C H A R A C T E R  I N S P I R A T I O N S 

starkwhitewolf​:

torrhen sighed, she was so young and innocent. he admired the strength of her kindness and generosity, for that was something that was more powerful than the strength of a thousand men. to have a good heart, and good judgement, made for a much better leader. at least, that was his opinion. sure, there were those who believed otherwise, but he did not care to hear those opinions, anyways. “rosa, it’s not that simple.” he replied, trying to keep his voice gentle to not cause her any pain. “of course i want that too, but strength is not always something to show those around us, we have to be strong for our child and make those difficult choices for his sake, no matter what others may think of it.”

although he could not feel his child on the outside yet, he was certain the baby was growing strong. he had the strongest mother he could think of. he was surprised by how quickly his feelings for rosa had grown, and while it was just the way of his family and a northern trait to be incredibly protective of one another, he could not afford for the enemy to see her as his ultimate weakness. even if she hated him for it, if it came down to her going south was the safest thing, that’s what would happen. “i will not do anything unless absolutely necessary, but you should know that is an option on the table as of now.” he sighed, slowly removing his hand and pacing over towards the fire. “we still don’t know what we are up against.”

.

however neither of them liked the idea she knew he was right. there was more than just strength to show others she could stay here. it would be stubbornness then. something that had been the downfall of hundreds of kings and queens and would the the cause of more. letting pride get in the way of what was the best choice. how blessed she was to have a man who did not put his pride above his family. someone who truly cared. a wolf looking over his pack, ensuring they were all safe. “i understand. i pray that it will not come to it but if it does i will not fight your decision.” it would be hard enough to leave his side, they did not need to leave in anger. simply she would count down the days until they were reunited once more. but for now she had him here, they had each other. she would hold onto that tightly.

“i don’t think any of us know what we are up against. every day it seems to be growing bigger. if it didn’t happen here it was bond to explode out somewhere else.” rosa said following him over to the fire, taking a seat to soak in the warmth. and to get off her feet for just a moment. “torrhen, we will find those people and each day we can discover new clues that will lead us to the source of what is truly happening. but i believe we should expect the unexpected when it comes to these men.” she said, her eyes watching the fire dance.

 “i have heard of people whispering about the dead rising. old stories of the north, but could it be real? could someone be trying to harness a power we don’t know? there are things we cannot explain...your own sibling has a gift, does she not?” there was much she did not know of the north and the ancient stories but she wanted to help in whatever way she could. at least let her husband know he was not alone in his thoughts.

edricxstark​:

Who: @rosaaaryn​​ Where: Barrowtown

“Rose? I wanted to come check on you after all that happened. Those Lannisters are lunatics.” Edric entered the room and draped a blanket over his sister in law’s shoulders. “If I had the chance I would have run him through.” He hated how it seemed more and more like he couldn’t just ignore the problems surrounding them all. “How are you? And the baby?” 

.

he chaos that happened that night was still so fresh within her mind. in a moment after things had settled enough she was whisked away back to her room by her guards and lady maids. all of them overly concerned at how she faired. would the lannister king have hurt her? surely if he wanted to he simply would have but…he didn’t. his concerns lay with his family. could she blame him for that? for wanting to keep his brother and sister safe? still the cold feeling of his sword on her neck was not one she would forget soon.

she only had a moment alone before her brother in law came to check up on her. pulling the blanket closer around her she nodded to his question. “i am okay… thank you.” she told him. “the baby is fine, kicking up a storm but not harmed in any way.” her mind wandered back to the lannisters, to gwen being threatened. to the news that everyone now knew. they were family now in a weird twisted way. “they aren’t lunatics…the lannisters. everything was just, chaotic. that’s all.”

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

dear sister,

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

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

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

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

your loving sister,

rosa

ravellaarryns​:

.

