putting down the roses.

"surely, there's someone here you trust more than me." they had practically been at one another's throats since the moment he arrived in winterfell. even if tensions had lessened between them as of late, and she was beginning to feel things for the dragon prince, she figured he would have found another here to lay his trust in. perhaps he hadn't; she was never sure how well he'd settled into winterfell.

were the small folk of king's landing similar to those in the north? the starks had not been to the capital city since they had bent the knee to rhaenyra as heir before lyanna was even born, so she could not picture what the city folk there might even be like. "i'm sure you have many duties as a prince that have kept you from being among them." surely the duties of a prince must be equally as intensive as ruling over the north as cregan did, even if aemond would not be king, there was likely so much that was expected of him to know how to do. she did not envy her betrothed or her brother in these tasks. "as often as i can spare, though sometimes i feel it is not often enough," she admitted. what is a lord without his people, or a king for that matter? they would be nothing without the small folk, especially if they were unhappy with their lords and kings. "i listen to their concerns and pleas when cregan is too busy to do so and am their voice to him when they need it."

she almost wondered if they would need someone to act as their voices to each other with how he pulled away from her touch to his face. was there disappointment in the fact she had northern features over those of his house? that she was not silver-haired nor a dragon rider as targaryen princes usually married? the arrangement of their marriage had been too quick for her to truly educate herself on house targaryen, on her husband-to-be, and all he might like or dislike. on what he had been through. "then they are fools, prince aemond," she settled on firmly. how could anyone view overcoming such a thing as a weakness?

"Be mine."

The words spoken on the cold air of Winterfell fall among the light bristle of snow falling upon their cloaked forms. Calloused hands grasped a soft, delicate palm against his chest--feeling the thunder of Vladimir's heart. This reminded him of a dream once, a quiet confessional to Lyanna yet the dream had ended before plush lips parted and spoke the answer.

But this was real. Living, breathing.

For such a renowned man from a well known house, Vladimir felt for the first time like his world could be torn apart at any moment. He had never felt this fear--not in the midst of battle or tourneys. No fear until he had spoken two words and waited on baited breath for her response. Lyanna would always be his first love--his first from when they been nothing but mere children giggling and laughing in the snow.

His first from the moment they shared their first dance, clothing twirling and eyes meeting as thought they were the only ones in the room.

sometimes, lyanna did not know what to expect for them. they had grown up alongside one another in moments she would treasure forever, no matter where life decided to take them as adults. there was not a moment she could think of where vladimir was not at her side through it all, and there was no other way she would have it for the rest of her life. but despite all that was between them, all the firsts they had given to each other, she still found herself worried about there never being anything more between them. that there was nothing but a childhood crush between them, no matter how much she had longed for so much more.

He leaned toward her so that the echo of the place wouldn't hound them, so that he wouldn't feel so bloody small sitting there in the ruins of whatever this Light forsaken place was. He had heard the story of Shadar Logoth and thinking of it now sent a shiver up his spine. But they would get out of this place, he knew that well enough. They had the determination for that especially if it meant saving those that he lived. Even if that made one of them the Dragon? He drew a breath and then met her eyes. "We're together." He softly told her with a nod of his head. "All of us are and I think if anyone can get out of this it's the lot of us Emond's Fielder's."

grey eyes rose to meet his, brow furrowing slightly at his words. "something has caught your eye, my prince? some northern girl, perhaps?" she teased him softly, ignoring the bitter jealousy that formed in her belly at the thought of aemond's eye on some other. it was silly of her to feel such a way when the prince was clearly far from interested in her, and nothing would ever become of them, no matter how much she wished it might. "i would take you to the wall to see them as my uncle did me, but the wall is far, and i doubt cregan, nor my nephew would agree to me being away for too long." not that she could blame them, as the thought of being away from them was hard enough to think about. wolves were pack creatures, not meant to be far from one another.

robb had called the banners. winterfell would soon march. the kraken prince had never seen real war. but he knew how to play a smile, pretend he was excited for bloodshed. very few ever knew his true emotions. but some must stay in the north, not come along, and as annoyed as he was with the task, he had come to tell lyanna of robb's wants.

she did not agree with her nephew's call for the north's banners, the rebellion was ever heavy on her mind despite the years between then and now. father, brandon, and ned all had left the north, never to return. would the same fate befall her nieces? her nephew? would the young kraken share that same fate or was he to be spared from it?

some small part of her almost expected the prince to pull away the moment she returned his kiss, as some sick joke at her expense, because there were truly no feelings on his side towards her outside hate. though she finds herself pleasantly surprised when his fingers tangle into her hair in answer to her grip on his tunic. she makes some half-hearted attempt to remind herself that she has no interest in this marriage, no interest in there being anything more than tension between her and the prince, but it was hard to keep to that line of thoughts with his mouth against hers. with his tongue so gentle in exploring in her mouth and his fingers in her hair. now that she had tasted him, how would she want anything other than this? how was she supposed to go without his body pressed close like this now that she had known it?

I have not broken your heart — you have; and in breaking it, you have broken mine.

I cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself.

Since we're all going to die, it's obvious that when and how don't matter.

When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where the madness lies?

To dream the impossible dream, that is my quest.

When we set the carriage afire, her flesh will be roasted, her bones will be charred: she will die an agonizing death.

What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us.

I have been and still am a seeker, but I have ceased to question stars and books; I have begun to listen to the teaching my blood whispers to me.

The bird fights its way out of the egg.

I have no right to call myself one who knows.

We who bore the mark might well be considered by the rest of the world as strange, even as insane and dangerous.

