#i. willas marbrand — thread.

[crimsonsbled]

"  i  cant  say  i  didn't  enjoy  the  whole  wedding  fiasco  ,  "  lady  marbrand  hummed  as  she  swirled  the  contents  of  her  goblet  .  "  leaving  the  queen's  side  was  the  best  thing  that  happened  to  your  father  ,  willas  .  "  just  as  she  once  did  .  a  distant  memory  ,  pushed  into  the  depths  of  her  mind  .  for  she  ,  too  ,  was  once  friends  with  the  dragon  queen  some  distant  memory  ago  .  she  was  no  dragon  ,  leona  thought  .  a  viper  maybe  but  not  the  dragon  she  boasts  herself  to  be  .   "  imagine  the  headache  he'd  have  to  endure  after  all  this  .  my  poor  brother  .  "

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃    𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑    :   willas  rowan  (  @romanceur )

[wnterreign]

with  calla  tarth     /     @ruinovs​​​​​​​​​

        the  tarth  apartments  had  been  one  of his first stops after his own rooms once his grace had been pacified with what little information willas could provide. this was not the targaryen’s domain; there was little he could do except keep aedar at ease so he didn’t cause further trouble. willas set those worries aside as he stepped into the room.        ❝  how is your family? your brother wasn’t badly wounded, was he?  ❞        genuine concern was written across his face. a break in the marbrand’s normal stern visage.

[wnterreign]

        the  marbrand's  eyes  narrowed  slightly  but he let the topic lie. on the list of people who's opinion of him he cared for, the redwyne's name had forever been absent and would likely remain that way.  ❝ you misunderstand me. ❞   willas was undecided if it was purposeful or simply due to the lord's innate obtuseness. agreed.   ❝ i didn't claim myself devoid of bias - no one can claim such lest they are also a liar. but rather, that i strive to not let it blind me and my judgements. there is a difference. ❞   but perhaps it was beyond the other lord's grasp; an intellect he clearly was not.

" really ? " mace questions , eyes looking the lord up and down over the bridge of his nose as if to say that he seems the type to love mundane things such as standing in a line —  all without saying it at all . he drops the line of conversation , instead , pressing forward . " but how can you be a man of truth if you pretend that you are devoid of bias ? " he questions , not leaving space for the other to answer . " i'd argue that you cannot . but perhaps that is yet another of my problematic biases at play . " mace suggests , shrugging in a dramatic gesture .

[wnterreign]

open starter / @reignrbs where: the markets. status: accepting replies.

        ❝  once  again,  i  don't  know  anymore than you do, my liege. ❞ a fact that frustrated him immensely but also didn't surprise him. the king, for that seemed the only reasonable assumption as to who was behind this otherwise there'd only be guards who bore the tyrell sigil stationed around them, had a habit of acting without so much as informing his council. and now when something was going on, willas was left trapped outside the castle, unable to do his duty to the realm or at least try to advise the king.

[wnterreign]

with  doran  martell     /     @crwngolds​

       when  the  door  opened,  there  was  a  list  of  people  that  willas  assumed  would  be  the  one  entering.  a  member  of  the  dornish  council,  let  along  the  hand,  was  not  on  it.  he  sat  up  straighter,  set  aside  the  documents  he’d  currently  been  studying,  and  directed  his  full  attention  to  the  prince.        ❝  prince  doran.  ❞        he  stood  so  he  could  give  a  small  bow.  as  nice  as  it  would  be  to  believe  that  good  news  brought  the  martell  to  the  marbrand’s  study,  willas  prepared  himself  for  anything  that  doran  might  say.        ❝  please,  have  a  seat.  i  assume  you  are  not  here  for  small  talk.  ❞

[wnterreign]

with  rhaegar  targaryen     /     @fallencrxwns​​​​​​​​​

        willas  misliked  feeling  helpless.  investigating  the  attacks in king’s landing had been his single lifeline following his cousin’s death and while no such tragedy had impacted him this time, he felt uneasy simply sitting around and waiting - for answers or the next attack he wasn’t sure. the summons from the targaryen prince had therefore been welcomed. perhaps there was some assistance he could provide, working alongside the dornish council or helping the targaryens in their own investigation for he doubted they would be sitting idly by.        ❝  your grace. you wished to see me.  ❞        he bowed in greeting.

