the fire of the frost

[tallisstark]

ceasedoe‌:

medusa    knew    she    wasn’t    the    typical    ,    conventional    queen    :    her    name    weighed    heavily    ,    her    people    the    laughing    stock    of    most    houses    of    the    north    .    (    the    lord    of    greywater    watch    must    have    folded    himself    tenfold    to    seat    his    daughter    on    the    throne    )    .    she    took    pride    in    being    different    than    her    family    .    all    the    more    feral    ,    with    self    taught    grace    when    called    upon    .    she    would    not    bend    at    her    husband’s    will    ,    &.    would    certainly    not    cower    at    the    sight    of    southern    &.    dornish    leaders    .    she    would    be    a    strong    pillar    ,    she    liked    to    imagine    ,    for    the    king    if    he    found    himself    weak    .    her    sister    in    law’s    warmth    is    welcomed    ,    previously    free    palm    resting    firmly    on    top    of    the    invasive    hand    .    head    bowed    ,    to    hide    the    creeping    amusement    on    medusa’s    face    ,    the    cool    air    hitting    differently    on    flushed    cheeks    .    ‘    the    cold    preserves    us    well    .    we    have    countless    moons    to    live    through    before    time    dares    make    its    move    on    us    ,    sister    .    ’    but    how    she    dreamt    of    gazing    out    of    a    window    ,    feel    the    warmth    of    a    burning    sun    …    head    shook    ,    finally    breathing    out    a    sigh    that    would    have    the    madams    of    winterfell    gasping    in    horror    !    ‘    unfortunately    ,    your    brother’s    coronation    only    tightens    my    ties    to    the    northern    lands           i’m    afraid    my    adventurous    times    have    come    to    a    long    end    .    ’    sadly    .    ‘    oh    ,    dorne    .    you’ll    like    it    .    it’s    so    -    VIBRANT    &.    full    of    life    .    very    much    like    you    .    i    spent    the    best    of    my    years    over    there    as    a    youngling    .    ’

She was a true child of the North, wild and wilful and as proud as the oldest kings of Winter, but she was also warm and welcoming, with an open heart and a mind that didn’t look to judge. She didn’t object to a Crannogwoman queen. She loved Medusa as she loved Arrana, but she wasn’t blind. She could see the match was not an idyllic one. Though she wished otherwise, the selfish part of her didn’t care. She was glad of her company, and would rather have Medusa in her life than not, no matter if the queen would rather not be there. 

“Then we should make our visit brief, and pray we don’t thaw,” she quipped. For Tallis, that was a true danger. Her skin had been icy to the touch from the moment she had entered the world, fingers constantly as cold as if she had just plunged them into an icy pool of water. As much as she loved the feeling of the sun on her skin, it didn’t agree with her, changing lily-white to a red flush. 

“That’s a fear we share,” Tallis confessed. It wasn’t as though she’d been allowed much adventuring in her time. The former king had kept her close, the youngest and smallest of his brood and his most treasured. He had kept a close leash on her, claiming  it to be a way to keep control of her more rebellious behaviours, but all knew that it was just because he loved her. She had hoped the hold The North had on her would relinquish with her brother on the throne, though that remained to be seen. “But there are two of us, and only one of him. I’m sure we can change his mind,” a wicked smile crossed her face, filled with a childish hope. 

She listened intently to her description of Dorne, and it only tightened her desire to see it. “I am sure you have such wonderful stories to share. When all this is over, you’ll have to tell me.” 

[tallisstark]

armoredspirit‌:

        ‘    always  will  be.    ’      there’s  pride  in  the  statement.  the  chaos  they  created  together  was  always  his  favorite  part  of  visiting  winterfell.  she  was  someone  who  was  so  like  him  in  a  world  that  seemed  to  want  him  to  be  something  else  instead.  he  laughed  at  her  words,  knowing  well  that  tallis  was  quick  on  her  feet,     memories  of  games  of  tag,  often  leading  to  knocked  over  objects  and  annoyed  household  members.     '    good.  you  shouldn’t  be  scared.  but  unfortunately,  we  both  have  to  play  nice.    ’

         ‘   probably,   ’     he  agrees.  he  thinks  he  would  find  sitting  up  there  and  having  to  act  a  part  as  boring  as  she  likely  does,  and  is  thankful  he  doesn’t  have  to  do  it.  a  second  son  of  a  smaller  family  has  left  him  with,  thankfully,  few  responsibilities.    ‘    if  you  do  that,  i’m  sure  i  won’t  miss  it.  anything  less  and  i’d  probably  oblivious  to  your  plight.    ’

Tallis smiled. How he had curbed her temper and gotten back on to her good side was a miracle in and of itself. She wasn’t the forgiving sort, and had marked as a treacherous ass almost the moment he had left the North. Perhaps things were never quite that black and white. “No promised there,” she said, cheekily. Even when she didn’t seek trouble, it always seemed to land in Tallis’ lap. 

