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Leo Flint - 32 - House Flint of Widow's Watch
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prodiiteur:
Rohan scoffed; of course, it turned into a fight. When they had been talking near the end of things. they had fought more than he could remember in the history of their friendship. He didn’t have the energy to fight with him, not now. Leo believed what Leo wanted to believe. There was no changing his mind until he came around to it himself. It stung, knowing he thought so little of him. That thing had devolved into the two of them here… like this. Instead of being happy to see each other again, they looked annoyed and put off by one another.
“No, most people like to go running around uselessly worrying instead of actually owning themselves and their choices.” his exasperation with this man was evident. Rohan turned from him then. Not sure if he wanted to hit Leo or shake him.
His eyes focused on the spot beneath the god’s wood. A place they’d go and read together. Well, Leo did the reading. Rohan was too busy eating a piece of fruit or sharpening a blade. His septa scolded him, asking why he couldn’t be more like Leo.
There is no one like Leo.
It was a simple reply and an honest one. To this day, he’d yet to meet anyone who could make Rohan want to hit them and hug them simultaneously and in equal measure. The sounds of running footfalls pulled him out of his memory. Turning just in time to see the two brothers reunited. Whatever misgivings he and Leo might have. It was pushed to the side at how happy Jon looked to have his brother home. Last four years, he knew how much Jon had missed his brothers. Cassian visited as often as he could. But with Leo, he was gone for so long. Of course, missing and longing for Leo would be more acute.
Rohan stood back, watching the pair in respectful silence. And as Jon’s eyes found Rohan’s, he smiled. “ Your brother has come to take you back home to Widow’s Watch. I told him you are free to go or stay if he liked. But,” He paused and then looked towards Leo, his eyes softening for a moment. His hand lifted, rubbing at his chest above his heart before his gaze went back to Jon. “ I think you should go. Your family needs you, and you need them.” he didn’t want the boy to think he had to choose between staying and going. It wasn’t as if the door would be closed to Jon or to Leo. Always.
-
“You’ve gotten so tall! Surely this was not the little brother I saw last.” Leo exclaimed, holding Jon at arms length to truly see him. The last time he had seen him was when he had looked into Jon’s room the night he had left. Cas had advised him to leave without saying goodbye, had thought it would be too hard on their youngest brother to have to watch him go, so Leo kept it a secret, running a hand through dark curls like his own before leaving his brothers, one only eight.
Jon was no longer eight now. And Leo realized he had taken so much choice away from him...
Jon’s smile however did not falter, and there was no resentment in his eyes. He had always been the more forgiving of all three of them. He turned to Rohan as Jon went on a tangent of his days here, of all that he’s learned, of the people he has met... And he wondered if he was making a mistake.
But Rohan was not looking at him, instead eyes trained on a spot just beneath a large oak in the woods, once shaded by leaves during their Northern summers, now barren and grey in the winter.
“It is not often I see only one of you here.”
Leo looked up only to find the kind eyes of Winterfell’s maester, book in hand and head tilted in question. He knew what he meant, knew that he was wondering why Rohan was not with him. He could only shrug, turning the page and tracing the words with ink stained fingers.
“He got bored... Went to practice his swords or something of the sort.”
“And you did not wish to go with him?” Leo blanched at the question.
“I am not one for swords.” It was simple. He would prefer to sit under a tree and read. And granted, he preferred if Rohan were in his company, but he didn’t mind doing so alone as well.
“Not everyone is.” The maester replied, glancing up at the leaves as he allowed a comfortable silence to settle between them.
“It is good though. That you and Rohan are of different minds... You complement each other, perhaps that’s why your friendship works.” Leo felt a smile curl at his lips as he shook his head, eyes still trained on the pages.
“Our friendship is powered by Rohan’s sheer will and my inability to say no.” He jested, though when he looked up the maester still regarded him with a quiet smile and a knowing raise of his brow. One that had Leo gulping uncomfortably. As if noting this discomfort, the maester slowly closed the distance between them before resting a hand on Leo’s head.
“You are a smart boy, Leo... You know that it’s alright to care for him.” He felt his heart lodge in his throat before nodding his head rigidly. “Of course I know this. He’s my best friend.” He replied, only to be met with another knowing nod that had his fingers grow numb.
