anya-snow

[anya-snow]

MASTERLIST OF WANTED CONNECTIONS

OOC Note: Below you’ll find a list of connections I’d love to have for my characters. These connections can be filled by existing characters within the rp, or new ones! Please don’t hesitate to reach out if anything interests you. Nothing here is set in stone, all is open for discussion and fun plotting.

For LADY YUAN ANYA ( Read more about her )

YUAN FAMILY: One or two relatives from the YiTish region of Wan, or potentially, people who grew up in Westeros like Anya did. If they’re cousins, Anya only has male cousins back in Wan. The WC could be other members of the extended family. Any FC filling this connection must have Chinese heritage. You’re encouraged to contact me to chat more about this.

Helpful links: Yi Ti lore | WC for YiTish people in the North

For LADY SEFFORA MERRYWEATHER ( Read more about her )

ALLIES: Longtable suffered because of the civil war within the Reach that was started by Seffora's late sister, Sienna. Since becoming a ruling lady, Seffora focused on rebuilding and aiding the widows and orphans of Longtable. Her focus now is to gain more allies and build strategic relationships that can help her address the needs of her people and her land. One particular concern is the decreased male population after the civil war. Seffora needs to build alliances that can bring in workers, soldiers and men that can become people of Longtable.

Helpful link: Merryweather background

COUSIN/LORD MERRYWEATHER: Seffora didn't grow up close to her cousin, since she spent a good portion of her life in Goldengrove as Tirius Rowan's ward. An important event in this lord's life is that he got into some trouble not long ago as he attempted to run away and elope with Harlon Tarly's sister, Talia (who is now Lord Gael Hightower's wife). I'm very open to the kind of dynamic these two have, if they have gotten closer since Seffora returned to Longtable and became ruling lady, or if they remain somewhat distant to this day.

Helpful link: Longtable history

For QUEEN IONA TULLY ( Read more about her )

COUNCIL MEMBERS: Positions for the small council need to be filled: Lord Commander of the Queensguard (Potential Houses can be Erenford, Paege, Mudd, Vypern, Ryger of Willow Wood. Open to other house options), Master/Mistress of Laws (Potential houses can be Fisher of Misty Isle, House Hawick of Saltpans, House Justman), Master of Ships (From House Mallister) and Master/Mistress of Coin (Preferably from House Frey, but open to other house options). Some houses mentioned above are vassals to other larger houses. If you select a vassal house, you can choose to keep your muse a vassal or let them have one of the open locations that don't have a canon noble house: Bechester, Briarwhite, Fieldstone, Ramsford, Riverbend, Sweetwillow, Swynford.

YOUNGER BROTHER/PRINCE: He was away from Westeros and was presumed dead for a time, and that's why the crown went to Iona and not him. Now that he's back, we can have fun familial and political drama.

YOUNGER SISTER/PRINCESS: One of the two youngest Tully siblings, the twin sister of Mellara. I would love to include this sister in the Tully family dynamic.

For LORD DEIMOS VELARYON ( Read more about him )

YOUNGER BROTHER: This is Deimos' only remaining brother after the death of Aerion. This brother would be a Lord of Driftmark, and also the Ruling Lord of Sharp Point (approximate age would be 30 - 34). It would be great to add this brother to the Velaryon sibling dynamic, see where he stands on Valyrian exceptionalism or the politics about the Crownlands and Stormlands, the view he had of their parents, etc.

For LORD PERCIVAL TEMPLETON ( Read more about him )

PAST LOVES/BETROTHALS: Percival has had a long list of failed relationships and betrothals that never led to marriage in the end for a variety of circumstances. I'm interested in two past relationships: 1) one that took place around 134ac, 2) the other one around 139ac - 140ac. We can plot why they got together (arranged, romance, etc), why it ended, and what their dynamic looks like today.

For LUCIUS RIVERS ( Read more about him )

PLATONIC/ROMANTIC CONNECTION: Chemistry-based, if Lucius and her vibe well it can turn romantic, we'll see. And I want to emphasize that this is very unlikely to be endgame due to status differences and potential religious differences too. This woman would be someone Lucius has met recently, and he's become quite soft for her. I really want to explore a vulnerable side of him with someone, and I think this would be the person with whom he shows this side of him.

[anya-snow]

Anya detected some pride in her friend's voice, even if he remained as steady and unaffected as Northern men could be. It was the sort of work that merited that sense of pride, and she was glad to think Aleks did feel it, even if to a small degree. “Well, keep trying, then. You do well with mere attempts to try,” she mused in response.

