[goldxnsirens]

[  GOLDXNSIRENS  ]  —  my  heart  is  pierced  by  cupid  ,  i disdain  all  glitter  and  gold  ,  there  is  nothing  can  console  me  ,  but  my  jolly  sailor  bold.

A  STUDY  IN  :  girlhood  being  akin  to  godhood  ,  the calling of the sea to a woman  ,  shoulders shaking under the weight of power  ,  and playing an ugly game to survive.

[  CORDELIA  MANDERLY ,  lady  of  white  harbor  ]  —  introduction.

[  GAWAIN  HIGHTOWER ,  lord  of  hightower  ]  —  introduction.

[  BRANDON  KARSTARK ,  lord  of  karhold  ]  —  introduction.

[  LEONOETTE  ROWAN ,  lady  of  golden grove  ]  —  introduction.

[goldxnsirens]

SHE HIDES , YOU SEE? NOT BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO , BUT BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT SHE HAS LEARNED IS THE SAFEST THING TO DO.

࣪𓏲ּ  ֶָ  𝑤𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑠𝒕𝒗  ⁝         holliday grainger,  25,  ciswoman,  she / her.    announcing  the  arrival  of  LEONETTE  of  house  ROWAN,  the  LADY  of  GOLDEN GROVE.  whispers  among  the  court  name  them  to  be  both  CHARMING  and  CUNNING  in  disposition,  and  those  closest  to  them  speak  to  their  interests  in  knitting.  if  we  bards  could  compose  a  song  for  them,  it  might  tell  stories  of  emerald green eyes alight with laughter , though hiding something / a constant scent of lavender trailing behind you / cold hands constantly searching for warmth.  the  seven  whisper  to  their  most  devout  queen  as  she  sleeps,  making  her  question  where  their  loyalties  truly  lie.  are  they  right  to  whisper?  for  their  loyalties  truly  lie  with  THEMSELVES.     

STATISTICS.

name : lady leonette rowan

nicknames : nettie , leo

epithets : n / a

age : twenty - five

religion : the seven / the new gods

FAMILY.

mother : desmond rowan

father : desmera rowan

siblings : lord utp rowan ( elder ) , lord garlan rowan ( decesased / younger )

betrothed : alaric stark

others : house utp ( cousins )

THE SCROLLS

LEONETTE ROWAN : you were lucky to be born into the family you were. all beautiful , all rich , all powerful , and surprisingly enough , loving. you were born in between your elder and younger brother , though you did not go forgotten.

after you , a younger brother was born. garlan. and oh how you adored him. you loved being an elder sister , you loved bossing him around. perhaps you just liked scaring people.

your father has been hand to the queen for as long as you could remember. you were thrust into politics from the time you were born. you were used as a bargaining chip , your hand in marriage , but you never really minded. it was the way of the world , the way of politics. alliances were forged through marriages , and besides , you were not just used for your family , you were used for the realm. your parents were not just loyal to themselves , but the queen. any man you married would have allegiances to the crown.

betrothals were flippant with you. many could try and claim your hand , none could convince your father that they were truly worth house rowan's time. you never minded this either. you knew one day , any man would be lucky to have you. so you refined your knitting ( a hobby you seem quite obsessed with in recent years ) , education , and manners.

as you grow into a teenager , you become increasingly interested in politics. you learn the ways of the court , you know how to use courtesy as an armor , and damn do you perfect it.

[sunlaid]

the   masses   feared   their   title         ⸻         𝘵𝘩𝘦   𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨   𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨’𝘴   𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥   ,   saved   and   loved   by   the   sea   god   .   she   and   her   sisters   ,   tales   of   how   the   three   came   to   the   witch   isle   .   some   told   tales   of   𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁   𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗼𝗻𝘀   ,   sirens   who   would   come   for   the   men   on   land   ,   sorceresses   of   storms   .   𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗌   𝗉𝗂𝗍𝗂𝖾𝖽   𝗍𝗁𝖾   𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗉   𝗐𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗄𝖾𝖽   𝖽𝖺𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌   .   no   tales   were   corrected   ,   nor   confirmed      :      a   little   mystery   was   good   for   the   soul   .   but   most   tended   to   leave   them   alone   ,   gave   them   room   as   if   they’d   𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚠   𝚜𝚗𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜   𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚍   𝚘𝚏   𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚎   𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍   𝚑𝚊𝚒𝚛   .   not   her   knight   of   flowers   ,   as   he   called   shamelessly  .   eyes   brightened   ,   and   the   girl   smiled   as   if   the   sea   had   offered   them   the   heart   of   the   ocean   .         “      oh   ,   my   soul   !   there   you   are   ,   𝘺𝘰𝘶   𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘭   .      ”         a   nickname   spoken   in   good   heart   .   skirts   were   picked   between   fingers   ,   fine   silks   light   that   eased   sabine’s   quick   pace   towards   her   paramour   .