“Don’t be surprised  if I’m flagging you down within the hour,” she pointed out with a small laugh. All of this, feasts and diplomacy and being good seemed so unlike either of them, the intricacies of it all beyond anything they had ever cared about. She wasn’t interested in playing at being a princess, and wished she didn’t have to. “Are you in the North for long, or will we lose you to the road again?” She asked. “You should stay for a while. A few days, at the least. We cantake the horses to the Wolfswood, and I can prove I’m still the better rider.” 

[blueroseicewall]

“All these strangers in our home.” Arrana grumbled. She had a book in her hands, but she couldn’t bring herself to read, not now. Not while there wasn’t a safe place in her home to read. “When will they leave, Tallis? I understand they are here to congratulate the new king, but truly… Do any of them care? Or do they all plot our downfall, or at the very least look forward to it. The south… It cannot be trusted.” She took to pacing now, her simple skirts swirling around her legs. While she didn’t have the most conventional sisterly bond to Tallis, she was one of the few people she could trust with these worries. “The Northern houses can maybe be trusted… And even that cannot be certain.”

@tallisstark​

[tallisstark]

There was little alike when it came to Tallis and Arrana. Born only a year apart, Arrana was every inch the icy maiden one would expect from a Northern beauty. Tallis was different. She was fire, warm and welcoming in a good mood, wrathful and scorching when not. She sat sprawled on the ground, back against the wall where the hot springs heated it. There was a slight burn to it, and she was sure the skin of her back would be pink from the warmth, but she didn’t care. She wore riding leathers, and they clung to the shape of her legs, stretched out casually before her. 

As Arrana paced, Tallis’ eyes followed her. She loved easily, and many knew her affections, but with their father gone, there was nobody who she loved as much, who meant more to her, than her sister. Though she didn’t share her fears, she listened. “The Southerners will leave soon enough. Until then, we must remember that this is our home, and none should make us feel uncomfortable in it.” Tallis was brash and bold and unafraid of anything. She was a Stark of Winterfell, after all. There was nothing anybody could do to her in her own home. 

She hadn’t considered there may be people plotting their downfall, though she reminded herself that it was possible, at least from the South. What did shock her was the lack of faith Arrana had in their own people. “There are enough here that we can trust. These good men keep us safe. The Tullys, the Umbers, the Forresters... they are good men who would defend Winterfell to their last. We have nothing to be afraid of.” 

[tallisstark]

frozensharp‌:

He replied to her with a roll of his shoulders and a look towards lord Glover once more, the man was laughing with a few other lords, but their eyes locked from across the room, and the man fell silent in his laughter. Rodrik’s eyebrow rose up, which garnered him a response that held somewhere between bright red indignation and a sort of proud, boastful anger. But Rodrik had already looked away again, the moment passed. “I just hope he listens to my petition. I will not bend the knee to that man.” Then he turned to her and smirked. “But I can tell I am talking you to sleep.”

He was glad that they could sit like this. Like before. Like friends. Things had for the longest time been strained. Practically deadened, between the two of them. He had been at a loss as what to feel. Anger, firstly. She had made him look like a fool at his own wedding. Blamed him for things he had absolutely no control over, that were not of his making. She had offended him, his bride. He had been angry for a while. But the anger had subsided and had been replaced with sadness. He had missed her, in a way that he dared not speak. It had meant he had been ecstatic when she had wrote him and more than eager to forgive and forget. He was about to speak up when a shadow fell over him.

The man that had cast it was Lord Glover. His face was reddened, partly by the drink and partly because of anger. A grimace lay across his face, with knitted eyebrows. His chest heaved with each ale-stained breath. “Were you looking at something, boy?” Rodrik rose from his seat almost immediately. He was nearly two-thirds of a foot taller than lord Glover. And due to his bulk, the man was forced to take a step back. “Go back to your friends, old man.”

