#young meera!

[alyblacklist]

Cast list for Episode 10.13 via Rotten Tomatoes

[sunshineandviolets]

can't sleep just thinking about an au where the mc died during the murphy incident but specifically, Rebecca having to deal with history repeating itself as she has to tell another child why their dad won't be coming home tonight :))

[hitchell-mope]

Hypothetical titles for season nineteen of 88

Watch what happens. Season premiere. Part one. The precinct teams up with the other precincts all over the state when thousands of expensive Cartier watches get stolen from right under the proprietors noses. First appearance of Divine Love Konadu-Sun as Theo Wilmington.

The art of horology. Season premiere. Part two. Armed with Clyde’s knowledge, and a lot more than a few puns at Lucia’s expense, Thornton leads his team up against The Horologist.

Old mother Hubbard. The remains of a champion Great Dane are found in Central Park. And all signs point to his owner

The testimony of a college bound warlock. A Familiar approaches Findlay to help convince her human to testify at a murder trial. Guest starring Michelle Gomez as Alpine Affleck and Miles Brown as Atticus Alderman

The wrong Holmes. With the help of the deceaseds Spectre. The team investigates a fratricide that turns into a should’ve been assisted sororicide. Guest starring Tia Mowry, Tahj Mowry and Tamera Mowry as Martine, Sherman and Eunice Holmes.

Mumsies the word. Leland’s ex wife and Zoey’s estranged mother Bernadette Sellars (Minnie Driver) stops by for a long overdue visit along with her new fiancé Morton Simmons (Lee Pace)

Four Jews in a room bitching. Lysander takes Tina, Drummond, Odessa, Clyde and David to the bar mitzvah of his favourite Oxford professors son. Where him and the other three men promptly get locked in the coat check room while a robbery’s in progress.

The family disappointment. The real reason for Bernadette and Morton’s nuptials is revealed when an immigration agent drops by Fifth Avenue. First appearance of Paget Brewster as Agent Wilhelmina Wallace.

Condolences. The Five Families of New York gather together once more for the funeral of Jacob’s mother. Second and last appearance of Bellamy Young as Adelaide Spratt

Truth will out. Having had enough of Bernadette’s charade. Delaney tells Zoey the truth about everything.

Hogwarts Holdings. Findlay can’t resist sitting in on one of Clyde’s business meetings. Which surprisingly helps Clyde gain a new ally against his sister. Guest starring Rupert Grint as himself.

Five alarm fire. Midseason finale. Part one. Solaris’s life is endangered when the NYFD headquarters explodes two weeks before Christmas with him a sixty other firefighters inside it.

Tag em and bag em. Midseason premiere. Part two. As Thornton and the team work to save the survivors of the explosion. Jones gets a visit from the director of the New York branch of the FBI. First appearance of Will Estes as FBI Director William Wallace.

The world’s oldest raver. Zoey gets a reality check when she throws her back out after she goes clubbing with Ethan.

Let a story be a story. Findlay finds herself at war with Arlene’s protege who’s trying to get a musical about Henry VIII cancelled on grounds of misogyny. Guest starring Sadie Sink as Chartreuse Addams.

Roulette. Chambers returns to ask Jacob’s help in a court case against a casino owner he owes money to. Guest starring Jack Black as Dionysus Morgan

Saxe Coburg Gotha. Part one. Findlay accompanies Tina back to England when the princess royal and her wife leak some personal news to the international press. Guest starring Rhianne Barreto as Rani Burton, Auli’i Cravalho as Aimee Davenport, Chris Pratt as Emerson Davenport and Meera Syal as the queen mother Nadine Burton

Threat level Hewitt. Part two. The queen mother will do anything to prevent history repeating itself. Even if it means irreparably destroying her relationship with her daughter. Guest starring Jack Whitehall as Tina’s older brother Lord Jasper Downey.

First flight. Theo starts flying independently and runs away after having enough of the fighting between Delaney, Bernadette, Findlay and Kimberly.

Yankees and Redcoats. A game of cat and mouse ensues at a cd signing by Tina’s celebrity crushes. Guest starring Finn Wolfhard as Yannick Keynes, Louis Partridge as his singing partner Radcliffe Coats and Hunter Doohan as their manager Hadley Dawson.

Pieta. Godfrey find himself getting sued by Jesse’s mother and stepfather for millennia of backpay in child support. Guest starring Sakina Jaffrey as Mary Carpenter, Alexander Siddig as Joseph Carpenter and Adria Arjona as Maggie Christensen.

The captain, the slut, her boyfriend and his mother. Thornton takes the lead when Ethan’s mother gets burgled. Meanwhile. The final preparations are underway for Sellers/Simmons “wedding”. Guest starring Catherine Keener as Dorothy Baum.

Who’ll catch the bride? Season finale. Part one. Bernadette and Morton’s sham wedding day arrives. And Delaney has a special present for the blushing schemer.

Why waste a wedding? Season finale. Part two. With Agent Wallace closing in, Bernadette tries to make sure her sham wedding goes off without a hitch. But she doesn’t count on Zoey coming to her senses. And that will be her downfall.

[zonetrente-trois]

Syal: "It's much more difficult to get those horizontal, quirky, off-kilter stories [made] that only actually people that have lived that experience can tell."

[starogeorgina]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐮𝐬

Pairing: Criston Cole x reader

Warnings: None

1.04

Feeling a sense of déjà vu, you place the brush in your hand, hear a knock at your chamber door, and call out, “Come in, Raya.”

You take a small amount of floral-smelling oil between your fingertips and rub it on the ends of your hair. Once your hair was braided, you’d be able to leave to attend a meeting with your father to go over the terms of Meera’s betrothal. You could practically see the wheels turning behind Otto Hightower's eyes when he suggested there may be a more suitable match than the one you had already made.

“Princess.”

“Ser Criston,” surprised by the knight’s presence, you stand. “I dismissed you this morning. You aren’t supposed to resume your duties until nighttime.”

“I’ve decided to decline your gracious offer of time off, princess.”

Amused, you shake your head. “I don’t believe you are allowed to decline me, Ser.”

“In truth, I would feel more comfortable escorting you and the young princess myself to the dragonpit this afternoon.”

“Very well.” You skim your hand over your vanity to your mother's old jewelry box, open it, and start sliding various rings on your fingers. “I’m assuming you’ve dismissed the king's guard posted outside my quarters already?”

“Yes, princess.”

Taking out the last piece of jewelry you’d chosen to wear, a gold herringbone-link necklace that was a name-day gift from Rhaenyra. Noises of frustration leave your mouth as you struggle to attach the latch at the back.

“Princess, allow me.”

Criston stands in front of you, holding his hand out to take the necklace. You hand it to him, then turn to face the opposite way and pull your hair away from your neck. His cold fingers briefly brush against your skin before clasping the necklace together. When he steps back, you let go of your hair and fix it behind your shoulders.

You look over your shoulder at him and say, “Thank you.”

He says nothing, but you feel a slight tightness in your stomach while his gaze lingers on you. The knight finally breaks the silence and, in a humorous tone, asks, “Is it a coincidence that you and Princess Meera are wearing matching dresses this morning?”

“She picked her dress after I chose mine.”

Your answer causes him to smile. “It must be the greatest of compliments to have a child that idolizes you.”

Lady Laena had sent various dresses in rich colors over from Pentos as an apology for missing your wedding. You’d chosen to wear an orange beaded gown; the fabric of the skirts is much thinner and flatter than what highborns in King's Landing wear. Meera’s dress was the same color as yours; it meant a great deal to you that your cousin had taken your daughter into consideration as well.

