reachbloomed

[reachbloomed]

INTRO POSTS ! 

katherynne tyrell née baratheon ( ruling lady of the reach )

markas lefford ( ruling lord of the westerlands )

jayne forrester née cerwyn ( regent of house forrester )

lady myriam ( mistress of whisperers for the southern court )

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❛ you are my treasure, my pale gold, the heart of my heart. ❜ ( from viktor )

           she has not moved from bed in two days.  this one had been much harder than the last , and its physical & emotional toll haunts katherynne’s every waking thought. she has failed him again - broken his heart , no doubt. her own has broken, too.  she has given the servants reason to talk , his family reason to talk. she has given him cause to resent her. and yet , the door creaks open.

     katherynne barely turns her head , fatigue overwhelming her. she opens her mouth to send whoever is calling away , but is left with little sound but a pitiful croak. eyes close, waiting for tears that have all but run out. a familiar voice fills the air , wrapping its way around her heart. what can she do but look his way ?  blue eyes widen , and she lifts a trembling hand to tug  ever so gently at his wrist , urging him to sit in the space beside her. 

                      she has never loved him more than she does in this moment. 

     it isn’t until he is settled that she exhales a broken sigh , a strangled cry for all that they have lost. she presses her face against the crook of his neck , wraps an arm around him. small frame fits itself up against his. 

                    ❛❛ my heart , ❜❜ she begins , clinging as tightly to him as she can manage. ❛❛ i am so sorry.  ❜❜

@qvietrose

[reachbloomed]

DEATHLESS.

the following prompts were taken from the novel deathless by catherynne m. valente, an american novelist & poet. the novel was loosely based on the tale of koschei the deathless, incorporating other elements of russian mythology, & setting it against the backdrop of the russian revolution. feel free to change the pronouns / prompts as you see fit, but be warned – below the cut, it’s quite long !

❛ the service of your body is not yours to give as you please. ❜

❛ you probably won’t survive. ❜

❛ go. run. don’t look behind you. ❜

❛ i have come for the girl in the window. ❜

❛ i will never be without information. ❜

❛ i will see him with his skin off before i fall in love. ❜

❛ if the world is divided into seeing & not seeing, i will always choose to see. ❜

❛ secrets are jealous things, permitting no fraternization. ❜

❛ no, it’s not like that, when magic comes. ❜

❛ magic does that. it wastes you away. once it grips you by the ear, the world gets quieter & quieter until you can hardly hear it at all. ❜

❛ the sight of it bruised my heart so that i cannot think about anything else. ❜

❛ i’ll be so quiet, i’ll never talk again. ❜

❛ keep me & obey me, for i am your husband, & i can destroy you. ❜

❛ i shall be clever, & i shall not let him go. ❜

❛ it is a new world, & we do not wish to be left behind. ❜

Keep reading

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ofbaratheonss‌:

                                                    There was always a doll like resemblance to Raina, sharp blue eyes that borderline violet, her small features always forced into gentle reactions. She held not much for the rest of the Baratheon off spring, that much she knew, she however respected them out of love for her husband. Raina lacked the ability to be loyal to anyone who wasn’t directly involved with her, the list was short. First herself, then her children, and lastly but not less important her husband. The rest was collateral. 

                                              Raina chuckled, “You’re truly committed to enjoy the night I see, I suppose there is no harm in it, better enjoy than not.” She personally could not, being in the north with a growing stomach was not something she would’ve chose to do. 

          katherynne knew that raina had been a decidedly good wife to her brother. she had filled raymont’s home with children, and was fervently devoted to them. for that, she was endlessly grateful to her good sister. still , she was not entirely sure that a true friendship would ever blossom between the women. as much as she wanted it to, they were different. they approached life differently. 

           ❝ i am indeed. i believe if i stop, i might freeze.  ❞ kat offered up a light laugh before pressing her goblet to her lips. ❝ i’m sure you must be tired. perhaps we should find a quiet place to sit and speak ?  ❞

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argellaxbaratheon‌:

The tragic events had made her so uncomfortable that she considered retiring to her chambers early. She did not know what to say to those people, especially to the northeners. They seemed to be the most affected. It was one of them who had perished. A maester. An innocent victim to an incident. But had it been really an incident? Argella heard some of the guests speaking of a banner, the Targaryen banner who had been found at the scene of the fire. She wondered what those close to the Targaryen family thought about that discovery.

