111 posts
Latest Posts by rosaaaryn - Page 2
bethanystark:
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war was the worst of all the ways she had been separated from her twin. it felt wrong at times, to sit in his chair and act with the authority he possessed. it wasn’t that she was unfamiliar with the duty that was being the stark in winterfell, but it was the fact it meant her brother was off getting himself into trouble, into danger. during the dance she’d been the one to wrap a bark and leather good luck charm on his wrist, but now that charm was secured by his wife. things were so different this time, but yet still also the same.
at least this time she didn’t have to prove herself as a capable leader. gods, the amount of old men challenging her before… they were lucky bear hadn’t tried to eat them in the night.
bethany rose early -it was hunting season and her body refused to listen when she tried to sleep in and say she couldn’t go out- and had been looking over some reports from along the way to sea dragon point and deepwood motte when the queen entered. brown eyes shifted up to acknowledge her goodsister’s presence before going back to the papers. “mornin’ rosa.” she sounded preoccupied, rightly so, and the huge direwolf that was her shadow and companion came up to circle and sniff at the queen, checking her over in that protective way before being content and flopping down next to bethany’s chair. well, theon’s chair. it was just hers for now.
“the siege has begun, but it’s slow going through the wolfswood to sea dragon point. we have logging trails through there, not roads fit for soldiers. not yet at least.” she said as she took a dagger to a sealed letter and read it over before rolling her eyes and setting it aside in one of many piles. men. “i’m sure you know this, but no news is good news in war. our concerns are to keep the home fires burning while theon collects more war stories to tell us when he gets back.”
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it was strange being in a position to make some real decisions and have power over what may happen during a time of war. during the last battles of the dance rosalyn had been locked safely away in the eyrie to ensure nothing would happen to the arryns not in the fight. they would be safe up in the mountains from almost everything. there was no time to help with decision-making, nor would her voice be heard anyways. her father never was someone to promote his daughter’s talents.
often the young queen wondered what he might think of his daughter now if he could see her. the queen consort of the north, mother to a future king. maybe there might be a small sense of pride. she would never know.
rosalyn watched her goodsister as she spoke, picking up what she was saying. she would have to teach her a sign or two to help her communicate. luckily reading bethany’s words wasn’t too hard of a task to do.
after giving bear his well earned pets, she moved to the table next to bethany. “at least we will have the advantage of knowing these woods over the iron born raiders. this will be unfamiliar land to them, could lead to many mistakes on their part.” she said, looking over the pile of letters. “one of the elder lords stopped me in the halls last night to ask for an audience with the two of us. he said he did not have time to write a letter but wishes to discuss his taxes, seeing that his supplies are going towards the war efforts now.”
location: winterfell, a week after the fighting in the broke started
@bethanystark
there hadn’t been many times when rosa was left alone in winterfel. from the start of their marriage they had been by each other’s side. she found herself comforted by his presence, even if he was in another place in the castle. and the times he was gone she was at peace with the knowledge he would be home again soon. but this was much different, more unpleasant than she was expecting it to be. anxiety curled in her stomach like a knot, waiting to see what would come next.
war was not safe for anyone. not even a king. not even the wolf king.
as the days went by she found herself out by the weirwood trees more and more, praying to safe return of all her family. may they come back victorious and unharmed.
that early morning her stomach still felt like it was twisting and turning, but she assumed it was the nerves getting to her once again. luckily enough she was going to get to spend most of the day by her goodsister’s side.
“good morning bethany.” rosa greeted as she walked into the council room. one of the handmaidens came to her side to give her something warm to drink to try to fight off the early morning chill in the air. “have we gotten any news back from anyone? do we know if they have arrived yet?”
△ do you think your husband really would have chosen you as a bride over your sister, or was his hand forced?
△ - 3
“i do not deny my sister is beautiful and smart and talented. but i know my sister and i know my husband very well. i know they would have very likely torn each other apart if they were married. i not believe they would have chosen each other.” rosa leaned back in her seat, looking towards her son. a smile crossed the stark queen’s face. “my husband and i both agreed to the match. he did choose me.”
@ravellaarryns
gareth-hightower:
the-write-ideas:
Send me a △ and ask a really invasive question aimed at my character
They’ll have to:
Rate on a scale of 1-10 how much they don’t want to answer that question.
Answer that question.
rosa | ophelia | cassana | harlon | theo | mellara | axell | ellie | cerissa
location: the vale’s buildings, day after the attack
@ravellaarryns @falcxnking
time had stopped when the news of the attack reached her.
there had been such joy with her sister’s return so recently. so many plans she wished to make with all her siblings. hoping to get to spend time with them all after being away for so long. for most of her life they had been her whole world, the one thing she cared about more than anything else. them and their happiness. and now they were all together again.
and then in a moment, it was gone.
the news of her brother’s death had reached the young queen as quickly as it could. at first she could not believe it, knowing it had to be wrong. not her brother, no way could he gone like that. then a deeper worry sunk in worrying for ravella and rhys and if they were alright or had they been taken too? would she have to burry all of them at once? be the lone falcon still atop a mountain of sorrow she would never wish on anyone?
but the gods were kind and kept her two other siblings safe.
her husband had come with her, as she saw for the first time the body of her brother. he had held his wife up as she barely kept it together seeing what had happened to him. but after some time he had left to give her some space and allow her time alone with her siblings.
