Stepping off the ship Hespaerys Rahl, referred to as Hes by his friends and family, rolled his shoulders and neck to get the kinks out. While he did not mind traveling by ship it was damned inconvenient when one was tall. His hair caught the sunlight and made the light blonde of his hair shine despite the fact that he desperately needed a real bath. He shuttered thinking about the state of his being. He wanted a bath and fast. The salt water bath was inadequate and left much to be desired. His dusty lavender gray eyes expressed his frustration with everything for but a brief moment in time then bored indifference slipped on like a second skin.
Hands on hips Hespaerys sauntered over to the side as he watched the complement of soldiers they came to Westeros with. Men and women made up the group and they numbered twenty eight. The plan was to divide into seven quads and find the woman the twins were supposed to talk to and see what all this fuss was about. Hespaerys looked at it as a reconnaissance mission but knowing his twin she'd get involved and he could not just abandon his sister, even if he wanted to sometimes. Lunaerys was a hoyden and he was not surprised that she taught his other sisters how to take years off a man's life just by getting into situations. Situations that he swore were what made his father's hair silvery white like his mother's.
As twenty nine other souls got off the ship Hespaerys looked for Lunaerys. Spotting her, Hespaerys moved over to her.
“I am getting a room at the Rose Garden. I am getting a bath and I am getting food. Have everyone else find rooms and keep in touch.” "Hah! Don't you ever think that you can take me on again Dev! I got your number, you swashbuckler!" Lunaerys Rahl, known by far too many names to count, laughed loudly after yelling after one of the crew of the ship that was slowly making its way into Port at Oldtown. Holding up an arm, Lunaerys makes a muscled pose and then picks up a large mug of ale and downed it in one go, throwing it at the head of the loser who had dared challenge her to a contest of strength. Her action received great cheers and laughs before a whistle suddenly was heard and the crew all began to run off to get ready to make Anchorage at the docks.
Lunaerys wiped her mouth and then wiped it on her sea-salt stained pants which were stiffened already at this point. Her dark hair was wild and needed a serious soak in some soap and regular water, but the bodacious and boisterous woman didn't seem to care. Instead, after wiping her hands she leaned down, secured three daggers back to her person and then made her way to the top deck just as the ropes were thrown to the dock workers to tie down.
It was then that she saw her brother and her grin widened. She pretended not to notice him, even as he spoke to her and then when he turned after the word 'touch' she suddenly dived at him and went for a tackle, which would also get him soaked in a mix of seawater, ale, and who knew all else that had soaked into her jacket and clothing.
"Hah! Gotcha Hes. Gotta keep those eyes open!" She giggled and rolled off her twin and then spread her arms and legs to begin making a dirt angel.
Hespaerys vision went red for a moment as Lun tackled him. He winced as he squelched into his sister’s filthy jacket.
“Oh Gods of Old have mercy! That sham of a jacket you have on is fit to walk away and you… you … I think I might be sick." For the first time in their trip Hespaerys looked green and like he might actually be sick.
“Oh sometimes I hate you. Nix would never do this." He got us as she got off him and watched in horror as she made a shape in the dirt. With her whole body. He was horrified, stunned, and mortified. Swallowing he realized there was more saliva in his mouth than normal and his stomach turned as he watched her play in the dirt.
Gagging Hespserys turned away then turned back as people were starting to stare.
“Get up!!" He hissed at his sister.
“Diplomatic. You got the same education as me so I know you have the definition of the word rattling around in your brain.” Giggling, Lunaerys finished making her dirt masterpiece and then rolled onto her stomach. She began to speak, each word seemingly taking longer to huff out as she unceremoniously began to stand.
"Oh. Hes. I just. Know how. Much you. Missed. The land!" As she finished speaking she had made it upright again, and as Hes looked at their onlookers, Lun lunged for him again to bear hug him close to herself, AND the dust truly flew.
"So I figured I'd get you some. Aren't I the best twin you could possibly have?" Lunaerys giggled again and then continued dusting the rest of the dirt off herself, waving and winking to various onlookers who of course were laughing as well. Luckily for Lun she didn't care and simply laughed with them, whether they were laughing at her or with her.
"Now! What are you standing around here looking like that? Don't we have a Tyrell to find? Shouldn't be slacking on the job Hes." “You will not be meeting her like that. Nor will i be meeting her in my state of disarray. We shall clean ourselves up and find out if she is in town or if she is speaking to the Hightowers. Hopefully she is two birds with one stone." Hespaerys started off to find someone who could tell him where the Rose Garden lay. He got his answer only to have to stalk past his sister in the direction of the establishment.
