Only A Northern Song ~ Game of Thrones / Willas Tyrell ~

Chapter Twenty Four: Honeymoon

"I shouldn't be so jealous," Leonette grumbled as she sat on the edge of Eddmina's bed, watching as the northern woman folded her dresses up into the small trunk at the foot of the bed.

"Yet you are," Eddmina commented, rolling her eyes jokingly. "Did Ser Garlan never take you away for a honeymoon?"

"If you mean a few weeks with the Hightowers in Old Town then technically yes, but we never took a trip to the sea," Leonette sighed dramatically. "You don't know how lucky you are, getting to go away for at least a month. Meanwhile I'll be here, lonely, with no one for company but dearest Grandmother,"

Eddmina let out a quiet laugh at Leonette's dramatics, continuing with her packing. With nearly three weeks since the wedding, Willas had suggested one night that the two of them take a trip away. It was an idea brought on by Eddmina telling him that she'd ever really seen the sea before, only rivers and ponds, and Willas had decided they needed to immediately rectify that. The plan was that the two of them, escorted by a small Tyrell guard, would ride west along the Ocean Road to the coast and stay in a small inn by the sea. Willas told her he had written ahead and made all the arrangements, booking them the largest room for at least a month. He'd told her that they may as well take the opportunity to take the trip just the two of them while they still had the excuse of being newlyweds, before they were expected to take on any sort of proper responsibility around High Garden.

The thought of it just being the two of them for such a long stretch of time after so long of being surrounded by so many others was thrilling. They'd never truly been allowed proper time to themselves, constantly having to please the traditions of others, but with this trip that would all change. They'd made plans to go swimming, ride their horses along the coast, and sit out on the beach and watch the stars. They'd already made a habit of that, often sneaking out of the keep along the dirt path to lay out on the grass by the Mander and watch the sun set. It had become her favourite part of the day, especially when Willas would wrap his arm around her waist and hold her close, pushing kisses to her hairline and temple as she rested her head on his shoulder. Each sunset they watched together she felt the two of them growing closer, and hoped that the trip would do the same.

She truly did care for Willas, she had realised a few nights ago. As the two of them walked back to the keep in the darkness, Willas had been whistling a tune, and she realised it was one she'd heard him humming quite a few times, only then noticing it was the tune of the song she'd sang all those months ago in the inn when Garlan had found her the lute. It amazed her that Willas could remember it, and she'd felt completely stunned by how much she respected and admired him. She knew what she felt for him wasn't quite love, not yet, and she was nowhere near ready to even consider saying those words to him, but she was willing to explore her feelings for him. She hoped that during the trip Willas would feel the same and the two of the would gain physical as well as emotional closeness, considering they hadn't made love for a while.

Eddmina had at first worried that their talk of not wanting children had made him want to abstain from sleeping with her properly, because it wasn't like they lacked in passion. Some nights he kissed her until she was breathless, and he told her she was beautiful enough for her to know he found her physically attractive. Some nights when he pulled apart from their kisses she found herself irritated by how much she wanted him to continue, wishing that he would make the next move, so she just hoped that by being alone, just the two of them with no other distractions, perhaps they could gain some sort of intimacy.

"I might suggest to Garlan that we visit Cider Hall while you're gone, I haven't been home for at least a year," Leonette said as if she was thinking out loud. "At least that way I'm not stuck here without decent company,"

"I think you'll find me excellent company," Margaery's voice called, feigning hurt as she leant in the doorway, smirking at the two of them. "When do you leave, Edd?"