[For Will - Westeros AU] Northern Hounds and Southern Flowers

[tyrelltempest]

"I don't see why hunting hounds should be of any interest to me," Margaery Tyrell took a bite out of the apple tart she'd procured from the kitchens. "That's Loras's game. Loras and Willas are the hunters, you know father never approved of my learning to hunt."

"It gets you out of the Red Keep and away from the lion's den," Olenna Tyrell pointed out. "Can't say no to that, can you?"

"True enough," Margaery had to admit, popping the last bit of tart into her mouth. "But all the same, I don't know the first thing about hounds."

"Then it's a bonus," Olenna laughed. "You'll get out of the Red Keep, and you'll learn something new. Now, go on, get down to the courtyard, I'm told the Kennel Master from the North is setting up his hounds as we speak."

"You're not coming?" Margaery's question was answered by how the older woman shooed her off. She all but swatted Margaery in the rear to get her to go.

Margaery rolled her eyes, but smiled all the same and made her way down from the gardens and through the halls of the castle. Finally she made her way to the courtyard, following the sound of dogs barking. Jaime Lannister was already there, looking at a few hounds, pointing out what he was looking for in a hound and what he expected for his nephews' hunt. Margaery, in the meantime, took to looking over some of the pups that had been brought along that were tumbling over each other and nipping and yipping aloud. Margaery smiled as she reached down and stroked her slender fingers over the soft fur of one of the female pups. "Hello there, aren't you sweet." She laughed softly.

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[tyrelltempest]

Margaery smiled playfully and nodded her head. Indeed they would see - time would tell if the wolf would yield to her, or seek to consume her completely. Not that she would easily give in to him.

There was a soft blush that tinted her cheeks when he answered her. She couldn't help but imagine him alone in the dark, thinking of her as he whispered her name. But she didn't linger long on that vision. "Well...I hope you're able to get enough sleep to properly enjoy our hunt in the morning - don't forget."

She teased playfully, winking and turning to return to the table and to her grandmother. Olenna was no fool either, they'd been gone for quite some time, and the gardens in this area were not so vast that they should have dallied so long. But she said nothing, only giving an analytical look to the pair as they returned.

"Did you enjoy yourselves?" Olenna asked dryly.

"Yes grandmother," Margaery nodded as she popped a small piece of cheese into her mouth, then followed it with a mint leaf.

"And you, young lord? How did you enjoy the grounds?" Olenna focused on Will, though she could likely guess the answer for herself.

[feelslikeimspilling]

It took Will a moment to realize Olenna was indeed addressing him. He was besotted. Watching Margaery as she sauntered over to the table, so graceful and beautiful, like a rose petal falling on a sweet summers breeze. Blinking, Will turned his head to face the older woman, tongue moving behind his lips as he swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat.

"I enjoyed them very much. I should, in fact, wish to see more of them." Worded carefully, though he thought at least so that Margaery would know he was talking of her. "I have the sweet perfumed scent of flowers in my lungs now and like the hounds I breed, I simply must follow it until I have my fill. We don't have anything like your gardens up in the North, I feel myself captivated by them" A polite nod as he neared where Olenna sat. "But if you'll excuse me, I have a long day ahead of me and an early morn to rise for."

Will considered kissing their hands again, but instead, he favoured a very polite and noble bow, to both women individually. One of the house hands came and escorted Will back towards his carriage that waited and as he left the small pup he'd left behind gave a small, playful howl.

Yaaaay!! <3 <3 Glad to see you again!

[tyrelltempest]

The pup yipped happily when they returned and Margaery smiled as she went up to her. She picked up Raksha and stroked her affectionately. Indeed, when Will spoke, she knew exactly what he meant, and smiled as his words sank in. Her eyes flashed to him briefly to avoid detection by her grandmother.

"Indeed, your exploration seems to have loosened your tongue considerably," Olenna sipped her tea nonchalantly.

"Grandmother!" Margaery blushed. "Thank you for joining us today, Will. It was very good to see you, I am quite looking forward to tomorrow."

After Will left, Olenna looked to Margaery, chuckled and said nothing. They finished tea and soon enough Margaery was back in her chambers at the end of the day, preparing for the hunt in the morning. Raksha toddled around after Margaery and yipped when she wanted attention. Margaery would pet her before stepping to her balcony and looking out at the night sky. She couldn't help herself, replaying the afternoon in the garden with Will over and over in her mind. Margaery was indeed curious what the hunt would be like tomorrow.