“He’s my best friend.” He repeated, staring unseeingly at the book in front of him.
Jon then stopped talking, and Leo realized it is because Rohan had said his piece, one that had left Leo slightly stunned. He felt his mouth open slightly in surprise before Jon shook him out of his stupor.
“You think I should go home?” His brother repeated, looking at Rohan with a frown before looking up at Leo in question.
Leo glanced between his brother, then Rohan before clearing his throat and resting his hands on Jon’s shoulders. “I... think you should do... what you want to do.” He finally said, shoulders slumping in defeat, gaze finally meeting Rohan’s as he gave his brother’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
“It’s clear you were well taken cared of here. And I don’t want to take that away from you.”
If there was one person he would trust his brother with, no matter the differences between them, it was Rohan.
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gildedheirs:
Luckily, Zahur had been able to hide within this labyrinth of a hold and avoid the small talk. For once, he found himself among books and very few of them were singed. How exactly had the Targaryens managed that? Did someone protect the library, or did they rage war around it?
Either way, he had to make small talk now. Great. Instead of something productive, or even smiling up at the stranger, he said the obvious with a bored tone. “You have something on your face.” He could barely see it at this angle, but he knew that it didn’t belong. As he thought, the anger and realization of what had happened boiled up. He surprised people too often for him to care. This was someone he hadn’t seen before, or at least not in King’s Landing before this. Or maybe he had - he wasn’t really paying attention then. That didn’t matter now anymore. What mattered was that they were both here now. “What, did you nap on those books? They couldn’t have possibly bored you just by looking at their titles!”
-
Leo’s eyes narrowed in immediate offense, wondering that (despite his near collision with the man in front of him) he probably didn’t deserve the sharpness in the other’s tone. Nor did he need it considering he was emotionally exhausted from being around people.
Indignance colored his expression as he looked around to see if anyone were bearing witness to his fumble.
“I wasn’t napping!” He retorted, straightening his tunic and consciously wiping his face. “I just... I needed a moment and the smell of books calm me down.” It sounded odd even as he said it. “What are you doing sneaking behind people like some cat?”
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valeria-reed:
Now that she had finished settling in, Valeria was having difficulty with just sitting around waiting for formal events to begin. The brunette had never been good at being able to be still and in one place for two long. So, without any actual responsibility having set in yet, the lady reed decided to roam around a bit. Hopefully wandering around aimlessly wasn’t a capital offense now. She wouldn’t be terribly surprised though given the recent predilections of the king.
Finding her way into the gardens, Val started making her way around, when a splash towards the opposite end caught her attention. Hurrying over, she reached the spot just in time to see a sopping wet man emerge for the water’s surface. As tempting as it was to laugh out loud, the lady restrained herself to a soundless grin, offering a small shrug. “The arbiter of laughter, I presume?” She asked wryly offering a hand to the stranger to help him get out. Getting a little water on her cloak was not the kind of thing that bothered the Northern woman. There was something faintly familiar about the man but only just. Valeria wouldn’t even want to try hazarding a guess at his name or where they might have crossed paths before. Besides, given how ruffled he was it would be far more entertaining to hear him try and speak further.
-
Leo was never an easy going person. If someone else had been in his predicament, perhaps they would have made light of things. Perhaps they would have enough grace to pull themselves out of the freezing cold water before they lost feeling in their fingers... Leo however was none of those things.
Instead, he was now cranky and uncoordinated, and when he attempted to reach for the woman’s hand, he missed it narrowly. Twice.
He let out a huff at her comment before finally grasping at her hand and pulling himself up, wincing as water rushed out from his clothes and back in the pond.
“Only in necessary situations.” He grumbled, dusting himself off (uselessly) before stepping out of the pond and shivering in the cold. “I d-d-don’t think m-my catching m-my d-d-death in t-t-this c-c-c-cold is any l-l-l-laughing matter... now if you c-could j-just point m-m-m-me to the c-c-c-castle.” He could feel his teeth chatter in his skull.
