The Queen of Love and Beauty
The wedding had taken place the night before, feasting and drinking into the morning, it had been a grand event, Tion had given the bride a dress made of cloth of gold, something that had cost a fortune to produce. He had originally thought of giving it to Ellyn, but had decided against it, rather finding her another gift for when they returned to Casterly Rock, or the best one at the end of today and declare her the queen of love and beauty. Jacelyn had smiled when he gave her the gift, but he felt a bit odd as he gave it to her. The bedding had been the first of such event that Tion had attended and he had found it to be immensely fun. Jacelyn had been hesitant at first but was eventually persuaded by her husband. Tion had helped carry the bride, during which the behavior of Edric Baratheon surprising him, with Edric being overly touching. Ellyn had stayed away from the bedding ceremony, sitting at the Lannister table and just enjoying the show. Ellyn and Tion had danced many times during that night, staying up late and enjoying the feast. When they arrived back at their tent it didn't take long before Ellyn collapsed in the bed and fell asleep, she barely got undressed before it. Tion had sat down in the tent, drinking a bit of wine as he removed his boots before going in to join her, finding her already asleep as he joined her, falling asleep almost as quickly as he closed his eyes.
In the morning a servant entered the tent, the servant was dressed in red with the Lannister crest on his chest. He went over and placed a hand on Tion’s shoulder as he spoke in a low voice to wake up his lord. Tion slowly opened his eyes, he was tired as he looked up and the servant bowed, leaving the room of the tent to go out to prepare his bath. He crept up against Ellyn enjoying the softness of her skin, not wanting to get up before he finally managed to gather the will, he kissed her neck before carefully moving away from her and out of the bed. The tent had already been lit and was warm, something that Tion was grateful for, the servants made life easier and more comfortable. He dreaded the thought of having to wake up in a cold tent. He could walk right from bed and into a bath, the water was still warm, with steam coming up. He sat down in the bath, taking half a minute to adjust to the heat of the water. Leaning back and slowly waking up. A servant came over to him, giving him a glass with pomegranate juice which he slowly began to drink as he relaxed himself, thinking of the day to come. As the water began to cool down, he in turn began to scrub himself until he was clean. He stood up from the bath and the servant came over, handing him a towel made from silk and linen, ever so soft to the touch.
He wrapped the towel around himself as he went back into the main room of the tent, going over and sitting in a chair, his hair still somewhat wet, drops of water running down his chest and back as the servants brought Tion’s breakfast. Freshly baked bread, still warm as Tion took a piece off it. Another servant brought some sausages while a third came with eggs. Tion ate slowly, taking his time to enjoy the food. When he was nearly full he stood up and taking a last piece of bread, he dismissed the servants as he went back into the part of the tent where they slept, not wanting a servant to accidentally wake up Ellyn. Tion sat down and let the towel fall down as he began taking on the clothes which he would wear beneath the armor.
When Ellyn finally did wake up she didn’t say anything, taking a moment to lie on the soft bed, under the warm blankets that kept out the cold, and observe Tion as he prepared for the day. He had truly grown into a man over the last year, no one could deny that. He had grown at least a head taller and powerful muscles rippled under his skin which had not been there when she had first brought him into her bed. She smiled at the thought of how well he had fought, and how powerful he had looked, during the melee. “Good morning Tion,” she said sweetly. “Preparing for the day so soon?”
He turned to her with a warm smile as he sat over to the side, taking his shirt over his head. “I have to be there early, to prepare for the joust.” He pouted. “Not that I don't want to stay here.” He said before going over to his armor as he slowly began taking it on, first the legs, then the armguard as he sat there tying it looking towards her. “Did you sleep well? You seemed very tired last night.”
“Very,” she said slowly as she managed to make her way up off the bed, pulling the thick fur blankets around herself in a loose approximation of a cloak, albeit one that left little to the imagination. “I am sure you will do wonderfully today,” Ellyn said as she approached him. “Are you feeling confident?” She asked seriously, standing tall and proud as if she were a queen before her subjects, rather than nearly naked in a tent.
He looked her up and down smiling, enjoying the sight before him before as he stood up and embraced her, kissing her deeply as he held her close. “And you will be the Queen of Love and Beauty.”