Lun batted her eyes at the local who pointed them towards the Rose and blew a kiss of dust towards them and winked. She got a blushed and shy look back. But instead of having fun she was supposed to instead go and be legitimate. No fun really, and Lun simply placed a strong arm out towards her twin as he passed her and used his momentum to swing herself around, then using his other arm to keep Hes from falling.
"By the Old gods we didn't sail all the way to Westeros to be boring. Besides, what kind of name is 'the rose.' Doesn't give me a lot of good vibes. I'd much rather it sound more intimidating, besides do you really want to go to a place that sounds pompous looking as you do? You look like you just rolled around in the dirt."
Gritting his teeth Hespaerys counted to ten. Then back down again.
“Yes jorrāelagon mandia dear sister you are quite right. Except you forgot one thing. She is Tyrell. Which means…?" He left the question hanging over his shoulder as he walked toward the inn.
Lunaerys pretends to think for a moment.
"Oh! Oh I know! Pick me! Please!" She began jumping up and down randomly, her daggers jostling and clinking gently.
"Is it that she will absolutely be disgusted with how you look and so we should go shopping for new clothing before going to 'The Rose' which might conventionally be a more upper class tavern that wouldn't take well to your outfit? I mean really Hes, you should be ashamed of how dirty you are." You love your sister. You love your sister. You. LOVE. Your. Sister. Seeing the inn come into view Hespaerys began to get the feeling that the inn was full. The people crawled over the place like ants on a mound that was disturbed convinced him that it was in truth full. Walking in Hespaerys went straight to the innkeep and asked where the nearest decent inn was. He was informed and pulled his sister over to one called The Lark and Spur where he ordered them three rooms. The last three rooms. He asked for a bath and food for all.
After bathing and eating Hespaerys felt much better. It was almost midday as Hespaerys quickly came down the stairs and went out the front door. Looking around he saw a crowd and looked over at his sister and pulled her with him. The disappeared into the crowd was smooth and fluid. His small smile as he was in his element and felt more like himself.
It took the children of Oldtown watching the pair of foreigners walk half a street before they both took notice, and overheard what they wanted. Cissy and Dake were the first to overhear, though Dake thought he was really first, but Cissy said she did. They ran to tell Big Bill. Big Bill was nearly ten, and he knew almost everyone in the northeast of the city, from walls to river, Big Bill liked to proudly say. Big Bill told Cissy and Dake about the knights coming into the city. He’d even been thrown a flower by the Ardent Maiden, herself.
When Cissy begged to see the flower, Big Bill just shrugged, and said it was just a dumb flower. Who kept that kind of thing? Of course, she threw a flower to Big Bill. Everyone knew Big Bill, from the river to the wall. Big Bill even knew where the knights stopped; Port Market Street, around a couple of inns. Some of the rest of the Knights went to the Rose Garden, thems Knights that had wives and kids. They could hear the kids playing in the courtyard even from outside the tall walls of the Rose Garden.
Not that they let kids like them into the Rose Garden, but Big Bill says he’d been invited into the Rose Garden once before. Walls called Big Bill a liar, once, but Big Bill punched Walls straight in the teeth, and Walls never called Big Bill a liar after that. Dake explained all of this to the two foreigners.
“For a coin or two, I could show you to the inn where they keep her, but you can’t get through to the inn without me. Big Bill says the Faith Miltent is stopping traffic, and Knights. There’s all them Knights protecting the Lady Vittoria." That’s how smooth talkin’ kind talked about ladies, an’ such, THE Lady Vittoria.
“Anyways, I’m kinda busy, what with Big Bill giving me so much o’ his business, but I guess for a few coins I could show you how to get to her.” Dake said, impatiently eyeing the pair as they walked through the market tents near the city, on the backside of the Citadel, along the Honeywine, far from Port Market Street, like they wasn’t even knowing where they was really going, anyway.
Nodding Hespaerys handed over a few pieces of copper.
“This now and the same if you get us there quickly, unseen and in one piece." He told the boy his face was serious as if dealing with an adult who was running a shop. They’d expected that they would need to use the universal language of coin once in a while. Beckoning to Lunaerys to follow, he hoped his sister would take this seriously for once in her life.
Granted they could have tried to get past the throng on their own but Hespaerys found that pushing his way through people normally was like trying to roll a boulder out of the path when it was easier to go around and keep walking. Besides this afforded them the opportunity to see what this whole situation was like from the viewpoint of the small folk.
