A Rousing Game (EE 1)

[Maester Oswell]

The pursuit of self betterment was a cause that Oswell would always support and he showed as much with a slight inclination of his head in approval.

"Determined, focused; the woman knows what she wants. I assume that this is merely the first step of your journey then? Have you considered the other fighting styles of the lands across the sea. Although I imagine the Westerosi are much more welcoming of strangers than the Dothraki are likely to be."

[Alessia]

"I had no intention of walking from the city of Braavos to become a slave to some Kahl or other," she said, looking to the elder man like the suggestion was as crazy as it was. Of course, even then, she still held the smile which kept everything lighthearted.

"Not that that matters," she said, looking back to her cup and taking another drink. Speaking with a calm confidence, "My journey goes on until I am the greatest swordsman that has ever lived."

[Maester Oswell]

"So just small aspirations then." He jests.

"I trust that I'll hear more of you over the next few days then as you assert your dominance over the local knighthood? Shall you be taking part in the Grand Melee?"

[Alessia]

Alessia blew out a puff of air past her lips at the thought of the Grand Melee. Crossing her arms over her chest when she spoke, "Nothing for a proper swordsman in a mess like that. Melee like that is to see who can take more punishment than the others, nothing for skill."

[Maester Oswell]

"Ah, my apologies. I thought that the evasive style most Braavosi practice would be ideal for avoiding much of that punishment."

Another mouthful of ale found its way down his throat warming his belly.

"Although of the two of us I'd bow to your superior knowledge in the matter."

[Alessia]

"Perhaps it is," she said with an almost teasing look to her smile. "But I am not looking to make myself the authority on the matter. It is just a dirty, nasty little thing for men to be able to boast about when they're finished is all."

[Maester Oswell]

"Nothing like the bath houses of the Eastern lands in this neck of the woods to clean up in either. There's a decent stream just outside of town I think, but I imagine the water's a little cold."

[Alessia]

"I hadn't the chance before that... whatever it was, wolf or whatever it was decided to sneak up on me," she said initially but pulled back from that a bit with a sigh. "Water looked nice and clean, could make for a relaxing bath. Still, the concern would be my clothing. I haven't the coin to replace anything important."

[Maester Oswell]

"That may indeed prove a small obstacle to overcome. While I doubt there'll be a shortage of vendors plying their wares, they're sure to take advantage of the many Lords and Ladies by jacking up their prices."

Dipping into his pocket he waves some coins in the air to catch the attention of a serving maid to request some food to accompany the copious ale that has passed his lips already.

"And I doubt I have anything of a size or style to suit in my personal wardrobe."

[Alessia]

"No, I fear you do not Maester," she said with a light smile, finding the suggestion funny. "Much too hard to move in, I am sure, not that that causes much of a problem for you of course."

Alessia let that hang in the air for a moment before continuing, "You fight your battles with your head. No need to move about to do that, of course," and then giving a little knowing look and a cheeky grin.

[Maester Oswell]

"I don't know. You've never seen the mess when the fabric gets tangled in these wheels have you?" He bites back before giving an order for a platter of cheese, bread, honey, and chicken to the barmaid.

"If you were part of a notable and financially stable House however, then perhaps the simple matters of accommodation and attire would be but a blip on your radar." He suggested honestly. "Just a matter of what you consider your priorities."

[Alessia]

"I have very little intention on living the life of a woman in Westeros," she replied, glancing to the food for a moment but back to Oswell. "Everything I have ever seen of noble families, there is only one thing they ever have use of a woman for and that isn't what I wish to allow my life to become."

[Maester Oswell]

"Then you'll need to find a way to make a living." Oswell said as he ripped of a chunk of bread and dipped it in the honey.
"Selling your sword most likely? Though as we noted, finding someone who knows its worth may be difficult."

With a smile he pushes the plate beneath Alessia's hungry gaze. "Because you cant always rely on the generosity of strangers who have a fondness for avpretty face and sharp tongue."

[Alessia]

"No, I cant but it does buy me another day now and again," she said with a pleasant smile and took a chunk of bread for herself.

"I have thought of this, of course, and I need only to wait for the right moment to set myself up for quite some time. Will have to see whether that moment comes soon enough to matter. Till now, at least, I can enjoy free bread with a new friend."