Greywater Watch was unique amongst the settlements of the North, for as the lord said, it moved too. “The Kingsroad isn't far from here,” Anya began, for that very road meant without question the coming and going of traders in the area. “You can have your marketplace for locals of Greywater Watch, but what if we arranged for specific dates for an extended marketplace that includes those traveling merchants,” the lady spoke, her gaze turning to the direction she recalled the Kingsroad was, just a couple of miles from where they were. “We build stalls that are easy to assemble and disassemble and we take them to the Kingsroad”.

It was just an idea, but one that Anya could see working. The people of Greywater Watch could then engage more actively in a larger scope of trade, and the mudmen could cease their concerns about anchoring themselves or feeling exposed to dangers by remaining in a single spot. “It could be done. I can help with organizing and the logistics of it. I could aid with some funding for the building of these stalls”.

His friend's praise settled in his chest as something warm, chasing away the chill that always lingered in this swamp region. "I try, I try.." he said, trying to sound unaffected, even if the pride shone through in his tone. Aleksander stepped next to Anya, lifting his arm to pat her shoulder and to lead her further into the grounds of the Keep.

A hum lingered in the back of his throat as Anya spoke of the traders and their routes. He did not yet know all the specifics that went into it. The biggest concerns at the moment were how to make Greywater available to trade routes. "Greywater Watch moves, too," he interjected, allowing the slight tinge of worry to seep into his tone. "I worry traders may not be able to find it if we don't anchor the castle, and the mud men have their - understandable - qualms with that."

[anya-snow]

“You mask it well, then,” Anya mentioned. Dacey had an admirable quality to appear composed, graceful, confident regardless of where she was. By the princess' own admission that wasn't always the case, just the image the lady had of the other woman. “And yes, we endure what we must,” the raven-haired lady replied. It was something she agreed with entirely. Her life had been built on enduring and overcoming.

There were not many friends in Anya's life. There had never been many she counted as close to her, and the situation continued to be the same. Her circumstances were entirely different at present, and yet there remained the underlying feeling that she needed to protect herself, to be cautious, to keep others at arm's length out of a sense of self-preservation. Noble courts were different grounds from those she's known as a lowborn bastard, but dangerous all the same. “I've never been very good at making friends, I'll admit,” she mused in a lower tone. “Silly of me. No one can stand alone, after all”. She did not have the sort of charming, gentle or enticing personalities that drew in others to her. For most of her life, she'd been challenging, jaded, and much too prickly to let others get too close. Those she'd let in, she'd lost in one way or another.

At least we are here together, the princess said. Anya did find some comfort in that, finding herself in this place with fellow Northerners, It brought a sense of safety, in a way. A home away from home, indeed. “I will remain vigilant. I generally find it difficult to let down my guard,” she shrugged. Another consequence of the way she grew up, she supposed. “I will try to enjoy the trip. However, I am wary of the social events and some of the gatherings that will surely take place. I don't usually care much for the judgment— I try not to care for it, that is. But I know I will be judged more harshly here,” she dared to say, for it felt safe to admit this before Dacey.

anya's assumption that dacey was someone who could adapt well took the princess by surprise, for that was never how she saw herself. it was why she rarely left the confines of winterfell, where she felt most at ease. wherever she went, there was a feeling of being ill at ease, as though everyone who surrounded her was simply waiting for her to do or say something that would see her judged. at least in winterfell, she knew the places where she would not be seen.

"i'm flattered, but i've never felt that was the case." she admitted. "but we endure it, don't we?" and dacey endured it because she had to, because the queen in the north was dead, her elder sister was gone, and now she found herself the oldest of the stark princesses. there was nobody to hide behind anymore. the quiet places where she most found comfort were no longer hers to occupy. "but there are friends here, i think. i hope it is the same for you."

it must be. the more anya spoke, the more dacey was reminded that she had seen far more of the continent than the princess had, that she had lived an entire life before entering the world that dacey had been born into. "at least we are here together," she pointed out. "a home from home whilst here." it was a comforting thought. she wished she had words of wisdom to offer, but she would wager that she knew even less of the west than anya did, and did not think nasir manderly's words of caution would be particularly helpful in this moment. "i think it is best to be wary," it was as close as she would get to repeating the words of the north's hand. "but we are here for a celebration. it would be good, i think, to indulge your curiosity whilst enjoying what king tyland has in store." whatever this trip would throw at them, it could not be worse than the crownlands.

