Chapter 1: An Agreement

Braavos, the house of S'vrone Ciro

"Has anyone seen Talea?!" shouted S'vrone Ciro shouted as he hustled through his estate. His daughter had slipped from her chambers early that morning and no one had caught sight of her for hours. "That girl knows that we are supposed to have midday meal with a suitor today." S'vrone runs and checks the stables, the kitchens, and the library all with no success.

"Lord Ciro, your guests have arrived." He sighs, "Lead them to the dining hall I'll be along shortly"

-{scene break}-

"Up left, down right, lunge left!" Syrio Forrel shouted out as he performed the according movements, his foot lashed out knocking Talea on her back.

"And now you are-" Wood clashed as Talea threw her sword arm up and pushed her teacher back before rolling to her feet.

"Not dead," She muttered finishing his sentence as she put him on the defensive. Talea locked his wooden sword with hers and flicked her wrist effectively disarming him. She jabbed her practice weapon into his chest

"But you are" she declared smugly.

Syrio grinned."It took nearly ten years but you've finally beaten me."

Talea laughed, "Ten years of scrapes and bruises but it was worth seeing the look on your face. In fact I think that was the longest I've ever had you on the defensive." She glanced up at the sky and her smile faded. "Oh no, I'm late, I've got to go!" Talea waved goodbye and took off.

"Run little cat!" Syrio shouted after her chuckling to himself.

Talea raced through the side streets and back alleys of Braavos headed towards her father's estate. The guards let her through the gates and she ran to the bath house stripping her training clothes off of her sweat slicked body and jumping into the pool. She snatched a body brush and scrubbed away the grime on her limbs and torso and then submerged herself scrubbing her hair, resurfacing she applied rose oil to the top of her head and combed through it with her fingers. She rinsed her hair once more and leapt from the pool wringing the water from her hair before throwing on a light robe. Talea raced inside taking the servants tunnels to her room where her sister in law waited for her.

"Your late." Bellonara announced.

"I know Bell, please help." Talea replied.

"Father will be furious" she insisted.

"Let him be. He won't stay mad for long." Talea countered.

Bellonara rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say sweet sister."

Moments later Talea entered the dining area.

"I deeply apologize gentlemen, father, I was exploring the marketplace, it seems that I let time slip away from me." The young suitor stared at her in wonder. Talea's hair still slightly damp and wavy hung past her shoulders. The excess moisture making her normally dark brown tresses look almost jet black. Her green eyes glittered like emeralds and her tan skin glowed in the afternoon sun streaming in from the windows.

She turned to her suitor her lips turned up in a dazzling smile, "I do hope you can forgive me." Talea whispered softly as the young man found his wits and stood taking her outstretched hand. S'vrone shook his head in disbelief, what his daughter lacked in punctuality she certainly made up for in charm. He watched as her suitor Cosmos kissed her hand. Talea withheld a shiver of disgust as the young man left a bit of saliva on her hand; her deceptively passive smile still perfectly in place.

"Shall we eat? I'm quite famished after my marketplace exploits." Talea chuckled.

After the meal had ended and the guests escorted out, promising their return, S'vrone turned to his daughter.

"You are very lucky that you are so versed in charm or you would be getting an earful for being late." The elder Ciro muttered. "Where were you? And don't think for an instant I didn't see you favoring your right leg."

"I was sparring with Syrio father, and I told you that I didn't want to meet anyone." Talea snapped back headed for her room.

"I wouldn't have to pick for you if you would just choose someone!" he shouted trailing after her.

"If there is one thing that cannot be rushed, father, it is love."

"Talea, no one marries for love."

Talea paused at her door glancing at him over her shoulder, "You did." S'vrone stood in shocked silence. With that she opened her door "If you really want me to settle down I will but first there is something I would like to do, if you'll allow it."

S'vrone sighed he had a feeling of where this was going, "And what is that."

"I want to go to Westeros, I want to explore on the other side of the Narrow Sea."

S'vrone thought for a long moment, his daughter gallivanting amongst the Westerosi in exchange for her happily (hopefully) married; it was an easy choice.

"So be it, your brother is taking a shipment of steel to King's Landing. There is a small order destined for the Northern holdfast Winterfell, I will allow you to see it there. When you've had your fill of the scum you will travel back to King's Landing hire a ship with the coin I give you and return home to marry a man I must approve of, understood?"

Talea held back a cry of joy and nodded vigorously as she stepped inside her room. With the door closed Talea squealed twirling excitedly around her room, waking her dog Argos, who stood and slunk to her side. Talea gestured for him to jump and he rose placing his paws on her shoulders and licking her face.

"It's happening Argos, he said yes." Talea sat on her bed and the hound lept up after her resting his head in her lap. 'Maybe now I can make sense of that dream. Mother, if Westeros is where my destiny lies give me a sign.'