Location: The Stark Lodgings, Barrowtown

starkwhitewolf​:

torrhen paced the halls, wincing with every cry of pain his wife made as his good friends tried to comfort him. he was eternally grateful for rhydian and brandon in that moment. despite tradition or formalities, he was desperate to be with rosa, but he knew his presence was best outside, surely there were better hands and minds within the room, one more would only distract from focus and he wanted everyone’s attention on his wife and child. suddenly, as if by magic, a babe’s cry filled the halls of winterfell, and torrhen’s heart. he waited what seemed like hours, but finally a midwife gave the welcome, and he walked faster than he had in his life.

the king of winter entered with a bright smile and went to lay beside his wife, admiring the little babe in her arms. gods he was so small. smaller than he ever imagined. it had been long since he had seen a baby, perhaps even since his own younger brothers and sisters had been born. he remembered hearing mothers’ laboring echoing in the halls, their first cries. he had been worried then, of course, although not quite understanding the severity of the situation. with his own wife, however, it was the equivalent of torture. had he been able to take aware a fraction of her pain, taken on a bit of the risk she had to, he would.

yet they were here, frozen in time, in this moment. he would recall this for the rest of his life. “he’s perfect, rosa.” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple, reaching a gentle finger to stroke the little one’s cheek. “i did not imagine a baby to be as peaceful as he.” he jested with a soft chuckle, ice blue orbs turning to his queen. “i know some might think of this as duty, but you have given me the world, i am eternally grateful to you.”

.

after everything they had gone through together, he was here. all the worry and doubt of what was going to happen. cursed words thrown at her by pirates and threats. but their son was here and not born under a blood moon but a perfectly clear night sky. suddenly in a moment all that worry and stress and fear was gone as she held him in her arms. he was safe now in her arms. she knew she would never let anything bad happen to him and torrhen would never let anything happen to any of them.

what a blessing it was to have them both here with her now.

“he is absolutely perfect.” she smiled, getting to see the look on torrhen’s face as he saw his son for the first time. the king of the north and the future king swadded in her arms.

torrhen said she had given him the world but rosa knew in her heart that she would have given anything to him in that moment. anything he could ask for. “and you have given me the world too, a new world in my arms. a new home, a new life. i could never thank you enough for everything you have given me. i love you more than i can put into words this moment.”

despite still being sore, she adjusted herself up in the bed, holding out their son for torrhen to take. “you should hold him.” she said.

ravellaarryns​:

kingarryn​:

falcxnprince​:

@kingarryn @ravellaarryns @rosaaaryn

>mini event: cutthroat cousins 

 Rhys paced around the room, finger tapping lightly on his chin while his other hand was folded behind his back. Rumors he believed would soon be dispelled only grew, as did his concern. It was best that he brought this to the attention of his family members. Tensions had grown as of late, and it was time to decide what to do about them once and for all. When the last person entered, he began. “I’ve brought up the subject of our cousins once before, and unfortunately they’ve become the topic of this meeting here tonight. Whispers of a coup have only grown stronger, and I fear they may rally more support before long.”

it was late in the evening when rowan received word from one of his servants who informed him that he was being summoned by rhys arryn. rowan was in his own rooms at the time, but quickly rose to leave and make the trek down the many corridors and make his way to his spymaster’s chambers. he enters the room and sits down until ravella and rosa eventually join them. rowan felt the pit in his stomach drop as he anxiously runs a hand through his hair. he lets out a breathe before speaking, “do we have any confirmation of who is supporting their claim?”

@ravellaarryns​ @rosaaaryn​​ @falcxnprince​

.

a summoning at this hour was enough of an indication that something was afoot; and as ravella made her way toward the royal apartments of rhys arryn, she found herself looking harder at the subjects of other kings that continued to linger the hallways of the eyrie. her face remained like stone in reaction to the news; in truth, she knew this moment in time was the least favourable for the family to deal with internal tension within the vale of arryn. they needed to seem united, and strong; to both their allies and opposition the same.

she too awaited the answer for the question the mountain king uttered; how grave was the situation? how credible were the rumours? how much support did isembard arryn have, if any at all - apart from his own wealth; stemming from siding with merchants and trade, rather than a strong lineage of noble blood. “the great gilded falcon…” she spoke, her tone mocking as she poured herself a goblet of bitter wine. “seems to have forgotten that his gold does not equate to a crown.”