“Forgive me, princess,” Raya says, rushing into your bedchamber, flushed in the face. “Good morrow, Ser Criston.”

“Good morrow. I’ll wait outside until you’re ready, princess.”

You sit back down at your vanity, and Raya begins to section your hair into different parts to braid. You feel a slight tingle on the back of your neck where the knight’s fingers brushed against.

—

Your father sits at the head of the small council table, listening intently as Otto pushes his own agenda as expected. You were thankful Ser Criston was there, as you were short of allies in the room. You sat on one side of the table, while Alicent, Otto, and a very disinterested Gwayne sat on the opposite side. Your husband had remained silent while the queen and her father continued to ramble on.

“Why isn’t my sister here?”

Otto glances at his daughter, then back to you. “I wasn’t aware that you wished to have Princess Rhaenyra present during this discussion.”

You spin the green marble ball on the table with the pads of your finger. You weren’t a fool; yourself and Rhaenyra had already spoken about the Hightowers deliberately excluding her because they thought it would be easier to sway your decision without her there. “My sister is the heir to the iron throne, and my daughter is the link between House Targaryen and House Stark. I would think her opinion is rather important on the matter.”

Alicent stands, holding a goblet in her hand and a strained smile on her face. “I know you have considered several suitors, but my son Aemond isn’t much older than your daughter, Meera. I propose we betroth them and strengthen our houses.”

“A most judicious proposition,” your father says. “But as my daughter has already stated, she has accepted a marriage betrothal. The matter is settled.”

“Oh.” Alicent struggles to remain neutral as cracks of anger begin to show on her face. “Might I ask what princess Meera will be fostered at Winterfell?”

You take a small drink of wine for courage before standing yourself up. “She won’t be. After my husband’s death, Lord Rickon Stark and I discussed betrothing his youngest son Cregan to my daughter at length; they will only marry after Meera celebrates her eighteenth name day, and until then she will remain by my side.”

“And how do you plan on upholding this betrothal if the princess remains in the red keep?” Alicent asks.

The question itself wasn’t vicious or malicious, but the queen's voice was. Alicent looks at the image of the mother with her modest green dress and hair healed back neatly in a bun. It was mind-boggling how someone who possessed such beauty and intelligence could equally be ambitious and scheming.

“I plan on taking Meera back to Winterfell many times so that she remains familiar with her northern roots and the Starks have an open invitation to visit whenever they wish.“

Otto chuckles, “I’m sure House Stark won’t—”

“Lord Rickon is as much my daughter's grandsire as my father, the king, is.”

The Stark are honorable, and you weren’t going to break faith with them for any reason.

—

While walking in the godswood, you mumble to yourself in High Valyrian while twirling the rings on your fingers. It would be another hour before Meera’s lessons would finish, and the courtyard had become the place you go when seeking comfort. The entire meeting in the small council chamber seemed so pointless; all you had done was add to the Hightowers dislike for you.

“Can I speak freely, princess?”

“You may always speak freely with me, my good knight.”

“I believe you handled yourself better than most would have under interrogation.”

Ser Criston says this in a serious manner, but when you meet his eye, you both laugh. “I had heard how intense the Hightowers can be, but it does baffle me how opinionated they all are aside from Gwayne, who seems to have lost his voice.”

“Perhaps he knows his input isn’t warranted.”

You studied him for a moment; the shift in his expression was obvious. “You don’t like him, do you?”

“Do you?” Criston counters. “It’s not me who’s married to him.”

“Pity, you would have made a fine-looking couple.”

He chuckles, “Let us hope any children you bear inherit your looks and not Ser Gwayne’s.”

Your lips press into a thin line. If anyone overheard, they might have mistaken the knight's jest for a compliment.

[femboy-c-cups]

The most crying screaming throwing up aspect of a song of ice and fire is Lyanna Stark. Truly the best and most amazing person we never get to see. She was kind, she was brave, she could have been a knight of legend, sung in songs across the world. Her only crime was being a scared young girl who wanted to be anything more than the role feudalism gave her.

What was done to her begins the sequence of events leading to, and throughout the game of thrones. Two generations of war, famine, torture, and genocide. She is fondly remembered by everyone who knew her. But none of those people seem truly aware of the part they played in her tragedy. Robert mourns a girl who never existed. Ned sees her in his own daughter, yet still insists that she will one day be married. Men who only know love through what they can see from the window of their cell.

I don't think asoiaf is cynical. But it does subvert/deconstruct many classic fantasy tropes. Jaime aspires and upholds the idea of the honourable knight and becomes the villain for it. Robb chooses love over duty and it costs him everything. Jon can't save his family without betraying his brothers. To avenge her family, Arya must forget them. All of these are so sad to see, that love and truth can't always win. But of all these the one of these that fucks me up the most is Meera Reed finding out that not even Bran knows the tale of the Knight of the Laughing Tree.

There's only one man left alive who knew Lyanna Stark.

[sambhavami]

Krishna: a character adored for over two thousand years, revered as one of the most significant political masterminds of the ancient world with his words forming the philosophical core of the country today. Concurrently, he is the god shrouded in inimitable domesticity- as a friend, a lover, and a child. No other deity in the Hindu pantheon has probably achieved as dear a position in the hearts of people as this flute-wielding cowherd of Gokula.

For generations, he has shined as the muse of countless poetfolk, of unfinished business, of unspoken desires and of repressed lovers' qualms. In Meera's longing for her marble beloved, and in Kothai's dulcet dreams of a celestial wedding, Krishna blossoms not as a warrior, but rather as a confidante of young women- the keeper of all secrets.

Curse, o ye, this wedding of devotion, 

For I was better off unmarried,

Writes the lovestruck Nawab Sadiq Hilm,

I was well enough at my mother's; 

Oh, why did I pine for him?!

Who am I, or what: go ask Rizwan, the gatekeeper

For heaven has been rejected by my forebearers!

He says, in a nostalgic ode to the cowmaids from old tales. To the ones that massage the dust off their feet on Krishna's fevered forehead to soothe his illness, even as the apparent disrespect dooms their afterlives.

Jayadeva notes a more rugged form of Krishna, one that is almost hungry for love. His Radha smiles down upon Radharaman Dutta's kalankini. Of course, she would accept even infamy if it was in relation to her Krishna. However, in time, this epithet has been reclaimed as a celebration of the meteoric, tempestuous love that this unseemly duo had carved out for themselves of the pages of a mostly unwilling history.

Tagore's Krishna is mysterious, eagerly anticipated but rarely seen. Rather, here Radha's pining is crushing and all-encompassing, inherited from Chandidas' virahini. Radha's guttural desire to transform Krishna into herself, subjecting him to the same suffering that she undergoes as a woman in love with a furious ideology more than a man, reverberates eerily against the lighthearted cross-dressing tale of Surdas'.

As often as bards favour the songs extolling the love of the cowherd and the wedded maiden, Krishna's wives are seldom accorded any thought outside of Vasudeva's family tree. Their silence speaks to the stringent rules of a typical patriarchal household. Some of them do speak, and hence Satyabhama becomes conceited and Kalindi wayward. However, the mere few lines that they are mercifully allotted in the text are enough to speak to their resilience. The lines inadvertently hold up a window to the million unspoken words and unexchanged glances. It speaks to the long years, happy and sad. It speaks to the nights of waiting for the beloved to return. It speaks to the quiet lunches in curtained rooms and taste tests in the kitchen.