What would they do? What could they get away with? Margaery giggled to herself at the mischievous feeling she got. Her fingers touched over her lips as she recalled his kiss.

<3!

[feelslikeimspilling]

It took Will longer to get back to the Keep than he had liked. All he wished to do was bathe and ready his gear for the morning. The driver, instead pulled up closer to the Castle than Will had originally thought he'd be dismounting. There, he was met with two of the Kings Guard.

"Lord Graham, you were called for an audience with the Queen Regent. The meeting has been pushed back until tomorrow, after your hunt." Confused, Will nodded awkwardly, avoiding their eyes and trying his best to seem as small and inconspicuous as he could. "Er... Thank you, I'll be sure to attend." Scratching the back of his head and turning to watch them leave. He'd been dropped off further away from the Keep than he'd have liked, however, it was just a short walk around the outside of the Castle to his chambers. Strolling past the Royal tower rooms and trying not to glance up as he noticed candle flickering in there dome windows. Cersei Lannister herself, standing looking down with a glass of red wine in her hand, Will would swear he could feel her eyes boring a hole into the back of his head as he passed her by.

Once he had reached his chambers, Will bolted locked the door and started to de-robe of the heavy, warm layers of leather and fur that he was donned in. The chambermaid had been kind enough to leave water heating in his tub via boiling hot stones. His head was full of questions and curiosities, nothing a good soak wouldn't ease. Opening the wooden blinds that covered the window so that he might look out upon the same sky, the same moon Margaery may have been watching too.

Falling asleep in the metal tub was not what he had planned for the evening, so when Will finally pulled himself from the now cold water, he was sodden through, wrinkled and pale. Setting down to rest on the bear fur rug sprawled out and naked before his chambers fire. Will felt more at home on the floor, surrounded by fur, it reminded him of his hounds back home and the nights he'd spent sleeping by their sides during labour and illness. He missed them, having them looked up in the Castle's kennels seemed so cruel. Soon his thoughts drifted from his beloved animals to the beautiful Margaery instead, as his mind wandered so did his hands.

Soon it was the early hours of the morning and Will slowly started to rise. Collecting his belongings and grabbing a small fresh baked loaf of bread and fruit for his breakfast on the go. The rest of the Keep was still slumbering and Will almost made it by the guards without detection. It was suspicious to be leaving so early and so quietly, yet no one opposed him. He was on his way to meet Margaery as they had planned, a private rendezvous before the hunt itself.

[tyrelltempest]

Margaery had eventually laid down in her soft bed - unafraid of Lannister mischief thanks to the Tyrell guards stationed outside her door. Olenna would pay them a thousand times more than any Lannister to protect her granddaughter - so they could not be bought. Besides, Tyrell soldiers had a degree of loyalty that went beyond monetary value. Still, the idea that Cersei wanted to see Will...didn't bode well.

Something was wrong.

Of course Margaery had no way of knowing that Will's meeting had been rescheduled, so when she awoke in the morning - far earlier than usual - she had her maids dress her in a teal-green riding gown, with a slit up the center to allow her to ride easier, and auburn hunting leathers with the golden Tyrell rose carved and painted over her breast. Just because she had never been on a hunt didn't mean she didn't know how to dress for one. Loras would have mocked her for being both overdressed and underdressed at the same time. Her grandmother would have been sour over her granddaughter hunting at all.

Once she was ready, Margaery went down to the stables where they had said they would meet before the hunt. She didn't try to sneak around, but nor did she broadcast her presence. Margaery made her way to the stable and smiled upon seeing Will there preparing for their private hunt. She stepped up slowly, quietly - much like a doe through the wood. Ironic, given that she had married into the Baratheon clan and was set to do so again - effectively making a doe of the Tyrell rose.

"Good morning," she smiled as she stepped up close, hoping he wouldn't be like Loras and think she looked foolish. Margaery reached up and tucked a lock of her brunette hair behind her ear.

At least today she had opted for close-toed lace-up boots rather than her usual stylish shoes. This time opting for the more practical use rather than fashionable application. "I hope you slept well."