Warrior

Astrid Stark, 23, Princess Warrior of the North

[astridxstark-blog]

🙋 + archery

The bow and arrow was not something Astrid suddenly picked up because she thought it looked interesting, her love and skill for archery dates back to the days where her mother graced the Earth with her presence and taught her only daughter the ways that a woman could be as much a lady as she was a warrior. It has always been her way of staying connected to and keeping the memory of her mother alive as she either practiced on a target, or battled with the bow that once belonged to Astris Stark. 

After her mother’s death, something sparked inside her that prompted her to work harder, be the best, and honor the thing that her mother taught her so well. Everyday she strives to be as much of Astris as possible, and with archery, a little bit more of her mother shows up within her.

[commandcrsnow]

There was a strong sense of urgency for Desmond to arrive at Winterfell once the news of the deaths at the festivities had reached the Dreadfort. If he hadn’t already been sent to meet with Reyanna and the remainder of House Bolton, Desmond would have gone anyway to see for himself whether the house he was serving was safe. If the others in The North were safe.

The halls were quiet, not in the least unsettling to him. He was used to seeing death, seeing how it could affect people. But this wasn’t a battlefield, this wasn’t war. Not one he was familiar with. The enemy was present, clear as day, not there one moment and then gone the next. No one could just disappear out of thin air. But they were left with the aftermath, left to face the losses of each of the houses. For now, though, he would have to do what he detested: wait. Waiting for the next move. Desmond had arrived, and now he was waiting for his next command from Lord Bolton. Though he understood given the unusual circumstances, there wasn’t much that could be done yet. Nothing but waiting.

Desmond resorted to wandering the halls, mostly to grow accustomed to the new surroundings, and to keep himself from getting too apprehensive. Desmond wasn’t one for sitting patiently; he was a man of action. And if he was going to be waiting, he could at least be doing something, instead of standing in one place. So he took to wandering and quietly observing the goings on in the halls, quietly letting his own thoughts run wild on what he heard of the bloody coronation.

[astridxstark-blog]

Her home had been attacked. The place where she wondered free without fear since the time she could even crawl about on all fours. The Stark princess surely had to keep a certain facade about her in order to appease her reputation, especially amongst her fellow warriors. Deep down, where she would not dwell too long, there was certainly a fear. Having already lost her parents, and a brother, albeit the latter was quite necessary, she began to feel what childhood she knew crumble beneath her, as if the ice that once held her up so strongly was beginning to crack and thaw.

She didn't quite expect to see another roaming around, someone she didn't see very often, but at least knew, so when she caught sight of him, her hand immediately reached to the bow on her back. As Astrid recognized the face as being Desmond Snow, she lowered her arm, and her loyal direwolf who roamed beside her eased up as well.

"I assume you're looking for Calder or Reyanna. I haven't seen either of them recently, but I'm sure they're around."

[randomroleplaymemes-blog]

Send "🙋" + any headcannons you want to know about my muse.

[astridxstark-blog]

wolvenstark:

Calder recalled their rambling Maester from his youth. His hair had yet to split and grey as his corpse pronounced, yet had still been a wise official whom despised chasing the Prince and his mangy wolf. Soon enough, Astrid had taken Winterfell’s soil, and her own diabolical beast stirred up the ancient nobleman’s dominion. And then, anotherpup, yet this one Romulus devoid of Remus. Perhaps the only wolf their deceased Maester hadn’t need tarry with was Braddock.

But they were both dead.

Cruel, or fortunate? Calder suspected the latter. Nothing splendid dwelled among a Septa’s chilling tales of shadow magic, and the lands beyond notorious ‘myth’. Despite the harrowing outcome of his mutilated Coronation, the King knew where Elias’ advocation would forge: unite the family, the wolven troops, the ferocious, steel-fanged bloodline.

Bane stole the frontline, a trotting stride leading his soul-bound counterpart through parting brush. A shroud of greenery was brushed from its graze of his cheek as he infiltrated the clearing. “ Astrid, are you alright ? ”

"Splendid." The she-wolf replied bitterfly as she continued to fling knives at the tree in a furious frenzy. The scene played over and over in her head again, flashes of shadows and their victims falling one after another. The shrieks of helpless people as they ran in every direction. The desperation she felt to be nearer to protect her brother. What was the intention of it all, she still did not know.