Each of Krishna's eight wives has their own life, and their own equation with Krishna. Each of their distinct personalities, coupled with their unique introductions to the prince has the potential to bring a distinct flavour to the story of Krishna, the statesman. The understanding that Krishna's heart belonged first to Vrindavana and then to his ambition, must have weighed somewhat on their hearts and yet, the choice to patch up the battle-hardened cowherd, after every blow, sans complaint, and send him out into the world as the architect of history, must have demanded restraint.

The distinct turn of events that brings each of the chief eight queens to Krishna's is quite interesting. Rukmini, the first, demonstrates heart, even if it is born out of desperation. Seizing control of her life, she sends a message, relying solely on rumours of his compassion. Her gamble yields returns manifold as Krishna not only rescues her from an unwanted marriage, but instates her as his chief consort, elevating her, alongside himself, to a divine status. Far from the impulsiveness of her youth, Pandhari's Rakhumai, astute beside her beloved, proudly bears a conch-shell, calling for harmony and community. In life as well, Rukmini brings to Krishna much needed stability, and oversees the blossoming of the city of Dwarika as well as Krishna's growing household.

Jambavati and Satyabhama are given in marriage to the prince by their respective fathers and do not seem to have much of a voice at the time. Jambavati fulfills an ancient destiny, a forgotten promise, then going on to mother the child that ultimately brings about the demise of the Yadava clan. Satyabhama, though often maligned with unfair accusations, is self-reliant. Making no attempt to hide herself from the eye of society, takes her rightful place beside Krishna, not on a throne, but by his side in battlefields. Kalindi however, is an extremely interesting character in Krishna's story. Enmeshed between mortal and divine, she exists as neither. Chancing upon the prince, she unabashedly declares her intentions to be married, and yet she is uncharacteristically silent after her marriage. Lakshmana and Mitravinda, are both won in conquest. They might have been able to sympathize with Rukmini, given their kin had turned against them, on account of their choice of a life partner. Bhadra, on the other hand, has no fancy contests to boast of, or an adventurous rescue. She marries Krishna at the behest of her brother, the only highlight being the arduous journey she undertakes from Kekaya to Dwarika.

After their marriages, these women practically disappear from the narrative until their last moments. We can assume that they were all presumably content with a life outside the spotlight. One can only hope to be privy to their lives after marriage, to know their dreams, nightmares and daily chores. They enter Krishna's life at crucial junctions, and I choose to believe they each had a unique effect on Krishna's worldview, bringing with them a fresh outlook into the mostly stagnant golden city.

[pixiecactus]

🍂​book!(mostly)gendrya fanfic rec (part one)🍂​

oh boy this is a doozy, so here they are the first one to twenty, most of the summaries were written by me, so if you ask yourself why the summary is really shitty and not appealing, that's why. a high number of these fics are restricted so you'll need a ao3 account to be able to see them. any kind of triggering content i put with the corresponding warnings, same with any minor pairings featured and finally if the fic contains smut (so if that is not a thing you're interested in reading you can skip it)

➤the rabbit by aneedleofmyown - arry and gendry banter/friendship back when they were travelling with the night watch's recruits

➤out of the dark by schwoozie - arry and gendry share a bedroll/cloak on their way north as night watch's recruits

➤my forest lass by theviolentdelight - smut - before the battle against the others arya visits gendry's tent - future au

➤cold by callioope - arya returns to the inn at the crossroads, gendry does not recognize her - future au

➤lay me down by elenei - smut - gendry sees arya wearing a dress once again and pretty much my featherbed starts playing - future au

➤the tilt by acornsandravens - smut - jon arryn sends gendry to the vale and he end up as a knight during the bolton and frey rebellion. arya and gendry meet at a tourney with good old stubborn arya and good old stubborn gendry - canon divergence - arranged marriage - minor bran/meera

➤cloaked by acornsandravens - smut - five times arya and gendry share a cloak and one time they share a cloak with someone else - future au

➤sapling by elephant_eyelash - arry, gendry and hotpie friendship, arry teaches gendry and hotpie about nature

➤conversations with dead people by prettyy_vacant - gendry sees dead people when he's at the crossroads, i know it sounds like a modern au, but it's not - future au

➤forest love by elenei - arya is confused and scared about her feelings for gendry cue godswood love confessions - future au - really minor daenerys/jon - (fic has talks about gendry and lordship)

➤wild forest lass by persuade_me - arya is never found after the fight with joffrey at the trident, she and nymeria have been surviving alone for years until she is found by the inn's blacksmith where she was trying to get produce - canon divergence

➤ser gendry of the hollow hill by vanillamostly - gendry's pov during and after the red wedding do i need to say anything more

➤caught a long wind by macneiceisms - domestic gendrya, arya and gendry arguing about their family sigil - future au

➤warmth by madaboutasoiaf - arya and gendry friendship during the bwb days and the end of said friendship a little bit angsty

➤dream by madaboutasoiaf - gendrya reunion, a really heartfelt one - future au

➤the first one by aliceinwonderunderground - lovely gendrya reunion - future au

➤there us no word for bull in old valyrian by bluethunder - i know that this fic has lord of storm's end gendry, but most importanly has past cat of the canals x young griff, a rare pair that i found actually fun, so this is aegon meeting arya again and trying to woo her and arya is having none of that also it has dany as a interpreter and a reversal in the targaryen-stark-baratheon debacle of old time - future au

➤the green eyed monster by joyblue - going to copy the fic summary because it's perfect, times the green eyed monster visited catelyn, ned, jon, sansa and gendry all because of arya. it has gendry being legitimized by stannis, but he doesn't get storm's end - canon divergence

➤fair gendry & ser arya the gallant by macneiceisms - smut - forge sex with first times and love confessions other than arya saying that sansa would understand her wanting to be with gendry and not be betrothed to some lord (we know sansa would not) is pretty much perfect - fluffy fluff - future au

➤don't go without me by like_a_dove - gendrya childhood friends in winterfell, basically gendry is hidden in winterfell and you know how it goes with this couple - friend to lovers, but arya is betrothed to lord edric dayne of starfall and their time together is coming to an end - canon divergence

[greenbloods]

asexual characters in westeros

vaegon. too based for the red keep, too cringe for westeros (targ genes). antithesis of icky old man jaehaerys' idea of an ideal man [a hyper-militaristic strong man who has the hots for his sister-wife and enacts control over the women in his life]. peaces out of the family drama and becomes an archmaester. he and saera are two sides of the same coin. the only way to outlive the red keep is to escape it

varys. kind of low hanging fruit but cmon. though i guess this is more a show canon thing with the one scene between him and oberyn, but it still applies to book canon

larys strong. all credit to the show for making him a foot freak who mostly uses his sexuality as a power thing over alicent. however. i am just a freak for ace evil advisors scheming and conniving because the only thing they have the hots for is power and the Realm. in fact yknow what? skahaz mo kandaq the shavepate is also ace. and tyland lannister. i would make petyr ace to were it not for yknow *gestures broadly at littlefinger*

maegelle. ok so the only ways to escape jaehaerys and alysanne is to refuse to play the game of marriages, right? and you either do that by being saera, or by taking vows against marriage like vaegon. maegelle was promised to be a septa at a young age so i dont know how much being ace played into that decision, but i think it's a nice parallel between her and vaegon and rounds out the trio

maegor. nah im just fucking with you. but imagine, right?

stannis. ok canonically he does share melisandre's bed willingly and not just for shadowbaby making purposes but to me he is ace. marching off to bed like robert would march off to war, the opposite of robert in every way, ice to his fire. plus it would make the baratheon brothers bi ace and gay respectively and thats something.

cheese of notable gang 'blood and.' yep thats right diversity wins your local ratcatcher childmurderer is ace <3

meera reed. zeroooo evidence for this i just like positing stuff <33

qhorin halfhand. soorryyy to all the manceqhorin truthers out there but when when mance said "the Halfhand was carved of old oak, but I am made of flesh" that was all the confirmation i needed. plus half the watch is gay so i think everyone was looking at qhorin like he was the odd guy out who took his oath to the watch too seriously while everyone else was rolling their eyes at old man Q too proud to get it down in mole's town

blackfish. 100% ace and aro this is literally canon he doesnt want to get married hes not interested in it. in this world where to be a be a woman is to marry and to be a man is to marry and to marry is to consummate he refuses to participate in the system outright!! he takes a nice nepo uncle job with his niece in the vale and settles down for 20 years as the seven intended. aroace blackfish is real to me.

