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#lord jojen reed
longclawshilt · 2 months
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The thing about Bran's intended importance (supposedly kingship of all no less) is it falls flat as far as this due to the lack of hinting of... what that even is supposed to "do" in the grand scheme of things? The show's version of some totalitarian regime with 24/7 surveillance from the magical King is fucked up, and it's hard to understand what else would make Bran special otherwise.
The only people interested in the idea (and only as surface level) are big Stark only Stans who just see it as "Starks get everything because" and that's as deep as it gets.
The idea of who would have leadership to rebuild the world is too much built on stanning as a whole. The only ones with an actual leg to stand on are fans of Daenerys simply because her entire arc is trying at different things to restructure an oppressive elite based governing only to at this point end up with the realisation that their class simply cannot exist in a society without seeking to opress so they have to go. That's also what we see in Westeros, so both monarchy AND lordship power must be evaporated. So there's that.
But Martin isn't even angling for that as far as it seems (which would mean even Targaryens and Daenerys relinquishing power by the end and all, even if it would be the system she is currently trying to develop to be applied), but angles for a 'King'. One whose power is magic, which makes one think it is what would make him King, hence angling for the show end which is frightening as a form of government. And in the 'political' sense he's a nice kid who means well for others, but that's it. It's just the whole having a nice lord now and then without guarantee for the next.
So while it might be little page time and some unfairness for Bran, outside of people just stanning "Stark supremacy" in vague terms, it's hard to think of why and in what direction people would 'root' for Bran in the specific intended importance of role he's apparently meant to have.
Whew, you sent a big one. So I’ll try to break it up and answer in parts.
The thing about Bran's intended importance (supposedly kingship of all no less) is it falls flat as far as this due to the lack of hinting of.
I disagree. I think GRRM has been hinting at Bran being a return to the past - more specifically, a greenseer king. And even before that, Bran’s royal status has been front and center the whole time. It’s just ignored.
We as a fandom get so caught up with the magic part of Bran’s storyline (though we can’t be blamed really!) but forget that Bran’s book chapters often place his magical arc right along his identity and status as a lost prince. I’m gonna make a bit of a generalization here and say that the majority of Bran’s chapters since Robb’s ascension mention his status as the current heir to the Northern crown. He is the Prince of Winterfell. But not only that, he is the prince of the woods and the hills and the greens (we see this language being used for Bran once he begins his greenseer training). This princehood is actually extended to Bran’s direwolf, Summer. Bran’s princehood extending to Summer is quite poignant too, since the direwolf is directly named to be an opposition to winter, and Bran’s mythological parallels rule as summer kings.
Bran’s magical arc doesn’t remove him from his royal heritage. It only reinforces it. Again, think of how he becomes a prince of the natural world in an almost literal sense. And also the motifs used for his royal status: e.g., when Jojen and Meera Reed swear fealty to him, as their royal prince, through ice and fire (in addition to other natural elements).
The show took the route of placing Bran squarely in the magical arc, forgetting that first and foremost, he is an exiled prince. After Robb died, Bran became an exiled king. The main point here is that Bran is royal! He always has been, always will be. Heck, his very name literally means “Prince”.
And there’s other things about Bran’s storyline that aren’t very clear with the show’s depiction; I’m mentioning it here since people’s aversion to king Bran is mainly the show’s fault. Bran is a retelling of various Arthurian myths. You might have seen various meta on his similarities with the Fisher King, for example. I’ve written before about how Bran is also very similar to T.H White’s Wart from The Sword in the Stone (sorry, can’t find the meta link). Because the show removed the royal elements from Bran’s story, viewers weren’t able to catch that he is intended to follow the King Arthur trajectory, albeit with various twists.
When I first joined the fandom, the consensus among Bran fans was that he would be King in the North (a big theory at that time was that Westeros would split back into its pre-Targaryen markups). The idea was that there are way too many hints about Bran’s princehood, especially in relation to the North, so the only endgame that made sense was for him to rule it. And Bran does have a mini ruling arc in Winterfell in ACOK, which was good ammo for this theory.
So Bran’s relation to kingship has always been there. For years in fact; I joined this fandom over a decade ago. It’s just that no one expected his kingship would extend to all of Westeros. And I think that will be GRRM’s task, tying in why Bran will take not just the North, but the south as well. However, I have the inkling that Bran the Builder’s legend ties into this (and we know that he had a legacy all over Westeros).
what that even is supposed to "do" in the grand scheme of things?
Blame the show runners for this. They do not at all understand Bran’s importance to the narrative. And I don’t think a majority of readers understand it either. I mentioned Bran the Builder above. Well, he’s a legend that crops up sometime around the Long Night. Now we have a new war with the Others coming up, and little Bran Stark is Bran the Builder come again. Plus Bran has parallels with the last hero, who is credited with ending the Long Night. We still have two books to see how things shake out but given that Bran is following the trajectory of perhaps two of the most important legends from the War for the Dawn - one who ended it and one who rebuilt Westeros after - it’s easy to tell why he is important “in the grand scheme of things”. But we still need TWOW and ADOS to see how it all plays out. Remember, we only have a published 5 books, and Act II is barely finished!
The show's version of some totalitarian regime with 24/7 surveillance from the magical King is fucked up, and it's hard to understand what else would make Bran special otherwise.
I 100% agree that Show Bran’s ascension comes with some very problematic undertones, in addition to being totally stupid. But again, blame the showrunners for not understanding greenseeing and Bran’s relation to it. Greenseeing is, as I understand it, nature magic. It’s not just that Bran gains the ability to see through ravens and trees, but he can speak to nature as well. He can even shape it (ref Hammer of the Waters). This is going to be really important when Westeros is decimated in the War for the Dawn, and needs to be rebuilt. That’s why Bran being the prince of the “woods and the hills” and being the reincarnation (so to speak) of Bran the Builder is so important. He can rebuild Westeros. This is a very unique skill set that literally no one else has because once Bloodraven croaks, Bran inherits the mantle of the Last Greenseer.
The only people interested in the idea (and only as surface level) are big Stark only Stans who just see it as "Starks get everything because" and that's as deep as it gets.
I’ll join you in being annoyed with that particular brand of Stark fan (we all know who they are). But I just want to remind you that so many of us Bran stans (in fact the vast majority of us) do not fall within that group. Bran stans who advocate for Bran’s kingship do so because we have noted his Arthurian parallels, in addition to noting his arc as a prince in hiding/exile. None of us book fans even remotely believe in him being an all seeing autocrat, nor do we want him to be. It’s a certain type of Stark fan (again, we know who they are), who likes the idea of King Bran because they also believe in an independent North. I think an independent North (with a separate six kingdoms) as endgame is a rather ridiculous idea, and I haven’t got around to detailing why in my blog. But as far as I’m concerned if Bran is to be king, he will be king of everything.
The idea of who would have leadership to rebuild the world is too much built on stanning as a whole.
Super agree! I think the POV structure exacerbates this issue. So a majority of “who will be king”, “who deserves to be king” is solely dependent on who the reader likes best (i.e., who has the biggest fandom) and not who is most narratively suited for the role. Ironically, Bran is hurt but this because he has a pretty small fandom; by far the smallest out of the Stark POVs. So he does not benefit much from solo stanning. Again, the typical Bran stan does not believe in Starkception. If readers chose to theorize the endgame king based on who is most narratively/thematically suited for the role, wouldn’t the boy whose animal familiar is named to be the opposite of winter and likened to a prince of nature be among the most popular options?
The only ones with an actual leg to stand on are fans of Daenerys simply because her entire arc is trying at different things to restructure an oppressive elite based governing only to at this point end up with the realisation that their class simply cannot exist in a society without seeking to opress so they have to go.
Agree with Dany, but I think you’re also forgetting about a young lord commander whose entire rulership arc was about being a revolutionary in a rotten and backward system…
P.S: Jon stans can be really annoying too (I would know, I am one), but they’re not wrong when they say that he actually is the one character with the most foreshadowing for “endgame king”; he is literally King Arthur through and through, so 🤷🏽‍♀️
That's also what we see in Westeros, so both monarchy AND lordship power must be evaporated. So there's that.
It’ll be interesting to see how Martin’s critiques on feudal structures plays into the endgame leaders. Especially when we begin to factor in the thematic relevance of stories like Brienne’s and Arya’s among the smallfolk, as well as the upcoming war with the Others and how the feudal structure might do more harm than good.
I tend to have a more optimistic outlook tbh. Winter means death, and I think that will also ring true for a lot of the problematic elements in Westeros’ political and social structure. And let’s not forget that we have a bunch of civil upheavals coming up with Aegon and Daenerys both invading Westeros. I think a lot of these petty lords will die either in battle or during the long winter that’s sure to follow, so what’s left when all is said and done is having our heroes (Bran and Dany and Jon etc.) pick up the pieces. I tend to believe that a massive shake up is in the works such that while it might have been impossible for a crippled boy to rise to kingship in the AGOT era, it just might be the one remedy in ADOS.
But Martin isn't even angling for that as far as it seems (which would mean even Targaryens and Daenerys relinquishing power by the end and all, even if it would be the system she is currently trying to develop to be applied), but angles for a 'King'. One whose power is magic, which makes one think it is what would make him King, hence angling for the show end which is frightening as a form of government. And in the 'political' sense he's a nice kid who means well for others, but that's it.
This is another thing that I blame the show for: people thinking Bran can only be an all seeing tyrant. I’ve already touched on this above but again, Bran’s greenseeing magic is so much more. It’s about nature…healing….Summer! I’ve been meaning to write at length about why the resetting of the seasons will fall to Bran, and why that means healing for Westeros as a whole, but I’ll abbreviate my thoughts for now.
Let’s once again consider Bran as a Fisher King, whose very life is tied to the healing of the land. Now, I think Martin is going for a rather “fairy tale” or fantastical resolution to ASOIAF; an ending closer to Tolkien and Arthurian myth. Bran’s magic, as healing magic, is then meant to be a positive. He sets the world back to rights, as a Fisher King would. He quite literally drives the darkness (winter) away, and GRRM has stated multiple times that the Others are the true threat.
In my write up about Bran’s similarities to Wart, I mentioned that Bran’s ascension could end up being similar to Aragorn’s in LOTR (and we know that Tolkien has heavily influenced Martin). Aragorn became king not because of his swordsmanship or his politics or even his royal claim, but because he had hands of healing. And people said that there was a king who returned to them because he healed them. Healing and kingship is really not a novel thing, and they’re tied to medieval understanding of rulership. So it’s not hard to see why Bran’s magical ability to bring back summer, so to speak, can be taken as a positive of him being a rightful king.
It's just the whole having a nice lord now and then without guarantee for the next.
I get what you mean, but tbh this would be a problem with Jon, Dany, etc. Monarchy and inheritance are unpredictable. We can only hope that the king/lord trains his heir well so that prosperity follows with the exchange of power.
So while it might be little page time and some unfairness for Bran, outside of people just stanning "Stark supremacy" in vague terms, it's hard to think of why and in what direction people would 'root' for Bran in the specific intended importance of role he's apparently meant to have.
Hopefully it’s been quite clear in my reply why Bran as king is so thematically rich. He’s connected to summer, has greenseeing magic which is connected to nature and potentially the healing of nature, and he is already royal. Him being a “nice kid” is just the cherry on top.
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the-fiction-witch · 2 months
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My Lord
Media Game Of Thrones
Character Jojen Reed
Couple Jojen X Reader
Rating SMUT
Tumblr media
Warning: Mild Choking in a non-violent way, mostly just playful
I laid in my mossy, fur-covered bed trying to cling to the land of sleep for just a few moments more, but the hustle and bustle already going on in the keep of greywater had forced me to be at least half awake. But I did my best to try and cling to sleep in my bed stroking my fingers across the furs, I heard the sound of a door and footsteps but I just tried to bundle myself closer.
"Good Morning My Lord," her delicate voice speaks up,
I turned over and opened my eyes to see the owner of that sweet voice, she stood by the end of the bed in her small but thick mossy green dress with a leather belt and a leather strap around her thigh with her little tools against her charming pale skin with her chain necklace around her neck. Her hair was in a braid down her back and her hands were in front of her stomach with her cheery gentle smile.
"Good Morning, Y/n." I yawned sitting up with a few blinks and stretches trying to wake myself up and she just smiled so happily, she's such a cute little maid, even if our relationship had turned to far more than maid and lord over our time together and I had taken… liberties with her, as I'm sure any lord does with a pretty maid, and I'd had her in my bed more often then not.
"good morning, your father has requested your attendance at the grand meeting this afternoon, and the blacksmith is coming by after to fit you for your new armour," she explained with her usual warm smile,
I groaned and laid my head back on the pillow, "Do I have to?" I pouted,
"Yes My lord,"
"can't I get out of it at all?"
"Would you like some breakfast or a bath first this morning?" She smiled not letting me get away with my whining,
I put the pillow over my head, "I'm not hungry you know I can't watch this early. and I'm not interested in a bath this morning,"
"I know, but given your father's grand meeting… Would a bath not be wise My Lord?" She smiled in her usual encouraging way,
"you know me too well." I chuckled and threw the pillow to the side, "fine. I'm just not going to enjoy it."
"I shall do my best to make sure you do," she giggled patting my fluffy bedhead of hair before she went to make my bath,
She hurried over, taking the cauldron from the fire and filling the wooden bath, she added some flowers from the marshes to make the water sweet-scented and she returned coming to the edge of the bed and opening her arms invitingly,
For a moment I playfully rolled my eyes, I don't want a bath but I know I don't have a way out of it. I pushed my covers back and took her help to get me out of bed, she then smiled and slowly stripped off my clothes, doing her best not to look even after all this time. It made me smirk that she's still so shy watching those sweet Y/e/c eyes as she unlaces my clothes, once I was completely naked blush flooded her cheeks before she led me to the tub so I climbed in without much complaint.
The water was hot and sweet-scented and admittedly it was relaxing. "Not too long a bath though just a quick one,"
"I promise I'll be a quick one," She smiled, "Would you like me to go my lord?"
"Why? you not usually go." I laughed, "Nothing you haven't seen before Y/n" I laughed half joking, "I bet you get good views from where you're standing," I playfully winked at her,
She giggled, "Exquisite views undoubtedly My Lord."
She's so cute, I smiled and did my best to just enjoy my bath for a while even if I was missing something so I glared at her a little and she spoke up,
"would you like my help today My Lord or not? I don't want to be a bother I know you're not your most cheery today," she said doing her best not to look but I know she did,
I smirked a bit, "You should know me better by now. Can we skip the pretence, though? I mean, let's be honest. You were always going to "help" me."
"I suppose, I just didn't want to make you more upset, I never like to see you upset My Lord," she explained as she came and perched her body on the bath running her gentle fingers through my hair, her hands and the warm water help loosen his muscles even more,
"I appreciate it, Y/n. I do. It's just that some days I would rather just be here with you than deal with my father's politicking, you know?"
"umm, he cares for the politics of the realm and the strength of your family, that is something to be proud of to have him so passionate about the pride and glory of your house even if he does at times fail to see the tiredness of those he is forcing to rise, perhaps soon things will be calm when the war is over when the king has an heir when all is good with the uncertain matters," she sweetly explained,
Her voice was so gentle and caring but her hands worked slow enough to make it relaxing but fast enough to get her work done to not keep me in the bath too long, she even began to hum a gentle song as her hands washed my hair massaging my scalp a little in a relaxing way like she was itching my brain, it was enough to force a moan from my lips. Her hands continued washing down my body as she often did cleaning me as well as she could,
She giggled as her washing had brought her hands to my hips and she moved to whisper in my ear, "Do I have your permission, My Lord?"
I opened his eyes slowly and looked at her with a slightly sly smirk, "Permission to do what?"
"to clean," she giggled her hand stroking my lower stomach and hips,
I smirked biting my lip a little "You certainly may Y/n. I will vastly enjoy it."
"I like to ask just in case you wish to do so yourself" she giggled,
Her hands cleaned my thighs and hips making sure she got every inch I know she was teasing me about where I so badly wanted her hand, my hard cock sitting up out of the water waiting for her touch, and finally shave gave it her hand soft and gentle making sure not to be too rough that she'd hurt me but also not to slow as to not keep me excited, but not too excited but that wasn't gonna happen, as soon as I felt her hand it send waves through my body, I bit my lip trying to hide my moans as my eyes rolled back
"Oh… Y/n, that feels so good." I groaned, taking my hand out of the bath to hold her hair tugging her closer until I could feel her warm breath on my neck, "Uhhh Yes! Y/n… Ummm harder!"
