The year is 286 AC. King Jaehaerys II has just passed, leaving the throne without a rightful ruler. While his three children fight for the crown, Winter creeps closer, and unimaginable darkness looms.
Not all alliances will be so typical this time. In fact, many people have a crucial effect on the way this story is told. As for the ending, we only hope there are enough people left alive to tell it after its passed.
Events
Join us for our first event, the wake of recently deceased King Jaehaerys II.
Updates
AUG. 19: So we are now officially open to the public. We have a mini-event flashback thread going on, and our main event just began. Feel free to make a second canon if you can keep both of them active enough.
Don't hesitate in pestering staff with questions; it's what we're here for! Let's raise a glass and make a cheer toward a successful launch of Winds of Winter.
Post by Dalton Greyjoy on Sept 6, 2017 21:30:23 GMT
Was it fair? No, not in the slightest. Dalton had no illusions about it. What he was doing to her right then was incredibly unfair. There was no time for her to think, to weigh her options, or just to muster up the courage to oppose him. Did that skew the odds in favour of her accepting the kiss? Maybe. But one, he wanted to figure out for himself whether or not she would be a prize worth pursuing. And two, people were more honest when they did not have time to formulate a lie, be it towards others or to themselves.
So, he took her honesty and added his own. The lady joined him, accepted the kiss and tried to reciprocate it. Of course, this was her first, so she had no idea what she was doing. His hand leaving her chin instead wandered towards her neck, stabilizing her. At the same time, he sought to guide her into making the kiss enjoyable, per hand and tongue. Ignoring the starting rain, the Greyjoy simply continued on for a little more before ultimately breaking it. Sera needed to catch herself, so he slowly pulled back, though not too far. It was possible that she would want more.
“A prize worth pursuing I’d say,” he chimed, before giving up the blockade and allowing her to go inside. If she wanted to, that was.
Post by SERA BARATHEON on Sept 6, 2017 22:10:16 GMT
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In her younger years, Sera couldn't fathom why a kiss would be so enjoyable. Seeing her parents do it, and her Uncle, she merely didn't understand why the contact was something that a couple would do. In her teens she was told that it was a sign of affection, and those that are promised to each other did it. Another year older she stumbled upon the scene of a house vassal and a whore, which she was made shown what it was to love another. A kiss was instinctual, and a sign of trust between two people, --even if they were paid.
At nineteen years old, she placed her trust in Dalton so easily, and her stomach burned with the desire that grew with the kiss. Her lips enveloped with his and her body pressed closer as well; she could feel the warmth of his hand caress her jawline and the smooth feeling of his mouth on hers.
Was it everything that she imagined it would be? No. But she had an overactive imagination anyways. Was it enjoyable? Yes, most certainly. Even as they broke, her breath ragged, she hungered for more, and had to force herself back to reality.
With cheeks red she looked up at the young man, her eyes refusing to pry away from his in this sensual moment. She was utterly speechless, unable to find the words that she wanted to express, and her knees grew weak from the excitement. She felt similar to how she did earlier, except she was not shaking from fright, and instead it was thrill.
"I--... my goodness..."
A quivering hand reached forward, resting against his chest to feel the drum of the muscle underneath. This feeling was stabilizing, and she was able to breathe once again.
There was little that she knew for certain, but one thing she did know, is that this adventure was going to be far more exciting that she first imagined.
Post by Dalton Greyjoy on Sept 6, 2017 22:51:24 GMT
There were a lot of things that he should have done. Going inside to keep both of them warmer, for example. A few drops of rain found their way onto his head and back. While Ironborn scoffed at weakness, they were also well aware that the cold and wet could get one sick. Being outside in a storm for no reason at all was not weakness, it was the logical thing to do. And yet, looking down upon her and seeing her look up at him, he could not help but stay. While he had expected her to take the kiss and probably like it – women tended to like those more often than they did not in his experience – this was….something else. Besides, it would have been a lie to claim that he had been completely unaffected by the contact.
Yeah, he liked that girl. The Ironborn in him wanted to make her his, and so did the Summer Islander, only in a different way. But his conscious mind told him that he shouldn’t. That he should just go inside, not give her ale, and preferably let her rest alone with Ashe. Those were the things he should have done. If there had been anyone even remotely close that could have told him what to do. This was his ship, his domain. If things went badly, he could just as well go to Essos and never return. Screw obligations. Ironborn took what they wanted, especially if that what they desired wanted to be taken.
