he'd been a dutiful prince for most of the morning, greeting guests with charming smiles and pretending he wasn't aware that everyone walking through the doors possessed secret motivations, some of which could harm his family. the one benefit of being the spare was that slipping away was easier. as the eyes had drifted away from him, daemon had made his escape, stepping into one of the secret passages that he knew like the back of his hand. he ended up in the deserted hall, far from the heart of the keep, and sat down in one of window alcoves, a book opened, enjoying the silence. until the sound of footsteps broke it. ❝ are you lost? ❞ he asked, glancing up. he couldn't think of why else one would wander this far into the keep.
"Lost?" Triston repeated. His boots clattered on the flagstones as he toop the steps two at a time, his long strides making short work of the distance between himself and the Prince. The corridor was empty, thankfully; Triston had spent the entire day with a courteous smile on his face, and it was beginning to ache. It was his duty to entertain and greet, to take the King's place when he could not be present - but he could not be everywhere at once, and he was beginning to run dry of small talk.
"I understand that there are plenty of strangers in the castle these days, my Prince, but I had hoped I was not totally unrecognisable under all this finery." He gestured ironically at his doublet; Arryn blue velvet with the falcon badge stitched in white, far finer than his usual garb, and heavier too. It didn't suit him; he was always more comfortable in riding leathers. The Prince had found a good hideaway; Triston folded his arms and leaned back against theopposite wall, raising one eyebrow. "Are you hiding from someone specific, or just the..." He gestured about them. "The everything."
open starter !
location: a sitting room in the red keep.
nose buried in a book, a common place for the middle princess of house martell to be found. it had taken mere moments for nymeria to escape responsibilities to find a quiet place to read the newest addition to her treasure trove of literature. the story told the tale of the ascension of the king whose very name day she had arrived to celebrate. she collected knowledge as if it were a trinket for her shelves, never allowing herself to go confused in conversations regarding anything. thus, nymeria sat, nursing a cup of dornish wine as chestnut eyes scanned the page in front of her. though it seemed the story was not enthralling enough to lose herself within --- another's presence being noticed within the room. ❛ dozens of sitting rooms within the red keep and you choose to enter one that is occupied ? ❜
That Deria's explorations had led her to her little sister was genuine coincidence, but that didn't mean Deria wasn't pleased to see her. Despite her atttude - and as she strode into the sitting room, gown flicking about her ankles and her head held high, she was the very picture of seductive confidence - she had been feeling a little isolated in King's Landing. She was not used to not being the centre of attention, and she was most displeased to find that she was not the most important, nor even the most attended Princess here. There was a hint of petulance in her expression as she threw herself down on the couch near her sister and sighed theatrically.
"Dozens of occupations to be had in the royal city, and you find yourself a book," she rejoined rapidly, letting her head fall back over the top edge of the couch. The ceiling above was beautiful, oak rafters and small painted suns dancing above, but they did little to distract Deria from her woe; she sighed again, louder this time, attempting to attract her sister's attention. Then she looked over, raising her eyebrows. "Well, aren't you going to ask me what's wrong?"
alaric always feels uneasy being far from home, especially when venturing somewhere unfamiliar such as king’s landing. their good terms with the baratheon family where alliances are concerned is the only comforting thought. he feels a weight on his shoulders, knowing there are plenty of important decisions he must make during their stay - but all of that will come in time. he’s carrying one of his bags ahead of the staff, insistent on helping at least with his own supplies, admiring the view of the red keep on the way. the ruling lord stark isn’t paying attention when the latch fails and his bag spills open, releasing various garments. he halts immediately, feeling the bag empty, though his embarrassment worsens when alaric realizes someone has been watching the entire time. ❝ oh… you saw all of that, did you ? ❞
The Martell company had ridden into the city a few days prior, leaving a cloud of dust behind them on the King's Road. Deria could only thank her lucky stars that they had come by road instead of by ship; the sea had never agreed with her, while riding was one of life's true pleasures. The city was all so new, so wonderful, sprawling, with its tight, spiralling alleyways, its disapproving women, the sun glinting off Blackwater Bay; she was fascinated by every inch of it, as she always was when she visited. Even in the Red Keep, however, the stench of the city rose up to assault her, a natural artefact of so many bodies crammed in so close. There was no city even half, a quarter, of the size in Dorne, where people lived spread out in small villages. Even Sunspear could not compete, and Deria was not used to the smell; she was wrinkling her small nose as she passed through the great courtyard, drawing the gauzy silk of her ochre veil up over her nose and mouth. About to turn and make a comment to her maid, she was startled to see a large gathering of people flying the Direwolf of House Stark - and even more surprised to witness an explosion of clothes as an unfamiliar man dropped a large bag of clothes. From his bearing and atire he was a nobleman; unusual that he should be carrying his own things, let alone dropping them.
