△ Do You Think Your Husband Really Would Have Chosen You As A Bride Over Your Sister, Or Was His Hand

 rosa would be lying to say she wasn't the slightest bit nervous for the dinner about to take place. it was the first real time all of them were going to be able to get together as one. soon enough both of their families would be joined together and all the princess wanted was for them all to get along. her siblings meant the world to her, and rodrik was soon to be her husband, she needed them to get along. but rosa came from a family of people all with very strong personalities and ideas. she loved them for it but she hoped that it wouldn't clash with the starks. but perhaps with the threat of war looming over them all, a night of a joyful celebration was what they all needed. 

the red head looked around at all the people gathered in the room. letting out a sigh of relief, she smiled. at least so far so good.

@kingarryn @ravellaarryns @robinofthevale @rodrikofwinter @harrionstark​

wyattgrafton​:

⋅ ◆ ⋆

with fire kissed hair and blue eyes to match, rosa arryn stood out among her siblings whose dark hair matched their often austere moods. despite recent events and although wyatt caught a flash of apprehension across the woman’s face, the youngest arryn daughter was of a much more sunny disposition. for one her curiosity seemed genuine and unmotivated by hidden motives. a far cry from the conversation he had entertained with rhys arryn a few weeks ago, which had been filled with silences and double meanings. wyatt didn’t know rosa well and with the two of them now residing in completely different parts of the kingdom opportunities to get to know the newly anointed queen of the north would be few and far between.

he’d admired rosa’s resilience over the years as she hadn’t been dealt with all the blessings some of her siblings had been but she had made a place for herself in the world despite her struggles and he had no doubts even the harshness of the north was no match for her strength. he did wonder if the northern men and women were truly treating her as one of their own even as he saw heavily armed guards flanked at her side. the vale and the north differed in traditions as they did in many other things and surely adapting must not have been the easiest thing. now that she was with child however he assumed must of the pressure that rested on her shoulders must have lessened somewhat.

he shrugged at her comment regarding his prayers. “i appreciate the sentiment but in truth i was starting to feel a bit tired of kneeling. besides there’s only so many prayers i know by heart.” he could count them on one hand and even those he was ashamed to say he didn’t fully recall. if anything he’d become most familiar with prayers to the drowned god during his travel at sea. he’d even prayed to them once during a particularly memorable storm. “i’ll be joining them, yes. i assume you’ll stay in winterfell considering your condition. your brother has many skilled advisors with him, i wouldn’t worry too much. if you need anything, know that you can always write to me. i’ll do my best to be of assistance.”

.

“would you give me a moment good sirs?” the queen said giving a small glance over her shoulder to the guards flanking her. hesitant for just a moment they back up enough to give the two of them a little privacy however there was no way she doubted they would be leaving her sight. a light dusting of snow had begun to fall from the hair, clinging to whatever it touched. a small halo of white begun to appear around wyatt’s dark hair as it fell. her own sprinkled with the same soft snowflakes.

there was not much she knew about wyatt himself and yet so much she was learning about his family. and then of course there was so much she was learning about him from ravella, although given her attitude about him she did not think that was the most accurate portrait of him. rowan seemed to have a good view of him however, and it was a rare time that she disagreed with her brother’s visions of things.

“my condition?” something about it struck her as odd. but the soft smile of rosalyn stark did not leave her face. “thank you lord grafton for your kind thoughts but i can assure you i will be traveling with barrowtown with both of my families. my husband and i both believe it is for the best right now.” stepping around him, she carefully bent down to leave the flowers for daemon. he didn’t need his prayers here, she had given enough of them on her own. rising back to her feet with her center of gravity off center with her stomach was a little more tricky as the days went on. “my brother surrounds himself with smart men and women, he always has. i think he has a knack of seeing things in people that other’s do not see. i have no doubt he is in good hands. but it is good to know you can also be of assistance.” the red head turned to look back over at the grafton lord. “i too am of service if you need anything. despite my condition, i can assure you i am very capable still. you are new to the court of the mountain. it can be different but a good place but it can take time to find ones place, however.”