[the-fiction-witch]

Maidenhead

Media Game Of Thrones

Character Jojen Reed

Couple Jojen X Reader

Rating Sexy

I smiled as I headed inside the little wooden room inside the Greywater Watch, I headed to the fire and took off the boiling pot from the rack that held it in the flames, I carried it over to the side and poured the water onto the little towels, I let the steam rise up as I returned the boiling pot to the flames. I then sprinkled some flowers and dried roots into the water, and let the towels soak. 

I heard his whines so I rushed to his bedside. 

Seeing the pleasingly carved wooden bed, with the dense leafy sheets and pelts that filled the bed, inside the bed the poor boy laid. 

Jojen. 

Sweet Jojen. 

He laid, his body twisted in the sheets, as his visions tore through his mortal body like an army through a field of flowers. His skin was bare as the covers loomed around his waist, his skin had a sheen to it where he had been sweating, his eyes sealed, his breaths staggered and troublesome. 

He had always had troubles, been a frail and fragile boy. And now even as he is grown his body at times will fail him. A fever threatened to take him from our world not long after his birth a moment many call his bridge into the other world where his visions emanate. But he was sick, and had been for a good few weeks, many in the marshes had given up on him, and even his sister did not visit him any longer. For fear, he would slip beyond this world. 

But I refused to give up on him, even if many had told me I was foolish for wasting my time and energy on a dying little lord. But I could not leave him. Jojen was born in Greywater Watch only a few months before I was born in the Marshy Keep, and Hawlon was not the type of father to restrict his children just because of their lordship, Jojen and Meera plaid with us, hunted with us, much like any other child in the area, But Jojen and I due to our closeness in age had a particular closeness. I'm sure helped by his weakness and sickness given I love to heal those around me. 

My mother was the Marshes healer and when I was a young girl I was brought into the Greywater Watch along with my mother almost as replacements for medical maesters as we here in the marshes did not some old town rat sniffing about in our business. And I very much just became a maid and nurse for Jojen through his many sicknesses and his battles with his greensight visions. 

I sat at his bedside and rung out my little cloth from its bowl, I then gently patted his head with the cloth in the hope of calming him into a sweet peaceful sleep.

"Y/n..." He muttered,

"Shhh It's alright Jojen, I'm here," I whispered, 

"You should be in bed Y/n."

"Well, I'm here to take care of you." 

"You can go y/n. Everyone knows I'm dying."

"What do you think? Do you think this is your end?"

"... I don't know," He said, "My visions are becoming less and less clear," 

"Rest Sweet Jojen, I will take care of you," I told him,

He took my wrist in his hand, "I cannot ask you to nurse me into death's icy embrace." 

"You're not asking, I am doing it. Defiantly of your request, and I will sit on this bed and I will nurse you to fight back death's cold hand until my last breath if that is what it takes,"

"Why would you do this for me?"

"You know why Jojen," I cooed as I leant down and pressed a delicate kiss to his forehead, 

"You have no duty to me as the lord's son."

"I do not. I do not care about your position, your family or your blood, I care only that it is you. And I will not let you wither away without at least my attempted intervention," I told him, "Now rest your little head and let your nurse take care of you," 

"You're too sweet to me," He cooed and brought my hand to his lips to press a gentle kiss, "May i ask something of you?"

"Of course," I smiled, 

He simply tapped his chest, so I blushed set down my things, and climbed into his bed. I laid down with him my head against his chest, I let him wrap his arms around me, to hold me close to him. His hands settled on my arm and in my hair. My own on his chest. 

"Will you truly never give up on me?" He asked, 

"Never,"

"Until I die?"

"Even then, there is simply another world beyond this one I must still care for you even if we do not share a world." I smiled setting my chin on his chest to look up at him, "I will light candles for you, leave you sweet surprises still."

He smiled and peacefully stroked my face, "And I would for you, but I do not want to imagine a world without you in it."

"Neither do I." I smiled I moved up and rubbed my nose on his which he happily did back, I went to kiss him but he stopped me, "No?"

"No, I don't want to get you sick."

"I'll be sick," I smiled as I leaned in and kissed him sweetly, I felt even in his illness his lips were so sweet and soft. "You feel a little better?"

"I do," he nodded, 

"Good," I smiled as I rubbed my nose on his, "I did have a little surprise for you actually," I smiled as I climbed out the bed, "As you're feeling so much better?"

"Oh?" he asked, "As much as I love your swamp mushroom soup I'm really not in the mood to eat right now." 

"I didn't bring soup," I smiled as I unbuttoned my dress, turned back to face him and slowly let it slip down to the floor. 

He sat up in his bed, mouth agape and eyes wide. He looked at every inch of me his face read of a thousand reactions but all that arrived to his lips was simply "Uhhh Hi y/n."

"Hi Jojen," I giggled, 

"You uhhh... Uhh you're dress..."

"I know."

"Ohh." He nodded, "So this is uhhh intentional?"

"Very much so."

"Uhhhhhhhhh Why?" 

"I thought as you're feeling better I could, give you something."

"Give me something? uhhh you uhhh you sure becuase you don't exactly have much, there."

"I have something," I smiled as I climbed onto his bed and sat myself over his stomach,

"What uhh what is it can I ask?"

"Something I've wanted to give you an awful long time Jojen." I smiled as I leaned down and gave him a sweet kiss before whispering in his ear, "My Maidenhead."

He froze up and gasped, "You- You're- Really?"

"Yes." I nodded, 

"Wh- Why would you give me this?" 

"I cannot think of anyone I would rather have take it," I smiled, "So?"

"Yes." He gasped, "Yes." He nodded, "So long as this is what you want."

"More than anything," I cooed as I pulled him into a kiss and he eagerly kissed back and wrapped his arms around me. 

