LIMERENCE | II.
MARGAERY TYRELL
Highgarden | 295 a.c.
MARGAERY'S FIRST OBSERVATION of Elinor was that she was beautiful, her skin was perfectly tanned, the type of tan that girls in Highgarden wished for. Her long black hair flowed perfectly over her shoulders, like a waterfall. Her dress was made of beautiful Dornish silk, that just showed off more of Elinor's tan skin.
"She's beautiful," Garlan says from beside her.
"Aren't you promised to someone else?" Margaery asked her brother with a raised eyebrow.
Garlan chuckles, "I may be engaged, but I'm not blind."
"Do you think Willas will like her?" Margaery asked, watching as Elinor placed her hand in Willas's. Her eldest brother brought Elinor's hand to his lips, placing a light kiss on it. Elinor's face flushed red at the gesture.
"I believe so," Garlan says, "She's prettier than any other girl father tried to arrange Willas with."
"There's more to a girl than how she appears," Margaery says, still watching her brother and Elinor.
"What more do you think there is to her?" Garlan asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Margaery shrugged. It was too early to know. Garlan tilted his head as they saw a handsome Dornish man standing beside her.
"What is it?" Margaery asked her brother.
"They don't trust us," Garlan says, "Daemon Sand is with her. He's one of the best swordsmen in Dorne."
Margaery's lips quirked up, "We've learned one thing. The Martells are as skeptical about this match as we are."
"Rightfully so," Garlan says, "But it isn't like we'd harm Elinor."
Margaery looks up at Garlan, "No, but we would have something to hold over their head."
Garlan glances at Margaery, slightly confused, "Is Elinor a hostage?"
"Not that I'm aware of," Margaery says, returning her gaze back to Willas and Elinor, "But it does sound like something grandmother would do."
They watched their older brother as he and Elinor walked side by side, Elinor walking on Willas's good side. They walked at their own leisure, which Elinor didn't seem to mind. She was smiling as she listened to Willas speak. She genuinely seemed interested in whatever he was saying.
"Let's go meet our future sister in law," Margaery says, smiling at Garlan. Her brother shrugs and hold his arm out to her. Margaery accepts and they make their way to meet Willas and the Dornish girl.
Willas immediately noticed his siblings and chuckled, "Elinor, this is my sister Margaery, and my brother, Garlan."
Elinor smiled politely as she curtsied, dropping her head in respect, but Margaery wasn't having it. She moved forward and took Elinor's arm.
"No need for such formalities if we are to be sisters," Margaery told her with a smile.
"She's right," Garlan said, "It's a pleasure to meet you Princess Elinor."
"Oh," Elinor says sheepishly, "Like Lady Margaery said, no need for such formalities. E-Elinor is just fine."
It's the first time Margaery hears Elinor speak and she's surprised to hear that she has an accent. She also doesn't miss Elinor's little stutter. She makes note of it, but feels no need to mention it.
"If you're just Elinor, then I'm just Margaery," Margaery says kindly, "I hope the journey to Highgarden wasn't too long?"
"It was actually quite enjoyable," Elinor says with a smile, "In Dorne, everything is mostly sand. It was nice to see so much green."
"I'm glad," Margaery says, she looks to her brother, "Willas if you don't mind, I'd love to get to know Elinor better."
Willas just smiled and nodded, "You could give her the tour of Highgarden."
Margaery looks at Elinor, "Is that all right with you?"
The Dornish girl nods shyly, "Of course."
Margaery meets Garlan's gaze and winks at her older brother. Taking Elinor on a tour around Highgarden would give her an opportunity to gain a feel for Elinor. She had already made the observation that Elinor seemed shy, but there was a possibility that it was an act.
"We'll leave you to it," Garlan says, offering a parting smile to both girls.
Margaery held her arm out to Elinor, which the foreign girl took. Margaery made the mistake of groaning aloud as she caught sight of her cousins. They had clearly heard of Elinor's arrival and wanted to meet the Dornish princess.
Elinor noticed this and tilted her head, slightly concerned, "Is everything okay?"
Margaery nodded her head, trying to rid Elinor of any concerns she had, "Yes, it's just my cousins. They've been waiting for your arrival, but they can be quite the nuisances."