[goldxnsirens]

gawain couldn't help but laugh. "and how it is my fault you did not pay attention?" he asked , head cocked to the side as the flame haired beauty quickened her pace. "you are quite cruel to me , mine heart ," he feigned hurt , looking away from sabine to drive his point home. playfully , he rolled his eyes , before turning back to the upcliff lady. "you have evaded me these past few days , i must say that i am quite displeased," he smiled as he spoke , revealing no true distaste. he was quite sure that they both had family matters to attend to , though it still didn't make the separation any harder.

[steelfyre-a]

closed starter ›› @ironforged , @scrpcntincs , @shedevout , @goldxnsirens , @oftroje

head  bowed  in  reverence,  he  sat  at the foot of the oak tree, alone, unsurprisingly, in the godswood. quiet might have transported him northward were it not for the sun's harsh rays slipping through the leaves and the unpleasant smell in his nose. the air fresh and crisp in winterfell. if he opened his eyes then theon would find the heart tree lacking as well - leaves not the red of a weirwood, but he would accept what was offered. trouble was rising, the wolf felt it in his bones, and his moments of quiet thought with his gods necessary. silence, however, was broken by approaching footsteps.  ❝ do you require something? ❞   he calmly asked. it was unlikely that another was seeking prayer, and theon had informed his guards where he would be in case someone sought him out - a lord's duties never at rest.

[goldxnsirens]

the godswood was an offer of peace. brandon was not known for his great affiliation with the gods. he believed in justice , the sword , order. the gods held no importance to him other than something that was part of his northern heritage. though , he could not help but enjoy the time he spent alone in the godswood. he did not expect to see his nephew there at this time , anticipating solitude.

"excuse me , nephew," brandon let a smile tug at his lips. "i had not anticipated you to be here. do you sit in prayer?" he asked. at least the old lord had the dignity to leave the pious to their prayers. "i can leave it to you , if you wish."

[ludics]

he was taken aback by her reaction and felt a rush of emotions— confusion, defensiveness, and a pinch of annoyance mixed with excitement. he took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, struggling to find the right words to respond to the deflecting lady.

"i wouldn't be too sure of that," he said, his voice trailing off into an unsure whisper. he stepped forward into the atrium, moving towards the light, away from the shadows. "your safety shall very much so be a worry of mine once we are wed."

he took a breath. "of course, i understand that you are more than capable of taking care of yourself," he said, the corners of his mouth turned slightly upwards. "however, no one should have to walk the halls of this castle alone, especially not at these late hours."

he paused for a moment, considering his next words carefully. "i would think your father, would want you to have company, especially with the tension within the court at the moment," he said, bowing his head slightly in deference to man who he would one day call his kin.

"also i-" he stuttered, "i am sorry to hear about your brother," he said, his voice soft, empathy radiating from his eyes. "i cannot imagine the pain you must be feeling, and i offer my deepest condolences."

[goldxnsirens]

“well , unless you wish to find me more yarn , i will continue my turns about the keep.” leonette brushed off his concerns as if they were unfounded. practically growing up in the keep , she was well aware of the dangers that lurked in the halls.

leonette turned her back , blue eyes trailed about , avoiding looking at her betrothed for a bit. her father was becoming impatient with the length of this betrothal , she knew that well. in some way , recent events took the attention off of her. thank the gods.

with his comment , nettie couldn’t help but let out a slight laugh when she turned back to face him. “my father will be quite alright. he has bigger worries than me as of late.” lord desmond and lady leonette had interacted sparsely in the following days , aside from the night of the incident.

then her brother. it was all of her conversations as of late. of course , it was to be expected. she opened her mouth to speak , but hesitated for a moment. “thank you , your grace.” she could not be as plain tongued as she was with daenaera around him. “garlan has... made his decisions , though he will be missed dearly."

