talestold-a

[talestold-a]

open starter for anyone on day four after the race.

not once all day, except for a few seconds before crossing the finish line, did alys truly believe they would win the horse race. they haven't stopped smiling ear to ear since, soaking up every bit of congratulations thrown their way. horseback riding may not be a necessary trait for being a good knight but she would have the accomplishment under her belt regardless. after a long pep talk with bear in the stables, included with sugar cubes and carrots, alys finds herself exhausted. they should probably put the sling for their arm back on but that will be a concern for later, when the slight irritation can no longer be ignored. alys starts walking back and with a massive grin, speaks aloud to anyone in earshot, " i do not know about you, but i am very much enjoying these wedding festivities. "

[talestold-a]

the race was incredible to watch, cheering infectious as horses sped by, even if participants were only in sight for a few moments. rowena knew how to ride on horseback but not anywhere near as well as those in the competition. she had no issue with horses but preferred other means of transport, hence a great lack of practice. with the events of the day coming to an end, she begins her way back to her lodgings where ryon is napping. there is a sudden thud with a woman's voice that strikes rowena as odd and she turns to spot the aftermath of the lady's trip. " are you all right, lady serra ? that sounded quite painful, " she is already offering her hands to help lift the woman up, trying to see if they will need to find the maester.

𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍  𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑  ,  after  the  race  .

what  a  glorious  race  ,  thought  the  siren  of  gulltown  as  she  watched  finishers  cross  the  line  .  she  envied  them  ,  wishing  she  hadn't  been  too  chicken  to  take  part  herself  .  though  she  doubted  she  would've  been  much  competition  -  at  least  against  the  challengers  here  .  with  a  delighted  sigh  she  left  her  seat  ,  seeking  shade  and  sweet  refreshments  to  parch  her  thirst  . hands clasped together , thumb of her left hand rubbing along the length of jagged scar on her right palm . almost lost in her own mind , she did not watch her step as heel of her shoe caught in a dip in the ground --- causing her to lurch forward and hit the ground on her hands and knees . ❝ gods , how embarrassing , ❞ she groaned as she adjusted her position to lift her hands and brush dirt from her palms .

[talestold-a]

closed starter for desmond tyrell on day three, @ofhereditas.

the race through the briar labyrinth must have started by then, he thought, footsteps coming to a halt. he found himself in one of the courtyards, eyeing a magnificent fountain that sparkled with the sun's reflection. aerys hadn't planned for conversation as he longed for quiet - but as he glances up at the sudden sound of another's footsteps, he steps more into view. " lord desmond, good afternoon, " he greets with a bow of his head. " i am lord drako of lys - the reach is incredibly beautiful, thank you for hosting us for such a joyous occasion. "

[talestold-a]

aerys' head begins to nod slowly along with his company's words, not much phased by what he has to say. there had not been a nerve struck or insult taken, perhaps the fact he must be face to face with someone aerys would rather run a sword through is showing. he realizes as cassian drones on, lying through his teeth as if anything would be believed, these matters of dialogue should perhaps be left to visera - at least, with those he prefers to reserve for revenge reasons. maybe he is surprised by how irrationally angry he continues to grow with every word and struggles to focus once silence is between them once again. " i would figure house tyrell would compensate their workers... or does that fall to the royal coin ? i have never been very familiar with westerosi customs, " an easy lie that feels almost too real in present time. " i am sure the staff are honored by your consideration for their labor. "

Cassian's brow furrows in confusion at the first question, for a split second it almost looks as if the prince had personally offended the other with his words. but the negative contour of his features softens as he smirks. "oh my lord, it seems my careless words have struck a nerve for you have taken them and ran with them in the worst way possible. then again, i am at fault for speaking my thoughts without a care, and not give enough contest." he chuckles, eyeing the other one. "i do not mind the work, its not my choice of it if i am being honest, i am more of a kitchen helper, carrying items from place to place. i simply worry a day of picking fruit for leisure, might ruin the opportunity of the folk of the area to make their own dragons by working a full day shift. i have spent, and continue to spend, as much time with my people as i can manage, i assure you my lord." not to boast about his reputation, a prince had to be humble to an extent after all.

