“By the gods how could I have missed such thrilling events all around me!” His laughter echoed through the small area. This was what it was like to be at court most places in the south. He was lucky in that, his family worked for the love of their bannermen. They spent time securing those alliances and ridding themselves of enemies.”Tell me about it, Mya already ran off on me. Nearly gave me a heart attack.” Rickon huffed, “But she is probably enjoying it far more than her friends are.” Politics were all this was, a meeting to make sure peace was kept. Peace wouldn’t be kept and the dead old king made sure of that. ”Don’t doubt your mind, Theon will need it.” A rare moment of seriousness from the lord.
“look carefully around you, these ‘thrilling events’ are constantly occurring in the capitol. the south has never been as stable as the north, because they aren’t as united.” politics was a game of manipulation and patience, neither traits ellyn’s family had ever prided themselves on possessing. she grew up surrounded by conversations of military strategies, but no court schemes. “you have one. i face double the toil.” the change in his tone reminded her once more of the perils they were surrounded by. “i appreciate your faith in my good judgement. is it such ‘good judgement’ you are hoping to find with lady dayne?” ellyn didn’t know what to think of the alliance. if rickon could bring the dayne’s under the fold, they would have a stronghold in the deep south. but could his future wife be trusted?
𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅’𝒔 𝒑𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒎. she hadn’t seen ellyn since they were children but her tongue had remained as unrestrained as it was before. “i will take the noise to the deafening quiet any day. at starfall, i know everyone. there’s no one new to talk to, nothing new to do.” she tried to explain. “i love my home above any place in the realm. all i’m saying is, don’t complain when you’ve only just arrived.”
ellyn was about to protest that she had not been complaining unnecessarily, when she realised that perhaps she had. it had been too long since she had been in the south, it no longer felt like home. “perhaps riverrun will be better suited to you then. you should get more of a chance to host and entertain there, than starfall.” she commented, a smirk spreading across her features. she had heard about the impending marriage, and while she had once trusted dyanna greatly, she didn’t know if her old friend still deserved that trust, especially at a time so politically volatile. where did her loyalties lie?
𝕀𝕋 𝕎𝕆𝕌𝕃𝔻 𝔹𝔼 𝔸 𝕃𝕀𝔼 to say that theon wasn’t restless ― apprehensive about the fact that they were in the south, so far from home and deep into the enemy’s territory. mostly because he wasn’t alone; regardless of not having great concerns regarding his own safety, the same couldn’t be said about his family. the stark lord was constantly worried about the safety of his wife & children, especially when his intentions among dragons were not so peaceful ― leaving them behind, in winterfell, however, wasn’t a good option either; and not only politically, but also because theon wouldn’t be able to move on without his family by his side and under his protection. “ nothing will happen to them. ” his tone was low and stern, so clearly bothered by the simple idea of something happening to their boys ― by the gaze directed to ellyn was much softer. “ and you won’t have to live your old nan’s words, my love. i promised i would keep you, robb and jon safe, and whether i have to fight a war or not, i intend to keep my words. ”
“ you know its overly optimistic to say there won’t be a war.” she commented. the feeling of uneasiness wouldn’t leave her stomach despite her husband’s words. but along with the uneasiness, also came hope that if their father should win in the looming conflict, her children would grow up in a north free from the hold of the targaryens, a safer home. she finally looked at her husband, giving him a stony look “you also have to promise that you will be with us.” northern independence meant nothing to ellyn if it destroyed her family. if it came down to it, she would choose their safety over anything. not a northerner by birth herself, she didn’t understand the fervour with which her husband and his brother were ready to lay down their lives for the cause. her hand went to his cheek, “if it comes down to it, come back home, theon. none of this will matter if i have to raise our sons alone, none of it.”
she looked down smiling as she watched her sons, fast asleep in their beds, from the doorway. they tired her and tested her patience all day long, but sleeping, they looked like little angels. she felt someone come up and stand next to her, and she didn’t have to turn her head to know it was her husband. “ i don’t like having them here, its not safe. if something happens to them...” her voice trailed off, something in her throat not allowing her to complete that thought. “my old nan once said, “mother’s bear the greatest losses of any war.”” she mused, her eyes fixed on her older boy.
Rickon stood on the balcony overlooking the water, the whole city was a stone menace. There wasn’t any freedom out here, grass only where it was planted. No fresh water, nothing of great importance to him. “How do people feel free in here? It’s nothing but stone and more stone.” He missed his freedoms. “And more importantly what do people do for fun in this place?”
“plot, scheme and backstab.” ellyn answered his question, joining him in looking down at the city with disdain. she hadn’t thought that she would miss the dreary cold of winterfell so soon, thinking that a change of weather would be the only thing she could look forward to in the south. but it seemed that this aspect of the north too, had grown on her. “i may not have a mind for politics, but i still don’t understand why the entire family needed to be at the capital. chasing robb and jon was hard enough at home, it is an impossibility in a castle i don’t know.”
“ 𝒊 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆’𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒐𝒍, it’s pleasant enough.” the dornish lady shrugged. “the city’s got so much more life that the countryside, so much more to do, so many different types of people.” while starfall was in the country, she visited the watergardens at sunspear frequently enough, solely because she couldn’t get enough of the life. it suited her social nature, always going back home to her father with a million stories and always returning in search of another small adventure.
“the problem with the city is that it has too many people, too much noise, too much...shit.it’s not for everyone.” ellyn narrowed her eyes at the other woman. “there are things to do in the country, same as anywhere.” ellyn wasn’t one to hold back any harsh comment and the city didn’t suit her. she had everything she could want for at home, what more could the city possibly offer? “dyanna, not everyone is dying to dance at the next ball.”
⟨ alicia vikander, cisfemale, she/her. ⟩ — ❛ it seems that even ( ellyn stark née baratheon ) can’t avoid being seen by the little birds hidden in the red keep. the ( thirty ) year old ( ruling lady ) of ( house stark ) has been at court for the coronation of the queen and they ( undermine ) the claim. it is no surprise that they claim fealty to house ( stark & baratheon ) when they’re ( lively & quick-tempered ). the ( lady ) is often affiliated with ( staring out a window during a stormy night and teeth chattering despite being wrapped extensively in furs )
hello y’all !! this is vera and theres some stuff about my girl under the cut, like this or hmu for plotting !!
𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐒.
NAME: ellyn stark née baratheon.
AGE: thirty.
GENDER: cisfemale.
TITLES: lady of storm’s end ( by birth ), ruling lady of winterfell & wardness of the north ( by marriage ).
BIRTHPLACE: storm’s end, the stormlands.
CHILDREN: robb stark, 4 & jon stark, 2.
RELIGION: born into the Faith of the Seven, converted to the Old Gods after marriage.
ALLEGIANCE: house stark & baratheon.
𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃.
this is going to be hella brief, some day i might actually take out a full nice biography for her but uhh today isnt that day
a wild child since birth
ellyn had a happy childhood to say the least. brought up by loving, doting parents who gave her more freedom than women from noble houses were traditionally allowed
ellyn was a proper tomboy growing up ( not to the extent of like arya but she was definitely on that side of the scale ). she climbed trees, rode horseback, learnt archery and tried to learn sword fighting before giving up on her third lesson ( she finds swords “more show and less action” ( don’t ever ask her to explain that, she’ll launch into an 8 page hypothesis )
she grew out of her tomboy phase to an extent, but remained adventurous in spirit if not in action
she had only visited the north as a child when her father sat her down one day to talk about a possible marriage between her and rickon. he didn’t wish to force anything on her, but he expressed to her that this was his wish. now, ellyn was a highkey daddy’s girl and when her father asked her for something, she couldn’t say no
ellyn hated the bleak & cold of the north initially and it took her some time to adjust, which was parallel to how her initial months in the marriage went. it took time but ellyn and theon eventually went from being strangers who were cold to each other, to the happiest couple you’ll ever meet. and after a while, the cold of the north didn’t bother ellyn so much. they have two sons currently, robb, 4 and jon, 2. with plans for more probably
𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘
highkey extrovert, befriends just about everyone around her
highly opinionated and expresses her opinion very, very loudly
true heart of gold tho, if she sees something wrong she can’t notdo somethings abt that. ( esp now that she’s the ruling lady of winterfell, she’s always sending warm clothes to orphanages and such )
Loyal to a fault, will die for the people she loves without a second thought
she’s sort of got those young catelyn vibes?? mixed with the absolute recklessness of robert yet the perfect earnest nature of gendry??
