Kassius’ footfalls were heavy as he left his chambers for his first dinner having returned from his fosterage. He loved Highgarden, but he would miss Dorne: Princess Myria, Prince Nymeros, the strange trees with fronds instead of branches, the pools in the Watergardens the little princess had convinced him to learn to swim in. He took a deep breath and opened the door to the dining hall, taking his place at the table as the third son. The meal table was utterly quiet. He’d forgotten that meals at Highgarden were like this. Dinner was not a rowdy affair in Sunspear or the Watergardens, but there’d always been life and chatter of some sort, especially with Princess Myria at any table. But Lord Garrothan Tyrell’s castle was one of order and decorum.
Sillowen kissed him on the cheek as she went to take her seat as well. “Welcome back, Kassius.” She said, with a smile. He smiled back at her warmly. He had missed his siblings dearly. It was hard, missing one place or another no matter where you were. Jana managed to jump into his lap to give him a hug before either of their parents said anything about it. She could get away with a great many things when it came to their parents, after all, and Kassius didn’t blame them.
“Welcome back, son. You look well.” His father said, his normal stern self, but Kassius knew the older man was glad to have him back from the slightly relaxed sloop of his shoulders, and the rare hint of a smile playing around his lips. He’d learned to recognize the signs that his father had missed him, as quiet as they were.
“Thank you, father.” Kassius replied.
“Prince Nymeros assures me again that you were well-received throughout your fosterage, and you are welcome to return to Sunspear any time you desire, once you reach your majority.”
Kassius’ eyes widened for a second, the thought of revisiting Dorne when he turned 16 stealing a bit of the sting from his memories. “I-” He started, but his father cut him off without even noticing he had begun to speak.
“That’s nonsense of course, you have no reason to return to Dorne, but that he should say so shows you have done justice to House Tyrell.” Lord Tyrell continued to eat, his other children not seeming to have any particular thought on the conversation.
Kassius didn’t touch his food for a second, focused on his father. “Thank you, father, but I really had thought-” His father looked at him, and that was when all the old familiar feelings came rushing back, the anxiety choking the words out of his mouth.
“You had thought what?” Garrothan asked, seeming genuinely curious, but the look in his eyes warned Kassius that it would be easy to step out of the line he was expected to stay within.
He swallowed, mustering up his courage with the newfound confidence he had gained while in Dorne, “I had thought that I might go visit Dorne at the proper age, to show my gratitude to Prince Nymeros f-for his instruction and care.”
His father regarded him with an expression Kassius could not decipher. “His instruction in what? Did you not spend your fosterage as you have always done, painting in the gardens?”
Kassius stumbled. “Well- well, yes, I was given the freedom to do so as I wished, I- it is not as though- he- he didn’t- that is-“
The older man frowned at him, “Speak up, boy. I thought you had learned not to stutter when spoken to while over in Dorne.”
Heart thundering in his chest, Kassius opened his mouth to try once more, but found it dry as a bone. He swallowed hard again, then gave up, looking down at his plate. “I’m sorry, father. I… It was nothing, after all.”
Garrothan gave him another long, strange look, then shook his head, disappointment oozing from every pore. “I see.” Was all he said, and the two of them said not another word throughout the remainder of the meal.