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aphclions:
he rose from his seat , not allowing his posed position of power to linger in the place of friendship . cayn was happy to see leo , as the tides had drawn them away from each other . he had been fearful that distance would rip yet another person from his unwilling grasp , powerless as he remained in karhold . slow steps carried him from the elevated chair , a slow approach towards lord flint . “ i’m glad you decided to grace the halls with your presence again , leo . ” he jests , teasing grin upturning his lips . “ i’m hardly a leader , old friend . merely a pretty face for northern lords to come to when they are in need of an ally . i dare to assume , in light of your surprise , you are seeking the same ? ”
-
Leo felt heat crawl up his neck, now faced with the reason he was here. And while of course seeing Cayn again was at the forefront, it didn’t take away from the fact that he had many things to repair, and relations between his house and everyone else was one of them. He clasped his hands behind his back, if anything to hide the way his fingers fiddled with the leather bracelet he wore, worn and faded from having fiddled with it even back when he was a child.
“Perhaps I just wanted to bear witness to your pretty face.” He said, though his smile was now somewhat nervous. “Though I suppose I should know better than to hide anything from you... I fear House Flint has been neglecting our allies... and I just wanted to come to remedy that.” He paused before bowing his head in humility.
“I-If you’ll have us, my lord.”
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who: @gildedheirs
where: new valyria, the castle’s library
“It’s good to see you and your brothers back in the fold, my lord.”
“Surely you Flint men are thinking of marriage soon.”
“Have you tried the skewers? They’re quite tasty.”
His cheeks hurt from the fake smiles and forced niceties that being back in court demanded. And while he understood that it was a necessary evil, he couldn’t find it in himself to enjoy it. So while his eldest brother wasn’t looking, he slipped away from the crowds and found himself in the sweet relief of the castle’s library.
If he were to be surrounded by ghosts, he’d at least do it amongst the pages of their stories as well.
He pressed his forehead against the shelving as he took some time to collect himself, mumbling nonsense to gather his bearings as he closed his eyes, not noticing the shadow that stood behind him. Another moment before he turned and took a step, gaze straight only to bump into something... or as it turns out someone.
“Oh good dragon’s balls!” he cursed, hand flying to his rapidly beating heart as he glared at the man that seemed to pop out of nowhere. “I didn’t see you!”
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prodiiteur:
Rohan took a step back, the words hadn’t been said, but he knew the implication. He couldn’t help but take it like a slap in the face. As if to imply that they couldn’t protect him. He had to remind himself whether it was Dilara, Zehra, or Meryem. He would want them home to to keep them safe to be with their family. There was no reason to take this personally or try and fight so hard .
But it was yet another person being pulled from him. Another person, taken out of his sphere. At least here, he could keep an eye out. If she had been here, Rohan would have been able to keep her safe. She would still be alive. But how could he keep Dilara safe so far from home? A wolf surrounded by lions. And now Jon, who was next? Who would he lose after Jon.
“ Don’t say it like that; reaching out for aid is not a weakness. Doing what is best for someone, even if it goes against your pride, doesn’t make you weak, it makes you wise. We are all feeling the effects of what happens when you’re blinded by pride.” Had his own father perhaps looked at the north’s situation like Cassian had looked at the situation of Widow’s watch. Perhaps this could have all been avoided.
Leo was prideful, not to the point of ruling Lord Stark. They were all a little proud in the north. But it was different when it came to family. “Perhaps you didn’t know what you wanted, but I did. I’ve always known what my future would be.” he huffed. It was clear that Leo was serious about taking Jon home. “ If Jon wants to go, he can; like I said, I’m not forcing him to stay. But if he wants to stay, I won’t force him to leave .” he took a step forward, taking in the other. A man he had called friend now… now he didn’t know what to call him. Dark eyes flickered toward the servant standing not too far behind Leo. “ Go get Lord Jon for me, please.” His gaze moved back towards Lord Flint. “Tell him his brother has returned.”
