Wedding plans

Nita relaxed while one of the hand maidens brushed her black hair. This was the day Garret and his family would come. She was nervous and had hardly eaten. She kept thinking about what Garret and his family would think of her. Would they like her? Would Garret like her? She had met him once and it went well. But this time it would be talking about their wedding, and she wondered what he thought about it. She admired herself when she was ready dressed. She wore a lavender colored dress and a purple flower in her hair.

“You’re really beautiful,” Meera said as she came in to her room.

“Thank you, mother,” Nita said smiling.

“We should get ready. There is not much time left until they’re here.”

Nita didn’t answer, but she followed her into the sun outside and they waited for the Mormont family.

Garrett was riding slowly, staying behind his parents and a couple of guards. At the moment he didn't really feel like to hear his mother's orders or like she called them 'advices'; he just wanted to turn his horse and rode back to Bear Island.
The new of the marriage hit him like a rock. Surely he and Cedric used to joke about it, mostly Cedric, but he never took the idea too seriously. But now that it was actually happening he didn't know what to do. He met Nita only once and they didn't speak for long, only Cedric really talked with her.
If only his brother could have come with them! He would have said something to cheer him up, even his only presence would have helped him in that occasion. They had always done things together, but not that time.

Garrett gave a quick look at his parents just to see Greywater Watch appearing in the distance. They were arrived.

Jeor was at the head of the group, watching carefully around him. They were waited at Greywater Watch and it wasn't good education to arrive late; especially in that occasion! House Reed and house Mormont had always been in good relationships and that wedding would have meant a lot for both houses.

Time to time Jeor looked back at Garrett, he knew that an arranged marriage was difficult to accept - even he didn't like the idea to marry Anne at his time - but he knew that after everything would be fine. He just had to believe in what he was about to do and to trust his future bride.
Surely for Garrett it was just a little more difficult complete this first meeting without his brother, since they were born Jeor had never seen them apart, always being together. But in his heart he knew that he was able to do it.

Jeor raised his look from the street "The Greywater Watch." he smiled and turned to his wife, caressing gently her hand.

Anne was riding next to her husband: she didn't love riding, she surely preferred the comfort of a carriage, but since this time they should have taken it only for her and it would have slown them down she had to adapt to the horse. Of course she didn't complain about that, she wasn't the kind of person to make a fuss about such a thing. Beside, she did want to arrive quickly, she was eager to meet this girl, Nita, and to understand iff she could actually be a good wife for his son.
Thinking to Garrett, she turned toward him to see where he was: he was staying behind them, even behind the guards! Why was he riding so slowly? "Garrett, what are you doing back there? Hurry up, reach your father and me." She really didn't understand what that attitude was all about, he almost acted like Jane! For the seven's sake, it was marriage, not a sentence to death! Beside, he could still live in his own house, he didn't have to change much in his life! She had been strict with Jane, and even though she still didn't consider it a big deal Jane just had to change her whole life, she surely wasn't going to be softer on her son.
As Jeor took her hand and showed her that they were arriving she turned toward him and smiled back: her smile had always been more polite than warm and kind, but Jeor knew her enough to know her and not to mind that.

Garrett raised his look when his mother called him. Reach them? No, thanks! For the moment he would have stayed where he was, much better.
"The horse is tired..." he said caressing gently the animal "Better not tire it too much. Or I won't get to Greywater..." he turned his gaze on the building at the horizon, wondering what or who was attending them there.

He sighed as they kept coming closer, wondering what was stopping him to run away. Probably the fact that he would never forgive himself to let down his parents and their expectations; plus it was his duty, he couldn't give up right now.

He raised his look again from the street, there it was: Nita and her mother attending them. Now he surely would never be able to run away!

"They're here!" Meera said as she saw Jeor Mormont and Anne Mormont in front of the group riding toward them. Garret where behind them. Nita took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She really wanted to make a good first impression for Garret and his parents. Her mother sent her a smile before they went too their guests and greeted them. "Welcome to Greywater Watch. I hope your journey went well!" Meera said to Jeor. I can do this! Nita thought as she smiled bowed graciously in front of Jeor, Anne and Garret. "A pleasure to meet you!" she said and blushed a bit when she looked in Garrets eyes.