[anya-snow]

“Well, it is their culture,” she replied plainly. It was the Western way, wasn't it? Showing power in everything. Then, there was some truth to the other woman's following assessment. Anya wasn't particularly enjoying the scene playing out before her but she didn't hate either. She'd not been raised and made to be squeamish in any way, and her experiences in the battle camps were perhaps the reason why she could watch these Fair Games with an almost neutral expression. “I was curious to see what these games were all about. I'm partial, of course, but I much prefer the Northern Games,” she said.

Anya's gaze returned to the open area where the fighting was taking place. She had also considered the lion would triumph when that match took place, but it had been a warrior —one of the Equites Alati knights— who prevailed. “It is safer. Do you really want to line Western pockets with more coin?” she replied as she turned to the lady at her side.

for a brief moment, a flicker of disappointment crossed halima's face, before quickly being replaced with curiosity as she noted the expression on the other woman's face. it was plain she had little taste for what was occuring before her, for the bloodshed that came with such a spectacle. and yet, here she sat, unflinching, despite the fact her lack of enjoyment was in stark contrast to those surrounding her, the lords jeering and braying for more blood, more gore. there was enough courage in that, in not looking away from something you didn't want to look at, that halima could respect it.

"a shame." and yet, halima was not inclined to offer her gold to another. her good mood, it seemed, did not quite extend that far, though it did enough to coax out of her a rare laugh. "cultural is one word for it, though it is not one i would use." what word she would use, she hadn't fully considered. dorne had culture, but the west had pomp and pageantry and ceremony, and, dismissively, she did not think the two could be equated. "if you don't mind me saying, you don't look as though you're enjoying your cultural experience all that much."

"i thought that about the lion, too," she admitted, and on that part, she had been wrong. man had been the victor - and for all it's teeth and claws, a bear might not be a match for steel and tactics. "and i was incorrect on that part. perhaps my gold is safest in my pockets."

[anya-snow]

The young woman before her did have that air of one of Valyrian descent but Anya hadn't been sure. Now she knew, as the other confirmed it. “I suppose so,” she agreed. The Northerner didn't have an inherent fear or mistrust of the heirs of Old Valyria, she generally made her judgments and built prejudices on the spot based on initial impressions from the individuals before her.

“Not here precisely,” the lady answered. “It is only experience with places like this,” Anya added as she glanced around the marketplace. Then, she looked at her companion with interest, for she had detected something unusual in her. The air about her, perhaps. The blonde did not seem like an ordinary lady. “You seem no stranger to this either,” she mused.

Aenogaia's head tipped back as she hummed in understanding. Her eyes, in the meantime, moved over the market stalls that surrounded them, eyeing the surrounding sellers with shrewd interest. "I haven't had any experiences with this particular trick, I'll be honest. I've always assumed they are a bit more wary of Valyrians. Perhaps some left over fear of dragon fire." Even if the dragons did not roam the skies like they used to. Even if Targaryen rage did not burn quite as hot as it once did. "You seem to have experience here, or am I wrong?"

[anya-snow]

Anya nearly asked if the king was to demand she limited her interactions with the Lannister lord, but knew better and held her tongue. “I trust very few people, your grace,” the raven-haired woman answered. Trust was not a currency a woman born in her situation dealt with. It was unwise, she always thought. “The only people who've earned it are those I've known for most of my life,” she added. Such a small circle was made up of Lord Karstark, the Starks, and the connections she'd made along the way, like Laena and Mathis.

“I have never discussed business with the man, my king,” she assured him. Owen Stark appeared to give much more value to her position than the born bastard did, seeing something more strategic, possibly. But Anya was no fool. “I do not casually bring up the work I do with those that I come across, I reserve those topics for your council chambers”. She knew to speak of it only before her king and council, or to discuss with those she was sent to talk to on behalf of the Northern king.

“I do not know of any trade needs the Lannister lord might have. We've never spoken of such matters and never shall,” she assured Owen. “Do you doubt me, your grace?” she dared to ask, curious to know what was it that led the Stark king to have these growing concerns about her character. Was it only her connection to Nicholas Lannister, or was there more to it? She thought it fair to ask, if only to know the ground she stood on with the king. “I can only hope my dedication to your house and your cause can soon erase any doubts you might harbor about me”.