[talestold-a]

the plan was only to look, no buying - but as rowena passed stall after stall, she began to put a backup plan into action. perhaps she could cave on one piece, regardless of whatever is chosen in the end. maybe even something small for ryon. her hands are held behind her back as if it will help, eyeing the collection the merchant had for sale. once finished, rowena waits silently by cassia to see if anything has caught their eye. as the jewelry is passed, she looks curiously at the jade bracelet, thinking the color is quite beautiful. " how can this small rock have so many benefits ? " the lady arryn questions, brows furrowed. she grins at the kind offer but gives a quick shrug. " something he cannot lose ? impossible, " she holds the piece up to let light shine through the jade. " do you have a favorite ? i will keep an eye out, "

⸻ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ︵ : rowena arryn + cassia upcliff. ⸻ 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 ︵ : @talestold

cassia  turned  the  jade  bracelet  over  in  the  palms  of  their  hands  ,  casting  a  critical  gaze  over  the  piece  .  with  the  scammed  gold  that  they  had  gotten  in  king's  landing  ,  she  had  gone  to  the  merchants'  stalls  with  no  thought  as  to  what  they  wanted  aside  from  to  spend  a  few  dragons  and  not  allow  them  to  continue  to  burn  a  hole  in  the  bottom  of  their  coin  purse  .  “  they  claim  to  have  many  benefits  to  jade  .  wealth  ,  longevity  ,  peace  ,  ”  cass   mused   before  passing  the  jewelry  over  to  rowena  .  “  it's  not  my  favorite  ,  but  it  may  make  a  nice  accessory  for  you  or  for  ryon  if  it  is  recast  into  something  more  suitable  for  him  to  not  be  able  to  lose  .  ”

[talestold-a]

her hand rubs gentle circle motions on ryon's back, soothing the toddler and hoping by the time they reached his governess, he would be back in better spirits. " oh, he will, someone is just in a mood, " she responds, adjusting his weight on her hip. it was challenging, attempting to find time to participate in certain events, yet the lady arryn knew she would regret her mistake if she chose otherwise. rowena would make the time available. " there is no pressure to win, but i enjoy supporting fellow occupants of the vale. " plus, she didn't mind a bit of friendly competition. " i am well today, thank you. i wish there was more of a breeze to this heat... but that is my only complaint for the moment. what of yourself, lord warrick ? "

"No smile for me Ryon? I'm not scary you know I don't bite - will you root for me too?" Warrick smiled broadly for a moment tickled by the sudden bashfulness of the little babe knowing how tempermental two year olds could be sure rowena was pleased to have a moment where the child was not so actively moving. Bowing his head stepping away from his boat for this conversation his smile softened to an old friend knowing the arryns had always been close companions of his atleast. "Knowing you my lady have put gold on my team to win I am flattered and filled with even more motivation to make sure there is a good return on your investment. I would like to say I am in no need of it but I will take your well wishes and hope to put on a good race. How are you fairing today, Lady Rowena?"

[talestold-a]

" lord tybolt, how lucky i am. " greeting the lannister with a respectful curtsy, there may be jest behind her words but they are hardly ill thought. in all honesty, she is surprised to see him so far from home after the events that ended the masquerade. if something had happened to the eyrie, she isn't sure she could be pulled away elsewhere - perhaps he has left because his choices are limited. " oh, not to worry, i am sure there is no expertise needed. as you said, it will be an afternoon well spent. " rowena smiles and takes the lead, eyeing trees as they pass, determined to pick prize winning fruits for a treat in the end. " do you prefer peaches or fireplums, my lord ? i remember having a peach pie a few name days ago, they are quite exquisite, " she questions, tilting forward on her tip toes to pluck a peach from the branch above her before glancing back at tybolt. " though, i will be happy with whatever we have in the end - as long as we are not empty handed. "

fruit picking with rowena arryn @talestold

though initially reluctant to leave his home while he was still in the midst of repairs, upon arriving in the reach he had committed to enjoying the celebrations as much as possible. or at least taking full advantage of them. smooth, sure steps were taken towards his new partner, polite but warm smile on his lips as he did. "lady rowena, I believe I am to get the pleasure of your company this afternoon. I must confess to having little practise when it comes to such activities but with weather and a setting so lovely I am sure it will still be an afternoon well spent." lannisport might receive regular shipments of such fruits for him to enjoy but there was something novel about being able to select the produce himself. "shall we?" with the posing of the question he gestured ahead of them, willing to let her take the lead and dictate where they started.

