279 AC
A Song of Dreams and Starlight
By Odeveca
2: Do
Four years later, and the Lady Leila Arryn, nineteen years too old, was still playing the same role.
At least they had a few distractions, "He is glorious."
"Yes," Leila agreed, "he is," Ser Denys Arryn truly was.
The blonde and handsome knight wielded his broadsword with skill, sparing with the companions of her father's guard, and the song of clanking steel was loud in the moss covered square below. The main attraction was the same knight in gleaming silver armor, courteous with his powerful parries, and gallant in helping up one of his fellow men, even when the spar would end in a similar fashion.
As they closely watched their talented knight, her cousin was quick to say, "what did I tell you dearest Leila," it would appear that Alyssa had been right, "isn't he more than a handsome face? Truly, he is worth a thousand pomp Princes, hah, look there, it seems like Elbert agrees too."
Both ladies saw their eldest male Arryn cousin staring longingly.
Someone had to say it, Leila had the honor, "Pretty men seem to only be interested in pretty men these days."
They both sighed, "Tis true," Alyssa was not for one to shed tears, akin to her namesake, she had too much fiery spirit to know true melancholy, "what a shame though, Elbert could have been made you so happy, his temperament matched yours, he is so gentle," Leila rolled her eyes at her judgment, Aly continued on, as if she was the one robbed of her love, "but the saddest thing is he would have made a good father too."
"He still can," Leila defended him, not as heartbroken for Elbert's masculine tastes, "he just won't love me like that," as if losing the promise of finding true love was not unfair, Leila did not show her grief, such was the dreams of innocent virgins and a few rich spinsters. Her life as a Lord's heir and daughter meant that her husband in marriage would never be her choice to make, and it was her honor and duty to birth as many children as she could. Through her the line of Arryn would continue, hopefully even until Elbert and hers' bones had turned to dust, and no one remembered their names.
Aly twisted her mouth, "How tragic."
Leila was not liking the sarcasm in her tone, her cousin did not know everything, "Aly, it is not tragic, I am luckier than most, he still respects me, and for that I still wish for Elbert's happiness," it was apparent that marrying Ser Denys would be better choice for love, but marrying Elbert was not as harsh as she made it out to be, tolerable even, "he is a good man, a true friend. Even if I find it funny."
Aly wanted in on the joke, "Come, come, What is funny?"
"That he can get to speak to Ser Denys whenever he likes, but we can't even be alone with the opposite sex," Leila whispered, revealing Elbert's true intentions, "I think that bothers me more than his love of boys."
Aly tapped her chin, chewing on her tongue over Leila's powers of deduction when it came to desires of the opposite sex, "you know, I would never have guessed Elbert's preferences, if you hadn't pointed it out."
"You would have seen it," Liela was surprised more men and woman did not notice how her betrothed eyes lingered on the impressive male specimens as they sparred with one another, "I see everything Aly, every single thing you try to keep from me," Leila's cousin's eyes narrowed as Aly blanched, her fiery cousin had reason to worry, "even I have seen your eye for your Darling Ser Denys."
Aly went from pale to a happy blush, "Oh, stop it Lee!"
"No you stop it!" This was no simple teasing, this could turn dangerous for her Alyssa's reputation, "your fondness for him is showing cousin mine. Be careful."
"Gods help us then," she sputtered, "I can't be careful to save my life."
"The Gods could help if you give up staring at him," Leila advised, her cousin was a pool of clear water, "you still hope he will notice you," it was no question.
Alyssa Waynwood sighed wistfully from her ledge, "Everyday."
She was hopeless, or was it that she was too hopeful that he would give chase, "you only make it easier for him to reject you, men want a challenge, give him a challenge, you know what will happen then," she gave her a comforting touch. After Leila finished braiding a piece of Aly's precious brown hair, they kept watch as men whacked at each other, wiping the delicious sweat from their bodies, Aly was worse off than she, practically licking her lips at Ser Denys, "people will see your longing."
"Oh, who cares what people think," Aly grieved, "we deserve happiness too."
"The happiness that kills," Leila heard a washwoman say once, both ladies shivered at some loose wind that found its way in through the Mountains of the Moon, it howled down the halls, and the Lady Leila Arryn got her arm yanked in the process.
