#antagonistzz

"if i didn't know better... i'd say this was all some overarching scheme to lure all the ruling houses and competent vassal houses away from their keeps to stage some vast coup in every liege's absence." yerin kept silent for most of the council meeting aware that a minor vassal house from the iron islands had no business voicing input. she had intentionally offered gold and support in the efforts of rebuilding, to help feed the smallfolk, a gesture of solidarity, a reminder of what house harlaw could offer whoever warmed the seat of the throne. but this plan to venture to dorne in the coming moons will have them away from ten towers near half a year. they'd left home in the middle of the year and now would not return for how much longer.

she pours herself another cup of tea and offers the same to the lady greyjoy. "the lord reaper in his might, slaying a dragon, that ought to have won some luke warm feelings in favor of the islands. but what do you think of this ridiculous turn of events, lady saera?"

a bitter laugh. how long can hate hold a thing together? forever, even if the flesh falls off my bones. the hatred festers as the sea takes suho back, the drowned god embraces her child in that watery grave, the hatred persists. it fuels her, forces yerin to keep going, to ensure that jeong does not fall to the same fate. the hatred for the drowned god and their cruelty, in the the conflict between siblings that spilled her blood. "longer than memory will last. hate perseveres."

would you rather hate pull me apart? a parent is not meant to outlive their child. she carried suho for nine near impossible moons, thought she may have lost them in the birthing bed when the labor took too long, too much blood lost, the small, gentle babe that would not cry. yerin had begged their spouse's presence, begged the maesters, let the babe cry. the drowned god could not have them, not yet. suho's wails echoed in the chamber. their little survivor. for sixteen years, her child walked among the living, breathed, until their heart stopped somewhere else in the iron islands when she had not been by his side. "what would you have me do, saera? if it'd been me or ah-rin responsible directly or not for rodrik's death. could you swallow your hate?"

✶  ⸺  𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐞  𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞  !