Matters of Faith (Daern)

[Maester Daern]

"I will most certainly talk to them for My Lady. I know Lady Lena will be pleased to do so, if not just to please Ser Torin for a moment." Daern said with a small knowing smile. He even gave a small blush at her kind words towards him. "You flatter me quite so Lady Halaevia. I am merely an aging old Maester who seeks new knowledge." he said with a small smile towards Halaevia. Looking at the candle once more he gave a small sigh. "Knowledge is the fuel that feeds the Light." Daern said in a soft voice as he stared into the flame light.

"You have certainly sparked my muse to new heights. I would very much like to pursue this learning. Are there any books or tomes on R'hollor? I have a few on the Seven and I do believe I have a few scrolls on the Old Gods." Daern finished, his hands in his sleeves as he cast a smile over to Halaevia. There was something that drew him to this new woman. She was mysterious and she carried a new form of knowledge that he craved to learn.

"I cannot thank you enough, Lady Baratheon. This has been a very learning evening. I couldn't have asked for better company. If you would allow me to walk to you chambers, I would be very pleased to do so." Daern said with a warm smile as his glance caught the light around them...

[Halaevia Baratheon]

Halaevia smiled at Daern's self-deprecating remark. He had to be the youngest maester she'd ever met, very far from old. Though it appeared he wasn't quite so clueless as she had first judged him to be. It pleased her; if she had to stay at the Eyrie any length of time, she would need someone other than Torin and Matilys to talk to. Her words to Daern had been genuine and not empty flattery.

He offered then to walk with her, and she nodded her assent, and stood. 'I suppose that it is growing late,' she said, which was something of an understatement. The evening prayers hadn't begun until after sunset, and while that seemed to be coming ever-earlier as time passed, a fact of no small concern to her, it was still late enough. She held out her arm to take Daern's, old habit, and with her candle to light the way, led him from the courtyard.

'I have a few books that might be of interest to you,' she told him as they walked. 'The trouble is that I left them on Dragonstone.' Everything she owned was still on Dragonstone. 'There is very little written about R'hllor this side of the Narrow Sea,' she explained. 'Mine are copies, from the Free Cities - some of the scripture itself, and then some later material written by priests and priestesses.' She thought for a moment, and then asked, 'Do you read Valyrian? I could send for them, if you truly wished to read them.' The request might seem odd, but she had no doubt that those she had loyal to her on Dragonstone would do as she asked. Besides, it was one way of informing them that she was now at the Eyrie and not King's Landing.

[Maester Daern]

Daern gave a smile as he stood, waiting for Halaevia to lead the way. He was more than started when her hand came up for him to take. He couldn't remember the last time he had linked arms with another for a walk. Lena was too close a friend to do that, more of a sister actually. All of the other women merely walked behind him, seeing as they were in lower ranks than himself. Even the little Ysmae walked alone, no doubt due to her father's whore-like behavior. He fell into step however, his arm wrapped about hers as she led the way.

Daern listened in quiet walk as Halaevia went on. Nodding his head at her question he started, "I do indeed read Valyrian. I am no expert by any means but I can honestly get by."Daern finished, looking over at the Lady Baratheon. "I would enjoy that very much My Lady. Perhaps we can go over them together? In case I have any questions along the way." Daern fished out, a smile on his lips as he followed Halaevia's steps. He wasn't sure what was happening with him. Did he have some sort of affection for this Lady? There was no doubt that she peaked his interests, even from the first moment he saw her. Her strange red garb, her high intelligence and her inane knowledge of R'hllor.

As they neared another hall, Daern managed to look about him. It was particularly late. Hardly any bodies were moving about the halls save for various guards. "My well it seems it has grown rather late within the walls. You have sucked me in it would seem, Lady Baratheon." Daern smiled as they continued on...

[Halaevia Baratheon]

Halaevia's own Redcloak escort was likely some way behind her. They tended to keep a respectful distance, particularly when she was involved in ceremonies for the Lord of Light. In any case, their presence didn't trouble her, she rarely thought upon it now. This night, all her attentions were given to Daern, whose interest did seem to be genuine.

'That might be so,' she said lightly, a hint of a smile crossing her lips. 'In my experience, time always does pass rather quickly when one has much to discuss. It isn't often I find anyone who asks the sort of questions you do. Mostly they either come to watch the fires and profess devotion to R'hllor, or they dismiss the possibility of finding truth at once.' The people who were convinced she was wrong weren't the ones she cared about at all. There were those who embraced the Light and those who rejected it - and then there were those like Daern, fates yet uncertain.

