[D4 LA] A Gem Among Roses

[Mariessa Tremaine]

The septa could go jump into the Blueburn river for all Mari cared when Harben brushed her cheek.

She breathed a brief chuckle. "I suppose so... I just feel stupid over it all now," Mari shook her head as he turned away. "To think I would forget it."

It had been a rather scary incident, so she could understand why she had suppressed so much of what happened, especially when all the troubles of her mother had been hanging over them all at the time. "Forgive me... I should not have forgotten what you did for me then. I... never got the chance to properly thank you. Nor my family."

[Ser Harben Varner]

Finding her hand once more, he squeezed it gently, “you have nothing to apologise for. The ordeal of what you went through, it must have been exhausting. If I had been more than one man, I would have properly escorted you home.” Harben didn’t know that the girl had fallen asleep making her way back. He recalled how she had held herself together, refusing to be intimidated by the bandits, outwardly at least, and he did not fault her for shuttering away the memories. “With all you have come through,” he shook his head and changed tack, “it is I who should apologise. If I had been just one day faster on the trail, it would have never happened.”

[Mariessa Tremaine]

"Still... please allow me to at least properly thank you, for being my saviour." She often had worried what might have happened if he had not shown up when he did, even if her father and then her brother too, had assured her that they would have found her soon enough themselves.

Reaching up with her free hand, Mari undid the ribbon that she kept at the end of her braid for decoration. A ribbon of silvery-white, which she had embroidered with the green vines of ivy that was seen on the Tremaine's coat-of-arms. Pausing in their walk, she gingerly extended it to him. "... If you would kindly accept, ser," Mari said shyly as she offered this token of gratitude.

[Ser Harben Varner]

For a moment, Harben felt as though he would melt utterly away. He accepted the ribbon carefully, almost as if he expected it to evaporate under his fingers, "I'm honoured, I truly am. Thank you," his voice was thick and heavy with emotion.

[Mariessa Tremaine]

It was the first time she was giving someone a token for real. The times she had done so as a child hardly counted, after all.

"As I'm honored that you accept. Ah... it's the first time I've done something like this, I'm a little embarrassed."

[Ser Harben Varner]

Harben cupped her cheek gently, feeling the warmth of her, the Septa pointedly clearing her throat in the background.

Abruptly, Harben raised his head. He frowned slightly, inhaling. "Mari, do you smell that? They're making lemoncakes."

[Mariessa Tremaine]

Aaaahh! Go away, septa! You're ruining the moment!

Mari was convinced that Harben could feel the heat of her blushing face when he touched her cheek.

At his prompting, she turned her head slightly in search of the scent herself. "Oh!" she smiled as she picked it up too."... Remember the great lemoncake-caper when we were children?" she giggled softly.

[Ser Harben Varner]

A roguish grin came across him, and he glanced over Mariessa's shoulder at the Septa. "If I distract her, do you think you're still quick enough to get in there and grab a few?"

[Mariessa Tremaine]

Mari found herself grinning. Now this was like being children again, and she knew a proper lady shouldn't...

... But where was the fun in that. "I believe so, yes."

[Ser Harben Varner]

"Well then, m'lady," he bowed and kissed her hand. As he straightened, he winked, and moved towards the Septa. "Septa, it has been such a long time since we were children under your care, and I feel that, perhaps, I have suffered for the lack of guidance."