Tallis noticed Lord Glover approach before Rodrik did. She kept her eyes on the older man, jaw clenched, praying he would see her there and carry about his business, leaving Rodrik and her to enjoy their moment together. As it stood, he either hadn’t noticed the princess, or he didn’t care. Before she knew what was happening, he stood before them, and both men stood at their feet, glowering at each other. Tallis jumped from her seat, too. Though Rodrik towered over Lord Glover, he, in turn, stood tall above her. She doubted either had even noticed she had risen. She reached out and grabbed Rodrik’s hand, giving it a tug, imploring him to return to his sense. 

“I was looking,” she spoke up, fixing Lord Glover with a cool stare. “And what will you do about it?” There was a challenge in her eyes. He was a drunken fool, but she hoped he wasn’t fool enough to speak up to her. It wasn’t often she pulled rank, but for her brother’s sake, and for the sake of their Northern reputation in front of the Southern contingents, she hoped he would show some restraint, even if he refused to see strength. “You would do well to remember in whose halls you stand. The both of you. This is not the place for squabbles.” 

It pained her to take the high road. In normal circumstances, she would have flown at Lord Glover, using balled fists and fury to silence him. But for once, Tallis must be responsible, taking on a peacekeeper role she did not wish for. Lord Glover’s gaze had fallen to where her hand had caught Rodrik’s, and she realised then she still held it. Reluctantly, she let it go. After his wedding, rumours had flown about the two, though none quite hit the mark of what had passed between them. It would not do now to have those rumours resurface, for her brother’s sake. Tallis cared less what they whispered behind her back, but knew that it meant something to the legacy of the Starks. 

“Come, Rodrik. If some people cannot hold their drink like a true Northerner, then let us leave them to their tempers and squabbles. We can continue our conversation elsewhere.” 

[tallisstark]

ceasedoe‌:

a    reed’s    arrival    to    winterfell    (    all    those    years    past    )    hadn’t    been    received    with    glee    by    the    locals    of    the    castle    .    medusa    had    spent    days    alone    ,    with    her    ladies    in    waiting    ,    cooped    up    within    the    walls    with    a    frosted    window    for    entertainment    .    tallis    was    the    first    of    the    starks    to    greet    and    attempt    to    befriend    the    stranger              for    that    ,    the    girl    held    a    large    spot    in    the    queen’s    heart    .    eyes    turned    to    glance    at    the    shorter    lady    ,    a    twitch    of    lips    greeting    the    other’s    words    .    ‘    the    riverlands    are    gorgeous    :    the    north    is    lucky    to    have    them    .    do    you    remember    your    time    spent    in    the    reach    ?    i’ve    never    been    to    the    south    ,    and    i    can’t    help    but    wonder    if    it’s    as    pretty    as    the    old    stories    make    it    out    to    be    .    ’

A Reed may have been an unusual choice for a queen, but that didn’t matter to Tallis. In fact, it only endeared Medusa to her more. She was as fierce and capable as Tallis herself aspired to be, and she admired her greatly. The Stark looped her arm around her sister-in-laws, linking them together, a united front in a castle full of outsiders. “They are pretty enough, I suppose, though I don’t think there is anywhere more beauteous than The North to me.” As much as she longed to travel, she loved her homeland more than anything. “I remember The Reach well. It was warm and full of colour and light, though she had come home with a sunburn and the plants made her sneeze something fierce. “Perhaps we could go together, once the coronation is donw. Before we get old and ugly.” her spare hand ran through her hair, as though checking for grey streaks that were yet to exist. “I have always dreamed of seeing Dorne.” 

[idolshe-arc]

the    chilling    air    crawled    under    medusa’s    skirts    ,    marking    its    passage    with    goosebumps    ,    up    to    her    arms    wrapped    around    her    torso    !    A    FEW    MORE    MINUTES    .    (    maybe    this    time    ,    she    would    quit    staring    at    the    buzzing    court    and    go    in    for    warmth    )    .    but    a    passerby    caught    listening    ears    ,    rustling    rocks    under    their    feet    and    her    curious    nature    showed    itself    .    ‘    have    you    ever    been    to    the    south    ?    ’

[tallisstark]

Tallis drew herself to her goodsister’s side. She had spent precious little time with her family throughout the festivities - and though they were not related by blood, Medusa was still her family - but she was glad to finally spend some time away from visitors and in more familiar company. “Once. With my father. Only to The Reach,” she explained with a shrug. “Other than that, never further than The Riverlands. They don’t count, they’re part of our kingdom.” 

