「 𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒎 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒓. 」

   his words soothed her more than she knew , for there was a part of cerenna that wondered if the little quiet lordling that from her childhood had grown into an irresponsibly loud man with an obstructive ego .  it was a relief that he most certainly did not .  “ daring words , ”  she shot him a pointed look , a mixture of amusement and satisfaction upon soft features .  “ enough to make a lady blush , my lord . ”  her hand left his for a moment as she turned , golden curls fanning around her a shimmering curtain .  lithe fingers finding his palm with surprising ease .  “ so what thrills you , then ? ” a murmur with a slight tilt of her chin , the lannister lion surveying a dragon with expectant eyes .  “ i am curious to know what occupies the time of a great lord of the tower . ”

open for  :  everyone  !

she’s starting to believe that none of these people have seen cleavage before for the way they react. did they not realize that the bride, their new princess, was from lys?  did they not know that in the reach, the heat was unbearable enough that it was a normal thing to expose arms and backs and sternums? a crash to her left pulls her from such thoughts, and she looks only to see scattered tarts across the floor before shaking her head and turning her attention back to her company. “as i was saying, i designed this dress myself.” a passion of hers since she was a girl, spending hours sketching out details and growing frustrated when things didn’t quite go to plan. she used to make most of her own gowns, but she doesn’t have as much time as she once did and having them commissioned was often faster. “perhaps if i have the time, i’ll design something for you.” they looked as though they could use the help.

open for  : everyone !

his wounds have healed nicely, his head far less delicate now that his concussion has eased, and the dislocated shoulder firmly back in place and free of the bandages that had been holding it for days. he was in high spirits, eager  to welcome the festivities that followed such a droll ceremony. or rather he would have been excited if not for the scene he had just walked past; just as he’d gone to reach for one of the most delightful looking tarts he’s ever seen, the servant carrying it got distracted by one of the ladies and dropped the entire thing. “what a waste.” his entire demeanor changes as he trudges towards the dessert table, even more sullen to discover no more tarts had been brought out yet.  “is it too much to ask to have a tart in  my mouth right this second?” 

open  starter    /    stefan baratheon. status:   open for responses ! where:   the dessert table. when:   the evening of the wedding.

        the  sooner  this  damn  celebration  was  over the better. then they could all leave this city, something he’d wanted since the very day he’d first set foot inside its walls and the feeling had only increased given recent events he wished he could forget, and it also meant an end to empty small talk and stuffy nobles. he would have remained on the outskirts of the room had his sweet tooth not caught sight of the decadent treats on one of the tables. the one currently in his hand might be his fifth and likely not his last.       ❝  the cakes and tarts are the one saving grace of this affair.  ❞        other than his betrothed, but stefan couldn’t cling to her like a shadow for the entire night despite wishing he could.

𝘚𝘛𝘈𝘙𝘛𝘌𝘙      ⅋.      𝗚𝗔𝗘𝗟    𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗔𝗥𝗬𝗘𝗡

—     setting:    courtyard,    mid  day —     availability:    open  to  everyone  

a  distinctive  thwack  preceded  a  sharp  whistle  ,  the  lord  having  swatted  the  back  side  of  his  fourth  opponent  with  the  flat  of  his  sword  .  all  in  good  fun  ,  the  sword  master  having  no  interest  in  shedding  blood  during  the  festival  :    leaving  injuries  to  the  jousting  tournament  .  chest  heaved  ,  shirt  long  discarded  and  there  were  signs  of  undeniable  lack  of  energy  ,  but  gael  still  sported  the  mischievous  smirk  that  was  signature  to  him  .  most  dueled  him  out  of  curiosity  to  his  abilities  ,  reputation  extending  beyond  the  crownlands  ,  but  some  ,  believed  themselves  better  .  perhaps  was  the  case  for  this  swordsman  ,  who  now  held  rage  at  the  constant  defeat  .  change  in  nature  was  recognized  ,  and  before  they  could  rev  up  a  blow  that  would  leave  one  of  them  hurt  ,  gael’s  blade  was  at  their  throat  .  game  over  .      “    and  you’re  dead  .    ”

