Krakenfish [Ashe]

Apparently, the winds were fortuitous again today. Well, not the winds, but he would defend this analogy till death if he had to. In either event though, he did come across someone eventually, another lone wanderer in the night. Granted, she was not fully alone, having a guard with her, but her words made it clear that said guard was a non-issue. They were highborn, they were a lord and a lady. Guards were decorations, shields and swords, but they were not really people in meetings like this. The tanned son of the sea did shoot the man a quick glance over and decided that he was not an active thread. Possibly he might be a problem if things went sour, yet the young kraken had no intention of letting things come to that at all.

And, given that the lady knew his father, it was likely a mutual feeling. Having given her a bemused, almost curious look so far, Dalton returned the favour and indicated a short bow. “Good evening to you as well, my lady,” he announced, while trying to reconcile her looks with her last names. She really looked more like a Targaryen. But then again, the ablinos had infiltrated just about every family on the main land, so white hair did not mean much anymore. And besides, the young lord himself looked more like a Dornishman than an Ironborn, so he was not one to talk, either.

And given that he knew at least some manners, his heritage was even less apparent than that. However, his first reaction was a short, yet hearty laugh. “You met my father. That explains things. He is kind of, um, I guess you Greenlanders would say ‘difficult’? My crew certainly uses different words, but those are not befit for the presence of a lady.” He flashed her a grin, before rubbing the back of his head briefly. “I hope he did not scare you too much. He usually does not mean harm, just as I. But, I mean, just look at him. He could gift you the prettiest flowers in all of Planetos and it would still feel as if he was out for your blood. That is just how he is.”

Another shrug. Though, if he was being honest, this was not exactly truthful. His father was a very dangerous man. If it proved necessary or even beneficial, he would bring the worst to this lady and then some. But Quellon knew better than to just start something openly – and Dalton followed his teachings. Thus, he sought to be charming, not intimidating. “Anyway, what brings you out here at this hour? I hear there is dinner in the keep, along with some modest socializing. No feasts, of course, but I would presume that a beautiful lady such as yourself would be quite welcome there and more at home than out here.”

Again, he laughed. She undertook the fruitless endeavour of returning his compliments, even though she knew the truth anyway. And yet, unlike most who did so out of courtesy, she appeared to be genuine about it. It was rare to find nice girls like that on this side of the blade and in this city. He considered himself fortunate. “Maybe I would, maybe I would. But you know how most people are when they hear my last name. You’d think I raided each and every one of them,” he ultimately explained himself, shaking his head. While this topic might have been a somewhat sad one, he remained rather chipper. This kind of thing he had made his peace with.

“I prefer not annoy people when I do not have to. After all, you, too, don’t seem all that comfortable in my company. Understandable, given that you met my lord father, but it does show why being too present in this place would be a bad idea.” Momentarily, he turned sideways. He was not disregarding her or turning his back on her, of course. But just like her, he was not fully comfortable in this place. For different reasons, of course. Where she seemed intimidated, he was mostly irritated. In part, even a Greyjoy with manners, as she put it, had to be something he wasn’t when invited to a place like this. A lesson taught to him by a man who evidently had not taken it to heart himself. Then again, one look at Quellon should reveal to anyone what he was.

The sun slowly diminishing, the day was going to fade away soon enough. It was quite nice that he had met her before the sombre proceedings that would come when it rose again, wasn’t it? Without looking at her directly, he continued. “But don’t worry, I don’t mind you talking like that about him. Us Ironborn are a rather honest folk in that regard. He knows that he is not exactly pleasant company and so does everyone else. The people native here, they sugar-coat everything. I guess there are some things that Northerners and Seafarers have in common, compared to them. I, too, would much rather be out there on the sea right now, but that would offend people as well.”

Once again, he shrugged and returned to her fully. He then made a step towards her and offered his arm. “But I guess neither of us can evade dinner forever, now can we? As much as I’d like to be your excuse, I can’t have you be mine. But I would be willing to offer you company on your way to the keep.” Oh, how he tried to show manners. His movements were not refined enough, of course. Too large, too boisterous, to truly be what he pretended to be. But the effort was there and it was genuine. Even though it was followed up by an almost sheepish grin. “I am relieved as well that my poor attempts at manners are good enough for you, though. But please, at least outside of too grand a company, you can freely call me Dalton. Lord Greyjoy makes me sound so old. And so much like my father.”

