winterbloomed

[winterbloomed]

fallencrxwns​:

           Ravella  squeezes  her  hand  in  a  warm  sentiment,  “i  suppose  i  simply  do  not  know  how  to  be  spoiled  like  this,  i  am  unused  to  it.”  she  muses  back  with  her.  “and  i  can  promise  to  try  and  accept  the  attentions  with  a  better  outlook.”  she  taps  on  her  hand  one  more  time  before  she  goes  back  to  placing  it  over  her  stomach,  her  other  one  still  interlock  with  that  of  the  princess.  “it  is  quite  strange  to  me  too,  we  have  hosted  many  people  but  even  in  the  celebrations  of  the  north  we  have  never  hosted  this  many.  it  is  quite  lively  though,  in  times  like  this  i  think  its  appreciated.  its  a  celebration  to  someone  who  did  wonderful  things  and  left  amazing  marks,  that’s  why  this  many  people  traveled  this  far.”

      ‘ i think we are all pleased to have a reason to spoil you, ‘ sara said, hoping it comforted her somewhat. ‘ after all that’s happened - we starks are due some happiness, are we not? ‘ though it saddened her still to think of her uncle’s recent loss, the thought of looking ahead to the future brought some hope along with it. she had to believe that they’d be happy, with harrion as their king and ravella beside him - not to mention the child, and all the joy they would bring. ‘ perhaps we should have celebrations more often, ‘ she mused. the north wasn’t known for throwing quite as many lavish events as elsewhere, but that did not mean they couldn’t. ‘ under different circumstances, of course, ‘ sara added. gods forbid anything should happen to another member of her family ; the thought made her shiver more than any cold could. ‘ i hope our guests are finding their stay a welcome one, at least. ‘ 

[winterbloomed]

fxrgxedinfxrxblxxd​:

-

Desmor was struggling quite a lot with being so far up north. This was the first time he left Dorne and the lack of sun and warmth was really getting to him. There were different layers of fur covering his body and still, the freezing breeze was still chilling him to the bones. Desmor tried to find some sort of warmth and protection from the cold inside the castle, but it didn’t seem to be helping that much. He turned around to face the source of the voice, offering her a small smile. “I’m alright. Cold, but alright.” A chuckle escaped his lips. “Well, trying to find a room with hopefully a fireplace to warm me up, but haven’t had much luck so far.”

      it was unsurprising, she thought, that someone from so far south as dorne might not quite be suited to the northern weather. lysara had found king’s landing uncomfortably warm at times, but she imagined dorne would be almost unpleasant. at least it was said to be beautiful, in its own way. ‘ i’m sure you aren’t the only one, ‘ she said, smiling kindly.

     ‘ and as for a fireplace - i’m sure we could find one. there’s usually several burning in the hall - i can show you the way, if you like? ‘ it wasn’t a difficult task to aid one of their guests, after all. ‘ and of course, if you find yourself too far frozen, there are always the hot springs. ‘ 

[winterbloomed]

fallencrxwns​:

          The  now  queen  shakes  her  head  as  she  sighs,  “it  is  nearly  impossible  to  become  tired  when  people  are  adamant  of  doing  everything  and  anything  for  you.  the  pregnancy,  and  well  not  this  new  station  of  ours.  it  is  all  slightly  overwhelming,  but  i  am  doing  my  best  to  remain  true  and  strong  for  us  and  our  people.”  she  had  to  lived  to  the  expectations  the  former  king  had  seen  in  her,  he  had  picked  her  among  many  other  because  he  had  seen  something,  a  greatness  he  spoke  of  she  could  barely  imagine.  but  she  was  committed  to  making  him  proud  specially  now.  “yes,  having  the  pack  together  will  always  be  what  matters  the  most.”  although  she  would  prefer  it  if  it  was  just  them,  the  family,  but  this  was  tradition,  duty,  and  honor. 

        sara smiled, holding back from laughing aloud. ‘ ah - it seems as if we are all being rather overprotective of you, are we not? ‘ she said, teasing gently. it was understandable, given the circumstances - no one wanted to risk her health, or that of the child she carried. still, sara could give her some credit, for no one could deny that she was handling herself very well, in such complicated circumstances ‘ i’m afraid i cannot promise to stop, but i will try to be a little less overbearing, ‘ she offered a some sort of compromise. perhaps it was because it had been some time since there had been a babe in the family, but sara was certainly excited at the prospect. ‘ there are a rather a lot of people here now, aren’t there? it’s strange - i’ve never seen winterfell quite so overrun. ‘ 