“Promises, promises,” she mused as she helped him with the straps. “Though if your performance so far is any indication perhaps that is more than an empty promise. I must admit, I would feel sorry for the new lady Baratheon,” she said with a wicked smile that made clear that she would feel no such thing. “It is her day after all.”
Tion chuckled as he now stood up in his armor, the black and grey steel together with the crimson red leather and clothes, giving light to the golden lions emitting off the armor, looking everything like a lion himself as he stood in it. “True, perhaps I should simply crown her anyway, hopefully it is her only wedding day.” He said with a taunting smile.
Ellyn’s lips curled into a smile as she admired the armor before walking across the room to where her own clothes were. “Oh, no that wouldn't do at all. You would insult poor Ormund. Best to just crown me as you planned, besides, it will be good practice for our own wedding tourney.”
“But surely the lady’s happiness and joy at her wedding is more important than Ormund’s honour, or our happiness.” He said as he looked at her with a playful smile, letting out a small laugh. “Of course you shall be crowned, but you will have to give a proper reward.”
“Oh,” Ellyn asked with well practiced wide-eyed innocence. “What sort of reward would my lord expect?” She allowed the furs to slowly, teasingly drop to the floor as she spoke. “But then of course,” she said, her tone turning more authoritative, “Perhaps my lord is getting ahead of himself yet, he still has yet to win after all.” She reached for one of her dresses, an expensive piece made of scarlet silk and threaded silver. She looked up at Tion holding the dress up to cover herself. “And if not, do you think that maybe Ormund would like a reward?”
Tion looked at her, but his smile faded as she finished talking. “I'm sure he will be rewarded plenty by his wife.” Tion shook his head. “May I at least wear your favour until I grant you a crown?” He said as he looked at the edges of the dress that didn't cover her.
“Of course you will Tion,” Ellyn said as she detached a lacy silver ribbon from the sleeve of her dress, setting the rest aside as she approached him, disappointed to see his smile had fled at her playfulness. “And do not frown like that, I only jest. You know that you are the only knight worthy of my rewards.” She spoke sweetly before raising up on her toes to kiss his cheek before pressing the ribbon into his hand.
He gave her a smile as he took the ribbon. “I know.” he said as he returned her kiss before leaving the tent. He was one of the only few lords out at this time, most were still waking up in their beds or enjoying their relaxation. Some were of course up already, but most servants and lesser knights being awake at this time. As he finally reached the jousting area he entered the tent that had been prepared for him and his servants, it was a young Prester boy who was his squire at this event, he had been up earlier than Tion to make his master proud and had polished Tion’s weapons. Tion took a look at his horse as well as his weapons before picking one up and taking the horse out to the jousting pit, riding around it and getting comfortable with the surroundings once again. He would swing his swords at targets that his squire held up in preparations for his joust against Baratheon. As the time went on and the people began arriving Tion retreated back into his tent, to do the final preparations for the coming joust.
Ellyn was escorted to a private stand by her brother Roger, who despite the wide variety of scrapes and bruises that he had acquired over the last few days, not all of them in official tournament events, was in quite high spirits after his success in the melee. She wore a thick cloak against the cold and watched with interest as the preparations for the event were made.
Tion smiled when he saw her and before long they were to begin. Tion with his faced covered by his ornate lion helmet rode around in the ring, to the joy of the smallfolk and nobles alike and so did Baratheon. Within moments they sat on their horses, getting ready to charge one another and when the word was given, both of them speed down the jousting ring. They broke lance after lance against each other without a clear winner, but the further they went the more it became clear that Tion was winning and then suddenly, Baratheon was beaten. Tion rode around in the ring, looking as the people cheered him on. He looked at them, not that they could see it through the helmet but eventually he stopped riding, stopping in front Ellyn who he offered the Crown of Love and Beauty to.
Ellyn smiled warmly as he approached, accepting the crown happily and waving to the other lords and ladies who had attended the joust. “Well done Tion.”
Tion nodded to her before he rode around again in the joust for the people gathered, as he rode around he noticed the face and one in particular, that of Jacelyn Baratheon, a look of sadness mixed with anger and disappointment on her face that left him with a bit of a sour taste in his mouth and made him frown. Luckily his helmet covered it and as he rode out of the jousting arena he looked back at Ellyn and his smile returned. At this point many casks were opened and people began drinking again celebrating it all, Tion however was busy gathering his stuff with the servants of Casterly Rock inside the tent.
