For Your Consideration... (D2 MA)

[Davelyn Sand]

Davelyn had gone about the task of ensuring that everything was prepared. The table was set with wine and water available, there were a few food options from the stores laid out, and dishes were set for the Arwyn and Cedric. Davelyn didn't know how it would go. He wasn't the best judge of political necessity or exchange. He was a warrior after all, first and foremost. But he had let Lord Kellington know that Arwyn Forrester, the daughter of Lord Eddard Forrester, was willing to meet with him so they could discuss issues of the houses and to learn if they could be a compatible pairing for marriage.

He hoped that everything went well, and he was at the entrance to the pavilion to greet Arwyn and show her to the meeting space with Cedric.

[Arwyn Forrester]

Arwyn appears as promised, dressed in a curve-hugging wrap, belted at the waist, with a more airy skirt below, in recognition of the much warmer weather than she's used to. Rather than leaving her shoulders completely exposed, she had a sort of sheer shawl lightly resting on them, letting the wind through. She paused outside the tent and took a breath, centering herself and putting on her best sweet smile. "My Lord Kellington? It is Arwyn Forrester. May I come in?"

[Davelyn Sand]

Davelyn was there to greet her and show her inside. "Milady."

[Arwyn Forrester]

She dips in a shallow curtsy to him. "Ser Davelyn, it's good to see you," she greets briefly, allowing him to show her inside.

[Davelyn Sand]

"You as well. I hope you have enjoyed your day and the joust thus far," he says as he leads her to the area for her lunch with Cedric. The open flap reveals the lunch prepared for her and his Lord.

[House Kellington]

Along with the meal, is the Lord Kellington. With a mild look of passivity on his uncomfortable features, he has wine in front of him, and sips from that when the two enter. "Come in, come in, have a seat; pour the girl some wine."
Cedric takes a breath. He's dressed in varying shades of blue that accent his intelligent eyes, though there's really nothing to be done about the mop of dark hair on his head. A few rings encircle some fingers, and glint lightly.

[Davelyn Sand]

Davelyn does as instructed, pulling out Arwyn's chair for her and pushing it back in as she sits. He then pours a bit of wine for her. He remains quiet and courteous with a pleasant, but soft smile the entire time. He then takes an out of the way position, ready to be called on if needed.

/ooc: feel free to ignore, pm if addressed directly, but he's just here in case he's needed.

[Arwyn Forrester]

She enters, a not particularly tall young woman with darkest brown waves of hair spilling over shoulders. She wears a warm and polite smiles herself, giving every indication of being pleased to be there (but not to excess). In short, it's carefully tailored to put someone at ease and to seem friendly. Internally, she wasn't so sure, but she'd stubbornly never let that show.

She curtsies gracefully. "I am Arwyn Forrester, daughter of Eddard Forrester of Ironrath. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Kellington. Ser Davelyn spoke highly of you and your family." With that, she accepts the seat that Davelyn offered and the wine.

[House Kellington]

"Lady Forrester," Cedric greeted the northern woman, and took a long moment to regard her. A very long moment. Just about uncomfortably long, he watched her critically.

She wasn't unseemly, or uncouth, or terrible to look at.

She held herself well, without coming off frigid. But also without being overly friendly or assuming.

He smiled.

"Tell me about yourself."

[Arwyn Forrester]

The long wait doesn't seem to perturb her at all, just using the time to take a delicate sip of the wine given her. It was awkward being stared at for so long, but again, she was, if not a master of demeanor, one of the more skilled at coming across as she wished in her age group. Her smile brightens, just a bit as he smiles back.

"As you wish, my lord. I am sixteen this year, and I am pleased to finally have the opportunity to see the lands beyond the North. I enjoy reading, and have learned some of these lands that way, but it's something else to experience. It's nice to interact with so many new people. My family values honor and devotion a great deal, and I am cut from the same cloth in that regard. I have a sister and three brothers, though only one of my siblings is here with us, my brother Marqus."

She looks over toward Cedric. "Would my lord be willing to share a bit about himself with me, as well?"

[House Kellington]

He is clearly sizing her up, without reserve. He drinks from his wine as she speaks, and nods appreciatively when she's done.

"I'm pleased to hear your family values honour and devotion; these are values I appreciate as well and would look for in a wife." He reveals what he's expecting from this sort of interview without pause, haphazardly, as if it should be obvious why she's here.

"As for myself, I too have one sister. She is significantly older than I, a spinster. My father was injured during the Blackfyre Rebellion during the Battle of the Redgrass Plain, succumb to his an infection of his wounds." He explains flatly, a hand rolling, as if to say these things happen.

"I enjoy riding, and reading. We have that in common as well, Lady Forrester, and I trust you would find my library impressive."

[Arwyn Forrester]

She nods politely, watching his face, listening to him speak, her expression polite, thoughtful, and interested. It wasn't entirely a lie. She was definitely learning what sort of man Cedric Kellington was.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she says, genuine but just as content as he was to let the information pass. "I was just riding myself earlier this morning. It's good that we seem to have a good deal in common, my lord, if you're looking for possibilities for marriage." A smile crossed her face, gentle and soft. "Does my lord have a particular sort of literature he favors?"

[House Kellington]

At this, he truly smiles. "You find yourself not only in the presence of the noble lord of house Kellington, but also in the presence of one of the best poets of Westeros. I enjoy poetry, nothing else quite speaks to me, nothing else quite soothes me, or ignites in me a passion to tantalize others."

[Arwyn Forrester]

That's certainly a bold claim. There's nothing to get on men's good side quite like getting them to talk about themselves...

She looks surprised and pleased, a hand coming up to rest on her chest as if in surprise. "I am doubly honored to be here, then, my lord. Poetry is truly the finest art of the wordsmith. Would you be willing to share some of work?"

[House Kellington]

"Nothing would make me happier."

He paused poignantly, and had a drink before beginning.

"There there my dear one,
your dreams were simply too small.
You ask for a pretty painted shell
when Life wants to give you the ocean.
You ask for a picket fence
when Life wants to leave you free
to run your wild horses.
You ask for a star
on a neglected downtrodden boulevard
when Life has already prepared
a place for you to light up the sky.
You ask for love
when life wants to show you
what it is to be consumed with Love
and set fire to the world with your flames.*

He looked at the northern lady as if he expected applause.

[Arwyn Forrester]

She takes a moment after hearing the poem to process exactly what she'd just heard. She looked for a moment like she was about to speak, but truly, there was nothing that could be said in response to that. Speaking about it would have added insult to the injury of the language that was poem itself.

Finally, she said, "Truly, it robbed me of my own words. Hearing it was truly an extraordinary experience. Thank you for the honor of sharing it with me, my lord."