Festival of Roses

Alicent sat atop her blue-black Palfrey, the horse stamping a little impatiently as she waited near the river for Kylie. The air was starting to warm up in the late morning, making the dress she was in not terribly uncomfortable. Her skirts were draped over it as she sat astride it. She shifted a little in her seat, not exactly mentally at her best, herself. She was a little embarrassed at how she had conducted herself at the feast the previous night, not sure what the young woman of Redwyne would thing of her, and the nightmare from the previous night still sat in the back of her mind, gently irritating it like a pebble in one's shoe. Still, she did her best to have a smile on her face, even if there was a slight air of tiredness to her.

Both Kylie and Claryssa rode up to see Alicent patiently waiting, even if her steed was clearly in the mood to move. They were both wearing their riding skirts and boots which came to mid-thigh, thus occluding any skin that might show at the tousle of the wind. Lady-like skirts and riding were not things that went together without work.

As they got close enough Lady Kylie greeted her new friend. "Lady Alicent. I hope you weren't waiting too long." Kylie dipped her head with apologetic eyes. Claryssa followed suit and smiled.

"I must take responsibility." Claryssa stated warmly. "I am not the rider my Lady is."

"Lady Alicent, this is my handmaiden and dear friend, Claryssa. Claryssa, this is Lady Alicent of House Feyther. She was kind enough to listen to me chatter last night." Both girls giggled.

"Claryssa, it's a pleasure to meet you," Alicent greeted with a warm smile, rallying in the face of their arrival. "I think you two are right on time, honestly... I probably got moving a little earlier in the day than necessary. And the conversation last night was one of the most pleasant I've hard at this tourney so far, so you know."

That brought a sympathetic smile to Kylie's face. "I am happy to hear it was most pleasant for us both, but I'm so sorry others have not conversed with you as such."

She nudges Byanca along, and Claryssa did the same with Desmera. "Kylie tells me that it was you who mentioned the river. It is quite lovely. Have you ridden this path before, Lady Alicent?"

She guided her horse to amble along at their pace. "It's not for lack of quality conversations with others. It's just that it was particularly pleasant."

She looked toward Claryssa and shrugged a little. "I haven't ridden it, but I came the other day. It was so beautiful and clear, it seemed a shame not to share the view."

"You were, and are, wonderful company as well." Kylie told her sincerely. "And Claryssa is quite right. This is a lovely place. Thank you for the suggestion."

Claryssa smiled, taking the lead to let the titled Ladies chat but still participate in the conversation. "Do you ride often, my Lady?" she asked from her new position. She gazed around the area, taking in everything she could. They certainly didn't have places like this in Braavos.

"Thank you... Of course, it's my pleasure. It's not too cold, either, if you're inclined toward swimming," she replied with a smile.

"Not often enough to have a great deal of skill with it, but I travel often," she explained.

"We are inclined toward swimming, actually." Kylie replied happily. "I suppose growing up with water on all sides it's to be expected. How obvious of me," she laughed a bit.

"Byanca here also like the water." She went on, indicating her palfrey. "More than once we've gone for a quite unexpected swim."

"And ruined more than one gown, Kylie." Claryssa quipped mock-annoyed with the girl as she is one of the ones to help clean or fix them. At that Kylie raised a delicate, loose fist to her cover her mouth as she dipped her head at being scolded.

"But you say you travel? What sort of places have you been, Lady Alicent?"

"Well, to be fair, I never learned to swim, even though I was right next to the coast, so it's not completely expected," she replied. She laughed gently at the story. It wasn't mocking in any way, just cheerful.

"Caim took me with him a lot when he was going to tournaments when I was younger. We've gone to the a couple of places in the Riverlands and the Vale, and all over the Westerlands. He never took me to any in the Crownlands or the Stormlands, but... it's probably obvious why."

Claryssa responded rather abruptly to that. "You're beautiful as you are, my Lady. Don't let the fear or opinions of others ever convince you otherwise."

Kylie smiled, knowing the comment was forceful, but meant genuinely. "Claryssa puts up with her share of suspicion simply because she is Braavosi by birth." Kylie explained more gently. "But she is correct. Many of us have Valyrian and Targaryen ancestors, I'm sure. Yours just happen to show through a bit more."

"In fact, my Lady's grandmother was engaged to a Targaryen at first." Claryssa put in far more softly.

Kylie nodded. "It's true. If Lady Olenna had her original suitor, you and I might look quite alike."