It was Aly whom pleaded, "we should take the risk. I am sure you're father would squash any rumors we would make, what is so wrong with a few moments of love," Leila did not like the thought of taking advantage of her father's love, but Aly's greedy smile made her conscience falter, her cousin continued rubbing her hands in fiendish glee, "we should go down and get a closer look, Elbert would put in a good word if you ask it, I could speak to Denys, ask him a few things-"
Leila did not budge as she pulled once more, "No Aly, " it would take more than that to tempt her into making a scandal of themselves, "Did you not hear a word I said about playing hard to get?"
Aly's hopeful looks said quite the opposite.
"Aye Aly," she was too bold, "you are making it far too easy for them," said a cautious voice in Leila's mind, do not to give in, she resisted Aly's temptation, for Elbert's curious looks below only seemed to make her feel more guilty for sharing his secret desires so openly, "besides father would get wind of it, he expects me to behave, those little rascals cause too much trouble as it is," as Leila often called her father's wards, Robert Baratheon and Ned Stark.
"Those rascals are your father's problem, they ripped to shreds my last dress, making a gown for that bloody mule," Aly had reason enough to be angry with her father's Lordly teenage wards, "they would not dare tell a soul or I would tell Uncle Jon about who has been stealing all the salted pork."
Leila gasped in horror, "Aly you can't! That would only make them our enemies, I can't bear to think what would become of my reputation-"
"They wouldn't do a thing to hurt you, they respect you, big sister," they called her that, at least that was true, "you are no whore like Baratheon, you are no recluse like Elbert, my beloved Leila, sun fair goddess with the voice of a siren," now that was dramatic, "there are plenty here that would joust a thousand tournaments for your hand, we could get away with murder if we wanted to-"
"Such poetic praise, whatever shall I do?"
"Listen to me a little more," her cousin flipped her eyes to the Tyroshi imported tiled rooftops, "at least start there."
Leila found it funny, "be careful Aly, I might fall in love with you."
"It would make everything much easier," Aly played with the thought, "if we just forsake men altogether."
"What would be the fun in that," Leila rebuked her, "even if they would miss you all the more," compared to her cousin she was by far the plainer of the two, "my most beautiful cousin, it would be a shame for you to give up on Denys, not with a face like yours-"
"What a waste since I can never use it on any man," Aly stared down at Denys, "any man I desire more," her eyes hungry for him, "my father pushes any engagement away the moment he gets wind of it, it's like he wants me to become a spinster."
Leila sighed at both of their losses, "It's such a waste, father still wants me to marry Elbert, but I can't imagine getting with child with a man that would rather I stick my finger up his ass-"
Alyssa's equally blue eyes widened, "Leila! You think such things?"
"Of course, how could I not," was it not obvious with no longer having a Septa, no step-mother to share stories with, and having to fill her days with song, the harp, flute, sewing, and daydreaming made her a bit mad in the head, "don't you think such things?"
"Not that," they shared a look with one another, "alright, more like, have you ever imagined them naked? How endowed each would be? I have," there were more than a dozen below, Aly could not be serious, "imagine their hips ploughing into our behinds-"
"Now, that is a thought," Leila blushed rubbing her thumb on the marbled smooth pillar, "Imagine doing it with more than one, at the same time-"
"Leila! You are scandalous!"
"Shhh, so are you," she shushed her cousin, a few of the men's heads below had caught them, they went into the shadows, giggling all the more, "I have thought it," Aly confessed, "I am sure they have too," Leila giggled at Aly's pleased face, "even if it will never happen to me, I swear the day will come when you are married to Ser Denys and I will be stuck to hear your stories of rough lovemaking, and me sticking my finger up Elbert's ass," they chuckled evilly, for they considered themselves species rare to their gender, and believed none would ever find out what noble ladies like them would sully their minds with the vulgarities of the body.
Unfortunately, they were caught, "there you are! What are you watching- oh the seven above! Watching them, acting like silly whores," they giggled impishly at being called so, "stop it you two! Do you both have any shame!"
Aly confronted her younger sister, "None like yours Janny!"
It was Janella Waynwood whom scolded them, their minor by three years, while they were acting like teenagers with too much feminine will.
Their maturity was so great that they stuck their pink tongues at the younger, she hated that, "I should tell our father, yours too Leila," the two women groaned, abandoning their ogling of the men fighting below, and skirted away before the men below heard more or their fathers saw.