[rhaenyrastark]

ships i like from got and hotd

i am very much a multi-shipper when it comes to the universe GRRM has written, i do have to say however there is one ship that i really dislike and will NEVER read; Jonerys (Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen), i always stop reading when this ship is mentioned in fanfiction and i will unfollow blogs that ship it. i ship people that i think would be good or interesting together (or if i just like both characters and would find them cute together)

got (game of thrones)

Jon Snow/Sansa Stark

Jon Snow/Ygritte

Samwell Tarly/Gilly

Khal Drogo/Daenerys Targaryen (i know this one is a bit controversial but i found them so cute by the end)

Sansa Stark/Tyrion Lannister

Jorah Mormont/Daenerys Targaryen (more tv show than the books)

Margaery Tyrell/Sansa Stark

Oberyn Martell/Ellaria Sand (just make Ellaria her season 4 characterisation or book ver because she is so weird in the tv show after s4)

Oberyn Martell/Sansa Stark

Oberyn Martell/Sansa Stark/Ellaria Sand (in a triangle type polyamorous relationship, i dislike reading v-shaped relationships)

Bran Stark/Meera Reed

Rickon Stark/Shireen Baratheon

Gendry Waters/Arya Stark

Sandor Clegane/Sansa Stark

Jon Snow/Arya Stark

Jon Snow/Robb Stark

Myranda/Ramsay Bolton (i love evil people with evil people that enable them to do more evil)

Trystane Martell/Myrcella Baratheon

Tormund Giantsbane/Brienne of Tarth

Talisa Maegyr/Robb Stark (i love Talisa, i thought their love story was such a cute thing from the show)

Arya Stark/Tywin Lannister (give me grown up version of Arya with Tywin, especially if they make the harrenhal scenes canon, *chef's kiss*)

Arya Stark/Jaqen H'ghar

Missandei/Grey Worm

Missandei/Daenerys Targaryen

Jaime Lannister/Cersei Lannister (toxic but they died in each others arms, tv show only)

Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth

Mirri Maz Duur/Revenge (Mirri deserved her revenge even if it inconvenienced Dany a bit)

Catelyn Tully/Ned Stark

Elia Martell/Rhaegar Targaryen/Lyanna Stark (i can only get behind Rhaegar/Lyanna if Elia is there with them and they all survive, otherwise its just shipping 2 people that started a rebellion because they didn't tell anyone what they were doing or a guy who stole and raped a women. Elia basically deserved better)

Aegon VI Targaryen (Young Griff)/Sansa Stark

Aegon VI Targaryen (Young Griff)/Arya Stark

Robb Stark/Roslin Frey

Loras Tyrell/Renly Baratheon

Stannis Baratheon/Davos Seaworth

Sansa Stark/Theon Greyjoy

hotd (house of the dragon)

DAEMON TARGARYEN/RHAENYRA TARGARYEN (i will ship this until the day i die)

Daemon Targaryen/Laena Velaryon

Daemon Targaryen/Laena Velaryon/Rhaenyra Targaryen

Rhaenyra Targaryen/Laena Velaryon

Rhaenyra Targaryen/Harwin Strong

Rhaenyra Targaryen/Daemon Targaryen/Harwin Strong

Rhaenyra Targaryen/Daemon Targaryen/Harwin Strong/Laena Velaryon

Rhaenyra Targaryen/Laena Velaryon/Harwin Strong

Rhaenyra Targaryen/Laenor Velaryon/Harwin Strong

Rhaenyra Targaryen/Daemon Targaryen/Laenor Velaryon

Rhaenyra Targaryen/Laena Velaryon/Laenor Velaryon/Daemon Targaryen

Rhaenyra Targaryen/Laena Velaryon/Laenor Velaryon/Harwin Strong

Rhaenyra Targaryen/Daemon Targaryen/Laenor Velaryon/Laena Velaryon/Harwin Strong

Laenor Velaryon/Daemon Targaryen

Harwin Strong/Daemon Targaryen

Laenor Velaryon/Harwin Strong

BASICALLY IF YOU COULDN'T TELL FROM THE ABSOLUTE LIST ABOVE I SHIP THE 5 (Rhaenyra, Laena, Daemon, Laenor, Harwin) IN ANY COMBINATION POSSIBLE BUT I CAN'T THINK OF ANY MORE COMBINATIONS RIGHT NOW

Aegon II Targaryen/Rhaenyra Targaryen/Daemon Targaryen

Aemond Targaryen/Helaena Targaryen

Baela Targaryen/Jacaerys Velaryon

Rhaena Targaryen/Lucerys Velaryon

Jacaerys Targaryen/Cregan Stark/Baela Targaryen (again in a triangle not a v)

Baela Targaryen/Lucerys Velaryon

Rhaena Targaryen/Jacaerys Velaryon

Aegon III Targaryen/Daenaera Velaryon

Aemond Targaryen/Lucerys Velaryon (only in very specific circumstances; (1) when Aemond turns to team Black/doesn't fight for team Green, (2) when Rhaenyra is guaranteed to become Queen in the fic or (3) non-canon compliant e.g. no killing Lucerys, etc.)

Alicent Hightower/Criston Cole (they deserve each other, both sexually repressed and doing things for 'duty' sake)

Corlys Velaryon/Rhaenys Targaryen

Laenor Velaryon/Joffrey Lonmouth

Laenor Velaryon/Qarl Correy

[agentrouka-blog]

I'm sorry I tried to view the relationship between rhaegar and Lyanna in a bad light but I just cannot see it that way 😭. Like yeah the age gap is questionable but an age gap of 8 years on a song of ice and fire between an 23 y.o and 16 is one of the least horrific gaps on the entire series plus he compared the relationship to daemon blackfyre and daenerys who in an interview he said these two loves each other, and During ASOS where bran and meera were talking about the tourney bran said the crannogman should have crowned the wolf maid the queen of love and beauty unbeknownst to him that the dragon prince crowned most likely because of the knight of the laughing tree fiasco which to me seems that GRRM already endorsed it, and the song "no feather bed for me" screams r/l to me (how she smiled and how she laughed the maid of the tree) (I will protect with my sword) (the maid with flowers on her hair). like IDK but one thing I'm sure of is that at the end of the day George is writing them as a love story rather than one of rape and kidnapping.

Also adding to that + the story of bael the bard and the rose of winterfell and the story of Jacaerys velaryon and sara snow

Hi anon,

I can't really say anything other than we are reading the books very differently.

What you call an "age gap" is an adult creeping on a young teenager who was 14 when they met and 16 when she died in childbirth, imprisoned by his loyal knights. GRRM had Ned describe her as a "child woman" for a reason.

I am 100% confident that GRRM is not asking the reader to consider this a romance or love story in any way shape or form.

[eruherdiriel]

Who's getting married at the end of ASoIaF?

Marriage, alliances, and heirs are all tied together in Westeros and are important parts of the nobles' lives. Since A Dream of Spring is never seeing the light of day and The Winds of Winter is a big fat probably not "we'll see," I will go to my grave haunted by this question. So I decided to reason it out. My Jonsa brain wants it to be them but that seems potentially too "happy." But who else could it be?

George made the comment in May 2016.

Yes, I mean, I did partly joke when I said I don’t know where I was going. I know the broad strokes, and I’ve known the broad strokes since 1991. I know who’s going to be on the Iron Throne. I know who’s gonna win some of the battles, I know the major characters, who’s gonna die and how they’re gonna die, and who’s gonna get married and all that. The major characters. Of course along the way I made up a lot of minor characters, you know.

I've decided to look at living POV characters, except for the one-offs, some as individuals and some as couples. Many POV characters are not "major characters" in my eyes and there are some non-POV characters who are more important, but this was the most objective way I could find to decide who made the list. POV characters are bolded in blue.

I initially read George's comment as meaning two mains are getting married, but as I wrote this, I second guessed myself and thought maybe he meant a main character and someone else. But since marriage is transactional and important to the highborn characters in this story, most of them will get married eventually (unless they die or join a celibate order), which brought me back around to thinking GRRM did mean the marriage would be between two key characters. And it would be relevant to the plot, and not mentioned as an afterthought in an epilogue or family tree. Otherwise, why call it out? With that in mind, let's begin.

Sansa and Tyrion are already married, but GRRM spoke in the future tense so he wasn't referring to an existing marriage. The relationship was unconsummated, their stories have diverged, and they are headed for an annulment. I can't see anyone we know ending up with Tyrion. His plotlines with women have involved prostitution, assault, unfulfilled desire, and violent anger. He seems more likely to kill another partner than marry again. More on Sansa later.

