The Tourney at Ashford

Warryn stepped into the tavern, standing tall and proud, uncaring of both jeers - lucky bastard - and cheers - you can't unseat a wydman -.

He glanced around, looking for the familiar face, unsure if he is early or late.

Early, and with wine and a few cups at a table. One is lifted to Warryn to let him know where he is.

"Ser Sand! Well met." He moved the Dornishman in good mood. "Hope you've been well today?" He sat down.

"My day has been busy but fun. I got to see the jousts and your victory." He passes an empty cup to him before filling it with wine. "And so congratulations and drinks are in order." He smirks at Warryn and raises his cup towards him.

"Thank you Ser." He took the wine, and raised it to drink, when suddenly a cheer arose. "Right makes might!"

Warryn smiled, and raised his cup to the drunk pair. "I look forward to seeing you ride too." He smiled. He felt like a weight fell off of him today.

Drinking a good portion of the wine in his glass, he sets it down and refreshes it.

"It was a very exciting match. Ser Androw was quite adamant about not being defeated. Your persuasion of the inevitability that outcome was quite eloquent," the Dornish bastard jokes followed by a wide smile. "I'd challenge you myself when my turn comes up, but I think I like the idea of sitting beside you at the conclusion of the tourney more."

"Hm, he was stubborn." He leaned back, after drinking some of his wine.

"Well, I'll leave it up to you, but I'm always open for good and honorable opponents." He smiled and drank. "Busy day eh? Met anyone interesting?"

"Arranged a meeting for my Lord, met for some discussion of house issues, that kind of thing. Probably blew my second attempt to qualify for the lists. All the important folks like yourself get to go first," he says giving Warryn a wink, clearly not actually bothered by it.

"Mhm, it is an arrangement... I feel lucky. I jousted on the same day as the Lord Lannister." He smiled and winked back. "House matters..." he let that hang in the air. "Everyone has some matters, don't they? I hope things are fine with you and yours."

"Ah, Lord Kellington is currently looking into spouses," he replies. "Which, as a warrior is not something I'm all that experienced with. The political aspects of it make my head spin."

He drinks again, refreshes again, and offers the same for Warryn.

"Bah, politics." He didn't spit, but he did show some distaste. "Sadly... all good Houses need to dirty their hand with it." He smiled at the man. "You're a good man for helping nonetheless. Spouses... marriages can be... well, not all of them are fun." He shrugged. "Or easy."

"Well, there is little I can do besides converse with folks that know better than I do and arrange meetings. If I were to actually attempt the negotiations I'd probably get our house fleeced by some disingenuous noble. Just isn't my forte," the thought scares and entertains him at the same time. "But you will have to deal with such far more heavily eventually. And I wish you good fortune with and plenty of breaks from such things when it comes time."

"You're just happy you can avoid it." He laughed. "Thought I envy you. Still... duty is duty." He smiled and drank. "Best of luck... and just getting people aware is good. The first step can be hard." He leaned in closer, slightly lowering his voice, but keeping it jovial. "Your House doing well otherwise?"

"It's doing well enough," he says in a matching tone, but only just to match Warryns. "The biggest issues are that Lord Kellington is finally looking for a spouse after having put it off for so long. And some folks in Cafferen rumbling about wanting to be an equal house rather than a banner house. But then, ambition happens does it not?" he smirks and a shrugs at that. "Even I would like to earn a greater position of respect."

"Aye, ambition can be noble.... my grandfather was just a bastard after all." He smiled at the Dornishman. "I am sure you'll get your chance... and I look forward to talking to Ser Sand, the trusted advisor."

He cracked his neck slightly. "Banner House rumblings... we don't have that problem yet."

"Some day, no doubt," he says with a smile. "But house Kellington has been around for a very long time."

"But what are the concerns of the Wydmans? What is your family hoping to achieve here other than glory at the lists?"

"Nuisances, really. The mountain clans are stubborn, even if they are in the wrong. Especially, if they are in the wrong." He drank. "But... let's skip that talk. There are more fun things to talk about!" He smiled. "Tell me about Dorne, if I'm not too forward?"

Drinking along with Warryn, he sets his cup down and smiles. "Not too forward at all. I miss it. It's so much warmer, and I had the beach there next to Sunspear to ride and swim. The best wine in the world. Beautiful women, though the northern realms have their own from what I've seen, and pleasant sunlight all the time."

Warryn laughed. "Don't come to the mountains. If you're lucky, you'll find a small ford. It's cold and windy... and well. Don't look for sand." He drank again. "Well, I can agree on the ladies at least. Anything else you like of the Northern lands?"

"The weather. Not the climate mind you, I prefer the heat. But how the weather changes and shifts so much more dramatically. I don't know why but there is something about that. I suppose it's probably more poignant in the Stormlands given their name though."

"Well, the Stormlands are pretty dramatic from what I hear." He let out a small sigh. "This is my first time out of the Vale and Mountains of the Moon. Was it strange for you to leave Dorne?"

"It felt like the sun got dimmer with every step north, while the natural colors grew more vibrant. It is like an entirely different world visually. But I've come to appreciate it. I would love to visit home someday, but unless Lord Kellington ever has business in Dorne I don't suspect that will happen."

Warryn nodded. "Well, I hope your wish comes true one day. Still..." he took a brief gulp of wine. "Perhaps I'll invite you over to our lands, to strengthen both our Houses. Sometime, in the future."

"Getting the opportunity to see other lands would be wonderful. My travel to the Stormlands from Dorne did increase my interest in doing so," he replies with a nod, taking another drink. "What is your home like?"

"Cooler than here. It's not windy, as the mountains catch most of it." He smiled as he thought of it. Of home. "We have forests, and the mountains are rich. Old Peake... it's an old Andal fortress." He leaned forward, as he talked. "It's built into the mountains. Truthfully, I don't think we've excavated half of it. There is so much there still." His smile widened.