Dake gave a look like he’d seen this ol’ song and dance before, giving the coin a bite of his teeth,
“Can’t be foolin’ me, Big Bill taught me the tricks…real enough. Sure, Dake can show you the fast way.” Dake had been around the city more times than a stray cat. His mother worked at a tile maker’s shop, some old mean fool who didn’t like kids around the place, so he only saw his mother later, usually after the sun gone down. He spent his time with his friends, getting to know the city, trying to make a little coin here and there, he explained as they walked.
Through the market, skirting the edge of the Citadel and its walls hugging around the Honeywine. The more south you went, the wider the streets got, the different things started looking. Good news was, he told them, the southern, older part of the city had more merchants with real coin, and some nobility, too. And the City Watch, the blue cloaks, got a lot more serious around the Whispers.
That’s what they called them, but them high fancy folk called it Old Port. The rest of the city just called them Whispers, on account of the Honeywine widening into the Whispering Sound. He didn’t think that name was a good one, as the sound didn’t whisper anything, it was just the end of the river, so that was a dumb name. Maybe a Maester named it, he joked. Dake told them about Cissy, how her mum said she was related to the Hightowers, but not the Hightowers that lived in the tower, but one of the other Hightowers, like a bastard sister of one of them other Hightowers. Branches, they called it, but Big Bill said Cissy’s mum was full of it. Dake laughed at that, because Big Bill was funny.
After the fourth bridge, and sixth market, Dake led them down an alley. The alley seemed to get smaller, and smaller, as they went, until it was only wide enough for them to pass single file. Dake told them not to worry, he knew where to go. No one even knew about this short cut, he told them, as they passed through what had been an alehouse, before a fire had charred the place, leaving kids like him to knock holes through the walls to allow the short cut. No one knew about it, he said again, until they went out the other side and saw a blue cloak.
“Oh, uh…I’ll handle this.” Dake went up and tugged at the cloak. Dake seemed to know the guard, a young, tall, lanky sort who leaned lazily on a spear.
“The Lieutenants have us surrounding the street. No one in or out.” “Can’t be, Tin. My Lord an his Lady friend need to talk urgent with the Ardent Maiden. They got big business. Big secrets. They’re from Pentos. Big merchants, just LOOK at ‘em.” Tin casually twisted his body as he leaned on his spear, taking a dull look at the pair behind him. The initial glance stretched into an up and down look of both, before he turned his half-helmed head to Dake.
“Bill set you up to this, Dake?”“It’s Big Bill, Tin, you know that. Everyone knows Bill, from the river to the walls.” The guardsman snorted.
“Yeah, know he’s a little shit…” “C’mon, Tin, who helped you out last fortnight? Who warned you about the highwaymen at that tavern?” Even with his back turned, the twins would be able to hear the twisted expression of irritation and defeat on Tin’s face through his tone,
“Fine, yeah, I’ll lead them. But you ain’t going.” “…I want to meet her, too, Tin…I didn’t get to see the march this morning. C’mon, Tin. Please." Dake looked back at the twins even after he lowered his voice, as if to convince himself they hadn’t heard him.
Tin stood up straight, and turned, again, to the twins,
“Your names?”The boy reminded Hespaerys of his younger brothers when they were that age. Following along he let the lad prattle on paying attention to what he was saying and not interrupting yet marking the side streets in his memory. When the boy talked about the Sound Hespaerys smiled and nodded. The boy had a point. Sometimes things were named for odd reasons that were just sentimental. He laughed at the joke the boy made. Not bad for a boy of eight.
When he got on to the part about Hightower by-blows Hespaery’s interest sharpened. It happened but he’d like to look into that information, if only to see if it panned out. Filing that away to examine later he hung back as he let the boy speak to the man in the blue cloak. The conversation was faintly amusing and it seems the boy was a little scamp. This Big Bill character didn’t seem like the greatest influence but perhaps Dake would realize that on his own.
Lifting a hand when Dake indicated them Hespaerys waited until the guard caved.
“Hespaerys Rahl and Lunaerys Rahl. Pleasure to meet you Tin." He looked down at Dake and held out his hand to shake.
“My honor doing business with you Dake. You can call me Hes. I will be staying at The Lark and Spur for a short while. If you hear anything good or if you need anything you come find me or leave a word and I will find you. Agreed?" He shook hands with Dake and passed him the coppers owed plus a few extra.
Dake stared at the hand for a moment, his face smudged with dirt on his left cheek, his lips a bit chewed on, his brown hair long enough to nearly have its ends stab into his eyes instead of just stop at his eyebrows. He shook the hand, though, or how it thought he ought to. Two hard shakes, a take of the coins, and a nod.