"I'm glad you're enjoying your bath, my lord," she giggled moving harder and faster as I asked her,
I smirked and turned my head kissing her cheek, jaw and throat in my desperation for more,
"Yes my lord?" she playfully smiled a little wicked of her,
"You're so beautiful Y/n," I whispered between kisses, "Ummm Master wants you."
"My lord?" she blushed,
"You heard me," I growled,
I cupped her cheek and kissed her soft lips which were enough to send shivers down my spine, but I coulodn/t wait I kissed her passionately and lustfully heavily making out with her pulling her closer and closer until she sat on my lap one hand on her waist wrapped around her back the other on her cheek rubbing my thumb against her skin, having dragged her completely in my bath with me her dress now heavy and soaked with my bath water, she kisses back happily even if she often giggles shyly.
I had never felt so happy, to feel her body against my own, hold her in my arms, the warm water around us, it felt like a dream.
I began to feel lightheaded just from the thrill of it all so I finally pulled away to her red blushing face looking into those deep Y/E/C eyes I felt… lustful more so than ever, I felt possessive, I felt jealous of the thought of any man on Westeros could ever get the chance to see her the way I do, and all I could do as whisper one single word.
"Mine."
"Pardon My Lord?" She blushed rather surprised at my words,
"You are mine. No one else is to have your affection, not like this. Do you understand?" I demanded in a low but quiet tone,
"Of course, I am your handmaiden, My Lord, I am yours," she said taking my hand kissing it and moving my hand so my fingers stroked the chain around her neck,
the chain that leant she was a servant girl, a handmaiden, that she belonged in the service of my family, of me.
It made me smirk to be reminded of it, that she was mine. she belonged to me, she'd do as I asked of her, her body was mine, her neck was mine, and her lips were mine.
"You are mine. and nothing can take you from me?"
"I am yours, my lord," she nodded with a sweet smile,
I smirked and pulled on her chain a little "Mine." I whispered,
"Yes my lord,"
I smirked kissing and biting all over her skin each kiss hard and fast stealing her breath as I did them, I didn't care her dress was soaked, I didn't care the bath was getting cold, I didn't care about the land, the duties, the house, my meetings, all of that was far away and all that matters is us two.
I groaned, "Ummm Y/n… you have no idea how much I desire you. Just the thought of you being with another man makes me furious. You… you belong to me, and I will do anything to keep you my own." I groaned, "I am your master."
"I am yours My Lord Reed, I am utterly yours, as much your property as your sword or your horse, you do not need to be furious at the thought of another as I am only yours," She blushed and Giggled slightly she noticed just how sheer her dress has became from the water, and tried to conceal herself with her hands giving her an innocent look,
I stroked down her neck and shoulders, I glide my hands down her soaking dress feeling every inch of her body below it forcing her hands away to see how her mossy green dress now thick with water had turned slightly sheer revealing her body below much better,
"Don't… don't hide yourself from me. If another man were to see you, of course, that would infuriate me, but I don't want you to hide yourself from me. I want to see you, all of you, just like this. You are mine."
"I am your My Lord, I just cannot help but be shy" she blushed, Her shyness was so cute but that time was over,
"You should not be shy around me. You should not ever try to hide from me. I am yours, and you are mine. You have nothing to be shy about with me. This is how master wants you. This is how master likes my handmaiden to look."
"In a soaking wet dress?"
"In a soaking wet dress. In nothing. You're beautiful no matter what you wear. Even more so when you're dressed like this. It makes you seem… more… vulnerable…"
"vulnerable?"
"Yes, vulnerable," I whispered milking that word as long as I could, "ummm master likes you vulnerable," I growled, "So beautiful and innocent. So shy. I don't know why I've ever let you wear much clothing at all."
"My Lord! Surely you wouldn't want me doing my handmaiden duties in the nude," she teased,
"The thought has crossed my mind." I smirked back, "You would look gorgeous, Ummmm would you do that? would you do it for master?"
"but I'm not sure I'd get much work done My Lord any time I wake up you'd drag me into bed, or if I bent to change the bed you'd throw me over it, I don't think I could even walk across the room without taking your attention from your work"
I couldn't disagree with you. You're exactly right. Every time you walked near me, I would be on my feet in an instant just to get you off yours. I'd be dragging you behind me into the rooms just so we could be alone." I growled, the longer I let my eyes linger the more I need her, "In fact… nothing is stopping us from doing that now, is there?"
"but your bath My Lord"
"And why would I need to continue my bath? It was simply an excuse for us to be alone." I smirked, "I have what I was hoping for. You're here, I have your attention. Don't you want to please me?"
"but you have the grand meeting this afternoon," she playfully says,
"I do. but it can wait." I smirked, "I'm afraid you have no choice, my innocent handmaiden."
"yes My Lord" she nodded, climbing out of the bathtub and peeling off her soaked dress leaving her exposed completely with nothing but her chain around her neck, immediately I groaned biting my lip and trying not to moan as she slipped her dress off revealing her bare back, bare thighs and bare ass still with a mark from my teeth marks in it a few nights ago, she giggled and she turned back to face me her hands Innocently behind her back as she revealed her breasts slightly jiggling as she moved and her glistening pussy, she stood far enough from the bath I couldn't reach her, "does this please you My Lord Reed?" She cooed in her most innocent of tones,
"UMmmmm! Ohh Y/n! Yes… yes, it does please me. Turn around. And keep your back to me." I demanded she did as I asked turning to have her back to me I immediately got out of my bath and went over pressing my body against her running my hands all over her as I kissed her neck, stroking her pussy, fondling her breasts, her ass, running my fingers up her waist,
"Yes my Lord?" she smiled wickedly over her shoulder,
"Ummm Master wants you." I groaned grabbing her chain and pulling it hard so much her hands gripped around it in front of her throat as I pulled it back hard like I was pulling on her hair, "Now." I demanded in her ear,
"Yes, my lord."
I smirked and let her chain go before I turned her to face me and gave her a passionate kiss as I lifted her up under her ass and took her to my bed.
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jackoshadows · 11 months
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Game of Thrones did remind me a lot of British culture and history in terms of Sansa’s xenophobic rants against the Dothraki and Unsullied - who came to help the North from an existential apocalyptic threat and ended up dying in large numbers - being very similar to Brexit Britain.
The othering language used by the Starks - ‘She’s not one of us’. The backstabbing and betrayal of an ally come to help. Brexit was and is as nonsensical as Sansa’s entire ‘Northern independence’ shtick. The way Sansa had no issues feeding the Vale army but complained about feeding the Dothraki and the Unsullied reminds me of the likes of Rees Mogg, Nigel Farage and the UKIP party talking about immigrants and refugees.
And it really is discomforting to realize that a lot of people are fictionally for a UKIP party’s xenophobic hated of others given their rhetoric and support for show Sansa’s actions in GOT. It’s fascinating just in general how easily people fall in anglo-centric/imperialistic/colonial/racist/po-monarchial mindsets when you put a pretty face on the brochure!
ASoIaF on the other hand is fundamentally different to GOT in it’s narrative themes and the story it’s telling with the fight against the allegory for climate change - the Others - being more important than which noble family gets to rule over the Smallfolk. That has consistently been the message of the books.
I’m not an “American First” (and maybe because I read science fiction) I’m a “Terran First”. I’m a human being first. And I have this sympathy for other human beings no matter what side of the giant ice wall they happen to be born on. - GRRM
When dead men come hunting in the night, do you think it matters who sits the Iron Throne?” - Jeor Mormont
Why can't it be both?" Meera reached up to pinch his nose.
"Because they're different," he insisted. "Like night and day, or ice and fire."
"If ice can burn," said Jojen in his solemn voice, "then love and hate can mate. Mountain or marsh, it makes no matter. The land is one." - Jojen Reed
“Are you certain that I have not forgotten some? The ones about the king and his laws, and how we must defend every foot of his land and cling to each ruined castle? How does that part go?” Jon waited for an answer. None came. “I am the shield that guards the realms of men. Those are the words. So tell me, my lord— what are these wildlings, if not men?” - Jon Snow
The shield that guards the realms of men. Ghost nuzzled up against his shoulder, and Jon draped an arm around him. He could smell Horse’s unwashed breeches, the sweet scent Satin combed into his beard, the rank sharp smell of fear, the giant’s overpowering musk. He could hear the beating of his own heart. When he looked across the grove at the woman with her child, the two greybeards, the Hornfoot man with his maimed feet, all he saw was men. - Jon Snow
I also think we need to be consistent and if we are talking about Northern independence or Dornish independence or just the dissolution of the 7 kingdoms from the Iron Throne etc, then these discussions should also include the Iron Islands and Ned Stark/Stannis Baratheon crushing the Greyjoy rebellion and taking Theon Stark as a child hostage so that they would not fight back again. There is no one family or one house in the morally right here. They are ALL feudal lords fighting for power and for their house.
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atopvisenyashill · 2 months
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I don’t get how you’re a Rhaenyra fan but a Dany hater 🤨 like Rhaenyra committed a lot of atrocities in the end.
I don’t hate Dany! She’s smart, she’s funny, she’s got some of the best magical scenes in the series - she’s got some of the best scenes in the series, period, her last dragon fever dream in agot is like top 10 for me easy - and she’s a character that is conceptually similar to like, theon or ned or cersei in that she is really firmly rooted and informed by her past traumas, and I love characters like that from a writing standpoint. I have definitely talked more negatively about her bc it’s basically impossible to not be constantly inundated with takes i feel are just the most vapid or deranged or whatever takes in the world, but you can say that for anyone who feels anything at all about dany bc she is a very polarizing character! i think some of her narrative is frustratingly written, i do not mesh well with a large section of her fanbase, and i actively hate her show counterpart, but show dany is a vastly different character than book dany is (i mean just age alone, like with robb and jon, some of your sympathy evaporates bc they are too damn old to be acting this stupid). ultimately, a lot of the "hate" people think i feel for her is directed at what i feel are stupid opinions on her character or her show counter part's place in pop culture, or just like, normal analysis and critique that i do of every character in this series.
i will acknowledge that i tend to describe myself as "pro stark, pro blacks, pro smallfolk" so people know the general gist of what they're signing up for when they start interacting with me, but that is such a simple way of diluting all of my feelings for all of these characters. like "pro stark" in the sense that they are the most rational of the leaders we get in the main series, and have a connection to the land, people, and culture that is important, but i've pointed out plenty of times that robb's war is harmful to the people of the riverlands, regardless of whether he's justified or not, and i've been posting about how ned and cat fail to properly prepare their children (and the north in general) for Real World Politics, to the detriment of their kids. "pro stark" in the sense that i thought show dany wasn't just deranged from season 1 she was also wildly unlikable and nauseatingly stupid, you could see her "dark dany" turn coming from a mile away because these were not subtle writers interested in exploring why dany would decide "dragons plant no trees" and instead focused on her looking hot while she set shit on fire (same way they were less interested in looking at why jon failed as lord commander and had him be the action hero fighting at hardhome). definitely most of my aggravation at "dany" is at the show version, and while i do get why people feel that if you're a proponent of the "dark dany" theory that you're "anti" dany, but I am not anti book dany! i just think like rickon stark, shireen baratheon, jojen reed, aegon vi, etc she is very much doomed to die a very tragic death.
and i do not like characters based on how little atrocities they commit lmao, like, if i were to list my top 10 favorites, probably half of them have committed some extreme war crime. theon is a rapist! jaime is a shitty ass partner to cersei, a deadbeat dad despite living in the same building as his kids, and a failed child murderer! bran is mind raping hodor, understands on some level that what he's doing is morally repugnant, and keeps doing it anyway! pretty much every targaryen i like has committed some sex crime heinous enough to get them life + 25!! bobby b raised joffrey!!! i know i facetiously say shit like "rhaenyra did nothing wrong" but i'm well aware she's out here torturing people, same as like 75% of the characters we interact with in the whole series. so "rhaenyra commits atrocities" or "dany commits atrocities" is just not how i look at these characters (and not to get into stan wars here, but good lord, "rhaenyra commits atrocities" she is not the only or even the worst person in the dance! like 85% of these people suck and the ones who don't - which is limited to like, helaena, jace, nettles, and addam almost exclusively - either die or disappear because That's The Point. also, i was raised SDA alright, you gotta be a really compelling character for me to get past being super catholic, it's in my dna to be a spiteful hater of catholics!! catelyn stark is my one exception to this rule folks!!!!).
as to why i like rhaenyra - for one thing, saying that emma d'arcy is a better actor than emilia clarke is like saying cillian murphy is better than bradley cooper. they are just not on the same level lol. i definitely have my critiques of show!rhaenyra's writing but i also think she's miles better written than show!dany and her story is also more interesting because her writing is much less nonsensical. for another, i think book rhaenyra and book dany are wildly similar characters (for a reason!) meant to be in conversation with each other, and i very much enjoy what that conversation is saying about power, nobility, gender, sex, war, and identity. on a more technical level, while fire and blood is a mess writing and world building wise, the one thing it does better than the essos chapters (because it doesn't take place in essos, it takes place in westeros, and george struggles much less fleshing out "western poc" than he does "eastern poc" ya know) is that rhaenyra is not the only insight we get into the conflict. the people she loves, the people she rules, the people she harms, they all have a pov and a voice in a way that missandei, irri, jhiqui, rakharo, jhogo, grey worm, on and on, do not, the way that basically every single character that isn't westerosi except mmd (who was killed in book one) is not afforded. it's just a lot easier (as of right now) to talk about rhaenyra as a character because we have her beginning, middle, and end and the povs of people who hated her vs dany, we have the beginning and middle, a lot of arguing over what her end will be, and no one in the narrative as of yet who has even the barest criticism of her decisions besides cardboard cut out villainous slavers.
so like...no i do not hate dany, and i don't feel it's necessary to asterisk every post about rhaenyra with "i know putting a hit out on nettles and addam, locking the smallfolk into KL without easing their burdens of the war, positing herself as an exception to male line primogeniture instead of pushing for absolute primogeniture, and using torture on tyland and vaemond's family was fucked up, i acknowledge that she's flawed" when i talk about her, nor do i feel the need to defend my position on dany on the off chance one of her more annoying stans finds my posts and decides i hate women because i said i didn't like her sexual relationship with irri.
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Say Robert and Cersei by some miracle had a successful marriage, viserys and daenerys live happy live in essos and the others just mind their business who do you think the starklings would've been betrothed to
Robb - Alys Karstark I don't think the starks can get away with having two Southern ladies of winterfell in a row during peace time at this point so a northern lady is likely and alys is the same age, karstarks are quite powerful
Sansa- If this timeline Joffrey is nicer then him otherwise maybe Willas
Arya - It sounds but maybe jojen, ned and howland are friends and jojen would be accepting of arya being "unladylike" since her and meera are quite similar
Bran - I think ned would've convinced bran out of joining the KG to further expand the house through possibly giving him moat cailin to rebuid but he still would've allowed him to be a knight and given the manderlys follow the seven, i think wylla manderly is a good option, maybe shireen if stannis was convinced to have bran as a squire and bran proved himself worthy of her
Rickon - I think he still would've had a wild side even without his circumstances so maybe a girl from the northern mountain clans or skagos
Hello! It's an interesting topic and I'm glad you also shared your view so we can have a conversation speculating about it :)
Robb: Alys Karstark is on the same age with him, Karstarks are loyal to Starks ( and kin!) and it seems that her own father would like to see his daughter being engaged to the future Walden of the North. Actually, every noble Northerner would like their daughter to become future Lady of Winterfell and it's understandable. With that being said, I think the best choice for Robb would be to marry a Manderly girl as they control North's biggest harbour and they are a very rich House.
Sansa: Ned never showed interest for an alliance alliance with the South and neither did the former Stark generations ( with the exception of the previous generation but considering how Ned's siblings ended up, I doubt he's eager to send any of his children to the South). The Tyrells also never showed interest in allying themselves with the North before Robb was declared KITN and was involved in the war of 5 kings. So, I don't see a wedding between Sansa and a southern lord.