“Yes, yes. I am well. Still a bit startled though.” She said as she looked at her sister, standing before her. Argella hadn’t made an attempt to seek for her siblings. Katherynne had found her by accident. “Are you well yourself?”

          to her sister’s answer ,  there was little she could reasonably say without feeling a fool. there was no way to describe that the buzz of the room made her dizzy. her skin was crawling, and she felt overwhelmed beyond expression. it was silly to be touched by such events. this was not her home, nor her maester, and yet she felt anxious beyond expression. she quickly took both of her sister’s hands , giving them a weak squeeze. 

         ❝ i am fine. ❞ she lied , doing a remarkably good job of pretending .  ❝ have you seen orys ? raymont ? ❞

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queenaelinor‌:

Aelinor only half listened to her, her hand resting on her stomach as she felt it churning. “Yes. Fresh air would do me some good.” Aelinor rose up from her seat quickly, another wave of nausea hitting her. But this time, she kept her composure. She looked at Katherynne and asked, “Would you be so kind as to join me, Lady Tyrell?” 

        though she had no real desire to venture into the freezing air , she understood its use in situations like these.  to her request , katherynne nodded gently.  ❝ certainly , your grace. ❞ kat offered her arm to the other woman , quickly adding.  ❝ it might be wise to stand up slowly, lest you feel unsteady on your feet as well.   ❞

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         katherynne’s heart had not  stopped racing. the echo of a raven’s call reverberated in her ears , filling her with a dread that she could not escape. there was no way that this would not result in conflict - - not when the rumors circulated in the way that they were. her breathing was unsteady , as the weight of anxiety increased with each passing moment.  the great hall was filled with lords & ladies demanding answered , and the lady tyrell found herself separated from her husband and brothers. it wasn’t until she found a familiar face in the madness that she could settle, if only slightly. she reached for the arm of her younger sister , pulling her close for a moment. she touched the cheek of the girl.

            ❝ there you are , dearest.  ❞ she felt disconnected , detached. just as she was ready to withdraw entirely , she was saved by the sight of argella.  ❝ are you well ? ❞

 @argellaxbaratheon

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youngestsonofthestorms‌:

“Entirely. What else could they have to do up here, in the snow and the cold, except be jealous of the South? And well, we’re a miserable lot anyway, really. Just depends on the time of day.” The young stag had near cleared the plate, and following his sister’s eyeline, Orys raised his cup to his lips to wash it all down. “I think we could. They’re not all that different. It just seems the music is at a slightly faster pace, maybe? I think…..I think we should, Kathy. I think we should blow them all away.” Dancing was never much his forte, but even he could do better than that.

            ❝ i believe the starks would be as enthralled with a stormlands feast as we are with their northern one - - until the brawl begins. ❞ it was true. storm’s end was as revered for its social gatherings as it was feared for making its guests uncomfortable with its boisterous proceedings. with all the pomp & circumstance she could muster , she curtsied , extending a hand to her brother. ❝ then , lord orys ,might i implore you to steal yourself away from . . . your plate , and lead me in a dance ? ❞

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alysannetyrell‌:

              her skirts rustled against the wooden floorboard as the music came to a halt, lords and ladies all around erupted in applause while the musicians tuned their instruments, preparing for the next song. all around her they shouted requests while others scrambled around the room for their next dancing partner. she bid her partner, a minor northern lord, farewell with a curtsy, a smile, and a soft touch to the shoulder. alysanne could never resist an offer to dance. comping up along her dear good-sister, she stopped, smiling, “ I doubt the winter allows them to have many functions like these. our master used to say that northern lords cannot afford to waste precious resources. ”

           “ though I can’t say I’m terribly fond of northern ale. there must be some arbor gold around here. “

     katherynne had watched alysanne dance , enjoying to see the lively expression of her face. it contributed to katherynne’s own joy, knowing that her loved ones & the loved ones of her husband had found pleasure in what could have easily been a trying time for their families. an arm extended for the other woman as she approached , smile fixed on her lips.           ❝ perhaps on a night like tonight they can , then . when there seems to be no end of things to celebrate. ❞

        to the desire for a sweeter beverage , katherynne could heartily agree.           ❝ we will locate some , then! i will make it my sole quest for the evening, if i must.   ❞

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ofbaratheonss‌:

                                             Raina would not use the word lively to describe anything about the northern people. Savage, brutish, even borderline tacky would be more of her choice of worlds. However that was just her judgement speaking, that and her still annoyance of being dragged out of the comfort of her home to a winter hell. There was no lead on her real emotions, as usual she masked them behind delicate features, sweet smiles and polite words. It had always been her one greatest fault, and her greatest strength. 

