Windrose June Mingle!

[passingthrough]

Who: SS Windrose + Visitors
Broadcast: Unlikely
Action: SS Windrose
When: June — anytime!

[Now featuring bathroom rank II for all your bathtub and and additional ten minutes of water per hour needs! We also have more and faster shuttles! Just last month we made it to actual double-sized beds for all your double-sized fun. Special features include a hanging medicinal herb garden in the cargo bay complete with bacon-flavored kelp and Officer Snuggles the resident security fox!

Please enjoy your stay. Unless you're The Stalker. There's a sandwich bag waiting for you.]

Comments

[partialities]

True care is very rare in strangers, in my realm. When I came to King's Landing, I could see it very clearly. Growing up in Highgarden, I never realized it but visiting the orphanage houses and the poor - I could see how strange care was for them from someone like me and I am not different than them, not truly. Our circumstances of birth are the only difference between us.

[ she frowns, looks down at her work ]

It was simply very difficult to come to grasp that they found care to be foreign. Our realm has been at war for far too long, I think we have all been victims of it.

[winn]

[ he sighs softly, because that's a difficult one. he thinks back to his own childhood, to how to this day he treats every crumb of caring thrown his way like a life line, even though he's been given plenty of it since he first managed to distance himself from the toyman name. that fear never leaves a person, not really. ]

When people are down on their luck, or they've been mistreated for a long time, it can get difficult for them to trust in care, in kindness, especially from someone who bares any similarities - even superficial ones like a last name - to the people they blame. But deep down, that's what we all want. It's not easy, but if you don't give up on people - eventually they'll see who you really are. And when you fight for someone...when you don't give up on them even though it's hard, what you're doing is telling them that they're worthwhile. That's not something they'll ever forget.

[ he puts a gentle hand on hers, his own way of saying I'm fighting for you. ]

[partialities]

I do wish to be a queen. I suppose this - funny little realm made me understand I need to deserve being one. It cannot be enough to be - beautiful and charming and with the right name.

[ she smiles a little and presses her hand to his ]

thank you.

[winn]

No, governing takes a lot out of you.

[ he returns the smile, because he knows she knows that but still. she's only 16. this shouldn't be on her shoulders. ]

Anytime. You can always call me if you need to talk.

[partialities]

[ she nods, and then gasps a little, hand moving to cover her mouth ]

have I interrupted your schedule, somehow? are you here to visit Kitty?

[winn]

[ he laughs, taking his hand back and shaking his head fondly. ]

I'm the one who came into your room, so if anyone's interrupting -

[partialities]

My door is open for a reason.

[ a gentle reminder ]

but you usually visit the ship for a specific reason.

[ evidently amused ]

[winn]

[ oh dear god, is he being teased by a 16 year old?

you know the worst part?

it's working. it flusters him. he lets out a soft chuckle. ]

Yeah well, I love Kitty, but both of us need time with our friends, too. Can't have her getting sick of me -

[partialities]

[ airily, she asks ]

are you betrothed?

[winn]

[ he isn't even drinking anything, but still he chokes. ]

Wha - no. No. [ he laughs and shakes his head ] We haven't even been together for two months -

[partialities]

Been together?

[ she arches an eyebrow ]

You mean courting? it is a long time to be courting anyone.

[ mayhaps she enjoys feigning this level of naivety ]

[winn]

[ oh god. maybe he can just. say yes. let her think that that's what they're doing. he really doesn't want to have this talk with a 16 year old girl.

but then, he and kitty are hardly shy about their public displays of affection, and all she has to do is be near enough kitty's room at night when they're staying on the windrose to figure out their private displays of affection.

maybe he can still just go ahead and say 'yes'. ]

No, I mean -- dating. That's what people do in - my world. We're still getting to know each other. Getting engaged is something people do after years together.

[partialities]

years!

[ she has to chuckle. it's very odd and honestly, she does see the humor in it ]

No lord in my realm has ever courted a lady for years. dating, you say? men in your world must have an abundance of patience.

[ and then, slyly ]

Unless - are ladies allowed to show affection towards men they are - dating? before the wedding?

[winn]

[ oh god no he is not having this conversation HE IS NOT HAVING THIS CONVERSATION!!! he's going to his happy place!!!

his face provides all the answers she could possibly need. ]

Ladies are allowed to do whatever they want so long as both sides are consenting adults. Uh. But. Maybe. You'd rather talk to a lady about that?

[ save him from this conversation, there are so many potholes!!! ]

[partialities]

I shan't ask a lady. Any lady would assume I am passing judgement on their behavior of I ask something of this manner. I do not mind it, truly. I find it very liberal that women can share beds with men before wedlock without shaming themselves.

[ but this is so much fun ]

[winn]

[ stop the bullying 2016! ]

Depends on how you ask it -- [ but he can't really recommend anyone for her to talk to about this because he doesn't want her discussing his sex life with any of his friends either, oh god.

how is this his life. he tries to do right by people! ]

Look I'm - I'm not gonna tell you that my world's perfect and that all these perceptions are in the past because a. that'd be a lie and b. Kara has a mean throwing arm - [ and that's the sort of thing that definitely gets stuff thrown at you. for good reason! but still. ] But reasonable people get that so long as people are aware, consenting, and happy with what they're doing - there's no reason to judge.

[partialities]

I will be the last to think of something as terrible as judging people for being happy. Especially here, so far from home. I can see how such connections and -- affections can be very comforting.

[ a small, pointed smile. ]

[winn]

You know, it's really impressive how open minded you are.

[ he smiles a little; change of subject yes please! but it's true. she's nobility, not known for their progressive thinking anywhere he's ever heard of, and from a very backwards sounding world - and still she's taking to all these modern concepts naturally and gracefully. ]

I think that's a great quality for a queen.

[partialities]

I try to be practical about it. I married once but Renly and I never had a chance to - consummate, the battles and the war kept his attention.

[ and loras, of course. margaery hadn't minded. she needed to warm his bed long enough to produce an heir and carrying a babe in a miltary encampment did not seem like a clever idea. ]

I think it might be more pleasing if both sides had some experience.

[ s h r u g ]

[winn]

[ with a frozen smile on his face, he shakes his head slightly.

oh dear god he does not want to be here right now. ]

Yeah -- that's definitely a 'girl talk' topic.

[partialities]

[ she starts to giggle ]

I'm only teasing you.

[ but good lord ]

You should see your face, you've gone pale.

[winn]

Beats going red -

[ he shrugs. he is not cut out to have this conversation with anyone, let alone margaery. ]

[partialities]

What I truly meant to say was - I am glad you are happy. It is good to see people here find a measure of happiness, despite of everything.

[ her smile, while pointed before, turns gentle now, honesty coloring the ends of her words ]

[winn]

[ here. that's always the catch. they're only guaranteed this happiness as long as they're both still here. if one of them disappears, that happiness will turn into its equal opposite. but he only entertains that fear for less than a heartbeat. he's happy now, that's what matters.

his own smile turns warm, some of that color starting to creep back into his face. ]

Thanks, Margaery. But you know, friendship makes me really happy too. [ ... ] Well, usually. When it's not being used against me.

[partialities]

Forgive me, I should have been kinder.

[ she doesn't entirely regret it but she does soften it by admitting ]

if it is a comfort, I haven't laughed so since I've left Highgarden.