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“it was not… my choice.” if he’d had his way, he would have never returned. while many believed lothar to bitter and poor a place to find happiness: he had. between isobel, the hard work required of him, the isolation… he found happiness on that rock in the sea. he had made a home there and gods, he longed for it. trystane’s jaw clenched painfully, forcing the words out from behind his teeth. “just as it isn’t… my choice… on the matter of staying… longer… than intended.”

“It seems your forced trip was one in terrible timing.” It was forced for him too, he didn’t want to be here, didn’t want to be in the capital, none of them wanted to be in the capital. He hadn’t wanted to come here in the first place, but it was needed. It was necessary. “I think the entire thing was terrible timing.” he let out a short laugh, it wasn’t an honest one but he was laughing. The anger on the other man’s face was quite obvious, “I understand that, I can’t imagine being away from any part of my home.” He was here yes but he was still in Westeros. 

ELIA was not the sort to cast judgements on people she didn’t know. she was sure lord baratheon was a decent man, but after what aliandra had told her about her life in the stormlands, it was hard to find it within herself to like the man. nonetheless, she forced a smile to her lips. “what about her?” she asked, uncertain. was he at least trying to build a relationship with his wife? that was enough to make elia rethink her hastily formed opinions.

Perhaps he should have planned better ways to actually talk to her, questions or something he wanted to say. But he saw her and the words blurted without him truly thinking it. “I was just... are the two of you close?” Davos would try, that was something he was actually decent at.

Clearly the words were right, if he hadn’t it would be taken as a sign of disrespect. Rickard held no respect for them, but starting problems for his people wasn’t an ideal plan. “If he would go to war for disrespect then.” he stopped himself. Davos could finish the rest. It was no secret that Arya Stark had been angry with her brother, if any of the Baratheon siblings heard that it was Davos. “Hurt feelings are something you get over.”

“I have no idea what he would do.” He should, he should have had faith that his king wouldn’t go to war over someone hurting his feelings, but he didn’t. There was never any assurance in a Targaryen’s decisions. “Generally. Many of my bannermen spoke out against marrying Aliandra. Not ready to trust a dornish woman. I was angry with them but... there was no war or bloodshed over it.” House Baratheon had desperately needed a tie to Dorne, mending the things that were left sour but that didn’t mean everyone was happy about it.

she had been leaving her arianne’s chambers when she managed to stumble upon her husband, brows ticking up slightly in surprise. ( she supposed she shouldn’t have been — everyone was seeking out their loved ones in the wake of a body being found. with so little information offered, it was hard to tell who had and hadn’t been injured. ) “yes, i had heard the decree.” ali sighed heavily as she stopped in front of him, the beginnings of a headache blooming at her temples. her mouth parted to say more — but she stood stock still, disbelief painted plain as day on her face. “what? no — my place… is by your side.” ( and it was no secret that she didn’t like this. that she didn’t want to be married, and certainly still had her days where she would rather stab him than deal with his constant taunting and teasing — but poppy had been right. the stormlands was her home now. if she was ever to grow to accept it, to maybe… love it… there had to be a home to protect. ) “i will not be made to sit in storm’s end twiddling my thumbs waiting on the knowledge on whether you will return home alive. so if you’re staying — so am i.”

ali hesitated only briefly before reaching for his hand, thumb stroking over the back. she was quiet for a moment, trying to grapple for the right words. “…now isn’t the time to be foolish, davos. you need to have your wits about you.” she grew solemn, before offering a soft nod. “i’m fine. shaken up, and wishing i could sleep… but fine.” she bit nervously at her bottom lip. “and you? you’re — fine?”

So often she surprised him. Davos never knew what she was thinking, what she was doing from minute to minute. This was perhaps the mot surprising of all. Insisting to stay by his side, perhaps it was only because she didn’t want to be back there with no one she knew. He wouldn’t dare ask if it was for him or her desire to not part from her sister yet. “Your place is wherever it’s safe.” He’d made a promise to her in front of the old gods and new that he would protect her, he promised her father that he would protect her. And no matter how crazy she drove him or how often they were at each others throats she was his wife and deny it or not his affection was with her. “You could go back to Dorne until we find out.” An offer that tore at him, she would rather be there than in Storm’s End on any day, she often spoke of how she wanted to return. “You could go anywhere as long as I know you’re safe.”

Letting his eyes fall closed for a moment he took in the words and the softness of her hands. “I want you safe. I want Poppy and Shaena safe.” If he had to stand here alone he would, as long as he knew they were safe. “I am. With every House under suspicion now things have grown more difficult but... it’s the burden I was born to hold.” The one that they were all meant to hold. Davos’ hand tightened around hers, the thought that wanted to spill out one that she would either begrudgingly accept or scoff at. “I would sleep better if you were in my bed. Knowing you were safe and within reach.” he cleared his throat. He’d never asked her to his room like this, sex was easy. This was a much harder invitation. “I’ve never asked you to be by my side unless it’s necessary. I let you stay as far away as you like but until this is over... I beg you.”

ali didn’t say anything in response, his words hanging in the air. she didn’t say that it still felt like it was the case, the house she loved so much being ripped from her grasp. that she didn’t know how to be a ruling lady, that she led a simple life in sandstone. that this… was always her sister’s destiny, to rule a proud house. not hers. she doesn’t say how she wants to try, even in spite of it all — but she doens’t know where to start. ( and she never had been good at asking for help. ) head tilting and keeping the amused look on her face, she glanced away from him. “hmm.” her lips pursed. “alright. and say i were… to give you the option. what would you do?”