"I did see," Deria laughed, pausing her walk to stand and smile, her interest piqued. "But I promise I will not tell. I can't say the same for...well, everyone else..." She gestured around at their audience and laughed again, a giggling peal. She had heard Northerners were all dour and dull, but she had no intention of being the same. She took a few quick steps forward on the cobbles and knelt in the dust to assist with the Lord's clothes, trying to save them from the puddles and horse muck, but likely failing, and staining her pretty gown in the process. No matter, she had many more with her.
( TOBY STEPHENS, CIS MAN, HE/HIM. ) could that really be TRISTON ARRYN, the RULING LORD of THE EYRIE and HAND OF THE KING entering the keep ? king’s landing is sure to benefit from the FIFTY SIX year old’s ability to be both COMPETENT and PRAGMATIC, but beware, whispers also say they have been known to be HARD-HEADED and STUBBORN. their loyalty belongs to ORYS BARATHEON and they SUPPORT the notion of peace throughout westeros.
S T A T I S T I C S
☽ name : triston arryn
☽ nickname/s : tris
☽ title/s : lord of the eyrie, hand of the king
☽ age : fifty six
☽ gender : cis male
☽ pronouns : he/him
☽ sexual orientation : homosexual
B L O O D T I E S
☽ parents : lord benedar arryn, jirelle mallister
☽ siblings : one sister, likely married! so hmu
☽ spouse : tbd tbd tbd tbd but she's dead. sorry
☽ other family : mallisters of seaguard! arryns of gulltown! in laws from his wife's side
☽ children : lord utp arryn, son & heir. lady alyse arryn. lady utp arryn.
P E R S O N A L I T Y
☽ positive traits : here
☽ negative traits : here
☽ skills : here
☽ habits : here
☽ likes : here
☽ dislikes : here
A P P E A R A N C E
☽ hair : deep copper auburn, still bright in his age, mostly kept trimmed short. an auburn beard, kept thick and long.
☽ eyes : clear pale blue, framed by deep lines, charming but determined
☽ notable features : his hair is unmissable, and he is generally known for his large physical presence, broad shouldered and immediately noticable.
☽ clothing & style : tris dresses practically and comfortably, generally in riding leathers unless for an official court appearance. he favours the arryn colours of blue and white, often mixing this with blacks and midnight blues. he is not against finery when it suits his political purposes, but in general prefers quality over anything flashy. most notable would be his chain of linked golden hands.
P L O T T I N G H O O K S
☽ platonic : tris needs political allies. he is a good, successful hand, keeps the nobles in hand, and has a calming effect on the council room whenever he is present, but he cannot be everywhere at once and is always suspicious that the other councilors do not take their job as seriously as he does. he is intrinsically loyal to house baratheon over the realm and has his faults, but overall he keeps a firm hand on the rudder of the realm and i would love him to have a good solid faction of support at court! people who respect his honour and stability - even if he's not very exciting.