-
Leo couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Oh of course you did, Rohan. How could I forget? You had everything figured out then.” It wasn’t unheard of for him and Rohan to clash. They were very different people with very different ways of seeing the world, and often times they managed to navigate it, but it’s been too long, too much time has passed, and their ability to understand each other no longer seemed to be there… and that did sting a little, but it was nothing compared to the mounting frustration that slowly began to fester inside of him. “But not everybody has the innate ability to be so certain.” Once again, he tried grappling at the rapidly unraveling threads that always seemed to happen in Rohan’s presence.
Curse him. Curse him for doing this to him.
He pressed his lips together in a tight line as he ordered for the summoning of his brother and allowed the small seed of doubt to niggle its way into his mind. What if time had done him no favors? What if Jon truly did want to stay? He couldn’t bear the embarrassment of another rejection, especially in front of him.
He tried his best not to fidget under Rohan’s gaze as they stood there in silence. Waiting. And then the doors opened and he turned so swiftly he nearly broke his neck, a pair of blue eyes staring back at him with unbridled excitement, and all of a sudden a weight was lifted off of him and a large smile broke, cheeks hurting as a lanky bag of limbs and dark hair hurtled towards him, lunging at him and wrapping arms around his middle.
“Leo! You’re home!” His brother cried, voice muffled against his furs.
Home.
He returned the hug fiercely and let out a watery laugh in response, his younger brother speaking a mile a minute as warmth all of a sudden broke into his chest.
“I’m home... I’m sorry... I’m home...”
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aurorecaron:
🌊
Aurore didn’t know many things about plants. After all she’d been born and raised on a nearly barren rock of an island. Beyond that farmwork and such things were usually reserved for peasants and those of lower standing. There was a reason her House’s words were Conquest is Our Harvest. Even more reason that the Greyjoy’s had been We Do Not Sow. They took what they wanted and needed from others. Still- even she could see the garden was in need of some serious care. So when her childhood friend appeared she wasted no time in giving him a peace of her mind just as she always had. “Leo- what did you do to these poor things? It’s like you killed them on purpose.”
The humor of their reversed situations was not lost on her, and a nostalgic grin tugged at the corners of her lips while she thought of the time the Lord of Widow’s’ Watch had been a stowaway himself. “Yes- well, at least I’m not emptying my stomach of my lunch like someone else was.”
Done with her teasing remarks she saw no reason to hold herself back and crossed the garden in the longest strides she could manage. Then she was wrapping the man in her arms for a much needed hug. “I can’t believe you made me go to King’s Landing on my own. Did you think it was funny to leave me out to dry among all the stuffed nobility?”
-
“You exaggerate.” He drawled, though they both knew she was in fact, not exaggerating. They stood there in silence, both regarding one another with an expression brought about only by years of being in each other’s company, before finally a smile made its way to the surface, curling at the corners of his lips as his arms made its way around her, squeezing her tightly, having missed her after their time apart.
Not much was constant about Leo’s life for the past 5 years, but Rory had always been there.
“And please pardon the state of the grounds. House Flint has definitely seen better days.” It was an understatement. Their home was rundown and shabby, and things were left to the elements... but he was home now, and he liked to think his brothers would soon be home too, both physically and mentally.
He pulled back to meet her gaze with a raised brow before shaking his head with a low laugh. “Would you be upset at me if I said yes?”
He sobered slightly, turning away and towards the crashing waves past the cliff he lived on.
“You know I don’t do well among that particular crowd.” It was also too high of a chance to run into... certain people he didn’t want to run into.
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godspecd:
elif always wondered if anyone had seen a resemblance ever between her stark relatives. it felts like such a taboo subject, though surely it was simply because one could ever predict the temperament of the hightower during such conversations. after all, she was considered such a beauty in the reach, it would be horrendous to compare one flower to another when both were so rare. at least, that is what the woman came to believe subconsciously. yet, this strangers sounded genuinely confused, and elif couldn’t help the way the smile grew ever so lightly. “my cousins in winterfell were the ones i was visiting, but they get incredibly busy and i get incredibly bored.” she explained, answering both of his questions as once.
she didn’t like being teased when she was already embarrassed, and this was no exception when she felt the slightest of heats on her face. the only people allowed to cause such a reaction were all but in the north. “honestly, you should be giving me some praise for finding my way back here from over there.” she remarked, gesturing out behind her to the endless forest that laid behind her. though, if she wasn’t paying attention she would have lost her sense of direction quicker. she just wanted some reprieve, and while it was extremely difficult to let her pride down, what would be harder is to trying to survive in a climate she had no idea about. these trees looked like birch now that elif stared at it more, but its perhaps because ash wasn’t quite popular in the reach. she wondered what she would have to say to give herself away, but ideas failed her.
