𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐘.

"That i can agree on." He says as he looks towards the crowd of people competing. "I actually do not know when it is. I was hoping that someone would just let me know and I will just show up." Dominic jokes. "I feel as if i now i have to make sure it do well in the competition if I am going to have someone watching me now." He teased with a smirk.

“you signed up for an event without knowing when it is?” she says with a giggle. he is an interesting sort, she's noticed. but not as harsh as the northerners she's come across so far, and not so harsh as she's heard of how iron islanders can be. “i will be rooting for you, lord…?” it dawns on her then that she has yet to acquire his name. “i realize now i do not even know your name.”

cursebounds

the great stark hunting lodge brims with tension. the crackling of the fire in the large hearth is the only respite, and AKSHAY MARTELL watches DAENYS TARGARYEN sit with their son, while they hold the youngest in their lap. // @oflcgends

rhaena digs her face into their shoulder, and akshay rubs at her back, gaze turning distant. they don't register what daenys and nymor are doing, not when they're attention is constantly torn between listening to the chatter of the lodge and relying on the guards to do their job should someone turn their distaste toward the dornish.

slowly exhaling through their noise, they lean closer to their wife. "i have half a mind for us to return home on ship. this particular situation is now your brother's, not ours. we've been gone from dorne for too long."

the princess sits on the floor with her son, her skirts spread out like a puddle around her as she giggles and smiles with the young boy. what had happened the day before had been… awful, but she is trying her best to keep her children distracted from the carnage. little nymor is playing some sort of make believe game, while daenys plays along with his fantasies. when her husband speaks up, she does not look right away. instead, she reaches forward to ruffle nymor's hair – earning her a glare from the child.

finally, though, she looks at them over her shoulder. “i don't think it would be wise to leave so soon..” in truth, she is not ready to part from her family just yet. “i know this whole thing has become a mess, but i have faith it will be resolved. what happened was awful, but…” she sighs.

"I am sure if you had asked, some liege probably would have taken the chance to show off so they could teach you how to do so. But then again I heard not all northerners are nice." He teased about the region. It earned Dominic some looks but he did not care.

"I had hoped to do the stone put. It looks easy. The other games do not interest me enough." He admitted to the other as he leaned against the fence.

“yes, i've heard as much… seen it, as well.” it was obvious that the northerners had no interest in being welcoming to those of the south. then again, everyone north of dorne was a northerner to her. even him, even being from the islands like he is.

“i wish you luck then,” she says with a polite smile. “when does that take place? i will be sure to watch you.”

parthenopaed

"children are curious. they will probably enjoy the presence of visitors. more than any of you will," of them, too, but gilliane has to pretend to have made their peace with it – for all of the anger that blooms in their chest, they know that it is not all for bad. something will come out of this gathering, as the gods shall have it. "i don't suppose outright anger will do any good." gilliane advices. "peace is what your grandsire would tell us to seek." but then, cregan stark wasn't the most jolly fellow of the seven kingdoms, so they can only wonder how he would do this – just barely. they don't truly want the old wolf mending bridges today, regardless of what they say. "five days to go still, dacey. can you handle that?"

#* ˖ ·ﾟ 𝐃𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐘 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐊 ╱ threads 🏹

“i suppose you are right in that,” she says with a nod. “we were quite curious once, weren't we?” the slightest hint of a smirk pulls at her full lips. but things had changed since then, and neither of them were the same kids they used to be. “no, that i know, but…” she sighs heavily. what good would welcoming them with open arms do, either? after all they had done... or not done, rather. “i have no choice,” she responds. “but we will endure.” dacey looks down for a few moments, then back up at them. “shall we find the children together?”

lcgionhq

"where the fuck is that damned lamb?" erich mutters in frustration as he searched high and low for that now-missing toy that his four year old was now crying for. in hindsight, maybe it might have been a better idea to let their septa watch over the child instead of allowing the child to join them in the long processional walk. it had resulted in a beloved toy being lost and lots of crying and refusing to lay down for a nap till she got what she wanted. it took a lot of bargaining but the exhausted child finally agreed to close her eyes when her father promised to search for as long as it took to locate back her precious belonging.

