Heir to Gulltown

a part of @asongofgoldenfireandblackblood

[robingrafton]

CHARACTER INTRODUCTION:

Robin Grafton

Basics

* Full name: Robin Gerold-Kyle Grafton

* Moniker(s): Spark of the Vale

* Age: 22 

* Date of birth: May 21st, 109 AC

* Pronouns and identity details: He/Him, straight

* Allegiance(s): House Grafton, House Vance, House Targaryen

* Spoken Language(s): Common Tongue

* Religion: Not religious, extreme dislike of the faith

Physical Traits

* Eyes: Dark brown

* Features: Square-ish and long face, crook in the nose, long eyelashes 

* Hair: Very dark brown, leaves it long, wavy

* Build: Lithe

* Height: 5’10

* Distinguishing Characteristics: His usual ponytail, stern looks

Personality Traits

* “Positive” Traits: Very responsible, sociable, nurturing, gentle, artistically talented

* “Negative” Traits: Avoidant, overly stern and stubborn, obsessive 

* Moral Alignment: Neutral good

* Interests: Birds of all kinds, poetry, painting, affairs of the Vale

* Hobbies: Spending time with his loved ones, bird watching, writing poetry for himself or Lacey, painting nature or Lacey, going to taverns

* Goals: Become the most suitable Lord of house Grafton, marry Lacey

* Anxieties: Losing a loved one, things being out of order 

* Social Weapon(s): Knowledgeable about the world and people around him, extremely observant

Connections

* Father: Jaspor Grafton

* Mother: Cissy Grafton 

* Siblings: Rowena, Rolland, Ryella, Hugh(deceased) 

* Family Status: First born son of Jasper and Cissy Grafton, heir to house Grafton

* Partner(s): Engaged to Lacey Vance 

* Children: None

* Court Ties: Steward of Prince Jacaerys heir to the Iron Throne

[ladylaceyvance]

Like a wick, I keep burning up for you

(Thread with @robingrafton )

The turn of seasons brought no shortage of wonder to Lacey life. The chill on her face first thing in the morning was divine and at night the entire world seemed to be draped in a fabulous winter coat. But her favorite part of the cold was gathering around the flickering fire, sitting at the hearth and watching the flames. She had dozens of candles lit and littered around her room, content to watch the wax melt and harden again.

As she donned her cloak she hummed a silly tune, one meant for children. She’d been remembering various things like that lately, sitting around the fire allows for plenty of thinking. Lacey thought of her own childhood, happy and flawed like everyone else’s. Since talking with her beloved and their upcoming wedding, her thoughts have been on the future. Will they like this song? Does Robin know any songs? Surely right? Tiny thoughts that all quietly implied but never said, “hurry up!”

Lacey felt she’d always been ready to be with Robin. Who wouldn’t when he was so precious? But since he’d mentioned the wedding, she was starting to feel like dry tinder itching for the spark. She was so tired of waiting and yet so genuinely overjoyed to be here. It made for an odd mishmash of thoughts in her head. She dreamed of telling everyone one minute and the next she wanted to jealously guard the news.

All of these thoughts and more ran through her head as she walked to meet Robin. The sweetest of her thoughts are centered around the wedding. She wanted something beautiful sure, but she couldn’t wait to declare her love for all to hear. Just thinking of it made her face split open with a wide smile. Picking up her pace she made towards the little seating area the boys of court tended to hang around. It was cozy enough and sparsely populated at this hour of day. She hoped Robin wouldn’t make her wait long; she was liable to go looking for him if it took too long.

Pulling her gloves off finger by finger, she took a seat. Then crossing her legs and folding her gloves, she watched the room like a hawk in anticipation.

[robingrafton]

The morning had been a chaotic one. A cold, shivering mess of anxiety and running around. He barely had the time to think before he was dragged away to speak on affairs of the Vale, give insight to his younger peers, and help in the training yard. All things he normally did, yet, the freeze had made everything colder and many people in sour moods. He did everything at a rushed pace, which he always despised. All of the running around without a moment to breathe had caused him to almost forget to bring his sheet of notes for him and Lacey to look over, another thing that he despised. Forgetting and going too fast.

The mood of the day seemed to have rubbed off on Robin, as he walked to the seating area with a frown on his face.

Arriving there, he saw her right away, Lacey. Sitting there, waiting for him, beautiful as always.

Robin strode towards her, everything else in sight blurring as she was the only thing that mattered now. The frown he wore vanished, and his demeanor instantly became softer. He hugged her, firmly and fiercely, instantly feeling more grounded in her presence. "Lacey..." Pulling back slightly, he looked into her eyes. "I apologize if I kept you waiting, I almost forgot to bring this," he pulled out a piece of paper, filled with little notes of things he wanted to make sure he did not forget. He sat next to her, squinting at the paper.

