who: edwyn stark @etinego where: the gardens
it felt like the gardens were one of the only places where valena could breathe without someone breathing down her neck. from the moment she had left sunspear she had had someone in her ear whispering about how important it was for her to find an advantageous match. though, she had to believe herself to be lucky that her eldest brother had allowed her to hold off on marriage before now. but she had to admit that the pressure made the jewels in her circlet feel like heavy stones that pressed into her forehead. luckily, she’d found that if she sat in the gardens, her retinue wouldn’t worry over her and she could take some time to enjoy the sun, however light and fleeting it was in comparison to home.
on this particular visit, she had found a spot in the sun, backed by some lovely flowers, and set about reading over some correspondence from home. but just because she wasn’t looking around, it didn’t mean that she wasn’t paying attention to her surroundings. a faint rustling among the leaves brought her attention up and her hand darted to where her dagger lay hidden in the folds of her skirt.
“stop hiding in the bushes and show yourself.”