“could you…could you just…help me,” she mustered, looking up at the man as she tried to keep herself from having to grovel about it. “please. i’ll promise to never bother you again and we can both pretend this never happened, if youd wish.” she dealed, though honestly she would probably annoy the man regardless, as long as he kept the pointy end of his sword away from her.
-
A beat, then two, before Leo nodded his head and side-stepped her without a second thought.
“Yes, well, I’d much rather not.” Why? He couldn’t tell you. It might stem from his mild resentment towards Winterfell in general... or perhaps the fact that it would probably just be much more interesting to deny her. Leo took his amusement where he could, and this woman... he wasn’t going to lie and say he wasn’t at the very least mildly entertained.
He his his smile as he pretended to walk away, knowing he wasn’t too cruel to truly leave her.
Didn’t mean he wasn’t going to be difficult about it.
“Just make sure that when you see a direwolf, you run the opposite direction. And send my love to the Starks would you?”
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warsmade:
the winds of winter were shifting . meryem could feel the atmosphere drastically change the second her father announced the change in heir , upsetting northerners who were already angry because of the harsh winter . whatever good graces the north saw them in were all gone now . when jon left winterfell , meryem thought it strange , especially knowing how close he’d become with rohan . it was none of their business , however , so they left it be .
it’s been years since she’s seen him , leo disappearing to travel elsewhere and meryem remembers thinking how lucky he was . after the last seven months , staying away was for the best . she doesn’t think about any of this when she spots him in the pond , unable to hide the giggles .
❝ mmm , tried not - ❞ another giggle . ❝ tried not to but … failed . ❞ they let their laughter flow freely after the confession and watch the lord flail a bit before lending a hand . ❝ want some help ? ❞
And of course it ended up being a Stark. Of course. Because the gods didn’t think they had tortured him enough. He tried to right himself, but found that his joints creaked in resistance, tense from the cold (embarrassment), causing him to lose balance and fall back in (luckily it was shallow enough that a majority of his body was out of the water, though what he would give for the water to just swallow him whole right now). It was, however, some mercy that it ended up being Meryem and not the man he was actively avoiding.
He looked up at Meryem with a huff before noting that if anything good were to come of this, at least this was a more pleasant reunion... for her at least. He struggled to keep the corners of his lips from curling upwards because truly this moment was ridiculous before reaching out and taking her hand in his.
“I would much rather you erase this from your memory...” He grunted, pulling himself up and very uselessly dusting himself off, trying to stave off the cold but also trying with every fiber of his being to remain as collected as one can be after falling into a pond. “I do believe this is not how I imagined us seeing each other again. I- Achoo!” Ah fuck.
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where: new valyria
when: mid november
who: CLOSED (3/3 muses)
Him and his brothers decided it was best that they go. This was their first appearance as representatives of their house in years (his father had chosen to seclude them in Widow’s Watch after the death of his mother, causing a withering of ties and the erosion of their memory in the eyes of the rest of the world). But now, with all three brothers back home, they were slowly but surely moving to remedy this... but that didn’t exempt them from the growing pains of it all. He couldn’t help the discomfort he was feeling, especially in Staerdale. He felt like he was being stifled by ghosts, the festivities marred by the blood that they could no longer see but was still there.
In an attempt to clear his head, he had excused himself from his brothers’ presence and escaped to the castle’s gardens, wandering aimlessly as he reflected on the months prior. So much to do, so much to fix, so much to unearth and so little time.
With his eyes trained to the sky, he allowed his feet to direct him, mind still incredibly cloudy, not even realizing that he should probably pay more attention to his surroundings... till his foot no longer found ground, instead falling straight down and plunging him into icy pond water.
Brilliant.