[ludics]

alaric immediately recognized her voice, mellifluous and distinct, sending a ripple of excitement through his body. he had only met leonette a few times over the years, but her captivating presence made a lasting impression. he replied, trying to soothe her anxiety.

"i apologize, leonette," he said, standing up from the bench and stepping towards the atrium's entrance, "i did not mean to disturb your peace with my overdramatic reaction." he let out a soft laugh, still unused to speaking with the woman who would one day be his lady wife.

"though i am surprised to meet you at this hour," he said, trying to calm his own nerves. "you shouldn't be out and about unattended, leonette. it isn't...safe," he added out of his own concern.

[goldxnsirens]

leonette rolled her eyes. she wondered if all the starks were like that , ever worried someone was coming for their necks. probably , knowing their history. "there is little peace in this keep anyway," leonette huffed out , rolling her shoulders back for a moment.

"i had run out of yarn for my project and i could not sleep. it seemed more reasonable to entertain myself by walking." it was also to clear her mind. there had been so much happening in the past days , the silence of the night was quite welcoming. though it seemed she would be forced to have company. "i am sure that i will be quite alright on my own. even more so now that you are here , your grace," she hummed. "do not worry yourself."

[divinitics]

CLOSED STARTER — feat. lady leonette rowan ( @goldxnsirens ) at the princess' chambers

it wasn't every day that dragonsfire became the crux of utter fear, not in king's landing, especially when its inhabitants have just begun to think of the crimson rain as long forgone history. there was no doubt that the queen's carefully crafted sense of security had shattered in one fell swoop. " you look well. " the compliment was weak, merely a sound to fill the air of silence as the dragon princess' gaze flickered over to her friend. " i've assumed that your family will take these coming days to spend in seclusion — is that merely your father's desire, and not yours? " no matter the young lady rowan's relationship with her father, daenaera was almost certain that such a tragedy will unite their kin like never before. perhaps she was wrong.

[goldxnsirens]

leonette was sure that this reminded the populous of the crimson rain. an unruly dragon , no matter how foolish the men were , was a threat. a threat to the façade of safety in king's landing. her father was well aware of this , which was why he seemed to stay cooped up with the queen. after all , he served the realm more than he served his family. the woman shrugged.

"my father says we must at least present a united front. that is what i intend to do," she said in response to the princess. what else could leonette do? she did not afford herself the luxury of grief. garlan was gone. what could she do about it? no wishing or grieving could pry her baby brother from the hands of the stranger. "it is wise to do so, i think. i will not be secluding myself from society due to it, though.”

[goldxnsirens]

a raven for @oftroje

gawain had been in quite the stress over the past events. he wondered how the families felt , though he knew that his good sister must feel some sort of way about the situation. lord jacaerys was her brother , after all. there was not much for the man to do , aside from see how his elder brother would want them to react. gawain was a knight , no diplomatic expert , so he would wish himself out of the light of reaction. he hid himself amongst the gardens , simply looking about the place , until he heard footsteps. "oh , have you come to join me?" he asked , playful smile gracing his lips. "i could use some company."

[vi0light]

violet   hues   heavy   with   thought   ,   the   dragoness   gazed   intently   upon   her   hatchlings   but   her   thoughts   were   directed   elsewhere   .    beyond   the   warmth   of   of   the   day   ,   or   the   intoxicating   scents   of   the   blooms   around   them   ,   even   beyond   the   sweetest   sound   of   her   children's   laughter   .   the   events   of   the   claiming   had   been   an   occupying   force   within   vaella's   subconscious   ever   since   .   it   was   not   through   pity   that   she   failed   to   entertain   another   avenue   of   thought    –    no   ,   those   foolish   unworthy   souls   did   not   deserve   her   pity   –   yet   their   fate   had   brought   into   question   the   birth   rights   of   her   own   children   .   would   they   one   day   be   permitted   to   venture   down   into   the   pits   ?   vaella   had   always   assumed   they   would   ,   why   would   they   not   ?   her   blood   ran   through   their   veins   just   as   much   as   their   father's   .   yet   the   queen   had   already   been   skittish   ,   now   she   would   be   next   to   intolerable   with   her   caution   and   it   would   be   her   and   her   sibling's   offspring   that   would   pay   the   price   .   the   voice   of   her   good   sister   shook   her   from   though   ,   a   smile   quick   to   tug   at   the   corners   of   her   lips   as   she   brought   the   cup   of   tea   to   her   lips   .   previously   sullen   hues   brightened   with   amusement   ,   cordelia   had   always   been   an   amusing   little   lamb   &   a   welcome   reprieve   from   the   daily   monotony   of   life   at   white   harbour   .    ❛   an   astute   observation   ,   sweetling   .   i   have   often   thought   that   women   merely   understand   the   need   to   express   emotion   and   as   such   we   cry   more   ,   laugh   more   ,   love   more   deeply   ...   die   less   foolhardy   deaths   .   ❜   another   sip   accompanies   a   nonchalant   roll   of   her   shoulders   .   ❛    our   beloved   robert   obviously   an   exception   to   the   rule   .   ❜