          A PARTICULAR HARSH gust of wind seemed to answer the queen of winter’s question before the princess of the vale could even open her mouth to retort an answer; an icy blast putting out some of the candles lit on the mantelpiece. for a moment the fiery haired woman made a movement to appear as though she were ready to raise herself to relight the candles, much needed in the darker room of the north considering the later time of day as the sun began to set over the wintery horizon; ravella simply wordlessly shook as her head as if to insist the woman remained seated, rising to her own feet to relight the torches with a spark resting upon the windowsill. “fetch some more quilts for the queen; the sun is setting.” the woman instructed one of the serving girls; who meekly responded in a usual strong northern accent ravella herself could hardly understand through the crackling of the fire. 

the woman remained stood, her hands clasped together before her cape as she paced back and forth beside the firelight, opening her mouth as if she wanted to speak before closing it again. it were unlike the woman, for as much as she wished to prioritise the security of the arryn throne by binding house grafton through a royal dowry, her pride would surely someday be her downfall. as much as she wished to never have to leave the vale, to remain close to all she had ever known, she had admittedly never once thought this prospect would be a possible one. a dark smile seemed to cross her features as she pondered her thoughts, remembering the moment the king had told her of the news before their youngest brother; and all that had happened between them that night. no doubt irritation had gotten the best of them all, and the news was delivered in a way that was unlike the mountain king, and she couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. “of all the times i would have wished for him to be sterner, he chooses this matter.” 

the serving girl had returned with the quilts, and the woman simply took them from her at the door before closing it in the serving girl’s face with a nonchalant attitude about her, resting the warm blankets over rosa as though she were tucking in the little girl afraid of thunder once again. “you know i am not one to turn down a challenge sister; especially not in this crucial moment. when the coup fails, i will find myself married into the greatest naval house in the kingdom; it has more benefits, unfortunately.” she paused, momentarily looking at the woman’s small curve. “would you request my presence for the month you are due to take to your bed?” she asked, her mind working out the logistics already. 

.

there was so much that could be said about her sister. so much that rosa had always admired. and so much she did not realize she had done for her throughout the years. for a time it was just the two of them. the two of them against the world, up in their mountain castle. father gone. mother gone. brothers fighting in a war. it was ravella who comforted her in the nights were fear seized her tightly. it was ravella who was able to take on the harsh words of the older lords who clamored at a chance for power without their brothers around.  rosa had done her best, always had. she helped where she could, were her strengths lied. but deep down she knew the weight that had been on her sister’s shoulders was greater than her own.

part of her wished there was a way she could make it up to her, even if ravella never gave her a hint of resentment. even now she took care of her. there was a confidence that emanated off of ravella. an unspoken air of it that encircled her. rosa had wished to learn it. maybe day by day it grew within her but she doubted it would ever be as strong as her sister’s.

“you are always up for a challenge but married life doesn’t have to be one.” however they both knew the truth. marriage for them would always be something that benefitted the family. it did not mean she could not wish for her sister. “my wish more than anything in the world ravella, is for you to be happy.” rosa said reaching out to take her sister’s hand. “if you can find happiness in this then i will not fight it. but you deserve to be happy.” with such new power she had she was unsure what she could even do, but she could hope it would be something to help.

rosa’s other hand moved her graze over her stomach. the time would come quicker than she would expect. already it felt like time was flying by. “y…yes. if you are able to be here. i know it is a lot to ask. but i would like you to be here.”

standing up from her seat, the queen moved to the spot next to her husband and reached out to take his hand. a gentle touch but one to let him know she was there, to help calm him as she could see the tension building within him. even if she could just help to take away some of the stress from him she would. she wished to take all of it from him.

