Tyene laid comatose in the bathing tub. It was almost afternoon with Tyene having almost slept in all morning after four long days in confinement. Her eyes were closed and she embraced the boiled water thad had a nice aroma thanks to the rose petals place on top of it. She also had the luxury of using castle soap that was amalgamated with herbal supplements from Yi Ti, a luxury she did not have while in Dorne.
"Good to see you are finally up," Alec said, unexpectedly coming up on her in the room. Tyene gasped, submerging herself further in the tub as her nipples were partially exposed from laying flat with her stomach up in the water.
"Did you ever learn to knock my lord," she said while covering her chest.
Alec faced away from her and had an embarrassed look on his face. "I saved some cod for you. I caught it on a trip early this morning. My mother is also expecting you downstairs; Septa Pudoris is visiting today and you and my sisters are going to get a lesson in sewing."
"A septa is coming? Are you going to confess to her that you snuck up on a naked woman," Tyene chided.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know I would see you under these circumstances."
"Oh you did, but you're too ashamed to admit it. If you were a real man you wouldn't have apologized and hopped right in with me," Tyene said leaning up to the front of the tub.
"That would not be very knightly of me to do so, my lady," he said with sweat rolling down his face.
"My little lord, have you ever been with a women before?" she asked.
Alec turned around, with a slight annoyance on his face. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"I feel a naivety from you. You want something but you don't know what to do next and aren't asking for what you want."
"And what is it exactly do you think I want?" he said looking at her in the eyes.
"You want gratification. It's why you saved me and I think you have greater ambitions to rule the Stormlands."
"I don't have ambitions to rule anything, not even here, let alone the Stormlands," he said taking in a deep breath. "Do you want me to wash your back?"
Tyene rolled her eyes. "Alec, get out of here," she ordered at him. Tyene savored a few more minutes in the water before it began to cool and got out and dried herself with a cloth hanging from the pole above the wooden tub. The dress she was provided, like her shift, was also velvet but was remiss to have wear the sailor boots that did not match. When she went downstairs, however, her feelings changed when Alissa approached her.
"These are for you my lady, the shoe-crofter made one that was close to your size," she said handing her a pair of sandals. Tyene smiled and put them on, feeling the calfskin be snug on her feet.
"That is most kind of you, little lady," she said patting on her head. Tyene saw that they were not alone, with Alissa's two sisters and mother being accompanied by an elderly woman adorned in a yellow head-scarf.
"Lady Tyene, I've heard many things about your sojourn here. I think it is impeccable timing that I was able to visit the Broad Arch today."
Tyene's gut took a punch. She wondered how ubiquitous the news of her escape had spread and if there were actual conceived plans to track her down through proxy spies.
"Have you come to take me as prisoner? I suppose this could be part of my atonement for my past sins," Tyene piped in.
Septa Pudoris guffawed. "My lady, when you take up the oath of the Seven as a septa, you are bound to never report any crimes to the authorities, no matter how malevolent they are in nature. With that said, even if I could take a bribe from the Lannisters, which is also against the faith, I have no intention of appeasing Cersei Lannister after the hellfire she gave to the Sept."
"So no Atonement Walk for Tyene then?" Annika asked jokingly.
"No, no walk for Tyene although I'm sure plenty of her male suitors would not object to her doing so for more 'nefarious' reasons. Tyene's soul is one of purity, while Cersei's reeks of abomination," Pudoris answered.
"What's an atonement walk?" Amelia asked. Carina frowned at this inquiry and asked Pudoris to carry on with the day's lesson. Pudoris went on to show the ladies how to properly seam a pouch to the front of the dress, with Tyene catching on very quickly and even gave a few pointers to Annika about how properly thread the needle. Alissa and Amelia's project were much more rudimentary in design, but Septa Pudoris did not care as her goal was to get them used to the process.
"Why do we have to learn this?" Amelia asked while running a needle through the front. "Father could just have one of his people do it."
"He very well could, but you need to understand for yourself when you are one day out in the world on your own. you need to understand the basics of everything and why they are important. Why you need to take care of your people, why they need the right materials for the hard work they do. One day you will be a lady and your people will look up to you," answered the Septa.
The girls were finished within an hour, with Tyene holding up her dress and feeling a bit of accomplishment. The material was made of wool and more ragged in nature, but Tyene thought perhaps she could wear for more casual activities outside the castle.
"My lady, can I have a word with you outside?," Pudoris asked to Tyene.
Tyene nodded and the two went outside and began walking down the archway toward the courtyard that accented the fields below.
"You are a lady of many talents but I sense you have a great deal of distress within yourself. Why do you feel so troubled?"
Tyene scratched her nose and felt almost as if she was going to cry but did not have tears come out. "Septa Pudoris, I do not mean to say this with offense, but do you know of the situation I was in and what I have done and what has been done to my family?"
"I do, but I wanted you to answer it for yourself. I think the reason I sense a great distress in you is that you feel you have no one to share it with."
"Well yes, I guess that's true, but I just feel so confused. Why is everyone being so nice to me? Doesn't anyone care what I did? I didn't deserve to be free, I deserved to die and be with my mother and sisters."
"You feel you deserve to die?" Pudoris asked, folding her arms.
"I killed people. People who didn't deserve it. I helped murder an innocent girl. For mother's sake, how can you even look at me," she began to shed a tear.
"My lady, do you think there are no other innocent people who did not deserve to die. Do you think there are others who deserve death but still get to live off the succor of others work. Many more innocent people are going to die and that is not in your control. What I see right now is a young lady who sees her mistakes and want to be rid of them. You are not Cersei Lannister because she does not see the error ways, but you do." The septa pulled out a book from the tote bag around her shoulder that had a shiny seven-pointed star on the cover.
"I want you to read this each night and meditate on each reading. The Seven are accessible to anyone who wants to seek it, including an old crone like me and a maiden like you. Perhaps one day you will take up the holy orders and bear the responsibility of the Seven."
"You mean myself becoming a Septa? I am far from pure."
"So are all of us in this world, but we do not banish sinners in exile but forgive them for their sins. The need for atonement is what will keep the world fertile for many years to come. With that said, I have other places to attend to, but when I see you again, I want you to tell me what you have learned. Goodbye my dear." Pudoris brought Tyene in for a hug and headed down the sloped path while Tyene headed back up to the castle. Upon entering, Alesander Staedmon stood in the common room with a parchment in his hand.
"Lady Tyene, I think it is best we speak in private," he said while signaling her to go through a door she had never seen before. The two stepped outside and went on a balcony that overlooked the sea.
"I got a letter that was sent to all the nearby lords in Westeros. It was from Anders Yronwood and regards to you and your sisters. House Yronwood has attained status as the Great House in Dorne and Lord Anders is keeping your sisters Sarella, Elia, Obella, Dorea and Loreza as wards. As for yourself…" he paused beginning to look nervous. "You are not permitted to reenter the Dornish lands and will be brought to justice if found. For that reason, I think it is best you stay in our House for your very own safety."
Tyene looked into the sea and realized that she would have to get used to looking at it as a placid form of purgatory.
"Lord Staedmon, I do not wish to endanger your family. if I must be a vagrant, than I will resign myself to…"
"Nonesense my lady. I have always made it my intention to be welcoming to new people under my dominion. The safety of my people is paramount, no matter what shape or size. I will take you in as my ward. Welcome to our family." Alesander placed a copper coin in her hand that bared the house insignia and left her alone on the balcony. The wind began to come in stronger as Tyene braced against it.