"So, I thought it would be nice to feature these sorts of cakes at our party... and have these sorts of banners hanging... and maybe..." Looking at the crumpled parchment, Robin froze. The notes were all written in his haze of anxieties, making sure he remembered every little idea he had for this party, trying to have everything be perfect. But, seeing it now, with a clearer mind, nothing on the paper made sense. A mess of scribbles and non-coherent thoughts littered the page, and Robin began to smile.

"Gods, none of this is even legible, I'm a mess." Turning the page towards Lacey, he began to laugh. Laugh at himself, who he knew was being overly worried about this whole ordeal. He knew now, with Lacey here, they would figure it out together. He may have been embarrassed with another, scolded himself for this, but with his lovely Lacey, he felt comfortable enough to laugh at his own self.

"Let's just start over," he grabbed her bare hand in his gloved one. "Have you any ideas, love? I would be honored to hear your thoughts for our party." Instinctively, he took off his own gloves, then bringing both of her hands in his.

[robingrafton]

Best of Friends

Starter with @vvilliamvance

(a part of @asongofgoldenfireandblackblood)

Who knew planning a wedding would be so stressful? Robin certainly hadn't.

He couldn't stop thinking about how every stitch on his outfit needed to be perfect, or else everything would go wrong. He wanted every single flower arranged facing towards him and Lacey, lest everything would wilt and be terrible.

Robin desperately hoped Lacey couldn't tell that he had been going mad over things out of his control, but she knew him too well. He hoped his stress was not spilling out of him into her own mind. That also worried him.

He was more that ecstatic to marry her, of course. It was all he could think about lately. But the worries he always had were simply just taking a toll on him this night. So, he and his dearest friend William decided to spend some time together. Drink wine (too much), relax (potentially), and not worry about anything... though that seemed impossible for Robin.

They sat on the floor of his room, sitting against his bed, refilling their cups to their satisfaction.

He closed his eyes, leaning back dramatically. "How did you not stress over your own wedding, Will? I feel like I am drowning in worry here." He would not say what his worries were out loud, as he never did that. He never wanted to talk about his own problems, but he sure was curious on how his best friend did not seem to spare a worry when it came to his own wedding. Perhaps William was just like that, and Robin was stuck like this. Always worried and stressing over nothing.

It felt good to be in William's presence, as he always seemed to ground Robin. But what was William thinking now? Was he in the same pit of worry during this terrible freeze? "And what is on your mind lately, friend?"

[vvilliamvance]

One of the advantages of being trapped in the Red Keep was that he could spend more time with his friends. Especially after the wedding and the beginning of his responsibilities at home and with his wife.

Now, he could hear the latest news without having to send letters he would likely forget to write because of other concerns.

At that moment, he was waiting for the rest of the group while chatting with Robin. Well… Robin seemed to do most of the talking, while William listened and poured wine into his own cup.

As he sat down in his chair, Vance’s mind began to drift away from what his friend was saying and slip into his own worries. He started thinking about Cerelle—more specifically, the baby she was carrying in her belly.

The biggest question on his mind was whether he would be a good father. He knew how to be an older brother, but would he be a good father? His mind was spinning with questions.

William snapped out of that trance when he heard Robin calling his name. For a moment, he was confused, but he quickly shook his head to refocus. "Robin, you worry too much. Have a glass of wine and try to relax a bit... Everything works out in the end." He smiled, trying to make his friend’s concerns fade away. So that Robin would lose focus on William, he took a cup, filled it, and handed it to his friend, hoping he’d drink and follow Vance’s advice.

[robingrafton]

Relax? That was a foreign concept to Robin Grafton. He rolled his eyes at his friend. "I'll try to relax when you try to relax. I can see the worry on your face too, Will."

He could, truly, feel the anxious energy from his friend, though he did not know what was troubling him. His parents? Siblings? Cerelle? Robin realized then that William had not even answered his question, evading it entirely.

Robin evaded almost every question about his personal worries in his daily life, so maybe this was karma.

His thoughts went back to the wedding. What if things weren't perfect? How could he relax, when there was so much to be done? How could things turn out fine in the end, when he didn't even know what the end would look like?

Then, a glass in front of him. William's hand putting it there. A drink? How much wine had he downed already? Did that matter? He could have one, or two, or five. Perhaps that would stop the worry in his mind. He'd watched William continue to drink as he talked on, now it was his turn he supposed.

He took the cup from William, gracefully. "Thank you." With that, he started to drink it. The wine burned his throat as he went down, and he kept going. It was barely a minute before the glass was empty.

The cup was refilled before Robin even processed what he was doing.

His eye twitched, feeling lightheaded all of a sudden. "Tell me something about you now. Tell me what's bothering you. And don't think about ignoring me." He tried to sound serious, but it came out more silly.

[robingrafton]

Best of Friends

Starter with @vvilliamvance

(a part of @asongofgoldenfireandblackblood)

Who knew planning a wedding would be so stressful? Robin certainly hadn't.

He couldn't stop thinking about how every stitch on his outfit needed to be perfect, or else everything would go wrong. He wanted every single flower arranged facing towards him and Lacey, lest everything would wilt and be terrible.

Robin desperately hoped Lacey couldn't tell that he had been going mad over things out of his control, but she knew him too well. He hoped his stress was not spilling out of him into her own mind. That also worried him.

He was more that ecstatic to marry her, of course. It was all he could think about lately. But the worries he always had were simply just taking a toll on him this night. So, he and his dearest friend William decided to spend some time together. Drink wine (too much), relax (potentially), and not worry about anything... though that seemed impossible for Robin.

They sat on the floor of his room, sitting against his bed, refilling their cups to their satisfaction.

He closed his eyes, leaning back dramatically. "How did you not stress over your own wedding, Will? I feel like I am drowning in worry here." He would not say what his worries were out loud, as he never did that. He never wanted to talk about his own problems, but he sure was curious on how his best friend did not seem to spare a worry when it came to his own wedding. Perhaps William was just like that, and Robin was stuck like this. Always worried and stressing over nothing.

It felt good to be in William's presence, as he always seemed to ground Robin. But what was William thinking now? Was he in the same pit of worry during this terrible freeze? "And what is on your mind lately, friend?"

[ladylaceyvance]

Starter for @asongofgoldenfireandblackblood with @robingrafton

⁺. ✦ . 　⁺ ✧°˖ . ݁˖︵‿❀‿︵˖ . ݁˖°✧ ⁺ 　 . ✦ . ⁺

Lacey dressed quickly in a dark blue robe, hurriedly she pulled the hood up. Her blood was rushing so quickly she almost felt light headed. Robin had asked her to go for a walk earlier in the day and she was always over the moon to spend time with him. She especially enjoyed their walks together though. Robin was always so helpful when she wanted to catalog flowers or if she spent too long describing the characteristics of a tree. Most people would be bored of Lacey’s plant talk after a while but not Robin. He was the most patient and caring man in the world.

As Lacey finished getting ready she couldn’t help the butterflies going wild in her stomach. Robin wasn’t just the best partner out there, he was also an incredibly thoughtful friend. He always made time for her but it was true that he was often busy with his friends or family. So anytime they could spend a moment alone was precious to her. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she giggled at the light blush already dusting her cheeks. Smoothing her dress and clipping her robe closed, she left to find Robin. They had agreed to meet at the entrance to the royal gardens.

Lacey worked hard to slow her steps, she didn’t want to be out of breath when she arrived. So she took the time to study the winter scene outside the windows. As she did so she tried to think of a good gift for her love. He constantly considered others before himself and she wanted to give something back to him. Maybe she could ask a few of his friends what he would most like. She was very curious to hear what they would say and she was not ashamed to admit she was feeling nosy. She rarely had the chance to speak with any of his friends and she knew he was always acquiring more of them.

Thinking so intently she hadn’t even noticed she had arrived until she walked right into Robin. She gasped and stumbled backwards, eyes wide as she took him in. The concerned look on his face made her start laughing.

“My apologies, I was a bit lost in thought. Are you alright?” She paused to look him over before smiling. He looked more than okay to her, he was positively glowing. He was so beautiful, it was really unfair.

“Shall we go?” She asked, looping her arm through his.

[robingrafton]

Robin made his way towards the place Lacey and him agreed to meet, his hand holding a ring, clutching it for dear life as if it was going to slip away if he held it any lesser. He knew he wanted to do this privately, without an audience he felt less nervous, but he was still full of anxiety nonetheless.

Today he would ask his lovely Lacey to finally marry him, and he would put this family ring on her and he would finally bring them together. He couldn't stand not being married to her anymore, and after Jacaerys and Baela's wedding, seeing how happy the two of them were, he knew it was time.

Robin was sure of their love for each other, yet he still felt nervous about what her reaction would be. He hoped this wasn't too much pressure to put onto her... and he hoped she wished to be married as much as he did. He could not stop himself from thinking about every terrible possibility that could come from this, as well as what she was doing at this current moment. Was she alone? Was she safe? He began to walk faster, not wanting to leave her to herself for a moment longer. He made sure to put the ring in his pocket so she would not see it until he was ready to ask her.

With his thoughts so rampant and his walk more of a run, he suddenly bumped into something, or, someone. Seeing it was his lovely Lacey who he had collided with, suddenly he panicked. Had he hurt her? Was she okay?