"it seemed that she did not know. i am sorry i had to bring you this news so early in the morning. but i knew you'd find it just as important as i did." she frowned. "i think the criers may be needed. at least in the lands we cannot fully trust their petty lords."

she squeezed his hand as she spoke, understanding his worry. a feeling growing up in the vale she was very accusumed to. "no i do not think they disobey you. i have seen the way your lords look to you. they respect you as a man and a king. i do not think many disobey you. especially after you lead them to a victory in battle with you by their side. they would foolish to do so. this petty lord is foolish to think no one would find out about this."

rosaaaryn​:

there was no doubt in rosalyn’s mind that her husband wouldn’t take this seriously. when they had discussed the new laws of the north they had done so together. she never felt pushed aside or made to feel less than. the laws of the north were an effort for both the king and the queen. after all it was both of their duties to look after the people within their kingdom. men and women alike. “i can get you her name and the husbands name. i don’t think she knew of the law that was passed, she seemed surprised that i mentioned it. the sister did not seem to know either. i doubt she wanted to sleep with the lord before her own husband.” she said, recounting the look of shock on her face when rosalyn had mentioned about the banning of the practice “from what she knew there was at least five wives that had to follow this rule. and those are just the ones she knew about. gods only know how many there actually is.”

rosa hated the thought of what these poor women had to go through because of one narcissistic man. did that mean there were other laws that were not known? most of these people could not read themselves. how else were they supposed to find out about these laws if their lord did not tell them “perhaps we need to find a way to ensure these new laws are reaching everyone. i don’t want to think about what other laws this man might have not told his people…”

o.

“She didn't know? I expressed that it should be announced and now this petty lord must be stripped of lands and titles. Lest he makes me look a fool among my own people and courts. What sort of King cannot handle his own people?” 

And he didn't show much of his anger to her but there is a tension in his shoulders and it's obvious what choice he will make. It was time for examples to be made and when a King stepped in to punish petty lords it bruised the egos of their ruling Lords. It showed a lack of trust from the King to his Lords, a lack of trust the didn’t have when he denied their lords the title of Duke.

“We must send out criers as were used in the old days. The smallfolk can't read. They must know what their lords and knights don't tell them.” Owen felt a brief worry creep into his shoulders, “Do you think they disobey me far and wide?”

rodrikofwinter​:​

—.

he disliked being out of winterfell, if he was being frank, but rodrik was thankful that he was still in the north. he had so little desire to travel south again, though he knew eventually such a thing would occur. the king of winter had been preoccupied with trade routes and plans for the north, so much of his free time was spent poring over letters and documents when he would rather be enjoying the brisk air of white harbor.

he heard his wife before he saw her and his lips twitched as a kiss was pressed to the back of his head. “trade routes, mainly,” he remarked carefully, his fingers moving to sign for her. “while i’m allowing some lands to pass through unhindered, i do not want to give them the ability to enter the entirety of the north.” his voice was brusque for a moment before he turned and pressed a soft kiss of his own to rosalyn’s temple.

her question was a welcome one and his lips twitched. “you could, perhaps, convince me to take a break.”

.

with each day that passed rodrik’s signing had gotten better and better. while rosa was used to being in a world with those who knew no sign language at all, it felt comfortable to know her husband was there with her. and one day when their children grew up they would learn as well. it was times like this that she felt included in what was happening, instead of having to watch from the sidelines. “i think that is smart. we don’t want everyone to think they are able to come in without us knowing.”

right on cue, rosalyn reached out to take rodrik’s hands within her and to try to pull him away from his desk. “come on a walk with me then. you have been behind that desk all day long and the sun is about to set. and i believe the sunset is going to be beautiful. and maybe i am wrong but i do not believe you have eaten either.” she noted. “i think the trade routes can wait a little longer.”

@ravellaarryns

… a most beloved sister.

