driftfleet | 01. Oh not this again.

Entry tags:

01. Oh not this again.

Who: Gendry
Broadcast: Nope
Action: SS Golden, Planetside
When: Today and June/July

The Golden

He hadn't been on the Marsiva all that long, but he had been on the vast ship long enough to come to the conclusion he didn't care for it at all. The food was strange and it all reminded him a little too much of the Station, which he'd never really liked all that much in the first place. More than that, he'd noticed how different things were around here. It reminded him of blood granite, though he didn't really mind that part all that much. All that business with Shards had always been an enormous headache equal only to the amount of times he banged his forehead in the tunnels of Troichean Beinn. Still, he hadn't been prepared for being in space. He hadn't figured out how to deal with that, so he'd made the decision not to.

When he arrived on the Golden to fanfare and annoying bits of confetti, the first thing he did was scowl. The second thing he did was find a direction to glare at and then scowl a little bit more. It was not that Gendry was extremely upset, it was just that brooding was something of an art form for him and he was at his best when boiling in sullen silence. All thanks to a bit of a chip in his head, he now knew exactly what he ought to be doing. So after mumbling his greetings to anyone who just so happened to be about to welcome him, he found himself in the engineering room. There were a few tense moments where he tried to grasp exactly what it is he was looking at, why he seemed to know so much about it, and if that was the sort of thing it was worth getting worried about. In the end, he decided that as long as he had valid reasons for hitting, then he might as well get on with it. There was a valve that he could instinctively see needed a great deal of banging, so he did.

Don't Hug Me I'm Scared

By the time the first native had got around to giving him a reassuring hug, Gendry had concluded that he now knew of three worlds he held a deep contempt for, which coincidentally happened to be all of the ones he'd experienced so far. But it was better than the ship, so he simply took extra care to watch that no one got close enough for any unexpected proximity. After spending a few hours wandering about the market area of one of the primary settlements, Gendry had found exactly where he ought to be. He'd found a smithy and after talking up his own experience (he'd apprenticed with dwarves after all!), he'd found himself gainfully employed and under the incredibly misguided idea that he had simply found a new planet to live on, this was how the rest of his life was going to be, and that he'd better just decide to be happy with it because that's simply how it was.

Rather than engineering as he was supposed to be, Gendry spent quite a lot of time making whatever was required of him, though it generally tended to be of the more mundane tool-like variety. When he wasn't working, he was finding places to buy his meals, trekking back to his private treehouse in an attempt to avoid risky hugs, and not actually paying all that much attention to the forests because he'd only just been in a world chock full of magical forests and this one didn't really seem all that exceptional to him.

(ooc: Gendry will just be here and there, trying to start his life entirely over because this is just the sort of thing that tends to happen to him. Find him at a smith, or out shopping, or trying to shoo little native children from trying to hug his leg because why)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ The Atroma loved Westeros.

It was a conclusion drawn by most people, truly. There were so many of them, royalty and nobility and lords and ladies, all present here, scattered between the ships. The largest clan was the Stark one, of course, the northern wolves united at last in a place none of them shall understand. Margaery, however, from her first day and until now, had been on her own.

There are some fools who might think, a rose plucked out of its earth shall soon wilt, but the little queen had grown new roots and her days here have been mostly happy. there was a longing for home, a hunger for success so she may return but in a game such is this, expressing those emotions would have been silly and so instead, smiles.

Here is another, she thought when she saw him for he reminded her of a man she was once wedded to. Not nearly as charming, however, she thought and rose only to kneel upon the ground, opening her arms ]

Who shall be the first to give me an embrace?

[ she takes them all, laughs happily as they run near, bringing them close, inhaling dirt and sand and the salty smell of the sea, registering the happy little memories. They might see her own, might see Highgarden on a long summer day, might see her with her cousins, laughing and splashing water by the Mander. She will lift the smallest one into her arms, brush the hair away from his forehead ]

I have a game in mind - I have a dance and a hug reserved to the one who shall find me the most beautiful sea shell. I shall name him my champion. I wonder who is the fastest of you all.

