Festival of Roses

Jynessa Tremaine waved goodbye to her horse after a brief visit. She took practiced steps out of the stable but was stopped by the sight of another young woman tending to the steeds. The noblewoman was clearly entranced by the sight and was not paying attention to any passersby.

The young woman was finely dressed, in that way that suggested she was part of the House and hadn't needed to pick from a selection of outfits that travelled well. Her bodice was panelled with crushed velvet, and the sleeves were slashed from elbow to wrist, falling away to show her pale, delicate arms as she brushed the mane of a slender palomino palfrey. She was chattering to the horse in soft undertones.

The young Tremaine woman took some steps forward to approach the person of her attention. Her hand began to raise, as if to check if the other woman was real, but she reeled herself back in and maintained her poise. Jyn swallowed the lump in her throat and peered at the woman who was now clearly a stranger. She looked away and went instead to casually attend to another horse, one that was not her own. I just need to slink away when I can...

"There, you're as pretty as a painting," the girl chirped liltingly, stroking the horse's neck. She turned and the young Tremaine caught her eye. Rayley had a sweet, innocent smile, "oh, hello," she curtsied neatly, "you must be one of the guests."

Jyn closed her eyes and then turned to face the woman. She gave a curtsy in return. "I am Jynessa of House Tremaine," she explained, "I arrived this morning."

Her eyes lit up and her smile brightened, "oh, the Tremaines, yes. You must forgive me, I am Rayley Meadows, I haven't been at Grassy Vale for long, but I've certainly heard your name."

"And I of course have heard of yours. I am honored to be here." Jyn readjusted her ponytail and straightened her posture. "Do you ride often then?"

Glancing at the palomino, "oh yes," her voice had an almost musical quality to it, but there was a wide-eyed naivety about her that seemed unprepared for the world of nobility. "I do try to ride every day, if I can. Septa Gwyn says that when I am Lady of the House, I won't have time for such things." She flushed slightly, as if she had said too much.

"The Septa is right," Jyn affirmed with a soft voice, "We will not have time for much else than attending to our duties." She looked to the horse sadly and then back to the woman. "I have been told that we should therefore make best of our time."

The tiniest frown drew the girl’s eyebrows inwards, the corners of her mouth turning down. “Oh, you shouldn’t believe that,” she chirped, “there are enough hours in the day to do one thing you love every day.” She reached out, meaning to take Jynessa’s hand in her own, “I do hope it’s not thoughts of duty that has you so down.” She gasped, eyes widening, “oh, don’t tell me you’ve been told to marry some horrible oaf.”