'I think it might be good for both of us,' she said then, suddenly, 'to read together. I should like to hear your questions.' Her smile widened. 'I shall write on the morrow for those books - here.' She had led him through the halls, and stopped by a door to one of the guest chambers. 'This is where I am staying; it was kind of you to walk me back. I must rest now, but I shall see you again, by the nightfire?' Her tone was expectant, but also hopeful. It would be a terrible disappointment to her if he had changed his mind.

[Maester Daern]

Ever since I have taken to the links, books seemed to have become my closest friends. I only hope that you can change that My Lady Halaevia." he said with a light smile as he looked down at the dark lady. He didn't realize, through all the night, how nicely her name rolled off of the tongue. It was quite natural. Taking himself away from those thoughts he let his eye wander to the door they stopped at. He knew of the room, naturally. Nothing awful or particularly eye opening. Lady Baratheon deserved more, that was plain to see to the Maester. He was worried that Lena, and even Luthor, had viewed this woman unfairly. She was only a mother, holding unto her religious beliefs with strong intent. It seemed that, that was all that Halaevia Baratheon needed.

"You have truly opened this old mans eyes this night, My Lady. It would be wrong of me to say that I am not interested in yo-the Lords Light. I will most definitely talk to Lord Luthor and Lady Lena about the lighting of the fires. I will make sure they do not refuse." he said with a coy and knowing smile. He had to make sure that he convinced Lena at the very least to light R'hllor's fires. He would look a right fool otherwise.

It was then that he realized his arm was still around Halaevia's. Removing it with some bashfulness he gave a small bow to her once again. "Thank you again My Lady. For all the knowledge and the eye opening answers you gave my incessant questions. And more than anything, thank you for the wonderful company." he said in a soft voice before bringing her hand to his lips as he gave another bow. "Perhaps I will see you at the morning breaking?" he asked as a small smile played on his lips, a blush creeping it's way through his facial hair as his dark eyes looked at hers...

[Halaevia Baratheon]

Halaevia was taken aback a little by Daern's bows and the way he raised her hand to kiss it. The attention wasn't...unwanted, exactly, only wholly unexpected. She wasn't a girl any longer, to have anyone make such gestures towards her. Perhaps she took it for more than it was? It might be only courtly courtesy, here in the Vale. She wasn't well-travelled, but she knew enough to say that the prevailing attitudes on Dragonstone were that bit more restrained than elsewhere. It was likely only that, she told herself, and she would enjoy it for what it was.

'It would be my pleasure to see you there,' she said, smiling back at him. 'As for the questions, why, I should be disappointed now if you stopped asking them! I simply cannot leave you alone to your books, not now when I have had the delight of such discourse.' She fixed her gaze on him for a moment, looking into his eyes. He was interested. It didn't matter all that much to her what the reasons for his interest were; if she judged rightly, the Lord of Light would find a way to guide him to the right path.

It was already evident. He would be the one to speak to Lena, a person she trusted who might speak of the Light in a way she understood. And if Hallie's reasons for seeking out his company weren't entirely religious in nature, well, she would allow herself that. She could talk to him. There weren't many she could talk to, and Daern was kinder and more intelligent than most.

She looked away from him then, and turned towards her door. 'Goodnight, Maester Daern,' she said softly.

[Maester Daern]

Daern couldn't stop himself from looking at Halaevia's eyes. Even though they were so dark, they held such feeling and passion. It was passion that Daern wanted to unlock. He wanted to unlock all of her secrets and with holdings. It was a strange sense in Daern to want to do such a thing, but he held back. He had a strange want to kiss the Lady as well...that he held back strongly. He hadn't kissed a woman for many numerous amounts of years, despite some very close minded people thinking that he and the Lady Lena were at one point a quiet couple.

Shaking himself from these odd wants he gave another of his smiles to Halaevia's answers, nodding his head at the end. "Well I would hate to disappoint you in that manner, My Lady. You have awoken a learning streak within these old bones once again." he said with a small wink at the Lady before they broke apart. Before he turned on his way, his heart gave a small skip at her voice, soft and smart.

He looked over his shoulder and gave another smile to her. "And goodnight to you, My Lady Halaevia Baratheon." he said in his soft voice before taking his soundless steps back to his own chambers. His heart was thumping slightly louder it seemed. The blood rushing through him sounded as if it were the waves on the shore. What had Lady Halaevia done to him tonight? He was honestly considering moving to the Light. Was that his own choice or did the Lady Baratheon have some say on this decision? Shaking his head from these thoughts he continued on his way, his thoughts of a woman. shrouded in red with deep passionate eyes...