[kisslcnd]

the banquet itself was loud and boisterous — people milled about with mead in one hand, and food in the other. it was a sight that would have warmed rhaenys’ heart, were she at all attached to it. she hadn’t been for some time, you see: the woman at all unsure if it was her mother’s doing, or her own, that lead to such a reality.

hovering at the edges of the celebration, the blonde watched and watched, lips pursing, an odd, wry chuckle here and there. no one seemed to notice that the princess of the southron kingdoms seemed to be gathering all the information she could — no doubt to return back to her brother, when the time came. or maybe she wouldn’t; for a little chaos never hurt anyone.

“a lovely night for a celebration, no?” she mused, her gaze tipping out the frosted window; where the moon hung high in the sky, glittering amongst the stars. they never saw that many stars in king’s landing — it may have seemed a privilege, if rhaenys was at all made for the cooler weather. “a true winter’s eve.”

[tallisstark]

Tallis was brazen by nature. Since she had been a child, she was never afraid of anything, however, she would be lying if she said that she didn’t feel a bit of apprehension when it came to the Targaryens. It wasn’t that they had given her any reason to be. She was simply suspicious, filled with something she couldn’t shake. It put her on the edge, and even as she was trying to be on her best behaviour, she couldn’t help but feel that they would judge her for the smallest of errors - and with Tallis, errors were always likely to come. 

But what reason had she to be worried? Was she not just as royal at them, the blood of the Kings of Winter in her veins? When the Targaryen princess spoke to her, she pushed down her caution, and followed her gaze to the window. “I suppose it is,” she agreed. “You should have seen it here in the true Winter. The snow was up to my knees, some days. You’re lucky to be here in the Spring.” 

[tallisstark]

armoredspirit‌:

        he  smiles  at  her  answer.  eliar  could  never  blame  her  for  wanting  to  avoid  such  things  when  he  had  done  the  same,  in  fact  it  was  possible  he  understood  the  drive  to  do  so  exactly.  ‘  i’m  sure  you’ll  be  a  complete  terror,  ’  and  the  words  fall  from  his  lips  with  all  the  pride  the  young  knight  is  capable  of.  he  could  see  the  determination  behind  her  eyes  and  he  smiled,  a  genuine  one  that  made  the  edges  of  his  face  crinkle,  seeing  that  she  was  still  the  wild  princess  he  had  left  behind.

          each  was  a  younger  sibling  acting  for  a  brother’s  sake,  so  he  understood.  he  shook  his  head  slightly  when  she  stuck  her  tongue.  ‘  my  mother  would  threaten  to  cut  that  from  your  mouth  and  plant  it  in  the  garden,  princess.  i  have  faith  that  you’ll  be  able  to  handle  the  dragons,  you  don’t  need  a  knight  to  slay  them.  ’   he  places  a  hand  on  his  own  chest,  mimicking  her  mock  wound,  ‘  i  just  informed  you  of  how  chivalrous  i  was.  besides  if  you  need  saving,  i’m  sure  you’ll  find  a  way  of  grabbing  my  attention.  ’

He understood her reluctance. If anybody could, it was Eliar. They had wanted the same thing, when they were younger, and even now he had achieved their dreams alone, it made sense that they still wished for the same, even if the wish was one of avoidance. She would be a terrible wife, anybody who knew her well would know it well. Independent and untamed, marriage would be yet another cage for her. “Always am,” she pointed out, a smirk of mirth appearing on her face. 

“Your mother would have to catch me, first.” She pointed out. Tallis was small, but so very fast, having spent her life darting around Winterfell, hurtling in and out of trouble. “The dragons don’t scare me,” she declared. “I just think it would be far less boring anywhere else. Without everyone looking at me.” She never minded being the centre of attention, but preferred for it to be on her own terms, not simply for who she was, and who sat beside her. The idea of sitting on a high table, lording it over everyone else, was not a pleasant one. “Actions speak louder than words, Ser Eliar. If I need you, I shall stand on my chair and wave my arms in the air. That should catch your eye.” 