And thus he……simply pulled her in completely, both hands clasped around her back and embraced her. No, he did not hug her. He embraced her. The distinction was important to him. “And I would be annoyed if you were someone else’s. So don’t blame me for wanting to make you mine. Let’s forget about everything for a few moments at least, yes?”
Post by SERA BARATHEON on Sept 6, 2017 23:35:17 GMT
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It was no lie that this situation confused her. She wouldn't deny that fact, and it could be seen in her eyes that she was. Sera rested her head against his chest, taking in his smell and the scent of the ocean; it was pleasant and she smiled as he held her. The girl nodded her head in agreeance, enjoying the moment while it lasted, despite the rain coming down on them harder by the second. Even with the cold chill that crawled up her spine, she felt the warmth of his body around hers.
They would have to go inside, to escape the possibility of getting sick, especially with the night creeping up on the horizon soon. She hoped for a pleasant night, tending to the sleeping lady and drinking the night away. This was the introduction to the adventure she sought after in her heart, and she planned to make the most of her time with Dalton.
"We should get out of the rain," she said, brushing her wet strands of hair from her face and squirming under the weight of his arms. She doubted that she would find the warmth of a hot bath aboard the ship, but a stomach of ale was the next best thing.
Post by Dalton Greyjoy on Sept 7, 2017 23:33:46 GMT
The weather truly wanted to put a stick in their mill, didn’t it? But it did not matter. It had not truly gotten too cold yet, at least for him. And as far as he was concerned, she was getting enough warmth from him. Having another human body that close was always a nice feeling, but it grew even warmer given what had just happened. Maybe even a bit too warm. Eventually, the lady sought to separate gently and he let her. They could always be a bit closer once they were inside and there was really no reason to stay out here.
So, he swiftly opened the door, leading her into the bowels of the ship once more. As they arrived at their quarters, he allowed her to go in first while he got himself a new, fresh mug of ale to offer her. More than likely, she still hated the taste, but would enjoy it nonetheless in company. And yet, despite everything, his first thought when returning to the cabin was not related to any of that. But who could fault him for that? Despite enjoying themselves, some worry would always be present. “How is she?”
Post by SERA BARATHEON on Sept 8, 2017 9:51:33 GMT
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She sensed some amount of reluctance as he let her go, his arming pushing open the door and allowing her to escape the rain that poured down on them. She sighed and brushed what water she could from the top of her head and walked with him to the room where she previously was found curled up against the wall. Now however, she walked into it calm as could be while he left to hopefully go get that ale.
She eyed the sleeping Ashe carefully, and walked over to brush her hand against her forehead slowly. It wasn't warm, and Sera knew she didn't have a fever from the shock, --which was very good. With a sigh of relief she shrugged off the large cloak, trying to carefully handle it delicately and hang it on the armoire nearby.
Despite the thick fabric of the woollen garment she wore, the damp feeling was more than uncomfortable. Her hand fell to her back where she pulled at the hooks of her bodice, letting each one unsnap to reveal the thin blue linen underdress. The thinner fabric would dry in little time, so she would have to do with wearing the mere slip she had underneath. Sera folded her thick dress carefully and laid it on the table nearby.
The door opened behind her and she turned her head to watch Dalton come in, carrying the ale she asked for previously. Acknowledging his question, Sera smiled softly and glanced to the woman that laid there. "She still sleeps... though she doesn't burn with sickness, so I have no idea what is wrong... maybe we should have a maester look at her."
Sera knew little about Ashe, and how meek the woman was physically. She had also never seen someone severely sick or injured without some amount of comprehension, so she was truly lost and confused when it came to Lady Tully.
Post by Dalton Greyjoy on Sept 8, 2017 12:16:15 GMT
It was certainly unexpected. Seeing the lady to have undressed a bit, albeit in a completely unprovocative way was something he had not expected. It was smart, yes. He would have suggested this to be done to begin with. But he had expected that he would have to convince her to do so. There was a faint rednesses to be found on his face as well, mostly because he had not expected to be trusted this much. After all, that was what it meant. A woman being comfortable around him that she went for her undergarments without second thoughts. There was a certain warmth to such an action.
Still though, he swiftly overplayed this by bringing in the jar and filling their mugs once more. Some more drink would certainly be helpful now. “As soon as we clear our pursuers, I think we will be able to briefly anchor in a friendly harbour, if we find one. Just time enough to send ravens and to ask a maester for help.” It would be a minor detour from their path to Lys, but not much. They might also have to stock up on some supplies, too. Especially given that he had two ladies as passengers now, but neither had more than the clothes they wore on them.
In fact, this felt more and more like a kidnapping just due to the optics of it. Regardless of that though, he was going to finish his work and offered her the mug. Instead of drinking himself though, he decided to do the same as she had, working to take off his wet tunic. At least he had spares inside. Walking to the armoire, he actually figured that he could share just a little. “I do have spare shirts. They might be too big for you, but still better than only having one dress. It’s not like you have to go out often if you don’t want to.” Yes, it sounded like a nice idea in his head. “And I guess you two can have the bed. I am used to sometimes having to sleep on the floor, but I can’t really lie with an unconscious lady. That would look incredibly bad, wouldn’t it?” He gave her a smile once more.
Post by SERA BARATHEON on Sept 8, 2017 13:00:24 GMT
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Small hands grasped the offered mug and Sera smiled gratefully."Thank you Dalton," she said before taking a large amount of the vile fluid. She really did despise the taste, but it calmed her nerves, and at the time, she needed that. It had been a rather exciting day, and her body was having a hell of a time dealing with the trauma that they events brought.
In fact, because of that, she didn't expect that she would get much sleep that night. She had a feeling that either she would be plagued with night terrors or restlessness from the new setting. Sera assumed all could be solved with many cups of ale.
Taking up her spot on the floor, the girl removed her shoes and put her feet in her hands, expelling a sigh of relief before looking up at the man. He started to pull at his clothing, which like hers were soaked from the rain, and she snapped her gaze away in embarrassment. Not that a shirtless man was anything to be nervous about, but she still had butterflies in her stomach from the kiss mere moments ago.
"U-um I would appreciate that actually. While this dress isn't soaked, its still cold..." she said before standing to take the offered shirt. It would be rather big on her, most likely being able to reach to her knees, but it would be dry and that was what she wanted, "Also I do not think I will be getting much, if any, sleep at all tonight... It's not your fault, just the big scary world, ya know."
She smiled at him softly, "It would look really bad, especially with me being her protector and all," she said playfully before stepping away from him.
Her eyes lingered a bit longer, and her cheeks flared as she lifted her hand, using her finger to motion for him to turn around before she pulled at the strings of her under dress. Turning her back to him as well she slipped off her dress and quickly put her arms through his shirt to put it on.
It was a bit larger, the length of it's arms reaching well past her fingers and it stopped a few inches above her knees. She felt that she looked like one of her siblings trying on her old stuff that she grew out of. It was humourous.
"I'm here to make sure you don't try anything funny," she mocked before moving to take back her seat and her mug of warm ale. It was soothing, and his shirt still carried his scent, which oddly enough was not of the ocean.
Post by Dalton Greyjoy on Sept 8, 2017 13:52:14 GMT
In the past few minutes, she had shown an abundance of trust in him. And maybe, just maybe, there was a bit too much of it. He was an Ironborn. It was almost expected of him to do something when a cute lady was undressing mere feet from him, while another was sleeping on the bed. His father and sisters might possibly laugh at him, too, especially if what he had heard of the blind girl was true. Still though, the thought that she was there, right behind him and naked….it did stir something in him alright. Despite the behaviour he showed most of the time, Dalton was still a raider and pirate as well. He just tended to create an illusion of safety around him, even if he never actively encouraged it.
Or at least that was what he would like to think. The Greyjoy sighed, but had already turned around to give her the space she needed. He needed a drink. So he drank. Quite a bit of it, he just gulped down, exhaling audibly afterwards. It was good enough stuff, from the Reach. Bought with stolen coin, like so much of what he owned. However, he could not remain like this forever. Especially not with the mockery she gave him.
Waiting for her dress change to complete, he would ultimately return to her side before she could sit down, by now having put on a newer shirt. “Oh, are you?” His reply came in jest as well, but it did carry the ever-so-slightest hint of a threat. One that he planned on capitalizing on right away. Still being behind the girl, he simply decided to close in again, his hands clasping around her belly, possibly trapping one arm or the other. With that set up, he was then able to speak directly to her ear.
“We will see if you can actually stop me from trying anything funny~.” If anything bad happened now, he would simply blame it on the alcohol, really. She was likely going to do the same, as soon as the adrenalin subsided and she had to explain the kiss. But since that had already happened, the inhibition to go further was fairly low. And so….he sat down, against the wall again. Though there was one difference to before: this time, he pulled her with him, onto his lap. If that was successful, he would simply hold her, with his head on her shoulder. “Mhm….”
Post by SERA BARATHEON on Sept 8, 2017 14:29:00 GMT
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“Oh, are you?”
The sound of his voice behind her caught her attention before she could reach for her cup, forcing her to stand straight just as he came up behind her. She felt the weight of his body against her's, the feeling of his hands on her torso, and the tickle of his breath against her ear. Eyes widened as she took in his words, and heart quickened when he pulled her down and into his lap.
"D-d-da--," was all she could stammer out, her body pressed against his and in this awkward position. Being like this made her apprehensive, and every muscle was tight and tense like timid animal. She might have even been actually afraid, if he had done anything else but place his head on her shoulder.
She glanced to him and her brows folded with concern, "I understand that I can't physically stop you.... I suppose that makes me a failure as a protector, of both Ashe and myself."
She exhaled, and her voice grew more calm and collected in the moment, as she grasped the situation they were in. She may have been naive, aloof, and overly trusting in people, but she was far from being unintelligent. She couldn't 100% read people, but she tried to. She also tried to see the good in everyone, even if their wasn't any.
So as she sat there in Dalton's embrace, she relaxed and asked him calmly, "Pray tell me Lord Dalton... do you intend to just take what you wish? Without thinking of the consequence it could bare to me?"
Whether or not she consented, or denied it, --if she layed with him, her future as a highborn would be over. No longer would she be able to be married off for status. She was a mere lady, not a princess, and not a widow. Simply put, she had no excuse to love a man out of wedlock.
Post by Dalton Greyjoy on Sept 8, 2017 14:47:16 GMT
If there had been any doubt in his mind about doing this, it would have evaporated the moment she’d stammered so adorably. Just hearing this was enough to make him want to have her, even if it was only temporarily. She was a bit cold, but he could feel warmth building within her. The harsh outside was being replaced more and more with the slightly less harsh conditions within the ship. Of course, there was no hearth nor open fire, so it was still a bit cool. But that was why they had one another.
He listened to her though, and even stopped himself from giving a snappy comeback. While she still sounded slightly sassy, but he could tell that such a brazen act simply had to have startled her. There was no resistance, no fear, but she also was not entirely comfortable yet. Mind you though, that did not mean he would go easy on her. “If I intended to just take what I wish, we would still be out there, your naked body pressed against the wall while I show you what the Summer Isles are actually known for,” he spoke, half in jest, half being honest. There was no point in denying that he had that kind of interest in her. Doing so was not healthy, in his opinion.
Yet, neither was just constantly acting on one’s whims and desires. With his grip relaxing to the point that she could simply wriggle out of it, if she so desired, he continued. “You can’t physically stop me. Your words can, though. Just speak the word and I will let you go. But only if it is what you truly want.” The latter condition was obviously a challenge. He knew too well that she was likely worried about status and duty and everything. On the other hand though, she would certainly be good enough for father anyway. “I would never just take away your maidenhood though. You can rest assured. As stupid as I think it is, I know how important it is for ladies such as you. I do think of the consequence. That’s why I would take responsibility either way.”
Post by SERA BARATHEON on Sept 8, 2017 16:00:16 GMT
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Sera sighed with relief, the breath actually leaving her lips, and her chest caving as she relaxed further in his hold. While his answer was a bit scary, she was not surprised by the severity of it. He was an Ironborn after all, but if he was an indecent one, then like he said, she had already been defiled and tossed to his crew. Now, no amount of actions could convince her that he was monster.
Sera smiled softly, "I am grateful to hear that..." she said softly before resting her head against his chest. Once again she was so quickly faced with a choice, against duty or freedom. She yearned for answers that she did not have and felt quite exhausted from the inner turmoil it brought.
"I want to stay here, like this. I feel so safe with you here."
Like all of today's problems were yesterday's, like the horror of being chased down already was gone, and almost like she could look forward to better fortune in the morning. Her troubles weighed only on the back of her mind, and they didn't bother her as she relaxed in his arm's taking in the warmth of his body.
"I really do wonder if Lord Tully and my Father will plan to come after us, and if so... that scares me... so please... tell me what is really going on with Lady Ashe and your father?"
She wanted to know, if coming with her, was the right thing to do, or if it was foolhardy and would ultimately lead to her death.
Post by Dalton Greyjoy on Sept 8, 2017 17:27:30 GMT
It felt natural. Dalton was not exactly someone who was into foolish things such as love at first sight or crap like that. But having her so close, feeling that soft and small body so close, it just felt good. While it could be better, this was enough. Of course, there could be a myriad of reasons as to why he felt that way at that point in time. But for the most part, he went with the simplest of explanations. This was one of his desires.
