The Dance of Steel [EM3]

[Kaliya Redding]

Nodding, "as forr what they may offerr in rreturrn, is therre a dirrection you would like me to lead them? Ideas I may be able to sow the seed of?"

[Kevan Dunn]

"I don't know who of them is of sufficient stature to meaningfully support us in debates to come. But then, my impression is that our success or failure hinges on the favour of one of the Dragon Princes. I don't know how they could help us with that, but maybe they have an idea."

[Kaliya Redding]

"I will do what I can, m'Lorrd." Her business concluded, she sipped her tea and waited to see if her Lord had any further instruction for her.

[Kevan Dunn]

"How have your endeavours been, Kaliya? Any insights about people or situations I'd be better aware of?" He asked, helping himself to some salty apple lard and spreading it onto a slice of bread with quick moves of the knife.

[Kaliya Redding]

"I may have found a potential suitorr," she suggests with humour, without so much as a hint of sourness, "if that makes the task of marrying me off any easierr." Kaliya shrugged lightly, "no man wants a widow forr a wife, at least not the firrst time. But I shall be meeting some of the olderr knights, I will test the waterrs."

[Kevan Dunn]

"Tell me about this suitor then. Does he appeal to you?" Kevan smiled at that bit of information.

[Kaliya Redding]

"He's a young fool who thinks he's falling in love. He deserrves betterr than to be shackled to me. I shall not strring him along, I intend to make yourr position clearr to him." She considered for a time, "Lorrd Kellington alrready seems to hold Dorrne in favourrable rregarrd, it may not be in yourr interrests forr me to go to the Storrmlands." She knew that left no doubt as to whom she referred, and she left it at that.

[Kevan Dunn]

"They are our closest neighbours. Our stretch of the Reach is squeezed between the Stormlands and Dorne." It wasn't a counter-argument, just a remark he felt necessary to add. "But you seem to have your own reasons not to do this, and that's enough for me not to insist. When I said your happiness is important to me, I meant it." He looked at her, some guilt colouring his gaze. His body still craved for her remembering the easy bliss they had shared, but his mind and heart were already anchored elsewhere.

[Kaliya Redding]

She nodded, not believing that she would find happiness, hoping only that her husband were tolerable, perrhaps I can do betterr than tolerrable, Kaliya muses, thinking of who she's met thus far.

Sensing something in his gaze, a sort of bridled lust, perhaps, "if therre is morre you wish to say, I would like to hearr it."

[Kevan Dunn]

There was a pause, but then he grimaced and looked straight at Kaliya.

"I intend to marry Lady Arwyn of House Forrester. I have pledged my heart to her and I will stay true to her. Lady Arwyn reciprocates my feelings and commitment. This is an arrangement that is likely to win favour of the lords of both houses involved."

[Kaliya Redding]

Kaliya smiled warmly, "that is excellent news, and congrratulations arre in orrderr. I wish you all the best." There is nothing but warmth and approval in her tone and expression.

[Kevan Dunn]

He sighed, then closed his eyes and smiled fondly. "Thank you. It came about abruptly, but somehow aligned in ways I don't fully understand. Perhaps Gods willed that I have waited this long precisely for this to happen. I am very happy at the prospect."

[Kaliya Redding]

There is a barely perceptible clench of her hand around her tea cup, but her smile doesn't waver. Gods and hearts and fools in love, and here I sit on the outside like the Stranger, watching it unfold. "I am pleased forr you, a betterr outcome could not have been hoped forr."

[Kevan Dunn]

"I share this with you in confidence, Kaliya. It's too early to make this commitment public. If you partake in any talks about how House Dunn could commit I'd be grateful for de-emphasising my eligibility as a bargaining chip. I mention this in case it comes up in talks with the Valemen. I have other siblings though." He was incredulous about her inner tension even though he looked straight at her now.

[Kaliya Redding]

"Not a worrd shall pass my lips, Lorrd. But, as you say, it is betterr I know, so I might best serrve House Dunn." Ultimately, she is unfazed by Kevan's revelations, even if such empty-headed talk grated on her. She approved that he'd managed to keep his sensibilities about him, it boded well for the future of the Dunns under his leadership. Even as being married away to another region removed her from his service, she found that she did care what happened to him.

[Kevan Dunn]

Not privy to her thoughts, he moved his elsewhere. "Do you have any counsel for me, or any observation to share?" Trying to redefine her in his mind from a lover to an adviser, he reached out to her with his words carrying this message. You don't have to let me fuck you to be listened, his gaze was trying to express.

[Kaliya Redding]

"I am surre therre is nothing I could say that you do not alrready know. Take carre yourr actions do not cast doubt on herr honourr and, unless you wish to give the game away too soon, keep in mind how much time you arre spending with herr."

"Obserrant birrds will have alrready noted what you think arre the brriefest of glances and softest of sighs. Do not give the suspicious any furrtherr ammunition."

[Kevan Dunn]

He digested it. It was going against his drives, but... "Her brother is becoming my good friend fast." He added to make the picture fuller.

[Kaliya Redding]

"Excellent, with the memorries of winterr so frresh in ourr minds, therre is much the Rreach has that the Norrth will need."

[Kevan Dunn]

"The question is whether it can go both ways though." He tried a harder cheese.

[Kaliya Redding]

Smiling cattishly, "neverr forrget the powerr of having something someone else wants," Kaliya leaned forward and traced the lower edge of the open panel of her dress drawing his gaze to the exposed, generous cleavage. She held there for a time, assessing his reaction, before laughing and sitting back once more, taking a corner of cheese and popping it between full red lips.

[Kevan Dunn]

He closed his eyes and cursed himself that this simple tease made him ready. He shifted uncomfortably in the seat and reached out for the water beaker to drink profusely, not caring for her satisfaction from affecting him so easily. His self-restraint came from his belief in what was right rather than from indomitable will.

"Well, they have the ironwood..."

As do I now.

[Kaliya Redding]

Nodding, pretending too be oblivious to his discomfort, "good. And therre arre benefits to forrging frriendships strrongerr than a marriage bond. But trry not too focus too much on the shorrt terrm. Think beyond what the Norrth has forr you now. And forr the love of the Seven, do not send me therre."

Ugh, someone pass me a lanterrn, and tell me how I became the Crrone.

[Kevan Dunn]

"I have no intention of sending you there. That'd be a crime against your dressing habits" He laughed, what helped him ease the tension. "Think long-term, right. I sometimes forget about it. It'll probably be easier once I sort out my immediate concerns."

[Kaliya Redding]

Kaliya began to make motions to rise, "if therre was nothing else?" her mind seemed elsewhere.