@rosaaaryn​

.

there was still much work that needed to be done with an upcoming move to the north. rosa had been looking over various paperwork when she had gotten word that her and the other siblings were being summoned by rhys. busy as she was, she would never be busy enough to ignore a message from her siblings. and seeing that the strange message came at night lead her to believe that this would be rather important. her work could easily wait. 

 making her way to her brother's chambers it seemed she was the last to arrive as the rest of her siblings were already gathered together. quietly she listened to the news her brother had to share, watching the reactions and words from each of her siblings. the shock of the statement had yet to leave her. "what?" she muttered. "they have absolutely no claim to the throne at all. who would support such a ridiculous claim as that?" she wondered. "perhaps this is a misunderstanding or another lord twisting the words of our cousins."

@falcxnprince​

rosa knew her husband was busy and this would be just another thing to add to his growing list of tasks but it was important to stop this in its tracks. "i was getting ready for the wedding with my ladies in waiting and we were discussing the upcoming wedding. young lady mara mentioned how lucky this new queen would be that the first man she got to be with on her wedding night was her husband...." rosa took in a deep breath to continue the story, unhappy with the news she had to present. "after some questions it seems that mara's sister was made to sleep with the lesser lord who looked after her village. and she had no idea that the first night had been banned by law."

Owen wasn't prepared for his morning to go one way or another. He had the routine of his meals and meetings and sparring and sketching and circling back to meals through various points. And honestly, he let his council run meetings without him. And the wedding season seems even busier than most of those seasons.

"Of course, my wife. What's on your mind? Has something happened?" Owen asked as he began to pile food on his plate.

A E G O N    T A R G A R Y E N

“the fire had been put out, ten years had passed in a flash, and aegon was only ‘home’ for a few days, before he was to sail back to braavos. ”

penned by L

@facelesstargaryen

rosa's voice was low, quiet but knowing her sister could hear her words. "i missed you more than you could ever know." she spoke to her.

since she was a child it felt like she only ever had her siblings on her side. their father was harsh and cruel towards his youngest daughter. and while their mother tried to help, it seemed she was spacey in her own way. rosa had been glued to her sisters side ever since then.   looking up to her, admiring her strength. they did not meet eye to eye with everything but that hardly mattered to rosa. her heart was over bursting with love for her dark haired sister.

and now it was time for rosa to discover the world on her own without her siblings by her side. which had proven to be both exciting and a little scary at times. and while she was adjusting to life in the north it did not mean she didn't miss her sister's daily presence in her life.

"i actually have gotten used to the cold weather up here. i mean, some days are just brutal but i do not seem to mind it. however perhaps you are right." a laugh left the lips of the new northern queen, as she took her sister's hand in hers. "ah yes, allow me to escort you to your rooms. i am sure you would like to change." with a knowing smile rosa switched to sign towards her sister don't worry i have made sure you have the best rooms. but don't tell anyone else

rosaaaryn​:

location: white harbor, the north

it had not been that long since she had seen her family last, only a few months. but to her it felt like forever. over the past ten years of the war she barely had ever left the vale, for safety sake. and during that time she had her family by her side. and most of that time was spent with her sister as their brothers left to fight in their own ways. 

first arriving in the north she felt lost without having them by her side. rodrik was there for her, along with the other stark siblings but it took some time to adjust. and even still there were times she doubted herself and her place in the north.

 rosa had asked that the moment word came that the party from the vale had arrived that she be notified. her heart fluttered every time someone walked down the halls, expecting news to arrive. the moment the fresh-faced maid stuck her head into the room to give her the news, rosa had tossed her book aside and hurried out the door.

 “your majesty, please be careful!” her maid called after her. all of the staff were more cautious around her the past few weeks now that her stomach had begun to swell. the bump just barely visible under the dark navy dress she wore and the large cloak to keep her warm.

 racing down the white stone halls of new castle, she turned the corner into the main entrance. there she could spot the familiar raven-colored hair of her sister. “ravella!” she called out over the crowd, a smile on the young queen’s face. she felt giddy, like a child once more as she bounded her way across the hall towards her. she gave little care to who else was there or watching as she threw her arms around her sister. “you made it here safe. i am so happy to see you.”

@ravellaarryns

.

there was a tragic history between house arryn and the bustling northern city of white harbor; whitewashed walls gleaming under the harsh winter light. only a handful of years ago did maddelena manderly board a grand ship with the eyrie as it’s final intended destination, wedding her eldest brother - though she never openly spoke of the matter, ravella had grown to quietly appreciate the woman’s presence within her family. the smell of the northern sea made ravella’s stomach twist lightly; now knowing the bride had long since returned to the gods. wherever they were. 

indicating for the servants to load their belongings carefully upon the stationed carriages, she barely heard a familiar voice call over the bustling noise, not until she turned her icy gaze over the crowd to fall upon a familiar head of fiery hair. and soon, that fiery head of hair had ran through the crowds, arms thrown around her. ravella ’s face was momentarily buried in her sister’s curls, and if one looked carefully, one would be able to see the swift, bright smile cross the woman’s features. 

