The runaway bride

[Alexandrine]

She had been sitting in this damn little boat for what felt to be hours. She was hungry and cold. And a little thirsty too. Elys Marbrand was a little annoyed about the waving wind that blown her hair out of order, which she had so carefully combed this morning for all the possible suitors. Well, she had not directly encountered that lord Tyrion, the imp, would be her betrothed. And that the contract was already signed. So for the second time in two years, she found herself fleeing form a horrible fate.

Now and then she tried to catch up a conversation with the maid who had brought her on this boat. And asked her things like: Where are we going? What is you favourite colour? Do you think that ruffled sleeves are going to be fashion this season? In increasingly important order.

[Oznerol]

The maid was silent almost the whole way.

"We are going to Maunhill you foolish girl"

[Alexandrine]

"Oh." Elys said as a response. Not really knowing where or what Maunhill was. She thought she was going to be send to lady Kacye or her septon. Well. She did not really dared to ask again. She did not know exactly why, but somehow this rude maid seemed to be a little bothered by her.

[Oznerol]

After half a day of harsh navigation later they arrived to a stony coast. Forests in the distance and humble hovels flocking around a wooden sept. Crowning the forested hills is a castle. Good sized and old with a good square keep and four towers.

"We arrived"

Said the maid, who again grabs her arm firmly.

[Alexandrine]

Elys looked at the humble homes. Was this the home of lady Kayce? A nice keep was situated there. Nothing fancy, but strong. She followed the maid as good as she could.

[Oznerol]

Moments after two riders arrived. Both wore a sigil, three purple circles on yellow field, they bring a third, riderless, horse. A large man speaks, he wears a half helm and sports a beard.

"We received a raven, mount"

The man says. The harsh maid embarks again and leaves.

------------------------------------

After an hour of riding Elys arrives to the keep on the top of the hills. Forests surrounded the place. The flags showed the Plumm's heraldry. The portcullis is raised and they enter a small courtyard. The walls comprised the square keep and stone buildings, the largest had fine tracery windows and chimneys. It looked like the Lord's residence. A man, old, with eyes as blue as the sky exits the building. He wears brocade and a rich doublet, his cloak lined with ermine. There's a recurrent motif on his cloth, three purple circles.

[Alexandrine]

Elys did what she was told, but was also curious and scared for where they where taking her. This all seemed quite secretive. She recognized the signal. House Plumm. She did not exactly knew where the house was seated, but it sure was in the Westerlands. A nicely clothed man came outside the keep when she arrived at its courtyard. She did not know who this man was. But he seemed noble, he seemed rich. She guessed that this would be the lord of the manor.

Without speaking she curtseyed for him and stayed down.

[Oznerol]

His voice was raspy (ooc: he looks like John Hurt, with a beard):

"Elys Marbrand, it seems you have made a quite mess with your short life, my daughter told me about your... situation"

[Alexandrine]

She straightened her back again and looked at the ageing lord. "My lord, I.." she began but did not really know what to say. "I am very grateful towards your daughter, she has a noble soul."

[Oznerol]

"You should. I don't know why she chose to help you, she's isn't as compassionate as you may imagine, but still she is moved easily and has a great heart. Her grandmother, Lady Elaena was like her"

Lord Viserys Plumm, whose eyes had a hint of purple and whose hair was formerly silver led her inside the hall. Plumm sits on a great carved chair before the fireplace and warms his bony hands. He had a resemblance to something or someone Elys has likely seen on a book.

[Alexandrine]

Elys followed him without asking herself the question why this man was even helping her, just walked in. "So your other children still live here?" she said after making herself comfortable for the fireplace.

[Oznerol]

"Only four of them. Elisabeth resides at the Rock, and my youngest son is traveling in Essos, seeking fortune. My other sons still accompany me, with the exception of the eldest who is enjoying a time with her wife's relatives, from House Westerling"

A tall and thin man, delicate but somewhat handsome arrives to the hall. He had fair hair and purple eyes.

"Here arrives the fourth of my children, Ser Lancel Plumm"

Ser Plumm bowed before his father.

