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It started as a normal day. Wake up, shower, take Renly to school and take the bike for a morning stroll at the woods. The weather was good, after a whole week of raining, the sun was bright, but not too hot on him. Pushing the pedals with more force, he goes by the old trail, the smell of wet dirt is still there, making today's stroll, even more pleasant.
It's been a bit rough on him lately, with Robert of to college, Stannis was left to take care of the house and his brother on his own. No matter that Mister Cressen, the Baratheon's caretaker for years, was with them once a week. Stannis had all the responsibilities of man of the house, but no power to act on them. Renly respected him less every day, he only wanted Robert, and it didn't help their relation when he was the one who had to punish and educate him, while Robert was only around at the holidays, the fun time. Nobody ever told him that being a man was so hard.
The only peace he had, was when he was alone in the forest. It was his one moment of freedom, when all the duties as a Baratheon would fade away and he would be only Stannis. The path got brighter, the closer he got to the pier at the lake. He had his swim trunks on, so a dive was in order.
The sun hits him square in the face, and the bike squids before he stops. Leaving it at the beginning of the pier, he waits until he's reached the end before taking his clothes off, and it's only when they are set on a perfectly folded pile, that he jumps into the cool lake water.
And it was when he was cleaning his mind of his troubles that he misses the entrance of who he would later call, Trouble.
Long hair, of a shade of brown that shone like red in the sun, tangled and with some leaves and twigs about it. A face to sharp to be called beautiful and a feminine body. With a look of pure curiosity on her face, she approaches the bicycle, and after a couple of second, the neat pile of clothes. But it's with a mischievous smile that she sits on the wooden edge of the pier, her bare legs on the water.
Her blue eyes, used to following small prey in the dark forest, follow the lone Baratheon with precision. It's been a long time since she has last seen one of those, since the fishes of the lake have all been caught and the last of the fishing families gone somewhere else. That one was a bit too stiff in his movements, but in her knowledge of men, those were sometimes the ones that could fill her tastes the better.
When he got tired of floating around, Stannis set to swim back to the pier, planing to catch a little sun and dry up before putting his clothes back on. But the presence of the unknown woman by them, scared him a little. His first instinct was to scream at her and send her away, he didn't want her to see him in his swim trunks only, people don't see him like that, never. Looking at her again, he notices her disheveled hair, and how dangerous it can be on this parts. What if she was lost? Could he really drive off a woman that might need his help?
Only a foot away from her, he can see her better, the way she wore no pants, only a faded blue sweater, that looked far to big to be hers. But nothing in her face showed fear, in fact, she even graced him with a smile.
"Hi" taking a last breath of courage, Stannis swims the rest of the way. She was kind enough to start this, he might as well play along. "I've never seen you around here" once out of water, he could only stare at here. Her skin pink, looking soft, in spite the wild look she had about her. And one glance at her hand, and her long nail brought is all back.
"Who are you?" he had no intention of being so direct, but he had no way with people, much less with women. She only laughed it off. Nobody was ever unaffected by his lack of tact.
"Selyse is my name" she looked his up and down, much like his brother looked at women. It made him rush to put his clothes on, no matter that he was still wet. "Are you from the village?"
"Ah, yes." not looking at her, focusing on the clothes, he doesn't notice her stand by his side, still looking, leveling him up.
"Are you lost?" how funny, as he thought her a defenseless woman, in need of his help, here he was, being treated like a lost boy at the super market. Next he'd knows, she'll ask him if he wants her to call his mother.
"No, I come here everyday." still with his back to her, he lost the way her eyes shone with interest. It has truly been a long time since she had a human to play with.
"So I guess that I'll see you tomorrow" he felt the smile in her voice and turned to be sure, to look for a mocking light in her face. Her bare legs are still there, so he makes a decision.
On a impulse, he strips his own pair of jeans, as hand it to her. Not waiting for an answer or reaction, Stannis rushes on to his bike, and pedals away in a hurry. Not once he looks back, he only shouts back for her to beware of foxes at the forest. And not once does he see long pointy ear peak out of her hair, or a red tail come from under her sweater.
Throwing his pants over her shoulders, Selyse walks back to her cave. Thinking of the strange boy who didn't give his name, but gave his pants, and the strange advice for her to beware of her own self.