[talestold-a]

rowena found the reach to be incredibly beautiful and everything she had heard about the region's bountiful flowers were true. she did not care if it was cliche to want to sniff every single type or that the briar labyrinth was a childhood fear, especially when there were many who probably felt that way about the moon door - she quite enjoyed exploring highgarden. on her way to travel more of the grounds, the last thing she expected was someone stopping her path. " oh, me ? i think you might - " words are cut off the second everything clicks into place, eyeing the company they had distanced themselves from. " right, yes, of course ! here i am ! " rowena exclaims loudly enough for everyone in a close proximity to hear. once they are alone, the lady arryn gives an apologetic smile. " no need to apologize, i entirely understand. you must be incredibly busy helping with the wedding. "

she would follow the strict lessons the tyrell matriarch laid out for them all . easy smile on lips , poised to be both graceful and helpful in the midst of the kingdom come to highgarden. malina had not requested much of malaika aside for her to be more hostess than she , to be impediment when she could no longer stand the prying conversation . " i do deeply apologize , however , both the bride and groom have been called away to attend to other things . i would be more than willing to pass along a message , or perhaps , be of assistance to you . " she did not falter , though as her gaze met another , malaika excused herself smoothly with a curtsy . " i have been in search of you , " greeted warmly to be overheard , façade dropping once the other had exited . " my apologies . i did not know of another way to repeat myself for the third time . "

[talestold-a]

closed starter for jessamyn royce on day five, @xfulminare.

though rowena had planned shortly after house arryn arrived that a beach day could be a fun event, as the days went on, a wine tasting felt much more her speed. ryon was being watched by his governess and she would have a day to herself if nothing else. she makes a face as she sips from a goblet, only a sip for tasting thankfully, the tartness unpleasant. considering failure with the third drink she's disliked, rowena begins to wander aimlessly. she easily spots jessamyn a couple steps away and has to control herself not to rudely interrupt their conversation. once she is able to see a pause, she has no issue inserting herself with a smile stretching ear to ear. " jessa ! i seem to have forgotten how sweet wines could be... ugh, not for me. any luck with your tasting ? "

[talestold-a]

closed starter for warrick waynwood on day two, @wylldfyres.

while the boat racing is not entirely exciting to rowena, other than being an active participant, she knows ryon would throw a fit if not in attendance. anything that seemed grand or just a touch out of understanding, he was all over it. by now, the boy should be with his governess, but a tantrum has set them back before the races. she is in search of her then, needing to get ready, though rowena happens to bump into someone familiar all the same. " good afternoon, lord warrick, " she greets, attempting to calm the wiggling toddler in her arms. his face tucks into her shoulder and rowena gives a satisfied grin. " i wish you luck in the race today. i might have even put gold on your team to win... mine too, just in case. "

[talestold-a]

while the reach had elements of beauty, none of it was anything worthwhile compared to lys. there were evenings when he wished he was back on the docks, watching the different colors of the sunset as maidens gathered to sing. when they first arrived, aerys found the smell to be pleasant, yet now it teetered on overbearing. where he would typically enjoy joining in for a chance to complain, aerys knows exactly who he stands before and instead gives a smirk. he does not disagree with the baratheon prince but would rather drink the water of the mander before admitting as such. " does it bother you to be among the household staff ? " aerys questions curiously, blinking as if there could be innocence to his inquiry. " would that not be an excellent opportunity to get to know workers from the reach, a region of the realm you may be heir to rule ? " visera could run circles around the fool.

open raven from cassian baratheon — day one; the orchards.