“Thanks, mi Lord.” Tin told them to follow close. They went down the little alley, until it crossed a larger alley. Here, at the alley crossing, there were smells and sounds coming from nearly every direction. Meat was being cooked, ale was being downed, bawdy songs were being sung, and the song of men talking at high volumes seemed to pass through every wall that surrounded them now. Along the way they passed no less than four other lines of blue cloaks of the Oldtown City Watch, their mail gray, their cloaks blue.
Where the bigger alley met a wide street, there was a wall of blue cloaks, and an officer among them, denoted by his heavier cloak and plate armor, sword on his hip instead of just a spear in his hand. Tin talked quietly to the officer, who eyed the pair of Volantese, and nodded. The officer took them the rest of the way into the street. Both sides of the street were men-at-arms, squires, pages, horses everywhere. Maesters walked in and out of buildings.
Eyes followed the twins and the officer of the Watch. But the excitement came from behind them, as the sound of wood cracking broke the otherwise even hum of noise on the street, giving way to the scream of a child; a boy. A boy in dirty clothes of gray and pale green tunic had fallen from a wooden beam on a second story above, now where a clothes line of white underlinens sat in the dusty cobblestone road.
“Get the rat!”The Watch moved to intercept, but it was a Knight who got there first. A towering man, with arms and legs the size of small trees, and a chest like a boulder. His hair was dark, his eyes fierce, and his voice like a thunderclap. He took the ‘rat’ up with one hand, and it was then that Dake squirmed until he came face to face with the giant, plate armored man, holding him up like a sack of turnips. The man’s cloak was dark, red, the sigil of Tarly of Horn Hill upon it.
“Bad choice, boy.” He panicked.
“..I-i-i…juswannatedtoseeher, ser.” Lord Dennet Tarly glared.
“It’s Lord, boy," the plated man said, as he dropped him roughly. Copper coins went spilling out of the boy's pocket. Some of the knights and squires and pages sitting casually up and down the street laughed.
Others cried thief at the sight of the coins.
“You dropped these," came the voice from behind the big Knight. The boy stared.
“Who is it you came to see?” Dake scrambled to his feet, and stared at the big Knight, before daring to look past him, at the hand that held out his copper coins to him.
“..I just wanted to see her..the Ardent Maiden. The Lady Vittoria.”The laughter was warmer than a happy childhood’s summer day, the voice sweet as the scent of lavender and wild roses that seemed to fill the air. A young woman with shining auburn hair, and golden brown eyes, big, and round. The woman wore a silk gown, thick straps over her shoulders, a dramatic cut down her chest, but with a decorative lace in the style of roses that kept it from being improper, a lace cape flowing from her shoulders nearly down to the back of her thighs.
“And who are you?” “I’m..I’m Dake, mi Lady." He barely got out, taking the coins.
“Hello, Dake," she kept smiling, like this was her favorite part of everything she ever did,
“it’s nice to meet you, I’m Lady Vittoria Tyrell.” Dake’s eyes spread to the size of saucers.
“For real life?!” The sound of laughter filled the entire street, even as her tone seemed to soften all the more,
“For real life, Dake. Where is your mother?” The question caught him off-guard, but the boy who looked like he felt as if he might float away barely hesitated,
“At Ol’ Orlo’s tile shop…she’s one of the tile painters. She comes home after the sun.” “She must be a very hard working woman. Do you know the Sailor’s Sept, Dake?” He blinked.
“Of course, the Lady Vittoria. Everyone knows that. From the river to the walls.” “Can you go there the day after tomorrow, for me? Ask for Septon Pater. It would mean a lot to me if you could help Pater out there, Dake. Please?” “…of course, yes, of course, the Lady Vittoria." Dake grinned as he turned, saw the twins, and pointed right at the woman knelt down in front of him, beside the large Lord and Knight.
“I found her for you, Lord Hes.” Vittoria Tyrell’s brown eyes followed Dake to the pair of people she didn’t recognize. There was but a moment’s curiosity on her face, before the sweet look returned and she whispered somethings back and forth with Dake. The boy nodded, waved back to the twins, and followed the Watch officer as Vittoria asked the officer to, kindly, see the boy back to the perimeter.
“Goodbye, Dake.” Her eyes were back on the pair of unknowns as she walked towards them, towards the Last Cobblestone. Her smile was gone, but the softness was still on her expression.
“Please, come in." She went past them, as the squire Talbert moved to open the door and she entered the main lower room of the large inn. It was there she stopped, and turned to face the guests.
Lord Dennet Tarly followed them both in, far more wary than Vittoria. But, then, Dennet hadn’t heard the whispers between her and Dake—and the boy had said the two were kind to him, so that made them worth her time.