alone she sat waiting for ravella and rhys to join her. asleep next to her was her baby, still too small to be away from her for long. but thankfully he seemed as if he would sleep through most of this. rosa’s fingers fiddled with the black fabric of her dress, trying not to let her mind wander to what her siblings must have gone through that night. her eyes closed for a brief moment as she uttered a prayer to herself, “please gods, watch over them. keep them safe.”
rosaaaryn:
t r u t h s e r u m
rosa | ophelia | morra | cassana | harlon | theo | mellara | axell | ellie
location: the welcoming ball, dorne
@starkwhitewolf
a cool breeze blew across the terrace, rusting the pieces of red curls that had escaped her hair style. she wondered if eddard would share in the curly hair she had. he certainly already had the dark color of his father. she’d have to teach him how to properly control it so it didn’t get completely out of control.
gods even now at a party all she could think of was her son. though she heard it was a common thing for new mothers, especially as they were spending the night away from him. she wondered if he was feeling alright or doing well or giving the maids any trouble at all. maybe she could sneak back. maybe torrhen would be alright without her here? no, no that was silly to think about.
in fact it was nice to get to spend the night together with him without having to run off every moment for their son.
almost like she had summoned him herself she spotted him walking over towards her on the terrace. “i hope you don’t mind i left you speaking with the other lords. it’s far too hot…well everywhere. but at least out here there is a breeze.” she said, closing her eyes for just a moment to enjoy the cool evening air. “are you enjoying the party?”
t r u t h s e r u m
rosa | ophelia | morra | cassana | harlon | theo | mellara | axell | ellie
starkwhitewolf:
torrhen paced the halls, wincing with every cry of pain his wife made as his good friends tried to comfort him. he was eternally grateful for rhydian and brandon in that moment. despite tradition or formalities, he was desperate to be with rosa, but he knew his presence was best outside, surely there were better hands and minds within the room, one more would only distract from focus and he wanted everyone’s attention on his wife and child. suddenly, as if by magic, a babe’s cry filled the halls of winterfell, and torrhen’s heart. he waited what seemed like hours, but finally a midwife gave the welcome, and he walked faster than he had in his life.
the king of winter entered with a bright smile and went to lay beside his wife, admiring the little babe in her arms. gods he was so small. smaller than he ever imagined. it had been long since he had seen a baby, perhaps even since his own younger brothers and sisters had been born. he remembered hearing mothers’ laboring echoing in the halls, their first cries. he had been worried then, of course, although not quite understanding the severity of the situation. with his own wife, however, it was the equivalent of torture. had he been able to take aware a fraction of her pain, taken on a bit of the risk she had to, he would.
yet they were here, frozen in time, in this moment. he would recall this for the rest of his life. “he’s perfect, rosa.” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple, reaching a gentle finger to stroke the little one’s cheek. “i did not imagine a baby to be as peaceful as he.” he jested with a soft chuckle, ice blue orbs turning to his queen. “i know some might think of this as duty, but you have given me the world, i am eternally grateful to you.”
.
after everything they had gone through together, he was here. all the worry and doubt of what was going to happen. cursed words thrown at her by pirates and threats. but their son was here and not born under a blood moon but a perfectly clear night sky. suddenly in a moment all that worry and stress and fear was gone as she held him in her arms. he was safe now in her arms. she knew she would never let anything bad happen to him and torrhen would never let anything happen to any of them.
what a blessing it was to have them both here with her now.
“he is absolutely perfect.” she smiled, getting to see the look on torrhen’s face as he saw his son for the first time. the king of the north and the future king swadded in her arms.
torrhen said she had given him the world but rosa knew in her heart that she would have given anything to him in that moment. anything he could ask for. “and you have given me the world too, a new world in my arms. a new home, a new life. i could never thank you enough for everything you have given me. i love you more than i can put into words this moment.”
despite still being sore, she adjusted herself up in the bed, holding out their son for torrhen to take. “you should hold him.” she said.
goldcnaura:
closed starter . ` riverrun
⤳
@mellaratully
RIVERRUN WAS HOME, RATHER, it had once been home. back when laughter and joy flooded the castle’s halls. back when the warm touch of the trout queen hovered over the side of elyse’s face. with the return to the riverlands came the repetitive reminder that everything had changed. her memories, tainted with the pain and suffering that had made a home of the tullys. ginger locks are spread over the pillow of her sister’s bed, a halo surrounding doll like features. oceanic orbs are locked on the ceiling, lost in thought.
she was no longer sick, the harshness the blizzard had gifted her seemingly… gone. and yet - something lingered. a shift within herself, a change. the princess of the riverlands remained the same. soft, calm, empathetic, compassionate, warm. however, there seemed to be a level of composure that had not been there before. maturity. she had witnessed the extremities of her own thoughts, of her own behavior, she had seen just how cruel she could potentially be and while she hated every bit of it - elyse had realized that the naive way of viewing the world had to go. so it had.
❝ does this feel like home to you ?? ❞ head turns, voice seemingly a whisper. it was one thing to think something but another entirely to finally say it out loud. ❝ has it ever ? ❞
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these quiet moments were something mel had cherish about her sister, the oter half of herself. moments spent in silence not alone but in the comfort of each other’s presence. mel lazily reading a book she had gotten up north, while her sister laid next to her. when she spoke up, mel tossed aside the book to listen to her. ever since they had gotten the news about elyse, mel wanted to be sure she was there to listen to whatever her sister needed to say or yell or vent.
mel thought of the question, wondering if she was meant to even answer it. it was hard to say, after all that had happened with them.“i don’t really know if it does. i want it to. i hope it does again soon. it felt like home before with you and mom and everyone but now….it’s getting better with cas home. and…well…you know.” and him gone. unspoken but mel knew elyse would understand her.