Elinor lets out a soft laugh., "I don't mind meeting them."
"Are you sure?" Margaery asked, hoping Elinor would change her mind. It was Margaery who dreaded seeing her cousins, especially since she had skipped their needling lessons recently.
"Yes," Elinor says, then a frown falls on her face, "U-unless you don't want to talk to them."
Margaery can see the worry growing in Elinor's eyes and decides that she has to face the music. Highgarden was large, but she couldn't avoid her cousins forever, especially since they were her ladies in waiting.
"No, it's fine," Margaery says reassuringly, "But don't say I didn't warn you."
Margaery leads Elinor over to where her cousins have gathered. Half of them are sitting on a wooden bench under a larger tree, while the other half are sitting around the bench, they're legs stretched out underneath them. Margaery wonders why they always travel in a pack. Why couldn't she ever see one or two of them?
It's Megga who first notices them, her eyes lighting up with excitement as she sees Elinor. She grabs the other girls' attention, as she, in an obvious manner, points Elinor out. Each of the girls rush to their feet, brushing their dresses off as they meet Margaery and Elinor halfway.
Margaery forces a smile as her cousins curtsy before the two of them. Margaery doesn't move to stop them like she had with Elinor earlier.
"Elinor allow me to introduce you to my ladies; Alla, Megga, and Elinor Tyrell. Alysanne Bulwer, Alyce Graceford, Meredyth Crane. Ladies, this is Elinor," Margaery introduces.
"It's a pleasure to meet each of you," Elinor says politely. Margaery notices that Elinor speaks slowly, carefully pronouncing each of her words.
"You as well," Her cousin, Elinor speaks, "I must say that your name is lovely."
Margaery rolls her eyes at her cousin's lame comment. They had the same name, so of course she'd think her name was lovely. She expects a similar reaction from the Dornish girl, but the Martell instead laughs.
"Thank you, your name is lovely as well. Very hard to forget," Elinor teases back.
Margaery's ladies let out girlish giggles and Margaery can't even believe that Elinor is feeding into their nonsense.
"Your hair is lovely Princess Elinor. I wished I had hair like that," Her cousin, Alla said, "It's looks so silky."
"Um, Elinor is fine," the Dornish girl responds, "And trust me, it seems nice but it tangles so easily."
"How long did it take for you to tan?" Megga says, "My skin just burns in the sun."
Elinor lets out an awkward laugh, "My s-skin has always been like this."
"Really?" Megga asks surprised, "Dorne must be amazing."
"Margaery where were you yesterday?" Megga asked, turning her attention to Margaery. Meeting the gaze of her plump cousin, Margaery frowns. She had no reason to bring it up, other than getting a rise out of Margaery.
"I have to show Elinor around Highgarden, you'll be able to spend more time with her later," Margaery says, instead of answering. She places her hand on Elinor's back, guiding her away.
"T-they seem nice," Elinor stuttered. Margaery didn't miss the frustrated sigh that came after. Once again, Margaery simply ignored it. If she brought it up, Elinor would only be uncomfortable. She found it to be endearing, a girl that came from such a bold and brazen family was so gentle and timid.
"They can be a handful sometimes," Margaery says smiling kindly, "But they mean well."
Elinor silently nods, until they reach the gardens. There's a look of awe on Elinor's face as she takes in the abundant amount of flowers.
"The gardens here are lovely," Elinor said as she admired a rose. Margaery observed her, noticing that Elinor's movements were always hesitant.
"I'm guessing you have gardens in Dorne?" Margaery asked with interest. From what she had heard, Dorne was nothing but desert. Elinor smiled as she turned toward Margaery.
"We do, but they aren't as diverse," Elinor frowns and Margaery assumes that it's from thinking of her home. She doesn't know why, but Margaery feels the need to make Elinor relax around her. The other girl seemed to tense, so afraid, Margaery just wanted her to relax.
"What did you used to do in Dorne?" Margaery asked.
"I'd watch my sisters fight a lot," Elinor said, a hint of a smile on her lips, "Though my father never allowed them to use swords."
When Elinor said fight, she thought of an argument as siblings typically did, especially since Elinor had five sisters.