he must have been searching for almost two hours now and still no luck. he huffed impatiently as he came to a halt next to the statue of cregan and was unwillingly pulled into a shallow conversation. "if you want my honest opinion, i'd say it is a blatant show of overcompensation," he stated bluntly with a slight roll of his eyes. no one ever wanted erich's brutally honest opinion but he'd still give it anyway. "and they got his nose wrong. it's a little too big and the bulbous tip serves no justice to an otherwise rather handsome face," he noted as he studied the statue once more. "it was a good turn out for the procession but that resulted in a lot of accidental stepped on toes. a clumsy oaf treaded on my wife's foot , not once but twice, mind you," he grumbled in irritation.

the princess looks over at her newfound company, realizing very quickly that he had no intention to start a conversation with her when he approached. she sighs, ever so slightly, as he too proclaims that she is wrong and the statue is somehow in poor taste. she wonders why he seems to care so much, though, considering he is no northman himself.

“i take it you knew him well, then?” she questions curiously. enough to know that this statue got his features wrong, at least. so she has to wonder, how exactly did he know the old wolf of the north?

“i am sorry to hear such a thing, my lord. i suppose i am not surprised, considering how big the turn out was, but still, that is quite frustrating…” she frowns slightly. “did i hear you were looking for something, or am i mistaken?”

drgnsfyre

LOCATION : day two, after the games STATUS : closed ( @oflcgends )

hallis had spent the majority of the day drinking and laughing at those who took part in the games. it was rather hilarious, watching some of the southern houses make fools of themselves. hallis had enjoyed himself a bit too much and now he found himself stumbling around, drunk. his sisters would not be happy if they found him like this. he made his way around to pick up another cup of ale but when he turned around, he slammed directly into someone. he groaned and threw his hands up in defeat. "of course this would happen to me!" he exclaimed. "now i need to get another drink." he continued. "now please.. try not to make me drop it."

the bastard of starfall feels quite lost in a place so far from her home. the games had been entertaining thus far, but she still knew little of how things were meant to happen. still, it had been a dream of hers to see far beyond the red mountains of dorne, had it not? so she tries her best to enjoy herself while she is here.

she's walking around the festivities when suddenly, she collides with another. the collision nearly sends her directly into the cold ground, but luckily she is quick on her feet and manages to stop before she falls. she looks up into the half-lidded eyes of a northern lord, reaching out to him briefly for stabilization. “apologies, my lord!” she quickly says, releasing her grip on him.

he is lucky that his drink did not spill all over her dress.

“i will do my best,” she says, almost sarcastically. “is this drink any good?” she asks curiously as she joins him in grabbing another. she'd never had northern ale before.

"Well im not much a hammer throwing guy but I've seen quite a few people throw it earlier in the day more farther. I take it the leige isn't one who is used to doing as so." He answered. Dominic half expected the other to make a comment on him for what he said but just maybe they were also in agreement.

"Its all in the grip I think. My brother weilds an axe himself and if its anything similar to it, I think its the same principle." He says. "Though i could just be saying some shit and be totally wrong for all I know." The ironborn admits. "Are you partaking in an of the other contests or do you prefer to admire the view instead?"

allyria looks him over, just now coming to notice the pin on his dublet – that of a silver kraken, symbol of house greyjoy. so he is an ironborn, then. she knows little of the people, beyond that they are quite harsh and known for raiding other regions such as the west and the north. many seem to hold this reputation against them, but not she. she knows all too well what it is like to hold one's birth status against them.

she chuckles slightly when he says that he may well be talking completely out of turn. it is not as if she knows any better, though. she knows little and less of these northern style games.