I guess marrying Joffrey Baratheon would be an exception Ned would have to make because you can't simply decline a royal offer (as it happened in canon). The only other southern exception would be Robert Arryn. The boy not only is kin but also the son of Ned's beloved mentor. I think he would trust Jon and Lysa Arryn to keep his daughter safe than he would trust Robert and Cersei (understandable). The more I think about it, the ideal scenario for Sansa who wanted to live the southern fairy tale would be to go to Vale ( which coincidentally is the place she currently is in canon)
Bran: I'm moving to Bran instead of Arya because I can see him being connected to Sansa's future. First of all, I don't think that Ned would deny Bran to become a knight. He might not be fond of the idea but he would allow him to do it as he planned to do in canon. Again, he wouldn't like for his son to go to Kings Landing. The only exception would be if Sansa was betrothed to Joffrey. In that case, maybe he could consider to let his son go to the capital so his sister won't be all alone and visa versa ( the lone wolf dies but the pack survives). Now, in my favoured scenario where Sansa goes to Vale, Bran could also go with her and be Brynden Tully's squire. I think Ned would trust the Blackfish the most to train his son and his friend Jon Arryn to keep an eye on the boy.
As for marriage, any northern lady could potentially become Bran's wife. Maybe even Alys Karstark, as I see it more likely Ned to choose her for the wife of his second son. But I want to say Meera Reed ( because of Bran's canon crush).
Arya: Any northern noble could potentially become Arya's husband and ofc someone who could inherit a castle would be preferred. Just to name a few candidates: Harrion Karstark, Daryn Hornwood ( if he wasn't already engaged to Alys Karstark like in canon), Smalljon Umber, Benfred Tallhart and Cley Cerwyn.
Rickon: I doubt that Rickon would be half as wild if he was raised with his whole family by his side. Once again, he could marry any noble girl. Maybe a girl who is the sole heir to her family so they can live on her castle. Otherwise, Ned would have to provide a place to live for his youngest son.
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istumpysk · 6 months
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OPERATION ICEBERG: THE TIER LIST
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THEORY:
HS = HR
[The High Sparrow is Howland Reed]
TIER:
A Joke: These theories are an absolute joke; anyone who believes them is a fool.
[Tier list overview]
EVIDENCE:
Our first stupid Howland Reed theory! Only 17 more to go.
Who is Howland Reed?
Howland Reed is a crannogman and the Lord of Greywater Watch.
He is the father of Meera and Jojen Reed.
He was a close friend and ally of Ned Stark and knows exactly what went down at the Tower of Joy.
He has been mysteriously absent from the series so far, to the point where it's ridiculous.
Who is the High Sparrow?
His name is unknown.
He leads the Sparrows, a faction of the Faith of the Seven.
He became the High Septon of the Faith of the Seven, bypassing any democratic process.
He leads a strict and devout life, showing extreme religious piety.
Similar to Aeron Dam-phair and Melisandre, he's somewhat of a merciless piece of shit who commits abhorrent acts in the name of religion.
Why would Howland Reed be disguising himself as the High Septon?
Are you ready?
Here:
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Good news, we're all dumber now.
Anyway, let's dive right in.
The High Sparrow is short, thin, with a trimmed grey-brown beard and knotted hair. He has a sharp, pointed face with deep-set brown eyes, and his bare feet are heavily callused.
The Reeds are short and thin with brown hair. When we're introduced to Meera, her hair is tied in a knot.
"He is cleaning the floor." The speaker was shorter than the queen by several inches and as thin as a broom handle. "Work is a form of prayer, most pleasing to the Smith." He stood, scrub brush in hand. "Your Grace. We have been expecting you." The man's beard was grey and brown and closely trimmed, his hair tied up in a hard knot behind his head. Though his robes were clean, they were frayed and patched as well. He had rolled his sleeves up to his elbows as he scrubbed, but below the knees the cloth was soaked and sodden. His face was sharply pointed, with deep-set eyes as brown as mud. His feet are bare, she saw with dismay. They were hideous as well, hard and horny things, thick with callus. "You are His High Holiness?" - Cersei VI, AFFC
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The septon had a lean sharp face and a short beard, grizzled grey and brown. His thin hair was pulled back and knotted behind his head, and his feet were bare and black, gnarled and hard as tree roots. - Brienne I, AFFC
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The little crannogman was walking across the field, enjoying the warm spring day and harming none, when he was set upon by three squires. - Bran II, ASOS
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All his garb was green, even to the leather of his boots, and when he came closer Bran saw that his eyes were the color of moss, though his teeth looked as white as anyone else's. Both Reeds were slight of build, slender as swords and scarcely taller than Bran himself. They went to one knee before the dais. - Bran III, ACOK
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Though near Robb's age, she was slim as a boy, with long brown hair knotted behind her head and only the barest suggestion of breasts. - Bran III, ACOK
Why this confirms the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: Short, thin, with brown hair matches the Reeds. Eyes as brown as mud and feet resembling tree roots evoke the crannogmen.
Why this doesn't confirm the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: How many billions of people in this world are short, thin, and have brown hair? Also, it's a given that Howland Reed is going to have green eyes.
The High Sparrow looks unkempt, with soiled feet and dirty fingernails.
Crannogmen are frequently described as mudmen.
"My lord husband tells me this new one was born with filth beneath his fingernails." - Cersei VI, AFFC
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"Mudmen," answered Little Walder disdainfully. "They're thieves and cravens, and they have green teeth from eating frogs." - Bran III, ACOK
Why this confirms the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: Muddy, filthy, dirty — these words are closely related.
Why this doesn't confirm the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: You know who else is dirty? Septon Meribald.
Brienne encountered the High Sparrow on Rosby road between King's Landing and Duskendale. At the time, he was traveling south, suggesting he was coming from the north.
"Join us, friends," urged a spare small man in a threadbare septon's robe, who wore a crystal on a thong about his neck. "Westeros has need of every sword." "We were bound for Duskendale," declared Ser Creighton, "but mayhaps we could see you safely to King's Landing." [...] "These are the bones of holy men, murdered for their faith. They served the Seven even unto death. Some starved, some were tortured. Septs have been despoiled, maidens and mothers raped by godless men and demon worshipers. Even silent sisters have been molested. Our Mother Above cries out in her anguish. It is time for all anointed knights to forsake their worldly masters and defend our Holy Faith. Come with us to the city, if you love the Seven." - Brienne I, AFFC
Why this confirms the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: I can confirm he was definitely travelling south on Rosby road.
Why this doesn't confirm the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: That's not how you get to King's Landing from Greywater Watch.
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(map!)
The High Sparrow is avoiding giving Tommen his blessing as King of the Seven Kingdoms.
"The High Septon should have come to you. And these wretched sparrows . . ." "He feeds them, coddles them, blesses them. Yet will not bless the king." The blessing was an empty ritual, she knew, but rituals and ceremonies had power in the eyes of the ignorant. Aegon the Conqueror himself had dated the start of his realm from the day the High Septon anointed him in Oldtown. "This wretched priest will obey, or learn how weak and human he still is." - Cersei VI, AFFC
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Cersei had no idea what Jaehaerys the Conciliator might have sworn. "He did," she agreed, "and the High Septon blessed him and anointed him as king. It is traditional for every new High Septon to give the king his blessing . . . and yet you have refused to bless King Tommen." "Your Grace is mistaken. We have not refused." "You have not come." "The hour is not yet ripe." - Cersei VI, AFFC
Why this confirms the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: Howland Reed knows no king but the King in the North, whose name is STARK.
Why this doesn't confirm the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: Because the High Sparrow knows that Tommen is a bastard, born from an incestuous relationship between brother and sister, and isn't the rightful king. Duh?
The High Sparrow and his flock seem outraged about Ned Stark's execution and the Red Wedding.
"Night soil can be washed away more easily than blood, Your Grace. If the plaza was befouled, it was befouled by the execution that was done here." He dares throw Ned Stark in my face? "We all regret that. Joffrey was young, and not as wise as he might have been. Lord Stark should have been beheaded elsewhere, out of respect for Blessed Baelor . . . but the man was a traitor, let us not forget." "King Baelor forgave those who conspired against him." - Cersei VI, AFFC
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"These sparrows are especially outspoken," warned Qyburn. "The Red Wedding was an affront to all the laws of gods and men, they say, and those who had a hand in it are damned." - Cersei IV, AFFC
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And yet Howland Reed had been one of Father's staunchest companions during the war for King Robert's crown, before Bran was born. - Bran III, ACOK
Why this confirms the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: Ride or die friend, until the end and beyond.
Why this doesn't confirm the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: Even indigenous people from Sothoryos condemn House Lannister for those things.
The High Sparrow appears intent on toppling House Lannister.
Howland Reed is the man.
Ser Kevan was unmoved. "If that is your wish, you may soon have it granted. His High Holiness is resolved that you be tried for regicide, deicide, incest, and high treason." - Cersei I, ADWD
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Galbart Glover rubbed his mouth. "There are risks. If the crannogmen should fail you . . ." "We will be no worse than before. But they will not fail. My father knew the worth of Howland Reed." - Catelyn V, ASOS
Why this confirms the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: Arya Stark and Lady Stoneheart aren't the only ones seeking justice around here.
Why this doesn't confirm the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: Who doesn't want to bring down House Lannister? Moreover, his focus isn't solely on House Lannister. The man starts foaming at the mouth whenever he sees a brothel.
It's well-known that crannogmen favor trickery and stealthy tactics over open warfare.
He tried to recall all he had been taught of the crannogmen, who dwelt amongst the bogs of the Neck and seldom left their wetlands. They were a poor folk, fishers and frog-hunters who lived in houses of thatch and woven reeds on floating islands hidden in the deeps of the swamp. It was said that they were a cowardly people who fought with poisoned weapons and preferred to hide from foes rather than face them in open battle. - Bran III, ACOK
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"We won't find them," the Frey boy said suddenly. "Not so long as the frogeaters are with them. Mudmen are sneaks, they won't fight like decent folks, they skulk and use poison arrows. You never see them, but they see you. Those who go into the bogs after them get lost and never come out. Their houses move, even the castles like Greywater Watch." He glanced nervously at greenery that encircled them on all sides. "They might be out there right now, listening to everything we say." - Theon IV, ACOK
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"Once there was a curious lad who lived in the Neck. He was small like all crannogmen, but brave and smart and strong as well. He grew up hunting and fishing and climbing trees, and learned all the magics of my people." Bran was almost certain he had never heard this story. "Did he have green dreams like Jojen?" "No," said Meera, "but he could breathe mud and run on leaves, and change earth to water and water to earth with no more than a whispered word. He could talk to trees and weave words and make castles appear and disappear." - Bran II, ASOS
Why this confirms the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: Adopting a new identity to disrupt from within might suit Howland Reed well.
Why this doesn't confirm the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: Making yourself one of the most powerful players in Westeros using the violent Faith Militant is anything but subtle.
The High Septon and his sparrows aren't very popular amongst the nobility.
Many in the Seven Kingdoms look down on crannogmen.
"Like as not," Ser Balman agreed. "Rosby's ward was not the only one to vex us, Your Grace. We encountered ruffians on the road as well. Filthy, unkempt creatures, with leather shields and axes. Some had stars sewn on their jerkins, sacred stars of seven points, but they had an evil look about them all the same." "They were lice-ridden, I am certain," added Falyse. "They call themselves sparrows," said Cersei. "A plague upon the land. Our new High Septon will need to deal with them, once he is crowned. If not, I shall deal with them myself." - Cersei V, AFFC
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"Do not presume to preach at me," she told him. "The brothel keepers have been complaining, and rightly so." "If sinners speak, why should the righteous listen?" - Cersei VIII, AFFC
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"Frogeaters don't smell like men," Frey insisted. "They have a boggy stink, like frogs and trees and scummy water. Moss grows under their arms in place of hair, and they can live with nothing to eat but mud and breathe swamp water." - Theon IV, ACOK
Why this confirms the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: Those are accurate statements.
Why this doesn't confirm the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: How is this at all similar?
Howland Reed may have once disguised himself as a mystery knight.
"It was the little crannogman, I bet." "No one knew," said Meera, "but the mystery knight was short of stature, and clad in ill-fitting armor made up of bits and pieces. The device upon his shield was a heart tree of the old gods, a white weirwood with a laughing red face." - Bran II, ASOS
Why this confirms the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: Uh—
Why this doesn't confirm the High Sparrow is Howland Reed: That wasn't Howland Reed.
COUNTER-EVIDENCE:
Is this necessary? I know a lot can happen in 17 years, but these two men are clearly not portraying the same person.
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Fine.
George R. R. Martin confirmed that Howland Reed would eventually make an appearance, implying that he hasn't already.
Question: It had been stated that Howland Reed would come out in The Winds of Winter, which is the 5th book. Will he still come in the 5th book (A Dance with Dragon)? Answer: He will appear eventually. - George R. R. Martin
The High Sparrow is an old man.
Howland Reed is not an old man.
The old man's eyes were chips of flint. - Cersei I, ADWD
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He was still a scrawny grey-haired man with a lean, hard, half-starved look, his face sharp-featured, lined, his eyes suspicious. - Cersei I, ADWD
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How old is Howland Reed? He'd be in his thirties. - George R. R. Martin
The High Septon and his flock of sparrows are clearly going to die in The Winds of Winter.
"They call themselves sparrows," said Cersei. "A plague upon the land. Our new High Septon will need to deal with them, once he is crowned. If not, I shall deal with them myself." - Cersei VI, AFFC
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This is what comes of letting fools and cowards rule themselves. Next time, I will choose their master for them. And the next time might not be long in coming, if the new High Septon continued to annoy her. Baelor's Hand had little to teach Cersei Lannister where such matters were concerned. - Cersei VI, AFFC
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No one was smiling now. The looks the sparrows gave her were dull, sullen, hostile. They made way but reluctantly. If they were truly sparrows, a shout would send them flying. A hundred gold cloaks with staves and swords and maces could clear this rabble quick enough. That was what Lord Tywin would have done. He would have ridden over them instead of walking through. - Cersei VI, AFFC
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Are you a priest or a greengrocer? "And what might I do to make it . . . riper?" If he dares mention gold, I will deal with this one as I did the last and find a pious eight-year-old to wear the crystal crown. - Cersei VI, AFFC
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The Kettleblacks, I need the Kettleblacks, I will send in Osfryd with the gold cloaks and Osmund with the Kingsguard, Osney will deny it all once they cut him free, and I'll rid myself of this High Septon just as I did the other. - Cersei X, AFFC
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Cersei's gaze swept across the faces of the men behind him. And there he was: Lancel, her cousin, Ser Kevan's son, who had once professed to love her, before he decided that he loved the gods more. My blood and my betrayer. She would not forget him. - Cersei II, ADWD
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Cersei would have him killed out of hand if she learned he was betraying her, and if by some grace of the gods she did not, Lancel would never survive the day Jaime Lannister returned to King's Landing. The only question would be whether Jaime cut him down in a jealous rage, or Cersei murdered him first to keep Jaime from finding out. Tyrion's silver was on Cersei. - Tyrion VII, ACOK
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In fact, the High Sparrow is likely already deceased towards the beginning of The Winds of Winter.
"Whatever Cersei may have done, she is still a daughter of the Rock, of mine own blood. I will not let her die a traitor's death, but I have made sure to draw her fangs. All her guards have been dismissed and replaced with my own men. In place of her former ladies-in-waiting, she will henceforth be attended by a septa and three novices selected by the High Septon. She is to have no further voice in the governance of the realm, nor in Tommen's education. I mean to return her to Casterly Rock after the trial and see that she remains there. Let that suffice." - Epilogue, ADWD
↓↓↓
"How long do you think we'll be here?" "Longer than you'd like," the old man replied. "If he goes back without the gold the queen will have his head. Besides, I seen that wife of his. There's steps in Casterly Rock she can't go down for fear she'd get stuck, that's how fat she is. Who'd go back to that, when he has his sooty queen?" - Mercy, TWOW
Whoops! How'd that queen regain power?
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Now we'll never figure out who Jon's parents are.
On a serious note, Howland Reed is neither dead nor on the brink of death, and he has a significant role to play in the upcoming books, none of which are related to religious fanaticism.
Other things to consider:
The High Sparrow isn't a good person, and his actions aren't commendable.
Howland Reed follows the Old Gods. It's a bit of a stretch to believe he could convincingly pose as a High Septon.
Howland Reed might be somewhat reclusive, but many people could recognize him. He participated in the Rebellion, and was at Harrenhal with numerous other nobles.
How do you even begin to devise this plan? "I'm going to wander the riverlands in the hopes of leading a religious uprising and becoming the voice of God, so I may avenge Ned Stark." Sure, okay.
What in the world? Why? How so?
STUMPY'S THOUGHTS:
If you think that's the craziest Howland Reed theory we're going to explore, just you wait.
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VOTE:
I welcome discussions. Feel free to reblog, respond, or challenge my perspective—I won't be offended by any of it.
Please note, if "no" is the eventual winner, or if it's competitive, a second poll will be conducted to determine the proper location.
