;; curious mind

he strolled up beside her, hands clasped loosely behind his back, eyes flicking over the papers. “i might not wear chains,” he said, tone easy but deliberate, “but house wylde keeps a rather large collection of texts on engineering and motion. old treatises, updated commentaries. a few of them even bear my handwriting.”

he looked up at duram now, not unkind, but not deferential either. “lord duram, if you’re basing your model on ulwyne’s second edition, you’ll be missing drag. if it’s the fourth, you’ll find it in the marginalia. ellie’s right, as usual.”

duram’s mouth opened, but no rebuttal came. instead, he gave a stiff nod, muttered something about double-checking figures, and retreated through the canopy with as much dignity as he could gather. morgan waited until his footsteps faded.

“you know,” he said lightly, stepping closer to her, “i don’t expect a thank-you, but i’d accept one in the form of a lemon tart.”

ellie watched lord duram retreat with all the wounded dignity of a man who had just realized he had argued himself into a corner. the moment he disappeared into the crowd, the tension that had gathered between her shoulders loosened, and she let out a quiet breath. happy the argument was over but slightly annoyed it had to take someone else. but at least it was him.

her eyes slid sideways to morgan.

there was a familar air to his posture. the quiet confidence with which he had stepped into the conversation as if it were the most natural thing in the world. he never made a spectacle of it. never made it about proving her wrong or showing himself cleverer. just… steady.

as usual.

ellie tilted her head slightly at his remark, a faint smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. “a lemon tart?” she repeated, folding her arms again though there was far less bite in the gesture now. “my my, morgan. i didn’t realize your scholarly interventions had become so expensive.” she smiled warmly at him

her gaze dropped briefly to the parchment before them where the offending equation still sat. she tapped the edge of it thoughtfully with one finger before glancing back up at him.

“but i suppose you did save me from another ten minutes of him discovering new ways to misunderstand basic principles.” her tone softened with dry amusement. “for that alone, a tart might be a fair price.” she said taking the parchment off the table. "hmmm…maybe even two"

ellie’s smile widened just a touch at the mention of their games, the memory tugging easily at her. “gods, don’t remind me. you still owe me for that night you insisted your wizard could ‘absolutely survive’ jumping into a lava pit.”

“i knew he wasnt listening from the moment he started. annoyingly i figured that out from the moment he walked over. he had that look in his eye" she said giving a slight roll of hers. "but i knew i would catch him with the numbers eventually…though i admit” she said, brushing an invisible crease from the parchment. “it’s always more enjoyable when i have someone on my side who actually understands what i’m saying.” she said looking back up at him. "so….thank you" she said fully meaning behind it knowing he jumped in without a moment of hesitation.

naelys felt a weight in her chest that wasn’t quite from the silence but from something deeper, something harder to name. the touch of elenda’s hand on her arm, though kind, felt unfamiliar, as though the distance between them had thickened into something she couldn’t cut through. she stared at her, the warmth in elenda’s eyes only making her feel colder. why did it feel like everything was so different now? why couldn’t she just understand it?

"elenda?" she murmured softly, the name slipping from her lips like a question. she hadn’t used it in so long. in all the years they had been so close, the name had always felt easy, like a second breath. but now, saying it made her feel strange. was it still the same name? or had it changed like everything else?

"you say it’s... complicated." naelys swallowed, trying to clear the lump in her throat. "but i don't think i understand." her voice trailed off, as if the words were too heavy to carry. everything felt off. the distance, the hesitance, even the way elenda was looking at her—it was all different, and it made her feel small, like she was standing in a room that no longer fit her.

"we're all still one big kingdom, aren't we?"

her hand instinctively tightened around the strap of her lute, the instrument now more a symbol of her own fractured heart than something she could play. why had something as silly as elenda sitting on another table upset her so? she couldn’t bring herself to look at it for long, her thoughts twisting into knots. why had she even come back? there had been a part of her that hoped... hoped that things would still feel the same, that coming home would bring back something familiar. but instead, there was just this silence, this distance.

the silence between them stretched, and naelys could feel the anxiety crawling beneath her skin. she wanted to ask, to demand to know why everything had changed. why elenda had changed. but she couldn’t, because the truth was she was afraid to hear the answer. afraid that even if she asked, it wouldn’t be enough to fix what was broken. and wasn’t that always the way of it? she had come back looking for something, but maybe there was nothing left to find.

ellie’s heart tightened at the way naelys said her name, soft and uncertain, as if testing the waters of something they’d both once taken for granted. there was a vulnerability in her voice that reminded ellie painfully of their time together on driftmark, those long nights when loneliness had gnawed at them both in different ways. and yet, now, there was a distance between them, one ellie hadn’t fully noticed until this moment.

“i know,” ellie murmured, her voice as gentle as she could make it. but there was something else lingering in it.shame maybe. “i’ve been… distant. too distant, i think. it wasn’t my intention, nel, truly. i just…” she trailed off, searching for the right words to bridge the growing chasm. but how could she explain something that she didn’t fully understand herself?

her gaze dropped to naelys’s hands, the way her fingers clutched the strap of her lute like a lifeline. that simple movement was enough to pull ellie from her own tangled thoughts. this wasn’t about her. it couldn’t be. naelys was here, fragile and aching in a way that ellie recognized all too well. if she could do anything, anything at all, it was to be the steady presence her former good sister needed now.

“i’ll help,” she said softly, her tone steady with quiet resolve. though it was clear she was speaking more about than just the lute. ” ellie shifted her arm slightly, her hand giving a small, comforting pat against naelys’s. “sometimes things feel… off, even when we want them to be the same. that doesn’t mean they’re broken forever.” she said. “i….i’ll try to explain more. but not here” she said looking around wondering who might be listening. she looked at her hoping she might understand. “i’m not trying to keep anything from you.”

ellie smiled faintly, though the sadness in naelys’s eyes made her chest ache. were they really one kingdom? one kingdom whos king taxed the stormlands. where some valyrians looked down on them like they were nothing. none of that could she say here. “you’re right. we’re one kingdom now—one family, in a strange way. you’re still my family, nel. that hasn’t changed, and it never will.”

her gaze flicked to the lute again, her voice lightening just slightly. “now, come on. show me where it’s cracked. between the two of us, we’ll figure it out. and once it’s fixed…” she leaned in, just enough for her words to feel like a special secret for just them. “you’ll play something for me. no arguments.”

naelys blinked at the warmth of elenda’s arm through hers. it was a simple gesture, but it felt heavy with something she couldn’t quite name. her fingers tightened around the edge of her shawl as she glanced toward the lute on the chair, its cracked frame catching the light. "it isn’t… broken completely," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

"just a crack." her lips pressed together as the words hung in the air, and she wondered if elenda could hear what she hadn’t said.

she let the silence settle between them, unsure how to fill it. there was always so much she wanted to say, but the words tangled before they could form. she looked at elenda again, the familiar tilt of her head, the warmth in her smile that seemed to fight against something deeper.

"i wasn’t sure you’d be here," naelys admitted softly, her gaze dropping to her hands. "but i’m… glad." she stole another glance at elenda, uncertain if she should say more. were they still family? had they ever truly been? the questions pressed at the edges of her mind, but she didn’t dare voice them. instead, she gave a small, shy smile.

ellie’s gaze softened as naelys spoke, her quiet words filling the space between them like the gentlest of waves. she could sense the hesitation in her tone, the way her voice trembled around the edges of what wasn’t being said. it was so very like naelys—delicate yet resilient, speaking volumes in silences that others might overlook. ellie knew those silences well, had come to understand them during the long, lonely days on driftmark.

her grip on naelys’s arm tightened briefly, a small, reassuring squeeze. “you’ve always been too kind, nellie.” she said, her voice warm but firm, as if willing the younger woman to see herself as ellie did. “if anything, it’s me who should be glad to see you. if i hesitated to come tonight, it wasn’t because i didn’t want to be here.” her gaze lingered on the lute for a moment before meeting naelys’s amethyst eyes again. “it’s just… complicated.”

ellie paused, measuring her words. there was a lump in her throat she hadn’t expected, and she fought to smooth it away before continuing. “but i’m here now,” she added with a faint smile, one that carried more weight than she intended. “and if there’s one thing i know, it’s that i’ve missed you.”

she leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “but i’ll make you a deal. you tell me all about your adventures across the narrow sea, and i’ll help you fix that lute. i’ve read a few books on the instruments, i’m sure i can help.” the words on the page flooded back into her mind as if she was holding the book in her very hands. page after page she could recall every word. ever detail in the books, the illustrations. a memory full of things she couldnt ever forget. even if she wanted.

her chin remained upon the palm of her hand beneath the seemingly endless golden plates of food, no doubt a vision of luxury and opulence that jaehaerys targaryen wanted his realm to appear - it appeared as though there was an ever-present cloud above a head of thick dark hair, half of it remaining before striking amethyst orbs. it appeared as though she were gloomy, orbs that seemed permanently glazed over in some sort of emotion - a distant look.

truthfully, her fingertips still stung with the small break of skin she had brought forward in desperately trying to restring her lute - it seemed as though something had occurred during the passage over the narrow sea, for it refused to sound in tune. she had done all she could to it, and in her irritation and fixation, she had not considered asking another to look over it.

nor had she entirely noticed the fact there was a member of the family missing. empty plates upon the table of house velaryon was no surprise in recent times, so it did not truly occur to her instantly - only when she heard the distant sound of a familiar voice. gloomy looking orbs seemed to turn toward the sound of chattering, a woman seemingly talking back and forth with a man she was sure was her brother. which made him the hand of the king. her brows knitted together then, a look of visible confusion sweeping over her features.

why was elenda not sat with them? did she think she could no longer sit with them? was this what everyone was talking about when they spoke of courtly divides? "hello ellie." naelys greeted, as she suddenly appeared - she did not even recall standing on her feet, and yet she found herself across the room and standing at the woman's shoulder. in the middle of the stormlanders, she looked up at them; she did not smile, but her eyes were not hostile toward them. it made sense that ellie would wish to speak to her people; she must be lonely considering her husband had died. her brother. so many people had died, remembering seemed to come in waves.

ellie turned at the sound of naelys’s voice, her expression momentarily unreadable before she schooled it into a smile. not the courtly polite smile that was easily put on like a mask but one of true warmth. she gave a nod to her brother, letting him know she was alright and she watched him move into the crowd of other stormlanders. the sight of her former sister-in-law stirred something bittersweet in her—a mixture of affection and awkwardness that had lingered since her return to stonehelm. it wasn’t naelys’s fault, of course. if anything, ellie had felt closer to her than anyone else during her time on driftmark, but things were different now. she was different now.

as naelys spoke, gesturing to the table and mentioning the reserved seats, ellie’s smile faltered, just for a moment. my seat? the thought twisted in her mind. did she even still have a place among the velaryons? she was no longer a wife to one of their sons, no longer bound by marriage to their house. sitting with them felt… presumptuous, like a ghost haunting a family that had already moved on. a reminder of something terrible.

but she couldn’t bring herself to say no, not to naelys. in her long months of loneliness on driftmark, while her husband sailed off to fight distant battles, it was naelys who had kept her company, shared quiet conversations, and made the vast, echoing halls feel less empty.

ellie’s fingers brushed against the fabric of her gown as she cast a glance toward the table. the sight of the lute resting on one of the seats broke her spiraling thoughts, and she let out a soft, breathy laugh. "your lute?" she asked, her voice gentle, though her eyes carried a flicker of warmth. "that is certainly an obstacle to sitting, isn’t it? a broken lute… the gods themselves must mourn such a tragedy."

her tone was light, teasing, but her heart was heavy with indecision. she hesitated, her gaze flicking back to naelys. she didn’t want to offend her, didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but she also didn’t want to impose on the family’s table, not when she felt so out of place.

"you’ve always been thoughtful, nel" ellie said, her voice softening. "reserving a seat for me… it’s more than i deserve. i wasn’t sure if i… well, if i should sit with you all. things are different now." her smile turned a little strained, though she quickly hid it behind a playful tilt of her head. "but perhaps you’ve decided for me. i can’t let your lute sit alone in its broken state, now can i?"

ellie stepped closer, slipping her arm lightly through naelys’s in a familiar gesture that felt natural despite her unease. "i suppose if you are at my side then it will be alright. besides, i’d love to hear about your adventures across the narrow sea. and who knows?" she added with a small, wry smile. "maybe i’ll find the courage to ask for a song once your lute is mended."

"i found a key!" minthara declared, before the door to the escape room had even been locked. never mind that it had been left out in the open - she had spotted it first, and so, it was her find to claim, and she held it aloft, proudly. she didn't know what it opened, either, only that she wanted to be the one to unlock it. she was not giving up her key easily.

"there's a book here, too," she scooped it up and flipped it open, eyes scanning the page. it was slow going - without her glasses, the words blurred together on the page, but she noted with disappointment that it didn't seem to be a clue. "oh, it's just a little story. you are prisoners awaiting your execution at sunrise, yadda yadda," she tossed the book carelessly at someone else to read properly, her interest in it pretty much non existent.

"what do you think it opens?" she gestured to the key again.

feray shot mathis a quick look of mild annoyance before she opened the book thrown at her. she had only managed to clumsily catch it because she had been focused and ready to listen. she calmly read the paragraph out loud for the rest of the group. dark eyes then studied the key that minty held up as a trophy as if she had not just picked it up from the table. it was smaller than an ordinary key. now her mind was fully focused on the problem that needed to be solved.

“the key looks like it could be for a box or compartment of some kind. it will likely be something hidden.”

she ran her fingers along the leather spine of the book to feel if something would give way. nothing. she waited to see if the key fit the trunk in the corner despite her doubts it would be for something so obvious, and judging by minty's reaction, then the key did not fit. nothing else in the room seemed to be made for the key. she then felt along the edge of the table the book and key had been resting on before she crouched and looked underneath it.

she immediately spotted something. “there's a cabinet with a lock here!” before she could say anything else, minthara was beside her and turned the key inside the lock, revealing a safe. she quickly studied it to see if there was anything on it that gave away a code, but there was nothing, and so she stood up again and reported to the others. “it's a safe. we need to find a code somewhere.”

as the others turned around to look for a code, she picked up the book again, stood beside mathis, so they could skim through it together to see if she had missed something the first time around.

Aleksander found it slightly silly, but to his credit, he hadn't made a fuss about how this was supposed to be a party, and surely being locked in a room for one hour was more fun with a glass of wine in one hand while people bickered about whether something was a clue or not.

So, he had wandered into that room, styled like a medieval torture dungeon, empty handed while his companions dutifully began to solve the riddles straight away.

He gazed around the room as he stepped further inside. Distressed brick walls, torches adorning the walls and casting a discomforting orange glow around them, shadows dancing as they flickered. It even smelled a bit dank. Aleksander was impressed, even if his nose scrunched up a bit.

On one wall, there was a stained glass window, artificial light filtering through it and streaking color across the uneven stone floor. He wandered closer.

