Teenage Woes (D5, EE)

[Mariessa Tremaine]

Having slipped away from Kevith, Mari returned to the event grounds. A shame already how the grass and wildflowers were disappearing from all the activity, she thought as she surveyed the area now that it was empty of people.

Sighing, the eldest Tremaine twin sat down on one of the benches, eyeing the field. She had performed so abysmally in the archery, because her mind had been elsewhere. Something she had heard from Kevith a few times after the competition was over as he had sternly reminded her that in a real fight, she didn't have the luxury of being distracted by whatever current heart-throbs she might have.

Which was largely one of the reasons she had been avoiding him all day. Stupid Kevith... what does he know?! Mari thought grumpily.

[Ser Harben Varner]

Apparently the grounds were not as empty as they appeared, but they were not well-lit, either. But the clouds had blown away during the day, and a silvery sheen of moonlight touched the field. As Mari’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, a shape resolved itself into the figure of a young man wearing a simple tunic and breeches. His hands were clasped behind his back, looking away from the Tremaine twin, but at what could not be discerned.

[Mariessa Tremaine]

She noticed the figure, but couldn't quite make out who it was.

"... Ser?" she called out questioningly, rising from her seat to stand again.

[Ser Harben Varner]

Drawn from his reverie, Harben recognised the voice immediately, heart leaping into his throat. He turned, making his way towards her, “Lady Mariessa, I’m so sorry, I thought I was alone.”

[Mariessa Tremaine]

Harben?!

Not exactly the one she had hoped to see, but also one she wanted to see... she had been upset when her ribbon had been returned to her. Upset and confused. Why was everything so confusing when it came to Harben and Terrance?

"Sorry... I did not mean to disturb you..." she curtsied as he came closer.

[Ser Harben Varner]

Harben shook his head, “no, I,” the young knight rubbed the back of his neck, “truth be told, I was trying to build up the courage to find you, and it seems the Mother has some mercy left for me yet, for here you are.” He read the look on her face as disappointment, so he pressed on, even as his stomach churned up in sickening knots.

“I wanted to apologise, Mari. For wronging you, and for being a coward about it. I am not worthy of you, I’m not even worthy to be called a knight.”

[Mariessa Tremaine]

"Harben, no..." she looked down, hands nervously wringing. "... That's not true."

"I just don't understand why you returned it."

[Ser Harben Varner]

Harben covered Mariessa’s hands gently with his own, and urged her to sit once more, dropping to one knee so he could look into her eyes. “I have no words for the way it made me feel when you gave me your token, it was like a dream. For a moment I forgot who I was.”

“Mari, I’m just a knight. I have no lands, no title, no glory to my name. I have nothing but my admiration for you and my shame for the mistakes I’ve made. You gave me your ribbon out of gratitude, and I will always hold that in my heart, I swear that much is true, but I will not embarrass you to wear your token if there is another it rightly belongs to.”

[Mariessa Tremaine]

"But..." she felt herself blushing as his hands covered hers, but she didn't shy away from his gaze now as she sat back down again. "... You're not a failure, Harben. And, you are a knight. A fine knight. One that few can equal to."

"I'm just... very confused. I couldn't remember until recently that you had saved me when I needed you the most, and... I never had handsome knights or the like try to win my favor before. And there's all this talk of marriage, with father being so worried for our family... I thought at least giving you this token was the right thing to do, for what you had done for me."

[Ser Harben Varner]

“I have been fond of you for so long, but I knew the life I had to offer you was no life at all. A fine and beautiful lady should have a proper home, lands to call her own.” With considerable difficultly, “after... after Lawrince died, after the implications had sunk in, I let myself fancy that maybe, just maybe, I could be the man you needed. If not the one you wanted.”

“I could bring nothing to a marriage that would challenge your rightful place, but by the same token, I bring nothing to lift you up where you belong.”