“i think i will be quite content to watch from the sidelines… truthfully, i am not quite sure how much of this is even supposed to be done. i fear i would just make a fool of myself if i were to participate. will you be participating, my lord?”

"It has been quite some time since the North has played host to many people. At least that is what my lord husband has told me. So I would not say it was not a disturbance just more along the lines of having to prepare and hoping there is enough." They were all still recovering from the last five years. Rosalyn had even asked her ruling cousin for help. She did not want to as rhe Vale had already helped out so much but last thing she had wanted was to hear some Southerner complain of them lacking things.

"Though i hope what has been provided is wnough to satisfy our Crown and neighbors." She answered with a smile that was too sweet.

“you have done quite a lot with what you have,” daenys says sweetly. it is true, she was not expecting much when they traveled this far north… but they've done well to make things accommodating and entertaining. not that the entertainment was quite to her taste, but that is fine. the effort is enough to please her.

“it has been,” she confirms with a smile. “i appreciate your grace, lady stark.. truly.” she looks off in the distance for a moment before her gaze falls back on the northern lady. “you have children, do you not? we should arrange for our children to meet. i think it would do them all some good.”

cursebounds

she nearly jolts, eyes widening and mouth parting in gasp. but it takes only a heartbeat for recognition to ignite, and daera forces the tension out of her body in an exhale.

"yes, yes. i'm okay, daenys." she raises her hand, fingertips feather-light on the back of her sister's hand. "i --- i was thinking of father." a smaller truth. she would not yet lie to daenys. "i . . . i miss him terribly. and so much more on a day like today."

her brow furrows. she is not totally convinced by her sister's words, no matter how sturdy she is when she delivers them. daenys frowns slightly, reaching out for her hand and giving hers a gentle squeeze. “are you sure?” she asks, concern laced into every word.

“i… i understand. the years have not made the loss any easier, no matter how much everyone says it will…” she sighs. “shall we go somewhere more quiet, more private?”

summerbcmmer

he allows his gaze to track over the princess's features then back to the glittering statue, tracing over the clean lines. an objective thing of beauty, yet the voice of his father rung clear in his head. all that looked pleasing to the eye not what it seemed — what glittered not gold. “ i would assume. ” had often felt as though if the war itself would not be his death, it would be the heated sands with their choking nature. each time a retreat allowed for them to return to the stormlands he took to it with a vengeance … and now they were here. “ i have little interest in games. i wanted to see the statue without many bodies around to allow me a better look and pay my respects to a man whose legacy preceded him. ” someone that he could look to, difference of regions be ignored, especially when he had gone into combat with his ilk. “ am i interrupting you ? ”

she nods. daenys would not speak ill of her home, not unless it were around those she trusts deeply, but him? he did not need to hear her discuss how, at times, she really longed for home. he probably wouldn't want to hear that anyways.

“no, of course not,” she shakes her head along with her words. she looks to him again, brow slightly furrowed. “please, take all the time you need… i will not bother you with my thoughts if it is quiet reflection you were hoping for.”

losrulirion

the grunt comes. wrinkles gather at the corners of their eyes as they squint, not yet having formed an opinion upon the statue. eyeing the princess with both respect and suspicion, still uncertain of how to read her smile, but the lady dayne rarely smiles for anybody. she was not the full targaryen representation, all too willing to be folded against love, but for the martells, perhaps that was for the best. but for dorne? ❝ the procession was thoughtful, but why need an idol or reminder? did his actions not speak louder than the rest of it? ... i would strike a statue down of me. ❞ another grunt. everyone is far too willing to exaggerate how nice and well - thought a man was when he passed.

❝ let my legacy speak for itself. folk will say what they wish ... your grace. they'll stand at the feet of this statue and take out all they couldn't on the living. it disturbs me, but ... ❞ ending with a shrug. she clearly enjoys it, entertains the notion. acrasia, rather aware of how they don't wish to fumble a tentative friendship with their liege martell's spouse.

daenys looks beside her, immediately recognizing the woman as the ruling lady of starfall. a lady of dorne. her people, now. “i suppose you have a point there, but i do think there is some use in physical reminders of those we've lost. especially when they've had such profound impacts on the realm as a whole.” she understands the lady's perception of it, but daenys chooses to look on the brighter side for the sake of her family.