[winterbloomed]

open starter @reignrbs​

       it was unusual to have so many strangers about winterfell ; she was not used to seeing it quite so crowded with people of all walks. generally, it was easy enough to spot a southerner, of course, bundled in layers of furs against the cold. given her recent visit south, she could understand the shock of the adjustment, but wondered how their many guests would fare if winter came in full force. making her way through the familiar halls of her family’s seat, she paused at the sight of someone glancing around in what seemed to be confusion. ‘ are you alright? ‘ she asked, approaching them with a careful smile. ‘ you seem lost - may i ask where you what trying to find? ‘ 

[winterbloomed]

           despite the somber mood of the castle of late, sara wished to try and gain at least some happiness from all of this. the small celebration that had been arranged for her cousin’s coronation might not have been as extravagant as what she’d seen in the south, but she did not mind. all her trip to king’s landing had taught her was that it was a vicious place, one she was ill suited to. better to be home, where she belonged, away from all of it. she was surprised by the question, and found herself laughing, an unfamiliar sound of late. ‘ no, i am not, ‘ she said, shaking her head. it was certainly an amusing idea - but while women were able to join, she was not trained in jousting. she’d lose rather quickly, and likely bruise many parts of her body in the process. ‘ but i am looking forward to watching. i’m sure it will be entertaining. ‘  

open  starter:  festival  vendors

deirassi  had  visited  many  places,  but  was  a  stranger  to  the  northern  parts  of  westeros.    it  was  beautiful,  though,  and  she  didn’t  mind  the  cold  the  way  some  from  warmer  climates  seemed  to.    watching  a  small  group  of  children  laughing  and  playing  in  the  distance,  she  couldn’t  help  but  remember  home.    naath  looked  nothing  like  winterfell  but  there  was  a  freedom  and  familiarity  about  the  north  that  deirassi  appreciated.    she  didn’t  wear  furs  but  still  felt  warm,  beginning  to  walk  through  the  festival  again.    ❝  i  have  never  seen  a  jousting  tournament.  are  you  entering?,  ❞  she  asks  another  at  the  same  vendor  as  her.

[winterbloomed]

            given all that the new queen had to bear, sara saw accompanying her as no hardship. she surely deserved the company, and some time away from all the demands on her. with her current state, it seemed even more important. she was not entirely sure how long until the babe was due, but the newest prince or princess of the north was certainly coming soon enough, if the size of ravella’s belly was anything to judge by. ‘ well, i hope you are not tiring yourself too much, ‘ she said, protective over the woman who was now a part of her family - even more so, with the heir she carried. ‘ it’s wonderful to be back here. though of course, the circumstance are not ideal. ‘ she sighed softly. ‘ at least we are all together. is that not what matters most? ‘ 

open  starter  from  queen  ravella  stark  nee  blackwood  —  winterfell

           There  was  a  feeling  of  inadequacy  that  melted  into  her  bones  since  the  king  had  taken  his  last  breath,  people  looked  at  her  differently,  and  she  wasn’t  sure  if  it  was  better  or  worst  than  it  had  been  before.  sadness  sipped  through  her  skin  and  into  her  lungs  and  sometimes  she  wasn’t  sure  if  she  could  not  breathe  because  of  it  or  because  the  babe  kicked  her  ribs  every  now  and  again.  the  idea  of  having  the  nobility  of  westeros  in  their  home  was  an  uncertainty  that  was  now  her  loyal  companion,  but  she  welcomed  it  as  a  good  distraction  from  the  sorrow  that  covered  the  keep  of  winterfell.  “thank  you  for  joining  me  on  my  stroll,  there  is  little  activity  that  they  allow  me  without  making  much  fuss  you  see.  but  we  the  visit  of  all  the  houses  they  seemed  to  be  distracted,  which  i  welcome.”  she  says  with  a  smile.  “how  are  you  enjoying  our  home  this  far?”

[winterbloomed]

                given that she was a stark, lysara was somewhat surprised when a voice called out to her in a tone that was so rude. to be spoken to so in the godswood of her ancestors, so soon after the loss of her uncle - well, she could only assume lord karstark had not bothered to look up. a mistake on his part, and one that, after such a tumultuous few weeks, had her wishing somewhat to make him regret. ‘ excuse me, my lord, ‘ she said coolly, in a tone she hoped conveyed her displeasure. ‘ i imagine the very least you could do in my family’s home would be to listen to me, would it not? ‘ she gave him a look of annoyance, though perhaps it was not quite as harsh as it might’ve been coming from another. she was certainly not happy for his attitude, but sara did not expect she’d end up holding it against him. as frustrating as it was...everyone made mistakes. 

OPEN STARTER ! @reignrbs​

dragons. there was an excitement abuzz in him when word of king aedar’s display reached karhold. then annoying news came regarding the death of their sovereign. something which would require arthor to peel himself from his home for a coronation of all things. he’d been home all these months now, the dust settled from brief captivity at king’s landing, but his bitterness still potent. for the last time he’d been at karhold his father was alive. as much as he hated to admit it, he missed the old man. arthor had been the one to remain home while his brother and sister traveled. he didn’t mind, it was quiet and no one bothered him until now. but, was he to believe this summoning would be incident free ? nevertheless, he comes to winterfell. the carriage ride was short, but he’d still complained most of the way. there he is, sat in the godswood, his nose stuck in a book copied from texts regarding the dragons that fascinate him so. “speak now while i’m listening,” the lord calls out to the presence near him, his eyes not leaving the page he’s immersed in. 

[winterbloomed]

        half her childhood had been spent here in winterfell - but it was different, now. sara could not remember a time when her uncle had not been the king, yet now he was simply gone. to say it was a difficult adjustment barely touched at how much had already changed. but they were starks ; they would endure, as they always did. now was a time to be there for one another. her cousins had certainly been there when her own parents had been taken, and it was her duty to return the favour. she’d sought out her youngest cousin, suspecting that she might be in need of a friendly face. ‘ no, i’m sure i know my way around, ‘ she said, attempting a joke that fell a little flat under the circumstances. ‘ truthfully, i was about to ask you the same. if you need anything at all, you know you can ask me. ‘ 

open starter // @reignrbs​

 losing  a  parent  was  never  easy  ,  even  if  this  wasn’t  the  first  alexia  had  not  taken  any  part  of  this  lightly.  the  south  had  aged  the  youngest  wolf  ,  and  now  she  felt  like  she  was  too  grown  up  for  the  world  she’d  lived  in.  everything  was  out  of  balance  and  misplaced  ,  nothing  making  sense  and  everything  hurting.  she’d  been  the  most  distant  from  her  family  the  moment  the  new  maester  announced  the  loss  of  the  king.  her  father.  lex  was  far  from  perfect  ,  far  from  obedient  ,  but  she  loved  him  and  had  always  been  closer  with  her  father  than  her  mother.  and  now  he  was  gone.  the  youngest  princess  found  herself  in  one  of  the  windows  looking  out  on  the  great  courtyard  ,  so  many  were  gathering  ,  so  many  had  already  arrived.  instead  of  greeting  like  she  should  ,  alexia  was  hiding.  but  footsteps  sound  ,  causing  the  redhead  to  turn  slowly  to  the  other.  “  hello  ,  is  there  something  i  can  assist  you  with  ?  ”

[winterbloomed]

       she’d approached quietly, knowing her cousin had a great deal of weight on his shoulders. sara could hardly imagine it. the thought of the entire north relying on her - there was no way she’d be able to handle such a burden. he was stronger than her, to be sure. ‘ it’s only me, ‘ sara said when he’d finished speaking, assuming he’d thought she was someone else. ‘ but of course, i’m happy to be here. i don’t need anything, ‘ she adds, not wanting him to worry unnecessarily. ‘ i only saw you leaving, and thought i might...see how you were. ‘

open  starter    /    @reignrbs​ where:   the godswood.

        sorrow  clung  to  the  new  king  of the north, but duty cloaked him, sealing his grief away from the numerous eyes that now more than ever were fixated on him. like beasts looking for a wounded deer amongst the herd. but that wouldn’t be harry; he would do his father’s memory proud. briefly, he had stepped away from the crowds, venturing into the godswood, a place he’d visited often since returning home and even more so following his father’s death. he was staring upon the weirwood tree when the sound of footsteps told him he was no longer alone.        ❝  it’s a magnificent sight, is it not?  ❞        he asked, turning toward the person.        ❝  is there something you require? i know the north’s climate can be quite the adjustment, but house stark is grateful for your presence.  ❞

[winterbloomed]

   CHARACTER UPDATE  ;  lysara stark

much like the rest of the starks, after the trial she was happy to return to the north, briefly visiting her family home of long lake before deciding to move more permanently to winterfell. with her uncle ill, her cousin assuming more and more responsibilities, and her own desire to be near to and support those she loved, it was the only choice. she’s happy to be home - but of course, the tragedy of her uncle’s passing has hit her, reminding her of the loss of her own parents. she’s now focusing on supporting her cousins through this difficult time, taking on whatever burden she can to ease theirs, and welcoming the various members of different families to the north. she’s unhappy, though, that such an awful thing could happen - and though the one responsible for her uncle’s death has been executed, it only means she has no one to direct her frustrations towards. 