“perhaps you will find a new home.” the news of her sister’s engagement was something she had known for a long time would come. but she just didn’t know to who it might be. but her twin was beautiful, kind, and smart. exactly what a princess should be, what a true tully should be. mellara knew one day she would be married, selfishly she had hoped it would be someone from the riverlands. somewhere the two of them could be so close with. the reach was not so far…the north was further. “how are you feeling about all of it?” mel asked, rolling onto her side to face her.
location: winterfell, during the break
@starkwhitewolf
a strange quiet had filled her bedroom. the midwives had all gone for the night, giving the new mother some time to rest. her dear sister had left to get some much needed sleep after being by rosa’s side from the start of all of this. she couldn’t thank her enough for everything she had done for her that night. she had been afraid she nearly broke her sister’s hand from how tightly she had squeezed it at times. but all of it was worth it for the little sleeping bundle in her arms.
for the first time, she was alone with her son. the small babe swaddled and sleeping soundly in her arms. he was perfect. more than perfect if that was even possible to be. gods knew she could sit here for hours just staring at him sleeping, wondering how all of this was real. wondering if she had gotten so lucky to have brought such a wonderful boy into this world.
she recognized the sounds of her husband’s footsteps approaching down the halls, and the soft creaking of the door. looking up at him, she couldn’t help but smile. she knew he was going to be a great father as much as he was a great husband, and a great king. “gods, i am so lucky.” she said softly thinking about all she had been blessed with. “he is asleep.” she said, rocking their son gently.
what's your relationship like with your siblings now that you have moved to the north?
“i still love them all dearly. i wish i was still close to them as i feel like i cannot be there for them as much. and i feel like there are things are they are not telling me because i am married into another family. but i will never stop loving them, ever.”
@ravellaarryns @kingarryn @falcxnprince
t r u t h s e r u m
rosa | ophelia | morra | cassana | harlon | theo | mellara | axell | ellie
t r u t h s e r u m
rosa | ophelia | morra | cassana | harlon | theo | mellara | axell | ellie
gcuienveres:
♕
was it something she was willing to simply let slip through her fingers as though it were merely sand upon the shores of the sunset sea; if she closed her eyes she could just about hear the distant sounds of the oceans might and wrath hitting the rocks, and it was enough to momentarily cool her off from whatever strange feelings seemed to be swirling deep within her gut. feelings of being outcasted, feelings of being slighted and the great swelling pride that seemed to burn and burn in response to such actions; for a moment she wished she could be beneath the waves once again, thoughts being drowned out by the thunderous sound of everything else around her.
she wanted her mind to stop, she wanted her heart to stop burning as though she held a vengeance for all around her, she wanted her tongue to stop feeling as though it were a blade able and ready to hurt those around her; she knew not what dark thoughts were swirling in her mind that were causing her to lash out at those around her, and yet she felt as though she could not voice it. only pace, and hide in the grass as she locked emerald orbs upon her next prey; and rip to shreds the confidence those she believed had been some part of her very public undoing. “get to know me?” guinevere asked, any sense of the taunting, bitchy smile that had sat upon her lips completely draining - gods, what was there left to get to know when she didn’t even know who she was at this point in this life? even her name, her name was enough of a question mark that she found herself hesitating before she signed off letters.
“trying…what you could.” her voice suddenly snapped, as though a spark of fire had suddenly rooted itself deep within her; all she could hear were excuses for the incompetence the starks had shown in their control of that night, and how she had nearly lost her life for it. instead, she had ended up being publicly shamed, stripped of her titles, and treated as though she were nothing but a common whore. “if you expect me to sit and wrap you up in blankets, tell you that you done your best, you’re very much misguided. it was not enough, and the consequences for that remain. how do you expect me to respect you, when your own men did not that night?”
“we are not family.” she spoke, resting her hands upon the her golden skirts, reflecting slightly in the crackling hearth of the fire, her tone inherently dismissive as though she were speaking to a little girl that continued to believe in fantasies and mythical tales, a harsh quip of realism. “just because i’ve somehow ended up making this choice, know i do not consider you kin, and never will.” her tone implied a scathing sense of regret, of doubt, on the choices that had led to her to this point in her life. "you were not the only one who nearly lost your life as a result of doing nothing that night.“ she almost hissed, a sense of icy anger sitting within her as she felt the urge to complete throw aside all rosalyn had put the effort into setting up on the table sat between them. “are you planning on taking any responsibility for that, or am i wasting more of my time?”
.
this was the woman her brother had chosen to marry? who he had put so much in danger for? for someone so cruel and uncaring. how could he have ever chosen someone like this? unless he might be unaware of what was lurking behind that beautiful blonde curls of hers. behind the kind smile she must have given him. her heart ached to think about what was to come if the queen of the vale was to be so heartless. gods her sister was right. here she had just thought ravella was exaggerating the terrible things that were to come with this marriage but maybe she was right.