Owen stared at her as she spoke, he felt his jaw set as she talked of them continuing to "run into each other" and he wondered if he were meant to be a fool or no. "A penchant for provoking you? A rarity?" Owen clenched his jaw and unclenched, as he leaned back in his chair. "I care not for what might disconcerting for a Westerman, Yuan Anya. I cared that the Mistress of my Merchant's Guild is casually running into a Westerman enough to know he finds her rare." A hand ran over his face, fingers moving over his beard. It worried him to have a bastard in such a position.

"You must not trust a Westerman, my lady. You are more valuable than you know and not just to me but to your people as well. And getting in to beds with lions, you might as well crawl in the beds of snakes." Owen hoped she understood. "We can not do business with them, nothing that could harm us and Lannisport could present itself to be it's own issue in the trade." That was his truest worry, what if they were planning something. Tyland Lannister was crafty.

"Do you know if this Lannister of Lannisport is ... in need of something? Does he play a game or does he seek trade because there is a mark up for lions."

[anya-snow]

Modern AU — Yuan Anya

GENERAL INFORMATION

NAME: Yuan Anya

AGE: Twenty-eight (Born December 16th, 1996)

BORN IN: Brighton, England

CURRENT RESIDENCE: London, England

OCCUPATION: Props master and Stage Fight coordinator

ETHNICITY: Mixed race (Chinese and English)

BACKGROUND

Anya was raised only by Alden, her father, since her mother passed away very little after her birth due to complications.

Alden struggled economically for the majority of Anya's upbringing. Anya began taking little odd jobs when she was in her teens, trying to help her dad as much as she could.

She worked hard to keep good grades at school, and she ended up getting a scholarship to attend the boarding school in Vermont. Anya was known as a hardworking student and didn't have that big of a social presence. The only extracurricular she took was fencing, and competed around the state in the high school category. Other than that, Anya was always focused on keeping her grades up to keep her scholarship. She was the valedictorian of her class in her graduation year.

Anya returned to England after graduation and went to Rose Bruford College for Scenic Arts. During this time, one of her professors began taking her as an assistant to the National Theatre so she could gain more exposure to the theater world.

She has been steadily working since before graduation, earning a name for herself as a props master and stage fight coordinator both in theater, film, and TV. One of her most renowned works in recent years was her role choreographing the production of "Coriolanus", which has had stars like Tom Hiddleston and David Oyelowo in the titular role.

RELATIONSHIP HISTORY

Currently dating Owen Stark. They met after one of Owen's matches and began a fling recently.

She dated Nicholas Lannister for a time. Initially, their relationship was kept a secret, as Nicky was preparing her for the scrutiny that dating a royal would entail. Their relationship came out and Anya was subject to harassment by the press and paparazzi. The two of them decided to break up after a while despite still being very much in love with each other.

Little after graduating from school, Anya dated Brandon Karstark. Their paths in life drifted and they split amicably.

[anya-snow]

“Every day,” the raven-haired lady admitted easily. It was the sort of confession she only felt comfortable giving before a good friend. It was true she'd only gone into the craft of a blacksmith because it was what her father had done before her, and it was what Alden could teach his daughter to sustain herself in life. But Anya loved it. She grew to cherish the craft since her teenage years. She enjoyed her current work, but her true talent and passion might always lay in what she'd done all her life prior to serving the North as she did today. “I do welcome, and cherish, the great privileges that come with being a Head of the Merchants Guild,” she added, not wishing to sound ungrateful for what she had gained.

The vision of King Owen's North was truly taking shape in many ways. Greywater Watch and the work the Karstark lord was putting into it was one of the many ways that new vision continued to manifest in these wintery lands. “It does look nice. You've done a good job here, Aleks,” the lady praised with a gentle smile, offering a nod to the Storm of Winter. In some ways, the two of them were not so dissimilar— not much had been expected of them before, and now they were in a position to play meaningful roles.

Anya's attention stayed on the area where the new marketplace of Greywater Watch was to grow. There was progress, for sure, but it wasn't close to being done just yet. “There will be caravans going along the trade routes, you shouldn't need to have every single stall manned. The travelling merchants can do that too,” she said, to quell that concern. “Be here for a time, move on to the next point on the map”. Some merchants would travel shorter trips, remain in specific areas. Others, like her grandfather had done, travelled as they sold and gained new goods across full regions, even continents.

