Lady Elinor Arryn gazed out from the stone balcony of the Eyrie, watching as the sun began to dip below the jagged peaks of the Vale. The thin mountain air carried the cries of the falcons soaring high above the valley floor, making her think of the stark, unforgiving beauty that both captivated and frightened her.

"Lady Arryn," came the gruff voice from the doorway, snapping Elinor out of her thoughts. Ser Gavric, a dour knight cast in the mold of the Vale with his thin hair and hard eyes, stood at the entrance to her receiving room, his usual scowl etched across his face. "Pardon me for disturbing you, but there's someone here to see you."

"Who is it, Ser Gavric?" she asked, her voice betraying her uncertainty.

"A hedge knight by the name of Ser Viktor. He claims to have vital information regarding House Royce and another family in the area." His eyes flicked behind her, searching for any hidden threats. "Do you wish for me to send him away?"

There was a moment's silence as Elinor weighed her options, her eyes flicking back towards the lithe falcons circling above the ashen sky. They were her house's emblem, after all - a symbol of both her power and her vulnerability.

"No," she replied at last, her gaze returning to Ser Gavric's expectant stare. "Bring him to me, we shall hear what Ser Viktor has to say."