Margaery didn't hide her surprise, "Your father allowed them to fight? As men do?"
Elinor nodded, "I sometimes tried as well, but I was never good."
"You used to fight?" Margaery said, a laugh escaping her. It was hard to see Elinor fighting. She seemed so well mannered and shy.
Elinor laughed at the surprised look on Margaery's face, "Is that hard to believe?"
"Just a little," Margaery says, "You seem so polished."
"I-I'm not polished," Elinor says, her cheeks flushing, "I like to ride horses and watch jousting matches. I can always tell you who's going to win."
Margaery laughs, "Is that true?"
"I promise you," Elinor says with a laugh, "My sister taught me to p-pay attention to little details. So now it's like I have f-foresight on these things."
Margaery notices as Elinor gets more eager, she stutters more. However, for the first time since she's met Elinor, the other girl doesn't seem frustrated with herself. In fact, she's seems patiently awaiting Margaery's reply.
"Well, there'll be a joust in a couple of months, I'd love for you to show me this magical foresight," Margaery teases earning a laugh from Elinor.
"I will," Elinor says, "What about you?"
Margaery raises an eyebrow, "What about me?"
"What is it that you do in Highgarden?" Elinor asks, and Margaery can tell that she's slowly retreating into herself.
"I enjoy the festivals Highgarden has to offer, as well as visiting the common people," she offers Elinor a small comforting smile, "I also enjoy riding horses."
Margaery can see the small smile on Elinor's face. She comes to the conclusion that Elinor has no ill intent in Highgarden than to win the affection of her brother. Elinor was sweet, but she was not a force to be reckoned with. Something told Margaery that if push came to shove, Elinor would be easy to manipulate.
She held her arm out to Elinor as she did earlier, "Come. I'm sure my brother misses you."
Elinor accepted, allowing Margaery to lead her through the gardens as she had earlier.
/***\
"Tell me about that Dornish girl," Margaery heard her grandmother demand. Olenna Tyrell didn't seem to care about Elinor's presence a court, but that didn't change the fact that she was still weary of her.
"Not much to tell," Margaery said taking a seat, "She's kind, a little shy, but she's no threat."
Olenna let out a chuckle, "I taught you better than that Margaery. Everyone is a threat, no matter how innocent they seem."
"You should speak with her grandmother," Margaery says shaking her head, "She's no threat."
Margaery looked up to her grandmother more than anyone, even her own mother. She had learned so much from her, but as her grandmother had simply said, Margaery was still a little naïve. She had much to learn.
"I guess I'll have to meet Elinor myself," Olenna said, "Is she at least smart?"
Margaery doesn't answer, in fear of giving her grandmother the wrong answer. She can feel Olenna's eyes on her.
Olenna sighed, "At least we know she's pretty."
Margaery couldn't help but chuckle at that.
"How do you feel about this?" the question surprises Margaery. Originally, she had been against Elinor coming to Highgarden. She was especially against her marrying her brother. After speaking to Willas and meeting Elinor, she no longer really cared.
"Elinor is an excellent political match," Margaery says, "It could stop the feuding on our southern border."
"This marriage is about a bit more than that," Olenna says with a smile on her thin lips. Margaery opens her mouth to question what she means, but Olenna simply shakes her head, "It is nothing you need to worry about."
"I'm not a child," Margaery argues back.
"No?" Olenna says, folding her fingers together, "Only children run away from their duties to go ride a horse."
Margaery flushed red. How could her grandmother know about her skipping her needle lessons? Had one of her cousins told on her, or maybe it was the Septa. Either way, Margaery felt betrayed and ashamed.
"I'm sorry grandmother, but it is so boring," Margaery says, "I can't even stitch properly."
"You think being Queen is just a title? That it'll be fun and games?" Olenna shook her head, "When you become Queen, you will have duties that will involve more than just hosting parties."
Margaery sighed, looking anywhere other than her grandmother. She hated being scolded, especially when it was coming from her grandmother.
"How are we even sure that I will be Queen?" Margaery questioned, still keeping her gaze anywhere else than her grandmother.
"All you need to know, is that it will happen," Olenna told her, which wasn't exactly reassuring for Margaery, but she knew not to press any further.
