#grv. take me there to that place of peace

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@mymothershumility sent in ❛ this fear you feel? it won’t last. ❜

Was she afraid? Donna wondered, as she forced herself to breathe slowly, deliberately, trying to keep the pain at bay as much as she could. Was this how it felt to die? Was she afraid of dying?

"Cousin is going to be really angry with me," she uttered, trying to ignore the metallic taste that filled her mouth, "he can be pretty scary when he is angry." It was meant to be a jest, but the look on Laira's face said it was not appreciated. Donna was being foolish again, she could hear Oliver saying. Laira had guards but they had not been there and Donna had and what she to do but defend her?

"I am not afraid...." she closed her eyes, trying to ignore the wetness as blood seeped into the new set of bandages. There did not seemed to be a way to stop the bleeding. 'I am sad,' she thought. She was going to miss them. There was so much she would not get to see.

"Sweetling?"

"Hmm?" she was so tired, so so tired.

[fullrangeofemotions]

missed call from @mymothershumility

The sounds of the waves was soothing and there was nothing like the feeling of sand between her toes. She smiled as she looked down, wiggling her toes as she sank her feet deeper into the sand. Her shoes had been discarded early on, and they sat patiently waiting for her to be ready to leave and head back. Would she ever be ready to head back?

She wadded into the water, not bothering to pick up her skirts. She let the waves crash into her feet, soaking the bottom of her dress. The water was cold but she suffered through those shocking first moments, acclimating to the temperature rather quickly. She looked out at the horizon, “On the wind I hear you calling from the ocean far away, whispered as the light is falling you gently call my name,” she began to sing out to the waves. “Eurielle, Eurielle, will you wait for me, will you wait for me,” she was lost in her thoughts, that she did not realize she was no longer alone.

[fullrangeofemotions]

@asilverseahorse  sent "Many atrocities have been done in the name of the greater good."

Donna looked down at Allison as she slept, her curls were still damp from her recent bath. She was curled into a little ball and it made Donna’s heart clench at the sight. She ran her fingers through her curls, gently untangling them, was she perhaps seeing herself in the little girl? Was this what she had looked liked when she had lost her parents? Lost and alone? But Donna had not been alone, she had her cousins. 

“How can helping her be wrong?” she asked, glancing up at the Princess. “She is all alone, she has no one. I can take care of her.” 

Donna could not bare the thought of letting Allison go, where would she go? an orphanage? 

“She needs me.” 

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‘  true  love  is  never  the  answer  to  the  riddle.  not  when  so  much  as  life  and  death  is  at  stake.  ’

Sent by @mymothershumility

"Love is never an answer to anything, it is merely a means to an end," Lourdes calmly replied, raising her wine cup up to her lips, eyes not once moving from the dragon before her.

"There is little love can do when out in the field," Rachel spoke up, a slight frown upon her lips as she glanced between Lourdes and the Crown Princess. She had not been expecting to be part of this conversation, but as heir of House Manwoody, she took opportunity to learn.

"I do believe we've moved away from the reason the Crown Princess called to meet with you Lady Wyl," Donna piped up, from her place next to Lady Rachel. Donna knew that Lourdes did not trust the dragons, but that was because she did not trust anyone. Except for House Manwoody, for she had taken to mentoring Lady Rachel. "Ah, yes, rest assure that we will support one Crown Princess," Lourdes vowed in few words, not that it surprised Donna. She knew the woman did not want to see Laira's brother on the throne.

[fullrangeofemotions]

@mymothershumility sent "can you keep a secret?"

Allison's curl had been tamed into a neat braid, it looks exactly like Donna's, which made Allison happy. 

Allison eyed the pretty woman curiously. Donna had called her a queen, she was not sure what that meant but she had a pretty smile and seemed really nice. Allison hugged her doll, Donna had given it to her, it was hers now. If the person was not nice, Donna would have never left Allison alone with her. Donna protected her. 

The pretty lady's question had Allison frowning, "sewet?" she tried to repeat. Allison recognized the word! She straightened up and nodded her head.

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"I can handle him being more prideful if it eases his mind," Donna smiled knowingly at Dinah, for she knew her companion worried for her being as well. Dinah was much of a staple in her life as her Cousin Oliver, "besides, I'll be in Highgarden, so you would be the one dealing with him," she added teasingly.