She wiped some dirt and sweat from her forehead before turning to Calder. "You shouldn't be out here in the open. We can put up a fight, you and I, but it wouldn't be enough." She warned with a frown. "You're King now." Astrid stressed with sigh, sitting with her back to the tree stump now, slowly sliding to the ground. "I don't know how this happened. I can't sleep."

[astridxstark-blog]

reyannabolton:

Another fleeting smile was given towards the beast that had always received nothing less than admiration from her. The touch from it might have been fleeting but she knew that it was an acceptance that she valued far more than she would value respect from most people. There was little hesitation from the Bolton as she stepped forward to claim the knife held out towards her, almost instantly relieved to have a blade in her hand once more when it was always how she felt most at ease. “With pleasure.” A hum of approval comes through her lips at Astrid’s throw and shoulders are rolled before she matches it with one of her own.

Despite knowing it would be something akin to vanity to link herself with the princess, Reyanna had always felt a certain affinity towards the she-wolf when Northern blood was so strong between the two of them. A swift nod was given before she walked to remove the knives that they had embedded in the tree. “No doubt similar if not identical to those that I am feeling.” Roughly, she pulled on the blades as though that will alleviate some of her frustration. “We will find a way to retaliate.”

Astrid was silently grateful someone joined her as she mulled over what had happened. She didn't really like to sulk, and while she did enjoy some time alone, it was nice to hash out her frustrations with someone especially one she respected and considered a friend. "Indeed they must be." She replied, carving into the tree nothing in particular, but just imaging the blade carving into her enemies, the ones who murdered innocent people during a momentous event in her families lives.

"We shall. I assume your army has already been discussing it? I need to gauge Calder's thoughts on all of this." She admitted, still not having had a chance to talk at length with her brother. Being a King certainly had it's weight and responsibilities, let alone the fact that someone certainly wants him, and other nobles dead. "I just don't know how it was missed. It seemed so sudden and unexpected."

[astridxstark-blog]

reyannabolton:

While castles and walls had never been something that bothered the Bolton, groups of people had always left her feeling claustrophobic and craving some fresh air - even more so when it felt as though she had to walk on eggshells around them all. She was not a girl who did well with delicateness or handling a situation with tact when blunt facts fell from her lips all the easier.

Her dress had been shed, all pretence of trying to be a lady abandoned once more in favour of simply being a Bolton. There was a need to look as though she was unaffected by what had happened, as cool as she always was, but the loss of a man who was practically an uncle to her had hit her hard and left her feeling unlike herself. Dressed by in her usual shirt and britches, Reyanna had decided that some time in the forest was just what she needed when it as probably safer for all that she was away from people. With her sword strapped to her hip, the growl that slows her steps doesn’t give her any fear when she was far too used to Bane to ever be cowed by his companion.

The ghost of a smile touched her lips. “There’s no need for that now, is there.” Holding her hand out to the beast, the brunette raises her eyes up towards Astrid. “Do you need some company? I rather think you have chose the best pastime of anyone I’ve seen.”

The female direwolf slowly warmed up to the familiar smell of the Bolton woman and gave her hand a soft nudge with her cold nose before returning to her masters side. Astrid gave Mirabella a pat on the head before giving a smile to the other woman. "Please, join me." She insisted, handing Reyanna a knife, handle first, as an offer. She knew that she had also lost someone close in the tragedies that had befell them, but she admired the way the woman held herself. While usually her emotions were masked with ease, this seemed to affect her completely differently.

"I am certain you understand my frustrations of late." She said, throwing another knife that embedded within the bark. The wolven princess felt a need to be vigilant of around her, and honestly felt a bit more comfortable with another warrior at her side, should some random attack befall them. She didn't quite know what she was dealing with yet, or what exactly their intentions were.

[astridxstark-blog]

ameliratully

         all she did was wander recently. she hadn’t come to winterfell often and when she had, it was as a small girl who was watched very carefully as to not get lost in the woods and be gobbled up by direwolves or wildlings. now, she was less afraid of direwolves or wildlings and more afraid of the winter chill that could perish her brother, the assassins who had come without warning. despite her worries, she continued to wander, wandering meant peace, wandering meant possible solitude, wandering meant she wasn’t sitting with eyes boring into her skull trying to be as non-traitorous as possible.

         she had heard thuds as she wandered, piquing her interest as she drew closer. grunts followed the thuds and suddenly she wasn’t so curious now. cautiously she approached the clearing, eyebrows knitted together, head tilted as her hair spilled out of her cloak, wildly splaying along her front. when she saw the woman alone, she was practically relieved. that was until her eyes fell on the direwolf and the daggers in her hands. stark.

         she wasn’t surprised. this was their home, but she had been avoiding them purposefully. “ princess astrid, ” she said calmly, wanting to make her presence known before a knife was buried in her forehead. “ i had not expected to find you out here as well. i don’t mean to intrude. ” does anyone mean to intrude out in the woods?

At the sight of a familiar face Astrid softened, but not completely. She never truly knew anyone’s intentions these days, especially after the events of late. Perhaps she was growing too cautious, too paranoid, something she had never been, but the thought of someone trying to kill her older brother made her blood boil and her head spin. She would do anything to protect him and if that meant being extra cautious even around those deemed friends, so be it.

“Not intruding at all, my lady.” Astrid stated, flinging her last knife at the tree before walking over and fetching them from within the stump. “Out here to clear your head? Seems like the best place to do so.” She said, continuing to begin throwing her knives once more.

[astridxstark-blog]

The she-wolf paced back and forth in a small clearing in the middle of the forrest nearby Winterfell as she tried to understand exactly what had happened. She was frustrated, and felt defeated, caught off guard. Most of all, she was angry that such an event would turn to what it did. Did she miss something? Or the other soldiers? What happened?

Angrily she chucked knives at a nearby tree, the blades digging deep into the bark nearly every time. She wanted to kick, scream, kill something as the anger raged within her. It was clearly an act of war, something she thought they might be free of for some time. Free to enjoy their new lives in their Kingdom. Her direwolf stood close to her, watching and waiting as if their enemies lurked just nearby. Suddenly, the wolf took a defensive stance and a small guttral sound came from deep within her.

"What is it, Mirabella?" Astrid asked, looking around to see if perhaps an animal was nearby, or something more sinister.

[astridxstark-blog]

ryonarryn:

       Ryon was enthralled — by the customs of The North, by the brisk winds that he thought could only be present in the altitude of The Eyrie, and by the nobility and royalty that partook in the festivities of Calder Stark’s coronation. It was strange to see so many great houses, despite their quarrels and schemes against one another, together in such a cordial event. Though, it didn’t give Ryon any comfort. If anything, it felt like a calm before the storm.

A body collided against him, though, his stance didn’t waver. Ryon’s gaze fell upon Stark features, a smile almost immediately tugged at his lips in greeting. His advisor had pointed out the remaining Stark children and since then, Ryon had been looking forward to greet each one. The Vale must improve relations with the North for better trade and of course, a possible alliance — whether it be before or after the Vale would oust the Targaryens’ rule over them.  “No need to apologize, my lady,” he spoke, calm and emanating ease. “It would be rude to refuse, as I am your guest,” Ryon added as he grabbed a chalice of ale from the servant nearby, though, he barely broke eye contact with the princess. “To the King In The North,” he said as he raised his chalice before drinking almost all of its contents, features deliberately relaxed in the conversation. “Norther wine is great, but fermentation methods of the Vale yield better, if I must be honest. You must visit one of these days and see for yourself, my lady.”

Astrid felt a bit giddy at the handsome man before her. She recognized him, but still wasn't entirely sure who he might be. "I appreciate that, but if it is not your drink I couldn't force you." She said before the man made his toast. Her eyebrows raised in surprise as he drank most of the drink after honoring her brother, and she knew she was going to like this man already. "To the King in the North." She repeated more softly, drinking the rest of what drink she had left. "Ah, the Vale. I knew I placed your correctly." She teased. "I would love to, one day. I don't believe I've been since I was a young girl."

[astridxstark-blog]

karolina-lannister:

This place was cold, no wonder people wore animals around their necks. Karolina didn’t want to be here, but she knew she had to be so everyone was aware the Lannisters were a relevant threat. King of the North? Pft, there was only one true King and it was her brother. It was nice at least to see all the beautifully dressed people visiting to celebrate the wolf pup king. A hand reached out in front of her, bringing the princess to a sharp halt. “Ah-,” Karolina eyed the woman who had reached out in front of her. “I don’t drink.” She said, moving out of the way to avoid being splashed- she made this dress herself. “Is that what women in the North do normally?” Karolina said. She had never been this far North before, but she knew that it was normal for women to be more… masculine in their actions. “It must be dangerous to drink around here.”

Ah, the youngest Lannister princess, Astrid should've recognized her immediately, but it took her a moment. She had bloomed quite beautifully since Astrid had last seen her. "You don't?" The wolf was a bit shocked, but the woman seemed a bit prude in her opinion, just the air about her seemed like this occassion was beneath her. "As normal as anywhere else. We aren't drunkards, but we like to celebrate with some ale, too." She crossed her arms in front of her chest and raised a brow. "Dangerous? What makes you say that?"

[astridxstark-blog]

astertyrell:

Though if anyone asked, Aster would say he were waiting for ale cups to become empty and people to become remiss so that he could harvest the whispers he was so adept in bending to his will, but of course he would be lying. He was waiting for those things to happen so that he could sneak out of the room and back to his allocated chambers where no doubt a fire would be burning and he could be alone with his thoughts and perhaps one of the books he had already filched from Winterfell’s library. It seemed counterintuitive to him to share this with anyone, seeing as it did nothing for his reputation, but it still made him want to roll his eyes at the prospect of yet another conversation with a stranger.

“I am freezing cold, surrounded by strangers, and bone-tired from the journey here. You will have to excuse me for not looking alright.” Vain as he was, this pained Aster to say. An eyebrow went up at her remark, wondering why on earth she would revel in enjoying the harsh when there was the fine beauty of southern wonder to appreciate instead. “I think it’s best if I decline that offer, practice temperance tonight actually.” He said, voice blunt and bored as he could muster.

Astrid gave him a look. She understood it was quite a different envionment, especially for Southerners, but it was unlike many other royals or nobles to openly complain. "Well, as princess of the North, it's my job to make sure you are comfortable." She began, using her most proper voice, despite how odd it sounded coming from her lips, in her opinion. "Fine, no ale. Would you like a thicker coat? To go talk closer to the fire? Your wish is my command, Lord...?"

[astridxstark-blog]

ironbornvayon:

Vayon felt a definite spike of discomfort up the back of his spine every time a well-dressed Southern lady smiled at him, or he caught wind of someone’s conversation. He was built for parties in poorly-lit coastal taverns where the ale poured as abundantly as the laughter and there was little pretence for anything else. To put a kraken in the midst of a celebration like this full of people desperately trying to make the right impression and appear more lavishly dressed that each other, was akin to putting a lobster in a pot of boiling water, Vayon thought - vastly discomforting, infuriating, and counter-intuitive at best.

For Calder, however, he would endure it. The Isles and the North were fostering a potential new alliance, and even if they had not been, the great respect the eldest Greyjoy prince had for the newly crowned King in the North would have spurned his attendance to this event anyway. He smiled to hear her name, realising that this was the feisty younger sister that Calder had spoken so highly of. Princess Astrid was everything Vayon should have expected from a wolven princess. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He smiled, more genuinely perhaps that others he had given that night had been. “I hoped that I might meet you while I was here. Your brother speaks very highly of you after all.”

Astrid took note of his discomfort, something she felt as well. Still, the wolf felt empowered as she was on her own turf, and she used it to her advantage at every turn she could. "Well he had better." The princess teased with a bright smile. "I'm wearing a dress just for him today." She added with a wink. "It is nice to meet you as well Lord Greyjoy. I'm looking forward to working with you and getting to know you better." She spoke completely honestly, and thought that the Isles would be a great ally to the Starks especially in their new reign. "It's still quite a sight to see so many different people here. It's a good thing, but I can't help, but feel uneasy."

[astridxstark-blog]

winters-rook

Weathered hands took the goblet offered, and he eyed the contents. Wine. It flowed like vermillion on a battleground tonight, and as much as he wanted to down cup after cup, he couldn’t stomach it. His mind was displaced, wandering, distracted. The last time he’d seen the great hall so full was when Elias had died, but the faces were mournful, the garb black and dull. He forced himself to down half the glass, and wiped away the remnants that clung to his lips with the back of his hand. “I’m sure every man in this room would thank you for that, too,” he said with a half-cocked grin. It faded shortly thereafter, however, and his voice gained solemn purchase. “Your father would be proud.”

Rook looked over his shoulder at the half-wits that had devoured his embellished and sordid tales like starving men. He’d wasted a long hour of his evening he would never get back among them, just trying to pass the time — keeping a watchful eye on the newly crowned King.

“Fools,” he corrected, leaning back against a stone pillar, taking another deep drink from the goblet the wolven princess had offered him. It was sweet for his tastes; he needed something harsh and bitter to match his souring mood. “Can you?” he asked with a snort. “Here I was thinking you were a prim and proper princess with no impure thoughts.” He gave her a wink, and shrugged his broad shoulders; they rippled like those of a rising beast. “Not really my crowd, princess,” he admitted truthfully. “I don’t belong here.”

There was always such an intensity about Rook that Astrid would likely never quite understand. After all, he was much closer with Calder, but she still felt as if he was family, having been in her life for so long. She was sure demons were haunting him this night, something she feared one day. It was one of the prices to pay for war, and while she had seen her fair share of battles and death, she was one of the lucky ones, and privileged to not have to be on the front lines.

Astrid laughed and gave a wink, but soon after her smile turned into one that began to remember fond memories of her father. She missed him, and mother, so dearly everyday. It was odd being without him especially. "Thank you." She replied, gratefully, knowing Rook's words rang with complete truth, as he was her father's dearest friend. She could sense the sadness he felt in this moment. "It's not mine either, but I guess now we have to get used to it. At least for the time being. Soon the newness of Calder's reign will fade, and hopefully all other celebrations afterwards aren't so...chaotically grand."

[astridxstark-blog]

aster-tyrell:

Aster held little love for venturing out of the Reach, preferring the insidious court that he had grown to understand and control so meticulously to unknown territory. Unknown faces were less averse to him, and he scoured the room for people who he might have heard rumour circulating about amongst his web of influence (as well as perhaps who he might coax into warming his bed tonight, if the opportunity arose). He had traipsed down here listening to his brother’s optimistic chatter for what a new Stark king meant for Westeros, but on his mind was solely how he could make this trip beneficial to him.

Of course, there was more than that though. More to coming all the way to Winterfell past just abiding by his brother’s wishes, sating his curiousity about the people of the North, and of course finding the person who’s name had been signed on endless letters arriving at Highgarden intermittently. Excitement was not particularly fitting of his apathetic, sharp demeanour, but there was no denying that every face in the room was being examined for it’s resemblance to what he remembered from childhood.

When he was collided with, a golden brow arched in an expression that said he was less than impressed, and the tone of his reply as callous and less than convincing. “No harm done.” He swished the barely touched ale in his cup around idly, none too fond of the stuff. “Thank you, but I am quite alright as is.”

The strikingly familiar man emboddied everything she would've enivisoned of a southerner. The golden hair, the way the air was about him, as if perhaps this was not an event he would've willingly attended. Regardless, Astrid had to play nice, and be the good hostess she had promised, at least to herself. She didn't quite care for his tone, though, and wondered exactly what the outcome would be if she broke her promise, just this once. A feign smile came across her face again.

"You don't look all that alright." Astrid cocked her head to the side, trying to gauge his reaction. Exactly who was he? Surely a highborn, but she wondered exactly what brought him to be the way he was, especially at the celebration of another Kingdom's coronation. "Perhaps you'd like a different drink? Us northener's tend to like things that may be considered harsher to southerner's."

