i. Ser Arthur Dayne swept her a bow. The rest of his men dismounted. Visenya smiled at him and held one hand out invitingly. "Ser Arthur, we have been anticipating your arrival with great fervour."
"My lady," he replied softly, his hand touching hers momentarily. He was one of those men who had known her mother, furthermore he had known of the loved between her parents and had not blamed anyone for it. That was what in Visenya's heart dictated the respect she had for him. That he understood.
"Come, you and your men must be hungry and thirsty after such a long road." They were all to willing to follow her. Robyn, at her side, sighed softly. Her mood had turned melancholy of late. Visenya had to wonder at that.
ii. "Why do you sight and weep, and weep and sigh. What has you in such a mood?" she asked her companion after they had retired to her bedchamber. Robyn had curled into herself upon the bed and the soft whimpers gave her away.
"Oh, Visenya! It is a disaster," Robyn finally spoke after a long moment of silence. "I never thought it would be thus."
"Robyn, what do you speak of?" Visenya questioned, sitting on the bed and placing a hand upon Robyn's shoulder.
Something between a laughter and a sob caught in her companion's throat. "What else, my good lady Blackfyre but love? That rotten feeling which causes all sorts of trouble."
Well, at least it was no longer a mystery. Visenya hugged Robyn comfortingly.
iii. Her new horse was truly one of the best she had ever seen that side of Westeros. Visenya petted its neck affectionately. And he did not tire with ease besides being docile and beautiful to look at. Visenya had half a mind to wed the horse and be done with all else.
When she voiced the thought Robyn laughed. "I pray you, my lady, do not. We shall both find our way to King's Landing then and be locked away in the Maidenvault, like Daena Targaryen and her sisters."
"Daena the Defiant found her way out. I am certain Visenya the Wilful and Robyn the Rebellious will follow in her footsteps with ease," Visenya replied.
"Visenya the Wilful and Robyn the Rebellious, I do like those names, my lady," came the answer.
iv. Arthur Dayne helped her down from her horse with great care. There were times when Visenya thought he treated her like a child. "I am four and ten, ser. You needn't treat me as I were made of glass."
"Apologies, my lady. 'Tis habit." He would sometimes play with her when she stood no higher than her father's knee. Had he not been a Kingsguard, Visenya thought he might have been the man of her choice, even with all the years between them.
Alas it was not to be. "Still, ser, you know I am not fragile."
"I know," he responded, yet something in hic voice told Visenya that he thought otherwise.
She looked up at him, trying to better understand. Yet Arthur had turned to lend a hand to Robyn.
v. Highgarden was deserving of its name, Vinsenya decided as her eyes greedily drank in the sight before her. It was truly wonderful, lovely, spectacular. She gazed dreamily about her. At her side Robyn emitted a soft gasp and clutched her hand tighter.
Lord Mace Tyrell bowed before them, his corpulent frame twitching with movement. Visenya, however, was looking at the three young men behind him. "Lady Blackfyre, you cannot imagine how pleased we are that you have accepted our invitation."
"I am equally grateful for the invitation," she replied without much thought.
"Allow me, my lady, to make the introductions," the man said, gesturing towards the rest of his family. Visenya nodded her head and stepped after him towards the other people gathered in the yard.
vi. Willas Tyrell was the oldest of Lord Mace's sons. He had an open, kind face, framed by dark curls. Twin dark pools gazed at her with more than interest. She could read compassion in his stare. yet something else as well. He had masked it quickly enough, but Visenya though she saw a glimpse of surprise.
Once more, suspicion rose within her with a vengeance. He had not been the one who sent the invitation, she realised a few moments later, when he took her hand, somewhat shy. Nay, he had not.
It made no matter though, for even so she could tell that he was not opposed to her.
"Lady Blackfyre," he greeted.
"You may call me by name, ser, if you would," she said.
vii. The accident in the joust hadn't left him with just a small limp. Visenya had tried not to look at the sight of the leg. But she could hardly avoid it. So at the very least she had attempted to be discreet in her perusal. Yet Willas had caught her stare. Visenya flushed to the tips of her ears.
"Apologies," she said softly, her arms curling tighter around his.
"'Tis of no matter, my lady, so long as the sight does not bother you," he said. He was so very gracious.
"Does it hurt?" she could not help but ask.
His can thumped the dirt softly. "Not as much as it used to. But it does sometimes bother me."
Visenya knew better than to insult his ego by asking whether he wished them to sit down on a bench.
viii. A little over a week after she had arrived, Visenya was treated to the surprise of a lifetime. Willas had two younger brothers. Garlan Tyrell was the second son of Lord Mace. He had married a daughter of Lord Fossoway and they were for the most part in the company of one another, as newlyweds sometimes were.
His youngest brother was a twin of Lord Mace's daughter, Margaery, who had been sent to King's Landing as a companion to the Princess a little before Visenya's arrival. The male twin was called Loras and Visenya had spent very little time in his company, caught as she had been with Willas, but it seemed that Robyn had been more than happy to be in his company.
"That one does not enjoy the company of women," Robyn proclaimed softly in their bedchamber.
ix. Her companion's words began gaining weight in her mind with the arrival of Renly Baratheon. Her mother, long gone to some unknown part of Essos, had at one time been promised to Renly's older brother, the Lord of Storm's End.
She had tried avoiding the meeting, but Willas would not hear of it. "Come, my lady." He was a stubborn man.
Fear churned inside of her. She did not wish to face a man who might speak ill of a woman whom despite never meeting she was very fond of.
Loras was grinning from ear to ear. "Lady Blackfyre, I must introduce you to my good friend," he said, as soon as he saw her.
Visenya breathed in deeply, gathering her courage. She could do it.
x. Robyn had gone riding. Ser Willas was with Garlan somewhere. Loras was nowhere to be found. And so Visenya had wandered the gardens with a book in her hand, found a spot beneath an old gnarly tree and began reading.
"Lady Blacfyre, is that you?" a voice startled her enough to make her jump.
Arthur glared at the young man, hand going to his sword. He glanced at Visneya but she shook her head. "Renly Baratheon," she spoke softly.
"May I have a word with you, my lady?" he asked.
Visenya's heart started beating faster. Nonetheless she waved Arthur away. "A moment, ser," she told him and away he went, but not too far. "How may I be of aid?"
"Pray do not avoid me, Lady Blackfyre. I mean you no ill," he assured her.