A Verse of Ice and Fire

Annaelyn

 The halls were hallowed. Dark and foreboding; for once there was a solemn silence. Her eyes were planted into the book of hers, scanning over the words and sentences, taking her uncle's words to heart. A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone if it is to keep its edge. Anna repeated in her head. Uncle Tyrion always did have the most interesting stories and far more interesting advice to share with her.

 She sighed, once she came to the epilogue of her book, she'd realized there was nothing left to do. She shut the hard cover, practically slamming it closed. Her bright blue eyes shimmered in the glowing afternoon light flittering through her balcony. It was only two hours past midday and she'd already managed to finish an entire book. If only she knew how to read any slower, she might have more things to do in this boring castle.

 The Red Keep has been her home since birth and will be her home for the rest of her life; that is, until she get cast off to be some lord's brood maid. A small smirk spread across her pale face. That was always the way her mother described royal marriages, or marriage in general. Anna continued to smile, remembering her mother's caring words. You will choose your husband, not the other way around. Anna could already see her mother in front of her. No man will come and whisk my first born girl away from me. Gods be damned before I let that happen. You will not live the life I have.

 Anna rested her palm against her cheek, staring at the wall in front of her. Bright red, close to a pink hue, she felt she was going to puke. Thinking back to her mother once again, her house colors were yellow and black, or gold and crimson. Anna paused before rising from her seat. Gold and Crimson sound so much better than Black and Yellow. She pushed her seat away, heading to her mirror, ready to examine her features for the umpteenth time today. These were features that seemed to be a perfect mixture of Lannister and Baratheon.

 Her hair flowed like a waterfall down to her shoulders whenever it wasn't put in their intricate southron hairstyles. Naturally curly and voluminous, it was always considered beautiful but rather un-ladylike due to its untamed nature. Her eyes showed a Baratheon tinge that none of her siblings held. If there was any Lannister that she had in her, it had to be her wondrous cheekbones that she of course, inherited from her mother. Uncle Tyrion always did say that she had the makings of another Cersei Lannister in her future.

 "Seventeen." She took a deep breath. "Gods...marriage is on the way, isn't it, Anna?"

 She looked over her body. With thin dresses, due to the warmth the kingdoms south of the Neck felt, her body was wonderfully accentuated by the fabrics. Her cheeks went in heat when she realized that she might not look very appropriate. Her hips were slightly wider than most girls her age and a bust that looked great enough to rival her mother's. While not voluptuous, she wasn't as flat as a board. For years she was the object of gossip and just recently, the talk of the Seven Kingdoms; almost as much as the former princess, Daenerys Targaryen.

 Annaelyn scowled at the mirror. They called her the Jewel of the North and the Ice Dragon. All they had to say about Anna though was the Beauty of the South and Baratheon Lioness. She was the princess of the newest dynasty and yet, the people were practically in love with Daenerys. She'd heard stories about her. Her eyes were like amethysts, shimmering, just freshly buffed. They said her skin was so white, that at night, when she roams the snow covered courtyard of Winterfell, some serfs and late-night drifters would see her and think she was a ghost.

 Anna frowned. Thinking of this other woman was filling her with all kinds of negative feelings. Her blue eyes trailed up. Her heart was racing thinking of this Targaryen. Of all the things she thought she'd be feeling at this point, was jealousy. She giggled, immediately relieving her despair. Maybe Daenerys could be someone she could make herself want to become. The talk of the Kingdom. Annaelyn shook her head. Too much attention.