NEXT THEORY:
Tormund Giantsbane x Maege Mormont
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angrygirlromero · 7 months
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ミ★
CHAPTER ONE — dreams of her
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BRANDON STARK KNEW HE WAS DREAMING, HE ALWAYS KNEW WHEN HE WAS DREAMING, the only difference was that this time he knew where he was.
Bran stood out lost in the trees of Goodswoods as the snow of winter fell around him, it had been a while since his dreams had taken him here, he missed it, Bran missed home.
The young lord of Winterfell stood tall, he was now much older and he had grown quite a bit since the last time he stood upon his legs, it had been a while since he had been able to feel his legs at all, it felt good.
Bran looked around watching as the snow fell around him, his attention soon being taken by a three eyed crow that sat up in a tree, that crowed out in order to get his attention.
The Stark boy's grip tightened on his bow and arrow as the raven stared at him, he then held his bow up in the air, his arrow aiming directly at the black bird, before letting go.
The arrow flew through the air, swiftly flying past the black bird missing the animal completely, the bird crowed once more before flying off, leaving a disappointed Bran.
"Your arm is far too stiff" stated a soft voice interrupting the peaceful silence of the woods.
Bran quickly turned around around a grin making its way to his face, as his dark orbs fell onto the dark haired beauty who stood before him with her hands clasped together gracefully, allowing Bran to observe how the snow fell around her allowing her to look even more angelic, brown clashing with lilac instantly.
There she stood, the girl he had been dreaming of all his life, her posture perfect as always, her long and curly dark hair braided into two rows of braids, her cheeks and noise rosy pink due to the cold weather, and her cherry stained lips holding a small graceful yet beautiful smile.
Bran examined her silently his eyes falling down to her long light green dress that was made of the thickest of silks and sown to the best quality made specifically for her, and a white fur coat wrapped around her, covering her newly developed figure and as per usual a golden necklace with the embroidery of her house wrapped around her neck, that rested upon her neck between both of her color bones.
"Well how am I to learn if you do not teach me?" Teased Brandon smirking at her, as he grew older he had become more flirtatious with her, taking every opportunity possible to flirt with the beautiful girl.
Daleyza smiled widened on her face, dimples appearing on either sides of her cheeks at his words, shaking her head slightly, her attention soon drifting away from the Stark boy to the the ash haired boy who had now appeared behind behind him.
"Jojen" she greeted, "Daleyza" greeted back Jojen softly, he had never met the girl before his shared dreams with Brandon Stark, but the mysteriously beautiful girl always seemed to find her way there.
At the sound of Jojen's voice Bran turned around to face the ash haired boy who he traveled with, a look of annoyance being more than obviously displayed on his face.
The Reed boy was well aware of Daleyza beauty, but weren't all of Valyrian blood? "I've told you already, you can't kill the raven, because you are the raven" stated the older boy, as he made his way over to Daleyza his hands behind his back as he strutted past Bran to her.
"My lady" he said taking her hand in his, giving her hand a soft kiss, as he towered over her, his actions resulting in a small laugh from Daleyza.
At their interaction Bran rolled his eyes, he knew Jojen was trying to get on his nerves and he was succeeding, as he felt jealousy consume him.
"That's what you say every time but you never explain to me what it means" said Brandon with a very fustrated and annoyed sigh, "there is nothing to be explained my dear Bran, our sweet Jojen speaks the truth you are to be the three eyed raven" said Daleyza.
The young Satyen girl gently removed her hands from Jojen's offering the older boy a smile before gracefully walking over to where the Stark boy stood, the Reed boy's gaze never leaving the dark haired beauty's figure.
Daleyza stood in front of Bran staring up at the boy, she was in all honesty proud of how he had grown from the time they were young children, as she herself no longer stood at the same hight as him, and the feminine parte of her loved having to look up to Bran.
Bran simply stared at Daleyza mesmerized as she reached up, her soft yet cold hand making contact with his reddened and warm cheeks, "the raven olny wished to guide you to where you must go Bran, you must follow the raven to find what you seek, Jojen and I are only here to help you" said Daleyza her thumb caressing his warmed cheeks.
There was then a brief moment of silence, her intense lilac eyes stared into his dark brown ones, Daleyza smiled once again before speaking, "until we meet again my sweet boys" she said, stepping on the tips of her toes to gift Bran a kiss on the cheek before walking away, leaving an incredibly flustered Stark boy standing dumbfounded.
A loud high pitched whistle could be heard from the skies causing the two boys to look up, searching for source of the sound only to be met with the sight of a red scaled dragon that shadowed the skies with her large wings, the dragon being nearly as big as Winterfell itself.
The red slender dragon landed nearby, causing Daleyza to quickly run over to her greeting the majestic creature with a hug on the snout, the dragon looked more than excited to see her rider before she mounted her, commanding her to fly.
Brandon Stark blinked his eyes open as he was met with the sight of the bright sunlight of the dawn.
The dark haired boy let out a groan as he tried to sit himself up against the tree behind him, watching as Osha and Hordor sat down with a couple of rabbits they had caught, his little brother Rickon staying close to Osha as the wildling girl was particularly protective of the youngest lord of Winterfell around people she did not trust.
"Good morrow little lord" said Osha as she began making a fire, "Good morrow Bran" repeated Rickon gazing to his brother with a playful smile, Osha didn't even bother to look at him as she proceeded to put the fire wood together.
Brandon simply stared at her actions, his mind entirely on his dream, or better said the kiss he had received, the young lord's attention was soon stolen by the Reed sibling who had also began to wake up, Meera quickly stood up greeting everyone before going off into the wood probably to take care of her needs, as Jojen simply stretched out lazily, his sleepy gaze then meeting Bran's intense one.
"Good morrow Bran" said Jojen cheekily, as he began to stand up getting his things together, "I need you to stop doing that" said Bran out harshly, causing Jojen to pause and Osha and Rickon to look over at them.
Jojen simple resumes picking up his sister's sleeping things, before he stood up once again his gaze falling onto Bran, "stop what?" he had the audacity to ask, "stop getting into my head, getting into my dreams, stop it" demanded Bran.
"I can't prevent it Bran, and besides you only want me out of your dreams so you can be alone with Daleyza" said Jojen cocking his head suggestively.
"You don't even know anything other than her name" said Bran, "you have no right to be so touchy with her, you and I can see she is from a good house by just looking at her, do not dishonor her Jojen" sneered Bran pure jealousy dripping from his words.
Jojen simply smiled teasingly at the realization that his actions had truly affected his friend, "alright then Bran, if you know so much about her, tell me why is she in your dreams? every single one of them she's there, tell me why" challenged the Reed boy.
Bran simply scoffed at his words, causing Jojen to chuckle, "I might not know exactly why, but I have every right to think it's because she's like us" spoke Bran. Jojen shook his head "she's so much more than us Bran, you and I both know that, for the Gods sake she has a Dragon Brandon, for all we know she is the spitting imagine of a Targaryen, she might not even be of our time being" said Jojen as he walked over to Bran seating himself next to him setting the bag with his and his sister's now collected thing next to him.
Bran shook his head denying Jojen's words as he stared out at the woods ignoring Jojen's gaze, "she is no Targaryen" stated Brandon, Jojen frowned at his words, "did she tell you that?" Asked the ash haired boy curiously.
"No, she did not I may be crippled but I am not blind and I know my houses, the Targaryens where known for their pale skin, Daleyza does not poses pale skin. The only other houses of Westeros to poses Valyrian blood were the Velaryons and the Stayens, the velaryons are gone, whipped out by the baratheons, the last living house that possesses blood of old valyria are the satyens, the only house that still has dragons, I though you were smarter than that Jojen, besides she wears a necklace of a turtle that was more than sufficient to give it away, and the Satyen sibling still resigne at Satyen island, and it so happens to be that the neice of the queen Cersei is named Delayza" explained Bran leaving Jojen questioning his observation, it was quite obvious Bryan had taken his infatuations with the Valyrian beauty seriously.
. • • ★
northern stars
WARNINGS! mature themes, possible grammar mistakes, trigger warnings!
AUTHOR’S NOTE: prologue and graphic are out already sorry that this chapter took so long to be posted it was stored in my drafts for a while but I’ve been far too lazy this summer to edit it, I hope you enjoy! and considering this is a fanfic some timelines aren’t gonna be the same, have a good day or night, please comment, like and repost if you enjoyed reading!
-angrygirlromero<3
You can also find me on Wattpad as @mstozierr
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isefyres · 1 month
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𝕹𝖊𝖜 𝕸𝖚𝖘𝖊𝖘 𝕬𝖉𝖉𝖊𝖉 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖊𝖉:
Lady Johanna Lannister. née Westerling, was the Lady of Casterly Rock through her marriage to Lord Jason Lannister. During the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, Lady Johanna's husband, Lord Jason Lannister, and his twin brother, Ser Tyland, supported the greens. After Jason's death, Johanna ruled the Rock as a regent for their young son, Lord Loreon Lannister. During this time, she fought the ironborn who tried to take Casterly Rock. Dance Era. Canon.
Lady Tyshara Lannister. was a member of House Lannister during the reign of King Aegon III Targaryen and in her youth she saw the dance of dragons. After the death of Queen Jaehaera Targaryen in 133 AC, Lady Johanna set aside her war with the ironmen long enough to write the Hand that her daughters Cerelle and Tyshara were maidens of noble birth and marriageable age. Tysharar remain her brother's Loreon's favorite sister. Dance Era, Canon.
Jon Connington, also known as Griff, was the Lord of Griffin's Roost, the head of House Connington, towards the end of the reign of King Aerys II Targaryen. He served for a short time as Hand of the King to Aerys during Robert's Rebellion. It is implied that Jon was in love with Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. Jon travels to Westeros with Young Griff, believed to the Aegon, the son of his lost friend and rightful heir to the throne, he took control of his family's castle, keeping his relatives hostages. Canon. Song Era.
Ser Roland Storm. is the bastard son of Ser Ronnet Connington, the Knight of Griffin's Roost. He is most likely named for his grandfather, Ronald Connington. He resides in Griffin's Roost. Ronald is made a captive when Griffin's Roost is taken by Jon Connington and the Golden Company. When Jon orders that Ronald and the other young Conningtons be confined under guard, Ronald tries to bite the spearman closest to him. When Ronald tells Jon that his father will kill him, Jon sends the children back to their cells. Canon. Song Era.
Lady Laenyra Longwaters. Firstborn daughter of Rennifer Longwaters, a bastard house originated from House Valeryon, Laenyra is in charge of making sure the boats and ships are up to standards when making sail and all merchandise is intact. She also, for hte right price, smuggles people in and out of King's Landing. OC. Song Era.
Kira Kingsblood. Gerrick Kingsblood is a raider from the free folk and the founder of House Redbeard. He has a son and three daughters. Kira is the oldest of the daughters, and kissed by fire. Selyse arranges the betrothal of Gerrick's eldest daughter to Ser Axell Florent, her Hand and uncle. Kira considers him old and weak for a man and is often voicing her disagreement with the choice of husband. Semi-Canon, Song Era.
Sariah. Working in Mereen as an exotic dancer at the request of Hizdahr zo Loraq to entertain Queen Daenerys and his own pleasures when needed to gather the illusion. Freed from her work, she works in her skills as seamstress and often makes the Queen her new wardrobe in thankful for her liberation. Not remembering her home, although she believes it to be Asshai, Sariah remains to the queen's side. OC. Song Era.
Carexya Bloodstone. First stablished house of the Stepstones island where Daemon Targaryen had his seat when he proclaimed himself King of the Stepstones. During his stay there, he bastared a son and from him, the bloodline that stablished the house. Carexya is the last of the descendants and has a desire to reclaim Bloodstone as an independent kingdom or at least a princedom. She send letters to both Dorne and Mereen for either help, as her mother was a woman from dorne. OC. Song Era.
Lord Howland Reed. is the Lord of Greywater Watch and the head of House Reed, holding dominion over the crannogmen of the Neck. Howland's children with his wife Jyana are Meera and Jojen, and he is a close friend of Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell. He remains as the last living person to have witnessed the Tower of Joy incident and knows the truth. He had been away at the Maesters Capitol to gather evidence of what transpire to reveal the truth. Canon. Song Era.
Lady Genna Lannister. is a noblewoman of House Lannister wed to Ser Emmon Frey, with whom she has four children: Ser Cleos, Lyonel, Tion, and Walder Frey. enna is the only daughter of the late Lord Tytos Lannister and Lady Jeyne Marbrand, and she is the younger sister of Tywin Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock. Genna is the aunt of Queen Cersei Lannister, Ser Jaime Lannister of the Kingsguard, and Tyrion Lannister, having taken on a maternal role for the siblings after the death of Tywin's wife, Lady Joanna Lannister. Canon. Song Era.
Prince Doran Martell. Prince Doran Nymeros Martell, also known simply as Doran Martell, is the head of House Martell, the Prince of Dorne, and the Lord of Sunspear. Married to Lady Mellario, of the Free City of Norvos, he has three children: Arianne, Quentyn, and Trystane. He's also the elder brother of Elia and Oberyn Martell. In his early fifties, Doran is a cautious, pensive, and subtle man. He is prone to think long on the matters before him, weighing every word and every action. Doran has been focused for years on getting revenge for the murder of his sister, Elia, and her two young children during the Sack of King's Landing during Robert's Rebellion in 283 AC. Canon. Song Era.
Prince Quentyn Martell. Prince Quentyn Nymeros Martell, better known simply as Quentyn Martell, is a knight from House Martell. He is the second child and eldest son of Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne, and Lady Mellario of Norvos. He is cautious by nature and filled with doubts, fears, and insecurities. Quentyn does not want to be remembered as a failure, and cannot bear the thought of his father's disappointment, nor does he want friends to die for nothing. After his injuries by the fires of the dragon, Quentyn is in bad shape but survives, having spend weeks being treated, AU. Canon. Song Era.
Prince Raeonor Qoherys . The remainder Qoherys left and fled to Essos, after spending two decades in Volantis, the family settle in Lys and became one of the few ruling houses of the old Valyrian stronghold. Raeonor seeks revenge for the exile of his house and will offer money to anyone that will take it for them to travel back and regain Harrenhal, as he proclaims that the castle was cursed by his family's blood, carrying dragon blood, the blood magic is strong to this day. OC. Song Era.
Princess Meleya Qoherys. A priestess and a practiciener of R'hallor, Meleya believes only she can undue the curse placed on Harrenhal and every family that was taken down. Unlike her brother, she possesses the Valyrian features, except her eyes remain a shade of clear pink red, most say it's due to the magic she uses. Meleya is also known for being a magnificent dancer and often entertains guests by dancing for them. OC. Song Era.
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agentrouka-blog · 1 year
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"That was the night I stole up to his bed to give him comfort. I bled, but it was the sweetest hurt."- Sansa(ASOS VII). "I think Brandon liked the sight as well. A bloody sword is a beautiful thing, yes. It hurt, but it was a sweet pain."- Turncloak(ADWD). Both Lysa and Barbrey recalling about how they have sex with LF and Brandon to Sansa and Theon. Though LF love Cat and Brandon was engaged to her. Barbrey was again slighted when Ned, with who her father wanted to marry, choose Cat.
Hi there! :)
I wouldn't narrow it down to these two characters and their relation to Catelyn, exactly. The idea of "sweet pain" is one that connects many characters, sometimes in good and sometimes in bad ways. Sometimes sexual, sometimes otherwise.
I think, it ultimately comes down to GRRM wanting to emphasize the blurred lines when it comes to life. Not all pain is sweet, but not all pain is bad, either, and it's not always easy to tell the difference.
Melisandre invokes a false constant duality, an in escapable constancy of war.
"The way the world is made. The truth is all around you, plain to behold. The night is dark and full of terrors, the day bright and beautiful and full of hope. One is black, the other white. There is ice and there is fire. Hate and love. Bitter and sweet. Male and female. Pain and pleasure. Winter and summer. Evil and good." She took a step toward him. "Death and life. Everywhere, opposites. Everywhere, the war." (ASOS, Davos III)
But Meera Reed and Jojen insist differently:
"Oh, I do. My lord father told me about mountains, but I never saw one till now. I love them more than I can say."
Bran made a face at her. "But you just said you hated them."
"Why can't it be both?" Meera reached up to pinch his nose.
"Because they're different," he insisted. "Like night and day, or ice and fire."
"If ice can burn," said Jojen in his solemn voice, "then love and hate can mate. Mountain or marsh, it makes no matter. The land is one."