"Lacey!" He said, startled. But her sweet laugh came, melting his heart. "Oh, I am perfectly fine. And you, my lovely lady? I did not mean to bump into you." He examined her for a moment, admiring her beautiful smile. He gave a calm smile back, closing his eyes and feeling her arm loop through his.

"Yes, let us be on our way." He started to lead them on their walk, taking the two of them through a route that they were most familiar with. They often took these walks, and Robin was grateful for that. Being with her gave him peace of mind, which was rare for him.

"So, have you any big news to share? I have some. But I first want to hear what you have to say." He would wait until there was an opportunity to slip the ring onto her finger and ask, or perhaps he was stalling, or both. He wasn't sure, but he wanted to hear her speak before he did this, as he knew it would calm him further to listen to her.

[ladylaceyvance]

She assured him she was fine and tried to keep the raging butterflies in her stomach at bay at his announcement of news. Walking alongside Robin she tried to think of a good way to phrase her request. She didn’t want to tip him off to her present plans but she didn’t want him to be worried either. She kept getting distracted by his words. Robin said he has big news, what could it be? It’ll be perfect no matter what. She looked at him longingly, even when they were together she wanted to be closer to him.

Despite the chill in the air, it was nice outside. The sky was overcast but not dark with looming clouds, just a pale gray that shaded them from the sun. A light wind blew, kissing her cheeks pink. Lacey found she loved winter now that it was settling in. The world was quiet and calm for once. It felt like she and Robin were the only two on the grounds.

Looking out at the frosted garden she decided to just go for it. “Well I was wondering if maybe we could host a little gathering with all our friends? I want to meet all your friends and I know the lady’s would love a reason to get together. It’s just something I’ve been thinking about.”

Of course Lacey had met most of Robin's friends but mostly in passing at a function or two. She wanted to sit down and talk with them. To hear them tell stories of Robin and see their dynamics play out live. And of course, give everyone a good opportunity to dress up for the occasion. It would be good to gather around and spend time together as a group.

“I don’t know if that’s something you’re interested in but I thought I would float the idea by you just in case.” She smiled at him, proud of herself for asking.

By now she was almost bursting with excitement to hear what he was going to say. Having gotten the small weight of the present situation off her shoulders she was just giddy to hear from him.

“I believe you said something about having news though right?” She lightly knocked her shoulder into his, her tone nearly singsong. Robin was always doing something interesting or thoughtful and she was eager to hear about what he was up to this time.

[robingrafton]

Robin smiled down at her as they walked along in the chilled air. In the light of the sun, she seemed to glow. How did he get so lucky? He did not know, but he was not going to take his luck for granted. He vowed to cherish her every day, make sure she knew she was the most wonderful person he knew and that he loved every single thing about her.

Some of his anxieties he'd previously had seemingly melted away now in Lacey's company, as she always had that effect on him. The weather was not as terribly cold as he thought it would be, making the time to ask her the question even more perfect. He knew she was fond of the winter, and he knew she was fond of their walks together, just as he was. He wanted everything to be perfect for his perfect lady.

He raised his eyebrows, finding her suggestion wonderful and all too perfect at the same time. "Of course I would be interested. You know I can never say no to you," he teased, holding her arm tighter. "Not that I would want to say no anyway, it is a great idea." It was a great idea in more ways than she knew. Her suggesting a gathering with their friends was the perfect coincidence, as their gathering would be the perfect time to announce that they were to be married soon. That is, if she said yes... but he shook away that anxious thought of her saying no. He needed to think only of the present now, and to finally say what he needed to say.

Her sweet voice and knock to his shoulder brought him out of his thoughts. Looking at her, admiring her, he knew he was ready. "Yes, I do have some news. News I have been holding onto for a while..." He cleared his throat, looking around anxiously for a place he thought would be perfect.

They were next to a tree now, a beautifully frosted tree away from any others, and he decided to stop them there. Softly taking his arm out of hers, he now stood in front of her and reached out to hold her. His gloved hands holding her forearms, and his face all too close to hers. It was now or never, he thought.

"Lacey, I have been thinking..." His eyes shifted nervously. He let out a deep breath he didn't know he was holding onto, the breath around him coming out like smoke in the cold. His voice was quiet, but not a whisper. They were so close, and he wanted only her to hear these words, only them to be in this moment.

"I've been thinking about us and our future. And how I do not want to wait any longer.' Robin held her arms gently, praying he would get through this without stumbling. He looked at her now, his dark brown eyes meeting her beautiful hazel ones. Her gaze gave him all of the strength he ever needed.

"You're the love of my life, Lacey. You're the most wonderful, beautiful, and kind person I know. No amount of adoring words could ever describe how truly wonderful you are, and I mean it. I feel lucky every day of my life that I met you, and that we're here today, together." He squeezed her arms lightly, as if it could show her how true his words were with this touch, and how deeply he felt his love for her.