“we all did.” she spoke, squeezing her sister firmly before looking down at the small bump, covered by the warm cloak. “come, we must get you inside - gods know this harsh weather is good for nobody. would the queen of the north care to escort me?” she asked, a slight eyebrow raised as she stressed upon the new title bestowed upon rosalyn.

tears flowed down the cheeks of the queen of winter. this couldn’t be. this simply could not be. there was always hope that one day their niece would be returned home safe. that one day soon she would be found amongst the mountain clans that took her and she would be returned back home to them. reading the letter her sister had given her broke her heart over and over again with each new word she read.

why would her sister allow her to read such a thing without warning? why not tell her herself to soften such a blow. perhaps she thought this would be easier…it was strange. but grief made everyone act strange. rosalyn’s hand clutched at her swelling stomach as she tried to process the news. 

“rowan made me promise i would look after her.” she remembered back to the time when their family was whole. rowan holding his young daughter and making her swear to look after his daughter if anything happened to him. and now she had let him down. at least the guards who allowed it would also be punished. how they could lack in their duty to protect someone so innocent, so young. they needed to be punished. 

“sister please,”rosalyn said looking over towards ravella who’s eyes had barely moved away from the window. “please sit with me, i need you.” she said reaching out her hand for her sister. gods only knew how different they were from one another, they always had been since they were little. but that never stopped the deep connection of love between them. rosalyn doubted very little could ever stop her from loving her sister.

who: @rosaaaryn​  where: the queens of winter and the mountains of the moon sit together within the private bedchambers of ravella within highgarden, upon the news of their niece’s murder being broken to the queen in the north. a corpse had been found, and identified as the late daughter of rowan arryn.

and the sound of the crying that seemed to come from the lips of her sister at the news was a sound that would once have caused something within her to stir, the way it did upon hearing the way rosalyn’s voice would break whilst having conversation within their father. never once had his favouritism of his eldest daughter gotten in the way of the sisterhood they shared. one that was not filled with affection from the queen of winter, but a level of tolerance that could only equate love.

“cry. you need cry. you can cry.”

and yet now, there was nothing as she stood by the window; she had not spoken the words directly to her sister, instead allowing her to read the letter that had been received to the queen directly. the small council had already been gathered, and she attempted to ignore the ways in which lord stone’s dark gaze looked upon her. somewhere along the way, it was decided that sacrifices would be needed to make the mountain stronger. the mountain needed to be fed, and falcons had lived in delusion for long enough. they were not untouchable. the mountain needed to be fed.

“the guards who allowed it were put to death by the lord commander.”

how was it people reacted to news of such grief? did they sob and sound like a wounded animal, pouring their hearts out into the void amidst the wracking of shoulders? no, that would be entirely undignified. but rosalyn would react in that way, considering she was entirely fond of the girl. the daughter of rowan arryn. weakness ran in blood, and thus so did the undoing of their realm. sacrifices needed to be made to make matters stronger again. sacrifices needed to be made to ensure there was no threat to her own legitimacy, apart from what lay between her legs.

letter sent to @ravellaarryns after a few weeks after fighting breaks out

dear sister,

i have missed you terribly since my visit back home to the eyire. it warmed my heart to see you once again and i hope i will be able to visit you again soon. please give my love to graham as well, it was wonderful to see him and i am so happy for the two of you. i know i said it about a dozen times when i saw you in person but i know in my heart you will be an amazing queen. i am so proud of you.

there is some slight unfortunate news upon returning back to the north. it seems not even us could escape the trouble in the iron islands. some of the escaped men have found their way into our woods and have joined forces with the thenns. theon and the others have left to deal with the issue. 

however with bad news come some good news. a week after theon left to fight i discovered i may be with child. the midwives here have confirmed it and they believe it may be more than one. but it is still too early to tell for sure. i have yet to tell my husband yet as i am afraid it may be a distraction while he is fighting. but i am in good hands and being well protected and taken care of. i wanted you to know as quickly as i could tell you.

i love you so much. and eddie says the same.

your loving sister,

rosa

C A S I M I R   T U L L Y

“Casimir understood that perhaps, though his words had sounded strong and unlike the boy in his youth, the voice of his younger self had indeed peaked through.”

penned by belle

@casimirtully

gcuienveres​:

♕

was it something she was willing to simply let slip through her fingers as though it were merely sand upon the shores of the sunset sea; if she closed her eyes she could just about hear the distant sounds of the oceans might and wrath hitting the rocks, and it was enough to momentarily cool her off from whatever strange feelings seemed to be swirling deep within her gut. feelings of being outcasted, feelings of being slighted and the great swelling pride that seemed to burn and burn in response to such actions; for a moment she wished she could be beneath the waves once again, thoughts being drowned out by the thunderous sound of everything else around her. 

she wanted her mind to stop, she wanted her heart to stop burning as though she held a vengeance for all around her, she wanted her tongue to stop feeling as though it were a blade able and ready to hurt those around her; she knew not what dark thoughts were swirling in her mind that were causing her to lash out at those around her, and yet she felt as though she could not voice it. only pace, and hide in the grass as she locked emerald orbs upon her next prey; and rip to shreds the confidence those she believed had been some part of her very public undoing. “get to know me?” guinevere asked, any sense of the taunting, bitchy smile that had sat upon her lips completely draining - gods, what was there left to get to know when she didn’t even know who she was at this point in this life? even her name, her name was enough of a question mark that she found herself hesitating before she signed off letters. 

“trying…what you could.” her voice suddenly snapped, as though a spark of fire had suddenly rooted itself deep within her; all she could hear were excuses for the incompetence the starks had shown in their control of that night, and how she had nearly lost her life for it. instead, she had ended up being publicly shamed, stripped of her titles, and treated as though she were nothing but a common whore. “if you expect me to sit and wrap you up in blankets, tell you that you done your best, you’re very much misguided. it was not enough, and the consequences for that remain. how do you expect me to respect you, when your own men did not that night?”

“we are not family.” she spoke, resting her hands upon the her golden skirts, reflecting slightly in the crackling hearth of the fire, her tone inherently dismissive as though she were speaking to a little girl that continued to believe in fantasies and mythical tales, a harsh quip of realism. “just because i’ve somehow ended up making this choice, know i do not consider you kin, and never will.” her tone implied a scathing sense of regret, of doubt, on the choices that had led to her to this point in her life. "you were not the only one who nearly lost your life as a result of doing nothing that night.“ she almost hissed, a sense of icy anger sitting within her as she felt the urge to complete throw aside all rosalyn had put the effort into setting up on the table sat between them. “are you planning on taking any responsibility for that, or am i wasting more of my time?”

.

this was the woman her brother had chosen to marry? who he had put so much in danger for? for someone so cruel and uncaring. how could he have ever chosen someone like this? unless he might be unaware of what was lurking behind that beautiful blonde curls of hers. behind the kind smile she must have given him. her heart ached to think about what was to come if the queen of the vale was to be so heartless. gods her sister was right. here she had just thought ravella was exaggerating the terrible things that were to come with this marriage but maybe she was right.

“you somehow made this choice? my brother loves you, more than anyone else i have ever seen. he has given his whole heart to you and you are telling me you somehow made this choice? like it or not we are family as you choose to marry an arryn. you do not get to so cruelly throw that back in my face.” her heart was racing now. this was worse than any other time she had to face a heartless lady of the court. having to face their bullying and harsh words. gwen had stabbed her and was twisting the knife with her words. it took all her effort to keep herself composed. to fight back tears that wanted to pool down her face. how could anyone say such vicious things to someone else?

“enough.” rosa’s voice held with a strength unusual for the new queen. “i believe it is time for you to go back to the vale housing.” the northern queen stood up from her chair, her head held high as she looked at her brother’s new wife. “thank you for joining me here today, your grace. i will be sure to let my brother know we were able to meet. i am sure he will be curious to know. good day.” 

keep composed rosa. keep composed. she repeated it over and over again in her head. she would not let her dignity walk out that door along with her good sister. she waited until guinevere lannsiter was out of her chambers before she turned to face the window. “please leave me.” she told the handmaidens who were around. once she was sure they were gone she let the tears fall from her eyes. her hands clasped tightly over her mouth, so no sound could escape. there was only the light crackling of fire, and the muffled sobs of rosalyn stark. she did not wish for anyone to know how much the words had affected her. how they would eat away at the confidence she had only just begun to build for herself. but the queen of the north had to remain strong in these times.

 but she did not cry just for herself, but cried for the vale. for her brother. for her family. she could feel her heart breaking for them.

-end-

what's your relationship like with your siblings now that you have moved to the north?

“i still love them all dearly. i wish i was still close to them as i feel like i cannot be there for them as much. and i feel like there are things are they are not telling me because i am married into another family. but i will never stop loving them, ever.”

@ravellaarryns @kingarryn @falcxnprince