What do you think it opens? Minthara's voice.

There's a cabinet with a lock here. Feray's voice, not too long after.

Aleks knew he ought to have been helping, that he was piss poor at solving riddles (he could hear Sarra and Bran make fun of him in his mind, teasing him about why he had stepped into that room in the first place). He spotted something on the window, right when he had decided to look away and start helping. Shapes, that didn't quite fit in with the rest of the glass placements. It seemed as though they were placed purposefully, a bit warped, just enough to be noticeable.

1873.

"That's funny," he muttered, a quiet chuckle coloring his tone. "A stained glass window from 1873 in a medieval dungeon is a bit weird, don't you think?" Fully expecting his companions to find it equally as funny, Aleksander turned to look over his shoulder to gauge their reactions.

ellie had always been a bit of a brainiac. from her school days to her current job, her love for solving complex problems had never waned. in fact, she thrived on it. and when you work in a brainiac job, you inevitably end up with a lot of nerdy coworkers who are just as obsessed with puzzles as you are. it seemed like every company outing was an excuse for an escape room adventure. so when she heard about the escape room here, she couldn’t resist. it would be a fun challenge and a great story to share with NASA coworkers later.

what she hadn’t anticipated was just how frustrating it would be to tackle an escape room without the usual team of scientists and mathematicians by her side. part of her wanted to dash from puzzle to puzzle helping to solve what she could. but she kept her composure, outwardly calm as the others began working through the first few clues. this was going to be a challenge, but a different kind of challenge than she was used to.

she was glad to see will’s girlfriend, feray, there. though ellie was a little surprised that feray hadn't said much to her yet, she figured the other woman was simply focused on the task at hand which was understandable, given the pressure of the ticking clock.

as people started throwing out ideas and clues, ellie scanned the room with a practiced eye. her gaze landed on a small desk drawer that was locked shut, the word "boy" carved into the wood next to it. "huh… 'boy'… that can’t be the combination; it’s not numbers. even if you assign each letter a numerical value based on their alphabetical position, like 2-15-25, it doesn’t work…" but it had to mean something. her eyes flicked to a large painting of a boy and a monk on the wall, and she zeroed in on something that never failed to make her heart race: numbers.

grabbing a pad of paper, she moved over to the painting, her mind already buzzing as she started to crunch the numbers in front of her. just as she was getting into it, aleks announced something that was so very obviously a code. ellie resisted the urge to just stare at him, hoping he would arrive at the solution on his own not wanting to overstep. but she feared he might not ever.

"oh wow, maybe that's the combination?" she suggested, her tone light hoping to nudge him in the right direction. encouragement might be the best approach here, even if every fiber of her being wanted to dive in and solve it herself.

@ofgoldengrove

it would not be hard to visibly see the dots begin to connect behind orbs that were amethyst and almost reptilian, dots that connected utter cruelty and would result in lasting consequences for those around him, whilst it felt as though he could walk through the sea of emotion he had caused, untouched. watching the slow breakdown, just as he had watched the slow breakdown of his own sister's confidence; never being the strongest to begin with, and yet, following the chapter which had taken place in stonehelm, there was no denying there was a distant sense of melancholy which had come over the mistress of whispers.

"you are enjoying yourself." maximus noted, his tone assertive: with the implicit suggestion that he had looked at her multiple times in the night. there was no denying the beauty she held, and the want to break her in in a way her velaryon husband had not done remain a poisoned thought at the back of his mind. "as much as you are glad to be done pretending. grief is hard to fake."

the lady of stonehelm would know, considering the pair have a close association; interesting, considering the belief in their genetic and racial superiority was something that even lyra quietly found herself knowing she believed in deep within herself. and yet, the sight of her adorned in clothes that were not a dark shade of black was the first thing that caught his attention; before a fixated gaze was enough to enforce a lethal hook within her.

maximus knew why; the inherent need all opinionated women felt, the animalistic want to have a master to keep them in line and in shape. in stormlander woman most of all, considering their already brutal nature.

and his next words, were chosen with specific intended effect; to cause a breakdown which would ensure his house, his family, his name, knew that their worlds were not to mix for a reason. consider it sabotage, or consider it has deadly as the lord of crackclaw point deciding to light the spark himself, and watch it devour.

that was what he was doing with his next words; disclosing information which had been offered to him as he gripped onto his sister, and reminded her of who she was. an extension of him, their name, and of valyria entirely: both old and new. if the warning had seeped into her mind by now, this to would manage to achieve the deterioration of lyra's relationship with the swanns of stonehelm. "i hear your troublesome brother is to be here not much longer." there was no need for him to clarify who had told him; she would be able to put the dots together. intelligent, was what she commonly referred to herself as. let her demonstrate it. "

the lady swann did not like the idea that he had been watching her a few times throughout the day. did he do that often? terrible. terrible thing to think about. he should keep his eyes to himself. but what was he looking at? to see if she slipped up? waiting for something to pounce on so he could tear into her once again. what other reason would he have? max celtigar was a predator. a man who stalked and hunted and waited and acted when he could drive a knife deep into someone when they least expected it. he was perhaps one of the most dangerous type of men.