Janella followed them, confident in her pursuit, "I am still telling father, you both deserve some punishment," Janny was a younger version of Alyssa with none of their duplicate depravity, nevertheless the righteous girl tended to be their voluntary shadow, "Ser Denys isn't some meat to be slobbered over-"
"Oh, shut it sis," Alyssa said to the younger brunette, pulling on her sister's braid, "leave Denys to me, perhaps we should talk of your man Janella," Leila raised her delicate eyebrow at that new development of the pious girl, "you do know he has a cock just as big as my Denys," Alyssa shared a matching smile with Leila, "only last night I caught you humping your pillow, screaming his name-"
"Oh hush-" Janella clamped her hand over her elder sisters' mouth while the rest of the females laughed, "what if someone had heard you-"
"I am sure more than a few servants heard you last night sister," Gaema Waynwood chimed in, joining them.
Gaema had been sitting in an alcove when they walked by, her book usually covered her disfigured face, but now her misshapen nose was free to the elements, pox marked cheeks could not be helped, "oh you are just as bad as they are Janny, moaning for that Ser Essos man every bloody night like you want him to make love to you-" Gaema pretended to moan, making the older two laugh.
Janella frowned, "I would never-"
The youngest of their possy, Gaema Waynwood proceeded pull her sister's hair too, "You will do it again in no time, possibly tonight when you get bored-"
Janella pounced on Gaema, "Why you little freak!"
"Girls," Elbert had found them.
"Elbert," they stopped, he was quiet footed for one so tall.
Leila's noble Arryn blooded cousin had been in the courtyard moments before, but like them he had been watching them, his eyes went to Leila, "cousin may I speak to you?"
"What? Why her and not us," Janella sniffed, rubbing her red cheek just smacked with Gaema's book, "you think we aren't as important? You would rather talk to your songbird, rather than all of us lovely unwed ladies?"
Leila frowned, "I am not his songbird," they giggled, how they liked to tease them both as a couple, they were all girls that should be married rather than ogling other men, but Leila was just as bad, so she bit her lip, "sure let's take a walk cousin."
"Have fun lovebirds," Alyssa went right on teasing, and ran off with her two younger sisters.
"Those Waynwood girls," Elbert disapproved, he was not blushing, not bothered, immune to their girlish fantasies, and rathered annoyed by it all, "why do you even spare the time Leila? They can be so vile."
"Oh you know them," she told Elbert, whom was immune to blushing girls, never once noticing their curious eyes, and that was the first clue Leila had that her betrothed would never find her attractive. She continued, "You know it's just Alyssa, being Alyssa," she waved her hand, "come, let me tell you of Janella's man, and Gaema's selection of books. This story is actually a good one, I promise."
There was enough Waynwoods in the Vale to start their own brood, her Aunt's children were both their cousins by marriage and by family. The gaggling group of geeses had come in at a plentiful seven daughters, and never a day was boring with their flamboyance to wed and bed handsome could be suitors.
"Let me tell you of what we told Janny, you would be proud that I was her voice of reason, and that I reminded her she has her family name to protect," at least he could agree with that.
"You are good to them," he patted her hand as they walked arm in arm, "I can't wait till they are all married off," he muttered.
Leila rolled her eyes at the notion that marriage could solve their silliness. It would seem, the Arryn males of their family would be content when all her female cousins had married with children of their own to use their energy on, with their husband's' family name instead of their own, and yet Leila knew for all the trouble they caused, they would still be loved by the Arryns.
On the other hand, Leila's future in the Vale was guaranteed, she would always be an Arryn, thanks to Elbert, "and that is why we call him Ser Essos, good story right?"
"The best," was his bland answer, "Gaema has truly outdone herself, but I fear Janella has proven herself most inappropriate," his sarcasm was thick as they walked among the halls, speaking of this and that, the occasional window leaked in sun, and the wind that tickled their chapped cheeks was a common occurrence.
Leila reached for his face, "How was your morn Elbert, you're feeling a bit cold? You are cold. You're aren't getting ill are you, it has been getting around-"
That struck him as funny, he pushed her hand that checked his forehead, "Just as cold as you know no doubt from your view of the courtyard."