Aleksander wagged his index finger in her direction once, quiet way of agreeing with her point. The clang of a blacksmiths hammer in a forge was surely a lot louder than the repair works going on around Greywater Watch's courtyard. "Do you miss the noise? Or are you glad for some peace?" he asked, curious. Anya had made him his sword, exquisite craftsmanship in every inch of steel. She seemed busy with other things now but Aleksander would dare to assume that she did miss it.

A wide grin spread over his lips as she complimented the repairs that were in full swing. When he'd gotten here, Greywater Watch had been in the beginning stages of decay. Brandon's words lingered in his mind. About duty, and taking care of what belonged to their family now. Aleks might have been a walking disappointment on most days, but this was about honoring the dead as much as the living. "It is startin' to look nice, isn't it?" He nodded towards the entrance of the Keep and began to approach.

"Workin' on it," he admitted. The market had been a bit of a difficult thing to manage, considering Greywater Watch was constantly on the move. But they'd found and formed the semblance of a plan, and now they were just trying to expand the market place itself. "The square is bein' expanded and new stalls are built to house more traders. All we need now is some more time and the people to man the stalls."

[anya-snow]

Gambling wasn’t a recurring habit of Anya’s, but it was an activity she had sporadically participated in when she had a few extra coin and a hunch of being able to multiply it. She’d wished to attend the Fair Games more so to continue to expose herself to the culture of the Westernlands and its people, people who appeared to be nearly a polar opposite of the Northern folk. For her, there was little enjoyment to be had in witnessing men fight lions, but she could see why the people under King Tyland Lannister might enjoy something like it. A test of strength and valor. She did wonder if Nicholas was the sort of warrior who found it appealing to compete in these affairs or attend them often.

The woman at her side spoke then, and the raven-haired lady looked at her with furrowed brows. It was then that Anya realized that was the expression she’d been wearing for a while now, seeing the brutality of this utmost Western display of courage. “I do not gamble often,” she replied, “And I wasn't inclined to gamble this time, frankly”. Others around her were chatting in a lively manner, arguing and cheering, people who clearly had gambled. So why was she here? “We could call this a cultural experience for me,” she said with a shift in her tone at those last words, partly serious and partly sarcastic.

Her attention went to the bear the other woman spoke about. “I’d have bet on it too, if I’d put coin on this”. How could it not be the victor, after all? Testing nature against humanity, beasts against man, oftentimes became a lesson in humility for people. “You've good odds of winning back that gold and then some, I'd say”.

closed starter for @anya-snow setting: the fair games

"do you gamble?"

it was a rare thing for halima to loosen up and relax enough in a public setting to engage in something like gambling, but the brutality of the fair games seemed to have awakened a sort of joy inside her. she had been practically leaning forward in her seat, eyes fixed on the fighter before her as he fought the lion. in the end, it was the fighter who emerged victorious, the proud beast finally breathing its last to an eruption of cheers from the crowd. the winning warrior gave a half-hearted wave before departing, the next fight being set up - this time between a younger competitor, fighting a monstrous brown bear.

she lifted her head, turning her gaze to the woman sitting next to her. halima wasn't sure where she was from, nor did she care. she was not valyrian, and didn't look to be reach or stormland-born, either, and so halima was willing to tentatively offer her the privilege of conversation.

"because my gold is on the bear."

[anya-snow]

A foot in one world, a foot in another. Anya still felt that way; a lady by title and having a place in King Owen’s court while remaining a bastard by birth in the eyes of many, someone who still maintained a certain link to her life before. She couldn’t fully cut it, admittedly. In the North, that sense of being what she was, who she was, did not bother her at all. She was surrounded by people who had known her for a long time, people who knew what she stood for and the value she brought. In other realms, it was different, perhaps in none more than in the West.

It was somewhat of a relief to hear the Northern princess admit she felt out of place as well. If someone like Dacey felt that way, it almost was a sort of permission to feel it too. She was justified in her thoughts if the princess doubted as well. “Really? I always saw you as someone who adapts quite well to foreign places,” Anya confessed that thought, for she always saw the princess carry herself with confidence and grace.