"One," his sister agreed, "but over wrinkled." (ASOS, Bran II)
If hate and love can coexist, contradicting and not contradicting each other, so can pain and pleasure, sorrow and joy, bitterness and sweetness. Not war but a mere multiplicity. Life is not that simply, not that black and white.
The Mystery Knight adds a similar example:
"This is the proper way to fill a pie," Ser Kyle sniffed, cleaning off his tunic. "The pie is meant to be the marriage, and a true marriage has in it many sorts of things—joy and grief, pain and pleasure, love and lust and loyalty. So it is fitting that there be birds of many sorts. No man ever truly knows what a new wife will bring him." 
The sentiment is all over the books, in good and bad ways. Often involving sex, but also in other moments that draw a special emphasis on life itself. The pain of breathing in icy air, but breathing nonetheless. The ache of straining muscles. Some pleasures come hand in hand with some pain. But also the pleasure that can mask harm and abuse. 
Marillion’s voice becomes even sweeter when mixed with pain and fear and sorrow in his imprisonment - a sweet voice in a bad man in a horrible situation. How can beauty thrive in this, born from this man? Well, it simply does.
Victarion claims this:
"Always." Life is pain, you fool. There is no joy but in the Drowned God's watery halls. "Do it." (ADWD, The Iron Suitor)
But Jon and Sansa, respectively, claim this:
It was so sweet and silly that Sansa had to laugh, despite everything. Afterward she was absurdly grateful. Somehow the laughter made her hopeful again, if only for a little while. Smiling, she let the music take her, losing herself in the steps, in the sound of flute and pipes and harp, in the rhythm of the drum . . . and from time to time in Ser Garlan's arms, when the dance brought them together. (ASOS, Sansa III)
Jon had to laugh. Even now, even here. Ygritte had been fond of Longspear Ryk. He hoped he found some joy with Tormund's Munda. Someone needed to find some joy somewhere. (ASOS, Jon X)
And I think you can tell with whom the author agrees.
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reginarubie · 2 years
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Jon and Sansa do end up together, but—, part III
Okay, so, time to be true with you, I had this ready since last month, but first I wanted to get the Val one out first, and then I got swamped over by work, my studies, and family matters and kind of lost all energy.
Anyway, here it is, the third part of the Jon and Sansa through their exes' eyes. This time it's again through one of Sansa's exes (or, maybe's) and I think it's very sweet altogether, so I hope you enjoy.
Part I: Waymar Royce
Part II: Val
Prompt: Sansa and Jon do end up together, but— featuring good and bad experiences for both of them, and the way they are seen through their exes, loved ones and each other's eyes.
This one is inspired by You're beautiful, by J. Blunt
It’s time to face the truth [I’ll never be with you]
Podrick~
The first time Pod sees Sansa Stark, it’s by chance. It wouldn’t even be correct to say he actually saw her, it was more like a glimpse. After having spent half of his life at Lannisport and the other half at Kings Landing Pod had yet become accustomed at how things were done in the north. 
The people here are less accommodating to strangers, southerner they call him, in a derogatory manner; everyone seems suspicious of him, yet when he had walked into a bar the other night and gotten excited over a rugby game the people of his neighborhood had warmed up to him — even though he keeps for an opposing team. 
But, where the people are less accommodating to strangers, the nobility is much more approachable than in the South. Lady Arya and lord Rickon Stark, for example, are both athletes and they usually hang out — or so the press seems to say — in bars and hostels with their own people, wearing ripped jeans and t-shirts, or sweats and sweatpants. Easygoing and approachable. 
Lord Stark and lady Stark are often seen together, just taking a stroll in the market, speaking with the people, letting them shoot photos, just listening to them. 
Lord Stark is the kind of man you’d have a pint with!, one of the men at the bar says often, to which an old half-homeless man will reply he actually did drink a pint with the lord of Winterfell one night, ten years ago. 
Lord Brandon is the most secluded of the Stark, possibly due his condition. Though he can often been seen during official outings, or with his mother during their meetings for charity. Though often the tabloids post about him and his two long-time friends, Meera Reed and Jojen Reed, both from the small nobility. 
Lord Robb, the heir to Winterfell, is instead known for his kind manner and good spirit. He is at college where he is working to get his degree in art and history, instead of business or economics, or law like everyone was expecting him as the heir to Winterfell.
Lord Robb drives every other weekend from college to be present to the matches of his brother’s rugby team. It is a family date, everyone will be present and then they would head to Hot Pie’s Place and they would offer a round to everyone present. 
Lady Sansa, the second oldest, looks every inch the lady, always prim and proper. She has just started her own degree in law and is often seen either alone or with her mother in charge of charities or visiting the ill or the homeless. She flies to the Riverlands every other month to visit with her old grandfather and meet a few friends. There had been a time the tabloids had been extremely interested in lady Sansa’s love life, like when she had a relationship with Joffrey Baratheon, or when there were rumors of a love story with her best-friend’s ex, Ramsay Bolton. But at some point the tabloids had stopped speaking of it altogether. 
“Sing a song lady Sansa!” someone had shouted and that had gotten his attention as he exited his train, he had followed the crowd to find Sansa Stark sat near an homeless man who was strumming on an old, overused guitar. She had been singing softly some song about Florian and Jonquil. 
Pod had been late so he had not lingered, but he remembers thinking she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life — and he had seen Cersei Lannister, who the tabloids had nicknamed the Light of the West for her beauty — because there was an elegance to her that sparkled through her blue eyes. 
He had truly met her a couple of years after that chance sighting. Pod had been working under doctor Brienne of Tarth for four months putting his degree to good use and helping under one of the best in his sector. 
He knew Brienne of Tarth had been appointed with the support of lady Catelyn Stark at the head of the association and since then Brienne had, had an in with the Starks which had meant publicity for their work, charities thrown in their name and all kind of supports the Starks could give them; so it didn’t surprise him when she told him that they would receive a noble visit later in the week. 
When the day came he had expected lady Stark or perhaps even lord Brandon — he had met both already a month before — instead when the doorbell rang and he urged the elderly to see who it was at the door he felt himself go blind as his eyes fell on the beaming smile of lady Sansa Stark. 
“Good morning,” she greets, her voice soft, the smile evident in her tone “I was wondering if you have space for two more today” she offers with that easygoing smile that she shares with all of her siblings. 
As she said so she steps to the side and exposes her older brother, lord Robb Stark. Both of them have the red hair and the blue eyes of the Tullys of Riverrun, and they seem to brim with happiness as the men and women start clapping and cheering them all. 
He realizes Lady Sansa was still waiting for his reply when he turns to her and she is smiling questioningly to him, he blushes to the roots of his dark hair, his neck burning as his ears as he stumbles over his words to let them inside, apologizing. Lord Robb gives him a pitying look and a pat on the shoulder as he passes him by “Don’t worry, my sister tends to have that effect,” he says to him chuckling as both turned to look at lady Sansa, already greeting each and every man and woman in the room as well as Brienne. 
He learned that day that lady Sansa is an habitué and that she will often bring along one of her siblings, but that today she has chosen her brother Robb — kind of wrestled me out of my wedding plans — as the activity of the day is finger painting and lord Robb has just graduated from college, his degree in art and history received with the best grades. So it kind of is his field. 
Lady Sansa sits with the elderly, listens to their stories, holds them as they are overcome with emotion, compliments their bravery and their art, comments on how well she found them since her last visit. Made them feel loved. Shares with them some of her experiences at college and makes fun of her brother, affirming in this equation he has become the groomzilla of the couple. 
Pod is in awe.
“So you are Podrick,” she corners him in a moment of pause as she gets herself some water as her brother helps an old woman with arthritis to finger paint “Brienne always speaks highly of you”
That Brienne would speak of him, let alone with nobility left him feeling suddenly embarrassed. Lady Sansa listens raptly as he replies to all her questions, where did he come from?, why did he took this career path when most people tend to focus on the young instead of the elderly. Pod feels like her entire focus was not him.
It makes him feel truly seen and appreciated.
“Thank you, Podrick,” she tells him, her voice coiling with warmth “Thank you for what you’re doing here” 
***
He meets lady Sansa several other times after that first time, and he would even consider them kind of friends. Lady Sansa has taken his e-mail and often sends him links to activities he might be interested in, or simply to check in on him and the bureau. 
He doesn’t dare hope more. Though his heart skips a beat or two every time she looks at him, or smiles his way. Lord Robb teases him mercilessly about it too, every time he comes with his sister. 
Lord Rickon and lady Arya — who he met briefly only once — just rolled their eyes and waggled their eyebrows in his direction. 
Lord Bran who comes around quite often with his sister teased him as well about it, though he seemed kinder about it. Like he found endearing his evident crush on his sister, a crush she didn’t seem to have noticed either. 
Sansa even invited him out, a friend-lunch-date, they spoke of his plans for the future, for his plans in taking a more important role at the bureau for the elderly under Brienne.
“Brienne says you’re ready,” she had commented sipping on her mineral water. 
“Brienne laments I’ve been ready since I’ve arrived, she has way too much faith in my abilities”
“Don’t try to be modest,” Sansa had chastised him “Brienne is not the type to offer empty compliments. If she says you’re ready to take on more, she truly thinks it”
It’s only one of the several time they meet, lady Sansa is always kind and supporting. A real friend, to the point Podrick is even afraid of trying and take a step more — like even only take her hand as they walk — as he doesn’t want to ruin their friendship. 
Things starts to change when lady Sansa invites him over to Winterfell for lord Robb’s nameday. Then Podrick starts to wonder if he really could have, beyond any fear, a chance with her. 
A true fairytale coming alive before his very eyes. And it could be his life. 
Lord Robb greets him in good humor with his fiancé, Jeyne Westerling, hanging at his side. Several other friends are present, the teammates of lord Rickon, as well as the guys and girls on lady Arya’s fencing team, some colleagues and college friends of lord Robb. Lord Brandon inseparable friends.
Lady Sansa best friend, Jeyne Poole, a girl kind with big brown eyes and a loving smile, is also present. Her eyes are sad, like she’s seen too much. It makes her smile all the more beautiful and heartbreaking for it. 
She is kind of quiet and in the midst of what is a social event in full swing — for however private it’s still the nameday of the heir to Winterfell — and lady Sansa — just call me Sansa by now, Pod — the social butterfly that she is, is basically helping her mother play hostess with grace and elegance. 
“So,” Jeyne asks him nursing her non-alcoholic drink “how long have you had this crush on Sans?” 
It is rude and unpolite, it makes Pod choke on his own drink “I beg your pardon?”
“Everyone with two functioning eyes would see it,” Jeyne says, not unkindly, just matter-of-factly shrugging “it is a wonder she’s so dense sometimes” 
“I—” he stumbles with his own words unable to get them out “we’re friends” 
“Yes, I can see that. She must care for you a great deal if she has invited you to a private party,” Jeyne admits “Sansa is just like that, generous and straightforward with her affection” 
Podrick can do nothing but agree “My fondness for her it’s— I don’t have any bad intentions” he assures her. Jeyne Poole burst out in a laugh.  
“I am sorry,” she tells him seeing his affronted expression “I promise I am not laughing at you,” she says “is just… it’s clear you’re a good man, Podrick Payne. Sansa has had her share of bad men,” she sighs “and I find it cute that you’d think we’d let you this close to Sansa if we thought you were intending to harm her”
“Everyone!” Sansa’s voice saves him from finding a reply to that “all lights out!” 
“Roger-roger that!” lord Rickon exclaims doing a poor imitation of a military salute to his sister as the room is plunged into darkness and a cloth hung from the ceiling.
Sansa fumbles around for a little bit and then a big grin blooms on her face “Jon!” there is static and all of sudden the projector comes alive and a man appears on the cloth’s surface.
“Say hello to everyone!” Sansa sing-songs, her voice ringing like bells. 
The man is covered from head to toe in the black furlined winter uniform of the Nights Watch with a wool cap over his head, some curls hanging low and framing his face, his beard well trimmed and his cheeks reddened either from the cold or because he kind of looked timid. 
“Hello everyone” he sounds almost like a dying whale, which is exactly what lady Arya Stark told him bluntly, provoking the general hilarity. 
“Robb, mate” this Jon says, instead of addressing the comment “I am sorry I couldn’t make it, but as you can see I’m still stuck in the Lands of Always Winter,” he tells them gesturing around himself “just to make this video call Sansa had to pull a couple of strings” 
There is wetness in lord Robb’s eyes as he twists  to look at his sister, who blows him a kiss. 
“Anyway, sorry I have to miss your nameday, mate, I’ll be there for the wedding, I promise” 
“Remember Snow, you better keep your promises or I will unleash Rickon on you” lord Robb threatens wetly. Podrick wonders if he will actually be overcome by emotions. 
“I’ll do my best, Stark” the other man replies, there is some more static “anyway, the line doesn’t hold very well or long so, here, mate— happy birthday” and he maneuvers the camera so that it looks at the sky and the northern lights shining into the darkness to everyone’s awe. 
Sansa is holding her hands to her heart as awe paints her face and a smile curls at her lips. 
Later, when everyone has been shown to a room where they could stay or went home Podrick is sitting on a swing with Arya Stark as she and her friends spoke loudly about sports, Pod finds himself fitting right in. 
He sees how touched lord Robb was at the video call and asks lady Arya if this Jon is a cousin or a relative. 
“Jon?” she asks “Jon’s family. He is Robb’s best friend, has been since they’ve been what like five? Sansa how old where you when Jon started to come around?”
Podrick hadn’t even noticed Sansa, who is currently being squeezed an inch from her life, by the eldest Stark. She rises her head from lord Robb’s chest and looks thoughtful for a moment “I think you were like one or two,” she comments “I was around four I believe” 
“So an age ago!” Arya Stark teases “no wonder you have those wonderful crows feet!”
“Oi! You’re only two years younger than me!” Sansa exclaims falling into an easy banter with her sister. 
***
It is months before Pod actually finds the courage to decide to ask Sansa out to a date, he wants everything to be perfect, from the very moment in which he would ask her which would’ve been during one of her visits — solo visit this time around, he checked — to the bureau for the elderly. 
When the doorbell rings Pod springs to his feet, for the general hilarity of the old people, to go and answer the door.
“Hello!” Sansa exclaims, her beam was somehow brighter than it usually is, she is holding her arm strangely behind herself, as if gripping something or someone “stop being shy!— I hope you don’t mind, I’ve brought a friend over” she says, the fondness evident in her tone as she tugs at the wrist just beyond Pod’s sight. 
When a grumbling Jon Snow enters in his line of sight Pod feels the world shift “Stop manhandling me,” he tells her, but without heat, just in fond annoyance.
“Then stop being so stubborn, everyone is going to love you to bits,” Sansa replies and for a moment they look completely lost in their own little bubble, then it is Sansa who burst the bubble “Jon this is my friend Podrick, the one I told to you about. Pod this is Jon”
My friend Podrick.
This is Jon, as if this Jon doesn’t need any other qualifications beyond being himself to be worthy to stand by her side. Like she doesn't need to specify with him.
It makes something ugly coil in Pod’s stomach. Something surprisingly similar to jealousy. Jon Snow holds out his hand to him, his face schooled in an expression of confidence, seriousness at his brow. 
“Pleased to meet you,” Jon Snow says as Pod shakes his hand. He has a good, firm handshake “I am sorry Sansa sprang me on you all”
“As if!” Brienne intervenes “Any friend of lady Sansa is a friend to us all!” she exclaims and the elderly echo her. Sansa’s smile is full of mirth as she goes around her usual business. 
Jon Snow is more reserved than Sansa is, quiet and timid, but there is fondness shining in his eyes as Sansa urges him to join her. He’s a good listener and the ladies are smitten with him. 
“Jon is very brave,” Sansa is telling one of them “he was a ranger of the Nights Watch,” she says warmly “but he has chosen to step down from the active missions to be a diplomatic liaison” she explains. 
“Oh you’ve seen many wildlings?” one of the women asks. 
“I did, ma’am, though they prefer to be called Free Folk” he replies politely “they are not so different from us, after all,” he states “they’re very loud” he says almost as an afterthought, as if something pains him. 
Sansa, emphath that she is, covers his hand on his lap and squeezes it gently but firmly. Jon Snow seems to draw comfort by it and looks up to her with a soft smile.
It’s that smile that makes Pod hit the brakes. The backlash almost breaking his heart.
Sansa blushes at that smile. He has never seen her blushing at him, though she did make him blush more than once. 
“Jon is considered a Free Folk-friend,” she tells them “they trust him,” she adds.
