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Post by Arania Stark on Mar 18, 2015 21:42:34 GMT -5
She smiled and sat near him on the foot of her bed. The other chair was still piled high, and she didn't care to move it all only to put it back later. "Perhaps my husband will manage to ally with the Tyrells and come down on Starfall in force." She didn't believe that it could ever be that easy, but sometimes it was nice to pretend. She smoothed her skirts over her knees as though she were nervous. "Is he close, my husband? He and all the armies of the north?"
She looked away. "Sometimes I worry that all the armies in the world won't be enough..."
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Post by Amelia Royce on Mar 18, 2015 21:45:51 GMT -5
"I believe Kal isn't too many weeks away now, though his force is moving slowly due to its size," Benjen answered, smiling softly at Arania to calm her nerves. "I certainly hope his men will be enough, and with the Vale relieved we will be able to pull some men from there to aid us as well. For now Lord Dayne remains a top priority, once the war in the Vale and the marriage are done."
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Post by Arania Stark on Mar 18, 2015 21:49:46 GMT -5
Arania smiled back as much as she could. She still felt a chill in her spine and a dull ache in her mouth every time Dayne was mentioned. She licked the place where her tooth had been and shuddered.
"When will you be married, then? Will there be a feast, and dancing?" She quickly changed the subject and tried her best to brighten her smile. She had to, for him.
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Post by Amelia Royce on Mar 18, 2015 21:53:34 GMT -5
"In about three months, as we will be having a joint wedding," Benjen responded. "And of course there will be a feast. Dancing too, so you had best practice all the dances you learned as a young girl." He grinned.
"Perhaps you could remind me how to dance with a woman. Catherine never really cared much for dancing."
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Post by Arania Stark on Mar 18, 2015 21:57:46 GMT -5
Arania rolled her eyes, but grinned. "I learned the dances, but I was never particularly good at them. My mother always did despair of what to do with me." Even so, she got to her feet and held out her arms. "Care to take a turn or two now? It'll help take our minds off things."
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Post by Amelia Royce on Mar 18, 2015 22:02:14 GMT -5
Benjen grinned and got up, taking Arania's hand and putting his other on her hip. "I get confused with most of the names and the relevant steps, but then I am a Prince. I can just make it up if I want." He chuckled, his face close to hers.
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Post by Arania Stark on Mar 18, 2015 22:15:02 GMT -5
She laughed. "I'm sure no one will make fun of your dancing to you face at least."
"Okay, now, let's begin! Move your foot back there, and then here..." She started steering him around, humming a song to help them keep time. She had to concentrate on remembering the steps. Soon, however, she forgot one, and tread rather heavily on his foot. "Sorry!" She said, eyes darting up from the floor to his face, biting her lip in embarassment.
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Post by Amelia Royce on Mar 18, 2015 22:19:41 GMT -5
The pain wasn't too bad as Benjen still wore his riding boots. "No worries, Arania, I've hard worse," He said, chuckling. "You still dance better than me, thought that isn't a hard thing to do."
He pulled her a little closer to him, almost subconsciously, and they continued to dance.
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Post by Arania Stark on Mar 18, 2015 22:37:22 GMT -5
Arania blushed a bit, very very aware that their bodies were pressed so closely. She hadn't seen her husband in almost a year, but she never thought of him so hard as she did with her breasts crushed against Benjen's chest as they swayed against eachother in her bedchamber.
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Post by Arania Stark on Mar 22, 2015 15:44:00 GMT -5
****************
When the Northern Army had come at last to Eddard's Rest, Arania was eager to see her husband. It had been nearly a year since she saw him last, which was far too long by anyone's count. She had gone to welcome him at the gates, but aside from a quick embrace, he had been too occupied with sorting out his army to linger for long. Now she waited for him in her chambers, idly toying with the fur that edged her sleeves and for once to distracted to even read a printed page.
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Post by The Forgotten God on Mar 22, 2015 15:45:32 GMT -5
As she waits, she hears her maid scream. "ARANNNNIIIIAAAA! COME HERE BY THE OLD GODS WHA---" the sound ends abruptly.
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Post by Arania Stark on Mar 22, 2015 15:48:02 GMT -5
Every hair on Arania's body stood on end in that moment. She got to her feet, shakily, and went toward the door that conjoined the two rooms. As an afterthought, she grabbed a knife for one hand and a letter opener for the other. She opened the door quickly and stood, ready for anything that came at her in the doorway.
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Post by The Forgotten God on Mar 22, 2015 15:49:46 GMT -5
The maid is spread over the wall like butter over bread. A shadow moves languidly towards Beric's crib, some shadowy dagger in its 'hand'.
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Post by Arania Stark on Mar 22, 2015 15:56:58 GMT -5
Arania's heart was in her throat. She tried to avoid looking at the chunkiest pieces of maid on the walls, focusing like tunnel vision on the form that advanced on her defenseless son. She threw the sharp letter opener toward the thing's head, on the off chance that it's incorporeal shape were a ruse, shifting her dagger quickly to her dominant hand as soon as she had thrown the thing before advancing into the room.
(Small Blades: 60)
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Post by The Forgotten God on Mar 22, 2015 15:59:16 GMT -5
Round 1:
Arania: 129 Shadow: 99 Beric: Just kidding. He's a fucking baby.
Arania's letter opener smacks it in the head, and the figure turns about as though confused a moment. Her slash catches it in the 'throat' but it moves effortlessly as her blade clangs as though it had hit a brick wall. It turns back towards the crib.
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