years of practice allowed ellie to keep up a mask of upon her face that would give away little emotion in whatever conversation she was having. but max’s words took her for such a surprise even she felt her face drop for a moment. “w-what?” she uttered without realizing it. how could he possibly know any of this. how would he know this? why would he know this. certainly no one within the swann household would have talked. and they had no vistors purposfully. unless. no will wouldnt have done something like this. 

ellie pulled back any emotion she wished to shout out at the celtigar lord. cursing him for bringing up such news to her. for throwing it in her face in such a disrespectful manner. “i am sure your condolences come from such a tender part of your heart lord celtigar.” she said, taking every ounce of her strength not to snide at him. “my eldest brother still is alive so perhaps you can withhold the sentiment of loss for a little while longer.”

Aerea held no ill will towards Ellie, though she could also have been friendlier. With the coronation over and her continued presence in King's Landing, it was time to pay a visit to the woman who had once been family, even if it was not by blood. Ellie's brother was Hand now; altruism was not the entirety of Aerea's motivation. Continuing Velaryon interests was a larger part of it than she was willing to admit. 

That day she came bearing gifts as she awaited entrance to Ellie's rooms. A bottle of perfume scented like the little flowers that grew on Driftmark, with an undercurrent of the sea air. Wine of some vintage, expected when greeting another. Little, inconsequential things. The perfume had been Aerea's idea, but the wine she let someone else choose. 

ellie’s time spent at driftmark was often without her husband at her side. it felt strange for a newly married couple to spend so much time apart but that was the way the dice had rolled for them. their marriage life was quickly interrupted by a call to arms against the pirates of the stepstones who were threatening the seas. even in the short time she had gotten to spend with her husband she understood his deep understanding of duty and the call of the sea that pulled at him.

since her husband was away most of the time it meant that she spent most of her time with her good siblings. and aerea was someone that ellie always found so fascinating. it seemed in many ways they were similar in mind. and ellie enjoyed getting to talk with her throughout the days. they were often meaningful discussions and not full of nonsense or utter fluff that some lords and ladies shared together. talking about the weather and how divine this party was. it was nice just to talk.

as she beheld her former sister-in-law, a rush of conflicting emotions surged within ellie. had circumstances unfolded differently, she might still be referred to as her good sister. having recently shed her mourning attire, ellie couldn't help but question whether the velaryons had moved on, or if her presence lingered as a distant memory in their minds. she wouldnt blame them if she was.

"please, there's no need for formalities," ellie gently interjected, her smile imbued with a bittersweet nostalgia. "we were once good sisters. you called me ellie then; you can call me ellie now." her gaze softened as she regarded the thoughtful offerings brought before her. "your gesture is truly kind," she remarked, a genuine warmth infusing her words. "i really am so happy to see you. we've missed so many opportunities to reconnect." with a welcoming gesture, she invited her former sister-in-law to join her at a quaint table adorned with tea and food.

The drink in the room, possibly unknown to the people in the room, is Shade of the Evening, is a thick, blue liquid consumed by the warlocks of Qarth. It is called "the wine of warlocks", but it is made from the inky blue leaves that grow on the black-barked trees found around the House of the Undying. This means warlocks are involved. Shade of the evening is deep blue and viscous, flowing like honey. It has an unappetizing smell and initial taste, having been compared to ink, spoiled meat, and rotten flesh, but upon swallowing tastes like all things its imbiber has ever tasted, and more. (Canon example: The first sip tasted like ink and spoiled meat, foul, but when she swallowed it seemed to come to life within her. She could feel tendrils spreading through her chest, like fingers of fire coiling around her heart, and on her tongue was a taste like honey and anise and cream, like mother's milk and Drogo's seed, like red meat and hot blood and molten gold. It was all the tastes she had ever known, and none of them … and then the glass was empty. ) Now because they are not in the house of the Undying there will be some magical shenanigans happening to change the room around, everyone will perhaps see a series of things the others can not, but the room itself wont be like the scene with dany where she's going down the hall through the many doors.

| @ellievswann @mourningblood @bloodfcrblood @nadiaestermont tag the others when they post |

"There is something wrong." Viserys spoke in High Valyrian as he stared at thee drinnk before them on the table. Why did he follow that man? Why lead these people? There was danger. It was all around them. The hairs on the back of his neck rose, fear settled into pale purple eyes as he turned to face those with him. Prince. What would a Prince do? He did not know. He could barely think with the splitting headache.

"Very very wrong." He said again, the boy with the strange accent speaking an old tongue as if it were the only language he'd ever known. They would have to drink or they would die here. That much he knew.

"That man. He smelled like a warlock." He expected they all knew High Valyrian. Right?

suddenly ellie was very thankful for all the high valyrian lessons her mother insisted on her taking. if they were going to be in the court of the dragons then she needed to know how to speak their language. and with her previous marriage to a velaryon it proved very useful. she listened carefully to the young princes' words. he spoke quickly but she was able to understand most of what he was saying

"a warlock?" she answered back in high valyrian, confused as to where they were and who that man wa. but she took the letter from the prince and read allowed the words in common incase there was anyone here who did not speak high valyrian.