“you really think so?” she says, brow furrowed as she looks over at her. “at least the craftsmanship is quite well done, wouldn't you say?”

parthenopaed

with her eyes closed, she could be as much of a part of this place as the very heartree that welcomes its visitors – even red of hair they are both, though the thought does not bring a smile to her lips until the arrival of another draws her attention from the plenitude of the wilderness. dacey feels like an outlander in these lands now, gilliane knows, but can't help cherish the approach, even if it is not as well - guided as one would like for she means to pry them away from here and gilliane does not wish to leave so.

but they know they must. yet, for a moment longer, they remain. "no." it's half a lie. she knows what she must do, but the body does not wish to go through with it. "i have been trying to escape to tell the children that they must do such long procession for a grandfather who lies underneath the ground of their own home." a procession may feel necessary for other northman, but not to the stark, who slept with their dead as if they were still part of themselves. "do you think karlon has rid me of that burden or i shall find them in bed yet?" there is faint amusement on the severity of her face as she glances to the woman on her side. "would you rather be in bed, yourself?"

#* ˖ ·ﾟ 𝐃𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐘 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐊 ╱ threads 🏹

the lady stark smiles gently at the sight of her friend. gilliane, who had been at her side through thick and thin. and though gilliane has always been a strong believer in the gods of old, she has thus far been quite understanding of dacey's own crisis of faith. it is comforting, of course, to have the support of a friend.

“i imagine that must be difficult,” she nods, still smiling as she remains kneeling beside her friend. “and how do you imagine they will take it? i know the southerners expect grace from us, but…” she sighs heavily. “somewhat,” the lady nods. “though i think i mostly just want to get this over with.”

slaining

"both fitting for you, little wolf," a nickname of childhood slipping out of beron's lips. fondness that hardly existed within the harsh climate of the north, even harsher within the stone castle of the last hearth. "beauty of a doe and strength of the direwolf." the smile he offers her is one few get to see, even fewer during the winter that had ravaged their home and left many for dead. "i do hope something is a compliment," he jests with her. the days leading up to the procession, to the south coming and invading a place they did not even pretend to care for, had been tough. even tougher with his father in his ear and his sister's death looming over him like a cloud he could not clear. "shall we strike a deal then? you pay for one and i will give the other as a gift, as—" beron has to pause, swallowing down a lump in his throat, "condolences... i offer them greatly, dacey."

#* ˖ ·ﾟ 𝐃𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐘 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐊 ╱ threads 🏹

dacey cannot help but to smile at the use of the childhood nickname. it is sweet, and reminds her of much simpler times. back when they were just little tykes playing in the yard, and not lord and lady with the heavy weight of expectation sitting upon their backs. of course, neither is an heir but there is still a certain amount of responsibility that they must bear.

“you are too kind,” she chuckles lightly, looking down for just a moment as her cheeks burn before looking back up at him. “it is, you know it is!” she insists, reaching across the table to lightly push him in jest.

“fine, i suppose that will work… and i appreciate that, beron, i really do. we all do. it has been hard but… i dunno, the sooner these southerners depart, the better.”