[Maester Oswell]

"Nothing in this world is free Alessia, everything has a price, even from a new friend such as I. But I think an hour's pleasant conversation is well within your budget." He quips with a chuckle at his own joke.

"So drink your fill, eat till you can't stomach another bite and let the worries of tomorrow be pushed from your mind for an evening."

[Alessia]

Taking a moment to glance off to the room and think of what he said, agreeing with it of course. Looking back it was with a light smile, "Should I he worried then? Perhaps there is a why to your decision to share your food and get into my good graces."

"Hmm," she said, taking another small piece and chuckling as she thought. "I do not know if I care enough to know. Content as I am in worrying of nothing for the night."

[Maester Oswell]

Oswell doesn't even attempt to restrain his laughter.

"You? Worried about me? I don't think you'd even need those sharpened instruments of death to see off any threat I might pose you. Just a brisk walking pace. This old man just enjoys the company of young, beautiful women, but even if I was hoping to get into your good graces - it's a lot less invasive than what everyone else around here is probably hoping to get into."

A comment that sends the rest of the table into raucous laughter and earns the Maester a slap on the back from Vernin as he gets up to snag a chicken leg from the Maester's platter.

[Alessia]

With a quick thwap, Alessia smacked Vernins hand away from the chicken leg and looked to him with a smirk as she took it for herself. Reminding them, in the most subtle of ways that they hope for doesn't always happen. It was also just fun to tease.

"Well," she said looking back to Oswell, "maybe you also just like appeasing your audience by keeping a pretty sight in their vicinity. As they know I might not still be sitting here without your company," she teased, of course she knew that wasn't the reason after all.

[Maester Oswell]

"I think we all understand that you'll stay as long as your enjoyment at our expense outweighs your irritation at our antics." Oswell answered as Vernin sucked on his slapped fingers and slumped back into his seat.

"And if you're only here because of me, then I think you're vastly over valuing my conversational talents, although us multi-lingual types do have rather talented tongues." He quips with an over exaggerated dose of creepy old man eyebrow waggling.

[Alessia]

"Maester!" she said with a light gasp but the smile was hard to erase completely.

"I am shocked," she wasn't, "you would say such a thing," she said with a air of levity to her voice.

[Maester Oswell]

"Of course you are my dear." Oswell replied in High Valyrian, to add an air of respectability to his previous comment before switching back to the Common language of Westeros.

"Although I thought we'd already established that I'm not exactly the first thing that would spring to mind when one thinks of a traditional Maester. If I were, I'm rather confident that you'd have long grown bored of whatever lecture I saw fit to inflict upon you."

[Alessia]

High Valyrian was clearly foreign to her hears, not even a note of understanding. Though there was some familiarity, given her time in Braavos. Albeit she never picked up on that language either.

"You are likely quite correct in that thought, Maester, but you didn't need me to tell you that," she said with a light smirk. "A Maester with a mouth, and a woman with a sword, it would seem that this is sure to be the most exciting night of these men's lives," she said glancing over to the rest of the table with a cheeky grin.

[Maester Oswell]

Percy, having only heard part of the conversation due to his concentration on the game - which wasn't helping his results - perked up at mention of the most exciting night of his life. He started to rise from his chair in anticipation, which had the other men pulling him back down and laughing at his misinterpretation of the situation.

"Be careful when you speak of being a source of excitement milady. Some of these ruffians only know of one sort of excitement, and I'd hate to see you have to spill their blood on account of a misunderstanding." He jokes lightly, hoping to diffuse any tension from Percy's actions.

[Alessia]

Alessia glared over at Percy, but she never removed her smile. Leaving the moment without much tension albeit those with a keen eye knew her distaste. With a light laugh she looked back to Oswell and said, "They should be more careful about that themselves, I think. As I did include you in that Maester," she paused for her smirk to become evident.

"And I am certain, that would change their excitement of the situation drastically. No offense of course, Maester, I am certain you were quite the man in your time," she finished with a light smile.

[Maester Oswell]

One raised eyebrow reflected Oswell's semi offense at her statement. "In my time?" He replied.

"I'll have you know young woman that I can still..." He cuts himself off midsentence as a flash of clarity comes to his eyes. He blinks hard and composes himself.

"My apologies. T'isn't the way to talk to a new friend, you'll forgive a drunk man a slight slip of composure won't you?"