The next words seemed to pour out of him, the need to tell her what he wanted was unbearable now. "I love you Lacey. I can't bear us to be apart, I want you at my side forever, and I... I want to marry you." "I want to marry you. I would marry you right here and now if I could. I want to finally be able to call you my wife, and I want everyone to know how dearly I love you. I knew since the first day I met you that I wanted to be with you, to never part from you. My thoughts are with you at all times, my heart only belongs to you, I need you Lacey, I..." He stopped himself, knowing he was rambling on, though all of it was true. But he needed to truly ask her now.

"Will you marry me, Lacey Vance?"

Robin reluctantly removed one of his hands from her to pull out the sapphire ring in his pocket, and then held it in his palm. "My family's ring..." He said, his voice truly a whisper now. He presented it to her, now saying nothing, awaiting her next words.

[ladylaceyvance]

Starter for @asongofgoldenfireandblackblood with @robingrafton

⁺. ✦ . 　⁺ ✧°˖ . ݁˖︵‿❀‿︵˖ . ݁˖°✧ ⁺ 　 . ✦ . ⁺

Lacey dressed quickly in a dark blue robe, hurriedly she pulled the hood up. Her blood was rushing so quickly she almost felt light headed. Robin had asked her to go for a walk earlier in the day and she was always over the moon to spend time with him. She especially enjoyed their walks together though. Robin was always so helpful when she wanted to catalog flowers or if she spent too long describing the characteristics of a tree. Most people would be bored of Lacey’s plant talk after a while but not Robin. He was the most patient and caring man in the world.

As Lacey finished getting ready she couldn’t help the butterflies going wild in her stomach. Robin wasn’t just the best partner out there, he was also an incredibly thoughtful friend. He always made time for her but it was true that he was often busy with his friends or family. So anytime they could spend a moment alone was precious to her. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she giggled at the light blush already dusting her cheeks. Smoothing her dress and clipping her robe closed, she left to find Robin. They had agreed to meet at the entrance to the royal gardens.

Lacey worked hard to slow her steps, she didn’t want to be out of breath when she arrived. So she took the time to study the winter scene outside the windows. As she did so she tried to think of a good gift for her love. He constantly considered others before himself and she wanted to give something back to him. Maybe she could ask a few of his friends what he would most like. She was very curious to hear what they would say and she was not ashamed to admit she was feeling nosy. She rarely had the chance to speak with any of his friends and she knew he was always acquiring more of them.

Thinking so intently she hadn’t even noticed she had arrived until she walked right into Robin. She gasped and stumbled backwards, eyes wide as she took him in. The concerned look on his face made her start laughing.

“My apologies, I was a bit lost in thought. Are you alright?” She paused to look him over before smiling. He looked more than okay to her, he was positively glowing. He was so beautiful, it was really unfair.

“Shall we go?” She asked, looping her arm through his.

[robingrafton]

Robin made his way towards the place Lacey and him agreed to meet, his hand holding a ring, clutching it for dear life as if it was going to slip away if he held it any lesser. He knew he wanted to do this privately, without an audience he felt less nervous, but he was still full of anxiety nonetheless.

Today he would ask his lovely Lacey to finally marry him, and he would put this family ring on her and he would finally bring them together. He couldn't stand not being married to her anymore, and after Jacaerys and Baela's wedding, seeing how happy the two of them were, he knew it was time.

Robin was sure of their love for each other, yet he still felt nervous about what her reaction would be. He hoped this wasn't too much pressure to put onto her... and he hoped she wished to be married as much as he did. He could not stop himself from thinking about every terrible possibility that could come from this, as well as what she was doing at this current moment. Was she alone? Was she safe? He began to walk faster, not wanting to leave her to herself for a moment longer. He made sure to put the ring in his pocket so she would not see it until he was ready to ask her.

With his thoughts so rampant and his walk more of a run, he suddenly bumped into something, or, someone. Seeing it was his lovely Lacey who he had collided with, suddenly he panicked. Had he hurt her? Was she okay?

"Lacey!" He said, startled. But her sweet laugh came, melting his heart. "Oh, I am perfectly fine. And you, my lovely lady? I did not mean to bump into you." He examined her for a moment, admiring her beautiful smile. He gave a calm smile back, closing his eyes and feeling her arm loop through his.

"Yes, let us be on our way." He started to lead them on their walk, taking the two of them through a route that they were most familiar with. They often took these walks, and Robin was grateful for that. Being with her gave him peace of mind, which was rare for him.