rihtuals

the targaryen princess ( for that was what daenys would always be to her, no matter how many dornish babes she bore for akshay, just as coryanne would always be the martell princess ) was something of a mystery to her ─ in many ways, they mirrored each other in that they had been forced to serve as pawns to ensure the peace between their people. love had blossomed, slowly but surely, between coryanne and gaemon, but she had never been comfortable enough to prod her siblings about their own love lives, and the idea of akshay, softening for his targaryen bride, sat uneasily in the gut. was this how the rest of westeros saw her ? an outsider, one that would sway their king into making wrong decisions ? it made her sympathetic to daenys for a brief moment, enough that she accepts the arm that is offered, leaning into her goodsister for warmth. coryanne hated that they had been forced so far north for a dead man she cared naught for, but perhaps something good might come from this. ❝ it is times like these when i do not envy your brother for the burden he carries ... king, conciliator and miracle worker. ❞ coryanne rolled her eyes, allowing the conversation to flow towards more pleasant topics. she groaned as she thought of her pregnancy, the weight of the babe heavy on her back. ❝ well enough, all things considered. i am trying to make my peace with the fact that i will likely have this baby in the north or gods forbid, the riverlands. ❞ she grimaced. ❝ we've brought all three of the boys ... it will be good for baelon to see his future kingdom and well ... if baelon goes, then aeryn must go. ❞ and she would not be parted from rhaegar, though that needn't mention. ❝ if you need some time to yourself, please feel free to drop nymor and rhaena off with me ... i intend to stay inside whenever possible, and rhaegar could use the company. his brothers are ... less patient with him. ❞

daenys knows good and well that the people of dorne still look at her and see an outsider, an intruder. she may have bore akshay two children now, both wearing the name martell, but did that really matter when they had the features associated with dragon's blood? maybe not totally, but the traces are there, and plain for everyone to see.

she doesn't want to dwell too much on that though. especially not when her goodsister is being so kind. it would be silly to disrupt the fragile peace that hangs between them now.

“ah yes, i feel the same,” she says with a nod. gaemon, with so much sitting upon his shoulders… she wishes that more would see that, would understand that he is trying his very best to please everyone. she knows that more should've been done during the harsh winter, but what was he to do? let the illness wreak havoc upon the whole of the realm?

“i do hope my brother has been tending to his pregnant wife as he should,” she adds with a little smile. “i can hardly believe how big they've gotten, you know? they're such good boys… but tell me, do you wish for another boy this time around? or are you hoping the gods bless you both with a little princess finally?” there is just a certain bond between a woman and her daughter, and truly daenys hopes that the queen gets to experience it.

“that is so kind of you to offer.” daenys had taken to motherhood well enough, though she feels as though she hasn't quite thrived in the way that coryanne has. perhaps it would be good for the two of them to spend some time with her, and their cousins as well. “i am sure they would love to. rhaena is a little shy, but nymor… nymor i can hardly keep track of, the way he's always go go go.”

starter : open to all

during : the time of northern games - hammer throw

this was one of the places he had yet to visit fully. he had seen the shores of the North but stepping foot on it was a different story. the ironborn were hated mostly everywhere. so it came no surprise when he walked amongst the crowd, pretending to play the little noble lord, the looks that came his way. some stared at times because of his height but others was because of the house sigil pin he wore on chest. the one that shone brightly of a silver kraken, a preference of his over the traditional gold, on black field. still he could not hide his smirk as some stared with disgust and others who think they could tame the ironborn.

as he approached a post to lean on, he watched someone throw the hammer and could not help but say some commentary on it to the person who stood near him who did not ask for this. " is it a little sad i can feel pity for the liege? all the muscle on him and yet he cannot throw the hammer any farther than a young child would throw their toy when they are having a tantrum. shameful really." dominic said sarcastically.

allyria cannot say that she is truly entertained by the northern display. it is so different from her home, after all, so far from what she is used to. still, it is interesting to see how culture shift the further one travels away. and though she loves dorne more than anything, she has always longed to see the rest of westeros.

she is stood just at the outskirts of the games, right along the barrier. honestly, she fears that something might get tossed her way and gods how awful would that be? just as she is almost fully entranced by what she is watching, she hears a voice beside her.

the bastard of starfall looks up and up, to the tall man beside her. he carelessly picks apart the player's performance and she cannot help but to snicker slightly. “was that really not far?” she had no idea what made a good throw, clearly. “it's certainly further than i ever could.”