☽ romantic : to the outside world triston arryn is a typical nobleman - more honourable than most, perhaps, given that there were no rumours that he was unfaithful to his wife while she lived, and he has no bastards and frequents no whorehouses. he is courteous to ladies and popular with them for his tranquil charm and his genuine interest in their lives, but since his wife's death he has been able to dodge any offers of remarriage through claiming grief - and his old age. deep down, however, triston is all too aware of where his heart belongs: he has been orys baratheon's man for as long as he can remember, since he fostered at storm's end, and though the king does not reciprocate his feelings, triston has accepted his own feelings well enough. there may be few, very few dalliances with other men in the past, but only with those who are hyper discreet. he is uncomfortable around those who are flamboyant with their paramours and would not tolerate such in any brief relationships he has had. overall: a man who is so repressed he makes himself miserable. gay divorce era etc.
☽ antagonistic : triston is more loyal to orys baratheon than to the realm, or even the throne, and he has made no secret of it. he is the king's man, and does not tolerate opposition. through the years he has made unpopular decisions, not only financially, but also because he will not accept any rebellious rumblings, no matter how justified, and comes down with an iron fist on those who do not toe the line. families of those he may have imprisoned (or worse) will resent him, as will other great houses who view the eyrie as having too much power and influence at court. tba !!!
☽ ( SIMONE ASHLEY, CIS WOMAN, SHE/HER. ) could that really be DERIA MARTELL, the PRINCESS of DORNE entering the keep ? king’s landing is sure to benefit from the TWENTY SEVEN year old’s ability to be both WHIMSICAL and GENEROUS, but beware, whispers also say they have been known to be NAIVE and GULLIBLE. their loyalty belongs to HOUSE MARTELL and they ARE INDIFFERENT TO the notion of peace throughout westeros.
S T A T I S T I C S
☽ name : deria martell
☽ nickname/s : dee
☽ title/s : princess of dorne, called the lady of the spear tower
☽ age : twenty seven
☽ gender : cis female
☽ pronouns : she/her
☽ sexual orientation : bisexual
B L O O D T I E S
☽ parents : prince andros martell, & the late princess of dorne, nymeria martell
☽ siblings : the current ruling prince of dorne, and three younger sisters
☽ spouse : none, but deria has two paramours she is dedicated to. wanted connection up soon! she has always been flighty with love, and these two keep her tethered to the ground. she is faithful to the two in her heart, though the three take lovers outside of their arrangement where they will.
☽ other family : family of her mother tba, other dornish great houses
☽ children : none as of yet
P E R S O N A L I T Y
☽ positive traits : a ray of sunshine, deria martell is the sort of woman adored by most she meets. with an easy, light-hearted charm and the laughter that still contains the innocence of a young girl, she is optimistic and sees the good in everyone. she is dreamy and romantic, loves to follow her heart wherever it takes her, and is moved to tears by the slightest sadness, be it her own or the tales of others. always adopting an injured puppy or an orphaned child, she spent her childhood in the water gardens of dorne making friends with everyone she met. she loves life and living it and doesn't see why anyone else wouldn't. she is easily pleased by gifts - whether it is a new golden chain from her lover or simply a handwritten note from her sisters - and her favourite place is the market in sunspear where she can wander for hours, teasing the stallholders, inhaling the warm scents and spices, and recklessly spending money; as angry as her father became with her wasting of palace coin when he ruled, she was always forgiven within a few hours. she is deeply empathetic and a wonderful shoulder to cry on, though those she tries to help might wish she was a little more...practical about it.
☽ negative traits : no one would ever accuse deria of harbouring ambitions for the throne: she seems to inhabit a world in which politics are just the sort of boring conversations her siblings used to hold with her father while she gazed out the window and daydreamed of handsome princes and the local fisher-girl she was in love with. she is deeply naive and innocent even after the death of her father and the accession of her brother, so easy to take advantage of that her tutors used to lose their temper with her. she falls for any sob story or mummer's tale, and puts both herself and her house in danger with her impulsive behaviour. though she loves her family and puts them at the heart of everything she does, she struggles to think of their best interests when confronted by the frightening reality of ruling; she prefers to think of herself as above politics, which is of course impossible given her birth. her two paramours provide a firm hand and a steadying influence, but even they cannot save her from herself. as the current heir to sunspear until her elder brother fathers a child, she is looked at with dread by his advisors, who cannot curb her worst influences alone - and she only has to bat her eyes at her brother to be forgiven.
