The Shackles of Legitimacy

[firejay1]

Kyne was almost a little taken aback by her words, eyebrows shooting upwards in a moment of surprise, but then he grinned, the first genuine smile he'd cracked since leaving Kingsgrave. Had he been in an overall better humor, he would've teasingly repeated her words to him the other day back at her. What was it again? "A good man. Yersh." The memory caused his grin to widen. She really was hilarious when she was drunk. He preferred she kept her drunkenness away from the public eye, and he felt a bit sorry for her each time, but he had a good time with the memories of her being ridiculous under the influence of drink.

While he wasn't certain why she was in such a rush, Kyne kept an easy pace with Taria, with his long legs, and it hardly took a moment for them to arrive at the quarters prepared for him. He was comfortable enough with Storm's End, but in truth it felt odd for him to be here, with his belongings in proper, and orderly bags awaiting him. Somehow every little thing was a reminder that he wasn't Kyne Sand anymore. Before, he'd have come only to deliver a message to the Lord and Lady Baratheon from his father, and then he'd have gone down to the village and slept wherever accommodations allowed him, or in a stable he'd sneaked into. Even when he had trespassed on them as a guest, he'd done so quietly, and with his things in a small pack on his back, his sword at his side, and his horse not far away. Comfortable? It did indeed look comfortable. Too comfortable.

But he could tell she had something to say to him, so he stared down at her, and sure enough, she began to say... the most preposterous things. He rolled his eyes and slumped into the nearest chair, with the sort of careless grace he usually had, all attempt at formality from his earlier meeting with her aunt and uncle completely abandoned. "Apologize? You're not the one who needs to apologize." He drawled discontentedly, leaning his head back. "I have no desire to be here playing out this farce," he lifted one finger to the ceiling and circled it in the air next to his head, generally indicating the place and situation they were in, "any more than you do, but I share your sentiments. Better someone I know and trust than someone else." His face contorted in a scowl of mild anger and disgust, but it wasn't directed at Taria. "The old bastard brought me to the Queen's name day feast before telling me he'd legitimized me, probably to show me off to an alliance he was hoping to make. Dallin married off, and Axton more likely to ruin any alliances by wedding, I was a new opportunity."

He finally looked over and cocked one of his grins at her. "In fact, perhaps I should be thanking you." He gave a groan and added, "Also for not fucking calling me 'Lord.' At least in private. That alone is enough to call it even." He was slightly regretting not killing Axton years ago, and polishing his father off before he could do this. But then, he'd never imagined his father would do such a thing. Barlay had never chastised his eldest bastard for anything, really, and Kyne hadn't thought he'd cared whether or not he was legitimate. Clearly, he'd been wrong. Clever old snake.

 

[Greenie]

Taria blinked at Kyne for a moment, a surprised sound leaving her lips before she too sat herself down on a nearby chair, shaking her head in surprise. "Well... that is a surprise. I was under the impression that it was because of that unfortunate incident that your father made sure you were legitimized... so he always had that in mind. I suppose he fired you would see it as something of an honour he's bestowing upon you." Her tone had tapered off from genuine surprise to one that was as try as stale bread. This was but one of the many reasons she couldn't stand politics and and most of the people who played that particular game.

"I have no choice but to use formal titles," she said after a moment, looking over at him with a wry smile. "Believe me, it sounds as strange on my tongue as it does to your ears, but I don't think I can afford making any more mistakes here." She sighed and looked away, eyes falling onto her hands, taking in the scars that decorated her fingers as well as well as some light bruising on her knuckles. "It's what I'm familiar with as well, which I'm sure you already know, even if I don't exactly prefer it."

After a moment she looked up again, raising an eyebrow and smiling a little. "It's not like I will be spending much time here anyway." The Baratheon heir would naturally be living in Dorne. "So tell me about Dorne. Will I be along to train there the way I do here? Or are scars on women frowned upon there?" Swordplay was a big part of her life, and it would be quite unfortunate if she found she had to give it up. It was difficult to tell just by seeing Sara and Cara- were they trained but hid it beneath their beautiful gowns and dresses?

Perhaps the only thing she knew well about Dornish culture was how promiscuous the people were, and how it wasn't actually looked at as something wrong, unlike in the stern Stormlands. That made her curious with a thought that had never actually crossed her mind before. Did Kyne have multiple paramours?

 

[firejay1]

Kyne scowled and his tone was cold, as he said, "My father knows me too well to think I would consider it an honor, or else he would've told me about it as soon as I was legitimized. I didn't know it at the time, but I was already 'Lord Kyne Manwoody' by the time we met at the feast. If it wasn't for this wedding, he probably wouldn't have told me until the war broke out, so I wouldn't have the leisure to argue with him about it." But before he thought to murder both Dallin and Axton. His father might say he wasn't in line to rule, but if he hadn't been, he most likely would have been referred to as Newsand. He had suspected his father knew about his plans to take care of his older brothers, and this may very well have been an extra way to keep him in check.

He let out a long puff of breath, not bothering to address her need to refer to him as Lord. He knew what she had to do. Didn't mean he had to like it.

As for Dorne. He wasn't quite sure what she was hoping to learn from him about Dorne, so he kept it simple, before answering her direct questions. "Dorne is hot and dry, but better experienced than spoken of. It's not quite expected for women to train to fight, but it will be more surprising to people because you are a Lady from outside of Dorne. No one would expect you to take a paramour, either. We know outsiders do not have our standards. But if you wish to engage in martial pursuits, no one will give you much grief for it. Sara and Cara will probably consider you a sister after their own heart and demand to spend much time with you." He snorted, slightly. They probably already did, judging from their reaction to her today. "Your own family's standards are the greater concern, as you will still be Lady Baratheon, and mine will have few from you." He wrinkled his nose a little. "Except that you be interesting. I am sure not one of my illegitimate siblings will be satisfied if you're not sufficiently amusing to them." He could see it, now. The nine younger boys staring up at her expectantly, with Cara and Sara heading them up. Goodness only knew what they would make of her. Despite Barlay's calm demeanor, most of his children were a lively bunch.