Darne pauses for a moment and stares off towards where he last saw Aaralyn when his father brings up Lumber. He scratches his chin a bit "Hmm, the North has a rather sizable amount of wood at least...If the Iron Islands would prefer lumber to food, we could always trade with House Karstark to help further their food supply for wood to trade to the Iron Islands at a small discount for a season or two..." he said musing and scheming a bit.
Lothar eases himself from where he was standing and gives Aaralyn a short nod. He asks:
"Lady Aaralyn. How was my mother? Well enough to talk?"
I wonder what they spoke of. The wedding, surely?
"Certainly. I will go in now. Good day!"
It is clear that Lothar is distracted by something, even from curiosity, as he makes for his mother's chambers and knocks on the door.
"Mother? It is Lothar. May I enter?"
"Thank you" Anders sends the guards away, blushing. Everyone will know about this by tonight.
He shooes away Old Harald and takes a moment to calm the crow before finding a safer place for its cage. It is only afterwards, when he is on his way to the rookery, that he begins to reflect upon the odd instinct that drew him to the bird's defence. I'll have to name you, he thinks to himself, reassuring himself that the event was no more than a coincidence, but deep inside knowing that there is more to it...
Without a sure place to go, Aaralyn began to wander the area. Stopping to ask any of the servants she met if they had seen Darne or the Maester. It was a little strange to be wandering around a place she didn't know at all yet in three months time would call her home.
Time frames. Iron islands meeting happened a week after you guys getting back. But, he could be in the rookery checking on the ravens as he has just gotten back.
Lothar swallows, opens the door, and enters.
I do not like seeing her like this.
He closes the door behind him and walks up to the bed. And on the way, gauging if they are indeed alone.
As satisfied as he is going to be, Lothar approaches his mother.
"Mother, I...how are you?"
He feels foolish even as he utters the question.
Aaralyn found a bit of luck, or really logic, and found her way to the rookery and thus to the Maester.
"I hope I am disrupting anything." Aaralyn said to announce her presence. "I was hoping to speak with you if you wouldn't mind?" She requested.
Lothar hesitates a moment. And then realises himself, and leans in to hug his ailing mother.
After a time holding her, he slowly lets go and shifts to kneel by the bed.
"Mother, I am...confused. What have you heard about the incident with Tele, the Northern lady's maid?"
Lothar sighs, his head lowering a notch.
"Yes, Mother. I did. I found Tele. And some time afterwards, we grew...close. Very close. I would not have her shamed. She suggested that I marry her, and I am of a mind to do that. I would have your advice on how to go about it." At this point, he has raised his head again, determination growing on his face as he remembers why he is here.
"It's been some days, Mother. And I felt there was something there between us from the start, and I was right."
"Lady Karstark," the Maester greets her formally as he sets aside his pen and ink, and stands politely. While he makes an effort to smile, it is plainly obvious that she is, in fact, disturbing him.
He invites her to sit with him in a set of worn armchairs and offers fresh water. "How can I be of service?"
"That is most generous of you," Maester Anders commends the lady while considering her request. "Something entertaining... Most of the books here are rather serious... This one... Yes, this one will do!"
Smiling, he pulls out a large tome and hands it to Lady Aaralyn: A Song of Ice and Fire.
"He could be anywhere," Maester Anders answers. "The docks? The fields? If I were you, I would send for him, rather than to try to hunt him down."
Torn between pleasantries and his present responsibilities, he hesitates a moment before continuing rather awkwardly. "You are well? You are finding your way?"
The Maester stands and bows politely. As he does, a raven caws loudly. He hushes the bird but, paying him no heed, it jumps off its perch and onto his desk, and caws again, loudly, as if to bid Lady Aaralyn goodbye.
Maester Anders shakes his head. Absentmindedly, he conjures some seeds from a pouch attached to his belt. The raven feeds from the Maester's open hand. "It follows me everywhere," the young man explains, both amused and, uncharacteristically, somewhat embarrassed.
Lothar groans inwardly, and then begins to speak.
He talks of seeing red at Tele assailed by rogue men. It is not something he has ever been comfortable about talking to his mother about, the battle fury that he slips into when truly enraged. He remembers slaying the men and rescuing Tele. Returning to the castle, Tele in terrible condition and unwilling to move. So the two remained in the room.
And in hiding, the two were close...
And at this stage, Lothar has gone beet red.
When he recovers a little, he says:
"And that is why I must marry her. I would not see her shamed and left."
"I don't know," Anders admits, staring at the bird. "It has followed me since our trip back from Harrenhal. It's quite unusual for a raven..."
He shrugs.
"I will walk with you. I must tend to the crows," he decides, perhaps too eager to change the subject.
Lothar feels relief and happiness at his mother's reaction.
She does not think less of me. Thank the Seven!
He holds her warmly until the coughing eases.
"Well, there will be no shortage of trying!", he says with a grin, and laughter.
"So, how to go about it? The wedding?"
Maester Anders offers only a polite smile in response to Lady Aaralyn, as if to say, the past is the past.
"Do you have any news from your kinsmen? We have heard little since Harrenhal and I continue to fear the worst," he changes the subject to more serious matters.
Darne looked up a bit surprised having been engrossed in the task at hand. "Ah, forgive me. It is a...thorn in the sides of my family. From a young age, I have had a fondness for staying busy. Trying new things and learning from anyone with the patience to deal with me." he said wiping his brow a bit.
He stood up and dusted some of the dirt and weeds off his britches. He smiled "I've managed to work out a system since we've been uplifted. There is a young lad who keeps tabs on where I am, he stays near the kitchen. I make it a habit to send a messenger with an update every time I decide to move on to something else. Talk to him, unless his Nan in the kitchen has him doing some chores, then she'll know." he offered.
He looked down at the garden "It's not much, just a hobby really. I don't think I was ever cut out for farming...but it is good work to lose yourself in when you need to think after a long day. A couple of the kitchen workers help tend to it when I'm not around, but make sure I got a couple of hours work when I'm home." he said nodding.
He looked up at Aaralyn and realised he was being a bit rude and rambling on. "Apologies, I assume you've sought me out for one reason or another. I'm sure it's not to listen to me ramble on. I hope that everyone has made you feel at home since this morning?" he asked.
Darne's face fell into a slightly disappointed and annoyed look at his mother's nickname coming up in conversation. He sighed "I had hoped to at least have a few months before that nickname came up" he said shaking his head.
He scratched his head a bit when she mentioned hobbies. He honestly never considered anything he did to be a hobby as he didn't do anything for purely fun. Still, he had a couple of things he did regularly "I'm not sure if they would be called hobbies...but I do enjoy and often fish, sail, read, and tend to the garden. I don't mind the hunt, though I only started such once we became merchants as a way to talk with the nobles we were looking to work with. Rather boring affair most times but it seems to come with the territory of dealing with nobility." he said trailing off on a tangent for a moment.
"And what do you enjoy filling your time with? I know you had mentioned before that you were mostly kept in the castle, but I hope you will enjoy a bit more freedom now that you're at home. If there is something you are interested in trying out or seeing, don't hesitate to ask myself or the Maester. I am sure we can find a guide or a teacher in the subject if you'd like." he offered.