[tallisstark]

armoredspirit‌:

        ‘  perhaps  he’ll  find  it  enjoyable.  i  believe  my  brother  and  i  get  along  better  now  that  he  doesn’t  have  to  deal  with  me  on  a  daily  basis  ’     he  chuckles,  knowing  full  well  that  he  could  be  quite  a  bit  to  deal  with.  also  that  he  wasn’t  always  the  best  influence  on  his  niece  and  nephews,  though  he  was   proud  of  that.  ‘  aren’t  there  any  suitors  trying  to  marry  the  stark  princess  ?  ’ 

        he  understood  that  politics  impacted  everything,  including  old  friendships.  eliar  knew  it  would  be  poor  form  for  a  hedge  knight  of  a  small  house  to  sit  at  the  same  table  as  the  king  of  the  southern  kingdom,  and  it  was  likely  the  targaryens  would  see  it  as  a  slight  from  the  starks.  however,  they  might  see  the  absence  of  a  princess  as  the  same.  eliar  disliked  court  life,  but  that  didn’t  mean  he  didn’t  know  how  to  navigate  it.  ‘  you  should  sit  with  your  brother,  at  least  for  a  little  while.  once  everyone’s  had  a  few  drinks,  then  i  would  love  to  have  you  join  me.  ’

For a moment, a glimmer of hope filled Tallis’ eyes. Her father had loved her dearly. They were close, rarely parted from each other, but he had still kept her on a chain, restraining her and preventing her from running loose through Westeros as she pleased. She’d be lying if she hadn’t thought that now, with her brother on the throne, things may be different, and it was finally time to spread her wings. His latter comment wiped the thought from her mind. Harlon would need her, and though she wanted to believe he cared enough for her not to arrange a marriage she didn’t want, her future was unstable. “Even if there was, they won’t get far.  I’ll never be wed.” There was a fierce conviction in her eyes, a determination to stand by her words. 

She paused, then nodded her head. She was used to doing as she pleased, even under King Brandon’s watchful eyes. The prospect of handling the southern royalty in gloved hands, with a gentle touch, was maddening, and like the petulant child she was, she longed to shatter the balance. They were in her kingdom now, and though she was trying to be good for Harlon’s sake, she cared very little what they thought. She poked her tongue out, rolling her eyes at him, letting him no that if she had her way, she would have spent the night by his side. “How quickly you abandon me to my fate,” she pressed a hand to her chest, though unlike earlier, her outrage was all in jest. “I thought knights were supposed to be chivalrous.” 

[magicminded]

AMALIA WAS undoubtedly in her element, the celebration that came with the crowning of a new king meant that she could for once put aside all the worries and doubts that had been plaguing her since she’d become lady of the riverlands and simply be happy for her kingdom, and her new king. just a few glasses of wine had amalia dancing across the hall, her smile as bright as anyone else’s. “dance with me.” she requested, both hands held out to the person who, from amalia’s perspective, was not enjoying the festivities as much as she was. “or at the very least, share a drink with me.” the command was spoken with the childish authority of one who was not often turned down.

[tallisstark]

Tallis wasted no time in grabbing the other girl’s hand. she had always loved to dance, and certainly wasn’t going to refuse. She pulled them towards the floor, specifically cleared for dancing, and began to dance. She had always been good at it, moving with a grace that might not have been expected from the boisterous princess. “I would rather dance. If I drink anymore, I think I shall be sick.” She declared, with a twist of a smirk on her face. “Tell me, are you enjoying the celebrations?” 

[tallisstark]

frozensharp‌:

He chuckled when she mentioned her size and looked her over, a little dramatically. “I genuinely fear you might have shrunk.” He replied with a laugh. “Soon there will be nothing left of you but a fleshcoloured bean, shaking her little sword.” But he was glad that she could smile at him again. Had he told himself that things would ever even be relatively neutral between the two of them, he would have laughed in his own face, seven years ago. Yet here they were, like old friends, though there was an electricity between them that was unspoken, yet undeniable.

At her mention of Lord Glover and the nod in his direction, Rodrik’s eyes shot over to the man, briefly, and then back. “Avoid him. I heard from Lord Anton that the man has been ranting and raving of late. Threatening to come claim my fealty by the sword or take Ironrath and deliver it into the hands of someone more keen to listen to the old cunt.” His shoulders rolled, as his eyes darkened, eyebrows knitting together. “I will never let him take my father’s halls. My halls.” He stopped himself for a moment, his eyes briefly flicking back to the high table. “Harlon will want his say in the affair.”

