not? If there was no threat of violence, one could only hope to bribe one another into mutual benefit. This is not always a possibility. So yes, I fully accept the role of violence in negotiations. My nly hope is that it is a deterrent rather than an end to be sought."

[Davelyn Sand]

"Indeed. The less war the better off we all are. Even those with the greatest power suffer losses. War never creates, only destroys," Davelyn replies.

[Kevan Dunn]

Kevan might have pressed some matters but chose not to, it was good enough as it was right now. "You both sound like you have some worldly experience behind your belts."

[Wylla Terrick]

"Not so worldly. Simply through the Riverlands. I've found many who couldn't agree on anything until someone unaffiliated sorted things out. It makes me hopeful that people can be pushed towards recognizing true peace if they are willing to listen."

[Davelyn Sand]

"I've not traveled a great deal, but I have some. From Dorne to the Stormlands, and then within the Stormlands a bit around Cragfort. I've helped with killing banditry and acted as a guard to individuals at times, as required by Lord Kellington," Davelyn confirms. "But Lady Terrick here has the more capable skill set it sounds like. The best battle is the one you avoid."

[Kevan Dunn]

Kevan nodded.

"So how do you think it's going to be now, after all thaws and there is a bigger incentive to choose violence?"

[Davelyn Sand]

"Well, I can say I would not relish the idea of going to war. Especially if it so happened that my family and Lord were on opposite sides of battle. But, life can have difficult choices. Those are usually what lead to war after all, no?"

[Wylla Terrick]

"Perhaps now is the best chance to look inside and find a way each of our skills can be more productive to Westeros as a whole. Benefiting one another, we can surely all grow stronger and richer within our lands. Letting disputes happen simply because there is no grand outward threat is simply opening us up for problems coming from the outside."

[Davelyn Sand]

"Well said. I think Lady Terrick will be a popular negotiator during this tourney," Davelyn said with a little brightness.

[Kevan Dunn]

"She certainly has a way with words, Ser Davelyn." Kevan chuckled, ruminating about his morning efforts to find rapprochement with Dorne by letting Kaliya's skills be productive on him. "And is also probably right. But then, with so many ambitious nobles condensed in one place unpredictable things can happen."

[Davelyn Sand]

"Unpredictable things?" Davelyn asks with a wide smile and mirth in his voice. "I guess I'm a bit at odds with myself. Predictability and calm generally be what leads to peace and prosperity... but I must admit, that I prefer a bit of excitement and surprise in everyday life."

[Wylla Terrick]

Wylla let loose a tiny smirk at Kevan's words, shaking her head a bit sharply. A soft jingle of her necklace, aalong with a whip of her hair would tell even her how instinctive that was. Deciding to simply unleash, rather than try to subdue her thought, Wylla's words were especially sharp as she'd smile the whole way through.

"Here is where I entirely disagree. You suggest that so many ambitious minds makes something unpredictable, I counter most respectfully. With so many greedy and desperate nobles, courtiers, and warriors... we are going to see some stupid things. Those of us with the charisma and tact to recover from what we consider to be terrible choices by terrible people shall reap benefit. I only pray you both see elongated peace and mutual growth as a benefit."

[Kevan Dunn]

Her words struck Kevan as incredibly cynical but true on some level nonetheless. The grace of her swinging hair and embroidery softened the blow. Instead of pondering his place in that picture immediately after he sought certainty that he had understood her right. "Stupidity of the the many is a ladder for the few?"