“you somehow made this choice? my brother loves you, more than anyone else i have ever seen. he has given his whole heart to you and you are telling me you somehow made this choice? like it or not we are family as you choose to marry an arryn. you do not get to so cruelly throw that back in my face.” her heart was racing now. this was worse than any other time she had to face a heartless lady of the court. having to face their bullying and harsh words. gwen had stabbed her and was twisting the knife with her words. it took all her effort to keep herself composed. to fight back tears that wanted to pool down her face. how could anyone say such vicious things to someone else?
“enough.” rosa’s voice held with a strength unusual for the new queen. “i believe it is time for you to go back to the vale housing.” the northern queen stood up from her chair, her head held high as she looked at her brother’s new wife. “thank you for joining me here today, your grace. i will be sure to let my brother know we were able to meet. i am sure he will be curious to know. good day.”
keep composed rosa. keep composed. she repeated it over and over again in her head. she would not let her dignity walk out that door along with her good sister. she waited until guinevere lannsiter was out of her chambers before she turned to face the window. “please leave me.” she told the handmaidens who were around. once she was sure they were gone she let the tears fall from her eyes. her hands clasped tightly over her mouth, so no sound could escape. there was only the light crackling of fire, and the muffled sobs of rosalyn stark. she did not wish for anyone to know how much the words had affected her. how they would eat away at the confidence she had only just begun to build for herself. but the queen of the north had to remain strong in these times.
but she did not cry just for herself, but cried for the vale. for her brother. for her family. she could feel her heart breaking for them.
-end-
edricxstark:
“Do… Do you believe that if it came down to it, Torrhen would truly let me decide the fate of my own life?” Edric asked her earnestly, sitting down. “Did he tell you of the change in plans with the Targaryen princess? I dodged this one, unfortunately for Adam. But I’m just… concerned I suppose.” He felt as if he could be honest with his sister in law. She had always been nothing but kind to him. “Thankfully she hated me as much as I despised her, so she was able to work to dissolve our agreement. We would have destroyed each other otherwise… Anyways, has he mentioned anything to you?”
.
listening carefully to what her brother in law said she thought carefully of what to respond with. “i think torrhen is doing his best to look out for not just his family but the entire north. there are things that have to be decided for us in that regards.” perhaps it was growing up as a woman, she knew there were always going to be things in her life hat would not be up to her to decide. there was more freedoms as a man in this world. maybe edric was facing what she and so many other women had grown up knowing.
“edric, we have been blessed with new station of life. kings, queens, princes and princesses….there are always going to be some things that her cannot control anymore. but maybe there are some things in our fate we cannot decide but it is what we do with those things that help us take control of our fate. there is much more you can do edric…maybe you can show torrhen you are able to take those choices into your hands. show him he can trust you with those tough choices.” she told him. “i have no doubt you will do great things with whatever is given to you edric.”
location: the stark lodgings, barrowtown
the wind outside rattled the windows around them, the storm still not ceasing to stop. she had never seen anything like this before in her life. she wondered if those from the north had heard of a storm lasting this long before. maybe that is why sleep was so illusive to her that night. she had tossed and turned for hours before giving up. pulling a dressing gown over herself she wandered down the hall to a small common area that connected all the various stark’s rooms. one of the guards on the nightshift kept a watchful eye over her queen as she took a seat by the fireplace, in front of a dragonchess board.
she had spent nearly an hour slowly playing a game against herself when she heard the sound of another door opening. craning her neck to see, she was surprised it was another stark away “adam?” she called over to him in a hushed voice, not wanting to wake the others. “could you not sleep either?” she laughed. “i feel like i was tossing for at least a few hours. the midwives have told me it’s a common thing this far along. i just cannot seem to find a way to get comfortable.” her eyes wandered down the hall where her husband slept. there was no need to wake him when it was something small like this. might as well be one of them who got a full night’s rest. “would you like to join me for a game?” rosa asked him motioning down to the dragonchess board. “would be nice to play against someone else.”
@adam--stark
gcuienveres:
.
she held her breath as her corset strings were tied by some of the pale faced serving girls she seemed to have been allocated since her transition to the vale, and gods know they bored her; nothing of excitement, no small hints of mischief, no interesting or passionate conversations. just voices that sounded like mouses, overly timid and sickeningly sweet. did she even want to attend this small lunch her good sister had welcomed her to? definitely not this morning; it would be more entertaining to watch paint dry. the last she had spoken to the woman had been some days before her wedding; in which she had spent most of the event outside with a certain arryn king.
she found the queen of winter was essentially, unremarkable; as plain faced and timid as the mice now forced within her service, and gods knew she forced a smile to cross her features, though it did not meet her eyes. looking over the small set up, including tea, guinevere found herself incredibly underwhelmed. “how very sweet, your grace.” she spoke, her eyes looking over her surroundings, judgement clear in them. “you tried your best, at least. even if it looks as though it were done for my fifteenth nameday.”
she remained silent as the woman spoke of sentiments that guinevere realised she cared nothing for, she was not joining the arryn family for her husband was not an arryn - and all of a sudden the entire thing seemed entirely pointless, causing a trickster-like smirk to play upon the woman’s lips and glden features. feigning fake interest in the objects rosalyn showed her regarding the eyrie and the vale, guinevere looked at her, disengaged. “well considering winterfell is now your home, it is only natural you would want to bring all you can. lest you choose to take comfort in dog furs.”