The princess’ second admission managed to bring a little smile to Anya’s lips. “It’s not awful. I may have been thinking the same,” the raven-haired lady chuckled softly, raising a hand to cover that little laugh that escaped her. It felt as though the walls had ears and she wanted no one but the princess to hear her own confessions. “I know so little of the West in comparison to other places. I never travelled much here in the past,” she said, for her trips for blade commissions generally took her to the Vale, the Riverlands, or the Reach. The West was as rare a destination as was Dorne, one for the distance and the other for their reliance on their own master blacksmiths, she supposed. “I’m a little curious about this place. But I'll admit I am more intimidated than I am curious,” Anya added with a little shrug. She'd been crossing paths with some people who piqued her interest in a land and a culture so different from her own, but there was something in the court of lions that did make her uneasy, for they seemed like statues of ivory and gold; unapproachable in their elegance, saintly or heroic, but always untouchable.

long had dacey been on friendly terms with anya, but as with most of the people she knew, there was a distance between the two, put there by dacey herself. long had she struggled with concepts like friends, even as she observed others making them so easily. her circle had always been small, and lonely. but the northern court had been shrunken by loss. it had pulled dacey from her self-imposed isolation, but what had it done to anya, when two of those losses had been people dacey knew she had held close? she could do nothing about that, except offer herself as a meagre replacement. trying to step into the shoes of the dead seemed to be all she did, these days.

and she nodded her head, for she understood what anya meant. she felt it, too. the feeling of not belonging was not uncommon for dacey, though lessened much when she was in the north. though the kingdom had been fractured and split, though many of the houses had bled for her family or against them, it was still her home. outside, the title of princess was just that - a title. the mystery of the princess alysanne attested to how little protection it afforded her. and yet, any anxieties must be felt two-fold by anya, and she could understand why that would be so.

"i don't think i will ever get past that feeling," she confessed. "of feeling out of sorts here, i mean. this place is not for me." there was a grandeur to the west directly at odds with dacey's simpler, more unassuming way of being, and she liked it not, as though in trying to be inconspicuous, it only made her stand out like a sore thumb amongst the splendour. a beggar at a ball. nasir manderly's warning echoed in her ears, and her expression grew weary. "is it an awful thing to say that i already want to go home?"

[anya-snow]

Markets appeared to be her study now, more than the fine crafting of a blade once was. The marketplace in Winter Town had been home to her for so long and it was interesting to compare and contrast it against trading and selling hubs in other regions, see how each of these new places could or would not fit nicely into the extensive trading route she had been delineating for King Owen and his realm for the past year or so.

A fair-haired woman at her side spoke and Anya found herself smiling subtly, a reminiscing half-smile over the life she once lived in places like this one. “I'm well aware of the tricks,” she replied, “Sometimes two sellers will ally too, so when you pass the first stall you get an inflated price. Then you pass the second and get a lower price, and convinced it's a bargain, you're swayed to buy the item”. And the money would then be split between the two members of such a little ruse. The raven-haired lady turned to look at her companion and nodded in gratitude all the same, appreciating the head's up despite it being unnecessary in someone like the former blacksmith.

who: @anya-snow where: an encounter in the mount market

If she was honest, the markets in Lannisport weren't awfully different from the ones in King's Landing. Different banners flapped in the warm breeze, but the tactics were the same. Finely made scarfs brushed over her skin so she could feel the fabrics, jewelry held up to her throat and attempts to usher her to a mirror so she could see how well it suited her. Shouts from merchants praising their wares, switching up their descriptions to fit many of those out and about, passing by.

Aenogaia had circled around the market once already, when she came back upon a stall that sold the scarfs. She quickened her steps and matched the walking speed of another attendee, clearly being approached by a merchant with a scarf at the ready. "Careful," she muttered. "Sometimes they get desperate. I hear sometimes they hand them to people and demand they pay for something they obviously just attempted to steal. So," she trailed off, sparing the merchant a glance with narrowed eyes while her jeweled hands were crossed in front of her chest. "Unless you want to end up in the Justice Gallery or paying more than you might like, I would steer clear."

[anya-snow]

Anya went to meet the King in the North when summoned, preparing to speak of news regarding the continuous expansion of the trade routes. Such were the topics they often discussed whenever King Owen requested to see her, so she could offer updates and continue to confirm his vision for the North kept bearing fruits in terms of trade.

Something felt off from the moment she arrived, however. It did not take long for her to learn why, as the topics she'd had in mind were not what the king actually wished to talk about. Her brow furrowed slightly, caught off guard by what Owen Stark said. Still one of the newest members to the king's council, Anya had to wonder if it was a habit to discuss personal connections and this just happened to be the very first time the subject was breached on her account.