"drink me to get the freedom you seek"

ellie's looked towards her brother and then to the cups. "do we know even what this is? what if it is poisoned? the prince said the man was a warlock"

there came a set of skills, in knowing how best to get to people: to truly get under their skin, and result in them feeling a growing sense of anger and emptiness following the conversation, laced with regrets as to what else was not said. what else could have been said. elenda swann was of no particular importance to maximus celtigar, regardless of how much she attempted to adorn herself in the finery of the valyrian name of house velaryon and pretend to be something she so clearly was not. "and yet here you were, desperate to talk to a cad, and a brute."

she had none of the attitude of a valyrian woman, considering she appeared bored with her newlyfound status post marriage rather than content with having to do nothing. such was the reality when one married gods, and yet alas, it seemed as though some would forever want to continue playing in the mud or milking cows or whatever it was stormlanders did. she appeared continuously restless, often found wondering in the hallways of the red keep, attempting to find herself useful in some way or another, even if it were simply transporting archives and ledgers. no better than a maid.

anger would not work at making elenda swan feel degraded. no, considering it appeared she had much of a mouth on her: instead, it was the feeling of inferiority that she'd never be able to scrub off her. in a court full of valyrian women, knowing she would never be one, despite how much she drank or spent time with them. "of course you are, look at all the sophisticated vocabulary you are using." he spoke, his tone laced with scathing sarcasm as a cold, dismissive laugh came directly in her face.

and when her hand came to strike him, a rare insight to the wilderness that was the stormlanders and how they no doubt needed to be tamed, his laughter seemed to only continue as his hand moved to grab a hold of her wrist. "and so the animal can kick and claw, look at you." there had been an impact on his cheek, and yet, it were obvious the man had no qualms with using violence to restrain. he pulled her forward, using his force to yank her with force than to press down hard on her wrist itself. the last thing he needed to do was leave a bruise.

"do you truly believe i would not be willing to deal with the fall out of striking you happily in the face?" he asked, his tone switching: the scathing element remained, but there was not an inch of him that remained joking. there was no mirth on his fac,e even a cruel mirth. "only one of us is replaceable." and then he lowered his voice, releasing his hand from her wrist whilst maintaining a dark, chaotic gaze upon her. "you need to do something for me, ellie swann. you'll listen closely, and then you'll open your mouth and tell your brother the next time i see him may well be the last time he sees anything."

a subtle roll of her eyes accompanied her response, her words delivered with an air of complete contempt for the man before her. "oh come now, lord celtigar. let's not twist how this went. you approached me to speak. i do not think that was very desperate of me. politeness drove me to continue the conversation, not simply walking away from you—a mistake i will have to learn from."

boredom was a constant companion. a curse for her waking mind, her mother's warning echoing in her mind. a mind hungry for more, perpetually seeking novelty. why sit idle when the world offered a myriad of experiences? experiences however she was often kept from. boredom was a curse of her mind, her mother told her. a mind that yearned for more, wanted more but there was never enough to do or see for her. why sit around when that was just so terribly boring. sure she enjoyed the company of the other ladies in the court, but sitting discussing what party to do next was boring after a time. the men were not much better, bragging and boasting about their conquests of an old war. it was all just…boring.

she knew she should be content with her marriage to such an influential man. but it was hard to be content in a marriage when she barely got to spend any time with him at all. it felt like weeks after their marriage was set her husband was called away to the sea. he was a sailor afterall in the deepest parts of his soul despite the title of his family. the burden of a sailors wife to know the sea would always call their husbands back to them. a siren song they could not resist.

as weeks passed with her husband at sea, boredom became her unwelcome companion

was that why she stayed around to talk with a man who bothered her so much? who insulted her every chance he could get. who had beaten her brother so severely. a man who’s arrogance fell off of him in waves. a man who seemed to look at her and understand her on a level she did not know possible. the rare moment of a smile on his face was so intriguing she couldnt explain it.

no, she couldn’t dare but think of him in any other way. no regrets lingered as she moved to slap him. in a swift motion, he caught her wrist. time stretched as he pulled her closer, minutes were an hour or more maybe. she had no idea. the echo of her breath filling the charged space between them. cruel words formed on his lips, yet she found herself speechless, her hand captured by his.

"lord celtigar..." she stammered, her voice trailing off as he released her wrist. a blush adorned her cheeks, a mix of anger and an inexplicable vulnerability under his intense gaze. moments hung in suspension as they stood close, the air charged with an unspoken tension.a moment of something…else. something that stirred deep in her very being. she have expected the man to rush at her again but this time for a completely different purpose.  her expectation shifted from aggression to something entirely different.

in the embrace of mourning, ellie found herself a curious mourner for a man she had barely gotten to know. not in any way was he a bad man. he had become a distant but gentle presence—never imposing, never contentious. a man who bestowed kindness in the moments he graced the halls of driftmark, though his days were often claimed by pursuits beyond its walls. a kind soul, a good man—that was what he was, what he had left behind.