‘nothing else, thank you. i am watching my waist.” she spoke, her orbs looking upon rosalyn’s pregnant belly. she had no comprehension of how scalding or how subtle her digs were; slipping from her lips as she took a cup of tea from the serving girl without even the slightest hints of meeting the girl’s eye, let alone a thank you. “yes, the night your incompetency nearly lost us both our lives.” at mention of the secret she had managed to keep buried for months being exposed that night in white harbor, guinevere’s face dropped; no longer even faking a smile, keeping unnaturally uncaring eyes upon the woman who was her good sister.
.
rosa felt her cheeks burn bright at her words. “i wish i could do more however since neither of us are at our home i fear i lack the supplies to make a proper welcoming tea like i would wish. but i didn’t want to do nothing at all for you, that would feel even worse. perhaps when things are normal once again we will be able to do a welcoming properly.” something was different now though, she could feel it in the air. she could see it in the words she spoke to her. the comfort of dogs? it was a terrible thing to say.
memories started to flood back to her in that moment. times back in the eyrie court when she was still so young. completely unsure about herself and lacking all self-confidence at all. there had been other young ladies of the court who would fake their smiles and compliments towards her. then behind her back laugh and say absolutely terrible things. things they whispered to each other knowing she could not hear it. but she could see them, she could lipread what they were saying. it was worse knowing that. that was the thing about lacking hearing, you learned how to read people’s faces easily. she could not relay on the inflection of people’s voices to understand the meaning behind the words. but it was their face that rosa would read. the young lady’s words were full of kindness but their faces told her another story. it was fake. the looks on guinevere’s face felt the same. the same fakeness she had grown up dreading to see. she felt like she was looking into a mirror in that moment. that she was just the young lady too afraid to stand up for herself against them.
the look in gwen’s eyes felt like it was stabbing at her gut. but rosa had practice with women like this. she had learned how to hold in anything she was feeling, wait until she was alone to let it out. it had been years since she last had to do this. she hated being back here. “of course… we can just enjoy the tea then.” habit took over and rosa felt herself rubbing her stomach. of course, she was going to look bigger, she was six months pregnant at this point. but the midwives had all told her she was looking well for how far along she was. maybe she wasn’t? maybe she was looking bigger than…no no. she would not let herself go back into old habits of letting the words of court women get to her.
together they could still salvage this small welcoming party. perhaps it was just nerves that was getting the best of her good sister. certainly, there had been some kindness within her when she came to bring her flowers at the news of her engagement to the king of winter. they had a wonderful conversation then. there was kindness when rosa had caught her speaking with her brother during her wedding. they had both been smiling, they looked happy. there was kindness within guinevere, she knew that, right?
but one insult after another insult was being thrown in her face. the last one felt like she had been slapped. the queen of the north paused, unsure what to even say back to her. “my incompetence?” she repeated, stunned that she had seen the words correctly. the fake smile now gone from her face. maybe she was seeing the real guinevere now, what was lying beneath it all. did her brother know? or had she tricked him? “in the chaos of everything that had happened i was trying to control what i could. i was trying to help your family before that choice was taken away from me. i don’t believe any of us acted perfectly that night, nor would i expect any of us to given what happened. how does one have a clear mind after seeing a friend butchered in front of them…” rosa frowned, she did not need to defend herself. especially not after a blade was put to her throat that night.
the queen sat up straighter in her seat. she could take control of this back, she could try. “do you really wish to discuss such unpleasant things right now?” she asked her, pouring herself another cup of tea. “i invited you here to welcome you and to get to know you better. we are family and i wish to start things off on the best foot we can. can we do that?”
mereyagrafton:
Who: @rosaaaryn Where: Barrowtown
“Your grace, how are you? I had wanted to have a chance to speak to you earlier but I presumed you might be overwhelmed with all that has taken place as of recent.” Mereya approached the redheaded queen of the North. She felt it important to show her kindness to more of the noble ladies surrounding her in Barrowtown, especially with her sister seemingly being a traitor. She wanted to show she was anything but.
.
there were few places that rosa had gone to beyond the stark’s housing since the storm hit. given she seemed to be growing bigger and bigger each day and safety was of torrhen’s utmost concern at the moment. but a quick trip to barrowhall was all she needed to make, and her guards were sure to stay close by her side throughout the entire journey.
rosa was preparing to leave soon when she heard a voice call over towards her. mereya grafton. not much about her had come her way since the arrival of her brother and her. she knew all about her family though. she may be queen of the north now but she was still very protective of the eyrie and her family. it seemed however for now mereya was on the side of the arryns….for now. “lady grafton. i am doing well, thank you for asking. unfortunately, it seems that life is busy for most of us. however, with the safe return of everyone, we can all hope that things are getting better. i was going to go for a short walk in the halls, stretch my legs a bit. the maesters say it’s good for the baby and also helps from going a bit stir crazy with the storm.” she said with a slight laugh. “how have you been?”
wintervsuns:
♞
the eldest son of rolan karstark rose from his knee before the furs and skirts of she who was the queen of winter; and though their interaction and communication had only been in the most recent of times, she was the other half to he who brandon trusted with his entire being. at her words, at her composure, at her grace, brandon knew the north needed not a queen of winter; but perhaps a queen of spring that would bring some sense of warmth to the frozen wilderness. whilst her understanding was genuine, his own oath was sacred to her new gods, and his old. whether he uttered them in a sept or a godswood was irrelevant; he swore that no harm would come to the queen in his presence again - there was a time where he found duty burdensome, and yet in this, he would live by it completely.