He flailed ungracefully before finally resurfacing, whipping his head around like a fish out of water before finally landing his gaze on the one person that seemed to bear witness to his fumble.
“I-... You-...” What could he possibly say? “You’re not allowed to laugh.” He finally managed through gritted teeth as he attempted to pluck himself up with as much dignity as possible, completely soaking wet.
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prodiiteur:
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “ Yes, but I’m… we are trying to get things under control.”
It was the truth. He already had Rory and Cayn, who had agreed to help with his little idea. To help all those they could. But these things require time and planning. He knew Leo knew this, so this had him thinking… what the real reason for his return was. Aside from wanting his brother home. There was something of a resentful look in his eyes. Mingled with sadness. Towards him? Why?
“ No one said that you and your family couldn’t. He’s learned so much and wants to help his family like you. In Winterfell or at my side, it affords him those opportunities to continue his growth. ”
Rohan took a step towards the other, a tentative one. Emotions were high, and the restlessness wasn’t just felt by those of the small folk. A building pressure continued to weigh him down as well. It felt like the world was on his shoulders. Leo’s return should be a happy one. But it only felt as if he was adding more weight that didn’t need to be there.
“So you are allowed to run off, but Jon, who is content, happy, and protected, can’t. “ he huffed out his frustration. “ If you want to take him home, I can’t stop you. He isn’t a servant; he’s free to leave. But you should ask him what he wants. You’ve been gone a long time Leo. Jon has… become a young man you can be proud of. And old enough to choose for himself what he wants. He’s three of ten years now. Allow him that much.”
-
Leo bristled. If anything, Rohan’s words made him feel inadequate and selfish, as if him bringing Jon home were a punishment suited for his own will. He clenched his jaw and forced down the anger slowly simmering inside of him.
“And my family and I are forever in your debt for the kindness you’ve shown him.” Forever in their debt. The thought made him uncomfortable. “But if we want to fortify our house against the storm that is brewing, Cassian needs both his brothers. Jon needs to be home, away from...” He didn’t want to say it, but the implication rang clear.
Away from the obvious target on Winterfell’s grounds.
Suddenly, his eyes narrowed at Rohan’s jab. Run off? Is that what he thought of him? That he had just run off on a whim?
“Jon was sent away.” Leo countered, taking a step forward, only to stop himself. He needed to keep a safe distance, if only for his sake. He stopped for a moment before taking a deep breath and shaking his head. “And Cassian... by all the gods, I love my brother, but he had done it in a moment of weakness. And once more, my lord, I am sure you have afforded my brother all the comforts and opportunities, but... it’s time he returned to Widow’s Watch.” Where he belongs.
Again, his spine straightened at Rohan’s words. More inadequacy on his part. Was he being the villain in this scenario?
“I’m sure you remember us at three and ten, Rohan.” He said quietly. “We were just boys... We didn’t know what we wanted.” A moment’s silence passed between them as the words settled deep into the soil and into the trees roots, planting itself into their memory. “I am not opposed to hearing what he has to say... But Jon will be coming home, one way or another.”
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aphclions:
acceptance of his role had come by force . if it had been his own choice , cayn would have never stepped from the deck of the salt queen all those years ago . but duty called . he dare not see his siblings bare the burden meant for him — even if his own father hadn’t thought him worthy of the seat . nonetheless , he found it came to him with ease . he may not have been a great man , torrhen karstark , but he was a great leader . always ensuring the safety of his people and the stability of his house . the one admirable trait cayn could fondly remember , sat atop the chair his father once warmed . smile crept over usually stoic features , pleased to see an old friend darn the halls of karhold once more . his hand absentmindedly lifted to stroke over what little of a beard remained after his king’s landing appropriate grooming had taken the majority of it . “ is that why you are here , lord flint ? to comment on my facial hair ? ”
-
Leo couldn’t help the small quirk of his lips as he looked up at Cayn with some sense of pride. He had always admired the man, had seen him as something close to an older brother, especially when his own was off doing god knows what, leaving him to trail behind the man that now sat upon his father’s seat. He glanced down at his feet, if only to hide the nostalgia that seemed to mist at his eyes.
“That among other things.” Leo said before once again meeting Cayn’s gaze and tilting his head.