Tallis drew herself up a little, so that she could seem taller in her seat. She stood at only five foot two, though she denied that when asked, adding an extra inch here or there when asked. “That’s ridiculous,” she scowled in his direction. The concept was ridiculous, and as much as she tried to be stern with him, she laughed. Had he not been injured, she would have dug  a sharp elbow into his side, but his wound granted him a rare show of grace. “Just because you’re so big that the Knights of the Vale tried to scale you like one of their mountains, it doesn’t mean you can comment on my height.” It was a relief to be able to joke with him once more. When things had gone sour, she had spent weeks in solitude, rarely leaving her room, denying herself the things she loved and sobbing into the dead of night when she thought nobody could hear. Slowly, she had pieced herself back together, the old, carefree Tallis reemerging from inside her. 

It had taken every once of dignity to forgive him for a wrong he had never apologised for, and to reach out via letter to bridge the gap between them. Her letters to him had been awkward. She was no wordsmith, and her handwriting was barely legible, but she had still done it. He could have ripped up the letters before ever reading them, but he had shocked her and responded. She was glad, now, that she had made that move. It was almost as though no time had passed at all now. she glowed in his presence, though a little voice in her head called out words of caution, warning her not to let her guard down too much, lest she be broken all over again. 

She let her hands slip out from under her, freeing them from where she had sat on top of them to help control herself. She put them on her lap, fingers lacing together neatly. She knew little of politics. It didn’t take her interest, and so she didn’t care. As much as she tried to listen, it all went over her head. “You must do what you think is right, and defend what is yours,” she said, slowly, though from what she understood, she was outraged on his behalf. “Harlon will advise you better than I could.”

[tallisstark]

armoredspirit‌:

        ‘  you  would  like  it  there.  ’  he  almost  followed  this  sentiment  with  telling  her  he  would  bring  her  with  him  next  time.  yet,  despite  that  he  would  like  to,  eliar  figured  he  had  already  broken  enough  promises  without  making,  another,  possibly  impossible,  one  tonight.  despite  how  close  they  were  as  children,  there  were  things  about  their  lives  that  were  inherently  different,  and  he  was  not  in  a  position  to  change  them.  ‘  your  brother  would  miss  you  too  much  if  you  left,  i’m  sure.  ’

          ‘  can  i  sit  with  you  if  i  did  ?  ’  he  asks,  both  teasing  and  with  genuine  curiosity.  between  the  fact  that  he  assumed  the  high  table  would  be  reserved  for  specific  guests  of  their  new  king,  and  that  his  old  friend  seemed  to  only  be  warming  up  to  him,  he  wasn’t  sure  if  it  was  a  true  offer  or  something  she  was  merely  joking  with.  ‘  that  she  is,  and  she  has  a  good  sense  of  humor.  besides,  i  didn’t  like  to  the  princess,  i  only  failed  to  correct  her  mistake,  which  i,  personally,  think  was  quite  chivalrous  of  me.  ’

“I am sure I would,” Tallis agreed, a breathy, wistful quality clouding her tone. She had long harboured a dream of exploring the vast expanses of deserts in Dorne, so different from the icy landscapes she was used to, yet shockingly similar at the same time. She paused at his words, then offered a small, humble shrug. “It is not so unsual for a brother and sister to be parted, by marriage or other factors. Harlon will learn to love it.” 

She paused for a moment. In any other feast, she wouldn’t hesitate about inviting Eliar to her table, whether she was angry at him or not. Even in her frustrations, he was interesting enough to warrant that from her. But with the Targaryens around, she wasn’t sure they would let her. “I can sit with you?” She suggested, answering in a way that was both honest and a joke. “Still. I may have died of embarrassment if that were me. Chivalry be damned.” 

[tallisstark]

frozensharp‌:

“Aye, I decided that your father wouldn’t let us be wed! I decided that instead I’d marry a Woods girl? Had it all in my head, I did. Rodrik Forrester, master schemer, eh? Piss off, Tallis. You know I wanted you. But this isn’t Ser Florian and Lady Venna. We do not get to choose.” He took another step back and looked at her, flames in his eyes and anger written on his face, tugging his lips up, which were now hidden in a beard that was longer than one might expect for his age. “And yet, there you stand. Spitting venom at me as though I had a say in any of this. Spitting venom at Jaenette, who was told just like you were, who she was to marry, and who not.” He then looked over towards the crowd of people, whom had all gone rather quiet.

Then, he turned back to Tallis. “I believed that you, of all people, would understand that I did not want this.” Then, he bowed his head at her and turned away, with a grumbled, “Your highness.”