C H A R A C T E R  I N S P I R A T I O N S 

 task 001

ella  - cinderella

“Have courage and be kind”

yvanie -stardust

“But to see the way that mankind loves. I mean, you can search the furthest reaches of the universe and never find anything more beautiful. So, yes, I know that love is unconditional.”

throughout most of her life, rosalyn had been led to believe that her destiny lay within the north. her father, in those rare moments of interaction with his youngest daughter, would tell her over and over to prepare for the north. there she would be away from the vale, from his sight and someone else’s issue to deal with. after all, her sister ravella would be sealing an alliance with a powerful vale lord, making her a valuable asset for the kingdom closer to their own. in this intricate dance of politics and marriage, his other daughter could be used to help the kingdom close by them. thereby securing alliances and ensuring prosperity. but the tapestry of fate often weaved intricate patterns, and the eventual upheavals of war and death transformed their predestined lives.

and yet, here she stood once more, poised for betrothal, this time not to a stark lord but to a stark king—a union that would elevate her status to that of a queen.

upon the first engagement announcement, rosalyn had delved into a tome detailing the teachings of the old gods. recognizing that her children would grow up worshipping these ancient deities, she diligently pored over the book's pages, seeking to imbibe the knowledge. yet, as the days elapsed, the book eventually returned to its place on the shelf, its purpose temporarily fulfilled. now, however, she found herself pulling it down again, gently wiping away the dust that had gathered, ready to plunge into its wisdom again.

outwardly, she adhered to the tenets of the faith of the seven, a virtuous woman of the vale, as expected. but always, there lingered that fractional part within her—a questioning spark. it was not solely due to the old gods book she had perused; rather, it was a lingering sense of unease that never seemed to abate. how could she reconcile the cruelty of her father, who wielded his power like a merciless blade, with the reverence he received within the sept? the hypocrisy of it all gnawed at her. in a realm where faithful followers constantly bickered, killing one another, how could these acts be deemed righteous? for years, she had sat in the sept asking the gods to reveal answers, but none came. a veil of guilt shrouded her thoughts for entertaining such heretical notions, leaving her to ponder whether her father's maltreatment was somehow justifiable. her uncertainty deepened, threading uncertainty into the future she envisaged for her children, whom she hoped to raise in the worship of the old gods.

the eyrie's godswood provided the setting for the newly engaged first real meeting—an apt fusion of the old and new, a bridge between two belief systems that had yet to fully intertwine. a strange kinship settled within her as the ancient trees that should be watching over them, sharing her sense of a divided spirit.

"many attribute the statue to alyssa," she shared, a soft, knowing smile gracing her lips. "my mother was among those who believed it. strangely cruel, isn't it? to cast a statue of her weeping while she ceaselessly sheds tears over the giant's lance.you know the one name my father forbid my mother to name any of us was alyssa. he thought it would bring bad luck down upon them." a faint laugh colored her voice, but it was a laughter born of contemplation as the thought of her father caring for his own daughters. at least he didn’t curse them with bad luck.

as the topic shifted to the godswood's trees, rosalyn's gaze turned towards where the tree should be. "attempts have been made to transplant the heart tree here, but the very rocks seem to thwart the endeavor. an unfortunate pity, for i can only imagine the beauty it would bring to this sacred space," she mused, a yearning note in her tone. “i have read of the weiwood heart tree in the north many times in my books but have never seen one in person before. i am looking forward to seeing the one in winterfell.” 

his next question, led to the briefest of pauses in her response. as she fashioned her reply, it could have been perceived as her merely searching for the right words or perhaps due to the intricacies of her needing to lipread. but deep within, she battled the impulse to reveal her innermost thoughts. yet, in this initial meeting as fiancés, restraint triumphed. "yes, i have been raised within the faith of the seven from infancy. within the vale, there are not many who veer from this path," she replied, maintaining her calm facade. her eyes met his gaze, a subtle challenge in her demeanor. "and you, i imagine you are a practitioner of the old gods. i've delved into texts, but true understanding often evades the confines of mere pages."

| a starter for @rosaaaryn​ | | time: flashback, year 2 | | setting: the day before their wedding, king owen stark and princess rosa arryn speak in the godswood of the eyrie |

They were betrothed once before. Back in a time before the dance. His father thought it would be a great way to unite their houses and their regions, before the dance. Before the war that came and dissolved most unions in favor of others or security. His father talked about it so often that when they weren’t fighting, he tried to avoid the man’s gruff words. And now he would do anything to hear those words again. Sons were meant to bury their fathers, didn’t make it hurt any less. He missed the man now, not half as much as he missed his mother, but he was close to his father. They spent so much of their time together that he often still found himself entering what was once his father’s office and sitting at the table instead of the desk only for Jon to tell him to move.

The godswood of the Eyrie wasn’t a godswood at all. The godswood contained no heart tree. Owen thought it more of a garden than a godswood and he looked forward to the day he would go home again. There was something more important than being homesick and it was securing his family, the royal line, and making alliances. Military and trade alliances and it was best to start close to home. They were once betrothed, years ago. They were quite different now, at least he felt different. Ten years on, war changed him and the crown he wore felt quite heavy.

“Princess Arryn, they say this statue is Alyssa Arryn.” Owen spoke as he walked up to the marble statue of the legendary woman. The crypts of Winterfell were filled with statues of Starks and their direwolves. The godswood of Winterfell didn’t hold any great statues or fountains, only the many trees, the small and cold pool at the ancient weirwood heart tree. “Our learned men say weirwoods can’t grow up here…” Owen didn’t know why he was speaking of the Gods. It seemed a good place to start.

“And you, you follow the way of the seven?”

starkwhitewolf​:

torrhen sighed, she was so young and innocent. he admired the strength of her kindness and generosity, for that was something that was more powerful than the strength of a thousand men. to have a good heart, and good judgement, made for a much better leader. at least, that was his opinion. sure, there were those who believed otherwise, but he did not care to hear those opinions, anyways. “rosa, it’s not that simple.” he replied, trying to keep his voice gentle to not cause her any pain. “of course i want that too, but strength is not always something to show those around us, we have to be strong for our child and make those difficult choices for his sake, no matter what others may think of it.”

although he could not feel his child on the outside yet, he was certain the baby was growing strong. he had the strongest mother he could think of. he was surprised by how quickly his feelings for rosa had grown, and while it was just the way of his family and a northern trait to be incredibly protective of one another, he could not afford for the enemy to see her as his ultimate weakness. even if she hated him for it, if it came down to her going south was the safest thing, that’s what would happen. “i will not do anything unless absolutely necessary, but you should know that is an option on the table as of now.” he sighed, slowly removing his hand and pacing over towards the fire. “we still don’t know what we are up against.”

.

however neither of them liked the idea she knew he was right. there was more than just strength to show others she could stay here. it would be stubbornness then. something that had been the downfall of hundreds of kings and queens and would the the cause of more. letting pride get in the way of what was the best choice. how blessed she was to have a man who did not put his pride above his family. someone who truly cared. a wolf looking over his pack, ensuring they were all safe. “i understand. i pray that it will not come to it but if it does i will not fight your decision.” it would be hard enough to leave his side, they did not need to leave in anger. simply she would count down the days until they were reunited once more. but for now she had him here, they had each other. she would hold onto that tightly.

“i don’t think any of us know what we are up against. every day it seems to be growing bigger. if it didn’t happen here it was bond to explode out somewhere else.” rosa said following him over to the fire, taking a seat to soak in the warmth. and to get off her feet for just a moment. “torrhen, we will find those people and each day we can discover new clues that will lead us to the source of what is truly happening. but i believe we should expect the unexpected when it comes to these men.” she said, her eyes watching the fire dance.

 “i have heard of people whispering about the dead rising. old stories of the north, but could it be real? could someone be trying to harness a power we don’t know? there are things we cannot explain...your own sibling has a gift, does she not?” there was much she did not know of the north and the ancient stories but she wanted to help in whatever way she could. at least let her husband know he was not alone in his thoughts.

falcxnprince​:

.

it was odd, seeing his sister as a queen now, of course, he always knew she would marry well. ravella, too, but as they grew, he began to realize the elder arryn sister had more of a sway with whom she would be shackled to forever, or at least, the king knew better than to align her with just anyone. that is, until none other than wyatt grafton became the most suitable person to become her fiance. he scoffed at the idea, a traitor marrying an arryn who resided in the eyrie itself. it was laughable, and he still couldn’t put his mind to exactly why that decision was made.

rosa, on the other hand, would likely fair just well with anyone. she was kind, obedient, qualities that made a good and faithful wife, but nonetheless, worried the youngest arryn. he hoped no one would dare take advantage of his sister’s good heart. she seemed, however, to be doing plenty well up in the frigid north. he embraced her hug, however, partly for it’s warmth, but mostly because he truly did miss her. she was always the neutral party when the other siblings bickered. “we certainly do.” he replied, releasing her from his arms. “yes, yes, yes, sister, please do not stress yourself with worrying about me you know i am perfectly self-sufficient.” he smiled. “you have plenty of things to worry yourself about as it is, i’m sure, please tell me how everything has been for you up here.” 

