Elia tried not to wince as Isobel stuttered. Gods be good, it was hard to know what to think of the girl. How had she come from the same family as the legendary Ashara, Arthur, even Ned Dayne?
She studied Isobel for a moment. Pretty, shapely enough to catch the eye of Arys Arryn, but cheeks red from embarrassment and tripping on her own words. Hester could murder this one without even lifting a finger. And then Elia would be the one sorting out who would be the next Lord of Starfall. Seven hells, was Lord Dayne trying to get his daughter killed? He had to be desperate to get her a match but there was no reason to risk one's only heir by throwing them into a court they would be unprepared to survive in.
Elia tilted her head curiously. "Lord Dayne is wise not to risk his greatest treasure." She was being cruel now, but sometimes it was necessary; lessons sometimes hurt. "I do wish more Lord would know when to retire their swords." It was a pity Isobel's family hadn't retired theirs sooner as a matter of fact.
She let her last comment sink into the silence that had settled around them. A glance at the others showed they were busily staring at their threads, and a few were making rather a show of undoing some stitches. "Ladies, leave us a moment," Elia requested without raising her voice.
Instantly, the others stood and began to file out, making courtesies to Elia and a few shooting glances at Isobel that stopped just shy of venemous. The Daynes had split families with their rebellion, had terrorized the marches as well as the Reach and Highgarden... It was nothing likely to be pardoned in this generation, Elia thought sadly. Too many older brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers had been lost.