I have no idea whether parents can be of help, and I do not blame mine.

At one time I had given much thought to why men were so very rarely capable of living for an ideal. Now I saw that many, no, all men were capable of dying for one.

I will not make a gift of myself, I must be won.

Examine a person closely enough and you know more about him than he does himself.

One cannot apologize for something fundamental, and a child feels and knows this as well and as deeply as any sage.

The tree does not die. It waits.

Fate and character are different names for the same idea.

As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.

A man sees in the world what he carries in his heart.

All theory is gray, my friend. But forever green is the tree of life.

I am not omniscient, but I know a lot.

Everything transitory is but an image.

One mind is enough for a thousand hands.

Man errs, till he has ceased to strive.

Words are mere sound and smoke, dimming the heavenly light.

But you will never know another's heart, unless you are prepared to give yours too.

The Devil's in the house and can't get out.

Men's wretchedness in soothe I so deplore.

To go wrong in one's own way is better than to go right in someone else's.

It takes something more than intelligence to act intelligently.

Your worst sin is that you have destroyed and betrayed yourself for nothing.

When reason fails, the devil helps!

A hundred suspicions don't make a proof.

The man who has a conscience suffers whilst acknowledging his sin. That is his punishment.

The fear of appearances is the first symptom of impotence.

Break what must be broken, once for all, that's all, and take the suffering on oneself.

Have you ever heard of 'a genius who had been stuffed and preserved'?

Every day I am fated to die.

All the activities of life seem unbearably dull to me and I have renounced them.

 If you would be nice to me, I would gladly die for you this moment.

Having made an utter failure of my life, I found myself one day in the midst of my poverty and wretchedness, thinking about the female companions of my youth.

So, surrender to sleep at last. What a misery, keeping watch through the night, wide awake -- you’ll soon come up from under all your troubles.

Man is the vainest of all creatures that have their being upon earth.

There is a time for making speeches, and a time for going to bed.

For there is nothing better in this world than that man and wife should be of one mind in a house.

I swear by the greatest, grimmest oath that binds the happy gods.

part 2 / ? .

❝ i’m also worried about me, but i somehow seem to be worried about you more. ❞ ❝ you put the stars to shame. let’s sit here a little while - i want to drink you in. ❞ ❝ i’d tell you not to get in trouble, but i suspect it will find you whether you like it or not. ❞ ❝ well, this seems as good a time as any for me to stop babbling on. ❞ ❝ i just….need some air…clear my head. ❞ ❝ it’s been a long time since i shed a tear. i don’t even know how long. ❞ ❝ i had a feeling you’d show up. it’s sort of our thing. like it’s fate or something. ❞ ❝ i do appreciate your enthusiasm, but let's try to restrain ourselves a little. ❞ ❝ if that was an attempt at flirting, i should let you know i prefer the strong, silent type. ❞ ❝ no matter how far you come, you’re still on the road to ruin. ❞ ❝ i thought you a hunter. wrong. you’re prey - small. snivelling. pathetic. ❞ ❝ and what am i owed? what about the injustices i’ve suffered - am i not entitled to anything? ❞ ❝ i can’t help but feel the strangest twinge of disgust as i look upon you. ❞ ❝ i trust that you will continue to remember who is really on your side. ❞ ❝ better a short life built on truth than immortality woven of lies. ❞ ❝ i won’t make excuses. i can’t make amends. but i want to help, if you’ll let me. ❞ ❝ gods, it’s horrifying…and a touch fascinating. ❞ ❝ there are many names for you --- and all of them inspire dread. ❞ ❝ destiny is at your door; won’t you at least twitch the curtain? ❞ ❝ the gravest crimes committed in this world are committed for love. a hunger crueller than bloodlust. ❞ ❝ you’ve got a backbone, and the makings of a leader. ❞ ❝ revenge sounds so sweet until you’ve taken it. then all you have is…no one left to blame. ❞ ❝ some mistakes can’t be resolved with an apology. some mistakes, you have to carry with you, forever. ❞ ❝ you’re plotting something, aren’t you? come on then - out with it. ❞ ❝ this is not good, if i may state the obvious. ❞ ❝ think of all we’ve been through just to get to this moment. that wasn’t luck. that was us. ❞ ❝ feel like i should laugh but i’m just too godsdamned tired. ❞ ❝ there is something i lost…no, had taken from me. i want it all back. ❞ ❝ careful - you’re in very real danger of hurting my feelings. ❞ ❝ one thing i’ve learned - real saviours never label themselves as such. ❞ ❝ less thinking of bad thoughts, and more breaking of bad bones. ❞ ❝ i rather like interfering. it’s kind of my thing. ❞ ❝ evil is evil, even if it once was innocent. ❞ ❝ you know, i've been catching myself smiling more lately. i think that's your fault.. ❞ ❝ oh, i’m no innocent. but evil? you tell me. ❞ ❝ i still want to believe you’re better than that. but even i am having my doubts. ❞ ❝ i can’t afford to lose my nerve. safer to just not think, and keep forging ahead. ❞ ❝ when all this is over, will you stay with me? for good? ❞ ❝ this is not good, if i may state the obvious. ❞ ❝ is there a reason you're always such an utter drip? do you have some sort of condition? honestly, it's like you hate good news. ❞ ❝ all of nature’s beauty pales in comparison to you. ❞ ❝ i can’t save you from yourself. it hurts terribly, but i can’t. ❞ ❝ if i seem suddenly flush with hope and soft feeling, you have only yourself to blame. ❞ ❝ is there good and evil within us all? ❞