Jeor jumped off his horse as soon as they reached Greywater Watch, seeing Meera and Nita coming closer to them. He smiled and waved his hand at them, House Reed and Mormont had always been in good relationships, he knew Meera from a long time and that marriage would have only helped to strengthen their alliance.
Quickly Jeor come closer to Anne, helping her to get off her horse. Together, with Garrett behind them, Jeor and Anne finally reached the Reeds.

"Thank you for welcoming us in your home." he bowed to Meera, kissing her hand "We didn't find any kind of problem on the road. Thank you for caring." he smiled and turned his attention to Nita "Is she your daughter, Nita? She's more beautiful than how you described in the letters." he smiled trying to put her at ease. It was clear that she feared their judgment, but she didn't have to worry.
Jeor took Anne's hand, making her move gently near him "May I present you my wife, Anne, and..." Jeor literally pushed Garrett near him, but much more closer to Meera and Nita ...my son, Garrett."

Garrett stayed behind his father as they walked closer to where Meera and Nita were. He usually didn't acted so childish, but the only idea to face that meeting seemed to delete all the manners that he had learnt in all his life.

He smiled sightly as Meera welcomed them, but he never actually tried to watch Nita. It seemed so strange: they met only once at the coronation, and he could have never imagined what his family was planning for them!
He sighed as Jeor pushed him forward, NOW it really looked childish!
"The pleasure is all mine." he bowed at them. This time he couldn't just ignore Nita's presence so Garrett turned to her and tried to smile "Nice to meet you again..." he bowed sightly and moved immediately after his look to Meera. Seeing how Nita blushed, he didn't want to blush too. It would have been weird.

"And your son is more handsome than you described in your letters." Meera said with friendly laugh. he nodded politely toward Anne. "A pleasure to meet you lady Anne. I've heard that your oldest daughter recently got married. I hope you soon will be blessed with grandchildren." She then looked at Garret and gave him a smile when he was pushed toward them. It was obvious that he felt uncomfortable. "A pleasure to meet you Garret. Nita have told me she met you at the coronation." Nita waited to speak until she was spoken to. When Garret bowed to them and said it was nice meeting her again, she smiled to him, a bit shy. "It's really ice to meet you again too."

Jeor laughed sightly as Meera mentioned their future grandchildren, hopefully Jane and John would have found the right harmony to complete their duties. And so Garrett and Nita.
"That's what we hope too." he smiled at Meera and observed his son and Nita relate; the tension was obvious in the air.

"Shall we begin?" Jeor smiled rubbing his hands.

(OOC I think Jeor would be a great grandfather when the time comes.)

"Yes let's begin!" Meera said and leaded the group inside. Nita followed and walked beside their guests. Garret followed behind her.

After Jeor helped her getting down from her horse, Anne followed him next to Meera, greeting her with a polite smile "The pleasure is mine, Lady Meera" she replied to her welcome, turning then toward Nita to greet her too with a nod of her head "Lady Nita". She took advantage of those few moments to check the girl out: she was pretty enough, though her skin was a bit too dark and she did look a bit chubby. All in all, she was quite a pretty young lady, and she seemed polite enough. Sure, she was tense, but she was handling the situation good enough... surely better than her daughter and her son! An expression of disapproval appeared on her face as Jeor had to drag Garrett close to introduce him: where had the boy's manners go? As Meera mentioned the future granchildren Anne smiled politely again "We surely do hope so, thank you." When lady Meera suggested to head inside to further discuss the arrangement Anne followed her and her husband, eager to get down to business.

OOC: sorry sorry sorry I'm late!!! >.<

(( Don't worry! ^^ Ahah! XD He's waiting just for that moment! XD To have a lot of kids around! ))

"Perfect!" Jeor smiled and followed Meera inside, with Anne at his arm and Garrett behind.
He was excited for their marriage, seeing a lot of possibilities that would open just after its celebration.
Hopefully also Nita and Garrett would soon join him in his enthusiasm.

Garrett could feel his mother's eyes on him, making somehow uncomfortable. He knew that she didn't like how he was acting. Sooner or later he would have to actually change his behavior, he knew it. But that day, in that moment Garrett didn't fell like do it.
He just followed them inside, not ready to prepare his weeding.

"Would you like some refreshment?" Meera asked as she leaded them in the hall. She sat down by the table, Nita sitting next to her. Nita removed some of her hair from her face and held her hands on her lap. She didn't want them to see that her hands were shaking.