Unlike the rest of westeros, as far as he could tell, he was not completely drunk in the beauty of the reach. the flowers, the greenery, it was pretty in the way mother nature could be. aside from that, he found it just as pretentious as the lions queen court and the decadence of the rock he had gotten to experience weeks before. he scrunches his nose in disagreement with the many smells of the reach, he passes around the orchids relentlessly, he had picked a peach a while back, eaten it then had cleaned his hands. aside from the freshness of the fruit, "i see no point in this activity, is the reach short of workers to pick the fruit?" he inspects the tree near him, eyes slightly open with the brightness of the sun.

[talestold-a]

closed starter for mariam martell on day five, @monarkhes.

his arm leans against the banister, a goblet of highgarden's finest sweet hippocras in his opposite hand, sipping slowly on the wine. the spices certainly enhance the flavor and he clicks his tongue a few times, attempting to taste what else is mixed into the drink. there is a burning aftertaste that aerys finds more soothing than anything. he stands tall, finishing the cup and handing it off to the nearest servant. a lord who seems to have had plenty to taste is making a fool of himself on the other side of the courtyard when he spots a familiar face in his searching. " good afternoon, princess, " a slight nod and smirk are given to mariam, wink following purposefully to see if it will ruffle her feathers. " this sweet wine gives fierce competition for your dornish red... have you had any yet ? "

[talestold-a]

one of the first things alys did when they arrived in the reach was consult the maester about their arm injury. though the ride had been difficult, they would admit that to no one and felt well enough to participate in certain festivities - the horse race being their main interest. thankfully, alys had woken with little pain and had left their sling in their bedchambers to prove as such. she was in the middle of brushing out bear's mane with their better arm when godric joins them in the stables. " i will do my best, " they respond with a smile and a tilt of their head. " but perhaps you could outdo him in a sand castle building contest tomorrow if all else fails ? " alys suggests, knowing ned's chance of success in the horse race was no lower than her own. " oh ! are you participating in the joust, my lord ? i should like to see barbrey be crowned the queen of love and beauty. "

who: @talestold (alys mormont) where: stables before the horse race

Going against all his instincts, Godric had not entered himself in all the events of week. Restraint was the name of the game, and despite his competitive nature, had only found himself signing up for two of the competitions, jousting and the maze race. He would be lying if he said he was not a hint jealous of Alys as he watched them prepare for the horse race. But he was sure they'd do both House Stark and Mormont proud.

"Alys, I beg of you, please beat my brother's sorry arse. I am in desperate need of something new to hold over his head."

[talestold-a]

the jest is taken with a grin, glancing back at jory. " it feels as if lord edric has learned a lot from you. " both a tease and stating an observation, alys takes pride in knowing they are well acquainted with some of their biggest idols. ned has always been an obvious one, but those who helped him reach his potential usually become quick interests of alys. jory had what alys essentially dreamed of becoming one day - a well established knight with an occupation of honor, being the captain of winterfell's guard. while they were not picky about where they ended up, it would only be the greatest of accomplishments to end up in a similar position as ser reed. she very much values how he views knighthood and the steps to not only becoming a knight, but becoming a good one. " be loyal to what matters... the north matters to me, ser, what else could there be ? " an idea comes to mind but they do not voice it aloud. " aye, i think i see what you mean... it would be an honor to have something so meaningful to fight for, yes ? if there is anything i have learned during our travels, it is that i am proud to be in service to the starks. "