“Perhaps I just wanted to see an old friend.” He paused. “Leadership suits you.”
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godspecd:
the woods were so grand, the trees so tall. she was used to forests, to meadows and fields. yet this felt far more ominous, far more terrifying. she was thankful that she was friends with a woman who lived at a harbor, much like elif did. the familiarity of the sea and the smell of sea salt was missed when she arrived to winterfell. a small visit, something to go see the rest of her cousins (and to avoid the other starks who was so recently proclaimed heir). elif was always a wonderful distraction, she knew that role so well. she was so accustomed to playing it, yet it seemed she herself had gotten to distracted by her surroundings.
she felt almost like a devout follower as her gaze looked up to the sky and looked at the unique foliage the north possessed. the dark greenery never stopped the light of the sun from coming through, somehow even that light compared to the reflection the snow provided. her amazement was obvious, brown eyes wide in wonder at this new environment. the north just kept granting her surprises, it was oddly pleasant.
she had to find her way back home, and it was in that moment she realize she had no way to pin point where was what. she had traced her footsteps but soon found herself at a bypass. far too many steps, far too much snow that fell from the trees that blocked her vision of where to go. elif could feel the panic to slowly begin to set as she tried once more to look for any footsteps to guide her back.
his eyes were the first thing she noticed, and like a deer she froze at the sight of a new companion. eyes wide as she took a step back instinctually from the stranger, only for him to approach. she began to breath normally but it didn’t stop her heart from racing from the momentary fear she experienced.
“i-” she always had a retort, but she couldn’t be snarky. “i’m sorry. its hard not to get distracted.” she hoped she didn’t look entirely northerner, and hoped any scolded would be held for another time. she did spent almost half a year in this place but that didn’t mean she was entirely used to the north. nor did it make her a northerner, unfortunately. “if you could just direct me to the right way, i’m sure i’ll be able to figure out my way back to winterfell.” she really tried not to ask for help, she already felt rather intrusive as it was. “it can’t be that hard, its a big bleak walled town in the middle of a small meadow in this forest of…what are these, spruce?”
-
“Winterfell?” He didn’t recognize her... but perhaps he shouldn’t have expected to. He’s been gone for too long and Winterfell was no longer a place he could count himself familiar to. But still, if she were a guest of Winterfell, he’d have thought she’d at least have the common sense to not traverse these woods on her own. He raised a brow then at her description of it, lips quirking up slightly as he tilted his head.
“Believe me, I’m familiar with it.” He deadpanned. “Though surely if it weren’t so hard, you’d have perhaps found it on your own.” This is why he didn’t offer help as often as he should. He almost always ended up annoyed.
“Ash.” He corrected, though his patience was slowly running out. “Did you... Do you not have company nearby?” He noted that the walk to Winterfell was a good half hour away and he truly... truly did not feel like he’d be the best company to get her there. Especially with the last few months he’s had. Winterfell was the last place he wanted to be.
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prodiiteur:
They would remember. Everyone would remember, they would not forget those lost. Rohan would be sure to see of it. His next words drew him up short. Of course, it made sense that he would have heard about, her death.
I can’t wait to see Winterfell, to see you.
A line in her letter he read over and over. Coming only weeks before another raven. Telling him of her murder. Would the stone of the Vale remember her? Or would their “crimes” against the royal family be what anyone ever spoke of.
He swallowed thickly, taking a deep breath , “ Thank you Leo she was… she deserved better.” he didn’t want to talk about Poppy . Not with him, he didn’t know her. or him anymore. That young man was forever changed as well. And the rift between them seemed to large to cross in just one meeting. He could not confided in him perhaps as he once would and it wouldn’t be fair to expect Leo to let him.
A quiet the hung between them was thick with something. Not quite anticipations. But Rohan could sense it, sense Leo working out the words in his head. He did this a lot, muddling over something before he finally spoke. He just didn’t anticipate it being that he wanted to take Jon back home.
