The Old Palace's Courtyard

Ser Elyas Sand sat at the courtyard's edge, shaded from the sun which now lay low in the sky.

Princess Sarella had adjourned her court for the day, and Elyas was temporarily free from his duties. This time was Elyas' favorite part of the day, for should he find himself sitting at the courtyard's edge, with his blade and whetstone, it meant that he had fulfilled his duties of protecting the princess for another day. Further, it was here, alone with only his blade and thoughts that the knight felt most at ease. At court, he was aware of an unspoken tension, as his past actions lingered in the minds of many present, and he found himself frequently treated to scornful glances, which he did his best to ignore, devoting his energies to ensuring none present were attempting to harm the Princess he had sworn to defend. At court, Elyas possessed no means to defend himself from the judgements of those who doubted his worth, but for continuing to do his utmost to fulfill his duties. Here however, he could allow his blade to silence any doubters of his skill. As he moved the whetstone along the edge of the blade he gazed out at the setting sun, lost in his remembrance of another day in which all he had known had been consumed by the flames wrought by another Princess.

The knight's jaw set and a faint scowl appeared on his face, as he continued to sharpen the blade he was determined to one day make good use of.

Elyas glanced up from his work, and favored Dalt with a nod.

"Perhaps I do." He allowed. "But I would prefer to be overly diligent than wield a dull blade in the defense of our Princess." He smiled slightly at Ser Aurane, but his eyes remained neutral. He ran is finger along the edge of the blade as he spoke, drawing a cut along the index finger of his left hand. Some blood leaked out of the tiny cut, ignored by Ser Elyas as he appraised Aurane, awaiting the knight's response.

"Surely it would not." Elyas nodded. "But it is not my duty to please him."

Elyas saw no harm in accepting Aurane's offer. He did not expect the Princess would require his services that evening, and if, Gods forbid something was to happen to Sarella, it would do him no harm to have made a favorable impression with her heir.

He rose, pocketing the whetstone and sheathing the sword carefully. "But you are correct that the blade is sufficiently sharp, and I shall accept your gracious invitation."

"My loneliness has never been my choice." Elyas replied simply, with a faint hint of repressed anger in his voice, leaving whatever else he was thinking unspoken.

There was a brief silence before Elyas tackled Aurane's question, his voice neutral again. "On occasion, I have missed Skyreach." he replied, matching Aurane's step. "But were I to return now, it would not be the same. Empty halls and broken dreams would be all that would greet me. I swore an oath that made Sunspear my home, and that is how it must be."

 

"That is most noble of him." Ser Elyas replied, sounding sincere. "But while you are no doubt aware of the objections I have made concerning the fate of my relatives in the past, I now feel I must still my tongue in acknowledgement of the grace the Princess has shown in her treatment of me. I commend Trystane for his efforts, however."

"I could not agree more." Elyas replied. "For that reason I am sure to keep my blade sharp. One day I pray to be given the opportunity to face one of the dragons, or the beasts that ride them. The Gods, I hope, will approve of the removal of such blights from the world. But as you have said, I doubt I shall have cause to go looking for such a conflict. The pride of our foes will compel them to attempt to avenge their recent failure. I will fight alongside any man, Trystane included, who stands to defend Dorne from the devastation that they would unleash."

"I have heard the battle was terrible," Elyas replied quietly. "and I regret that I was not present to do my part. You have my condolences where your brother is concerned, I myself have lost a sibling to Targaryen pride. As you have said, we cannot bow to murderers."

The second part of Elyas's answer required a bit more thought. "In Sunspear? I have cause to be happy, of that I am sure. I cannot claim to have experienced true joy, however, for some time now. Yet perhaps that is down to a fault of my own in thinking too much on the past and not enough on the present."

"I do not know." Elyas replied with a troubled frown. "Truly. Other men may find their happiness in wine or women, but such pursuits have never brought me the same joy. I can assume that avenging the wrongs wrought on me by the Targaryens would bring me pleasure, although I have yet had the opportunity to enjoy it. Apart from that, fulfilling my duties satisfies me, although I do not think it would be fair to compare such sentiments with the happiness you are referring to."

Elyas was momentarily silent before adding a final comment. "I think I would be better able to find pleasure were the specter of my past was not draped constantly over my shoulders like an ill fitting cloak."

"I never knew my mother." Elyas replied, omitting his other biological parent from the discussion. "Lord Fowler did his best to raise me, and I have no complaints about how he did, but he is my uncle. Of my immediate family I have only ever known my sister, and now she is dead. Family always seemed to me an uncomfortable topic, even before the I was left alone in the world, so I have not spared much thought to the theoreticals of siring one. In any event, I will not sire a child unless I marry, and given my bastardy and reputation, my prospects in that field are rather bleak."

"I suppose it will. I am no great drinker." Elyas acknowledged. "So you had needn't worry about my remaining..."coiled" as you say, for long."

Elyas ignored what he perceived to be a poorly worded remark on the part of Aurane. What does he think to be the right sort of girl for me? he wondered, moderately annoyed. I can't imagine she's highborn. Elyas was used to such unintentional degrading remarks as a highborn bastard, and he didn't believe Aurane had intended to offend, so he simply followed Dalt into the tower.

After a short while, he was joined by Ser Olyvar and Lady Catelyn, and a troop of fifty Martell men led by Prince Trystane himself, who was armoured in scale, his companions likewise, all with coverings to protect their heads from the son.

"Let's go," Trystane commanded. He called Elyas up to ride alongside him. "Remember your orders," he whispered. "An hour's ride from Sunspear, you'll discover your horse has caught a stone in his shoe and will leave my party, accompanied by Ser Olyvar and Lady Catelyn. You will then carry out the orders I have given you."