So he had seen her watching then, "What is that supposed to mean, I hope you don't mean I am a tease?"
"A tease? If only it was just that problem you had," the insinuation boiled her insides, and Leila did not stop herself from stepping on his toes as hard as she could.
"Stop it Lee," he gritted his teeth, he still disliked it when she played liked this, "we all saw you, Lyn Corbray pointed you out to his brother Lyonel," he whispered as they went around a corner of the hallway, behind a pillar so he could reprimand her properly, "you should not let Alyssa bring you into her ill activities. It does not look well for the Lord Jon Arryn's daughter to be acting foolishly."
Leila held herself from rolling her eyes in an unladylike manner, "right, well of course you would say that," Elbert would have done the same if he was female, she refrained from saying so, biting her thumb innocently, "who said it was her idea. I just wanted to see the ever so handsome Denys, he truly is a sight, right Elbert?"
"Leila-"
"Elbert-"
He was not happy with her, "what are you up to?"
"Elbert," she took his arm again, "humor me. If I had been born a man, would you still have married me, would have found me more attractive-"
"What are you saying," he did not take it with humor, but something akin to worry, "do you have any idea how inappropriate you sound-"
"Elbert, come now," she urged him, "it is no secret, I know you like men-"
That seemed to tip him over the edge, "Don't come now, me, you don't get it, these accusations," Elbert took a few steps back with her, so they were shrouded completely behind a pillar and it's curtain, "they would ruin me."
"Oh Elbert, I do not judge you! You can love as you like-"
"Others will judge," he seemed so sure, he must have spoke to someone about it.
"I would never judge you."
"You wouldn't?" and his hands became less constrictive, more kind to her silk shoulders, at least now he knew the truth, at least he knew her faith in their friendship, he could trust her, he spoke in a whisper, "I want to be your husband Leila, I want to be good to you."
She hmmed him, his hands fell from her shoulders, falling to her waist, he saw how much that notion bothered her, "but I will never be a suitable husband, if you allow these taunts to get louder than this," his lips were close, closer than any man's lips had ever been to Leila, she felt her pulse quicken, but it dulled just as quickly because it was just Elbert.
He would never find her worthy.
His words had said as such.
"I understand that."
"You need to, for both our sakes-"
"Elbert! Oh there you are, I have been looking everywhere for you, why are you behind the, oh," it was Marywn Belmore that found them, he was part of the her father's guard, but more importantly Elbert's cousin by his mother's side, a gossipmonger if there ever was one, "well look at this Gil-"
"What, where is he, you found him- oh wow," said Gilwood Hunter, a Lord's son, but a drunk in every sense, he had a loser tongue than his friend, and he shared a look of pure amusement when he found Leila Arryn and Elbert Arryn hiding together.
The worse people to find them, Leila still waved at them, determined to be brave to Elbert's friends, "Hello Marywn, Gil, you were saying you wanted Elbert-"
"I was looking for you too my Lady," the guardsman bowed his head, a lewd smile on his lips, a drunken silly smirk for Gil Hunter, "my Lady Arryn," he repeated as if it was a joke.
Elbert put a hand on Leila's hip, no doubt trying to protect her growing unease, but also adding fuel to the fire, "Belmore."
Belmore continued, "My Lady, you're father has need of you, unless, Elbert has need of you too-"
"That will be enough Belmore," her Elbert would not let him finish that sentence, "I would warn you against speaking rudely in the presence of my betrothed."
She could use this to her advantage, Leila faked innocence, "they surely do not believe I would do something unladylike. Marywn, you know I value virtue above all, I would never dishonor my father's good name, what would my father say if you told him such things," in a moment both men agreed such a thing as well, uncomfortable with her childlike distress at being implicated in a shameless light in her father's Halls.
Elbert nodded, a smug smirk growing on his lips, "Good, now that is settled, come my Lady," Elbert took her by the hand, playing the game where they loved one another as couples did, his hands were extremely sweaty, he was such a worrywart, "I will take you to your father."
"Thank you Elbert," she whispered when they were far enough away, "that was a close one."
"I only want to protect you Leila," he told her just as sweetly, a perfect heir to her Warden of the East, just another title he would inherit by marrying her, and remain the partner she always wanted as her husband.
Then, why did his words make her feel so empty?