In her voice Jon Snow seems amazing. 
Pod wonders if Jon Snow knows that he is amazing in her eyes.
They move like an unit, Pod can’t help but notice, like they are so comfortable around each other that they don’t need to look at one another to know where the other is and move accordingly. It’s kind of astounding to watch. 
“Sansa speaks always highly of you,” Jon Snow tells him at one moment when he gets a little bit of respite from speaking. He seems like he might unravel any given moment “she seems to genuinely like you”
“I like her as well” he doesn’t know why it sounds so bitten out. Jon Snow doesn’t seem surprised by it. 
“I know,” is his surprising reply, he doesn’t say anything else and that spurns Pod to look up to his face. Try to read his expression, but he is unreadable. The only thing he can read as clear as a day on his face is his love for Sansa. 
He genuinely loves her.
Pod knows that expression is not reflected in his own eyes. He likes Sansa, but he does not look at her like she makes the world bloom around her, even though she does. 
He likes her, he suddenly realizes, like one is supposed to like a painting, or something beautiful but out of their grasp. What he sees reflected in Jon Snow’s eyes as he meets Sansa’s blue ones, that’s raw and that’s real.
He has no doubt Jon Snow could name every single little quirk Sansa has, every quality and every flaw, all shadowed by how powerfully he really loves her. As a person, not as the personality.
Later when the elderly ask for a song, Sansa indulges them and Pod can see Jon Snow drumming his fingers at the steady tempo Sansa’s humming at. And when they put on some music to dance whilst Sansa dances with him too, she persuades Jon Snow to dance as well.
“I am a terrible dancer” he reminds her.
“Don’t lie,” Sansa quips “I remember you took Arya to her dance lessons and that you fenced as well. Fencing requires the same grace and swiftness as dancing, just follow the sway”
And sway they do. It’s… breathtaking to watch as the first genuine smile tugs at the corners of Jon Snow’s lips as he decides to completely forego the music beat and hoists Sansa across his chest and swings her around making her giggle like a little girl. Full of mirth. 
A soft lady and her knight. That’s the way they look.
It’s tender the way that, when he relents his hold on her, Sansa kisses his cheek and thanks him as the elderly applaud. 
Ah young love, breathes out one of the elderly patients, one with dementia and Sansa blushes and shushes Jon when he tries to explain himself. 
Pod knows then. Even as Sansa hugs him tight that evening. Even if by any chance Sansa would say yes, even if he did end up going out with her.
He’ll never be with her. Not really. 
Jon is her endgame. Might be Sansa doesn’t even know herself, but she looks at Jon like he lit the stars up just for her, even when he only offers a comment to her. 
She’ll end up with him, in the end. He can already see it. 
He doesn't know what to do then.
Sansa shines brightly and she's so beautiful, and he'd like nothing more but have a chance with her.
But asking her feels like a fraud. It's not like Sansa isn't complete and lovable and shining without Jon, but with Jon she's more at ease, she's more herself than he has ever seen her being. Even if she did say yes, he would never be for her what she needs him to be. Who she needs him to be. He cannot be him. He doesn't even want to, to be frank. So he never does ask her out, and in the end the time for it is passed.
***
Months later he meets Jeyne Poole by chance whilst doing grocery shopping. Jeyne smiles to him softly and quips on how he should really try to survive with more than just pre-cooked meals. 
It is entirely on a whim that Pod asks her if she’d like to have dinner together, maybe teach him how to cook a couple of dishes.
He doesn’t know why he does it. Maybe because she feels realer than anyone else at the moment.
In the end Pod falls into a routine with Jeyne and one day, next time Sansa visits actually, she brings Jeyne along and serves him with a long, appraising look before matching them for every game they play all day long. 
Might be Pod might have wanted to ask Sansa out, once. Might be she could’ve said yes. Might be they could’ve been a couple, for a time.
Still Pod seems unable to see past Sansa’s persona, and her friendly character. 
Instead he argues with Jeyne continuously because she can be stubborn and willful and outspoken even when she's soft and pliant, and won’t apologize for it.
And every time they argue Pod finds himself asking himself why he would bother and every time, when he sees her name on his phone screen he calls, because he misses her. 
They become friends, real friends, he and Sansa.
Like friends who speak on the phone and share ice-cream and childhood stories and plan surprises party for their common friend, Jeyne. It’s Sansa who actually prompts him to gather courage and ask Jeyne out on a date. 
She says no. 
Then she grabs him by the hem of his coat and kisses him, squarely on the lips. 
“I don’t do dates,” she says “I don’t do boyfriends either,” she adds “not after—” her voice breaks “but I want to make it work with you”
It’s unconventional, but in the end Pod manages to make her fall in love with him, for real and then it’s Jeyne who asks him to marry her, one day, three years later. Sansa teases him mercilessly for it. 
He learns all that Jeyne suffered, some of what Sansa suffered. Some at the hands of the same man. He learns that Jon Snow had been there, every time, to pick Sansa back together from the ground and hold her back together until she felt like she could breath again.
Jeyne tells him when she asks him to marry him, he did the same for her, albeit unwittingly. Supported her even when he didn't not against what. Or whom.
Pod honestly feel like he needs a pint, or two after he learns the truth of what Jeyne went through and when he asks lord Robb about it, about him the man tells him they have resolved the matter, that he cannot harm either Jeyne nor Sansa anymore. That Jon made sure he would never could.
Pod doesn't want to know what happened. He doesn't care. He holds Jeyne more tightly that night, even as she breaks. And he finds the beauty even in her broken pieces.
***
Sansa can be so petulant at times, he discovers. It’s like watching a parallel universe once he understands the difference between the Sansa Stark persona and Sansa Stark the woman. 
He has just started to steadily go out with Jeyne when Sansa brings Jon Snow at one of her visits again. This time their fingers are interlocked together as they walk inside.
There is tenderness as Jon kisses Sansa’s temple, there is love as he nudges her toward each row of elderly. 
A smile soft on his lips as he watches Sansa speak excitedly of the new developments in her tireless work to have the North separate from the South and give the Free Folk back their land. 
“So,” this time, it’s Pod who does the cornering “you finally got the guts to ask her out?” 
Jon smiles enigmatically at him “Something like that” he says. Pod gets the feeling things might have been much more amusing than he thought in the beginning. 
“Honey?,” Sansa calls from somewhere in the other room, Jon blushes a bit beneath his well trimmed dark beard; Sansa walks inside and smiles brightly “what, are you hiding from me, now?”
It’s astounding, after having known Jon before, and having seen him in different settings how easily he moves to accomodate Sansa in his guard — a soldier remains a soldier, even when he retires — letting her slip through and caressing the back of her head gently, cupping it softly before pressing a featherlike kiss on her lips.
“Of course not, baby” he assures her “I was just catching up with Pod, here” he justifies.
Sansa cranes her head to look at him “Pod, are you trying to steal my boyfriend from me?” she demands with a laugh, a bit petulantly perhaps, but it’s all in good humor “what would Jeyne think?”
Pod laughs at that. 
They are sweet, and she’s beautiful, even more beautiful than she was before because she feels loved. 
Because she is loved.
And when Jeyne walks down the aisle, arm in arm with her mother, and preceded by her maid of honor, Sansa, her smile beams in the same way. Because Jeyne knows she is loved. Because she feels she's loved.
She looks like an angel, his Jeyne.
He dances with Sansa too at the reception of his and Jeyne's wedding.
“You know,” he tells her at one point, as he spins her “I had the oddest crush on you at one point” he admits. 
Sansa giggles “I know,” she says “I noticed. I liked you too,” she tells him “if you had asked I would've said yes” 
Pod makes her twirl around herself “We're better off as friends” he says and there is no bitterness there, there's actually relief and Sansa nods “Yeah, we are” she says “and you are Jeyne were made for each other”
Pod actually blushes a bit at that “And there you are, blushing like a pretty maid” she teases him, and it's only seeing the mischievous light in her eyes that Pod realizes with a startle “You did it on purpose!, all along” he accuses.
Sansa shrug elegantly “It was cute, how affected you were. I liked it” she winks at Jon as Pod spins her and actually shines the moment he cuts in to have a dance for himself. Jon blushes too when Sansa tells him he looks very handsome.
And Pod smiles looking at them, and he kisses Jeyne.
Might be Pod had a crush on Sansa Stark once. Might be Sansa might have said yes if he ever asked her out.
He ends up with the love of his life instead, just as Sansa does. For not knowing what to do, Pod thinks, he's done pretty well. He kisses Jeyne as Jon whisks Sansa on the dance floor for another dance and spins her around making her giggle like a little girl and kisses her lips.
Right now it's Sansa who's blushing, but she's smiling too.
They are the center of their little world. And Pod, Pod has his own enclosed in the palm of Jeyne's hand.
Fin
So, okay, this one turned to be more about Pod little crush than a real relationship between him and Sansa, but I think that Jon and Sansa shine through anyway so I hope you enjoyed!
As always you can find it in my collection of prompts on ao3: The Jonsa Hag's prompts, chapter 6.
Sending all my love ~G.
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doc42 · 6 months
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"A reader lives a thousand lives."
The story's called "A Song of Ice and Fire", and through Bran the song of ice and fire will live on once the entire written history of the world is lost as Euron Crow's Eye succeeds in his mad gamble in Oldtown.
"Who would be so mad as to raid this close to Oldtown?" Xhondo pointed at a half-sunken longship in the shallows. The remnants of a banner drooped from her stern, smoke-stained and ragged. The charge was one Sam had never seen before: a red eye with a black pupil, beneath a black iron crown supported by two crows. "Whose banner is that?" Sam asked. Xhondo only shrugged.
It's meta. They're gonna be rebuilding the history of the world at the end through King Bran. It's him becoming Old Nan to the entire realm, Old Bran. "Legend became history..."
Bran did not understand, so he asked the Reeds. "Do you like to read books, Bran?" Jojen asked him. "Some books. I like the fighting stories. My sister Sansa likes the kissing stories, but those are stupid." "A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies," said Jojen. "The man who never reads lives only one. The singers of the forest had no books. No ink, no parchment, no written language. Instead they had the trees, and the weirwoods above all. When they died, they went into the wood, into leaf and limb and root, and the trees remembered. All their songs and spells, their histories and prayers, everything they knew about this world. Maesters will tell you that the weirwoods are sacred to the old gods. The singers believe they are the old gods. When singers die they become part of that godhood."
Bran's story throughout the books is he starts at the exact fork between the arrogant Maester Luwin, who knows merely the written history, and the wise Old Nan and Osha, who know much past it, and he climbs the top of the world to learn legends are real and ends up connecting the forks into one. Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow are living legends, Azor Ahai and Lightbringer, the sword Azor Ahai wields to defeat the darkness at the end of all things. They'll go their separate ways and become stories who Old Bran can still visit, from time to time, "Sometimes Old Nan would tell the same story she'd told before, but we never minded, if it was a good story. Old stories are like old friends, she used to say. You have to visit them from time to time."
It's the resolution to Varys' Riddle. The guy with the sword is king. But the trick is the real king is the one who riddles. "How many eyes does Lord Bloodraven have? the riddle ran..."
"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one."
NG: A Song of Ice and Fire has much of the complex texture of authentic history, both generally and in its specific echoes of actual historical episodes. What laws and principles (if any) in your view govern human history, and how has your understanding of historical processes shaped the series? GRRM: Historical processes have never much interested me, but history is full of stories, full of triumph and tragedy and battles won and lost. It is the people who speak to me, the men and women who once lived and loved and dreamed and grieved, just as we do. Though some may have had crowns on their heads or blood on their hands, in the end they were not so different from you and me, and therein lies their fascination. I suppose I am still a believer in the now unfashionable "heroic" school, which says that history is shaped by individual men and women and the choices that they make, by deeds glorious and terrible. That is certainly the approach I have taken in A Song of Ice and Fire.
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the-fiction-witch · 3 months
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Maidenhead
Tumblr media
Media Game Of Thrones
Character Jojen Reed
Couple Jojen X Reader
Rating Sexy
I smiled as I headed inside the little wooden room inside the Greywater Watch, I headed to the fire and took off the boiling pot from the rack that held it in the flames, I carried it over to the side and poured the water onto the little towels, I let the steam rise up as I returned the boiling pot to the flames. I then sprinkled some flowers and dried roots into the water, and let the towels soak. 
I heard his whines so I rushed to his bedside. 
Seeing the pleasingly carved wooden bed, with the dense leafy sheets and pelts that filled the bed, inside the bed the poor boy laid. 
Jojen. 
Sweet Jojen. 
He laid, his body twisted in the sheets, as his visions tore through his mortal body like an army through a field of flowers. His skin was bare as the covers loomed around his waist, his skin had a sheen to it where he had been sweating, his eyes sealed, his breaths staggered and troublesome. 
He had always had troubles, been a frail and fragile boy. And now even as he is grown his body at times will fail him. A fever threatened to take him from our world not long after his birth a moment many call his bridge into the other world where his visions emanate. But he was sick, and had been for a good few weeks, many in the marshes had given up on him, and even his sister did not visit him any longer. For fear, he would slip beyond this world. 
But I refused to give up on him, even if many had told me I was foolish for wasting my time and energy on a dying little lord. But I could not leave him. Jojen was born in Greywater Watch only a few months before I was born in the Marshy Keep, and Hawlon was not the type of father to restrict his children just because of their lordship, Jojen and Meera plaid with us, hunted with us, much like any other child in the area, But Jojen and I due to our closeness in age had a particular closeness. I'm sure helped by his weakness and sickness given I love to heal those around me. 
My mother was the Marshes healer and when I was a young girl I was brought into the Greywater Watch along with my mother almost as replacements for medical maesters as we here in the marshes did not some old town rat sniffing about in our business. And I very much just became a maid and nurse for Jojen through his many sicknesses and his battles with his greensight visions. 
I sat at his bedside and rung out my little cloth from its bowl, I then gently patted his head with the cloth in the hope of calming him into a sweet peaceful sleep.
"Y/n..." He muttered,
"Shhh It's alright Jojen, I'm here," I whispered, 
"You should be in bed Y/n."
"Well, I'm here to take care of you." 
"You can go y/n. Everyone knows I'm dying."
"What do you think? Do you think this is your end?"
"... I don't know," He said, "My visions are becoming less and less clear," 
"Rest Sweet Jojen, I will take care of you," I told him,
He took my wrist in his hand, "I cannot ask you to nurse me into death's icy embrace." 
"You're not asking, I am doing it. Defiantly of your request, and I will sit on this bed and I will nurse you to fight back death's cold hand until my last breath if that is what it takes,"
"Why would you do this for me?"
"You know why Jojen," I cooed as I leant down and pressed a delicate kiss to his forehead, 
"You have no duty to me as the lord's son."
"I do not. I do not care about your position, your family or your blood, I care only that it is you. And I will not let you wither away without at least my attempted intervention," I told him, "Now rest your little head and let your nurse take care of you," 
"You're too sweet to me," He cooed and brought my hand to his lips to press a gentle kiss, "May i ask something of you?"
"Of course," I smiled, 
He simply tapped his chest, so I blushed set down my things, and climbed into his bed. I laid down with him my head against his chest, I let him wrap his arms around me, to hold me close to him. His hands settled on my arm and in my hair. My own on his chest. 
"Will you truly never give up on me?" He asked, 
"Never,"
"Until I die?"
"Even then, there is simply another world beyond this one I must still care for you even if we do not share a world." I smiled setting my chin on his chest to look up at him, "I will light candles for you, leave you sweet surprises still."
He smiled and peacefully stroked my face, "And I would for you, but I do not want to imagine a world without you in it."
"Neither do I." I smiled I moved up and rubbed my nose on his which he happily did back, I went to kiss him but he stopped me, "No?"
"No, I don't want to get you sick."
"I'll be sick," I smiled as I leaned in and kissed him sweetly, I felt even in his illness his lips were so sweet and soft. "You feel a little better?"
"I do," he nodded, 
"Good," I smiled as I rubbed my nose on his, "I did have a little surprise for you actually," I smiled as I climbed out the bed, "As you're feeling so much better?"
"Oh?" he asked, "As much as I love your swamp mushroom soup I'm really not in the mood to eat right now." 
"I didn't bring soup," I smiled as I unbuttoned my dress, turned back to face him and slowly let it slip down to the floor. 
He sat up in his bed, mouth agape and eyes wide. He looked at every inch of me his face read of a thousand reactions but all that arrived to his lips was simply "Uhhh Hi y/n."
"Hi Jojen," I giggled, 
"You uhhh... Uhh you're dress..."
