[@MrDidact]
(In collaboration with [@kingkonrad])

Ellion and Duncan had left the stables, and headed towards their tent, the large green and gold one that House Tyrell had paid for, for the benefit of the Knights of the Reach to assemble, and rest, armour and prepare,  even for the Kingdom's rather poorer Knights, it offered a home inside the city walls. 

It was on the way there that Ellion spotted a well-armoured female, a Lady Knight, to say the least. It was a rarity to note, given that women did not affiliate themselves with combat, and the fact that she looked like a Riverwoman made it seem all the more odd. Her dark brown ponytailed hair, and her lean yet poised physique seemed to sugest that she was up for more than just a show. A smaller Brienne of Tarth, perhaps? But she did look rather eyecatching, as Ellion passed her by, catching her shoulder as they walked past, by the side of another tent. 

"My apologies, Lady...." Ellion said, noting she had no squire, or nothing. She clearly was a Knight, it seemed that her armour had scratches and notches from fighting, not something else, and that was enough for Ellion's mind to settle on. A fair and toughened maiden, who knew what lay beneath that steel skin, he thought to himself. If her face was any idea, something beautiful...and maybe a fiery personality to boot.

"Yes? How may I help you Ser?" asked the woman in reply, she carried a longsword on her hip. Which meant she was either a newblood or atleast trained by a knight in return. One would expect that a woman physique to go with a smaller blade - yet a longsword enabled a woman to use both of her hands. Since the weight of a longsword and a regular sword wasn't much yet a longsword could be used with both hands - whereas a regular sword was only able to be used with one hand. And while a woman was weaker than a man - two hands were always stronger than one.

"I was just curious, as to who you were. I'm Ellion Tyrell." He said, offering out a hand, and a cheeky grin, her bark strong, but wheather her bite would follow, he didn't know.
"There's not a lot of ladies who choose to fight, but the world is far more wonderful for it." 

"I am Serah Merebelle Gray, I am a Knight from the Riverlands, in service to House Tully. Or rather, when the times are needed - mostly I just act as their guard and aid," she spoke, accepting his hand. Despite them being both knights and warriors - there was still the relationship, that men ruled and women cared. "And well...the Riverlands have a way of making one pick up the sword to defend ones family."

Ellion smiled, knowing it was an oddity indeed, but still, a Knight in service to House Tully was still a Knight indeed. And she was probably faster than any of their drunk fools, no doubt.
"Aye, I imagine it has been hard on the Riverlands. You fight for what matters in life, true chivalry comes from that, Merebelle." Ellion replied, his brown hair blowing a little bit, his golden eyes catching a little, even despite the fact that a little cloud had rolled over the bright sun that burned in the sky.
"Doesn't matter if you're the fairer sex...a sword by a Lord's side that can do good work is a good sword." 

"Thank you for the compliment Ser Tyrell," she spoke, while it was true they were on equal standing - he was still from a Great House, while her family at that was still a minor one. "I was on my way to the tournament myself. Namely the one where knights test their steel against one another. Could you perhaps tell we where to find it? I am afraid, this is my first time here - and I am embarrased to admit, I am rather lost. Could you show me the way?"

Ellion smiled, knowing that well, it was probably expected that she hadn't gone to tourneys or tournaments this big, probably given her more regional standing.
"I can. I'm not fighting myself, I haven't got it in me, not after that joust. I'm barely holding myself up!" He said, chuckling, as he pointed it out, the distant melee grounds beyond the tents, as he looked back to Merebelle, his charming looks catching into her gaze again.
"It's all that way. I'll come with you, if that's alright, Merebelle?" He asked, taking her hand, his metal gauntleted fingers and palm taking hers, in a seductive manner, though he didn't want to be too ginger about it and treat her like some common girl. She was clearly more than that, he reminded himself. Someone who'd be worth sparring against, if the cuts on her armour said so. 