“your grace,” her voice carried a subdued reverence, head bowed in acknowledgment of the king, a graceful curtsey followed.  in truth she did not see much of their new king before but she had heard of his close relationship with her brother. rumors of his proximity to her brother, their shared camaraderie, lingered in her mind, weaving through the corridors of speculation. but she never got much of a chance to meet him. there has been talks of ellie becoming a lady in waiting for their former queen, but the discussions never went very far. she doubted the queen trusted her enough to allow her in a position so close to her. she did not take offense to it knowing of the tensions between the two kingdoms. but jae was different it seemed at least he seemed to seek out approval of the stormland lords. he had many of them at his side, her brother was his own hand of the king. foolish as it may be she found herself willingly weaving trust into this new chapter of the realm.

“that is most kind of you to say, your grace.” ellie said, ready to play out this conversation as she had so many times since the news had reached her. almost numb to it by now, numb to the feelings of sadness of wondering what could have been. she never wished ill on her husband, never wanted to see him dead. she had only wished for him to be home with her more. this was never what she wanted. “he was a good man, he will be missed by me and by many more.”

her conversation flowed onward, his inquiry delving into the elevation of her brother, the stormlands’ proud and capable hand of the king. “i heard the news of my brother’s promotion to hand of the king. truly you have bestowed a great honor on the swann household. i have always believed my brother to be one of the smartest men in all of the kingdoms. a good man.” truthful will was one of the best. a rare person with a heart of good intentions in a cruel world that seeked to spread corruption in its path. will never strayed from convictions. it was exactly what a good king needed to have by their side “he will serve you well as hand of the king,” she declared with conviction, the words carrying the weight of her unwavering faith.

“my place has always been with my family and the stormlands and now with you as our new king” her voice rose with unshakable fidelity, an indomitable pledge of loyalty offered with unwavering eyes. “i would be honored to stay at court alongside my brother,” her voice, steady as a mountain stream in their lands, held no hesitation. “ i hope i may prove myself useful as time continues.” not that their previous queen ever found any place for ellie in her court. she could be useful if someone opened their eyes and saw her, saw her brains. her smarts. part of her doubted the king would do anything with it, maybe if will spoke of her talents. but…she did not put much faith in the idea. the prospect of proving herself, of manifesting the dormant talents she harbored, lingered in her aspirations—a beacon of potential, waiting to be embraced.

clad in the black garb of a widow, ellie found herself at a crossroads between past and present. it was in the embrace of faith that she sought solace. “i have always found my strength and comforts with the gods, as we all should. i have heard word you are a godly man, your grace. i am happy to see someone on the iron thrones who respects the will and wishes of the gods” her words an offering, a potential sentiment shared between a godly king and a lady whose convictions were equally aligned.

.

She talked a lot. So many words coming out of the mouth of a woman who seemingly had nothing to say and yet she didn’t know when to stop and when to be quiet. He nodded his head, listening to her as she went on and on. Jaehaerys mocked his dead cousin for his ugly wife but he supposed she wasn’t as ugly as he thought she from a distance. Still, the coloring her was all wrong. She had too much of the Stormlander blood and much like those Baratheon, genes like that could effect the look of his children.

“It is nice to know you care so much for your family and your place among them and I’m sure you will be returning home to,” He paused for a moment and then snapped his fingers, “Stonehelm. And if there’s little room for there then you are welcome to come here and take your place as a lady in waiting once you have completed your mourning period.”  

Jaehaerys didn’t know how she could be useful in his court. Where he felt a strong influence from his grandmother and believed women to be useful beyond the bedroom, though he didn’t know if she would be of use. It wasn’t the job of a King to make use of his the ladies waiting on his Queen, he was neither his father nor his grandsire. They would remain the problem of his wife. Reaching out he grabbed his quill and scribbled a note across the page to make sure to discuss with his wife. He wanted her ladies to be from the Crownlands. Stormlands, and then wherever she chose as long as it proved useful. They were building a dynasty to last through the ages, something his predecessors would have never been able to accomplished.

“The Gods will be felt throughout my realm. And I’m glad to hear you are a woman of the Gods for I had no idea.” And he didn’t, he was under the false impression most of the Stormlanders followed tree gods. Which he wouldn’t have.

ellie's departure from driftmark carried an air of uncertainty. none of the velayrons were ever outwardly rude to her, or had much to say on her marriage but she was not sure she ever felt totally at home. it was her husband who had extended the warmth, albeit briefly. ellie olingered a  short time more in driftmark after the passing of her husband. she wanted to ensure she was there when he was brought back home and properly put to rest. the rest of the time was waiting to ensure she had not been blesses with a child. when that was sorted out ellie was sent on her way.r.

in the realm of widows, ellie now found herself. the turmoil of war had unleashed a wave of young brides into this unfamiliar territory, their sails set adrift with no compass. she was determined not to flounder. after time there would be another match, another semblance of stability. that was her goal. but for now, she embraced the serenity that the somber attire of widowhood offered.