"I know."
"Ohh." He nodded, "So this is uhhh intentional?"
"Very much so."
"Uhhhhhhhhh Why?" 
"I thought as you're feeling better I could, give you something."
"Give me something? uhhh you uhhh you sure becuase you don't exactly have much, there."
"I have something," I smiled as I climbed onto his bed and sat myself over his stomach,
"What uhh what is it can I ask?"
"Something I've wanted to give you an awful long time Jojen." I smiled as I leaned down and gave him a sweet kiss before whispering in his ear, "My Maidenhead."
He froze up and gasped, "You- You're- Really?"
"Yes." I nodded, 
"Wh- Why would you give me this?" 
"I cannot think of anyone I would rather have take it," I smiled, "So?"
"Yes." He gasped, "Yes." He nodded, "So long as this is what you want."
"More than anything," I cooed as I pulled him into a kiss and he eagerly kissed back and wrapped his arms around me. 
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hollowwhisperings · 8 months
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The Kids Are Alright: What's In "Blood Stew"?
In preparation for my efforts on crafting some Meera Reed meta & in support of my "Jojen Is Fine, Actually" post, I will be Preemptively Addressing the subject of "Blood Stew" in the Bran POV chapters in ADWD.
CW: spoilers for ASOIF & D&E, reference to cannibalism, hunting of animals (& probable extinction), logistics of meat production, harm to children, suicidal ideation (Jojen), arson (including to religious sites, i.e. Old Gods), possible xenocide, body horror (Brynden), cult behaviour & indoctrination, drugging & grooming of minors (Bran, by the Singers), blasphemy (consistent usage of religious terminology for an in-setting cult of faith).
Team "Cave Kids": Setting the Scene
Going into WoW, Team Bran (Bran, Summer, Walder, Meera & Jojen) will have lived as guests of the Cave Singers for near up to a year: their lodgings lay within a vast & labyrinthine underground cave system, crawling with weirwood tree roots from the Haunted Forest above, and home to More Skeletons Than A Natural History Museum. All the humans (& Summer) share sleeping quarters. Summer pops out to Hunt and Do Wolf Leader Things (GRRM has subscribed his direwolves to Ye Olde Alpha Wolfe society); Jojen Worries Meera and sometimes goes Exploring; Meera and Walder are more cautious in their movements, when Bran isn't Bodysnatching Walder for his own explorations; Bran himself is carried by Singers to & from the shared sleeping chamber to Brynden's Vertigo Cave for "Flying" Lessons.
This entire region is named by the ASOIAF Wiki as "the cave of the three-eyed crow": as I always do, I Take Issue With That Name (I got sidetracked enough to move my thoughts to a separate draft).
Instead, [Team Bran] are guests of the Singers living in "the Caves [Beneath the Haunted Forest]". The Cave Singers are Singers, not Children of the Forest, though I do use Bran & Meera's nicknames for individual Singers.
Brynden is just "Brynden": he was, once, "Lord Commander"; a "Lord Hand" twice-over; and a "Master of Whispers" both before & after his ever receiving the position "officially". More hilariously, Brynden is very definitely the Distant Cousin (mayhaps even a many-times great Uncle) of every living Stark in the series. All courtesy of one Lady Melantha Blackwood of Winterfell (and GRRM's continued Indifference to the maternal sides of family trees, To Be Doylist About It).
Bed & Breakfast
My Grievances with Non-Existent Titles, Leaf's Suspect Math & Unspecified Maternal Lineage aside, let us return to "blood stew".
"And almost every day they ate blood stew, thickened with barley and onions and chunks of meat. Jojen thought it might be squirrel meat, and Meera said that it was rat. Bran did not care. It was meat and it was good. The stewing made it tender." (Bran III, ADWD)
Jojen and Meera are probably both right, sometimes at the same time: Bran is aware of Summer's freely exit the caves to Hunt & Summer likely donates the odd "squirrel" (or pieces thereof) to the Cave Kitchens, when he can. The Supernaturally Colder climate induced by the Others does make Summer's hunting an unreliable food source, in the long run: what little game still remains in the Haunted Forest is unlikely to have any offspring to replace the current population. The ever diminishing returns of Summer's hunts are a major factor in his Direwolf Mother travelling South for her pregnancy in the first place. That she, a Giant Direwolf, somehow got as far South as Winterfell's Wolfswood? Brynden is in the neighbourhood and Invested in House Stark, if only in Bran & Jon: his "Divine Intervention" is the most plausible explanation. Directing a local direwolf to Stark lands is well within his canonically established capabilities (whether this was easier than Rigging Jon's Election is a Fun Thought Experiment).
Local vermin and Summer's potluck contributions alone could not sustain the Singers, let alone their (fragile!) human guests: it is a different sort of meat that makes up most of their Blood Stews, one Greatly Speculated upon and one of Shocking Audacity... so what is the primary ingredient of Blood Stew?
Cave Goat. :D
The Kids Are Alright
The Singers canonically keep Goats for milk, used for cheesemaking. The Singers themselves are Omnivorous (they eat mushrooms & fish) so they probably eat their goats too. Given that the Cave Settlement has existed for 1 million years (Leaf's Math, GRRM's lacking a sense of Scale), the Singers have had a long time to familiarize themselves with lactose tolerance & the butchering of goats for meat. These goats have likely lived alongside the Singers for a very long time: they're never mentioned leaving the Caves to (not) graze, meaning they too live entirely in darkness. Brynden might be called upon, now & then, to skinchange into wild Flock Queens from Above (googling "do goats have leaders" has informed me that goats are Matriarchal) & thus bring "Fresh Blood" to existing herds.
Speaking of Blood, the "blood" in Blood Stew is probably goat blood preserved after slaughter in That Most Ancient Form Of Sausage... black pudding. Blood spoils too quickly otherwise, even if the Singers have "freezers" in the form of cold caves. While GRRM never says as much, the Singers certainly have the means to "farm" salt to aid in meat preservation. There is at least one underground river in the Caves (the black one with blind fish) that is never specified as "salty" or "fresh". Assuming the Singers weren't just "mining" rock salt (solar evaporation would be Rather Difficult, what with the Complete Absence of Sunlight), the Caves almost certainly boast several brine springs.
The access to salt and [cold caves] enable the Singers to "stretch" each goat slaughtered, making them the most reliable source of meat. Given that the Singers personally tend to their goat herds, the "hygiene" of their goat meat makes the goats a much safer offering for their even the most fragile of their human guests (Bran & Jojen). Goats are safer for the Singers too: Leaf gives a population count of "three-score" for her people, and there any implications that they are an "aging population". Singers are small in size, limited in number and their mobility is likely decreasing. The "strength" of any individual Singer is never really expanded upon, beyond their ability to carry Bran around (which... doesn't really say much, given that he's a malnourished nine-year old) and historic difficulties facing humans head-on (bronze weapons & fire, yes, but larger sizes too). Slaughtering domesticated goats would be within the physical capabilities of the Singers we see moving around, hunting bigger (or more aggreesive) game would be Difficult unless Skinchanging was involved (keeping an animal docile enough to restrain and drug with shrooms, the skinchanger leaving before the actual slaughter).
So, shockingly, the "blood" in Blood Stew is just goat sausages (blood, intestines, grain & salt). The "hunks of meat" are Also Goat, for the most part, with Summer's hunts and local vermin (rats, bats, probably not ravens, any safe-for-humans bugs).
Supplementary Protein
Fish are another source of "meat": the Caves have at least one river, home to blind white fish eaten by both Singers & their human guests (differentiating "fish" from game meat would be difficult, given the primary goatiness & the "Stone Soup" vibe of any communal stew).
As Meera speculated, any vermin capable of surviving the supernatural cold, are likely additional ingredients for "Blood Stew". Vermin would be an issue in the Caves, drawn to the Singers having grain stores (oats and barleycorn): these are cold climate crops, making them farmable even This Far North (barley doesn't freeze to death 'til -8° C) though how the Singers could grow these crops in their Caves can only be Handwaved By Magic (For Safety Reasons, skylights or aboveground gardens are Unlikely). That or the Singers used ravens to facilitate Trade with freefolk, when they still lived in the area (the lands of the Thenns are North-West of the Haunted Forest). Magic ravens migjt even be foraging wild grain on the behalf of the Singers: they are fey folk, even without their keeping (stealing) the odd human to act as their personal Eldritch God-Tree Wizard.
The ravens themselves can probably be ruled out as ingredients in Blood Stew: these ravens are Sapient and Divine Envoys besides. There's also the IRL precedent of corvids Holding Grudges: incurring the Wrath of the local avian hivemind would be Enormously Stupid of the Singers. The Murders vastly outnumber the Singers, making peaceful relations Rather Important. Ravens that die prematurely or of injuries (not of sickness: fragile humans are fragile, after all) might be "Fair Game" but, knowing GRRM, the Cave Ravens are probably cannibalistic carrions.
The Cave Ravens would be much more relaxed by Singers harvesting their eggs, outside Mating Season at least. All birds eat their own eggs, making them less "taboo" than one might think. Eggs function as "external food storage" for birds, adults eating unfertilized eggs they lay & babies eating their way out from the egg they hatch from. I could not speculate on how Singers prefer their eggs: in Blood Stew, I could only guess that raven egg yolk would help in "tendering" the goat blood sausages after cold storage.
For all the food sources available to the Singers, the Blood Stews being served "almost everyday" does indicate that Rationing is at play: a Long Night looms and exhausting any food source means losing that food source permanently. Goats, fish, Summer's donations, raven eggs (&/or ravens), vermin and bugs make up the actual "meat" in Blood Stew. The general confusion of the humans as to what their meat is may be further muddled by some "hunks" actually being mushrooms or cheese.
But Humanitarianism!
While zombies are an Awkwardly Plausible Convenience (Coldhands has killed Night's Watch deserters in the vicinity of the Caves & wights were Hidden in the snow surrounding one of its entrances)... consider the state of these wights. The vast majority are rotting, even in the supernaturally cold temperatures and, since Freefolk traditionally burn their dead, the wights that are reanimated likely died in Unsavoury Manners. Even "fresh" or "preserved" corpses are quickly riddled with Unappetizing bacteria and insects. The frozen wights are old, the murdered or forgotten, and all of them Decidedly Unhygienic. Human wights might be safe enough for carrion birds or even the Singers themselves... but they are not safe for their human guests.
Consider the Efforts, the Sacrifices, that enabled Bran's getting to the Singers at all: even with Brynden's "Divine Intervention" (getting the Starklings bodyguards in the form of direwolves, prompting their awakenings as Wargs; encouraging Jojen & thus Meera to meet Bran at Winterfell; bidding Coldhands to save Sam & Gilly, enabling easier passage North via Creepy Eldritch Door, on time to give the kids a "Lift" on his Great Elk), the likelihood of Bran dying was always higher than his surviving. Readers know Bran has Plot Armour but, in-universe, his continued survival has been costly. Getting Bran safely to the Singers was an expensive undertaking, one requiring a great many moving pieces (some of them arguably "moved" before Bran was even born: each Starkling held Potential, some moreso than others, and none of their parents were originally intended for each other).
It is almost certain that Bran was not the first child Brynden Lured North: popular fanon names Euron Greyjoy as an "abandoned" attempt, whilst Jojen was canonically [granted audience? scouted?] only to be "ruled out" (being "only" a greendreamer, Jojen was instead used to Better Bran's Odds of Survival).
While greendreamers and skinchangers are Statistical Anomalies, with persons who are Both being even rarer, Westeros is large enough that having a handful of potential greenseers within generations of each other is a Fair Estimate. No, the issue is the Rarity of Potential Greenseers AND the deadly nature of any "pilgrimage". That only Brynden and Bran are ever named seems to indicate that their managing both trials makes them "worthy" of Reverance, even before "earning" the title of "greenseer". That Bran survived was miraculous and, indeed, Brynden certainly worked "Overtime" in his Acts of Divine Intervention. Even then, Bran (& Jojen's) survival was very much dependent on Summer and Meera's presence in the group: the Singers owe every single member of Team Bran a debt, all of them serving vital roles in getting them a Shiny New God-Tree for their collectiom.
What does Divine Intervention and Debts of Hospitality have to do with Blood Stew, with an "Exciting" Opportunity for Hypothetical "Humanitarianism"?
Simple: Bran is too important to the Singers for them to Risk his health by their serving "Bad Meat". Imagine going to such great lengths to find a Fresh Godling, the relief that This Godling survived to meet his destiny... only for their Godling to get killed by food poisoning.
"And They Were Roommates"
The only meal noted as being Separately Prepared for any of the humans is Bran's Weirwood Paste: what one of them eats, all of them eat. That means that one of the humans getting sick (Jojen being the most susceptible), risks all of them catching ill. While each of the humans does "disappear" now and then, exploring or generally doing their own thing, the extreme cold of their environment (their extended time traumabonding with each other) means that they all share the same sleeping chamber. They share furs, body heat, breath.
While the Singers could very easily isolate the humans from each other (if only for quarrantine purposes), keeping them together is "safer": the humans would recognise sickness or distress in each othed before the Singers could and the humans already know how to take care of each other. The Singers being Good Hosts is in their best interests, not only in currying favour with their new god-in-training but also to ensure said godling survives to do any "Ascending".
Children Are Fragile: Why "Bad Meat" Isn't An Option
Grand Futures of Kingship & God-Treehood aside, at this point in time, Bran Stark is nine-years old. Human children, even Super Magical Starklings, are still children. And children are fragile.
Bran is still recovering from Attempted Murder, with his injuries limiting his independent mobility in ways his society cannot truly accomodate (not as a Prince of Winterfell & definitely not as a half-frozen cave kid). An inability to walk isn't the greatest danger of Bran's disabilities: thermoregulation of half his body is. Bran's friends are better able to recognise Bran's symptoms of physical distress than Bran is, than the Singers could. The humans also have greater strength and mobility: the Singers only seem to have three fingers on each hand and, while Bran is unlikely to grow much bigger given his environment, he will be getting some growth spurts soon. It's unknown how long Bran is expected to need "training" from Brynden, how long he will be carried to & from the communal sleepchamber and his weirwood throne. The Singers might just Graft Bran to his Throne once he's too big for them to safely carry but, again, there is no timeline given for Bran's progress. Better to keep "Hodor" about, thinketh the much tinier Singers.
Jaime's Murder Attempt also put Bran into a prolonged coma, one he was Fortunate to awaken from. That Bran has not exhibited any of the more "inconvient" (or dangerous) consequences of a longterm coma is almost certainly Brynden's "Divine Intervention" at work. Surprising lack of cognitive issues (temporary or longlasting) aside, Bran's coma & his subsequent state of "perpetual bedrest" has left his body much weaker the average child. He's already malnourished, traumatised and struggling to stay warm: Bran getting sick, even a "minor" sickness like a cold or bout of mild food poisoning? That could kill him.
Even if Bran doesn't die from an illness, recovery would be Difficult in such as a Hostile Environment: it is cold, it is dark (no sunlight whatsoever), and [Food Insecurity] is an ongoing reality. If a person is already physically weakened, minor illnesses can very easily escalate into more serious ones. There are no Maesters, no Medicine Women for Bran. The Singers have magic bit they are fey while Bran is (at present) terrifyingly mortal. Keeping Bran alive means keeping him healthy and doing that requires keeping the Other Humans 'healthy" too: serving the "spares" Questionably Sourced Meat is against the Best Interests of the Singers, their Investment in Keeping Bran Alive.
(For now, at least.)
The Jojen Problem
The terrifying fragility of their Future God-King aside, a more "immediate" danger to the continued existence of the Cave Singers is Jojen Reed: that is, Jojen's consistent lack of good health.
Bran was a healthy child who became very vulnerable very suddenly: Jojen, meanwhile, has been "sickly" for Years. Not only is Jojen "small" for his age (14-ish), he is often described as "shaking". IRL, people get tremours for any number of reasons, and comorbid conditions are not unusual. There is valid reason to view Jojen's "shakes" as symptoms of an ongoing, chronic health condition. Jojen might have a chronic illness, lasting side effects from the fever that nearly killed him, and he's had ample opportunity to acquire some [head trauma] over the series. Jojen's "shaking fits" may also be his physiology "teaming up" with psychological trauma: muscular twitches from the stress of hypervigilance, shakiness borne of anxiety & stress, atypically expressed panic attacks (that can resemble seizures in their physicality).
While Jojen's Ambiguous Disorders are decidedly non-contagious (going by IRL counterparts), Jojen's predisposition to "sickliness" makes him just as vulnerable to Death By Minor Illness as Bran, if not moreso given Jojen's Current Psychological State.