[astridxstark-blog]

ironbornvayon:

He had had enough contact with Calder Stark to know the look of a direwolf when he saw one. Most certainly this girl possessed the kind of fierceness he saw in the soon-to-be-crowned King in the North, the very same that had cultivated such a mutual respect for the warring wolf despite the fact that most mainlanders held very little interest to the ironborn at all. Though she was certainly of the North, he could not be sure if she were Stark or subject, and hoped that he was not mistaken in her identity.

“Don’t worry. I’ve been pretending to know people’s names ever since I got here.” He punctuated his words with a gravelly laugh. “Vayon Greyjoy.” He offered, screwing up his nose ever so slightly as he remembered he’d forgotten his title. The wrought iron circlet nestled in his inky black hair gave it away anyway (though he would have like to have forgone the circlet too, and would have if his mother, the Queen, had not insisted upon it for such a formal occasion). He preferred to go without it anyway. “I won’t pretend to know yours either, if you’d be kind enough to enlighten me so I don’t make a fool of myself like I did infront of that Arryn over there.”

"Oh right. My apologies, prince." Astrid smiled at the man, taking a long sip of her drink. Playing nice was not so fun, but luckily he made this interaction easy. She hoped he wouldn't go on some tangent about boats, or fishing, or the sea, there wasn't enough ale to help her through many of the ramblings she had had to listen to this evening alone already.

The wolf princess raised a brow at Vayon, shocked he didn't know who she was, but she supposed she hadn't known him either. Names became blurred, unless there was a face to put with it. "That's quite refreshing, I have to admit." She started. "Astrid Stark, er, princess Astrid Stark." She jokingly rolled her eyes at the title. She never thought it suited her, but while she enjoyed being a warrior so much more, being a lady and a warrior was something that she held onto as being likened to her late mother. She knew she'd be proud of her for trying this evening, anyways. "You have nothing to fear, I am not the best at these sorts of interactions, either." She winked.

[bellblake]

My skin has turned from porcelain, to ivory, to steel.

[astridxstark-blog]

tytos-lannister:

Tytos turned only slightly to catch a glimpse of the woman who’d bumped him and he smiled. It was a dangerous smile if anyone ever truly knew him all of his smiles were dangerous. They were never given freely at least not to anyone but his sisters who were more then capable of forcing them out of the young lion. No, his smiles towards strangers and other nobles were extended in the most charming and disarming of ways. They had a direct and serious purpose the majority of the time. Oh they were not disingenuous in the least bit and perhaps that’s what made them dangerous. Every inch of them was real and sincere and that was what was perhaps the most terrifying thought about him that he was was real and yet something much more complicated then that. In any case he lifted a brow and smiled at the princess in the North and shook his head taking her up on her offer but only after glancing over her personage.

She was beautiful that was for certain, even a blind man wouldn’t be able to deny it. The wolf cleaned up nicely perhaps just as well as the lion hid his claws in plain sight. Maybe his smile for her had no edge to it. Perhaps for her it was a different smile then the ones others he didn’t know very well were greeted with. “Princess Astrid, your highness - it would be a privilege. I trust you’re enjoying the party regardless of who you happen into. It’s hard to avoid knocking into anyone when there are so many people here to celebrate your brother’s coronation.”

It wasn't hard for Astrid to put together that she had managed to run into the Lannister prince. He was quite handsome, and had a stare that seemed to pierce right through to one's soul. However, as handsome as he was, she brought herself back down to earth and tried to look past that to see the lion beneath. He was dangerous, and he was one of the guests whose intentions she was not all that sure of this evening, especially with many houses around. Still, she returned his smile in kind, hoping to also play along with this little game, whatever it might be.

"Now, Prince Tytos, I should be asking you that. You are our guest after all." She teased, placing a hand on his arm and handing him a cup of ale she plucked from a passing server with the other. "I agree, it's quite crowded, but we're honored to have so many come up to celebrate my brother's accomplishments." Astrid nodded, looking about the room. "How do you like the North? I am sure it cannot be your first visit, is it?"