.

rosa had begun to build a life up in her new home. when her engagement was first announced rosa had always feared that she would not be able to settle into her new home. that she would not be able to fit in, that she would always be an outsider. the people of the north were strong, protective of one another and wary of people from the south. it had only been three months of living up in winterfel but she already felt herself beginning to relax. she had begun to make friends, to become closer to torrhen. and now with their child on the way everything felt like it was starting to fall into place.

but a piece of her would always miss the mountains of her home. miss seeing her brothers and sister every day. even if some of that time was spent breaking up petty squabbles, she would not mind it.

the distance away made moments like this so special. getting to hold her family close in the crisp chilly air. “of course, of course. but a sister still worries. i want you enjoy your time here.” rosa looped her arm through her brothers to guide him out of the cold. “i have been well up here. there is much to get used to and much that is different but i am happy. torrhen has been wonderfully attentive and helping me through the change. i couldn’t ask for more.” she smiled. “you are going to be an uncle again soon enough. i will have to request another visit from you all after he is born if you are all able to go back home before he arrives.”

gcuienveres​:​

.

she held her breath as her corset strings were tied by some of the pale faced serving girls she seemed to have been allocated since her transition to the vale, and gods know they bored her; nothing of excitement, no small hints of mischief, no interesting or passionate conversations. just voices that sounded like mouses, overly timid and sickeningly sweet. did she even want to attend this small lunch her good sister had welcomed her to? definitely not this morning; it would be more entertaining to watch paint dry. the last she had spoken to the woman had been some days before her wedding; in which she had spent most of the event outside with a certain arryn king. 

she found the queen of winter was essentially, unremarkable; as plain faced and timid as the mice now forced within her service, and gods knew she forced a smile to cross her features, though it did not meet her eyes. looking over the small set up, including tea, guinevere found herself incredibly underwhelmed. “how very sweet, your grace.” she spoke, her eyes looking over her surroundings, judgement clear in them. “you tried your best, at least. even if it looks as though it were done for my fifteenth nameday.” 

she remained silent as the woman spoke of sentiments that guinevere realised she cared nothing for, she was not joining the arryn family for her husband was not an arryn - and all of  a sudden the entire thing seemed entirely pointless, causing a trickster-like smirk to play upon the woman’s lips and glden features. feigning fake interest in the objects rosalyn showed her regarding the eyrie and the vale, guinevere looked at her, disengaged. “well considering winterfell is now your home, it is only natural you would want to bring all you can. lest you choose to take comfort in dog furs.” 

‘nothing else, thank you. i am watching my waist.” she spoke, her orbs looking upon rosalyn’s pregnant belly. she had no comprehension of how scalding or how subtle her digs were; slipping from her lips as she took a cup of tea from the serving girl without even the slightest hints of meeting the girl’s eye, let alone a thank you. “yes, the night your incompetency nearly lost us both our lives.” at mention of the secret she had managed to keep buried for months being exposed that night in white harbor, guinevere’s face dropped; no longer even faking a smile, keeping unnaturally uncaring eyes upon the woman who was her good sister. 