“Rodrik,” she choked his name out, though her face betrayed her shock at his anger. Tallis Stark had never been spoken to like that in her life. It came with being her father’s favourite. She had learned all too well how to get what she wanted, and that stomping her foot when she didn’t often bent others to her will. “You could have said no,” she hissed, teeth gritted. “I chose you or nothing. And I have stuck to that. If you wanted me, you would have done the same.” It was a cheap shot, calling his feelings for her into question, but how can he have ever loved her if that was how he would treat her in her heartbreak. “You and the Woods whore have taken everything from me. I owe you nothing. Certainly not false congratulations and niceties.” 

He turned from her then, and at his use of her title, she was maddened. He knew she hated it, knew it was so against everything Tallis Stark was. She grabbed his sleeve, yanking it with all her might, wanting him to turn and face her again. A plan was coming to mind, one that was bold and stupid and might just work. “Just once more,” she whispered. She was quieter now, softer, but even with her anger stripped back, there was an instability to her, a sense that she was unravelling and soon there would be nothing left. “Just... be with me once more. If this is to be it, give me that. Give me something to remember for the rest of my days.” If she could just get him to lie with her, she was sure she could convince him to send Jaenette away, married in name only, and belong to her once more. This could not be all there was for them. 

[tallisstark]

frozensharp‌:

“Aye, it is just sparring. But a sword is still a big iron club if you blunt it.” A grin had appeared on his face however. He knew exactly how headstrong Tallis Stark was. When it came to pigheadedness, they matched almost perfectly, though Rodrik was a lot more patient, most of the time. “Fine, fine. Agreed. One time. We will speak about it later. I am not too keen on beating your head in while half the world watches me do it.” He then put on his most smug smile and looked at her for but a moment, before bursting into a thunder of laughter at what was assumedly a rather annoyed face she was making. It had always been one of his keenest pleasures to make her look sour. Her eyebrows knitting together and her nose scrunching up like it did, those were the sights he had lived for as a boy.

“Have you seen Lord Glover?” He then asked, his head peering over hers into the crowd. The Glovers were lords over the Wolfswood, though the relationship they had with the Starks had been strained, ever since they had won the North back from the Boltons. Glover influences had withered with the return and glory of House Forrester, and now that Rodrik had inherited half the Wolfswood from his Father by Law, the balance of power was in disarray. The man had come to Ironrath a few months prior. By law and tradition, Rodrik swore fealty to the Glovers. But the tall bear of the Ironwood grove had refused to bend the knee. Stubborn and willful Rodrik had other ideas. “Alarm me when you do. If he has enough ale behind his teeth he might drink himself into false courage…”

“You are assuming you can hit me. I am a small target, you know.” Small and quick and nimble, but utterly relentless. She was eager to show him how proficient she had become. She had few talents, but her skill with her swords was to be envied, and she was proud of how she had come, through years of hard work and dedication. Her smile widened, and she shook her head. “If you don’t want others to see you lose to me, then we can wait until the visitors leave. We can be alone then.” It was a bad idea to be alone with him. She had avoided it for years, since he had rejected her at his wedding. Things had been strained since then, but this was giving her hope that they would be better. Perhaps they could reclaim their friendship, if not anything else. 

Tallis nodded her head, slowly, jerking it towards where she knew Lord Glover to be, drunken and celebratory for now, but for how long was anybody’s guess. She had heard of Rodrik’s refusal to declare for the Glovers, as tradition bade him to do. She had felt an intense rush of pride when she had been told, taking it as proof that there was still something of her Rodrik in the man. “Are you looking to avoid him, or for a confrontation? Either can be arranged.” 

[tallisstark]

the courts offer bread and salt to TALLIS STARK of HOUSE STARK. many say that the TWENTY FOUR year old PRINCESS of THE NORTHERN KINGDOM is known to be DARING and LIGHTHEARTED, though ill tongues whisper that she is RECKLESS and UNFORGIVING. when her name is uttered , one is reminded of a thrown knife meeting its target, the smell of well-worn riding leathers, dark hair in elaborate braids. may she blessed and protected in this war of crowns. (fc: Anya Taylor Joy)

Hi all!! I’m Shay. I was in this RP briefly before, but I don’t expect anybody to remember me at all. I am excited to see this back in the tags and can’t wait to get started writing with you all. Under the cut is some more information about Tallis, though I have kept things fairly vague so as not to contradict anything her family may have already written, so this may be altered later. If you’d like to plot, please do drop me a message or like this and I’ll come to you! 