[wnterreign]

        his  father  choosing  to  forget  about  his existence entirely had allowed willas to escape any betrothals. his aunt, uncle, and later cousins had suggested possible matches, but as he wasn't heir to ashemark there'd been no pressure. it was how it should've always been; if his sister had her way then it would still be that way. but now the title was hil. part of a ruling lord's duties was to wed and ideally find an advantageous match. unfortunately for him that didn't mean a pleasant one. willas scoffed.   ❝ congratulations then, only all the adults here in sunspear have a greater tolerance than you, ❞   he deadpanned. her aggravation was palpable yet he hardly cared. he was tired of letting her walk over him, mistaking maturity for defeat. her question was a valid one. if they had even a civil relationship he might've explained that due to his trust in his sister lacking, willas had to look elsewhere for allies in the westerlands. however, he also had no trust in rowan.   ❝ duty often comes before personal desires. though i'm hardly surprised the concept is lost on you. ❞  unable to resist a slight insult.   ❝ as a ruling lord i have a responsibility to ensure good relations with my fellow vassals that will benefit my house and the people who live on the land i govern. you father made his terms clear. ❞

rowan  had  been  no  stranger  to  breaking  betrothals  ,  though  not  all  were  at  her  hand.  her  father  had  been  very  clear  with  this  announcement  of  her  hand  to  willas  ,  the  union  would  not  be  broken  by  her.  she  felt  no  more  useful  than  a  pawn  ,  a  bargaining  chip  to  a  house  they  already  had  a  fine  relationship  with.  while  rowan  did  admit  that  it  would  be  nice  to  be  so  close  to  home  ,  she  simply  did  not  think  anything  else  about  this  union  was  good.  willas  and  she  only  ever  managed  to  bicker  ,  how  could  they  spend  the  rest  of  their  lives  doing  that  ?  rowan  could  be  reasonable  and  attempt  to  get  along  with  him  ,  make  their  lives  more  bearable  ,  but  why  ?  riling  up  the  lord  ended  up  being  one  of  her  new  favorite  things.  it  takes  quite  a  bit  of  her  self  control  not  to  release  his  arm  and  walk  away.  rowan  is  trying  ,  what  she's  trying  to  do  is  beyond  her  ,  but  walking  away  defeats  whatever  that  is.  “  five  minutes  is  far  more  than  a  second  ,  as  you  accused  me  of  lacking  the  ability  to  do.  ”  she  counters.  rowan  still  bristles  at  the  conversation  ,  what  did  he  know  of  her  ?  nothing  ,  because  she  refused  to  let  him.  that  ,  of  course  ,  was  besides  the  point.  a  smirk  sits  atop  her  lips  when  he  replies  ,  proud  of  her  words  still.  “  you  did  not  come  running  to  my  father  to  beg  of  my  hand  ?  i'm  shocked.  ”  sarcasm  drips  from  her  every  word.  “  if  you  did  not  desire  this  union  ,  lord  marbrand  ,  then  why  is  it  happening  ?  you  are  a  ruling  lord  ,  are  you  not  ?  far  more  power  than  a  lowly  lady  of  a  vassal  house.  ”

[wnterreign]

with  brynna  marbrand     /     @ruinovs​​​​​​​​

        ❝  i’m  glad  to  see  you  escaped  unharmed.  ❞        blood might be the only thing that tied them together, a true sibling relationship lost long ago, but willas possessed no wish for harm to befall them. even if seeking brynn out hadn’t been his first instinct when the fire had sparked; then again, he hadn’t expected that ensuring his betrothed had gotten out safely to apparently be his first priority even before checking on his cousins, and then aedar had requested his presence, keeping him from the marbrand apartments until now.

[wnterreign]

with brandon reed / @qcyqoyi where: near the jousting arena.