Anne walked by her husband's side, giving him her arm. She turned once again toward Garrett but he was avoiding her glance, thing that made her even more angry: he would have talked with her son later, he wasn't going to avoid her forever as he couldn't keep acting so childishily. "That would be most appreciated, thank you" she replied politely as always to Meera

A servant was sent to get refreshments and soon came back with a mug of wine, a bowl with fresh fruit and lemon cake. Nita took a little sip when her mother started talking about the wedding. it looked like Garret was bored and not interested to participate in the discussion, but Jeor was enthusiastic and talked with a friendly voice. Nita wasn't sure about Lady Anne, she seemed very strict but also nice. But at least Garret won't take part to discuss about the dress! Nita thought.

(( here I am! >.< Sorry! ))

Garrett followed his parents and the Reeds in the hall. He did noticed the look his mother was giving to him and all he could do to try to make her a little happier was to sit near Nita. At least it could seem that he was trying to make it work.

As he sat he couldn't help but look at Nita, noticing how she hid her hands. Probably she was too much nervous and they were shaking, like his. He turned to her smiling sightly, while their parents were talking, ignoring the couple.
"Greywater is a nice place... " he whispered so only Nita could hear him, hopefully his silly attempt to relax the atmosphere a bit would work, for both of them sake. But he wasn't Cedric and random chatting weren't his best.

Jeor just nodded as his wife spoke, refreshment was indeed a really good idea! He sat down, appreciating that Garrett was taking place near Nita; at least he was trying.

He took a glass of wine and turned to Meera, who already had started to talk about the wedding. He immediately joined her, loosing sight of his son and Nita.

(Don't worry ^^)

"Greywater is a nice place..." Garret whispered to her. Nita looked up at him, he was sitting near her and it seemed that their parents didn't notice him whispering to her. She smiled. He tried to make it work. "Thank you so much," she whispered back. "I'm glad that your journey went well."

As the refreshments arrived Anne served herself with some wine and some fresh fruit, taking a small sip of the wine. She didn't take too much nor too little, just enough to respect the common courtesy.
She followed Garrett's movements as he sat next to Nita, mentally approving the choice: not that he was doing anything special, it was actually his duty, but the fact that he had finally decided to act as he should was something positive and made her less upset. As Meera started to talk she turned toward her, giving less attention to the couple-to-be, but still she was able to notice with pleasure them starting to chat.

Garrett smiled sightly at Nita and started to play with his hand moving his look to the ceiling, what was he supposed to say now?! They couldn't surely talk about the weather, what a lame topic! The situation was becoming really awkward.

"Cedric would surely know what to say in this moment... he's the one who speak a lot..." he smiled sightly whispering again at Nita, how much he needed his brother in that moment?! "We use to do a lot of things together... almost everything..." he immediately said, like he was trying to justify his awkward behavior.

Nita remembered back at King's Landing and how the Martell siblings had teased Garret and Cedric. It was indeed Cedric who talked most while Garret just wanted to get away from the party. She actually understood how he felt now. His brother wasn't here who could have helped him and cheered him up in this. Things went a bit weird for her too when her mother told her about the engagement between her and Garret. She sent Garret comforting smile. "I understand," she said. "I wish that I had been a bit better prepared for this. I don't when your parents told you about this, but I got the news when I was home at once." She looked at their parents a short moment before she turned back to Garret again. "Would you like to have a walk with me in the garden?" she whispered to him. "We could try know each other better." At least that couldn't hurt. They could try to get to know each better and talk a bit more freely.

Garrett smiled relief, he was worried that Nita wouldn't have believed at his words. His mother surely would have never accepted it as an excuse!

"Me too..." he sighed as Nita spoke, they told him only after Jane's wedding, but only the Old gods knew from how much time they were planning it!
He moved his look to their parents and then back at Nita, why not? Fresh air would help both of them to clear their ideas. "Sounds good." he nodded at her.

Nita asked politely to her mother for permission to walk in the garden with Garret, which was fine and then Nita and Garret walked together out of the hall. They were both quiet as they walked outside and toward the garden. What now? Nita thought. It felt a bit awkward when they didn't have anything to talk about. She didn't want to tell him about her ability now. She would tell him when they knew each other better, just not yet.