[goldxnsirens]

cordelia herself , had felt a great pang of sympathy for the men , specifically the lord velaryon. how horrid it must be , to be denied something that should be something that you had just as much a connection to. at least , that's how the young lady would view it. velaryons were just as valyrian as the targaryens , and from what she could gather , it was more the dragons than the blood , though that was a contributing factor. her beloved nieces and nephews , blissfully unaware of the situation as they played in the gardens of the keep , would most certainly be allowed to descend into the pit. but just as the idea of the velaryon going down did , the idea was frightening. the beast could so easily reject them , reduce them to nothing but ash. at least the day was nice , to distract her and her good sister's mind from the possibilities.

her brows furrowed at vaella's conviction. "oh , do not be fooled , i do love robert but he can have his own moments." it seemed a man's trait to be so. "though i do agree , he is an exception to most else. i can only hope i learn my betrothed is as level headed as our own. i must admit , i do not know the mormont temperament quite well."

[goldxnsirens]

a raven for @wcrfcres

fools in king's landing. that's what brandon thought of the court , and most southron people barring his wife , if you had asked him his true thoughts under the duress of alcohol. he had , in truth , had consumed more than his share after queen rhaena announced the death of the two young lords. idiots , thats what they were , but they were still lords nonetheless. he shook his head , bringing wine to moisten his lips. "i wonder how the velaryons and rowans must feel about the queen's decisions."

[amycuses]

fingers  drum  rhythmically  across  wooden  table's  surface,  golden  brows  furried  while  his  other  hand  fidgets  with  and  spins  the  cup  of  dornish  red  around  -  it  was  about  as  much  agitation  as  lord  lannister  was  willing  to  allow  himself  to  show,  the  need  to  be  in  control  prevailing  as  usual.  nervous  murmurs  and  whispers  had  replaced  laughter  and  the  lively  buzz  of  the  feast,  a  solemn  atmosphere  drowning  over  the  guests  instead  as  the  queen  made  the  tragic  announcement.  jason  had  been  raised  on  stories  of  the crimson  rain,  the  event  having  taken  place  not  much  longer  after  his  birth  and  claiming  many  lannister  lives,  including  his  mother's.  blue  hues  meet  the  ones  of  his  companion  as  the  lannister  brings  the  cup  of  crimson  to  his  lips.  " what  a  tragedy. "  he  breaks  the  dreadful silence  at  last,  a false pretense of woe  -  the dead meant nothing to him, other concers of greater importance, as tone grows darker and more bitter.  " i  suppose  we  carry  on  with  the  festivities,  as  that  beast  rages  beneath  us.  splendid. truly does sweeten one's mood. "

[goldxnsirens]

oh , what a tragedy. lord garlan was a fool , but leonette loved him , in her own way. she had not known how to react. she turned to her father. continue with the festivities , that is what the conclusion was with queen rhaena. would it not be such a great insult to two families? an insult to her brother? but she continued on. condolences were accepted with soft smiles. leonette thought her mouth might rot with the amount of 'thank you's that left her lips those days. "a droll conclusion to lady margaery's celebrations." leonette shrugged. she never truly cared for the targaryens of castamere , though she was forced to interact with them. she was lady daenaera's lady in waiting , her contact with the castameres were limited anyway. "what a way to remember lord garlan and lord jacaerys," she rolled her eyes , an automatic instinct to the irony of such events.