Bran is a possibility plot wise, but who would he marry? Meera is significantly older when they meet in the books, so I don't think that match is realistic in this context. And if Bran is the Summer King, he will likely have to marry a southerner for political reasons (unless there is a new succession plan and/or he can't have children). So it's probably someone we don't know yet or has been mentioned in passing. The last book would also need a time jump to make Bran of marriageable age, or the last two books would need to cover much more time than the previous five.

Arya's arc isn't about who she marries. In fact, she tells us whose plot is about marriage.

“You,” Ned said, kissing her lightly on the brow, “will marry a king and rule his castle, and your sons will be knights and princes and lords and, yes, perhaps even a High Septon.” Arya screwed up her face. "No," she said, "that's Sansa." (A Game of Thrones - Eddard V)

But if further convincing is needed that Arya's storyline isn't about marriage, know that a search for "Arya" and "marriage" or "marry" in the books mostly returns results for Sansa talking about marrying Joffrey and then talking about Arya, lol. There's a few other contexts, particularly with fArya, but this one jumped out at me:

Robb was to marry one of their aunts, and Arya one of their uncles. "She never will," Bran said, "not Arya," but Maester Luwin was unyielding, so there they were beside Rickon. (A Clash of Kings - Bran III)

She's not going to be old enough at the end of the series anyway, unless there's a time jump. Next.

Arianne and Aegon/Young Griff: This seems like one of the most possible impending marriages to me, no matter who the Young Griff is in truth. A strategic Dorne marriage is plot relevant and makes sense with Arianne's arc. However, I think it is possible the Young Griff dies before the end of the story. He also doesn't qualify under my slightly arbitrary logic for who a major character is. And Arianne barely qualifies.

Daenerys is dying. Take it up with George. Though technically still married to Hizdahr zo Loraq, maybe she marries a Greyjoy (Victarion or Euron) before she dies, but it won't be relevant long term. Next.

Cersei and Jaime are doomed, as a couple (not that they can marry anyway, as much as they have wished to) and probably individually. Cersei is also vehemently against getting married again, and there's no more Tywin to force her.

Aeron Greyjoy: Can Drowned God priests get married? Doesn't matter. It's not him.

Areo Hotah has two chapters and only made this list because I checked ASoIaF wiki for POV characters to make sure I got everyone with more than one, lol. No weddings to see here.

Asha Greyjoy is sort of married already? Perhaps she gets out of it and later marries a Northerner to ease relations between the North and Iron Islands. A non-POV character likely, but maybe Jon??? Huh. It's not the least or most possible thing here. Not what I expected coming into this.

Brienne: Like Arya, marriage isn't the point of her narrative. It could become important for her to marry in the aftermath of all the wars. But for major characters as her suitor, there's none that make sense. Her interactions with Jaime serve to humanize him and complicate her, but they're not ending up together, even if Jaime ends up alive.

Theon's not getting married if he lives.

Sam is a member of the Night's Watch and technically can't marry. Maybe he gets released from his vows or there is no NW in the end and he is free to marry ... Gilly? Some rando in the Reach? Even if he's not in the Night's Watch, there's that whole maester thing that should prevent him from having a wife.

Davos is already married. Next.

Barristan Selmy is old and a long-serving member of a celibate order.

Jon Connington will be more focused on getting his "son" a match.

And we are back to Sansa. I won't go through all the potential suitors for her. See this brilliant post for that. Given Sansa's narrative themes and that she is headed for a leadership position, a good match for her will be extremely important. She has also been involved in too many marriage plots for one to not work out and be relevant to the larger story.

Jon and Sansa are undoubtedly two of the major characters of the series. Marriage and children are referenced explicitly and implicitly throughout the books for both of them, and they are two of the most romantic characters.

I would need to steal her if I wanted her love, but she might give me children. I might someday hold a son of my own blood in my arms. A son was something Jon Snow had never dared dream of, since he decided to live his life on the Wall. I could name him Robb. (A Storm of Swords - Jon XII)

Implication of bold text = he dreamed of it before, and here he is doing it again. Notice also that he's thinking less of Val specifically and more of what a marriage would give him access to. Sansa does something similar when thinking about Willas.

If I give him sons, he may come to love me. She would name them Eddard and Brandon and Rickon, and raise them all to be as valiant as Ser Loras. And to hate Lannisters, too. In Sansa's dreams, her children looked just like the brothers she had lost. Sometimes there was even a girl who looked like Arya. (A Storm of Swords - Sansa II)

(The parallel content of these passages is ... a lot. One sentence for finding love with Val/Willas, then multiple sentences [three for Jon, four for Sansa] about children. The opening sentences are flipped in order [purple and pink text], and there's the shared idea of dreams [in red] and wanting to name their children for people they've lost [orange].)

Who knows how much time the final two books cover, but Jon and Sansa are both of marriageable age by Westeros/George's standards and will be more so by the end of the series, with a much more appropriate age gap between them than a lot of other possibilities. A union between them makes sense, since Jon would get to become a Stark, something he has always wanted, thought not in the way he dreamt might happen. Sansa would get her true knight, though he is imperfect and not the fantasy version she imagined when younger. It solidifies Stark power in the North. The last book was originally A Time for Wolves, after all.

The questions it leaves though are when does this happen? What does Jon's punishment or social status look like if he plays a role in Daenerys's death (for kinslaying and potentially queenslaying)? Is forsaking the Targ name and kneeling to Bran enough, or does he have to serve an exile period? (Am I letting the show influence me too much with these questions?) Can he acknowledge any children he has, or does that get in the way of the Targ line coming to an end, even if the children are Starks (or Snows)?

The final possibility is George changed his mind since that comment. The garden grew in a different direction. This feels hollow and unfulfilling, especially if you take the view that GRRM is deconstructing tropes so he can reconstruct them. There has to be a hopeful marriage/romance after everything else. And marriage is a big enough point in the books for there to be at least one that helps wrap up the story.

Summary of potential matches between two named characters (does not meet full criteria):

Arianne and Aegon/fAegon

Sam and Gilly

And between POV characters (meets full criteria):

Asha and Jon? (Once again, huh.)

Sansa and Jon

But since Sansa is the character I am most confident in having a plot-relevant marriage, Jon x Sansa wins.

This was not rigged, I swear.

[ejunkiet]

strawberry mentos

for @sunshineandviolets from your @wayhavenficexchange giftee!

Set in book 3, spinning off of the wonderful backstory of Karthik having a young daughter named Meera - and who am I to resist writing about UB and children??

the wayhaven chronicles: detective karthik achari/mason

–

strawberry mentos

“Do you like kids?”

Mason’s lip curls at the question before he hesitates, flicking his eyes over to catch the dark depths of Karthik’s gaze. He’s leaning against the opposite counter in the warehouse kitchen, his eyes on him steady, unwavering, and seemingly without judgement.

He shrugs, as if to say it was just a question. And it is just a question.

But it isn’t just anyone asking.

Mason’s fingers twitch at his side in an aborted movement, reaching for a pack of cigarettes that have long since been emptied.

How long has it been since he’d wanted a smoke?

With the purification of his crystal, it’s been easier to go without it, easier to just enjoy the beneficial effects of the detective’s company, Karthik’s impossible ability to ease the burden of his heightened senses, tame the neverending roar of their everyday into a dull murmur.

Something to do with the blood, Mason thinks, his eyes flicking away and down, down the golden slope of the other man’s neck, until he can see the flutter of his pulse. The curl of his dark hair threatens to obscure it, but Mason doesn’t need his enhanced senses to hear Karthik’s heartbeat, to track his movements from across the room.