She said nothing about the state of their house, the one he was desperately trying to get her to accept. But he hadn’t truly expected her to say anything about it. That was her way, she kept that to herself, never asked him for anything. Or ever accepted his offers. It was easier for them to keep up with the other conversation at hand, they were better with things of a less serious matter. “First I would thank the seven for their... kindness in giving me a wife so bold.” He’d done that before with her beauty, he knew nothing of her when he arrived so to see that she was possibly the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen? That had been the first moment he thanked the seven for anything. “Next I would worship you.”

“yes, i hear quite a lot about how i am suppose to do this and know that when it comes to this family.” and the discomfort she felt was real, in that moment, carried along the tense set of her shoulders, the frown between her brows: all of it pointing towards a powerlessness and frustration she felt. she was never someone that reacted well to be stifled, to being told what to do — evidenced of course by how well she’d taken to the idea of marriage. glancing over towards him — she offered a slight smile, shaking her head faintly in amusement. “antlers, hmm? i would have thought there was enough of those in our home, lord baratheon.” but with a defiant flick of her brow, ali turned, setting her cup to the side and instead, facing her husband straight on. “alright. so what if i am… interested in such pursuits, hmm?” her head titled slightly. “i am not entirely convinced you could handle it if i was.”

Letting out a breath through his nose he was staring over her shoulder, “It’s house colors. I’m not asking you for... sole devotion to House Baratheon.” Even he had pride in House Tarth, he was proud of his mother’s house. “House Qorgyle will always be important, I know that. I’m not... trying to take that from you.” She wasn’t happy with him, with the entire situation he knew that. But Davos hadn’t asked for her, he hadn’t been around for any of the planning for his betrothal or marriage. “There are scorpion’s in the halls as well. They’ve replaced most of the Tarth banners.” His mother was gone, and she was the ruling Lady of House Baratheon now. The amusement in her face was at least a good sign, “You’ve never given me the option. I feel things could be quite surprising.” 

He was tired, he had no time for smiles or laughter, even the worlds biggest optimist was tired from this. Talking all day, having to defend his bannermen, his family to people. Telling them that they weren’t allowed to go home until this was all settled. It was all exhausting. “You... you’re fine though?” @stormlvnds

“Now we’re all suspects?” The sound that left him was almost too similar to the direwolves next to him. “Never should have brought my people down here. Any time the Northmen ride south we end up dead or in the middle of this.” He was ready to leave, he had no respect for this crown that had no respect for them, had none for the Stark blood in their very veins. If they’d been smart they’d have tried to marry one the northern women. Instead they chose the Dorne. “The only time I’ll ever drag my banners south again is for a war.”

It was true. When the Starks rode south bad things happened, starting with Brandon and the first Rickard and all the way to his own grandmother. “It would have been an insult to the crown. You know that.” He eyed the direwolf next to him, who was seemingly sharing in the anger. “With a new king who will be eager to prove himself it’s not something any of us could afford.” Davos felt no shame in being more loyal to the Starks than the crown. House Baratheon and Stark had always shared stronger ties than any other house, it was a Stark who brought his family back to life.

“I think by the time we leave I’ll have read every book the Keep has to offer.” She muttered, setting the tomb back onto the shelf among the others. Poppy had fetched one or two to skim over at night once she’d retired to her rooms, but after she’d been informed of a second murder, she’d begun to grow skeptical of returning home anytime soon. “Any recommendations?” 

“A murder happens and I find you here in the library?” He was exhausted, it was his job to keep every one of his people settled, make sure they knew to stay and cooperate. Poppy he hadn’t been able to find until now. “I asked one of the guards to find you. Did you send him away?” Usually was much happier to greet his sister, his favorite person in the world and now he didn’t have it in him to pretend to smile.

ELIA had always been a gentle soul, but the thought of two murders committed so close together had crept under her skin, clawed at her heart, leaving her even more quiet than usual. she sat in near silence, staring at her hands folded in her lap instead of paying attention to her companion as they spoke until something snapped her out of it. “oh, i’m so sorry.” she began, “what were you saying?”

Davos couldn’t believe he was here, standing in front of one of the Martell princesses. Not so much being before one, but the reasons why was what he couldn’t believe. “I was... asking about Aliandra.” Repeating himself, saying again that he knew nothing of his own wife. But it wasn’t as if she shared. He should ask her sister, but he wasn’t ready for that yet. 

the dream of home, of their little cottage in lothar — seemingly was slipping further and further away, like water through his fingers. ( they were confined — stuck here in the red keep, with its art and glamour and displays of wealth, people who he didn’t like, let alone trust. he was beginning to feel like a boy once more, powerless and robbed of his own voice, unable to tell the difference between reality and his own head. ) “gods.” he muttered, hand dragging through his hair. “what a mess.”

“The call for home becomes greater when you’re told you can’t go back.” Davos looked over the man, he didn’t recognize him or the clothing he wore. Probably from Essos or one of the cities. “You chose a bad time to visit Westeros sir. I’d recommend coming back when everyone is not together. If you ever do come back.”

“She tortures me, I try to get under her skin, she tries to get under mine... It’s a circle that will eventually end in us having an heir or my death. That will all depend on her mood on the particular day.” @stormlvnds