"So, have you any big news to share? I have some. But I first want to hear what you have to say." He would wait until there was an opportunity to slip the ring onto her finger and ask, or perhaps he was stalling, or both. He wasn't sure, but he wanted to hear her speak before he did this, as he knew it would calm him further to listen to her.

[cissy-grafton]

ᥫ᭡. FROM ONE HEART TO ANOTHER ᥫ᭡.

(Thread with @robingrafton)

Gulltown was bathed in gold, the setting sun spilling its light through the high-arched windows, casting long, flickering shadows over the delicate arrangements of white lilies and golden roses that adorned her tables. The air carried the faintest trace of parchment and ink—whispers of the work she so often lost herself in—woven with the heady scent of fresh blooms. Along the walls, rich tapestries of silver and deep blue hung in quiet homage to both her house and the life she had built here.

Robin sat before her like a soldier on the eve of battle, his knee bouncing with the rhythm of a war drum. Cissy turned the ring over in her fingers, letting the candlelight catch the deep blue sapphire at its center. She had retrieved it from its pouch the moment Robin asked for it, but instead of handing it over, she held it, studying it as if seeing it for the first time. A small, knowing smile tugged at her lips.

Was it cruel to enjoy watching her children squirm? Perhaps. But it was also a mother’s prerogative.

"It’s a fine ring, isn’t it?" she mused, tilting it just so, letting the light dance across its surface. "Jasper gave it to me on the night he proposed. Your aunts had expected something grander, something new, but he told me this was his mother’s, and that she had worn it all her life. He wanted our children to know that love was something carried forward. Something enduring." Her voice softened, her fingers tracing the familiar contours of the band. "I was enamored with it as soon as I saw it."

For a fleeting moment, she allowed herself to drift back to those early years; the stolen glances, the whispered promises, the way Jasper had always been her steady ground in a world that was anything but. Through every sorrow and every triumph, he had been there, unwavering, unshakable. She had leaned on his strength more times than she could count, just as he had leaned on hers. Their love had not been perfect, but it had been true. And right now, that was what mattered most.

"Of course," she continued, her tone lightening, "he was so nervous that evening, he nearly forgot to give it to me at all. He asked me first, you know, before he spoke to my father. I suppose he thought if I said no, there would be no need for further humiliation." She chuckled, shaking her head. As if she could have said no to the man she had loved many moons before he found the courage to propose. "And when I said yes? He tripped over his own feet, stumbled straight into the firewood. I thought for a moment I might have to bandage his head before he ever got the chance to kneel."

She let the silence stretch, just enough to see the way Robin shifted, how he swallowed, how the weight of waiting sat heavy on his shoulders. She knew that look—Jasper had worn the same one, the mix of anticipation and dread. Love was a certainty in the heart, but speaking it aloud, sealing it with a promise, that was something else entirely.

Finally, she smiled and reached for his hand. No more torture. "You have always been patient, my Robin, but I think I’ve made you suffer enough. Take it." She pressed the ring into his palm, folding his fingers over it. From my heart to your own. "This is yours now. To give to her. To start your own story."

She squeezed his hand gently, her eyes glistening with quiet pride. "I hope you will be as happy with Lacey as I have been with your father."

[robingrafton]

Robin could no longer stand the fact that he and Lacey were not married. Whatever anxieties he had towards her well being and safety would not be washed away with their wedding, of course, but it brought him one step closer to building their perfect future together. It had to be perfect, he would do anything in his power to give Lacey the best life he possibly could, and presenting this ring to her was going to start their journey.

Sitting in front of his mother, his worries were at an all time high. What if mother does not want to give up her ring? He could understand that, he was more sentimental than anyone he'd ever known. He could not stand to see things in his possession leave, and he would accept if his mother could not give her ring up. Yet, Robin knew this ring was passed down from his fathers mother... it would mean the world for him to be able to put it on Lacey's delicate finger.

His eyes nervously shifted around the golden lit room, finally settling on his mother once she began to speak. He was quick to respond. "It's the finest ring I've ever seen. It's history for our family is what makes it even more special..." Robin paused to let her speak again, knowing she had much more to say.

Robin almost laughed at the image of his father tripping, but his nerves seemed to rid his face of any chance of a smile. His mother's silence after her story was painful, but it gave him a moment to reflect on his own plan of proposal. He hoped he would not injure himself in his own proposal to his lovely Lacey, or he felt he would never recover from that embarrassment.

The soft touch of his mothers hand brought him out of his thoughts. Robin felt the cool band of the ring slip into his own hand, and with that he gripped the ring so tightly. Feeling the jewels of it press in his skin, he knew it was leaving impermanent marks behind. It finally felt real when he squeezed it like this. He shut his eyes almost as tightly. "Thank you... I will make you and father proud. I promise. Lacey is the person I trust the most to have this. Our family's future is bright."

