The Lion and The Lady (Lena)

[Torin Lannister]

It was the third day of Torin's visit to The Vale and he had plans to walk the land with Lena. Today the Ser Knight was wearing riding jacket of black that reached down beyond his knees. It was lined with gold and bore the Lion across his breast. His tunic of pure silk was pure black but his breaches were also of gold on black. His hair (which he had allowed a serving girl to attend to) was curled with a somewhat playful bounce to it. His skin smelled of berries and his face was very fresh. All in all the Lion was very well groomed for his meeting with Lena.

He waited on a patch of grass some distance from the Eyrie, ever the looming monolith. One hand rested by on the hilt of his sword. He was not sure what had brought it about but he found himself growing bored of the ostentatious thing. Once he returned to Casterly Rock he would start wearing his proper sword at all times in its place.

His green eyes gazed out towards the road towards the Eyrie so that he might see if she was on her way.

[Lena Arryn]

Lena was less than amused that she had been told she must accept Torin Lannister's invitation to tour the Vale this afternoon. She had much to attend to, what with security briefings, and making an appearance at her brother's meetings, and even though she was assured these things would all be taken care of Lena still felt they'd be done wrong if she wasn't there to attend them.

None the less she was scrubbed polished and dressed in a fine silk dress that contoured to her body, her hair was curled splendidly and she looked like a lady of noble upbringing.
As soon as her chamber maid had left Lena changed into a silk shirt, leather riding breaches, her finest boots and wide belt with an ornate falcon on it. Her sword she tied to her belt as she slipped on a pair of gloves and plated her hair.

Once she was dressed she strode out to the pre-decided meeting place, and met with Torin.
"Good Afternoon, Ser Lannister." She said curtly as she reached the grassy lawn where he sat.

[Torin Lannister]

"Lady Lena." he replied with a polite bow of his head. She was looking lovely indeed. With the manner in which she carried herself and he sword at her side it was far more clear she was the warrior of the House then when he had first met her in the solar of the Eyrie.

"It is a fine day indeed." he smiled as he closed the distance between the two. He was towering above her and much more broad but that was often the case for Torin bar when he was in the company of the likes of Gregor Clegane. The chivalrous Ser Knight offered his arm to the lady so they might walk the road and tour The Vale. Not that they'd explore it in its entirety by day on foot. But he had no intention of keeping her out long, despite his dislike for her brother he had a sister of his own and understood the concern one could feel. His sister having been married to King Robert he knew the concern for her safety very well.

[Lena Arryn]

He stood as she cleared the distance, and offered his arm. Lena never broke her gaze from his eyes as he spoke.
"Come now Ser Lannister, where would you like to visit first?" She said walking past him towards the road once more, not bothering to take his arm.

Lena was a warrior, she wouldn't be caught dead ambling about the Vale on the arm of a Lannister. The people of the land knew her as her brother's sword, she would loose all face if she were to appear as a giggling maiden flirting with a knight who had come to visit.
Though, their being out together may raise questions, and soon the news would break from the Eyrie that Lena Arryn and Torin Lannister were to wed.

[Torin Lannister]

"I am not familiar with The Vale in any real detail. Let us just walk and see where it takes us." then she walked straight passed him, while he was keen on having such a beautiful wife he little patience for outright rudeness but would say nothing for now. These lands were her home and she'd be gone from them soon enough to live in Casterly Rock and bare his children.

Regardless the tallest standing of the Lions brought himself into step, walking by her side as his gaze scanned out over the tree's before them.

[Lena Arryn]

"Alright then." Lena said turning back to face him. "Let us walk."
She waited for him to catch up with her, then began down the road again, Torin at her side.
"I believe first we shall make the descent into the city keep, I believe your men have made camp there."
As they walked she spoke openly about the Eyrie and how the hall was created and kept up, the lords who cared for it and their contributions to the grounds.
"My brother," She said as the walked. "As made this place beautiful again, though it all seems for naught when Winter ices the gardens..."
Her face fell only slightly as she mentioned the winter. "even though everything does wither, I do love the winter here in the Vale, it's like living in a world of glass."

[Torin Lannister]

Torin followed the path Lena lead, listening intently as she explained its history and nodding from time to time. Then she mentioned winter. They had been enjoying a fully long Summer but surely it was approaching its end. As the Starks were always saying "Winter is coming." Surely it was. "You would have been a young girl during the last winter...?" Torin wasn't positive of her age but he had an idea, someone had mentioned it before but it had been so long ago.