the man held her work close to him, his appreciation showing in his very body language, dipping into a low bow and thanking her sincerely for her efforts. “there was no need to go to such lengths, your grace.” he assured, and yet he suspected that she always would; for it seemed as though that was her nature. “i thank you still - it will be of great help to all those who wish to venture further north.”
he had little words to her reassurance of considering him distant kin; aside from being quietly numb to the human element that seemed to come from the woman that should see him as a subject. even if the north were rougher around the edges than the stuffiness of the south, there were principles that still remained; and yet the way in which rosalyn addressed him was though she saw him as an equal rather than a subject. going out of her way help in his search party, to personally dot and cross each location according to registered taxes; gods, he knew that volume enough by the times he would need to look over it to settle conflicts between tenants upon his own lands - it was tedious, lengthy, and time-consuming. he looked upon her for a moment, before respectfully lowering his gaze. “take care of yourself, your grace.” he spoke, expecting dismissal. “is there any other matter you would ask of me?”
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rosa was hopefully her work would be in help to them. although it was not for any sort of reason of ego that she had helped. she could care less if anyone knew the work had come from her or not. she cared that it would aid those looking. keep them safer and in return bring back the missing faster that way. brandon was not only an incredibly kind man but a smart one as well. she was thankful both her husband and her had him by their side. if anyone could make sense of the scattered markings on that map it would be him.
“you too, my lord…please. i only ask that you and the others return safely. we will share a toast in your honor when you do so.” that’s all she could ask of any of them who were leaving on such a noble task. danger lurked for them around every tree in those woods. none of them knowing where the pirates were going to strike next or what they were going to do. staying safe would be hard enough.
rosa gave him a small curtsey back as the karstark lord left with her work. part of this would be left to the fate of the gods. the new stark queen had left from the library to first visit the small sept. spending some time to pray for the safety of all those leaving from the north and from the vale. for the protections of her niece and sarra karstark. after that she left to visit the weirwood tree, to speak with the old gods. to ask them for to watch out for her loved ones. wondering if they would listen to her.
-end-
edricxstark:
Who: @rosaaaryn Where: Barrowtown “Rosa, do you have a moment?” Edric had few people that he trusted with his true inner thoughts. His sister in law was one of those few- well rather, two people. “I… Well I could actually use some advice. And from someone who isn’t going to answer with political agendas in mind.” He knew he could trust her to speak truth to him.
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glancing up from the small needlepoint she was working on, the new queen of the north gave a smile to her good brother. “of course i do. although my needlepoint is very important but i believe it can wait.” she said placing the embroidery hoop down on the table next to her. she gave a signal for edric to come sit next to her by the fire. she had hardly moved from the spot all day as the winter storm still continued to rage outside.
with everything that had happened recently she had agreed with torrhen it was best for her to stay within the stark’s buildings unless it was completely necessary. thought she did find it nice getting to spend more time with her brothers and sisters in law. it did seem like something was troubling edric however and it was not just the words he said. his demeanor did not seem exactly like him. “what’s going on? i am always here to listen.”
location, rosa’s chambers, barrowtown
butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she waited for her guest to arrive. she really hoped this was going to be a good idea and that she wasn’t going to just make things worse or mess it up. ‘no’ she kept reassuring herself, ‘this would be good.’
when one of her handmaidens let her know there was knock on the door, rosa took in a deep breath before she opened it. she smiled seeing the new blonde hair queen of the vale.
“your grace, thank you for coming all the way over here. i hope it wasn’t too difficult with the storm happening. just in case i set us up near the fireplace, i don’t know about you but this storm is freezing me to my bones.” rosalyn took her seat near the fire, although a bit slower nowadays. she motioned for gwen to come and join her, nerves still rushing through her.
“i wanted to invite you here as a welcome to the arryn family. i can only imagine that the welcome into the family was not what you pictured it to be and i am sorry for that. but i wanted to personally have this moment to welcome you in. i know we are not in the vale and i now live far away but i tried my best to bring a little of the eyrie here.”
standing up she grabbed a tray of food and brought it back to the table. she had adorned it with small pieces of home. blue fabric, a small bird carved of stone and other various items. “one of my handmaidens came with me from the eyrie and is an amazing cook. she helped to make some things from home.” rosa said pointing out the various small cakes and other treats she had enjoyed in her time in the vale. “it’s a small piece of home, i suppose. oh! i almost forgot my favorite thing. a special tea from the vale as well. would you like some?” she asked picking up the small kettle. the queen wondered if maybe she had gone a little overboard but everyone deserved to feel welcome in their new home.
@gcuienveres
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.”