“I don’t understand,” the shock clearly lacing his words. “ I know this winter hasn’t been easy. But Jon is well taken care of here, has been a great help to me and Zehra as we make our rounds throughout the territories….” the hurt evident in his gaze. He had come to love Jon as a brother . He’d been with them for four year all at Rohan’s side. He cared for Jon not because he was their ward but he genuinely love the little lord. “ Why now, has something happened? “
-
“Too much has happened, Rohan.” Leo countered with a frown. He pressed his lips together to stop himself from continuing but found that Winterfell had managed to do what he feared it would do. It brought down the walls he so fervently tried to build and made his mind fuzzy with a warmth that not even his own home could grant him.
And he resented it terribly.
He paused again, grappling at his bearings before forcing himself to keep his gaze.
“Jon should be home. We can keep him safe there.” He narrowed his eyes slightly.
“He’s been gone for too long. Cassian has been... alone for too long. I’m here to make things right.” Despite his inability to make it all right. Despite them already struggling.
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who: @godspecd
where: wolfswood
when: a month before
He had thought it would be a bigger adjustment being home... but Leo Flint was born to ice and would most likely return to it when the time came. His body understood the cold. It thrived in it. And despite being away for so long, he still knew these woods like the back of his hand.
He weaved through the trees with his eyes trained to the snow and the crunch under his feet. If there was one thing he missed about the North, it was that there were pockets of silence that one could not find in other places. It was just you and the trees and-
Snap.
And of course the occasional predator.
Wolves weren’t uncommon in these parts, and Leo usually just chose to avoid crossing paths with them, but this one sounded closer. He rested a hand on the hilt of his sword and ducked slightly to see if perhaps he could tell where it was, only to freeze at an even more nerve wracking sight.
A woman.
A lost woman, to be more specific.
He raised a brow at this and let go of his sword, making his way over to perhaps offer aid if need be.
“It is foolish to be all the way out here on your own, my lady.” Along with a good helping of scolding to drive the point across.
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Godswood, it had become his sanctuary, and overwhelming sense of calm taking hold of him. The the wind in the leaves , swaying too and frown– like a lullaby. Sometimes Rohan would like to to think only he could hear. Even now, in this cold the blood red leaves moved back and forth. As he finished his silent prayer to the old gods. Petitioning them for any aid, anything that would help their people cold and starving.
“What do you think Snow, do you think they heard me?”
The young wolf pup looked up at him, head cocked to the side. With a soft chuckle he ruffled the head of the beast. About to rise when he heard the voice behind him.
How long had it been sense they last seen each other? At least five years. It rivaled the amount of time they had last spoken. There was a closeness they once shared. One brought about through years of riding in the woods together hunting in preparation for winter together . If you were born of the north, you knew it like the back of your hand. At some point , they had know each other just as intimately . Of course, Rohan knew why there had been a shift.
It was sad, watching a part of your youth wither and die.
Rohan slowly turned to face him. His thick fur, accumulated a light dusting of over his shoulders. Standing there quietly regarding the other man. Nodding in agreement: his dark eyes looked up through the leaves of the trees now. “I wonder what they will say about this winter. Will they remember those we’ve lost. .” the people we failed he released a breath, “ – the years I spend under this tree. I fear the stories it would tell.” an attempt at lightening the mood. The these months had been hard on him, but hadn’t they all.
“Leo,” he offered up. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d said his name. “ We were not expecting you, I would have told Jon to meet you at the gate to greet you.”
-
Leo felt himself grow rigid as he willed his heart to calm itself within the confines of his chest. Willed the ice to frost over his ribcages in an attempt to protect himself from the grief that etched itself onto the other’s expression.
“The trees aren’t here to tell us, my lord. They just watch. They just remember.” He responded before bowing his head slightly and clearing his throat.
“I am... very sorry for your loss. Truly, Rohan, I am.” News of his engagement had managed to reach him months ago, leaving him mildly stunned but also reminding him of why he had made the decisions he had made years before. News of her death not so long after only arrived when he had in the North.
His decisions were still sound. He opened his mouth to continue but decided that it was not his place to speak on things he had no business in. Rohan’s personal life was one of them. There was a reason he had come back to Winterfell and despite the niggling feeling in his chest, it was not the man in front of him.
“There’s no need. I’m here to take him home.”
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