The part of a fragile lady? That wording intrigued him. From the looks of it, that was exactly what she was. A young, fragile lady that had to be protected by a guard even in the capital. Her somewhat small frame and especially the white hair added to that. Granted, he had always equated that colour with someone being either sick or old. Maybe he was as presumptuous as those people he had just spoken of, the ones that she suggested could be won over if he was just given a chance. While he did not necessarily believe so as well, he accepted her goodwill. Few people, especially Tullies given the history of their houses, would say something like that to the heir to Pyke.

He perked up, but let her finish her words. In the same vein, he also wordlessly and calmly allowed her to sort out that hesitation she showed when he offered her companionship. If his experience with women had taught him anything so far, at least with willing ones, that they usually managed to sort things out best when they were given both room and time. As a reward for that, she was giving him a much less anxious and reserved set of words, both in tone and in voice. “Ashe…I hope I am pronouncing that correctly,” he ultimately replied, taking to the offered name right away. It was a rather pretty one, after all.

“But since you started with it, I will have to tell you that you are also the first person I meet here that I actually enjoy spending time with. Though you must have had a horrible life if I am one of the most enjoyable conversationalists you’ve ever had.” There was no self-depreciation in his voice, as he was clearly just making a joke. And why not, they had already shed their last names for this conversation, so it could be held like one among people, not nobles.

While he did not know where they were going since it was not the feast, he simply trusted her for the time being. Maybe that was foolish, but what was the worst that could happen? If they were seen by the wrong people together, it would be embarrassing for her, not him. “You may have a point though, maybe I should go drink with other high lords and ladies and see where that leads. Best to do that well after the funeral. I might not have really known the man, but I know his reputation. He seems to have done a rather good job of ruling, from what I can tell.” He chuckled briefly, looking upwards in the sky. His father kept on saying that things would go badly sooner or later. They ought to enjoy this time of levity, really. “And maybe you should go on a little voyage and adventure. Maybe you need a chance to prove that you are not a fragile little lady. You just need a good captain you can trust and off you go, Ashe.”

Not wanting to talk about his father rather normal, yes. But hearing her call that outright depressing, now that was a little weird, wasn’t it? Momentarily, he wondered just what his father might have done to the young lady for her to react this strongly. So far, he had just assumed that he’d glared and yelled at her, possibly trying to figure out if she was marriage material. That was his thing though. But she seemed almost taken aback by what had happened.
For the moment though, he put that in the back of his head, instead focusing on something more positive. “Hah, seems like we have another thing in common. I mean, look at me. How often do you think my own people call me Dornish? It is not exactly helped by the fact that my siblings come from another mother, so I am always the odd one out.” There it was again, his laugh. Only this time it was dryer, a bit more reserved. That was one of the things that sometimes got to him. The young heir did not mind at all being called an Ironborn and everything that came with it.

But feeling like an outsider to his own people? That stung sometimes. But he could tell that she would have had similar stories to tell. So he tried to lighten up the mood a little. “But then again, unlike me, you have a natural advantage up north. You can much more easily hide in the snow. Almost invisible.” Accentuating his words with a nod, he gave her a smile. In another life, she had said. Yes, in another life, he might have sought her out more aggressively. But marriage was a big thing and he truly did not want to hurt this girl. Ones like Ashe deserved to be cherished.

“Let’s not talk of war though. My father likes to talk of it. Doom and gloom, that is all there is with him. But war only happens because people want it. This world, it is so big, even we Ironborn with our slightly less peaceful ways could live without strife if we truly wanted. Tullies and Greyjoys could be peaceful neighbours, if they wanted. But sadly, it always takes everyone wanting it. So if there is another war, we’ll just kill one another until we don’t want anymore.” He shrugged. Then he realized that he had let his father’s rhetoric get the better of him.
“Oh, sorry, I just said I did not want to speak of war. So, the lands across the sea it is. There are many, of courses. Essos. Wild and untamed. I once saw the Dothraki ride like a force of nature near the shore. So many men and beasts, united in a single movement. The titan of Braavos, it really is a spectacular sight. You should urge your husband to take you there at least once. It was an enlightening experience. And then there are the Summer Isles. Oh, the Isles. You have not felt bliss until you visited one of their temples. Well, maybe not you since you are a woman. But it is truly something you would not find in Westeros. The people there liked me, too, gave me a great gift in a bow made out of goldenheart wood.”

It was odd to be looked at like this, but not in a ad way. It was simple curiosity that seemed to drive this woman, something he had never experienced when looked at by a member of the opposite sex. This girl certainly was not a normal person. The thought made him smile. Father likely had not realized that at all, when he had apparently mistreated her. That was the downside of being a walking and talking threat. Those who only revealed themselves in deeper conversation always escaped his sights. His conversations were often just skin deep, even if it meant losing out on interesting sights.

“It sounds like you have always been coddled and protected. Could have never happened to me. An Ironborn has to be hard, strong, powerful, especially the heir to our great house. Though I am a little curious in that regard. Were you a weak and sickly child growing up and kept inside because of that, or was it maybe even the other way around? You don’t have to answer this, of course. Feel free to disregard it if it brings back bad memories.” Yes, he was still trying to be polite and nice. His own nature did get the better of him at times though and he asked questions like this, even if they were a bit inappropriate maybe.

But then again, those could happen between potential friends. Though one could and should never forget the guard. The latter had remained silent and steady, but Dalton could not possibly tell where that man’s loyalties laid. With the lady, her house, or just himself? The downside of someone being this quiet was that they revealed absolutely nothing about themselves.
Her last words though goaded him into saying some things that were possibly unwise. Nevertheless, it was not the first time he had heard something like that. In fact, people said that all the time. One of those who had said that was now sailing with him.

“Strange? No, I do not think so. But I am not sure if you are truly sure what you are jealous of, exactly,” he replied, his eyes now seizing her up. “I mean, sure, I was born to command a ship, quite literally. I give you that. But it might not be opportunity that you are jealous of.” He stated that with an odd sincerity and surety. In fact, he briefly stopped after saying that, simply inferring that she would do the same.
The, he bowed, before describing an arc with his arms. “Since my father must have mistreated you, I shall make it up for you. Speak the word and I will do what is in my power to get you a journey to a location of your choosing, safely, securely, unmolested. You have my word on that.” Once finished, he would fall in with her again, or simply stand there, in case he had confused her. In either event, he would give an explanation. “You have opportunity now. And you are absolutely free to make that choice. Every human has at least a choice. Even slaves can choose to disobey. Dreaming is not all you can do. There is freedom, everywhere, you just have to take it. Duty, family, honour, those are things that can only tie you down if you choose to. Maybe what you are jealous of is less the freedom I have but rather my ability to take the freedom I long for.” He laughed, briefly, deciding that some levity had to be added to such harsh words. “Though even I came here, when summoned. So do not take this too harshly. Your limits and my limits just differ.”

So she had been a sickly child back then. The kind of child that his father would have probably just drowned, to be honest. But the Starks, they were a more attached, sentimental folk. They kept the girl alive against all odds until she could at least go south. There certainly was some good to that. After all, had they not done it, he would not be able to speak to her right now. But on the other hand, that kind of treatment seemed to have made her weak, as her other words proved. Despite being offered a chance to live her dreams, she refused.

If that was not a sign of weakness, he did not know what was. Just like her parents, she was afraid to try something for fear of the repercussions, because of what might happen. That was why Starks had never been great explorers and rather maintained a big wall than face what lied beyond.
Still though, this did not make him angry or anything like that. It just saddened him. But then again, just from the look on her face she could tell that more had happened than just a misunderstanding. This girl was scared of his father. And from everything else she said, it was easy to understand that it had been her aide that had suffered instead of her. Why else would she ask him of all people to help that girl?

Momentarily, he thought of that. It sounded like a girl had gone missing. If she was lucky, she was just roughed up by now. If not, saving her might have already been too late. But he would see what he could do. “If I come across this young girl, I will do what I can to help her,” he noted, sourly. This was not going to end well. Not at all. Maybe he should just have been grateful that his father had not done worse. “But it is sad to hear that you seem to always think of others first and then yourself. Maybe it is because you consider yourself weak. Maybe there is another reason. But everyone in this world deserves to live their dreams.”
He sighed, briefly, before continuing on: “Family and duty are not ‘nothing more than bonds’ to me. I love my sisters and I do follow my duties. That’s why I am here. But neither of those things need us all the time. I trust my sisters that they can take care of themselves for days and weeks on their own. And thus, I am able to follow my dreams as well. It might sound strange, coming from an Ironborn, but I do not think that many things in this world are absolute. Taking things in moderation is key. If you truly have no need of that freedom, that is fine. But you do not sound like it. You sound like someone who wishes she could do more. For her aide, for her family, for herself. But in order to do so, I guess you first need to believe that you can.”