   “ brooding . ”  she said decisively , as if the young lion had any authority in deciding his character !  rose - coloured lips smiled softly before continuing . “ no matter , some might say that slow embers are far more dangerous than wildfires . ”  it would not matter , truly , when she could be either and both at the same time  —  cerenna knew how to be formidable in any possible situation .  even through careful glances from beneath fair lashes . “ but court is filled with many beautiful ladies just waiting for your hand to lead them for a dance ! ”  the small gasp was touched with faux astonishment , for there was no part of her that ever doubted her beauty in comparison with others .  “ although , i cannot help but to lament at your absence from the tourney list . if you believe me so fair , perhaps my favour would not have been made for naught . ”

 " they are quite remarkable,” aster agrees, voice chiming in from behind daeron before he steps out of the shadow. “ some say they are art that the gods have gifted to us. i apologize for intruding lord daeron, this is simply the best place in the keep for star gazing.” he smiles warmly at the other man, eyes watching the other lord curiously. “ i can leave if you wish.”

   cerenna always glittered even brighter under the weight of the gaze of others ,  even more so when the heavy silk of her skirts fluttered around her like soft petals .  the man who had her arm when she was in such a state deserves the reward of her undivided attention .  “ i believe you were far too busy brooding to notice , my lord . ”  she teased right back , her voice smooth as velvet .  “ regardless … i am not the same girl you once knew .  but we’ve both grown up quite a bit , haven’t we ? ”  cerenna felt herself far too grown ,  despite her lack of marriage in comparison to most nobles her age .  as they both turned ,  her slim fingers still slotted against his warm hand ,  her bright eyes fell upon the court dressed firmly in their house colours .  with a subtle tilt of her head ,  the young lion turned her sweeping gaze to her companion .  “ what do you imagine that they’re thinking about us , hm ? ”

“i must admit.. i’m not quite sure if i believe wholeheartedly.” saera responded after a few moments of silence. daeron’s words had given her food for thought. “my septa back in castamere, she prayed day and night, yet the shivers still took her nephews. if the gods do listen, they must be cruel.” she decided, knowing well enough that was far from the only reason for her statement. it was only then saera realized she’d stumbled upon daeron in the sept out of all places. “do you pray, cousin? i did not take you for a pious man.”

open to: anyone where: the sept of baelor

septs to saera usually meant funerals. tradition. something you get over it. she’d never been particularly pious; sure, the septa taught her all the prayers as was her job, but actually praying had never occurred to the targaryen, not until her father’s death. she couldn’t do anything to protect her family, maybe the gods would help, as the septa had told her. desperate times, desperate measures. most of the time, she wasn’t even praying. she just liked the solace. the darkness illuminated by nothing but the candles, the way her steps echoed across the building. once again surrounded by death and bad feelings of what’s to come but this time in king’s landing, saera found herself in the sept of baelor. it was much bigger and more beautiful than the one in castamere. she stayed there for a bit, alone with her own thoughts, until she heard footsteps approach. “the gods don’t actually listen, do they?”

♛

one, two, three, four. and just like that, it’s as if he and gabriel are back to being young boys whose days were only filled with adventures around the red keep. just like many times before, rhaegar simply slips away, meeting gabriel through the last door he saw him walk out of. “as it always is.” there’s playfulness in rhaegar’s tone, reserved to those whose familiarity brings nothing but comfort. “you were right. it was beginning to get stuffed in there.” even if they were standing somewhere far more open than rhaegar thought of it as. “do you think anyone saw us?” rhaegar relaxes into the place he’s standing at now. he gives him a once over after a moment. “have you been enjoying any of the festivities, gabe?”

♛

the sight of a familiar knight standing so still for so long gives alerie only an idea, which is why she returns to the same spot as he’s standing at with an inconspicuous bag and a goblet filled with the only one she could find. if he asks, they have no idea which kind it is. “ser gabriel,” alerie greets, warm smile on her lips as she acts as if she’s smuggling in something illegal instead of a small snack for the knight. two pastries, expertly bribed. “i am certain standing around for hours on end is quite entertaining and a test to your strength but perhaps i might entice you to take a break? i brought you something to eat and drink.”

“    now  why  would  you  think  that  ?    ”      gael  questioned  ,  the  smile  on  his  lips  never  once  faltering  as  he  approached  the  other  .      “    do  you  not  find  yourself  pretty  ,  my  lord  ?  for  i  do  ,  and  i  am  as  sober  as  a  rock  .    ”      the  targaryen  found  it  hard  to  be  anything  but  ,  surrounded  by  so  many  strange  faces  ,  some  amicable  and  others  not  .