"yes, stonehelm, your grace," she responded, noticing a potential gap in the new king's knowledge of stormland families. he held the wellbeing of both kingdoms in his hands and it was crucial held the same level of fairness for both crownlanders and stormlanders alike. will, she thought, might need to offer some guidance. that would be his new role now.

 “it would be an honor to be a lady in waiting to our new queen, thank you your grace.” she said, with a genuine smile as it was an honor. it was an opportunity she hadn't been granted by the previous queen, perhaps owing to her origins. now, rejoining the court and shedding the seclusion of stonehelm was a prospect she relished.

"my parents instilled in us a profound devotion to the seven. there are so many who flee from it in time of war, it is really a shame." she shared, her fingers instinctively finding the small, seven-pointed star adorning her necklace. while her faith often resonated in quietude rather than fervor, ellie's belief remained steadfast. she silently thanked her stars that her husband didn't follow the ancient valyrian doctrines some of his lineage were known to uphold.

"your grace, you've already bestowed upon me so much...i do not know else there is to ask for. i thank you for your kindness. would there be anything you wish to ask of me?"

“I am overwhelmed with grief at the death of your husband.”

The King’s tone didn’t register grief, he would fairy say he didn’t give it his all when speaking to her. Most people would find farce in an emotional display from the King and the man didn’t have the time to put out these displays. It was better to speak with people directly, thoroughly. Acknowledge their losses and offer some condolences where some were meant to be found.

“He was a great sailor; a fighter of outstanding caliber and men were honored to fight alongside him.”

The King ran over things in his head, circled through the many thoughts bouncing around in his head. He offered his condolences along with an offer of compliment. It was over. They weren’t meeting on even footing. She no longer held ties to his family, though, he wanted the Velaryons close to him. Close to court. He wanted to be able to watch them. Jaehaerys didn’t necessarily wish them ill, he didn’t fully mistrust them. They remained family and they made their choice, a choice that once benefitted them and now those days were over. He was the new choice, the new king, the rightful King.

“Where do you stand? Your brother is Hand of the King and I would say your best choice to stand with me, the best choice is to stand alongside us. You were once kin by law and through the approval of the Gods. I want you to stay here, at court, with us. You may come and go when your brother travels for it is unwise for women to travel alone. And while you are here you will be treated as the Lady you are as long as you conduct yourself like a lady who lives for and through the Gods. Mourning, widowhood will be difficult. During my time in the Starry I witnessed many widows who grieved the men called home by the Mother.”

in the embrace of mourning, ellie found herself a curious mourner for a man she had barely gotten to know. not in any way was he a bad man. he had become a distant but gentle presence—never imposing, never contentious. a man who bestowed kindness in the moments he graced the halls of driftmark, though his days were often claimed by pursuits beyond its walls. a kind soul, a good man—that was what he was, what he had left behind.

"your grace," her voice carried a subdued reverence, head bowed in acknowledgment of the king, a graceful curtsey followed.  in truth she did not see much of their new king before but she had heard of his close relationship with her brother. rumors of his proximity to her brother, their shared camaraderie, lingered in her mind, weaving through the corridors of speculation. but she never got much of a chance to meet him. there has been talks of ellie becoming a lady in waiting for their former queen, but the discussions never went very far. she doubted the queen trusted her enough to allow her in a position so close to her. she did not take offense to it knowing of the tensions between the two kingdoms. but jae was different it seemed at least he seemed to seek out approval of the stormland lords. he had many of them at his side, her brother was his own hand of the king. foolish as it may be she found herself willingly weaving trust into this new chapter of the realm.

“that is most kind of you to say, your grace.” ellie said, ready to play out this conversation as she had so many times since the news had reached her. almost numb to it by now, numb to the feelings of sadness of wondering what could have been. she never wished ill on her husband, never wanted to see him dead. she had only wished for him to be home with her more. this was never what she wanted. “he was a good man, he will be missed by me and by many more.”

her conversation flowed onward, his inquiry delving into the elevation of her brother, the stormlands' proud and capable hand of the king. “i heard the news of my brother’s promotion to hand of the king. truly you have bestowed a great honor on the swann household. i have always believed my brother to be one of the smartest men in all of the kingdoms. a good man.” truthful will was one of the best. a rare person with a heart of good intentions in a cruel world that seeked to spread corruption in its path. will never strayed from convictions. it was exactly what a good king needed to have by their side "he will serve you well as hand of the king," she declared with conviction, the words carrying the weight of her unwavering faith.

"my place has always been with my family and the stormlands and now with you as our new king" her voice rose with unshakable fidelity, an indomitable pledge of loyalty offered with unwavering eyes. "i would be honored to stay at court alongside my brother," her voice, steady as a mountain stream in their lands, held no hesitation. “ i hope i may prove myself useful as time continues.” not that their previous queen ever found any place for ellie in her court. she could be useful if someone opened their eyes and saw her, saw her brains. her smarts. part of her doubted the king would do anything with it, maybe if will spoke of her talents. but…she did not put much faith in the idea. the prospect of proving herself, of manifesting the dormant talents she harbored, lingered in her aspirations—a beacon of potential, waiting to be embraced.