A Beginning is a Very Delicate Time [EM1]

[Kevan Dunn]

To the first sunrays of the day Kevan Dunn, the heir of House Dunn, responded with presence in the nearest sunlit open space he could find, probably just outside his living quarters. Manifesting his presence in lieu of his tarrying father felt like a good idea, first and foremost to the vassals and cousins. Let them look at the brightness of Kevan's smile and the flash of his sword practice, his verve and confident gait, and see the future of the house in good colours.

Dressed lightly in loose shirt and breeches regardless of any pinch of chill, he put his wrists and arms to hard work with his bastard sword against an imaginary enemy, all the time smiling to the baring of teeth.

[Kaliya Redding]

Kaliya was not accustomed to being up so early, but today promised to be an interesting one, and she found herself throwing off sleep with the rising of the sun. The pavilion tent she had been provided with was luxurious and comfortably and roomy, thoroughly well appointed and she was pleased. She had already made up her mind what she planned to wear that day, and now she needed a cup of tea.

She took up the kettle and stepped outside, looking for servant to fetch her water. She was drawn up quite sharply by the sight of the younger Lord Dunn, not expecting anyone else to be about so early. But it wasn't just surprise that gave her pause. A handsome fellow, and so good as to not be wearing armour while he practised, was a sight worthy of appreciation, and she was certainly not one to give insult by not taking her time to give the man a thorough appraisal.

[Kevan Dunn]

Thorough appraisal could not go entirely unnoticed, and so Kevan's eyes briskly flashed back at the flashes of bare skin from the panels of the daring yet dashing attire. Letting the blood in his veins reign, a fair lady looking spurred his tempo and effort to the point of making his exercise more of a show. His smile only widened as sweat began to pearl on his temples as he milled the long blade interchangeably to the left and to the right, advancing.

[Kaelyn Dunn]

She awoke to Dahlia’s chanting. ‘Seriously? At this hour?’ Usually the bird knew better than to rouse Kaelyn at such a time. She reached for the second down pillow that she kept at the side of her bed only to find it missing. Disoriented, she recalled the journey to Ashford.

Sitting up, she sighed and stretched before donning her riding attire. She had work to do and people to meet, but not before her morning ride with Tyana. ‘It never hurts to look around at the contenders, anyway.’

[Kaliya Redding]

Kaliya carefully set down the kettle on the nearest level surface, everything else falling by the wayside as the young man stepped up his drills. She placed a single long finger to her full lips, her entire attention given to the display, and a fine display it was. The dashing smile and the beading sweat were neither lost nor wasted on the Dornish woman, and a cat-like smile crept upon her lips, eyebrows rising slightly as the light fabric of Kevan's shirt began to cling.

[Tomas Flowers]

Tomas was ready. He was excited. He was going to see a real Targaryen. He wondered if they actually glowed like the blacksmith said. Or maybe it was just when they were angry. Did they breathe fire? Or was it just the dragons? Tomas figured it was best not to find out.

Were there going to be any girl Targaryens? Maybe they wouldn't mind a boy with greyscale? They are part dragon after all.

[Kevan Dunn]

Cling it increasingly did, the shirt of his. In a balestra leap he delivered a strike of wrath, then recovered for a back-parry but his footwork failed in the mud and he flailed a bit before recovering his swordsman's gait, laughing, apparently taking no discouragement from his misstep. A series of parries for all angles executed with the regular inevitability of the shadow on a sundial, just much much faster.

[Kaliya Redding]

As Kevan stumbled, the young woman gasped and her hand was clutched suddenly to her bare décolletage. Her reactions might have seemed a touch over-dramatic as the warrior recovered easily and she relaxed, but this show went both ways and she intended on giving as good as she got.

Her dark eyes intensified, she was glad he'd recovered, and yet... had he fallen? Well, the possibilities abounded!

[Kevan Dunn]

A title of his head, a small slowdown in motion and a shadow of an impish smile were three instead of just one clue that Kevan's attention was at least passingly drawn to where her hand ventured, but her pressed on, keeping a distance to both avoid hurting the lady and soiling her dress with wet ground splashing from under his feet. The young Dunn measured his imaginary opponent again while his wrists and shoulders did not rest, delivering a panache mill of his bastard sword. Somewhat predictably, a lunge followed, but preceded by a small feint, something he apparently was training to include in his swordsmanship. He knew she was watching, and a grin was not leaving his face. The more he coated his torso with sweat through exertion the less of his toned chest remained a mystery for the spectator.

[Kaliya Redding]

Finally a servant boy happened along and Kaliya distractedly flagged his attention, loathe to divide her own, barely taking her eyes from the heir as he continued his practice. Quickly she had waved the boy away and was able to return her gaze fully to Kevan. Her hair - that silken black, glossy as the wings of a raven, that was unique to Dorne - was loose about her shoulders, and she pushed the entwined curls back, revealing more fully the shape of her collarbones and her long, slender neck.

Her full lips pursed in concentration as she followed his movements. Her imagination was good and it raced ahead as his shirt adhered to Kevan's muscles as they flexed flowed beneath the fabric.

[Kevan Dunn]

Seeing her play with her hair and feeling how it was affecting him Kevan experienced an ironic thought about the Dornish fortes his father was so paranoid about. The old man was probably afraid of things he could not approach via means he controlled and understood. The magic of Dornish allure was usually too exotic to domesticate in one's imagination. it retained the unpredictability getting drunk usually carries. Kevan had some mental tethers (some of them had the form of his father's rants) that kept him from plunging into the waters of the foreign charm just like that even though ultimately they were not inseverable. They were under strain now, and he felt that strain more acutely than the toll of the training. The woman carried no aura of inconsequential safety he was finding in rolls in the hay with peasant girls. She was too conscious of what she was doing. But knowing there is a trap and still walking into it was probably not beyond Kevan.

