from the ashes - hotd

mēre

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Located on the southwest corner of Westeros, stood the Aelius ancestral seat, Sunset Harbor. The only harbor in the south connected to both the Sunset and Summer seas. A large white castle, embedded into stone, overlooked the crystal blue waters below. Huge golden banners with a red phoenix hung, gently waving in the salty breeze. Two large bridges connected the west and east sides of the city to the castle, and from there was a long, narrowing stone path that led to the harbor. The Aelius family has resided in the homestead since the First Men, and after a thousand years of continuous income of wealth, Gilbar Aelius was the richest man in Westeros.

Located on a balcony that looked over the gates entering the estate were Carrden and Raina. As per usual to the region, the sun shined down brightly on the two. However, much to Raina's displeasure there was a rather strong wind that caused her hair to sway widely in the wind, consistently hitting her in the face. She stood beside her brother, who was leaning against the railing. His dark hair longer than he ever thought he would like his hair, too swayed widely in the wind, however he paid it no attention as his interest was piqued as a carriage came around the bend.

"That must be the Hand of the King, Otto Hightower," Raina spoke as she recognized the green banner waving from the pole that one of the Hightower guards held.

"Otto Hightower?" Carrden looked over at his sister in disbelief, "the same Hightower that hated our family because Grandsire turned down his marriage proposal."

Located about a day away from Sunset Harbor, was Oldtown, the homestead of the Hightower Family. The city was home to The Citadel, a place where many maesters went to study. It was a staple of the south, with clean streets and a port that rivaled that of King's Landing. However, while the Hightower's did try, they could never compete with the location and success of Sunset Harbor. Many years ago, before Alicent Hightower became Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, when Otto Hightower was just a second son, he had come to Sunset Harbor to propose a marriage between Alicent and their father, Gilbar.

Raina nodded, her ginger curls falling over her shoulder, "This is the third time I've seen him. Him and father go up to the study and that is the last I see of him"

Carrden frowned, "Whatever for?"

The girl shrugged her shoulders, "Father nor Lawren would talk to me about these kinds of things."

Below them, the carriage came to halt, and a couple of squires from the stables came running to grab the reins of the horses.

Carrden looked over at Raina, "You never thought to ask Mother, or maybe Meya?"

The teen girl frowned at her brother, "They know the same as I," perhaps it was different in Braavos, perhaps men spoke freely with their daughters and wives. However, it was much more common in Westeros for men to keep the important business to themselves. Carrden looked at his sister, as if he almost did not want to believe her. Why would their father not share information with only some of his family and not all of them?

"Perhaps it is because you always have your nose in a book." He joked trying to diffuse the uncomfortable tension he had caused. While the two siblings were able to almost pick up right where they left off six years ago, he had to remember that the two had spent many years apart, that they both had to grow without each other. And no matter what the two thought, things were going to be different between them.

Raina forged her smile, "Well, not all of us were lucky enough to freely travel, brother. My next destination will be the homestead of my future husband." Looking away from her brother and instead watched as Otto Hightower exited the carriage. He looked up at the balcony for a second, catching her eyes before he was greeted by her and Carrden's mother, Luisa.