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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.
wyattgrafton:
⋅ ◆ ⋆
with fire kissed hair and blue eyes to match, rosa arryn stood out among her siblings whose dark hair matched their often austere moods. despite recent events and although wyatt caught a flash of apprehension across the woman’s face, the youngest arryn daughter was of a much more sunny disposition. for one her curiosity seemed genuine and unmotivated by hidden motives. a far cry from the conversation he had entertained with rhys arryn a few weeks ago, which had been filled with silences and double meanings. wyatt didn’t know rosa well and with the two of them now residing in completely different parts of the kingdom opportunities to get to know the newly anointed queen of the north would be few and far between.
he’d admired rosa’s resilience over the years as she hadn’t been dealt with all the blessings some of her siblings had been but she had made a place for herself in the world despite her struggles and he had no doubts even the harshness of the north was no match for her strength. he did wonder if the northern men and women were truly treating her as one of their own even as he saw heavily armed guards flanked at her side. the vale and the north differed in traditions as they did in many other things and surely adapting must not have been the easiest thing. now that she was with child however he assumed must of the pressure that rested on her shoulders must have lessened somewhat.
he shrugged at her comment regarding his prayers. “i appreciate the sentiment but in truth i was starting to feel a bit tired of kneeling. besides there’s only so many prayers i know by heart.” he could count them on one hand and even those he was ashamed to say he didn’t fully recall. if anything he’d become most familiar with prayers to the drowned god during his travel at sea. he’d even prayed to them once during a particularly memorable storm. “i’ll be joining them, yes. i assume you’ll stay in winterfell considering your condition. your brother has many skilled advisors with him, i wouldn’t worry too much. if you need anything, know that you can always write to me. i’ll do my best to be of assistance.”
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“would you give me a moment good sirs?” the queen said giving a small glance over her shoulder to the guards flanking her. hesitant for just a moment they back up enough to give the two of them a little privacy however there was no way she doubted they would be leaving her sight. a light dusting of snow had begun to fall from the hair, clinging to whatever it touched. a small halo of white begun to appear around wyatt’s dark hair as it fell. her own sprinkled with the same soft snowflakes.
there was not much she knew about wyatt himself and yet so much she was learning about his family. and then of course there was so much she was learning about him from ravella, although given her attitude about him she did not think that was the most accurate portrait of him. rowan seemed to have a good view of him however, and it was a rare time that she disagreed with her brother’s visions of things.
“my condition?” something about it struck her as odd. but the soft smile of rosalyn stark did not leave her face. “thank you lord grafton for your kind thoughts but i can assure you i will be traveling with barrowtown with both of my families. my husband and i both believe it is for the best right now.” stepping around him, she carefully bent down to leave the flowers for daemon. he didn’t need his prayers here, she had given enough of them on her own. rising back to her feet with her center of gravity off center with her stomach was a little more tricky as the days went on. “my brother surrounds himself with smart men and women, he always has. i think he has a knack of seeing things in people that other’s do not see. i have no doubt he is in good hands. but it is good to know you can also be of assistance.” the red head turned to look back over at the grafton lord. “i too am of service if you need anything. despite my condition, i can assure you i am very capable still. you are new to the court of the mountain. it can be different but a good place but it can take time to find ones place, however.”
kingarryn:
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so she knew for awhile now. he couldn’t help but nod at her words, not overly surprised or upset that ravella had informed rosa of his marriage to guinevere. it was not that he was purposely keeping it from her, but rather, he feared that his news would only add stress to her; stress she did not need due to her current condition. he knew stress was not good for the baby. it also didn’t help that pregnancy was a terrifying concept to rowan arryn; having lost his late wife to childbirth a little over six years ago now. the uncertainty of it all was difficult for him to tolerate; the not knowing how his little sister will fare and if she would survive the labour. he did not wish for her to be taken from him like his wife was. he tried his best to not think about it. “i swear i wanted to tell you. i just didn’t know how. i’m sorry.” he took both her hands into his, giving her a gentle squeeze. “but i can promise you that moving forward, there will be no more secrets between us. i swear to it.”
he felt a sting of pain form at the back of his throat when she mentioned daemon’s body; still in disbelief over all that has happened. “truthfully?” he asked, his voice hardly above a whisper. “awful. i don’t know how to feel. it’s a lot. it feels like everything we have fought for these last ten years were for nothing with him gone.” he couldn’t bare to say his name out loud.
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a part of rosa wanted to be upset with her older brother for keeping such a secret from her. something that would so deeply affect not only their entire family but the entire vale. but another part of her could understand why he did it. there was no secure way to get the message to her without risking it falling into the wrong hands. that would have been them all in far more danger. rosa gave his hands a tight squeeze back, “you don’t have to tell me every secret. you deserve to have things that are just for you. but if you promise to tell me the important things then i will be happy. there is nothing you can’t tell me.”
“it was not for nothing rowan. look where we are, look how far we all have come. we keep things going, the change going for daemon. i wish more than anything he was here now, i truly do.” it was hard seeing rowan in such a way, knowing how close he and daemon were. the years they all spent together in the vale had helped to shape who they all were as people. as rulers now. daemon’s death could not be vain. “right now, it’s okay to be sad or angry or anything you are feeling.” there were only a few times that rosa had ever seen her brother like this. and it broke her heart each time to see it. but she was glad he could be open with her instead of bottling it away
wintervsuns:
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it was with a heavy heart the sun of winter approached the fiery haired lady of the eyrie he now called his queen; for she was now the queen of winter itself, the massive continent that was the wild north. the man had been one of the few to make no noise when it was announced the bride would not be one of the north; it was important for them to make connections further south, and if he were being honest, the vale was hardly the westerlands in regards to the likes of those calling it home. his grey orbs had been ones of acceptance from the moment the woman had a silver crown placed upon red curls; being the first to tell rosalyn how those with red locks were believed to be kissed by fire and lucky in the north. and yet, considering the events of the night that had passed, the man approached his queen with an uncharacteristically sombre expression.
“your majesty.” he spoke, lowering himself in an appropriate bow before raising himself to his full stature, dressed in his usual attire of black furs. he brought his grey orbs to scan over her porcelain features, filled more with guilt rather than the usual mirth or warmness that was within them. the man had already taken the knee before his king, and asked for forgiveness; and whilst his distant kin had assured him there was no forgiveness required, there was another that had been at risk that night. another two; the thought caused his stomach to drop somewhat. the man took to his knee, stood before the queen of winter with his orbs upon the wooden floorboards beneath their feet; in his disturbance regarding the truth of what had occured to the dragon king, in his rush of ensuring sarra was safe within the crowds, in his rush of attempting to steady the guards, he had forsaken her - and she had nearly paid for it with something, regardless of what the lion king’s intentions truly were.
“i ask for your forgiveness, for my inability to carry out my duties that night.” he would not speak of specifics, not in knowing how on edge the entire northern court already was in regards to the prophecy of the heir being born on a blood moon. “know that i consider you not only my queen, but my kin - it will not happen again.”
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the sudden ask for forgiveness had surprised rosa. there were not many lords who were willing to admit they might have made a mistake, or come seeking forgiveness for it. brandon was a true gentleman, an example of what a lord should really be. “lord brandon, rise please.” the queen of the north told the loyal lord. he was someone who had continued to make her feel wanted within the north and helped her to adjust to the new ways of her kingdom. the time had been short but already she could feel herself growing in the strength of her new kingdom. and her husband and her new family had a hand in helping with that.
“like you have said, i consider you kin now and forgiveness has already been given to you in my heart. i am safe, my child is safe. right now, i wish for your focus to be on locating your sister. worry does not need to be spared on my behalf.” there was danger where brandon was going, beyond the normal threats of the harsh, cold wilderness. there was no room for unneeded distractions.
“in fact i have something i wish for you to see.” she said motioning him over towards the pile of work she had been going over. a large map of the north sprawled across the desk, with small notes and drawings of hers written all over it. “i am no fighting, nor a rider. not that i could travel even if i wished in my state. but what i can do is this.” she said pulling out the other documents. “i have been going through records of old taxes and statement collections. i am sure there are dozens of old building scattered around the north no one knows about. but one of them might be listed here. i’ve noted places where i believe there are locations that arent on the map. maybe it’s a fools errand…i don’t know but maybe it could be of some help.”
starkwhitewolf:
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torrhen was still figuring out rosa arryn. one moment she seemed as easy to read as a parchment he had scanned many times before, other times she seemed as unfamiliar as an entirely new language to decipher. he was never one to try and assume things about others simply based on their behaviors or past lives, but he knew, in part, it was important as husband to understand his wife to a certain degree. marriage to rosa had proved to come easily, but in many ways he was dealing with his own internal struggles. the eldest stark son had always been protective of his family and his home, even knowing he’d have to marry outside of the kingdom one day. a large part of him, to not fault of rosa, still saw the arryn name as an outsider to his kingdom. while he got along well with her brother, the king of the vale, torrhen stark had always put a small wedge between himself and those not from the north. perhaps rosa would help him to find a better way of securing relationships with outsiders, without entirely blocking them off.
the king’s brow furrowed at her words. while honestly was expected, and appreciated, he hated to hear that she didn’t feel completely safe in her own kingdom. how he wished to return to winterfell, to cast out every last southerner, to be rid of the shadows that haunted everyone. at her questioning, however, he shook his head. “no.” he replied firmly. “do not give him that power, rosa. that is how he is thriving, fear.” torrhen sighed, placing a hand on her stomach gently. “the monsters under our beds as children were always a play in our own minds. do not let him torment yours further. if i have to send you south for safety, so be it, i will.“ even if it meant his child was not born in his kingdom, a thought which troubled him in an inexplicable way, he would do what it took to keep rosa and their baby safe.
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there was a longing to return back home to winterfel. away from all of this mess. a place where they could just spend time together as a married couple as they had. it had only been a short time since they been married, since she had moved her life up north, since they had discovered the wonderful news of their child. she wanted to spend time just to enjoy those moments. spend the time to get to know torrhen more. he had so many walls up around him, almost like she could see them. it had taken time but already she could see a few of them begin to fall around them. letting her into the real him, a side he might hide from others. she wanted to know that part of him.
“i would not leave you. i want to stay here with you, i want our child born in our home. with you by my side…” danger seemed to lurk around every corner for them now. it might be safe to leave to the south to have the child but then what? “if i go south then i would be giving into their fears. i want to be strong for you, for this child.” if she could do that, if she could show her strength then perhaps whatever curse this man was trying to throw at her could be overpowered. if she was strong then this child would be. she placed her hand over his on her stomach. the smallest kick was there, only just started but each time she could breath a sigh of relief that the child was okay. her other hand, moved to the side of his face, running her thumb over his cheek. “i want to be here with you. i feel safe with you here.”
rank your siblings from least to most dramatic
a giggle left the northern queen as she thought about her siblings “my godness i think they are all dramatic in their own ways. i suppose if i had to say.... ravella for the least. then.... rhys, then rowan. i love my oldest brother but a secret marriage, how much more dramatic can one get?”
@ravellaarryns @falcxnprince @kingarryn