“I met Lord Lannister in Oldtown, your grace, during the raids,” she replied, offering an idea of a timeline for the king. “He offered protection during the chaos and horror of it all,” she stated, having to swallow some of her pride, for Anya had emphatically berated the lord that day, assuring him she'd needed no saving. “We have run into each other on a number of occasions when the realms have gathered,” she added, calmly clasping her hands before her. She detected somewhat of an accusatory tone in the king's voice, yet it was a most common thing, after all, for members of the different courts of Westeros to interact with each other at such gatherings.

“We've conversed on those occasions. I would say the conversations have been cordial but the lord does have a penchant for provoking me,” she admitted in full sincerity. “He finds me a rarity, I would say. But you know my background, your grace, and how that might be disconcerting for a Westernman”. It was disconcerting for Northern men too, which was one of the reasons she'd been swayed to abandon her work as a blacksmith. To not cause confusion, to not bring shame with the blurring of lines.

who: @anya-snow what: hearing about the rumors of one of his courtiers getting close to a man of the west. set during their time in the west.

"I heard a rumor that I didn't like. Would you like to guess what that rumor was, Yuan Anya?"

Bastard were born of lust, lies, and weakness and as such they were wanton by nature at beast and treacherous by nature at worse. Owen Stark had a trust in the woman, if she were not a bastard he would have an interest in taking her to his bed but King's did not fuck their courtiers or bastards. And now, much of their trust was disappearing away from him.

His best friend, the man he called a brother turned on him in favor for a dead woman who was dead before she was killed. And now, his merchant mistress was supposedly fucking the lion of Lannisport. Were they trying to steal his merchant? Make her a mistress of the small headed, wide shouldered, beady eyed Lannister of Lannisport. Oh how he loathed them.

"Tell me the nature of your...interactions with the lord of Lannisport."

[anya-snow]

Anya handed over the reins of her horse to one of the mudmen that gathered to welcome her and the small retinue that travelled with her from Winterfell. Greywater Watch had become another branch in her map of the trade routes she'd been creating across Owen Stark's North. Slowly but surely new marketplaces had begun to flourish, and key trading hubs continued to be added in connection to the already working flow of commerce. Aleks' lands were such a place; a dot in her map of plans —an idea that still required much work to grow Greywater Watch's small market into a vibrant hub that functioned within the trade route.

“I grew up in a smithy, Aleks. I'm used to noise,” the raven-haired lady stated back with a slight smile. The hammering of steel had been her everyday life for over a decade. The cacophony of sounds around the forge had been the music of her life. “It's looking nice,” she mentioned as she glanced around, for it was hard not to notice the repairs and improvements that were being made. “You built my market yet?” she asked in a friendly tease, for having a larger market was something that Anya had mentioned to him once he was given these lands. Greywater Watch was a crucial location along the Kingsroad.

who: @anya-snow where: greywater watch

"Welcome," he called out, arms spread wide as he crossed Greywater Watch's courtyard. There were repair works being done all around, restoring the castle from where it had been largely empty for a while. Restorations had been the start Aleksander had scrambled for. That first step that would make everything else come a little easier, more natural.

And now - there was a visitor. He'd sent out some of the mudmen to find Anya once word had been sent that she was getting close. "Jus' pretend like you don't hear the noise. Everythin's getting on nicely, I'm told."

[anya-snow]

Anya knew deep down that she would never truly be a proper lady, for there was a part of the raven-haired lady that continued to keep a steadfast hold on who she'd been before. It felt a betrayal of sorts to forget her origins, to dismiss what had led her to be where she was at present. Yet, she certainly had been willing to adopt the right mannerisms and speak the proper words when it was needed, for she didn't dismiss her current role title either.

Both Lady Manal Manderly and Queen Rosalyn had been tutors of a sort for Anya in terms of becoming a Northern lady. It had been a horrible turn of fate that both young women perished at such young ages. Women that Anya had even grown to consider her friends. The last remaining person who had offered sporadic assistance on that account was the very person she'd found just now.