PRIDE & PREJUDICE (2005) dir. Joe Wright

starkwhitewolf​:

closed starter for @rosaaaryn​

rough hands gripped the ledge of a balcony and the wolf king looked out at the landscape below. strangers flocked by the hundreds to his homeland, and as much as he would hide it, it truly made him uneasy. he knew not everyone who might claim to come to their aid had the best intentions, and he certainly could think of a southern ruler or two who merely came to see the north fall, but that would not be that day. winter was coming, and if it didn’t stop before winterfell, it would overtake them too, eventually. whether they could convince others for their aid, however, was still up for debate, and torrhen was still unsure as to why he thought it a good idea to even put that kind of faith in those he was not well acquainted with.

to top off the tension that loomed around them constantly, a mad man attacked another regions princess and lady, and threatened his own wife. what he meant by his words, torrhen was unsure. truly, though, he believed they were merely that: words. but how rosa felt, he believed would be different. she was kind, empathetic, and likely would feel haunted by it. he would do his best to minimize this, especially now that she was carrying his child. he turned back to enter their chambers, and closed the balcony door behind him. as much as he savored the cold, northern air, the dropping temperatures were becoming less tolerable, even for him, some time by the fire would be best. he took a seat in one of the chairs placed in front of it, poured himself a cup of ale, and waited for his wife to return.

.

worry had been plaguing her all afternoon. as much as she tried to distract her brain it just jumped right back to what that man said. but surely he was just trying to scare her. what could he possibly know about her and her child? he was not the man he called “the shadow” he was not some god. he was just a violent criminal. she had to believe that for her sake. but what if he was right? what if her poor child was to be born under a blood moon. 

her hand traced her stomach as she lost herself in thought once more. fresh air would do her well. that was what her handmaidens told her as they encouraged her to get out of her room and hopefully shake whatever worries she had. all she wanted now was to see her husband. 

reaching the large wooden door of their chambers, she dismissed her handmaidens for the night. but she made sure to thank each of them for the company and support they have given to her that day. truly it had meant more than she could say in that moment. her breathing shook as she stepped inside of the chambers, shedding off her fur cloak once inside. would he be upset with her perhaps? maybe she had done something wrong and that was why that sailor had threatened her. had she not done her best to fit in with the people of the north? 

maybe her fears could melted away like the snow near the fire’s edge as she saw him sitting waiting for her. but still her worry for what the man said stood strong within her. “torrhen.” she said softly, trying to remain strong. she was a queen now. but even a queen could feel fear.

rosalyn had been looking forward to the dinner with her family all day. in between packing up the various things she had brought along and helping to organize some of the arrival details the time came quickly. however, rosalyn had found herself caught in reading a book as it reached a cliff-hanging moment, before realizing she was going to be late. rushing down the hall to where they were meeting, two guards rushed to keep up with her.

 the two guards outside opened up the door for her as rosalyn rushed in a flurry of fabric and bouncing red curls. sorry sorry she signed. i was lost in a book and lost track of the time. i didn't keep you all waiting did i? rosalyn signed as she took her seat, thanking the guard who pulled out the chair for her.  slightly out of breath but smiling she greeted her siblings, happy to see all of them in one room together again.

 "agreed robin. i have missed our family dinners. although it won't feel the same without madelena here, but we will be seeing her soon enough." another amazing reason why she was so excited to be back in the vale.

dinner before departure

    Robin had asked his siblings to join him for dinner tonight….all of them. Robin typically dined on his own, writing letters, looking over books, working on various things late into the night. Tonight however was far different, after the events with the jester….and then his confession to his eldest sister Ravella about who he was….what he was. He had thought on it quite a bit, and he had reached a decision that left him terrified and anxious. His palms were sweaty and he was anxious, something that he wasn’t quite used to. Eventually, however, all his siblings were gathered around the table where a herb roasted capon was sitting along with spinach, leeks, and a bowl of mushrooms cooked in garlic. Smiling as he took his own seat, 

“Thank you all for joining me here, I thought it would be good for us to have dinner together, as a family before we began the voyage back to the Eyrie. After everything that’s happened we need to spend more time as a family.”

@rosaaaryn​ @ravellaarryns​ @kingarryn​

@kingarryn​

“huh?” rosalyn asked, peeking her head up from her book, she clearly must have been intently engrossed into. she wasn’t sure if her brother had been speaking to her for awhile or just walked in. “i’m sorry, what did you say again?” she smiled.