.

rosa felt her cheeks burn bright at her words. “i wish i could do more however since neither of us are at our home i fear i lack the supplies to make a proper welcoming tea like i would wish. but i didn’t want to do nothing at all for you, that would feel even worse. perhaps when things are normal once again we will be able to do a welcoming properly.” something was different now though, she could feel it in the air. she could see it in the words she spoke to her. the comfort of dogs? it was a terrible thing to say.

memories  started to flood back to her in that moment. times back in the eyrie court when she was still so young. completely unsure about herself and lacking all self-confidence at all. there had been other young ladies of the court who would fake their smiles and compliments towards her. then behind her back laugh and say absolutely terrible things. things they whispered to each other knowing she could not hear it. but she could see them, she could lipread what they were saying. it was worse knowing that. that was the thing about lacking hearing, you learned how to read people’s faces easily. she could not relay on the inflection of people’s voices to understand the meaning behind the words. but it was their face that rosa would read. the young lady’s words were full of kindness but their faces told her another story. it was fake. the looks on guinevere’s face felt the same. the same fakeness she had grown up dreading to see. she felt like she was looking into a mirror in that moment. that she was just the young lady too afraid to stand up for herself against them.

the look in gwen’s eyes felt like it was stabbing at her gut. but rosa had practice with women like this. she had learned how to hold in anything she was feeling, wait until she was alone to let it out. it had been years since she last had to do this. she hated being back here. “of course… we can just enjoy the tea then.” habit took over and rosa felt herself rubbing her stomach. of course, she was going to look bigger, she was six months pregnant at this point. but the midwives had all told her she was looking well for how far along she was. maybe she wasn’t? maybe she was looking bigger than…no no. she would not let herself go back into old habits of letting the words of court women get to her. 

together they could still salvage this small welcoming party. perhaps it was just nerves that was getting the best of her good sister. certainly, there had been some kindness within her when she came to bring her flowers at the news of her engagement to the king of winter. they had a wonderful conversation then. there was kindness when rosa had caught her speaking with her brother during her wedding. they had both been smiling, they looked happy. there was kindness within guinevere, she knew that, right?

but one insult after another insult was being thrown in her face. the last one felt like she had been slapped. the queen of the north paused, unsure what to even say back to her. “my incompetence?” she repeated, stunned that she had seen the words correctly. the fake smile now gone from her face. maybe she was seeing the real guinevere now, what was lying beneath it all. did her brother know? or had she tricked him? “in the chaos of everything that had happened i was trying to control what i could. i was trying to help your family before that choice was taken away from me. i don’t believe any of us acted perfectly that night, nor would i expect any of us to given what happened. how does one have a clear mind after seeing a friend butchered in front of them…” rosa frowned, she did not need to defend herself. especially not after a blade was put to her throat that night. 

the queen sat up straighter in her seat. she could take control of this back, she could try. “do you really wish to discuss such unpleasant things right now?” she asked her, pouring herself another cup of tea. “i invited you here to welcome you and to get to know you better. we are family and i wish to start things off on the best foot we can. can we do that?”

two figures sat on a large, smooth stone way. red and dark brown hair contrasting against the marble they sat upon. hours ticked by and the two of them still sat there, waiting. rosa had promised that she would take madelena down to meet her father as he arrived back home. of course there was no telling exactly when he would be back, but by her best estimates, she would assume sometime in the afternoon. yet the little girl could hardly wait, she couldn't sit still. rosalyn couldn't blame her. she felt the same tickling nerves in her stomach of excitement that her family was finally going to be home. they could finally be safe as soon as they were within eyesight of her.

after much persuading, rosalyn agreed to taken madelena down early if she promised to bring the needlepoint they were working on together. rosalyn doubted she was going to get the young princess to do much else. "come now maddie, only a little bit more work until it is done. and then you can give it to your father as a gift." that seemed enough of an incentive to get her to sit down next to her aunt to finish the piece filled with soaring falcons in the sky.

time ticked slowly forward and forward as the two waited for the arrival of the soldiers.

and then they both heard it, the sound of horses drawing closer and their heads looking up in unison. before she could stop her maddie jumped down from the wall and started running towards the sound, her new gift clutched in her small hand rosa hurrying after her, both of them scanning the faces of the men until finally they both saw him, rowan. the king had finally returned back home.

@kingarryn​

THE KING AND QUEEN OF WINTER are pleased to announce the birth of the twins PRINCE BRANDON STARK and PRINCESS RAVELLA STARK. the second and third born children of king owen stark and queen rosalyn stark. mother and the two children are reported to be strong and healthy.

@owenstark

L Y R A   S U N G L A S S

“perhaps she had them all fooled. her air of confidence was in truth a well-crafted cloak that took years to perfect. lyra knew it well enough. she had been the master of her own deception.”

penned by anya

@sunglxss