"Thankk you, Ser Tyrell," replied Merebelle, as she was taken along by the other knight. She knew that such an act could be taken or translated in many different ways - but one didn't deny or turn-down an opportunity to discuss or interact with a member from the Great Houses. Especially in her small standing, most of her House had been engaged in simply song-writing and singing in small congregations or at best as a choir in the Tully' Castle at their best times. "Might I ask, if there is any further requirement beyond simply a wish and skill with a sword?"

Namely she was asking, if she would be fighting with somebody of her skill. Would there be need some monetary entry fee - or if there was some sort of hierarchy; where the knights with the most wins would be fared up against eachother and then the victor would claim the grand prize.

Walking along, Ellion listened to her, knowing...well, maybe she didn't entirely understand the deeper parts of a melee. And him, being not really a fan of such things, he knew he couldn't really stop her, not in that respect.
"Well....it's a big fight, a mock battle, and hopefully, nobody gets killed. A good chance to prove yourself, a hero among a few. Though there is always jousting for that...and I just unhorsed Viserys Targaryen." He said, knowing he wasn't going to hide his glee, in knowing he'd just bloody done so.

"I don't know how good a fighter you are, Merebelle, but I'm sure if you can hold a sword and make sure you can parry a swinging blade, you'll be fine. Perhaps the King will offer a purse, too." He said, as they turned the corner, her metal in his metal, as he looked back down at her.

"But alas, how does a Lady so pretty choose to take the sword? Outside of necessity, of course. You seem to relish in this, if you don't mind me saying. A brave beautiful woman with a weapon is a rare sight, one with such a charm is rarer still."

"You honor me, with your charm," she replied, chuckling a little to that. True, she was surpised upon hearing him dismount a Targaryen. Since as much as she knew about them, they were the best of the best and great at everything they did. "And trust me. It wouldn't be my first choice or rather at all."

She recalled a few moments, of why she took up this path. "I was actually training to be a minstrel when I was younger. A musician, who can play many musical instruments and make the greatest songs come to life. My House is famous for those. Yet when the Riverlands were more chaotic, my carriage was attacked by bandits - injuring my guards. Leaving me alone with my two baby sisters. As such, I had two choices. Either I submit, and be forced to do whatever depraved and horrid affair the bandits had ideas for me and my two younglings. Or I could take up and fight."

"Suffice to say the Seven blessed me at that moment. I was barely fifteen summers, before I picked up a sword and killed all of the bandits by myself. Bloodied at such an age, and with five men of questionable morals no longer corrupting our lands. After that, I felt...well sick," she spoke. "Sick of having such a thing happen, and of our lands being unable to defend themselves. So on the day I returned to my home, I decided to become a knight. To protect those who can't and to make sure, such a moment would never happen to others - whom the Seven wouldn't show mercy or aid to."

Ellion raised his eyebrows. He'd killed a couple of men before, a drunk pair of bandits,and he'd pretty much done it cleanly and efficiently. But nothing like that. It was impressive to hear, to say the least, as he listened on, knowing she spoke from the bottom of her heart.

"Seven Hells...that is quite something. A lot of courage. Proven in blood, no less...." He replied, smiling....she was chivalrous, aye, that she most definitely was, like him. He'd seen past some of it, but he knew he had to do well, and be well meaning, to help those who he needed to help.

"I suppose life has a horrible way of making us who we are, and putting us together in the right way, the Mother be praised, it's a terrible yet wonderful thing....madness yet clarity. I find it in unhorsing great men, and sparring." Ellion said, as they rounded another corner, the Tyrell looking back, then at the melee that was gearing up. She'd depart from here, he guessed.

"Would you like to meet me later, in my quarters, Merebelle? I'd love to keep your company, hear more of what you have to say."

"Hmm," she thought, knowing this choice would make, break or define her future choices in life. It wouldn't hurt to speak with the Tyrell knight further. "As you wish, Ser. I do hope you spare me a few glances at the melee. Wish me luck then."

As she said that, she soon smiled back at him and soon let go of his hand, before setting her sights on the melee tournament and heading there. Letting his face and name be memorized in her mind - it wouldn't hurt to see this Ellion Tyrell later - and if she'd admit, he was kinda cute in his own way.