Once drenched after a few more flamboyant agressions, he lowered his sword, chuckling, and finally gave the woman a proper regard with his gaze, followed by a cocked brow and a small nod.

[Kaliya Redding]

Kaliya tiptoed closer, approaching to the edge of where the mud had been churned up, but no closer, it was too early in the day to ruin her shoes. She dipped a low curtsy. When she spoke, her accent was strong, her voice low pitched and sultry even when she didn't mean to. "Lorrd Dunn, I do not believe that we have met. I am Lady Kaliya Rredding, my husband was the late Lukas Rredding."

[Kevan Dunn]

Kevan could not help observing her but he managed to do better than let his conflicted emotions show. "I am sorry for your loss, my lady. It must have been terrible. For lord Lukas in particular, to leave a young graceful wife behind on his way to meet the Stranger." He saluted to her with the hilt of his sword, then tucked it away at his hip. "I don't think I have more than a passing acquaintance with many Reddings, except for Robar. Regrettable, yes, considering how both houses depend on each other." His eyes wandered a bit across her no matter how much he tried to convince himself to direct them somewhere else.

[Kaliya Redding]

Kaliya inclined her head in polite gratitude. She folded her hands primly, which only served to frame and emphasise the open panel revealing her navel. Unlike the heir, she experienced no conflict, nor did she feel any great need to conceal the interest in her expression as she admired him. She was Dornish through and through, passion was nothing she was ashamed of.

"You arre most kind, but it was an ill-suited match. My husband was quite elderrly, and I should think he had no use for anotherr wife so late in life."

[Kevan Dunn]

His gaze inadvertently descended where her hands beckoned it, and lingered for a moment before he raised it onto her eyes, chewing on his lips slightly on the insight, seemingly in thought. His chest undualated more profoundly, taking deep breaths.

"No use? How um-fortunate." His intention was to say unfortunate and he could swear this is what had come out of his lips. "But then, now you at least have a good name after him to seek better future with."

[Kaliya Redding]

Her eyes fell from his, though the colour of them was intriguing, lingering on his lip as he chewed at it, before settling on his chest. She allowed her eyes to rest on the heave of his well-formed pectorals for a time, but his words needed answer, and she levelled her dark eyes on his, the colour of the Summer Sea. Smiling, cat like, "no doubt you arre familiarr with many of the ways a wife can be... useful."

[Kevan Dunn]

"To an incomplete extent, my lady. I haven't been married yet." His tongue was growing restless as the tension continued, assisting in how his saliva was swallowed into a dried throat, but his teeth formed a stalwart line of defence and it could be gleaned just by cheek movement. "In this regard, you carry insights I have yet to possess." His eyes connected with hers boldly even if his lips thinned to be less revealing. "Did I interrupt your drink preparation?"

[Kaliya Redding]

"I'm harrdly any experrt, but I know a few things," she purred, holding his gaze unflinchingly. "I'm surre therre is much we could learrn from each otherr." Kaliya lets the moment draw out, waiting for that moment just before tension becomes discomfort.

"I was going to make tea," she finally releases the silence. "I have a rrange of herrbs and teas at my disposal, would you perrhaps carre to join me? I know a rrecipe that is quite rrefrreshing afterr one has worrked up a solid sweat."

[Kevan Dunn]

"Your tea might be what I need." He made a half-step toward her, his eyes beyond hiding the slow fire she had stoked. "I'll join you, my lady."

[Kaliya Redding]

Kaliya had barely gone two steps before the warrior had caught her attention, and so she merely turned and lifted the flap of the pavilion tent, indicating for the young Lord to enter. The spacious tent had a stone-ringed firepit, and the servant boy had apparently done his duty, for the fire crackled merrily, and the kettle was bubbling away over the heat. Most of the pavilion was occupied by a bed and dressing area behind a curtain. To one side was a table with two chairs, and to the other piles of cushions provided a place to lounge in comfort. The floor was laid with woven mats and rugs over that.

[Kevan Dunn]

Kevan pulled the flap back once inside, and took in the way the interior was arranged. His curiosity took over other interests for the time being. "Is it how you usually like things to be spread about, my lady?"

[Kaliya Redding]

Kaliya opened her tea chest; apart from a number of tins containing tea, the box was crowded with jars and packets and bottles with all sorts of dried herbs and powders. As she added pinches of this and dashes of that, "I do like it, it rreminds me of home. Please, make yourrself comforrtable, howsoeverr you wish."

Pouring the hot water into the cups, "in Dorrne, it can get verry hot. Pavilions like this are common in the deserrt."

[Kevan Dunn]

"As a Marcher I can tell that humidity is often a greater challenge than the heat itself." Her remarked idly. He took her encouragement on face value and pulled of his soaked shirt before taking one of the chairs, his body continuing the routine of deep breaths to restore normal rhythm after the exertion. He observed the Dornish woman curiously. "But I see why you tend to be lightly robed."

[Kaliya Redding]

While the tea steeped, she turned and raised an eyebrow slightly, smiling. Without missing a beat Kaliya gave an exaggerated shudder, "I cannot stand the humidity, it feels like I will suffocate, I suppose you arre accustomed to it." With her view unobstructed now, her eyes wander slowly across the warrior's bared chest, "therre arre otherr advantages to being lightly rrobed."

[Kevan Dunn]

"There's less to manage?" He leaned back in the chair, watching her form from an angle, using a drier edge of his bundled shirt to wipe the perspiration off the sides of his face and neck. His gaze was the opposite of bashful, impishly daring, enjoying the revealing character of her dress.