observing  alys,  jory  is  reminded  of  what  he  has  lost.  it  was  not  anything  material  so  much  as  it  was  his  youthful  optimism.  the  jory  that  had  chosen  squiredom  over  learning  to  rule  over  the  neck  had  long  faded,  and  had  taken  the  expectations  that  he  had  for  this  future  version  of  himself  along  with  him.  ultimately,  jory's  goal  had  been  accomplished.  he  was  a  knight,  the  captain  of  winterfell's  guard,  and  he  was  good  at  what  he  was  tasked  with.  but  the  path  jory  had  taken  to  get  there  had  been  such  a  heinous  deviation  from  what  he'd  once  dreamed  of  within  the  walls  of  greywater  watch.  "  lord  edric  learned  that  from  me.  "  he  says  as  much  in  jest,  offering  a  smile  that  fades  as  he  contemplates  the  question  she  levies  at  him.  it's  not  one  that  can  be  answered  simply,  but  he  attempts  anyway.  "  be  loyal  to  what  matters.  it  doesn't  have  to  be  the  starks,  or  winterfell,  or  bear  island  —  though  it  can  be.  "  he  struggles  to  wrangle  his  train  of  thought,  sighing  quietly.  "  you  can  be  the  finest  technical  swordsman  the  realm  has  ever  seen,  all  of  westeros  can  know  of  your  prowess  in  battle  —  but  it'll  mean  nothing  if  you  don't  have  something  to  fight  for.  " 

[talestold-a]

with as much responsibility as their lord has, and ned is only presently heir, alys cannot imagine the strength it must take to be a ruling liege. they often dream of whisking aemma away some place far, not even needing to be a long trip, the two of them exploring together. how lovely it would be to handpick a bouquet for the lady grafton or share fresh fruits on a sunny hill with no one for miles. how different things could be if her allegiance was not already confirmed to the service of the north. perhaps they could have at least daydreams and wishes to satisfy their greatest desires. " everyone has need for rest, " alys corrects immediately, not wanting to push but reminding aemma to take care of themselves. " or if you need help with anything, you need only ask. " it is no surprise that the topic is changed and while alys does not like talking about herself, even more so when it takes away from aemma speaking, she obliges the other. the gentle touch helps, granting a toothy smile from the mormont. " thank you, i will inform bear of your compliment, he will be thrilled. "

aemma  finds  herself  envious  of  alys.  just  a  short  time  ago,  she'd  had  aspirations  for  her  future  that  she  held  close  to  her  chest.  she  wished  to  sing,  or  to  devote  her  time  to  aiding  the  motherhouse  that  had  taken  her  in  when  she  was  young.  all  of  that  was  squandered  now,  any  plans  they  may  have  had  for  their  life  crushed  under  the  heavy  weight  of  loss  and  duty.  still,  she  bears  a  smile.  "  thank  you,  "  the  gratitude  is  offered  with  a  slight  tilt  of  their  head,  gaze  momentarily  cast  downward  towards  casterly  rock's  stone  floors.  no  matter  her  condemnable  jealousy  and  her  own  dashed  dreams,  aemma  still  wished  to  see  alys  live  theirs.  "  oh,  i've  no  need  for  rest,  "  they  shrug  off  alys's  concern.  it  seems  that  was  the  majority  of  what  she  received  from  others  as  of  late  —  concern  and  pity  in  droves.  what  aemma  needed,  in  reality,  was  for  someone  to  tell  her  she  wasn't,  in  fact,  running  house  grafton's  legacy  into  the  ground  as  they  speak.  "  you  and bear were  a  marvel,  truly,  "  they  place  her  hand  on  alys's  forearm,  fingers  resting  there  gently.  "  a  well deserved  near  win.  "

[talestold-a]

sleep had been scarce the night before, unable to turn onto whichever side they desired as their eyes grew heavy. just as alys would begin to drift off, restlessness would settle in and sleepiness would overpower logic, absentmindedly rolling onto the bandaged arm. the pain would only prolong the inevitable irritation of not staying asleep and when they were lucky enough to drift off once more, something would eventually wake them. once  the  sun  came  into  view  from  the  tiny  window  above  her  bed,  alys  decided  it  was  time  to  start  the  day.  visitors  had  not  been  a  thought  and  so  when  there's  a  knock,    she  hesitates  only  for  a  second  to  welcome  them  in.  barbrey's  presence  brings  a  bright  smile  but  the  immediate  worry  causes  them  to  pout.  "  my  lady,  "  both  a  greeting  and  reassurance  alys  is  well  enough  to  speak.  "  no,  no,  none  of  that,  "  a  hand  swats  the  idea  out  of  possibility  and  any  who  dare  to  enter  will  be  quickly  persuaded  away.  the  last  thing  alys  wanted  was  anyone  going  out  of  their  way  for  an  injury  that  could  only  be  healed  further  with  time.  "  thankfully,  no,  this  is  not  my  sword  arm.  i  am  glad  you  were  safe  elsewhere.  "  the  squire  pats  an  empty  seat  next  to  their  own,  more  of  a  stump  than  anything.  "  i  am  fine,  lady  barbrey,  i  promise.  there  is  no  need  to  worry. "