"A world of glass. I had not figured you for a warrior poet." True it didn't rhyme but it had a certain poetic sound to it none the less. Torin had no fondness for winter but as an excuse to wrap up warmer at night. The winter was likely to drive him to stay in Dorne for a time where hopefully it would be less cold. Unlikely however, Casterly Rock could provide many fires to keep his feet warm.

[Lena Arryn]

She turned to face him when he asked if she'd been a young girl during the last winter. Aye, most of my childhood was spent in winter, I was born into it, and it ended when my childhood did, when I became a shield maiden in our realm."
Lena hesitated as she spoke the last words, only for a moment then put back on her brave face. "Summer did bring great things though, Emre took the seat as Lord of the Eyrie, and master of the Vale, he's done much good for this land."

As they reached the end of the path leading from the Eyrie to city keep Lena turned to him again. "And what is Casterly Rock like, I've never been so far south." She asked calmly, she was genuinely interested, but not so much in him as his home. It would soon be her own lodgings soon.

[Torin Lannister]

"Have you never travelled south at all?" The Vale and The Westerlands were not so far apart, even if one took the King's Road to King's Landing then the Golden Road would lead straight to Casterly Rock. "Perhaps I believe it because it is my home but it is the finest Castle in all of Westeros. Built into a mountain it can only be attacked from one side, it is the rock all armies crash against on the outside. On the inside it is beautiful in a more traditional way. The paintings and portraits, the arches and marble. You shall enjoy it." It was easy to enjoy it. Lannister gold had long ago made Casterly Rock very fine indeed.

"When you are my wife, would you like to advance your station above shield maiden?" A Shield Maiden was in truth nothing but a term for a female warrior, it was nothing at all. She was not even a Lady, t'was mere politeness that Torin referred to her as such.

[Lena Arryn]

Lena cut her eyes at him thoughtfully before returning her gaze ahead.
"You wish to make me your squire?" She said, placing her hand on the hilt of her sword. "Would your king agree to a woman potentially serving as a knight in his castle." She didn't like the idea of being his squire. It was demeaning to her, she was a warrior, his equal in every way but title. She'd fought in battles and skirmishes from the north in Westfall down to High Heart and Stone Hedge- then back again, she didn't need to be his squire to prove her self. Every scar she bore had proven her a true warrior of the realm.

She awaited his response saving the venom she wanted so badly to sting him with for another day. She mustn't ruin her chances as marriage so soon after it was decided.

[Torin Lannister]

"The King is my nephew and my sister the Regent-Queen. He'll have no qualms." he replied with a short smile as their feet continued to carry them down the path. "Besides you are one of the finest warriors The Vale, why not attain the Ser? You need to learn barely a fraction of what most Squires require teaching. It would take no more then a year and then you shall be a Knight in both talent and title." Torin had spent much longer when he was a squire under Rhaegar Targaryen and then Stannis Baratheon only one of which he had any fondness for.

[Lena Arryn]

She bit her tongue. "Your offer is kind Sir Torin." Lena said curteously, her voice still managing to keep a certain amount of ice to it. "I shall have to consider it, though I'm not sure what good my service would be as a squire. They say I am to head strong to take orders, so my only choice is to lead men."

She walked ahead of him again and stopped when she reached a path heading into the city keep.
"I believe we are here, the Eyrie's own city hold. Nuri and I used to play here, when mother wasn't around that is."

[Torin Lannister]

"That is not a bad trait." Good Commanders were rare and valuable. Torin's father was a good Commander, Torin was a good Commander. Lannisters made good use of good Commanders.

Then they reached the city keep, the Lion took it in as his green eyes swept across the area. "It must have made a fine place for play during the winter of glass." he replied. "And Nuri is your Braavosi?" He couldn't totally recall the name.

[Lena Arryn]

"Yes Nuri is." She said almost smiling, she stopped her self. She shouldn't allow her self to look frail or weak or warm in any way in front of him, she must be as sone as the rock the Eyrie was built on.
"Her father taught us the art of swordsmanship, and blades. My brother is a master at small knives and daggers, I on the other took the sword, and learned to dance."

Any one who knew of the Braavosi knew of their creed an their mantra 'swordsmanship is the dance of water' it was a rule that Lena had learned well, something she practiced often.

[Torin Lannister]

"The Bravoosi have a very fluid form of swordplay, it has many strengths for a warrior of your build." The typical swordsmanship of Westeros was much more suiting for Torin, made better use of his strength as opposed to speed. He was by no means a slow, lumbering brute of a warrior he had excellent technique and his reflexes were sharp like the Lion's claw.

She was pretty when she smiled. He would like to see more of it.