[winterbloomed]

silverflcmes​:

getting  lost  in  the  red  keep  had  been  easy  so  far,  the  many  twists  and  turn  of  the  corridors  had  lyanna  deciding  not  to  stray  too  far  from  what  was  known.  the  gardens  itself  were  a  maze  of  their  own  but  at  least  being  outside  gave  for  better  visibility.  catching  sight  of  her  cousin  had  lyanna  veering  to  come  up  beside  her.  looping  arms  and  shooing  off  the  person  she  had  just  spoken  to,  “  i  know  not  dear  cousin.  they  did  not  have  us  study  flora  in  winterfell,  i  fear  that  has  put  us  at  a  disadvantage  here.  ”

            she was glad to see her cousin - there were so few she truly trusted in this foreign place, but in her family, sara always had faith. ‘ i’m sure i learned the names of some plants - northern ones, at least, ‘ she mused, thoughtful. had she been taught those things, though, or simply picked them up over the many years? truthfully, she wasn’t sure. ‘ isn’t it strange to think that even the flowers are different here? i am not sure i’ll ever get used to it. ‘  

[winterbloomed]

wnterreign​:

        it’d  been  easy  to  remain  in  the shadows when the people around him were more concerned with themselves and those of equal status than a mere sellsword. so he almost didn’t realize that the woman was addressing him when she spoke. it was luck that daeron glanced in the direction of her voice and realized that she was staring at him. eyes glanced at the bush. of all the questions to be asked…        ❝  um… a blue one, my lady?  ❞

     the number of people in the red keep often overwhelmed her - there were so many she did not know, that sara could hardly remember who was a lord and who was not. ‘ oh - well, yes, i can see that, ‘ she agreed, smiling widely. she could hardly criticise him, for the answer was technically correct. ‘ i suppose i wondered if you might know its name, ‘ she explained, ‘ i’m unfamiliar with the flowers here in the south. but i can hardly criticise you for not knowing. ‘ 

[winterbloomed]

karstarksun​:

lysara stark. perhaps the least insufferable of her house, arthor watches her with a peculiar gaze. how could one spend so much time in one place ? there was certainly more entertaining things do to other than strolling about the gardens. “ugly ones,” arthor answers her, his fingers gracing some of the petals before he snatches one away from the rest. even uglier now, he thinks to himself. “if you believe yourself to be imagining things, perhaps you should seek entertainment elsewhere, princess.” harsher words cross his mind, but he knows there is no reason for him to show such disrespect to his sovereign’s house at the moment. “or better company,” he adds. 

          sara smiled at the sight of a somewhat familiar face - perhaps not a close friend, but anything was better than a stranger. ‘ they are not so ugly, ‘ she laughs, but it’s mostly a lie. the garish shade of pink that had drawn her eye to this particular flower looks almost fake. ‘ that is a fair suggestion, my lord, ‘ she agrees easily, ‘ but i’m afraid i lack ideas. i’m open to suggestions, however. ‘ given the current state of lockdown in the red keep, it wasn’t as if she could do as she pleased. ‘ would you consider yourself to be good company? ‘

[winterbloomed]

silverflcmes​:

dealing  with  the  after  effects  of  the  poisoned  wine  had  been  hard  on  visenya,  that  rhaenys  knew.  their  sister  had  never  been  the  type  to  sit  around  and  having  been  bedridden  for  days  had  no  doubt  made  them  almost  go  mad.  they  would  have  been  fine  with  their  books  if  the  worse  had  happened  to  rhaenys  as  well.  but  not  everyone  loved  to  read  as  they  did.  noticing  that  lysara  was  perusing  a  book,  they  tilted  their  head.  “  you  couldn’t  have  known.  i  should  have  expected  this.  ”  a  polite  smile,  “  i  have  read  a  lot  in  my  time  in  this  library,  but  even  my  dent  isn’t  so  large.  what  sort  of  literature  are  you  looking  for  ?  ”  they  would  try  and  help  to  give  another  story  lover  something  of  interest.