☽ skills : beautiful, graceful, and stylish, dee could drape herself in a curtain and look charming. she is captivating and witty in conversation (though dig a little deeper, and you might find that she's not saying much of depth at all). clever in her own way, she has an encyclopaedic memory for people, sigils, names, and faces, and never gets lost, though she has little grasp of numbers or finances. like all women of dorne, deria was taught to defend herself alongside her siblings, and she is an excellent archer, though her weapon of choice remains a dagger or short-sword. she excells in any sport that requires good aim and hand-eye coordination, and she dreams of one day riding a dragon across the narrow sea. an intemperate gambler, she loves to lose large amounts of money at cards and dice, but be careful - while she's giggling and twirling her hair, you might find her winning back all her loses - and more.
☽ habits : an incorrigible shopper, deria loves clothes and fabrics, and her rooms in the spear tower often resemble a seamstress's workshop, with bright coloured silks and velvets spilling out of trunks and across her grand bed. she likes to hum - though less than tunefully - and sing to herself, and can often be found wandering the water gardens dreamily, chatting to the flowers and looking after the various children that trail her, giving them sweetmeats. after her father's death she has not ventured away from sunspear; she is a terrible traveller and gets seasick, so she was dreading the journey to king's landing; the enjoyment of court, however, has done much to distract her.
☽ likes : the sun, the warmth, the desert, the sands. the light glimmering off the sea, the rugged landscape of the stormlands, and the deep waters of stormbreaker bay. bright colours, strong flavours, loud music: anything to overwhelm the senses. being liked, praised, petted, and pleasured. being gifted just about anything and everything, and gifting in return, often items of startling thoughtfulness and generosity. her family, children, and laughter.
☽ dislikes : strictness, anger, stubbornness, or frustration in others. the cold and the wet. being alone with her own thoughts, the dark, nightmares. people who can't lighten up and have a little fun. those who forget themselves in front of her: she might be charmingly casual, but she is a princess of dorne. the cruelty of life and the reality of the world.
A P P E A R A N C E
☽ hair : curly and so black it is almost blue, worn long, to her waist
☽ eyes : golden brown, loving and melting
☽ notable features : beautiful, though this is more in the way she carries herself and the way she dresses. her clothing is always memorable.
☽ clothing & style : deria considers herself a representative of dorne and dresses in the dornish style, merging the red and orange silks with supple leathers made for riding and sand-silk veils to shield her face from the burning sun. she loves to shock and experiment and often lounges in the sort of gauzy silks that westerosi women find horrifyingly revealing, taking pleasure in their blushes. always adorned with piles of jewellery, she comes across as a glimmering, glittering jewel herself.
P L O T T I N G H O O K S
☽ platonic : dee is a wonderful friend, if a little shallow and frivilous for some tastes. she loves to help people especially in times of trouble, she will always listen and genuinely appreciate your sorrows and troubles, and she provides a pocket of warmth and comfort for many in the stormlands. she is beloved in dorne as the people's princess, who is always there with a word to the smallfolk, though she cannot truly comprehend their troubles and her solutions are often impractical.
☽ romantic : deria's current two paramours have been with her for several years, and she cannot be persuaded to part with them and seek a more official political alliance, though it would do dorne good to be joined with one of the other kingdoms and many offers have been made for her hand. as the current heir until her brother bears a child, she is a valuable prize, but she simply turns away with a laugh whenever her brother or his advisors suggest it to her. she is playful and flirtatious and takes lovers freely, but her heart belongs to her two beloveds and she is fiercely faithful to them in her own way. ( details tba )
☽ antagonistic : oftentimes frustrating to women about her, deria pretends ignorance to any who do not like her. she prefers to gloss over discomfort with a little laugh and a kind comment, but those who can see that she is cleverer than that cannot always hold their tongue. her relationship with her brother can be fraught as he tries to force her into some responsibility, and she does not trust the baratheon storm kings, jealous of dorne's supremacy inside its own borders. sometimes petty, she does not take kindly to people who try to outshine her, either.
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