[ it all it takes to send them flying, running barefoot towards the seaside and she smiles and turns to him ]

And am I your champion from saving you from the threat of affection?

[Gendry watched with relief to see them all run off and to be freed of them. Given how close he had been to tossing them away and potentially causing injury, it was well for all that Gendry was relieved of the burden. He huffed out a relieved sigh and watched as they all went running off. It was only then that he turned to see his apparent rescuer.

Oh. He was suddenly struck of uncomfortable memories of his uncle convincing him to dinner, of awkwardly dressing up in silks and velvets, and of attending a meal with what he supposed was meant to be his... aunt? He suddenly grimaced, not at all prepared for how he was prepared to deal with that. After his encounter with Sansa Stark, he was fully prepared to have to deal with her not recognizing him. If he was fortunate, she might not mistake him for Renly as that huge woman from Tarth had.]

I could've done for them. [Grudgingly though:] ... but you've got my thanks. If you can stand to make good on that promise of yours.

[ he does so look like renly but margaery's eyes are keen and she sees the subtle differences even before he begins to speak. The way he carries himself is different, the way he shies from those children - something renly would not have done. they are strikingly similar but not one and the same.

renly has not sired any sons but this, this must be a baratheon, she would wager half her credits on that. Her smile sharpens into a little grin at his words. ]

A dance and a hug are not such a big promise to keep nor a dreadful one.

[ she tilts her head ]

Worry not, you shall not have to dance nor hug.

[ a smile and ]

My name is Margaery.

[She leaves him as flustered as she ever did. Women were difficult enough all on their own, but it was made all the worse when they had to be like this. It'd be easier, he thought, if she weren't pretty. A dull looking girl wouldn't make him even think about hugs and dancing.

Managing to not maintain eye contact whatsoever, he turned his attention to a rustling leaf roughly three feet to the right of Margaery's head. This made conversation a little more manageable.]

Gendry, m'lady. And it's just as well. I ain't ever learned to dance proper. [A lie. There had been a very pretty girl who'd taught him that, even if he'd never got any good at it.]

[ she does have to smile even more brightly, at that. he is not quite like Renly, quieter and more awkward on his feet, the way he would not look at her. ]

Gendry, you must name me Margaery, it would please me so.

[ and what sort of trouble are you tangling yourself at with this lie, ser? ]

Never? then I must teach you.

[Gendry was at that moment very dubious. Not only at the idea of calling her by name (though she'd insisted the same in the past), but because he didn't feel that dancing with her was the sort of thing that was going to go well.

He frowned.]

I don't think that's a good idea. Won't your husband mind?

[ she looks at him for a moment. does he not know renly has passed? and if he speaks of joffrey, the same thought will apply. margaery tyrell is twice wedded and twice widowed. she smiles, takes a step forward ]

I doubt he would have mind, he does allow me to dance, there is little harm in that. He - is not here with us, on the fleet, I fear his duties have kept him away. There are others, however. You may have met them.

[ if he does not know, she would not grieve him with the news. not now. not like this. ]

[He knew Renly's ultimate fate, but he'd become so used to his presence that it was easy to forget what he might have ultimately returned to. Gendry imagined he was still in the Drabwurld, probably being particularly smug and grinning about things.]

Aye, I've seen some of the Starks about. They the only other ones here?

[ a sweet thought, is it not? she has learned of that odd little world from one hermione granger and had envied her for having live there, with both renly and loras; how happy her brother must have been, to find his love anew and how much margaery misses the both of them, here. ]

There is a Lannister and two Greyjoys, and a queen of dragons.

[His expression darkens at the mention of Lannister. The notion of Greyjoys barely even registers, as he is not well versed enough in the great houses to even know who they are.

Queen of Dragons, though. He knows that one.]

Are her dragons here? With her?

[When he'd seen them, they had been very small. But he'd seen a dragon as big as a castle and although it had been dying at the time, he found the idea deeply unsettling that these beasts might be here now.]

No, she is on her own, I trust, in a certain alliance with Tyrion Lannister but there are no dragons.

[ echoing his line of thought, she adds ]

It would have been quite a challenge, those ships are not nearly large enough and I do not know if the metal responds well to dragon fire.