        ❝  i've  never  understood  the  appeal.  ❞   gaze  remained directed at the arena, watching as people flocked to the stands in order to watch the day's jousting. an appearance was necessary, but willas would delay it however long possible.   ❝ then again, i've never had a death wish like some of those competing seem to. ❞   a fair amount had tragically fallen during the tournament at winterfell; willas would be surprised if the stranger wasn't waiting in the wings here. no, there were far better hobbies than this.

[wnterreign]

with  lucerys  targaryen     /     @stxrfclls​​​​​​​​​​​

        ❝  confined  yet  again.  ❞        if  it  wasn’t  due to another attack it’d almost be humorous how every time the nobility of the realm gathered together it ended in something delaying their departure. for all his complaints about the blizzard that had kept them in the north, at least no one had died due to it. willas felt like this time it was a replay of king’s landing; the only difference being that the martells appeared far more capable at finding the culprit without jumping to conclusions unlike aedar. he could only hope.

[wnterreign]

with  lucerys  targaryen     /     @stxrfclls​

        the  marbrand’s  brow  was  furrowed,  his  head tilted to the side, as he studied his friend. something was off. normally the prince was a mirror of willas’ own displeasure at these events; it was one of the multiple traits that had brought them together over the years, but this evening the mirror was cracked. willas prided himself on his intellect, finding answers that evaded others, but tonight it faltered.        ❝  you . . . look far too happy. who are you?  ❞

[wnterreign]

with  celia  blackwood     /     @feuillemorts​

        he’d  thought  he  disliked  these  events  before but now there was an added element to them that made his distaste grow exponentially. during a normal day willas could avoid his intended with ease and no one would notice. here, they were expected to be seen together. it was the only reason the lady celia was currently on his arm as they spoke to a group of nobles. he smiled politely, for no matter how aggravating celia was he wouldn’t let her ruin his reputation in public, as he made excuses for them to leave the conversation, but once they were a suitable distance away, he leaned closer to her.        ❝  you could at least pretend like you aren’t being led to the executioner’s blade,  ❞        he quietly snapped. if he could fake a smile when she wouldn’t cease her prattling then she could try playing along.

[wnterreign]

with lucerys targaryen ›› @stxrfclls

        ❝  he's  too  calm.  ❞  the  marbrand  had  grown to expect unpredictability from the king. while no one could predict exactly how aedar would react to trouble, anger was a constant for any slight. an attempt on his life certainly fell into that category, and yet the king wasn't raging. it was why the book in his hands had remained on the same page for minutes; his mind distracted, contemplating what was truly going on.

[wnterreign]

        if  only  it  was  entirely  up to those who desired peace rather than the one who, in willas' opinion, was only pretending despite organizing this entire gathering. but all he could do was his duty, to the king and most of all the kingdom. he nodded.   ❝ and then the real work will begin. ❞   as one who often preferred his duties to more social gatherings, he felt the sooner the better.

❝ we do. ❞ she nods, but her mind drifts. they might very much want for this to be successful, but she could not say the same for the one who summoned everyone to highgarden. but that need not be said to anyone with wits who was close to the king and elaena did not take willas for a fool. ❝ hopefully the rest of the joust fairs better and keeps tensions at bay. ❞

[wnterreign]

with elaena targaryen ›› @qcyqoyi where: the markets.

        ever  since  he  was  young,  willas  had been able to find the quiet corners of a place that were often overlooked. it'd led to him finding many reading nooks around the crag and later on in king's landing. he lacked a book now but the seclusion being tucked away in a side street provided. motion out of the corner of his eye told him he'd been found. however, noticing the princess his initial annoyance vanished.   ❝ seeking a respite from the crowds? ❞

[wnterreign]

with  rosamund  redwyne     /     @thcrnedhearts​

        his  steps  slowed  and  then  stopped  when  he  spotted  the  lady.  normally  he  preferred  to  keep  to  himself,  not  wanting  to  be  dragged  into  some  conversation  when  he  was  walking  from  one  location  to  the  next,  especially  not  when  many  nobles  were,  understandably,  on  edge.  however,  the  turn  of  events  in  sunspear  made  him  feel  responsible  for  making  certain  none  of  the  southern  nobles  were  facing  anymore  trouble.  he  took  a  step  toward  her.          ❝  can  i  offer  some  assistance,  lady  redwyne?  ❞