[ludics]

OPEN STARTER | capping at 5 (2/5)

as he meandered through the castle's many corridors, alaric's gaze was drawn to a nearby atrium. it was brightly lit, filled with lush greenery, and lined with stone benches. the quiet murmur of conversation and the gentle trickle of a fountain beckoned. he took a moment to sit on a stone bench, leaning back against the wall, and sighed.

then, from the corner of his eye, he caught a flicker of something moving quickly. his eyes snapped open, anxiety bubbling in his chest. his hand drifted to the hilt of his sword, not yet unclipping it from its sheath. the youthful lord was uncertain if he had just seen someone or if it was his imagination playing tricks on him amidst the shadows of the castle. his heart raced as he stared into the darkness, attempting to make out who or what had caught his eye.

"i’m waiting on someone, and you aren’t him. do you mind?" cautiously, foolishly, he spoke to whoever was nearby. the lie slipped easily from his tongue and, hopefully, would deter anyone with ill intentions.

[goldxnsirens]

leonette was not supposed to be out and about at this late of an hour. tensions were high amongst the court. her father had told her to be calculating of her words , ( as if the golden haired woman was anything but ) , anyone could be hearing anything. though , it only made the woman want to be defiant. it seemed to be a special talent lord desmod had on his only daughter.

the castle was just so much more peaceful in the cover of darkness. of course , it was never fully dark in queen rhaena's red keep. there was always a flickering of candles , light coming in from the streets of kings landing. it was soft , calming. her shoes made soft clicks on the floor as she approached an atrium , her hands holding the skirts of her dress.

her breathing was calm , until a voice snapped out at her. for a second , leonette froze. had a guard perhaps mistook her for an enemy? no , that could not be the case. she was clearly the daughter of lord desmod and lady desmera.

"excuse me," she said , letting out a huff of air in an attempt to calm the nerves that were heightened. "i am a lady , and this atrium is very well open to courtiers."

[borgialucrezia]

LUCREZIA BORGIA + helping Cesare wear his outfit  𐙚˙✧˖

[goldxnsirens]

a raven for @steelfyre

the tyrells weren't exactly a mystery to gawain. the hightowers were only second in power to the tyrells in the reach , throughout history that was a testament that held true. they were never exactly close houses , though they were amicable. sitting in one of the many libraries , gawain had needed silence. he was never much one for reading , he was much more apt to go out with the sword , but the silence was quite nice. sitting and pretending to read , he had almost not noticed that his liege lord had entered the room. glancing up , he would stand up , offering a bow. "lord," he said. "please , excuse me. i had not noticed."

[goldxnsirens]

a raven for @wyntrfyre

cordelia had always been fond of her sister in law. a sweet woman , from what she had come to know her for , the mother of her most beloved nieces and nephews. she also made robert happy , which greatly pleased the younger woman. therefore , it wasn't uncommon for her to ask to spend time with the elder.

sitting in the gardens of the keep , cordelia sighed. "you know , i was speaking with wylla , i am quite surprised that they think we the more emotional sex , especially after what had occurred due to men's egos." she shrugged.

[goldxnsirens]

a raven for @sepulchcrs

gawain had never been particularly ... close with his family , bar his mother. his father had always been doting upon his eldest son , the husband of maristela , though ignored his younger children. he had always avoided the two , bar when he had to. though now , it felt like an obligation for him to at least check up on his sister in law. offer condolences , the formalities.

there was a stale air around them as he sat in a drawing room , looking at the platter of food in front of them. family should not be this tense , should it? "maristela," he said , dipping his head to her. "my... condolences. for your brother, of course."

[goldxnsirens]

a raven for @steelfyre

FORMALITY WAS NO STRANGER to cordelia. the daughter of one of the most prominent men in the north , it was a frequent trip to the court of the north. she was also no stranger to feeling like an outsider , even in her own home. the manderlys were a black sheep in the north , ever loyal to their faith. she was no exception. at least now , her and the starks could bond over one thing. a stranger in the south.

"your grace," cordelia would say when she entered the room , offering an average height curtsy. blonde hair ran down her back , brought in a long braid. "forgive me for my lateness , i hope i did not displease," she said with a smile , a hint of playfulness entering into her tone.