From across the goddamn compound some days, and it’d piss him off more, if it wasn’t such a relief.

He blinks at the thought, before his lip curls again. Fuck, he needs a smoke.

“Kids don’t like me,” is what he says in response, as the other man was still waiting. Watching him, the chocolate of his iris deep enough to swallow the edges of his pupil, patient and so fucking unreadable. He lets out a scoff. “Meera didn’t, anyway.”

That seems to break Karthik out of whatever funk he was in, his brow furrowing, a frown twisting his lips. “What makes you say that?”

Mason glances back up to catch his gaze again, giving him a flat look. “I have a pretty good read on people. She wouldn’t make eye contact, wouldn’t cross the room, and flinched whenever I made a move. Doesn’t take a genius to figure that one out.”

Karthik’s frown deepens, before he glances away, breaking eye contact. He shifts on his feet, and his demeanour changes, his scent changes. Anxiety, worry. For his kid?

Shit.

“I didn’t mean to scare her,” He says, and means it. He doesn’t know why he needs Karthik to know that, to believe it, but he does. Mason really hadn’t tried anything with the kid. He’d just walked into the room, and that had been it. Kids really didn’t like him. “I’ll keep my distance in future, I promise.”

“No, it’s- it’s not that.” Karthik takes a breath, slow and steadying, shifting against the counter top. He’s got the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows, revealing the broad line of his forearms and the dark lines of hair that cross it, the muscles flexing under his grip. “She’s not - scared of you. She’s just - not good at things like that. Meeting new people.”

Mason releases a soft snort. “You don’t have to sugarcoat it for me, handsome”

Karthik’s dark eyes rise to meet his. “I’m not. She’s - a lot like you, actually. The whole world, it’s - it’s hard on her. Everything is just, too much, all at once.” He pauses again, thinking for a long moment. “It could help her, actually, talking to you.”

Help her? Talking to him? He wants to scoff again, but Karthik’s eyes on his are wide and honest, his belief in the statement clear in his gaze. Mason bites his lip, before blurting in disbelief, “You mean that.”

“I do.” The unease in Karthik’s posture has faded, a smile tugging at his lips. “And I think if you two tried again, you’d get along really well.”

Mason thinks on that for a long moment. Karthik wouldn’t have offered it if he wasn’t serious. There wasn’t a dishonest bone in his body, the man wearing his heart on his sleeve, as much as it frustrated Mason sometimes to see it.

There wasn’t a subtle bone there either, Karthik’s eyes on him bright and hopeful, almost expectant, and shit.

“This means a lot to you, doesn’t it?”

Karthik’s smile widens until his eyes crease with it, and he nods, the movement sending the dark strands of his hair dancing across his forehead. “It does.”

And of course it would. This was his kid. Nothing meant more to this man than his Meera. It had been her name he’d whispered in Mason’s arms after Murphy’s attack, his blood staining the dirty floor of the warehouse they’d found in him, his strength failing, his dark eyes wide and desperate and focused on Mason. Tell her I love her. That I will always love her. And - keep her safe.

Christ, Mason was going to do this, wasn’t he?

Mason lets out a low groan, and Karthik - healthy and whole and beautiful - knows he’s won, his grin widening until his dimples are visible, crinkling his cheeks, and god dammit.

“Alright, fine. We’ll try it.” Karthik lets out a sound that could almost be a whoop, and Mason tilts his head back, letting out a louder, more exasperated groan. “No promises that this will work, though. Don’t get your hopes up.”

Karthik laughs, shifting forward to close the distance between them, finally, his palm wide and warm and so right as he cups the side of Mason’s neck, before leaning in to kiss him.

The kiss is chaste, sweet. Karthik’s lips are soft and warm, and all Mason feels is the heat of it, the intimacy of having him so close, his breath a soft rush against his face as Karthik draws back and runs the worn pad of his thumb along the curve of his cheek.

“Thank you, sunshine.”

Mason scoffs at the nickname, or at least he tries to, but he’s smiling, he can feel the tug of it at the corners of his mouth, despite himself. “You’ll have to make it up to me, handsome.”

Karthik matches his smile. “Oh, I can think of a few ways…”

[starogeorgina]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐮𝐬

Pairing: Criston Cole x reader

Warnings: Swearing

1.05

The air had an uneasy atmosphere to it. Raya, who usually spoke in length about anything she found interesting, from a book she read to the sudden change in weather, was uncharacteristically quiet while braiding your hair.

“Is something wrong?”

She slows her actions down but doesn’t say anything. The dark hair hanging in front of her face did little to hide the worried expression she held.

“We’ve been by each other’s side for some time; you can tell me if something is displeasing you. If someone has upset you, I’ll not think twice about feeding them to Lady.”

Raya chuckles softly before shaking her head. Sighing, she says, “As you know, I take no part in idle gossip, but while breaking fast, I overheard some things I wish to share with you, so you are prepared.”

“Prepared?” You glance over your shoulder at Raya. “Prepared for what?”

“The Hightowers. As you know, Otto Hightower's brother Hobert and his wife Lynesse have traveled from old town, and Lady Lynesse has brought her own handmaidens. They were gossiping this morning about you and Prince Daemon.”

“What about my uncle?” You gasp, “I don’t understand why mine or Daemon’s name would be coming out of their mouths.”

“The Hightowers in old town are implying Prince Daemon was inappropriate with you,” Raya lowers her head. “Forgive me if I’ve overstepped, princess.”

Gently, you take her hand in yours and say, “You haven’t; what did they say?”

“They were saying the two of you have been seen walking together alone in the gardens of the keep. They also mentioned how suspicious it is that you aren’t with child yet.”

“Gods,” you scoff. “I spoke to my uncle once in the garden, with Ser Criston and Meera there. They are trying to slander me the same way they did Rhaenyra.”

“In the north, they would be punished for saying such slanderous things. I didn’t want to upset you, princess; I know how sad you’ve been since Lord Edric’s passing.”

“Thank you for telling me,” you say sincerely. “As for not being with child… I have questioned it myself. I have started to worry that myself and Gwayne aren’t compatible. I spoke with the maester the other day, and he had the audacity to suggest the issue lay with me.”

Raya motions for you to spin back around so she can continue the braid. “Well, we know you can bear children; what if it’s Ser Gwayne that cannot?”

“Regardless, it would be my fault, as I’m the woman. How would it be possible for me to know?”

“Men like your husband, who favors women from pillow houses, often have bastards.”

“How would I find out? I don’t imagine he would tell me if he knew.”

“Do you know anyone you trust who frequents there?” She laughs. “Perhaps one of Otto’s spies could tell you.”

You smile at hearing the playful tone return to her voice. However, Raya’s words had started to grow roots, and a bad idea springs to mind.”

—

“You seem lost in thought.”

“Hm,” you suddenly snap out of your daydream and see Rhaenyra looking up at you, concerned. “Sorry, I was somewhere else. What were you saying?”

“Jacaerys hasn’t been sleeping well, but it seems he’s rather settled now,” she smiles.

You continue rubbing soothing circles on the young boy's back while gently rocking him. Lucerys sits on a fur rug by Rhaenyra’s side, playing with his toys. “Meera was the same at his age; she went through a phase of not sleeping, and it lasted until the last of her teeth grew in.”

Rhaenyra brushes strands of Lucerys dark hair out of his face, saying, “There’s nothing worse than seeing your children in pain and not being able to help them.”

“I know; it truly is a helpless feeling.”

“It's much like not being able to help your sister when she’s unhappy.” She watches proudly as Luke stacks blocks on top of one another before knocking them down with his hand. Motherhood has truly changed her; you’d never seen your sister so happy when with her sons.