                                                   “Entertained would be a way to describe it, although I have a feeling is more along the words of distracted so we don’t dwell on the weather that most of us are not used to it.” 

              katherynne never knew exactly where it was that she stood with her good sister. raina’s opinions were often harsh , and contradictory to katherynne’s softer approach to life. in truth, she wasn’t entirely sure that raina had any real affection toward her. still, she tried her very best , for raymont’s sake , to maintain positive relations. her rather cynical attitude toward the gathering, however, was slightly frustrating to katherynne who was thoroughly enjoying the evening. she offered up a gentle smile, briefly looking over to raina before returning her attention to the festivities. 

                     ❝   perhaps it’s the cold that makes it all the more engaging !  though , i believe the intentions of the stark family are good - - from what i have seen of them , they seem decent & honorable people.   ❞

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qvietrose‌:

  he has spent no more than a minute at his wife’s side and already the evening is far more bearable. if only they could remain this close for its entirety, but duty and expectations pull them in opposite directions. but duty can step aside for a few moments. no one will judge a husband for wanting to spend time with his wife, especially when, as is the case with the lord and lady tyrell, their love shines as bright as any candle in the room. viktor is a different man entirely; the serious expression wanes and an uncommon warmth enters his eyes. he even smiles, a common sight for his loved ones but once entirely unheard of in the public sphere. it is impossible to not smile when katherynne is at his side, especially when she smiles at him as she is now.

          ❝  only for you. ❞          he reaches out with his free hand to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. his other hand closes gently around hers, and he begins to lead them toward the dance floor.          ❝  my savior. ❞          warmth filled his words.          ❝  i feared the same myself. with how consumed he was in his own speech, he might not have even noticed my departure. ❞

             the fluttering of heartbeats that accompanies new love has yet to fade for katherynne. in truth, she’s not sure that if ever will. each moment with him fills her with a new respect for the man that she married, something new to adore about him. there is a safety in the gazes he bestows upon her, and a warmth that the world they live in can never provide her. they are lucky - she knows this. while life has not granted them the gift that katherynne prays for nightly , she has been blessed beyond measure to love him , and blessed to know him in ways the world cannot comprehend. 

      head instinctively tilts toward his hand as he brushes her hair back. she lifts her eyes to meet his , her smile lighting them.   ❝  then i consider myself to be quite fortunate indeed.  ❞            she imagines that, if they had courted, it would have been something like this. perhaps, they are courting now. she offers his hand a gentle squeeze of her own, a thank you for the gesture. dancing has never ranked on his favorite list of pastimes, she knows it is for her own benefit. she tries to avoid the pang of sadness that accompanies the realization that, despite her best efforts, she has yet to contribute to his happiness in the monumental ways she wishes to. she fears that she might never achieve it.          as they edge toward the dance floor, katherynne leans against him ever so slightly. a sly smile touches her lips ❝  i believe he might still be talking. ❞ head rests against his arm for a moment, ❝  thank you for not being the sort of lord that lives to hear himself speak. i don’t know if i could bear it !  ❞

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queenaelinor‌:

Aelinor’s eyes perked up when she heard the Lady Tyrell ponder whether or not northern functions were so lively. “You know, Lady Tyrell, I was just wondering about the same thing,” she chuckled. “Perhaps we ought to find a Northerner and ask-” A wave of nausea hit her as a servant traveled past with a plate of boar, and she abruptly brought her hand up to her mouth and nose, trying to ignore the vile smell that normally smelled delicious. Aelinor took her hand away, swallowing hard and placing her hand on her seahorse necklace, picking up the seahorse and dragging it along the gold chain. A split second passed to where she had forgot she was speaking with Lady Tyrell. “Forgive me.” She said, waving her hand in the air. “The food that servant was walking with had such a strong smell.” 

           katherynne was pleased to see the queen arrive at her side. in what appeared to be a sea of northerners, a southron face was a relief. she laughed at the queen’s comment, listening intently, before her expression shifted abruptly to concern. she watched as the color of the woman’s face changed, a hand raising her mouth. it was a familiar sight, to be sure, as katherynne had done the same several times before. however, she knew better not inquire as to the origin of the sudden bout of sickness. rather, she outstretched her hand towards the queen, an inherently nurturing instinct overcoming her. ❝ you have nothing to forgive , your grace. the ... conditions of the room could have rattled the stomach of anyone. perhaps we might find you some fresh air ? ❞