"So that's the Lady I'm going to marry?"

"That you have already married. The only chance she has of escaping is confesing you married her secretly months ago, thus turning invalid the betrothal contract signed by her uncle"

[Alexandrine]

She felt at ease before the fire of lord Plumm. He seemed to be kind and showed nothing to make her regret anything. She could easily stay here for a while. The castle was no beauty from the outside, but the rooms were decorated nicely.

She looked at ser Plumm. He was not as handsome as Tytos Payne, what a shame. But Lancel talked about marrying her, which let her heart to be skipped. She was a little disappointed that he was only a fourth son, to be honest. But he was from the line of dragons! Imagine that! She silently wondered why she wasn't been consulted before she supposedly married this fellow. This time, or any other time. It seemed like everybody had a hidden agenda when it came to her. She never even met this man. She slowly rose from her position before the fire and extended her hand to ser Tytos. "So you are a knight," she said. "And now you have come to safe me?"

[Oznerol]

"I came to save you and serve my father"

"Indeed. Lady Elys we have dragon blood, however our loyalties didn't side with the Red, but the Black. Daemon Blackfyre was our kinsman, our beloved cousin, the sole son of Daena the Defiant. The spawn of Aegon IV, the monstrous and depraved King, aren't of our liking, not we willingly bowed before him"

Lord Plumm's voice was hard and determined.

"However Blackfyres have been dethroned, killed or fleeing in disarray. That should be not. I'll send you both after the remaining Blackfyres, so they may know they still have friends in the West, rather than enemies. When the Black Dragons come back we'll receive them with open arms"

Lord Plumm coughed.

"And by your blood and descent once again the Plumm will be High Lords of Fire and Isle, as they should..."

His purple eyes stared at her with intensity.

[Alexandrine]

Just. My. Luck.

Finally I found myself a handsome knight, with the blood the dragon (royalty!) in his veins, is he from the wrong branch of the family tree.
All her life she had been told that the Blackfyre kings are bad people because they were born out of wedlock. Bastards could not help it, but they were cursed by the Seven. As punishment to their parents. Therefore the Blackfyre line was cursed and evil. Only fitted to be 'send to the Seven Hells', according to her zealous Lord uncle.

Oh great, to be send away from Westeros was just was she not wanted. She wanted to attend parties at Casterly Rock and dance at the banquets of Kings Landing. Seeing dashing knights preforming tournaments and all the other things that made life good.
So it was her blood now that they where after. She was of high birth, so much was true. But now she found herself being some piece in a game of thrones and she was not really sure if she liked that.

"Then we must pray to the gods and ask for their blessings." she offered. "No man ever came to much without the blessing of the Seven."

[Oznerol]

"Of course, Gods shall provide. The septon of Maunhill has accepted to marry you both immediately. So congratulations, Lady Elys... daughter"

A fat septon appeared through a side door. Swiftly Elys is led to the castle's sept, small but not humble at all. There in few minutes, before the stern gaze of Lord Plumm, his wife (Lady Cersei Farman) few retainers, including few new relatives of Lady Elys and the keep's maester. Swiftly the marriage contract was signed and sealed. The date was falsified, supposedly they had married a couple months ago, after the coronation. With greater haste Lady Elys was led to a bedchamber, undressed by firm hands and left there. Alone. At least the room was lavishly decorated with tapestries and had a large fireplace that warmed the room, shielding it from the winter chill.

[Alexandrine]

Well, that escalated quickly. She was still not very certain of it, but was she now lady Elys Plumm? It sure looked like it. And that before Plumm's court. She had always dreamed of marrying a handsome knight. Surely now she had one. He was not as handsome as ser Payne, but he was no horrid offence like Tyrion Lannister. Who might be small and ugly, she had to admit the he was likely more rich ten these people. A fourth son, was no shame. She only had hoped to get to know him a little more before she was married to him. And now she felt vulnerable and alone. She was naked. In a room, strange to her. It was nice enough, but it did not feel like home yet. She decided to climb in the bed and covered her naked body with the heavy blankets. She was not ready to be touched just yet. She praised herself lucky she was alone.