Ascar blinked a few times when he realised his speaking made the lady jump, “My apologies, I didn’t mean to unnerve you.” he said softly, placing his hands on the arms of his chair and regarding her for a moment, “It seems we’re alike in motivations.” He was simply trying to put off a difficult conversation with her brother, perhaps this would help? “Forgive me, My Lady,” he inclined his head, “I’m aware you’re a Stark but I don’t believe we’ve had the chance to meet in person? I am Ascar Reed.” he paused a moment, “I’d rather we’d have the chance to meet under lighter circumstances but it seems fate has other intentions.”
Esme offered a small smile before she folded her hands neatly in front of her, like the Septa told her to. Fingers over fingers, thumb resting on the palm, elbows bent and in direct line with her torso. “It is a pleasure to meet you Ascar Reed.” Esme said with a small bow of her head. House Reed’s loyalty to the Starks have never faltered and she has always admired that about them. To her loyalty was everything and to know that House Reed performs it extremely well, calmed the slightest of her nerves. “Yes that appears to be unfortunate, however, it is great to meet you nonetheless.” Ascar Reed, his name sounded familiar and then she remembered hearing some talk from her handmaidens about a young lad of Greywater Watch that had the gift of greensight. “It is also unfortunate that I am only meeting you now, with our families having such a rich history. I hope we can get acquainted.”
distance had grown between esme stark and jayne through the years. jayne’s marriage had pulled her further north , and the unpleasantness that existed between jayne and the late dane stark made it difficult for her to reach out. still , she offered up a gentle smile to esme , adjusting her cloak around her frame to combat the cold.
“ you’ve nothing to apologize for. i don’t expect anyone could blame you for the shock you’ve received.”
Esme considered her and Jayne to be quite close during their childhood but their friendship slowly faltered. And now she doesn’t even have a clue on how to hold a conversation with her. It had been too long. The Stark sighed, her breath making a condensation cloud as it came in contact with the cold air. Esme gave the other a small smile at her words, she appreciated them, they were something that she needed to hear. However, her words were not enough to conquer Esme’s nerves or calm her mind. “I hope you are enjoying your stay?”
“What a miserably place. That charred tower is akin to an artists final expression on the atmosphere of this keep.” She made the remark with no care as to who overheard while she made her way across the snow-covered ground to the burnt tower. She was unbothered by the banner of her house found there, if anything it bought her family the strongest defence possible. But she’d known the Maester of Winterfell, seen his as a young man while she’d been in her solo rule of the south and a handful of times later.
One tended to grow a little closer to those who aged with them if only from the shared interest of being old. “He was never particularly interesting but then a Maester never is.” she said bluntly, “Find peace if nothing else now.” she sighed.
Esme had to try her very best not to sneer at the queen grandmother, her poise graceful yet her stare was icy. She had to bit her tongue to prevent foul words to spill form her lips. Esme clenched her jaw the slightest at the words of the other. How dare she insult the Starks’ stronghold. Sure, Esme would admit that the North did not have tulips and roses to decorate their keeps with but the mountains of the North could beat the meadows of the South any day.
The Southerners were beginning to get on her nerves, she had a feeling that she would regret inviting them and now she does. Regret filled her from her feet to the tips of her fingers. “Peculiar, don’t you think? A tower burning on the coronation of the prince.” She stepped beside the Targaryen, her hands neatly folded in front of her.
The Maester was her friend, he taught her many things and was a sort of confidant. Her mind was empty and her body was numb, she did not know what to think or what to do. But she refused her scattered emotions to show on her exterior. The feast was now broken and there was no chance to revive it, her brother’s coronation day ruined and the Stark named stained once again. Or would it be the Targaryen name that was stained. She didn’t know. “Forgive us for being poor hosts, this tragedy is unfortunate but tranquility will return to the North soon enough.” She displayed a small smile.
The night of the coronation was meant to be a joy for the North. But that hadn’t been the case. It had ended with a man dead and tensions between the North and South were as bad as ever. Morgana hated all of it. Not just because her friend and new King was hurt by the events, but that a good party was ruined. Everyone was on edge, herself included. It was as if all trust was thrown out the window. She made her way towards the great hall, freezing when she heard someone at the other end of the hallway. “Who’s there?” She was about to grab the blade she now kept on her thigh. “Show yourself.”
The day had not been overly in the favour of the Starks. The most important day for any ambitious prince was their coronation day and now it was ruined and stained by the events that occurred. It would be endless gossip from the townsfolk and how the two events coincided would be in the minds of every noble attendee of the party for moons to come. Esme walked around the corner, her brows drawn together in confusion. "Lady Tully, please do not fret, it is only me.”
Finally away from his home in a new space with dozes of new people and nerves drove him to exactly the same behaviour he’d displayed at home: hiding amongst the scrolls of the library. They were engaging and there was safety in the familiarity of written words. He was looking over the history of conflicts in the land, whether to try and find some useful comparison with the current situation or distract himself he wasn’t sure.
He was slowly drinking from a goblet of wine as he read, trying to follow the advice that drinking more made drinking easier, when he heard someone else enter the library. Looking up he blinked and inclined his head, “Are you searching for a text? I wouldn’t mind helping to find it?”
Perhaps bury herself in books? The idea surfaced to her mind but she ignored it. She was no longer a kid that could spend days in the library and she loathed the days where she spend from morning to evening between the shelves of books. The events that occurred had been unfortunate for it to happen to a friend of the family and during her brother’s coronation! what a nightmare. Regardless of her idea to not go into the library, she found her feet moving towards the great doors of it. “Perhaps just for a while.” She mused to herself, thinking she was alone. Esme jumped the slightest at the sound of another voice and her head snapped in the direction of the voice, “No, just retreating from the events of the outside.”
The hour was late when she retreated from the hall. It had been a heavy day, one which had seen her shoulder’s aching from the force which tried to push her down. Following the horrific sighting of fire, the jovial mood of courtiers had soured into something else entirely - fear, confusion, anger. Draped in azure velvet, she rounded the corners of the corridor until she happened upon another, ❛ Is there an orphanage nearby? Perhaps, in Wintertown? ❜ she enquired, hoping to distract her mind from the reel of horrors which had been playing endlessly.
The wind brushed across her face and left little flakes of snow on her cheeks but Esme was used to the weather, in fact, she loved this weather. She would not be able to survive a day in the South, with its blazing sun and never ending humidity. She thrived in winter. The events that had occurred sent her mind in a frenzy, she could not comprehend her thoughts and the theories that rose up in her mind scared even her. She scolded her ill-thoughts and brushed them aside. Esme must not have been paying attention to her surroundings as she found another speaking to her. “Um, “ she cleared her throat, regaining her collected poise that her mother told her she must always display. “Yes there is, may I join you? I have been planning to go recently but with the coronation and the feast, I have been extremely preoccupied.”
the courts offer bread and salt to ESME STARK of HOUSE STARK. many say that the TWENTY SEVEN year old PRINCESS of THE NORTH is known to be LOYAL and EQUITABLE, though ill tongues whisper that SHE is STUBBORN and IRASCIBLE. may she be blessed and protected in this war of crowns. ** like to plot!
BORN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINTER SOLACE, on the longest night of the year, her cries filled the halls of the Stark stronghold. Winds pushed windows open and snow would enter in a flurry. At the moment of her birth, coldness has domiciled in her heart.
As she grew up she began to nice that she did not inherit her mother’s red locks or her sapphire-green eyes, instead her hair was light brown with a tinge of emerald and her hair to be an ash-brown, she was the spitting image of her father. She was similar to him in others ways too, the desire to rule, to have power and to give help to those who need it. When she was very young, Esme knew that one day she wanted to be king.
As she reached her tenth name day, the lessons and history books have told her that she would never be king or queen, how could she, she was a girl. Her brother would inherit the crown of her father and she would inherit a new name, wed to a stranger and begin a family. She did not want that for herself. She did not want to be caged in a loveless marriage or mother children born out of duty and not love.
However ever since she was a child, Esme knew her duty and she performed it well. She attended all her classes, listened to the Septas, did what her parents told. Unlike her younger sister, she has never held a sword or any weaponry and does not desire to. She preferred needlework and reading. Esme loved to read. She would often sit in library from morning till evening, reading and reading. In books she could be anything, she could be king.
She appeared cold hearted and distant to the public, her icy pitch and graceful poise made her appear intimidating and some may say even scary. However she enjoys visiting Orphanages and giving food to the townsfolk. At times she would bake bread and hand them out to the common folk during winter. Her cold-hearted facade was quickly erased in the public’s eyes. However people knew not the mess with her. She was a lady who knew the power that she had, and that was a dangerous thing.
Esme values her family above all else. She loves all of her siblings and only wants the best for them. She would protect each of them at all costs.
THE SHORT VERSION ??
- she's very lady like, she's a stickler for the rules, she's quite uptight i guess but very loyal and protective of her family, i guess like a mother hen of sorts to her siblings hahah
- highly sensitive to criticsm and would (on the outside) take it in as contrusctive criticism but one the inside be thinking of different insults to say back
- would be like "needlework, curtsy, use the PrOPer FoRK!!!" and she woould always scold her for siblings whenever they may miss out on classess and stuff
- she's also quite stubborn and she stands up to what she interprets to be unfair, she's all for justice and equality
- she may appear cold and distant at times because she has this proper-lady, graceful demeanour thing that she never puts down but she's actually warm hearted ahhaha
- she doesn't show her emotions often, quite stoic, but when she does get angry she really lets out like its p ExTrEmE
- however she wouldn't hurt a fly
- doesn't really have a sense of humour and takes things literally
- and is lowkey angry that edrik got to be king even though she's older than edrik
- she knows her duties as a Princess, to marry, have kids etc, but she doesn’t really want that for herself, she wants to be queen and rule and make the world change for the better, to make the rules instead of standing by them, stuff but she knows thats not possible so she’s kinda given up on it
- she hates feeling helpless and hates standing by when other people may be hurting so she tries her best to help as much people as she can
THE MUN !!
- hello my alias is yellow and i am super excited to get to know all of youse and your characters!!
- sorry when i take a long time to reply in threads or direct messages, i’m very bad at balancing things but i am trying to be better hahaha