You hesitate for a moment. “You could possibly help me, but I don’t think you’ll like it.”

“Name it, and whatever it is shall be done.”

Quietly, you say, “I need you to draw me a map of how to reach the street of silk.”

The look she gives you... Rhaenyra looks beautiful and terrifying. A fearful mother about to scorn her child for being so reckless—the look your own mother used to give her. “And why on earth would you need that?”

“I need to speak with the madam of the brothel Gwayne frequently visits,” you say in a tone that’s barely above a whisper. “I need to know if he’s fathered any children.”

“Sister, I must—”

“Please, Nyra, you told me you’ve been before. I can’t trust anyone to do it for me, and I need to know if he can have children.” You sniffle a little before saying, “There is gossip that I cannot bear another child. I just need to know what I’m dealing with.”

She lets out a long sigh, “Fine. But only because I know you’re going to do it regardless of what I say.”

—

Tucking Meera into bed, you brush strands of hair out of her face. “Goodnight, sweetling.”

She pulls the blanket up closer to her face; her pale cheeks have a red tint to them, as they always did when she fought sleep. “Why aren’t you going to sleep?”

“I need to go see your aunt Rhaenyra, but I won’t be gone too long.”

“I’ll stay up.”

“No, you will not,” you chuckle before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. “I don’t want you to fall asleep during your lessons in the morrow, Raya will be here until I return. I love you, sweetling. Now go to sleep.”

Meera closes her eyes, and you quietly walk over to the door to leave. Rhaenyra had already drawn you a map and left clothes for you to change into in the hidden passage you’d be leaving through. It was reckless venturing out alone, but you needed to do it. Not because you really cared about Gwayne’s having bastards or not, but for your daughter. If the Hightowers thought you were barren, you wouldn’t put it past them to try and replace you. The Hightowers were closely linked with members of the faith of the seven, who were known for their disdain for House Targaryen. You didn’t trust a single one of them.

Just as you reach the door, you hear a mumble, “I love you, mummy.”

—

Heat radiates inside you, bubbling away in your stomach, leaving your mouth with a sour taste and the urge to barf. After visiting two pleasure houses, you eventually found the one your husband visits most, and you paid Madame handsomely for her time. At first, she was reluctant until you dropped a heavy bag of coins in front of her.

“Many of my girls have traveled from Old Town to the street of silk for more customers. Let’s say they are very familiar with many of the Hightower men, including Ser Gwayne, and, best to my knowledge, none have birthed any bastards fathered by him.”

“Would any of the girls lie or drink moon tea?”

The sympathetic looks she gives you make you feel like a fool. “Many girls in our line of work won’t drink the tea because it’s known to upset the gut, and if they are ill, they won’t get paid.” She leans in and whispers, “Some say they prefer laying with Ser Gwayne because they believe he cannot father children.”

You drag your feet as you approach the gates to the keep while staying hidden within the trees. Your mind was frazzled; if what Madame said was true, then you wouldn’t be having anymore children.

“Princess.”

You’re completely startled when your sworn shield grabs you by the shoulder and pins you against the wall. His lips parted ever so slightly when he stepped closer to you; it took you a moment to register the two knights walking by. You were dressed like a boy, and the knight was in his own clothes.

You swallow thickly, “Ser Criston.”

He tucks the hair that has fallen out of your hat back underneath it; his jaw is clenched. He places his hand on your wrist and says, “Keep your head low and follow me.”

—

Ser Criston leads you down a dark hallway in the white sword tower that is almost empty, aside from a few off-duty knights who were accompanied by what appeared to be ladies from pillow houses. When you reach the knight's own quarters, he quickly ushers you inside and locks the door behind him.

“Ser Criston…”

The look on his face was very telling; his dark eyes were hazy. Criston gave a low, guttural growl. “What in God's name were you thinking? Anything could have happened to you. Your reputation would have been destroyed if anyone spotted you.”

“You followed me?”

His nostrils flare. “Do you know how many dark alleys you walked down? How dangerous those places are?”

It feels as if your heart is swelling in your chest. How could you even begin to explain? You feel so small and weak. Fragile in a way that was unacceptable for a Targaryen princess to be. You pull the thick hat off your head, letting your now messy and sweaty hair fall around your face, and sit on the edge of the knight's bed.

“You followed me.” It wasn’t a question, but a fact. Ser Criston wouldn’t have known where you were unless he did. As a princess, you most certainly didn’t need to defend your actions to anyone other than the king, but the thought of your sworn shield possibly losing faith in the trust you had built did bother you. Gulping down, you toy with a thread on the sleeve of the worn out shirt, “I wasn’t going to visit those places for pleasure. How did you know? I had dismissed you for the evening.”

“I overheard the knights changing shifts mentioning that your lady-in-waiting was watching over Princess Meera. And put the pieces of you being somewhere you shouldn't be together.” Seeing tears swell in your eyes, the knight crouches down so he’s eye level with you, his expression softening. “If her grace found out you had visited the streets of Silk, I’m afraid history would repeat itself.”

“What do you mean?”

He sighs, “I was the knight on duty to protect Princess Rhaenyra the night she snuck into the city with Prince Daemon. Word got out that she had been spotted in the bowels of a brother with her uncle, and her life became miserable. I do not wish to overstep, but the princess gave those who seek to destroy her reputation the means to do so.”

“Daemon and Rhaenyra are twin flames; they are both restless. I don’t believe anything you could have done would have changed the actions they take,” you say softly. “My actions might have seemed headless, but I had my reasons.”

“I’ve told you before, princess, I cannot do my duty and protect you if I’m unaware of where you are.”

“Are you trying to say you would have accompanied me to a brothel, Ser Criston?” You joke, “I imagine that would have been more scandalous.”

The knight says nothing. No words leave his mouth, but he’s silently waiting for you to explain.

“As of late, it’s been noted by many that I’ve yet to do my duty and give Gwayne a child. I went to see if he has any bastards, and he has not fathered any children.”

A look of understanding passes through his features.

“Ser Gwayne’s is no Maegor the cruel; they won’t allow him to keep adding on wives until he finally has an heir. I will be blamed, and then I will be replaced by another after my sudden and tragic death.”

“Princess, I don’t believe you would be blamed—”

You cut him off with a look. “Ser Criston, do you know how many Targaryen women die at a young age? Do not believe they are all linked to childbirth, like the maesters say. The maesters and the faith hate us because they believe our dragons make us closer to gods than men; the power we hold is a threat. With one word, we could destroy houses, which is why the Hightowers have been trying to latch onto House Targaryen for years. It’s why I’m not letting Meera marry anyone other than a Stark.” A moment of silence passes, and you chuckle to yourself, “You must now think I’m crazy.”

He shakes his head and says, “I don’t. I think you’re a mother wanting to keep her child safe.”

“If I was able to perform my duty, I would be able to keep Meera safe, but now... I’m unsure what to do.” You meet Criston’s gaze and are surprised to see a fearsome look in his eyes.

“I would do anything to protect you, princess.”

[hanawrites404]

Okay...I couldn't help it.

I made some more 'My OC as' for my other Cillianverse characters. (I will soon elaborate them in the future. I promise lol)

Vanessa Martinez

(Watching the Detectives)

Marie

(A Quite Place II)

Meera Khan

(Sunshine)

Dolores Young

(The Edge of Love)

Rose Grant

(Oppenheimer)

Jean Harper

(Batman Trilogy)

Yuna

(The Delinquent Season)

Jolene Sherry

(Red Eye)

Moon

(28 days later)