But our past is dark, he thought. With his eyes still closed, he envisioned his brother. He thought of his relationship with his father, broken yet not somehow. His sisters, who loved him yet resented his overbearing ways. He could not escape these feelings, and though it was his natural way to never speak them aloud, something about the ring in his hand had made him feel brave.

"I wish Hugh was here to see this." His voice was quiet, as he knew if he spoke louder it would fail him. "I don't want to live any more tragedies, not with Lacey." His eyes still did not open, as now he felt the sting of salty tears that he refused to let fall.

[robingrafton]

future life together

( a part of @asongofgoldenfireandblackblood )

starter with @ladylaceyvance

It was the time of the wedding feast, and Robin had made sure he grabbed the seat next to his betrothed, Lacey. He would not suffer being apart from Lacey for any longer than he needed to, and the craziness of the wedding, though very enjoyable, had him longing for her comforting presence more than ever. His lovely Lacey she was, as he liked to call her. There was many names he had given her, all in an attempt to praise her and make her feel special. But every time he saw her, the name " lovely Lacey" had popped into his head, and so it stuck.

Leaning back slightly in his chair, he looked at her from the corner of his eye, observing what she was eating. On his own plate in front of him was topped with his favorite food, apple cakes. Though it was not usual or proper to eat cakes before supper, Robin did so anyway. It was a feast after all, and he should be allowed to feast on whatever he liked, was the way he saw it. But when it came to Lacey, he carefully examined what she had on her own plate, making sure it was enough. He did not want her to be hungry, and he constantly was anxious over her health, to an almost obsessive degree.

He reached out to her, grabbing her hand from on top of the table, not caring who would see. "It is good to sit down with you, after all of the excitement." With his free hand, he took a sip of wine. Placing his goblet down next to his plate and their linked hands, he turned his face fully towards her.

"It is nice to see the pair finally wedded..." While the words were entirely true, his thoughts trailed off to his own future. His own future wedding, with Lacey. Though he was no Prince or Princess of the realm, he hoped he could make their wedding just as memorable and meaningful as this one had been. He hoped he could give her everything she had ever wanted and more. Because she had already given him that much.

"One day we will have a wedding as beautiful as this, I promise you. Even if not as grand, I will make ours perfect. Though, with you as the bride, it is already perfect enough for me." He squeezed her hand, trying to communicate the sincerity of his words. That no matter what, just being next to her was his idea of perfect.

"How are you feeling after all of these events? Tired? Hungry? Please, eat, don't let my conversation stop you." While nothing had seemed out of the ordinary with Lacey, he still felt it was of utmost importance that he made absolutely sure she was alright. It lessened his anxiety when she gave him a verbal acknowledgement or even a nod of the head that she was fine.

[asongofgoldenfireandblackblood]

Heir to Gulltown, Kwak Dong-Yeon, he/him - @robingrafton

Welcome, Lord Robin of House Grafton! We’re delighted to see he has arrived safely on his journey to King’s Landing. Around the court the twenty one year old has been praised as nurturing, responsible, sociable, but some have whispered he is also austere, emotional, and avoidant. Upon his arrival, it is clear that he is very in support of the reign of Westeros' first Ruling-Queen and while the eyes of our court may be fixed on House Targaryen, Queen Rhaenyra, and the future of Westeros, his true allegiance will always be to his family, Lacey, and Jacaerys.

Soph, 20, she/her, EST, triggers: none

[robingrafton]

confrontation brewing

( a part of @asongofgoldenfireandblackblood )

starter with @benjen-mormont

After the wedding of Prince Jacaerys and Princess Baela, Robin finally felt he could relax. While he never truly felt relaxed in his life, endlessly worrying over duties he himself had to manage and the problems of others, sometimes he felt a night out alone helped him to feel at peace. While preferring to be in the company of others, sometimes a lonesome journey could set his mind straight.

So this night, he chose to travel to the same tavern he had taken his best friend Jacaerys to for his bachelor party, only days ago that was. It was a nice place, full of people he knew and was friendly with, but not overly close with to where they would not bother him tonight.

He settled in his seat, a table by himself and his glass filled in front of him. His drink was a sort of mead, something the lady serving him knew he liked but he had never quite asked what it exactly was. He had gotten through one serving when he felt as if he was being watched, making him tense once again.

His brown eyes wandered around the tavern, anxiously looking at those who he knew. None of the others seemed to be looking at him, and he would have passed off this feeling as irrational if it were not for the man his eyes settled upon. Finally placing the person who seemingly could not keep their eyes off of Robin, it was a man who Robin somehow recognized, but could not place...

He stood up abruptly, leaving his table and glass behind, long forgotten. Moving closer to the mysterious man, his memories finally gave him an answer of where he knew this other. At Jacaerys bachelor party... he stared at me the whole time as well!