/***\
Elinor had been in Highgarden for about a two month. Margaery rarely spent time with the Dornish girl, since she was spending every waking moment with Willas. Margaery would hear of how Willas and Elinor went riding, hawking, or when they were simply walking through the gardens. Her ladies made it seem as though Willas and Elinor were two great loves from the songs when in reality, they were simply getting to know one another.
"So," Margaery says to her older brother, "Do you like her?"
Willas glances down at Margaery, and lets out a laugh.
"Yeah," Willas says, "She's beautiful and smart and kind and-"
"I get it," Margaery interrupts with a laugh, "I'm glad."
Willas smiles before turning to the path that lie ahead of them, "Elinor and I have been spending a lot of time together and I don't want her to get tired of me just yet."
Margaery smiled, knowing what her brother was implying, "You want me to spend time with her?"
"Please? I want her to have friends here. To feel safe," Willas says.
Margaery smiles, "Of course."
Willas sighs, "I know you've noticed as well."
"Her stutter?" Margaery asks.
Willas nods, "She's very self-conscious about it. I wish she wasn't, seeing as I can barely walk."
Margaery squeezes Willas's arm. She hates when Willas got down on himself. Despite his limp, he had so much to offer.
"I hate when you talk down on yourself," Margaery says.
"I know," Willas says, "I just want Elinor to be comfortable. I'm not perfect, and I want her to know she doesn't have to be perfect either."
Margaery sighs, "Okay, enough with the depressing talk. I will make Elinor feel comfortable and realize that she is so lucky to be marrying Willas Tyrell of Highgarden."
"It isn't official yet," Willas mutters, causing Margaery to laugh.
"It might as well be. Any other girl would have been sent home weeks ago," Margaery smiles when she hears her brother laugh beside her. His laughter confirming her statement.
"I really like her," Willas says softly.
"I know," is all Margaery says, "I'm sure she likes you just as much."
Willas smiles sheepishly at her, "Would you mind asking her?"
Margaery laughed, "You know I'd do anything for you, big brother."
Willas smiles at her and nods, "Yeah, I know."
/***\
Margaery decided that it was best to spend time with Elinor without her ladies there. In order to avoid them, Margaery settled on an activity she knew her cousins would hate.
"Do you know how to ride a horse?" Margaery asked the Dornish girl.
Elinor eyed her suspiciously, "Of course."
"Let's race," Margaery said springing from her chair. Elinor raised an eyebrow and Margaery sighed, "What is it?"
"Do you know how to ride a horse?"
Margaery scoffed, taking Elinor's words as an insult, "Of course I do."
"It's just if anyone is polished, it's you," Elinor said, recalling the word that Margaery had used earlier to describe her.
Margaery rolled her eyes, "I'm not. I may not know how to fight but I can ride just as good as my brothers."
Elinor grinned, "Are you going to go dressed like that?" Margaery glanced at the dress she was wearing, which was slightly restrictive, unlike Elinor's exposing dress. Margaery didn't want to change, and she believed she was a better horseback rider than Elinor was.
"It doesn't matter what I wear, you're still going to lose," Margaery said with a smirk.
Elinor just laughed, "I grew up with t-three older sisters. I'm well versed in competition."
"As am I," Margaery said before lifting the bottom her dress and taking off in a sprint toward the stables.
"Hey!" Elinor said, trailing after her.
Elinor made it to the stables first to Margaery's dismay. Breathing heavy, Elinor grinned proudly at Margaery. The youngest Tyrell rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the smile that came on her face. Together, they entered the stables. The stable boy's eyes grew wide as he looked at Margaery and Elinor.
"Milady," he said bowing before Margaery, "Milady," he repeats, bowing to Elinor. When he lifts his head, his cheeks are rosy red as he stares at Elinor. The Dornish girl grows shy under his gaze, staring at the floor.
"We're going riding," Margaery said, brushing past the boy, and approaching Loras's white mare, which he had left when he went to the Stormlands to serve as a squire to Renly Baratheon.
"W-without guards?" the boy stuttered.
"Don't worry," Elinor told him, "I'll keep her safe."