“Yes, I've just finished unpacking,” she replied with a quick nod and a brief smile. Was she alright? She'd skipped that question altogether. Anya was not not alright, though, but she did feel a bit of an anxious feeling nestled within her. It was unpleasant knowing she could be read so easily. “I am still getting accustomed, I suppose. Getting past the sense of feeling out of place here,” she added with a light wave of her hand, vaguely gesturing around. “The Western court is different from our own”. All courts were different in their own way, and Anya had been to all regions of Westeros at this point in her life, though not always as a titled woman. But there was a very distinct feeling about the Westerlands and the elevated majesty of it all.

the sense of unease that had been dacey's constant companion in recent days was multiplied tenfold in the west. at least in the north, there were only her own people to face, and all the comforts at home that allowed her to do what she did best and retreat into herself when things were overwhelming, despite the attempts she was making to break the habits of a lifetime.

but here, there was nowhere to hide, and so she was forced to face the seven kingdoms and dorne with her head held as high as her neck would allow, and hope the sense of propriety that seemed to permeate the very foundations of casterly rock had some influence in stilling the tongues of those who would ask about her sisters' whereabouts, for she did not think her own courtly mask would remain fixed if they should.

anya's appearance had an unmistakeable relief flood through her features. she would not claim to know her well, but she knew her and liked her, and more than that, here she was something familiar. had they been in winterfell, she might have made a subtle step towards removing the barriers of formality between them, as she so often did. it felt like the walls had ears. "lady yuan," despite her unease, her smile was genuine, though it soon faded, replaced with something akin to concern. "are you alright? how are you settling in?" it sounded like small talk, but there was an undercurrent to her words. here, they carried more weight.

[anya-snow]

END.

Anya managed a slight smile. She did not wish to think of the possibility of further losses, and Aleksander's gentle nudge grounded her. The Karstark siblings had grown to be most important to her several years ago. The two brothers and sister had been kind and respectful to her in a time when not many were, before she held a title or any further recognition beside that of a blacksmith. “I plan to live a little while longer, so you better do the same,” she replied, barely managing to infuse some humor in what felt like a most grim conversation. The raven-haired woman knew she would suffer the loss of such a friend horribly.

We can watch out for one another too, the Karstard lord had said. Anya glanced at him and gave a little nod in response. Whatever she could do to look out for her friends —those who felt as close to family to her— she did it.

The blacksmith's attention went to Aleks' sword as he unsheated it. It truly was one of the finer pieces she'd ever crafted, a beautiful marriage of the experience she'd gained over the years and a keener eye for design. “Of course. The name will come to you when the time is right,” she answered, her lips tugging up into a subtle smile. “I'm always curious about the names people give to the blades I make. The names say so much about the people who wield them, after all”.

[anya-snow]

Closed starter for @daceystvrk Setting: Casterly Rock, the Westerlands. Little after the Northern court arrived in the West.

Anya had become accustomed to not display her doubts or her insecurities. As she grew up, remaining steady, appearing unfazed, untouchable, was almost a way of continuing to survive. Her unshakable demeanor was the only shield a lowborn bastard could hold. It remained second nature to her, even if her circumstances had drastically changed. And so here, in the court of the West, she could not find the words or who to confide in about the utter sense of being ill-fitting with every other noble around.

It was different than it was in the North. The court of the West appeared to have a heightened sense of elegance and propriety that Anya had not seen elsewhere. In the North, she'd earned her place. Here, she felt she was being seen as someone merely wearing the costume of a lady. She didn't even know if others thought that or not. She should not care, but she did. The raven-haired lady did not wish to embarrass the king or the North as a whole for any missteps, for failing to know what others at court knew from birth.

The Yuan lady walked next to the Northern retinue when they arrived at Casterly Rock, and was later led to the area of the keep where they would be hosted. Anya noted that her chambers were only a few doors away from where Dacey and Cassana would be, which was somewhat of a relief. In fact, after settling in and unpacking, she ran into the middle Stark princess as she was leaving her room. “Your highness,” she greeted with a polite nod.

[anya-snow]

When was the last time you cried?

“At Queen Rosalyn's funeral,” the lady admitted in a low voice. Anya did not cry easily. She'd learned to tame her more vulnerable emotions from a young age, the circumstances of her birth status and upbringing leading her to want to present herself as strong and unflinching as the Northern ice and snow. Her circumstances were different now, of course, but her habits and deep-rooted behaviors remained unchanged. Even now, speaking about it, she put the subconscious effort to not falter and show too much emotion. “She was a good woman. I dare say I even considered her a friend, not just my queen,” the raven-haired lady added, for the late Northern Queen had worked to open up opportunities for Anya alongside her husband, and that was something she would never forget.

( @rosaaaryn )