Though he had to give a brief laugh, when she attested how safe she felt with him. “You’re likely the only person in the Seven Kingdoms who would believe that.” After all, the rest of the world probably did think that this had been a kidnapping, that he was doing exactly those things to her that she felt so glad about not experiencing. He’d have to suffer those consequences, regardless. “Tully, certainly. Whatever happened in King’s Landing, blood was shed between our houses. Don’t think he will be willing to just chalk it up to a misunderstanding.” Sadly, even Ashe’s words will not mean much in that regard, he feared. If anything, it would deepen the rift that apparently existed between her and her wed family.
But that left the other house involved. He sighed, leaning against her a little more. “Your father? No clue. You know the man better. It depends on whether he believes that I truly did not defile you. There might not be a way to prove your innocence, depending on the state of your body.” Not that he had done anything terrible to her, aside from stealing a kiss. But people would assume the worst, just by virtue of him being Ironborn. “But if that happens, I will just marry you.”
Post by SERA BARATHEON on Sept 8, 2017 18:26:35 GMT
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The answer given was one she did not expect. He reassured her with no reluctance in his voice at all and that surprised her. Her eyes widened and her head moved so that she could look at him. It wasn't a joke, she could sense that much at least, but she still felt a bit of confusion as to how easily he could declare something like that.
The truth, was honestly that he would do it for her. She who so eagerly stepped into the situation without being none the wiser of the consequences it would have.
Her hand pressed against her forehead and she closed her eyes, unsure of what to say. More and more of the predicament was revealed to her with each passing moment she spent on the ship, and it was quite scary to a girl that had hardly even left home. "I don't--... The idea of you getting killed, or worse. Just because I foolishly forced myself into this..."
He was right, everyone right now would have their suspicions about Dalton and the other Ironborn, and there wouldn't be a figure alive that could convince them they were wrong. She doubted even herself could talk down her father, uncle or even Lord Tully from going to war with the Greyjoys.
Sera's fingers tightened around the fabric of his shirt, her hand shaking slightly in her frustration. She hoped that whatever reason they had, it was justifiable; be it to barter with the Tully's or the Starks, or to merely have power over something. She didn't care. Her only concern was that they ALL made it out alive. She couldn't stand the thought of his blood being on her hand's for being an ignorant child.
"I am so sorry.." she said softly, the pitch of her voice shaking like her hands, "I am disgusted at the world; it’s nothing but old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in!"
It was certainly not a world she wanted to live in, but fairy tales didn't exist. There were no happy endings. People fought for their opinions, and men -- who didn't even share the same ideals, died for them. It was a shame.
Post by Dalton Greyjoy on Sept 9, 2017 0:03:21 GMT
He would have told her that what she had done had been fine and not as terrible as she had made it out to be. That all things considered, he was happy to have met her and that they could now share this moment. But that was either untrue, or it masked the fact that yes, this had been pretty stupid. A foolish thing done by a foolish girl. Maybe she had yearned for adventure, maybe she had simply focused on her sense of justice, but in the end, she had clearly not thought much about the consequences at all. Dalton had. For the whole night before their departure, he had barely though of anything else.
But then again, Sera had never gotten that much time to formulate even a basic plan. It was join or not join. He could not really fault her for making a bad choice in that situation. “Shhhh,” he simply made, pulling her closer momentarily. It was really all he could do. Trying to calm the fury of a Baratheon was not easy, even when she was essentially directing it at ‘the system’. They were all slaves to it, to the grinding cycle and prejudice. Stags and Krakens and Fish and Wolf, they were all seen in certain ways, even though they lived up to them differently.
Once that had worked at least a bit, he decided to use the fact that she was looking at him, shifting their weight around a little. In the end, he sought to look into her pretty ambers again, before gently locking his forehead with hers. It was not perfect, but given their positioning it was as close as it got. “The world is beautiful. Even in Westeros, there is a lot of good. If you just take the time to watch the smallfolk doing their daily routines, you will understand. Ugliness often comes from those with power, seeking to self-aggrandize. But we, we are the next generation of those with power. We can make a better world Sera, as long as we survive. And we are doing exactly that right now. All of this, just for a single lowborn soul. None of our parents would do something like this. So, even if what you did had been stupid, at least you have broken the cycle of action and reaction. Just a bit.”
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