       it was somewhat of a relief that she hadn’t offended anyone by being here. ‘ well, i do not mind moving. i’m sure there’s a hundred other places i could sit, ‘ she said, happy enough to be obliging. she was a guest here, after all, and not particularly attached to sitting here. sara thought for a long moment before giving her answer. ‘ something...entertaining, ‘ she said, then realised that was a rather vague. ‘ or at least, something not utterly dull. there seem to be a thousand books on the history of westeros that were written by ancient men who haven’t left a keep in decades. ‘ if there was one thing she didn’t want, it was to feel as if she was being lectured by some old maester when she was trying to keep her mind occupied. ‘ but perhaps that’s a little much to ask for. ‘ 

[winterbloomed]

wnterreign​:

        harrion  was  certain  his  father  wished  all of the stark family would be content remaining safely in their chambers until a culprit was found, but wolves were not content in cages. he laughed.        ❝  then you’ve beaten me. i barely lasted two days before trying to sneak out after i was injured.  ❞        not that he’d made it far. his father, knowing his son, had posted guards directly outside his door. unconsciously, one of his hands rested where his wound was, still bandaged underneath his tunic but mending.        ❝  i’m certain we can find something. lead the way.  ❞

         sara grinned in response. ‘ well...when i say perfectly, that may be a slight exaggeration, ‘ she admitted. even when she’d barely been able to sit up unaided, sara had been restless, but then what could one expect? she was not the sort of person meant to sit in bed all day. ‘ hm... where to start? the gardens are lovely, but i’ve explored them at least a dozen times since we arrived. ‘ she could hardly see the appeal any longer. being trapped in the keep was almost as frustrating as being unable to leave her room. ‘ do you think the cook would be as willing to slip us some treats as they are at home? ‘ she asked. ‘ if there is one thing these southerners are quite good at, it’s certainly their food. ‘ 

[winterbloomed]

unrcpcntant​:

  “ yes, it at least should appear to be so, ” xavion agreed, though the rational side of him was already counting the many broken betrothals and forced unhappy marriages he’s seen. one was his own, after all. “ i would have thought you’d be interested to travel through more of westeros. do you find it hard to be away from home, then ? ” the starks have left that impression on him. “ i have not, as i have not had any business there, but i will trust your word and perhaps one day i will see it for myself. ”

         ‘ i’m sure it is a very happy occasion for all involved, ‘ sara lied, but her smile was sweet and almost sincere. her own feelings on marriage were complex at best, but it seemed safest to simply play ignorant about tonight’s lack of enthusiasm, at least to those she didn’t know well. for all that they were acquainted, sara could hardly say she knew him well, and even in the short time they’d spoken he seemed a very different man than she’d met a few years earlier. ‘ well, i do quite enjoy visiting other places. there is so much of the world to see, and yet... ‘ sara shrugged slightly. ‘ there is nowhere quite like my home. when i am there, it seems like a fun idea to travel, and yet when i leave, all i seem to think of is how long it is until i return. ‘ was that more honesty than she should’ve had, for someone who was all but a stranger? perhaps it was. ‘ you must visit, then, ‘ sara added, half mere politeness. ‘ i’m certain you would love it. ‘ 

[winterbloomed]

         missing home was a constant in sara’s life - the capital was too hot, too crowded, too unlike all she loved about the north to be comfortable. oh, there were times she enjoyed herself here, even times she loved it for all its enjoyments, but it wasn’t her home. by night, at least, there was something a little less foreign about this place. it was cooler, at the very least, and that was enough to please her for now. perhaps wandering the keep after dark, unsupervised, was an unwise choice, but that had never stopped her before. ‘ oh - ‘ she said, hearing the voice before she noticed the other’s presence. if she started a little, no one needed to know it. ‘ well, i’m sure it is. don’t people drink from these fountains, though? ‘ 

open starter ! @reignrbs​​

  it had been late, too late for anyone to still be awake. one would only sneak out with some sort of intent at this time of the night. the moon was bright like a lamp in the dark skies, illuminating the little garden square of the red keep that nara had set her eyes on. her feet were restlessly splashing the water of the fountain, as she was sitting on the edge of it. her hearing was probably better than for most people since she picked up the quiet noise of someone’s presence nearby. predictions of who it might be started filling her thoughts as she wondered if she were to be sent to her chambers, ignored or deemed crazy. “ would you like to join me ? it’s quite refreshing if you ask me, ” she spoke suddenly, turning to the person to see who they were.