Eventually, Ellyn found her way to the tents, the crown of roses blood red against her golden locks. She waved a servant away as he mistakenly tried to stop her from entering, her focus entirely on Tion, her bright blue eyes locked on him like a lioness and her prey. “Leave us,” she said definitively, without even shifting her gaze to the servants for a single moment, “I must speak with my champion for a moment…”
The tent was cold, winter was still upon them as the wind went against the sides of the tent, there was a small fire inside but the tent was never meant to be comfortable or be used in longevity. Tion was half lying down in a chair, his feet and lower legs cold from the weather. Ther rest was covered by a thick cloak that ellen had brought with her, which now enveloped both of them as she lay on top of him in the chair beneath the cloak, warming each other and keeping out the cold. After some time, Tion finally spoke “Did Lady Baratheon’s sadness make you happy, seeing you robbed her from being the Queen.” The words that his father had spoken, still ringing in the back of his mind.
Ellyn considered the question, finding it odd post-coital discussion, and nuzzled her head against Tion’s neck. Eventually she answered with a muted shrug. “I wouldn't say that, no… I am happy because you won, you proved yourself skilled and capable, and you are mine. It is the same reason Lady Baratheon is sad, Ormund failed to achieve a victory for her. But I am not happy because she is sad, I am not cruel Tion.”
Tion looked at her with a smile, before it turned playful and his smile going from ear to ear. “Perhaps I should go comfort her instead, now that she is sad.” He responded, hoping to get back at her for the remark she made that morning in regards to Ormund.
Ellyn laughed and hit his chest. “You will do no such thing. Let her failure of a husband attempt to comfort her, you are mine.” She was still for a second before looking up at him. “Which your father still must consent to making official you know. We cannot be like this forever…”
He nodded. “I know you are not cruel, I would never think such a thing.” He said. “But, wait did just call Lord Baratheon a failure, and hit me?” He said with a playful smile before spanking her under the cloak, causing her to yelp in surprise. “See, you did give me a reason afterall.” He leaned a bit more into the chair, into a more comfortable position. “I know, I will speak with my father when we return to Casterly Rock, I heard he had spoken with your brother about the same issue.” He said as he caressed her body.
“What else would you call him? He did not win this lovely crown for his new bride, despite what was presumably his best effort.” Ellyn laughed as she playfully hit his chest again. “And do not do that.” She took a deep breath, followed by a long sigh. “Hopefully this damned winter will be over before we are married.”
“Or what?” He asked with a grin as he looked down over them and the cloak, looking around the tent with a joyful smile. “I don't know, I rather like this, even without a marriage. Travelling here, even back in Casterly Rock spending all the time together, at times having to be quiet to ensure no one finds us just makes it all the better.” he said with a chuckle. “As for the winter, it's nice, not as warm and we have an excuse to spend even more time in bed.”
“Or I will leave you to marry that silly Rowan girl as your father wanted,” Ellyn said softly as she kissed his neck. “As for the winter, it is awful,” Ellyn groaned, snuggling closer. “If you wish to spend all day in bed let it be with light silks and birds singing out your window as flowers bloom. Freezing as I walk from tent to tent is hardly what I would consider pleasant.”
“Seeing you in light silks, barely covering you and seeing through them is certainly something I look forward to.” He as he held her closer. “I could have spared you walking from tent to tent today.” He kissed her cheek. “Winter does agree with you, you have no idea how close I was to forfeiting this morning when I saw you in those furs, just taking you there and forcing you to stay in bed all day.”
“You might have been disappointed with the result had you tried,” Ellyn responded, laughing. “For what would there have been to do without my crown.”
“I have a few ideas, but do you want to know why I didn't?” He asked curiously.
She shook her head uncertainly. “I hope it is because you wanted to win the tourney.”
He laughed. “I did, but not for the glory.” He looked into her eyes with a smug face only befitting a Lannister. “I did it so you would be queen, a queen must serve her king, and I am your king whom you will serve tonight.”
“Ah,” Ellyn said, now that they were at the heart of the matter. She looked up at him with clear enjoyment. “So it was greed and lust that motivated my young lion. You are right though, a queen does serve her king.” As she spoke Ellyn began placing a trail of light kisses from his neck to his chest. Tion smiled as his hand ran through her hair and he leaned back once more.