Donna stood and watched in awe as Sunfyre and Tessarion both landed not too far from them. If they were beautiful dancing up in the skies, it was nothing like seeing so close. Of course, Tessarion she knew, for wherever Princess Helaena was, her dragonmount was with. Donna loved watching the two fly. At the offer Donna immediately beamed, practically dragging Dinah along with her, "it would be an honor Your Grace!"

She had once asked Princess Helaena what it felt like to fly, with a knowing look, the Princess had teasingly said that perhaps one of these days she'd take her up. Cousin Oliver almost had an attack right then and there. It had been funny.

"If your dragonmount is okay with that," she quickly added.

Donna beamed as Dinah’s words easily restrengthened her sense of belonging. She never doubted her place in the Arbor, but anytime she was at Highgarden, that feeling was chipped away. It was so different. Her cousins were welcoming but her uncle and aunt were….a bit more critical. When it came to her grandmother, Donna was lacking in something or other. When Donna had still been a little girl, Cousin Oliver would comfort her by saying that Lady Olenna did not like him and took it out on Donna. As she grew older, however, Donna realized it was not just that.

“Good, because there is no place I’d rather be,” she stated, focusing back on the conversation at hand. “And good thing I am here to confirm that she does aid in such endeavors,” she added in a teasing tone. “Both of them have my cousin wrapped around their finger.”

[fullrangeofemotions]

Donna beamed as Dinah's words easily restrengthened her sense of belonging. She never doubted her place in the Arbor, but anytime she was at Highgarden, that feeling was chipped away. It was so different. Her cousins were welcoming but her uncle and aunt were....a bit more critical. When it came to her grandmother, Donna was lacking in something or other. When Donna had still been a little girl, Cousin Oliver would comfort her by saying that Lady Olenna did not like him and took it out on Donna. As she grew older, however, Donna realized it was not just that.

"Good, because there is no place I'd rather be," she stated, focusing back on the conversation at hand. "And good thing I am here to confirm that she does aid in such endeavors," she added in a teasing tone. "Both of them have my cousin wrapped around their finger."

mymothershumility​:

Though Lady Donna now seemed excited over the correspondence that had arrived from Highgarden, Laira could not ignore the hesitance that had lingered in the other’s tone only moments before. She could not ignore the uncertainty that had colored her response one second only to be swept away in a sudden rush the next. The entirety of the exchange seemed forced. As for Lady Donna’s mysterious correspondence from Mace Tyrell at Highgarden, Laira could not determine what could be afoot.

Something about the act, about the secrecy of it all, reeked of deception at its very best.

A brief glance at Lady Dinah and Laira knew that the Lady of the Vale held a similar belief of her own.

“Oliver will insist upon sending shields with you for your own protection,” Dinah said. Though Highgarden had its own retinue, Oliver would want his own men –those that he could trust– looking after his cousin. “And, he will not wish for you to stay longer than necessary.” Dinah had a similar desire, having long been untrusting of Mace Tyrell and his wife, Alerie Hightower.

Most of all, though, she mistrusted the Queen of Thorns and the hold that she seemed to have over the Lord of the Reach.

“It is quite a journey to Winterfell,” the Crown Princess reminded. “Over a month from here at the Arbor by boat to White Harbor and then a fortnight on horseback.” The journey was different on dragonback, far shorter and far less taxing. “Perhaps Lord Redwyne could be convinced to journey north and treat with my Lord husband once you have returned from your excursion to Highgarden,” Laira went on. “I would like for Helaena to make the journey as well,” she said.

Donna gave a slight shake of her head, “I cannot imagine being asked to stay longer than necessary.” Her visits were always short and sweet, both because she knew she was not welcomed with opened arms although they sure pretended, and because Donna herself never felt at home. It was stifling. The first couple of days were always fun, only because she spent her time with Margaery.

The added shields, well, that was normal too. Donna was aware she was quite sheltered, her cousin took all precautions when it came to keeping her safe and sound. There were times when it grated on her nerves, no lie there, but most of the time, it made her feel at home. It was not necessarily a feeling she got when in Highgarden.

“Besides, if it means that on my return we will travel to Winterfell, well then, I’ll be back in record time,” she added with a cheeky grin. “Besides, it’ll be all of us against him, he won’t stand a chance,” she joked.