While Robin was open to making friends with anyone, he would not tolerate rudeness. He had put the staring aside the other day as to not ruin his friends party, but this night he would not. Walking faster now, he strode towards the man's table, ready for answers.

"There seems to be a problem between the two of us that I have not figured out yet. Care to share it? Or will you continue to stare me down, hoping your eyes will do damage to me? Who are you?" He could not help himself as the questions poured out, not giving the other a chance to answer until he had asked all of them. Examining the other all while his words tumbled out, he noticed that the man looked familiar in a way that was more than just some random person at a tavern. As if he was someone of a great house... but Robin ignored that feeling for now, waiting for answers to his inquiries.

[robingrafton]

as your brother

( a part of @asongofgoldenfireandblackblood )

starter with @teoragrafton

Robin stood near the door of his sister's chambers, rolling his shoulders back to try and relieve some of the tension he felt. He knew Teora would be upset at the plot he was about to pull, but he would do it anyway. He cared for his sister, and as her elder brother he felt it was his responsibility to keep her health in check at all times.

The pair of siblings had been having a busy week... More accurately a busy month as they had been endlessly fussing over the wedding between Prince Jacaerys and Princess Baela. This gave Robin an incredible amount of anxiety towards his sister, as he did not want Teora to push herself into making herself ill. Her health was fragile, and he would protect that the best he could, even if she tried to fight with him. He would not allow anyone in their family to let their health fail, especially not when they had already suffered the loss of Hugh.

He knocked on the door twice before allowing himself in, examining her room quickly before speaking. It was clean and neat, much to his approval. While the siblings had their fair share of differences, the both of them had always been good at keeping things tidy. When his eyes finally found her, he stood up straight and spoke.

"Teora, I am here to eat supper with you. I have a maid who is going to bring us dinner, your favorite meal. I say we lie on your bed to eat! Who needs to eat a table when your bed is so comfortable, anyway?" He did not outright say the reason for why he wanted them to eat on her bed, but it was clear enough. He wanted her to lie down and rest for the remainder of the day, and he would stay in her room and keep her company while he made sure she was feeling well. Robin thought that perhaps if he did not specify his reasoning for this evening together, Teora would not be upset with him.

[robingrafton]

Headcanons for Robin Grafton

Robin and his younger brother Hugh were inseparable as children, and the two carried on that close relationship as they grew into men. The death of his Hugh still weighs on Robin heavily to this day, and he was never the same after it happened. It is a topic he avoids talking about at all costs, even getting angry at others who press him about it. He was in the room with his younger brother when he passed, and no one knows what was said or done before he died, but everyone knows that Robin will never tell. 

Known to all as sociable and overly friendly, others have been quick to point out his flaws which are his angry avoidance for harder subjects and austere nature. Robin is eager to help his loved ones with their problems in life, but has a hard time when it comes to his own and would rather avoid them than face them head on. He has a love for order in his life, favoring peace over chaos and disliking any area of space that is messy. He is constantly seen picking up after the little children of Kings Landing and perfecting his own chambers. 

Robin is a fan of nature, being especially fond of birds of any sort. He believes nature is beautiful and loves the fact that there is a natural order it, everything seeming to have a role and place in the environment. His fondness for birds started long ago when as a child he took care of a baby owl, nurturing it into adulthood. His parents disapproved of this, due to the fact the owl caused a tremendous amount of noise and chaos. They granted Robin with a pet hawk of his owl to have instead of the noisy owl, and he has been obsessed with hawks and birds ever since. 

Besides birds and nature, Robin’s favorite hobbies include painting and writing poems. He is adequate at swordplay and a lover of playing chess with his friends as well, but he truly shines in his artistic and poetic nature. His paintings are extremely detail oriented, very sharp looking and represent things in his real life. He often paints his betrothed, Lacey Vance, or his birds. His poems are full of sophisticated language and are often about a boy, who is never named but often assumed to be his late younger brother.

Robin is often in the company of his younger siblings and the younger children living in the Red Keep, as he tries hard to help his mother and other parents with their children. He puts a lot of pressure on himself to be the best older brother he possibly can, and secretly wants to be a better father figure than his own father. 

While his relationship with his father is rocky at best, his relationship with his mother remains strong and the pair are very close. He considers his mother to be the wisest person he knows and takes everything she says to heart. Robin has an extreme need to prove to his father that he is worthy of his inheritance, and he also feels he needs to surpass his father at all of his achievements.

Robin has a deep dislike for the Faith of the Seven and their Gods, as he believes the Faith has only ever caused destruction and the Gods have never helped him in his life.

He absolutely loves any food that is sweet, favoring apple cakes and apples in general over any kind of food.