The Terrifying Fragility of Jojen Reed
Jojen, for Very Justified Reasons, is Very Depressed. Depression, in fiction & IRL, makes people more susceptible to catching illnesses and makes recovery more difficult. That is true even when a person is not deliberately enabling (or passively "allowing") an illness to harm them.
Jojen "this is not the day I die" Reed is exhibiting every sign of suicidal ideation that Bran, his friend & fellow fragile tiny human, can pick up on. Meera, the Designated Adult of Team Bran at the wise old age of 17 & Jojen's big sister, has become genuinely concerned that Jojen's (passive) Death Wish has become an Active one.
Jojen has long believed that he is Functionally Immortal outside of Greywater Watch: his very first Greendream was, after all, a vision of his own Death. It's not unreasonable to suspect that said Death Dream is a recurring one, that Present Circumstances (Brynden's Body Horror, the complete lack of sunlight) have Exacerbated the frequency of Jojen's Dreaming of Death. Fans of The Song greatly enjoy speculating on Jojen's Inevitable Demise, many assuming he is Already Dead. This is based on his last "appearance" being Bran noting Jojen's Absence: fans fail to extend this state of Already Dead to the Also Absent Meera.
(My tinfoil has One of The Reeds Finding Something while Exploring, grabbing their sibling so as to Convene Privately Elsewhere, & that together they have begun to Conspire An Escape)
If Jojen were to Die Prematurely, far from his Destined Death at Greywater Watch... there goes Meera Reed's Entire Motivation for Being Here, in this Far Away Frozen Helscape.
Meera, obligatory loyalty to House Stark aside, has stated that her primary incentive to follow Bran, to Go North and remain there while Bran [gets made into a tree-wizard]... was to save Jojen from his Death Wish.
Reasons to Fear Meera Reed
Meera is the "healthiest" of all the humans in Team Bran: she's able-bodied, physically mature (short, yes, but strong), lethal with a net & spear... and the primary caregiver of everyone in their group.
Summer (2 y/o) helps, with scouting and hunting and bodyguarding. Walder (17 or older) helps, kind and physically powerful. Jojen (14 y/o) helped, with Uncanny Wisdom and foresight and faith in Bran. Bran (9 y/o) is, of course, the Designated Hero of his chapters (this is Greatly Limited by his being only nine-years old).
Meera (17-ish) did all that and more. Meera hunted, guarded, scouted, foraged, killed, climbed... and did so as a non-magical human, relying on her experience as a crannogmen and her Father's Daughter.
Meera keeps up morale and tells [Very Helpful] Stories, leads where Walder and the children cannot, posseses Common Sense & life experience, mediates when the children are fighting (scolds them for taking their frustrations out on each other), senses Social Danger that Summer might miss, skins prey & butchers it (ensuring none of it goes to waste). Meera is a survivalist, one canny of the Old Ways, a "Modern" example of why the First Men so successfully survived in Westeros.
And the Singers of the Cave are Old. They Know the capabilities of Humans, the single greatest threat the Singers have ever known. The Singers Remember: the Pact, the 4000 years of war before it; the First Men, their axes; the Andals, their iron & blasphemy. The Singers know Human as Invaders and Desecrators and (sometimes) Allies. The Singers also "know" the Consequences of a Human who FeelsToo Much.
Humans, historically, have Little Issue with Seeings Things Burn. Humans, it seems, will respond to Any Strong Emotion with Bronze or Iron or Fire.
Cold? A Human will find a Tree and set it on fire.
Hungry? A human will Kill Something and heat it... over fire.
Dead? Other humans gather, collect the deceased, set the body on fire.
Grieving? A human will find iron, demand answers, find you. And should your "Answers" prove unsatisfactory? Humans will set fire to YOU, your settlement, your Gods.
Meera is very, very "human". She is the most human of her group: Bran is, of course, a God-Tree sapling; Jojen is Greensighted, not long for his human flesh and soon to join You in the Trees; the one called "Hodor" reminds You of the Giants, long ago foes and more recent allies but all but a few Gone to the Earth.
(Summer is a Direwolf.)
Meera is the Single Greatest Threat to the Cave Singers, who believe themselves the "last" of their people. Meera is a Consiserable Threat to the Last Greenseer, whom she has grown to Suspect and Resent. Meera does not, at least, carry on her person any axe (she wields spear and net and shield).
Meera can definitely start a fire. Meera would willingly start a Fire, a pyre for her brother built from the Last Greenseer himself. Meera would gladly burn out the Last of the Singers, for Vengeance and as Sacrifices to stay the suit of wights (of Others) as she Flees South and homeward (taking your Prince, your Shiny New God-Tree, the Last Hope of your People with her for spite alone).
That's All, Folks!
So, no: "Blood Stew" is not made from people. It is not made of Jojen or Meera, it is Goat and Vermin and Bugs. It is occasionally made with Squirrels. The "blood" is black pudding, goat's blood and intestines salted to ensure no goat goes to waste: their hides and furs warm the children, their blood and flesh sustains them, their cheese enables their exercising in philosophy. Wights are just too dangerous, to hunt or serve for supper: Bran (& Jojen) cannot be risked for the sake of morbid convenience. Live humans are right out, too much bigger and stronger than the Singers, or too dearly missed by The Scariest Being North of The Wall.
The Kids are Alright (the human ones, anyway).
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seventhwinterwolf · 1 year
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If there had been no WotFK, who do you think the Stark children would have married?
I LOVE THESE QUESTIONS!
So aside from two of my favorite pairings that did and did not quite come to fruition in the show (Bran x Meera, Arya x Gendry) I believe that most of the Stark children would have married Northerners and maybe one or two in the Riverlands and Vale. The honor of having a Stark enter their families is such a highly coveted value in the North and I firmly stand that Ned would seek to bestow every care on his bannerman without forcing his children into disagreeable arrangements or otherwise before they are ready.
Robb Stark
Myrcella Baratheon
Wynafryd Manderly
Dacey Mormont
Eddara Tallhart
Alys Karstark
As the heir of Winterfell and firstborn son of the Hand of the King, Robb would have every single young lady's eye. I would expect Robb to marry a Northerner, unless it was altered where King Robert wanted Myrcella married to honor Ned’s friendship and support over the many decades. This would then alleviate Sansa from Joffrey’s torment and Myrcella had developed a little crush on Robb during her time at Winterfell in AGOT. There are also unnamed daughters in House Umber that could be plausible for Robb’s consideration. Karstark and Tallhart seem on the sightly less likely side since Rickard Karstark had tried for several years to get Robb / Ned interested in his daughter but it never landed. Alys does end up being married to another northern lord.
Dacey and Robb become friends during the WOT5K, she is a bit older than him and might be too unladylike for Catelyn's approval. Dacey and Wynafryd are both the heirs to Bear Island and White Harbor, but since the two of them have younger sisters I can believe that their heiress title could be passed to a younger sister. Or one of the younger sons from Robb would become the heir to House Mormont or House Manderley. This isn't as much of an heiress big deal as Arianna Martell not marrying Willas Tyrell creating a double heir situation when Highgarden and Sunspear are much more comparable big game prizes for inheritance. Due to Wynafyrd's higher house standing and power I could see her being the forerunner for Robb to marry within the North.
While considering Robb and Margaery, it does not have as advantageous values for the Tyrells since Winterfell is so far removed geographically and politically, it seems on the more unlikely side that this pairing would happen. 
Sansa Stark
Joffrey Baratheon
Trystane Martell
Willas Tyrell (maybe Loras)
Edric Dayne
Jon Snow/Targaryen
Once free from being betrothed to Joffrey or not if Robert/Ned don't die early (or if Robb is with Myrcella), I could reasonably see Sansa having the whole of Westeros open for the opportunity from within King's Landing. I would expect her to marry outside of the North, Riverlands, and maybe even the Vale to consider one of the southernmost kingdoms. This would be one of the most to gain in political standing if it was from the Reach or Westernlands. As the firstborn daughter to the Hand of the King, Sansa would have the utmost attention and consideration for just about any great house's heir. I do see Dorne not being a forerunner though that could change if Prince Trystane Martell arrived In KL. The Baratheons outside of KL seem also not likely if she weren't involved with Joffrey. Eventually if Jon is a Targaryen and claims the throne I could see Sansa and Jon marrying to keep the North in the realm. If Sansa became a close companion to Margaery as Queen, she could easily be introduced to any lord within the Reach or in the stony mountains of Dorne nearby, which could open up House Dayne (special care for the Lady Ashara and Ned rumors) and I think that Sansa and Edric could be interesting.
Arya Stark
Beren Tallhart
Gawen Glover
Unnamed Umber Son
Gendry Waters
Maybe one of the younger Ryswells (Rickard or Roose) pending their unknown ages, I doubt Catelyn and Ned would approve of a large age gap. If Jojen Reed was not unfortunately doomed I could see Arya and him as a possible engagement. After Sansa, I find Arya to be the hardest Stark child to predict/guess a preplanned marriage for when not taking Gendry into factor.
Bran Stark
Meera Reed
Beth Cassel
Ysilla Royce
If he doesn't fall from the tower then I could see Bran going to the Vale since he has aspirations of being a knight and he could be fostered by Yohn Royce and become betrothed to his daughter Ysilla, before Mychel Redfort marries her in AFFC, or another unnamed Yohn Royce daughter. After some time in King's Landing if Robert were not to die early I could see him and Ned agreeing to send Bran and Tommen together to the Vale.
Rickon Stark
Lyanna Mormont
Wylla Manderly
I like the idea of Lyanna Mormont or Wylla Manderly to match Rickon's wild personality if Lyanna has more of her show presence rather than her minimal book appearances. With Wylla's green hair and Shaggydog's green eyes that could be potentially cute. If Robb married Dacey Mormont or Wynafyrd Manderley then I would see Rickon marrying into the other house.
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I'm fairly certain the cannibalism is only going to increase the deeper the series heads into winter.
It started with Tyrion having Symon Silver Tongue cooked into a bowl o' brown:
Tyrion turned his horse. "Give him three days, then inform him that Hamish the Harper has broken his arm. Tell him that his clothes will never serve for court, so he must be fitted for new garb at once. He'll come with you quick enough." He grimaced. "You may want his tongue, I understand it's made of silver. The rest of him should never be found."
Bronn grinned. "There's a pot shop I know in Flea Bottom makes a savory bowl of brown. All kinds of meat in it, I hear."
"Make certain I never eat there." Tyrion spurred to a trot. He wanted a bath, and the hotter the better. (Tyrion IV, ASoS)
Then continued with the kindly man and Coldhands feeding Arya and Bran "pork."
The dead men's clothes and coins and valuables went into a bin for sorting. Their cold flesh would be taken to the lower sanctum where only the priests could go; what happened in there Arya was not allowed to know. Once, as she was eating her supper, a terrible suspicion seized hold of her, and she put down her knife and stared suspiciously at a slice of pale white meat. The kindly man saw the horror on her face. "It is pork, child," he told her, "only pork." (Arya II, AFfC)
--
Meera Reed was turning a chunk of raw red flesh above the flames, letting it char and spit. "Just in time," she said. Bran rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand and wriggled backwards against the wall to sit. "You almost slept through supper. The ranger found a sow."
...
"You said no fire," he reminded the ranger.
"The walls around us hide the light, and dawn is close. We will be on our way soon."
"What happened to the men? The foes behind us?"
"They will not trouble you." (Bran I, ADwD)
And additionally with Bran, a suspicious blood and white coloured "weirwood paste" that may or may not be Jojen:
She had a weirwood bowl in her hands, carved with a dozen faces, like the ones the heart trees wore. Inside was a white paste, thick and heavy, with dark red veins running through it. "You must eat of this," said Leaf. She handed Bran a wooden spoon.
The boy looked at the bowl uncertainly. "What is it?"
"A paste of weirwood seeds."
Something about the look of it made Bran feel ill. The red veins were only weirwood sap, he supposed, but in the torchlight they looked remarkably like blood. He dipped the spoon into the paste, then hesitated. "Will this make me a greenseer?" (Bran III, ADwD)
Then it was the members of Stannis's army eating one of Lord Fell's men.
Asha had been as horrified as the rest when the She-Bear told her that four Peasebury men had been found butchering one of the late Lord Fell's, carving chunks of flesh from his thighs and buttocks as one of his forearms turned upon a spit, but she could not pretend to be surprised.
But like she thinks...
The four were not the first to taste human flesh during this grim march, she would wager—only the first to be discovered. (The Sacrifice, ADwD)
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myocsfanfictions · 2 years
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History of Westeros
The Dawn Age
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The Dawn Age is the beginning of the history of Westeros.
We know very little about this time, the only written testimony were given by Andals, Valyrians and Ghiscars. But from where they took the informations we do not know.
The populations that lived Westeros in this period were two.
The Giants
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We do not know much about Giants, since no one in the modern Westeros has ever seen them. The last testimonies we have come from Rangers of the Night's Watch, centuries before.
In the first book, A Game of Thrones, Osha tells Bran Stark that she had seen giants and the first living one that we meet is in A Dance With Dragons from Jon Snow point of view
Giants are very strong and very tall (two times taller than Hodor according to Jon) but they are very simple minded. They speak the Old Tongue.
Giants did not have a structure in their "society", they had no queen or king, nor lord or lady, and no leader. They had no buildings, weapons and they didn't know how to harvest.
With the arrival of the First Men and the distruction of the forest, giants slowly disappeared.
The Children of the Forest
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The Children of the Forest, known even as the Children, were not humans, they were creatures that lived deep in contact with nature, but we still don't know their origins. They are described to be very small, even when adoults. Their skin was brown painted with lighter stains. It is said that they resambled deers in the colors. They had big ears and big eyes, that could be either green or golden. Sometimes though some Children would be born with deep blood red eyes, which was a sign that the Gods had blessed them to be Greenseers. The children could see in the dark and they could hear very well. And they dressed in leaves and branches. They spoke the True Tongue. Indeed they called themselves 'those who sing the song of the earth' and they could spoke with ravens who became their messagers since they are the only creatures that understand and speak this language as well. According to the Winter Kings and Legends and Lineages of the Starks, when Brandon the Builder was building the Wall he was taken by the children in their secret cities where he learnt the True Tongue. Their society was structured as clans and they lived in crannongs, caves and forest, hidden between leaves and branches in what they called 'The Secret Tree Towns'. Both women and men could hunt and fight and they were called Water Dancers and their weapons were made of Dragonglass.
But what are the abilities of the Children?
The Children of the Forest spoke the True Tongue and it is said that this language, that took inspiration from the sounds of the nature, was able to make whoever listen to it get emotional and cry. Another power of theirs is said to be the ability of speaking with the deads. But the most impostat were the powers mastered by the Greenseers.
In Game of Thrones as usual they had mixed up everything and got everyone confused about what they could do. So let's make order. There are two types of greenseers. The first power is hold by people like Jojen Reed, who posses the Greensight and has the Green Dreams. This dreams can talk about the past and the future and they can talk about the one who has the ability or someone else. They can even see their own death. These are very difficoult dreams to understand, especially the ones that talks about the future. Bran Strak will never have dreams about the future in the entire book. Infact when Ned Stark dies, Bran dream of him in the crypts of Winterfell and he was sad about Jon Snow, but Bran does not remember what happened exactly.
While Jojen is able to see the future, even if it is not clear. In fact, in A Clash of Kings, Jojen sais to Bran that he had seen two children (that in the moment he believed were Bran and Rickon), killed by a man with a shiny red armor. In the books, Winterfell is taken by Theon Greyjoy, but inside the castle there was Ramsey Snow in disguise, that has the idea of killing two children to make believed that they had killed Bran and Rickon and of course, he was the killer himself.
And when Bran meets Bloodeye Raven (known in the series as the Three Eyed Raven) Bran will never have visions of the future but only about the past, because it is said that he has to know the past (THAT IS UNCHANGEBLE).
Bran has another power, that is the second that some Greenseers has. The Skinchanging. The Skinchangers among the Greenseers have the ability to enter in the mind of an animal. The skinchangers able to enter the mind of a wolf or a dog is called a Warg. But there are other Skinchangers that can enter in the mind of birds, ravens, or even cats. And a Skinchanger who does not train to master this power can skinchange only when they sleep. Like Bran at first, or Arya Stark or Jon Snow. So yes probably, the Starks are all skinchangers. And it is said that the strongest skingchanger have to possess the ability to enter inside the mind of any animal, even animals he does not share a bond with.
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