“What can I do for you both?" She thought merchants, probably, as she forced her mind to slow down and her ears to listen.
Hespaerys saluted Dake as he pointed out the obvious and smiled, mouthing a thank you to him. The woman was striking. Father had not told them that. Though he preferred them shorter, nevertheless, he admitted she was attractive but he doubted that she had the following she had if she had just been attractive. The twins followed her and Hespaerys smiled.
“Well Lady Tyrell I would like to commend you for your kindness to Dake. I do not know what I expected exactly when meeting you but I hope that was just a start to the kinds of things we shall see from you. We would like to ask you just a few questions and see if working together is worth your time and ours. Are you agreeable to that, my lady?” Hespaerys found it odd that she had not asked who the twins were. Perhaps the guard had already told them. However he could have given a false name, not that he would. While the Rahl name held no overt sway in Westeros merchants knew of them as well as the network that fed his family information. They had run across a network deeply established here in Westeros and his father was curious to work with the head of that network. His mother was utterly thrilled that it was the woman before him and wanted her measure.
He had promised his mother he would get it. He never let her down. Never.
Kindness? She wanted to ask. She was partially educated by Septon Pater. She had seen him teach countless Dake’s to read by reciting the Seven-Pointed Star in Septs to the blind all over the city. Learn to count by helping him with inventory of grain and fruits and vegetables in Sept kitchens to feed both the Faith and those the Faith cared for. Learn to serve others by taking time to serve the sick in hospitals, clean Sept basements, and help the old Septons who had work to do, but bodies too old or frail to do it alone any longer.
Pater was the kindness. She was just the path leading Dake to such kindness. Instead, Vittoria gave a small smile at the polite words, and thanked the man for them. At the point of working together, Vittoria’s head tilted, just so, to the side, as curiosity came back to her, and her mind began guessing at the details.
“What kind of work? I’m afraid I am little more than the High Marshall of the Armies of the Reach. Your accent seems…..Volantene?" She offered her best guess, having been there not too terribly long ago.
Hespaerys tipped his head in acknowledgement of his accent.
“Volantene and Valyrian; my lady has a good ear." He raised a brow at her claim that she was no more than a High Marshall but let it go.
Perhaps she does not want others to know. “My Lady Tyrell you move with an army at your back. Lethal shadows that would do anything in your name in Westeros you are a legend. We hear tales of the woman, the Rose; the Ardent Maiden of the Highgarden. What you have done is something not all women would be able to do in this backward land. A land that would have your menfolk count your breaths and quote the Seven at you if you so much as take more than your fair share of their air. Especially since you are a woman. It is impressive.” Leaning in and lowering his voice Hespaerys whispered so that only Vittoria heard him.
“Lady Tyrell I refuse to believe you are in any way dim-witted. Your family is the Westeros equivalent of Triarch in Volantis. I doubt they would breed stupid children. You listen to the… what is it here… small folk? Yes you listen to them. A noble should listen to those who feed him, else he could wind up poisoned.” Vittoria’s eyes drifted past the foreigner, to Den Tarly. When he shrugged, she simply blinked, and looked back at the pair before her.
“A Lady does not become High Marshall of the Reach without wits. I lack a dragon, and I’m no sister-wife of a Valyrian blooded conqueror, but I have spent a lot of time learning everything I could. I have also been incredibly fortunate. I listen to information…it doesn’t matter to me where that information comes from. Would that I had an informant that would tell me the true purpose of your visit…for example.” She said, smiling.
“My family is tired of the merchants they are working with demanding more for less. We are seeing complacency and would be much better to cut the ties and look for a better avenue." Hespaerys smiled at Lady Tyrell and inclined his head.
“We have gotten by without dragons since before the Doom. I believe we can make it just fine. Not that my mother has not tried to see if any of her children were interested in the Balaerys House. None of us were more than very good friends, much to her chagrin.” Vittoria Tyrell, in a rare peek behind the armor, balked at those words.
“Did they SEE Vhandyr Balaerys?" Though she took a moment to widen her eyes and shake her head, and her mind of such thoughts, the message before the end of the man’s words really caught her attention more.
“My Lord Father reaches the city tomorrow, as well I am meeting Lord Hightower tonight, I can relay your interest to both and see to an arranged meeting?”Hespaerys grinned and bowed his head to smother a low laugh.
“Met him and know him quite well. His sister as well. And I would be very appreciative to have you relay our interest." Looking around Hespaerys tried to spot Lunaerys.
“I do not see my little sister. I was sure that she would be over the moon to meet you.” 
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