⸻    closed  starter  for  alys  mormont  [  @talestold  ]. ⸻    on  the  day  of  departure  from  the  westerlands.

it  seemed  as  though  there  would  be  no  peace  when  all  seven  kingdoms  were  gathered  in  one  region  and  with  nothing  as  tender  as  family  to  keep  her  in  the  westerlands,  barbrey  was  quite  glad  to  see  the  end  of  things  even  if  the  fire  had  rendered  a  few  members  of  the  stark  household  and  northern  retinue  otherwise  indisposed  ─  none  were  too  injured  as  to  require  a  delay  in  travel  but  she  had  decided  to  drop  by  the  room  that  had  been  assigned  to  alys  mormont,  fingers  plucking  nervously  at  her  sleeves  until  she  was  permitted  entry  by  the  squire  herself,  bandaged  arm  and  all.  ❝  oh  ...  !  ❞  instinct  and  an  innate  curiosity  would  have  her  study  the  injured  appendage  but,  as  she  was  not  her  cousin  with  a  hand  of  healing,  she  settled  on  flapping  her  arms  about  in  fretful  sympathy  even  as  she  looked  around  the  room.  ❝  the  servants  should  be  helping  you  !  tell  me  what  to  do  and  i  will  see  it  done.  ❞  when  there  was  nothing  she  could  do  to  physically  make  another  better,  barbrey  found  it  best  to  try  and  assist  where  she  could,  if  only  to  feel  less  useless.  still,  she  turned  in  a  circle  until  she  faced  the  squire  once  more,  a  worried  furrow  at  her  brow.  ❝  ...  it  is  not  your  sword  arm,  is  it  ?  oh,  i  should  have  been  there  to  help  as  well  !  ❞

[talestold-a]

while he had truthfully spent a short time in the north months ago, aerys had very few positive thoughts about the freezing wasteland. his sister thought more favorably but he would be content to never see snow ever again. still, while in their lands, he had curiously learned a bit about the northern overlords and those who had married into the stark family. " correct, my lady, it is an honor to meet you. " a small bow of his head is given to be respectful, smile plastered on his lips. " of course. lys is a beautiful place and in some ways, yes, it is quite different... but you may be surprised to know the people are incredibly similar as well. " in both places, people were known to do whatever possible to survive. " i may be biased, but it is said that in lys, the sunsets are more beautiful there than anywhere else in the world. are you thinking of visiting ? "

⸻ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ︵ : drako of lys + talisa stark, day one. ⸻ 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 ︵ : @talestold

if  not  for  the  countenance  that  reminded  her  of  stories  of  old  ,  when  dragons  still  reigned  terror  upon  the  lands  and  their  kings  and  queens  seemed  to  go  mad  at  the  drop  of  a  coin  (  though  talisa  would  argue  the  same  could  be  said  of  matthos  )  ,  talisa  would've  paid  him  little  attention  .  as  it  was  ,  it  seemed  odd  for  the  purple eyed  lord  to  wind  up  wherever  the  rest  of  the  kingdom  was  despite  having  overheard  of  the  lineage  hailing  from  lys  —  and  never  let  it  be  said  that  talisa  wasn't  the  curious  sort  .  “  drako  of  lys  ,  correct  ?  “  she  greeted  with  little  preamble  and  smile  .  “  i  am  talisa  stark  .  i  wondered  if  i  may  ask  you  questions  ?  about  lys  ,  that  is  .  i've  never  been  before  and  wondered  if  it  was  so  different  from  westeros  .  ”