[ though it could get high ratings, so maybe one day. ]

[He frowns thoughtfully.]

If it can melt stone, it would make quick work of those ships. No matter what sort of metal they are.

[He'd seen Harrenhal and how the stone looked melted. A memory like that had a lasting effect and the thought she'd allied herself with a Lannister was not ideal.]

And what of you. If she's gone over to the Lannisters, does that mean you've gone with them?

Edited 2016-07-02 21:34 (UTC)

A Lannister.

[ she corrects but her voice softens ]

Tyrion Lannister quite unlikes his sister and brother. I do not fault him she does so seem keen on having his head given to her. I do not think he cares much for the interest of the other lions, not anymore.

[ but she shakes his head ]

He has been kind to me, the dragon queen has been honorable but my heart is elsewhere and it is very keen on someone else.

[He could not confess to know a great deal about the Lannisters, other than all the trouble they'd caused him by trying to hunt him down. He hadn't known why at the time, but it had seemed to be some sort of purge against all of the king's bastards. He didn't really know why he should exclude Tyrion from that number.

Besides, he had loathed that name for knowing him as Sansa's husband. Margaery's explanation did nothing to change his opinion.]

Kind ain't the same thing as good. [And what did honor matter? Some highborn notion, as far as he was concerned.] Who's this someone else? [Tact: he hasn't got it.]

A friend who gave me many happy hours in King's Landing. You might know her. Lady Sansa Stark, she is my dearest friend here.

[ they understand each other well, better now than they did in king's landing. Whatever happened to Sansa since their days of joint walks and flower picking, she has become even sharper but the kindness beneath remained. ]

If ever I shall go anywhere, it would be to her.

[It seemed to all come back to Sansa. It did not make him scowl, but the thick carapace he kept around himself seemed to harden that much more. After all, he'd done the exact opposite of what she professed.]

I know her. [A brief pause before adding:] Least I used to.

Have you known each other at Westeros?

[ a little arch of an eyebrow. Sansa never mentioned a young, handsome man, she would have to scold her for it. If there is anything that needs repeating and justifies a good gossiping session, it's a young, handsome man. ]

She is well, here. Have you met her, already?

I've met her, aye. Not in Westeros, though. [This is an incredibly uncomfortable subject for him, which he does a terrible job of hiding.] She doesn't remember.

This realm is very odd in its ways. There are many here who remember certain events that others do not.

[ for example, a certain husband choking to death in a wedding that didn't even happen yet, hah. ]

Mayhaps you may yet make new memories.

[He shakes his head.]

No. There's no sense in that. You can't wash out the old ones.

[New memories were fine, so long as they were with new people.]

You cannot.

[ an agreement. it would have been simpler if one could, she supposes. but all the magic of the world does not seem to do so for everyone. some remember certain things, others do not. ]

Would you wish them to be?

[This he stumbles on and an answer, no matter how blunt or rude it could have been, does not come immediately. It would be easier if he didn't have to remember everything, but... there had been parts that were happy and had been good. These were not things he would want to lose.

He shakes his head.]

They're a part of me now. It's like asking if I could give up a hand just because I've lost a favorite glove.

[ she looks at him with a little smile before deciding ]

You are quite the interesting man, Gendry.

[ it is easier than telling him she finds his answer to be very sweet. somehow, she has a feeling that might not be the best course to choose. ]

Shall we walk a little? I'd like to hear of your impressions of this little situation. What ship are you assigned to?

[He fell into step, though he did so with reluctance. It wasn't that he couldn't enjoy the company of someone like Margaery, but it was that he had absolutely no idea what he was expected to do about it.]

The Golden. I ain't been on it more than a few hours. Yours?

[This was well practiced conversational skills at work! He didn't actually care what ship she was on, but he knew it was expected that he should ask.]

The Windrose, for several moon cycles now, since I have arrived. It seemed fitting.

[ almost as if the atroma had a sense of humor that was not entirely cruel. ]

I do not think I know many of the Golden's crew, you would have to tell me if they are kind.

01. Oh not this again.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)