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baratheoned‌:

He grinned as he watched the goings-on. It was a bit tamer than the feasts at Storm’s End. Not enough angry shouting and drunk slamming of fists on tables. But the music was better and the dancing was less… Wooden? Wooden was a good word. He had never been to the North before, so this was quite new to him as well. But he enjoyed the beer and he enjoyed the festivities. His children, whom he’d given into the care of their very capable septa, were running around, skidding through the crowd. Just as he liked it.

As he heard Kat’s bright voice, he turned towards her, smiling his big smile, as blue eyes lit up by the flickering fire. 

“I reckon this is how it usually goes. They seem tough, these northerners. But I think they pretend to be icy so they can keep these fests of theirs a secret! You seem to be enjoying yourself. How many glasses is that, little bird?”

            if the baratheon clan knew how to do one thing well, it was to throw a lively party. though she had not inherited the volume or the exuberance that many of her siblings seemed to possess, she certainly could appreciate the effort that went into an event such as this. no sooner had she spoken before her eldest brother, a pundit in his own right on events such as these, was at her side. 

      the two, while invariably different, had always been close. raymont had seen to it that she was well looked after & cared for when their parents overlooked such matters. she looped her arm affectionately with his, looking up at him while he spoke. she laughed at his question, taking a long drink that emptied her goblet. 

        ❝ plenty ! ❞ she replied coyly. in truth, she had been a little eager to partake. it was likely her personal stresses that encouraged her to relax if only slightly.  ❝ and yet somehow not enough. what of you ? seeing as you’re upright and haven’t yet made a fool of yourself, i imagine you’ve not had your fill. ❞

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shadowdflame‌:

        the north was quite similar to how he remembered it. cold and grey and yet joyful - not that cassian had found much joy in the place during his months in its land. being back didn’t feel like a homecoming for the north had never been his home, but it did feel like a return to someplace familiar. he glanced over at the lady when she spoke. for a moment her question remained unanswered. briefly, his mind thought of the celebrations that house lefford had held during her tenure as a knight. they hadn’t be quite like this, more dignified and composed, but the joy that filled the room was the same. he wondered if ashemark’s feasts had possessed the same mood; he discarded that thought quickly.

          ❝  lively, yes, but not normally so grand. ❞          at least that had been his experience as a child.          ❝  the north is putting their best foot forward tonight. ❞

            katherynne’s marriage had provided her with more access to the known world than she had previously experienced. she was often confined to the borders of the stormlands. with viktor, she was now expected to travel alongside of her husband as a diplomat for the reach. it was something she did gladly, both for time spent with her husband, and that constant hunger for knowledge. she was also glad, in times like these, to be able to converse with those that were more familiar with customs & practices she had yet to experience. she smiled gently, 

             ❝ it appears so !  ❞ she mused, taking another sip of wine.  ❝ are you well acquainted with the north , then ? or is this your first encounter as it is mine ? ❞

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greeneyedcrannogman‌:

Ascar was also observing more than anticipating. All the different people he’d read about, the Northerners, Southerners, Ironborn, Dornish, gathered under one roof, he had so many questions to ask but found that an upbringing kept to his own affairs made him somewhat shy to try talking. Though everyone seemed to having a wonderful time… It was so different from The Neck, they weren’t moving for one and even with the snow falling outside it was too dry. He looked over when he heard a well-dressed woman speak, cleared his throat and tried (in vain) to stop a blush appearing.

“W-well, umm, they’re described as one of the most lively breed of people in Westeros, more so than the South, and parties all seem to be of this ilk. Though I’d wager this one is greater than most since the occasion is of such importance and worth celebrating, My Lady.” he added quickly, not wanting to be disrespectful.  

             katherynne smiled gently at the person who had chosen to pick up the comment she had left in the air. he looked to be no more than a boy, and the faint pinkness of his cheeks seemed to confirm that fact. she listened intently to what he had to say, nodding occasionally. ❝ an excellent point ! it’s strange to think that a place where only the heartiest vegetation  & livestock can survive would breed the most high-spirited of people.    ❞ she tilted her head, getting a better look at her conversational partner.

              ❝ do forgive me , i believe we’ve yet to be introduced. ❞