Margaery's head turned to Elinor who was grinning sheepishly. The stable boy still seemed unsure. Margaery knew that if anything happened to her and even Elinor, that her father would probably take the stable boy's head.
"And who will protect you?" the boy asked Elinor.
"I'll protect myself," Margaery watched as Elinor pulled out a blade and showed it to the stable boy, before quickly putting it back in its hiding place. Margaery was surprised that Elinor carried a blade, they were only fifteen. Then she recalled their family's history.
"V-very well. Please don't go too far," the boy said before leaving them alone. Elinor came and stood beside Margaery looking at her horse.
"Take that one," she said, pointing to Willas's horse. She was sure her brother wouldn't mind Elinor borrowing him.
Elinor and Margaery saddled the horse as quickly as possible. Margaery had hers finished first, and used a stepping stool to get on her brother's horse. She watched as Elinor gracefully got on Willas's horse and couldn't help but to smile.
"Where are we racing to?" Elinor wondered, grabbing the reigns.
"To the river," Margaery told her.
"And what does the winner get?"
Margaery thought about what she wanted. There wasn't much Elinor could give her that she didn't already have, except-
"Your dagger," Margaery said, "The one you showed the stable boy."
Elinor surprised her and grinned widely, "Very well. If it's what you want. I'll even give you a head start."
Margaery scoffed in disbelief, "You're very confident."
"M- maybe," Elinor stuttered with a smug smile. Was this the Dornish confidence that her father hated so much? Maybe Margaery was wrong about Elinor. She seemed more comfortable than when she first arrived. She also didn't stutter as much.
"Let's go," Margaery said. She took off, leaving Elinor behind. She didn't feel bad about it since Elinor had offered her a head start. It seemed like an easy win, since Margaery knew the terrain and had traveled the route many times before.
However, Margaery should have known better than to underestimate Elinor.
The Dornish girl rode up beside her, surprising Margaery. Elinor passed Margaery with ease. As she watched the other girl ride in front of her, she saw how easy it was for Elinor. Margaery felt her chest grow tight with envy.
When she arrived at the river, Elinor was waiting a smile on her face.
"You're better than I thought," Elinor told her, brushing a stray curl from her face.
"I still lost," Margaery said, "You easily beat me."
"I've been riding a horse since I could walk," Elinor told her.
"I have as well," Margaery answered, still feeling no comfort in the fact that she had lost to Elinor.
Elinor laughed, "Something tells me your riding has been romantic strolls."
She couldn't help but smile at the absurdity of the comment, "Romantic strolls?"
Elinor laughed herself, "You know, you and some boy probably p-prance around the river. That's not riding, that's strolling."
Margaery's eyes narrow, taking Elinor's words as an insult, "And what is it you do in Dorne?"
"I may have gone on my fair share of strolls, but ultimately," Elinor said with a grin, "I raced against my sisters."
"Loras and Garlan never want to race me because I'm a girl," Margaery tells Elinor, "They say I can't keep up with them."
Elinor frowns, as their horses walk along the river, "That's not fair."
"I know," Margaery says, "I actually think you ride better than them."
"Really?" Elinor says sounding flattered.
"Yeah," she answers with a genuine smile.
Elinor smiles shyly before asking, "Want to race back?"
"Sure," Margaery answered, "Winner gets the others dessert."
"Deal!" Elinor said taking off.
When Margaery and Elinor arrived at the castle, Margaery's father and her grandmother were waiting for both girls. Elinor genuinely seemed scared of what punishment that they would receive, but it was a simple scolding and the fact that neither girl got dessert at dinner.
Later that night, Margaery was walking to her grandmother's study, but stopped just outside the door when she heard her father's voice.
"That girl could have brought harm to Margaery. She's a terrible influence, convincing Margaery to go riding without guards, and that stable boy said she had a knife!"
Margaery rolled her eyes, she should have known that he wouldn't keep his mouth shut, that he was the reason she and Elinor got caught.
"You really are an idiot," she heard her grandmother mutter, "Did Margaery look like she was any danger when she and Elinor came back?"
"Well no," her father said sounding slightly flustered, "But we cannot take any chances. This engagement was a mistake."
"This marriage will unite Houses Martell and Tyrell. We have a plan and I know you can't wrap that fat lump you call a head around the fact that we need this alliance. Elinor Martell is a peace offering, end this engagement and you're all but declaring war."
"We can defeat the Martells," her father says, but Margaery is aware that her grandmother's patients is running out.
"Willas likes the girl and Garlan is fond of her. Even Margaery seems to be warming to her," her grandmother says, "If you're scared of a girl, you're an even bigger fool than I thought you were."
"I'm going to end this betrothal," Margaery heard her father say.
Before Margaery even thought about it, she entered her grandmother's study, protests on her lips.
"No father you can't," she said. Her father looked at her surprised, as did her grandmother. Margaery's gaze flickered between the two of them as she continued speaking, "It was my idea to go riding without guards, not Elinor. And she only showed the dagger because she said she was going to protect me if anything were going to happen. She's a good person, and she'll make an excellent wife to Willas, I promise."
Margaery had never pleaded for anything before, but she knew that the other girl shouldn't be sent away for something that was Margaery's fault. If the engagement was going to end it wasn't going to be her fault, besides Willas did like Elinor.
"Margaery," her father said standing before her, "You know how dangerous it is riding by yourself."
She nodded, "I know, but we were fine."
Mace watches Margaery, and she knows her father's looking to see if she was lying, but Margaery had perfected it. Even if she had been lying, her father wouldn't be able to tell. Margaery had learned to lie perfectly at the age of twelve, and since then perfected it.
"What do you think of Elinor?" her father asked, probably hoping for a bad opinion, but Margaery wasn't going to give him what he wanted.
"Elinor is an excellent political match," Margaery says, recalling how her grandmother said they needed the alliance, "But above that she's kind and compassionate. She has the potential to make an excellent Lady of Highgarden"
Her father stared at him, his lips formed into a straight line. Over his shoulder, she could see her grandmother staring at her, a proud gleam in her aging eyes.
/***\
"What is it about bastards here?" Elinor asked Margaery one day while they were escaping needlework. Elinor wasn't fond of it, nor was Margaery. She especially didn't feel like being bothered by her cousins. She found Elinor's company to be better than theirs.
"Marriage is very serious here. When you take a vow, it stands. A child born out of wedlock is a disgrace," Margaery's eyebrows furrow, "What is it like in Dorne?"
"Well I grew up with my sisters," Elinor says glancing at Margaery, "Sometimes I thought my father treated them better than me, because they were fighters and I was not."
Margaery stops walking, "Did you not like it?"
"No," Elinor answers, "But I've been told I have excellent aim."
Margaery's eyebrows furrow in confusion, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Elinor glances around the gardens and points at an apple tree a few feet away from them.
"See that apple?" Margaery wasn't sure which one Elinor was pointing at, but nodded for the sake of it. Elinor reaches under the skirt of her dress and pulls out her dagger. This time Margaery gets a better look at it. She notices the red viper that is twined around the handle.
Elinor stares at the apple before using her left hand to cover her eyes. She flips the blade in her right a couple time before catching the bladed end. Margaery stares, her eyebrows furrowed in concern as Elinor brings her arm back before launching the dagger into the air. Margaery watches as it lands right in the center of an apple on a lower branch. The force of the throw knocks the apple from the tree and onto the ground.
Elinor uncovers her eyes and stares at the apple, a look of satisfaction on her face. Margaery is unsure of what to say. Never in Highgarden had she seen someone do something like that.
"Impressed?" Elinor asked. Margaery grinned and nodded. She wasn't easily impressed, but Elinor was the gift that kept surprising.
"That was amazing," Margaery says.
"I know," Elinor says, smiling proudly.
Margaery rolled her eyes, "Are you always this confident?"
"No," Elinor said honestly, "I was actually afraid I'd miss."
Margaery didn't believe it, and she voiced it, "I don't believe you."
"B-Believe it," Elinor said glancing at the dagger that lay in apple, "I was scared I'd embarrass myself in front of you."
Margaery stared at Elinor, watching her. She was so much different from what she's had expected. Well mannered, but not a total lady. She didn't fawn at Margaery's feet like most of Highgarden did, but there was still something about the attention Elinor did give Margaery.
Margaery liked her.