Updated 04/02/2020

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[tallisstark]

frozensharp‌:

Her words halted him. He no longer danced. He just stood there, with shock on his face. He had known she was angry, but this was venomous, and he would not stand idly by. He had perhaps not chosen to marry Jaenette. If things had gone his own way, Tallis and he would be dancing before the crowds of their own marriage. But it was not to be. To attack him like this? To cut him with her words, to take swipes at a bride about as willing to step into this marriage as he was? Rodrik had too much honour and pride in him. He had drunk more than her, by quite a bit, but felt a lot less inebriated. His size keeping him in relative order. He had some control over his wit left. And it was that control, and the fact that he still felt for Tallis, that allowed him to keep the raging storm in the pit of his stomach under control.

He grabbed her arm as subtly as he could. He was enormous, and with his size came a remarkable strength. He took her along, as swiftly and subtly as he was able to, off the floor and to the place where the family would dine when there were no feasts. A slightly heightened platform, away from the crowd. Once there, he let go of her, and before she could start her tirade, he turned to her. “Enough.” He seethed. Rage boiled in his eyes. He could have cried for it, but his control seemed to extend somewhat further. “Speak to me like that again and they will have grounds to lock me away, Tallis Stark.” His jaw was set, his voice eerily calm. “We did nothing to earn this child’s rage.”

She knew she had made a mistake, but she couldn’t stop herself. The words flowed freely from her lips. She was never the retrained sort, but tonight she was out of control, lashing out at something she couldn’t control, and it was he who was receiving the worst of her assault. He looked at her in shock, and she felt a fierce pride that she had gotten under his skin, hurt him in the way she was hurting. Still, even in the state she was in, drunken and emotional and furious, she knew when he caught her arms and marched her away from the floor to somewhere more secluded that she had pushed him to his limit. She wanted him to scream at her, and it was almost worse that he didn’t. Still, there was no going back now. 

“I won’t apologise,” she jutted her chin out in defiance, her gaze steely as she met his. “Why? Are you going to hurt me?” She let out a cold, mirthless laugh, but it halted at his next words. “Nothing,” she repeated, lifting skinny arms to wrap around herself, to hold herself together when she was so close to falling apart. “You really think this is nothing? It’s not nothing, Rodrik.” She was getting progressively louder, though she didn’t seem to notice. Tears pricked at her eyes and rolled down her cheeks, leaving hot trails in their wake. 

[tallisstark]

armoredspirit‌:

        ‘ dorne  is  beautiful,  but  far  too  hot, ’   nothern  blood  felt  too  thick  to  deal  with  the  oppressive  sun  that  rose  over  the  sands,  and  eliar  would  swear  it  was  not  the  same  that  sat  in  the  northern  sky.  ‘  it’s  bright  and  the  gardens  are  massive,  they  have  far  more  color  in  their  palaces  because  of  it.  not  just  greys.  ’   he  shrugs  slightly,  never  being  the  best  with  his  words.  ‘  they  dress  differently  as  well.  they  don’t  have  to  worry  much  about  function,  keeping  warm  and  the  like,  so  they  show  off  much  more.  ’

  ‘  there  was  a  tourney  for  princess  nymeria’s  corination  that  i  competed  in.  ’    he  looked  down  at  her  as  he  spoke,  wanting  to  see  how  she  reacted.  he  wondered  if  his  stories  would  help,  or  if  they  would  only  make  things  worse.  ‘  she’s  a  good  ruler,  it  seems  like.  genuine.  ’   he  paused,  letting  out  a  soft  laugh  as  he  remembered  a  detail  of  their  interaction,  ‘  she  assumed  i  was  erik.  i  didn’t  want  to  correct  her  so  i  pretended  to  be  the  ruling  lord  umber  for  about  half  an  hour  before  someone  else  ruined  it.  ’  

“I would have thought it a glorious feeling to always have the sun on your face,” Tallis mused. She had never known anything but The North, and it would have been entirely alien to her, but she drank up his words regardless, using them to pain a picture in her mind. She almost closed her eyes to better see it. “It all sounds so wonderful. I never would have returned.” She declared, and with that, it was as though things clicked into place, and she understood him a little better. 

“Did you win? I don’t think I can sit with you if you didn’t,” her expression was serious, but her tone was light. She was teasing him. She was still jealous, but with every word from his mouth, her resentment was evaporating. “I like Princess Nymeria. She’s a good woman,” Tallis agreed. She had been lucky enough to form a friendship with the Princess of Dorne, one she treasured closely. She didn’t laugh, but there was a light of amusement in her eyes. “And how did she take it when she found out? I would have been furious with you.”