"the best way to hide a wolf is to make people believe they are nothing more than a well-trained dog."
Arrelle Stark was a wolf wrapped in fine silk and those who threatened her family would risk her claws on their necks.
jacaerys velaryon x oc
HOTD...
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chapter three, for my honor and yours
THE CROWD CHEERED as squires, knights, princes and even lords all came together in front of them, each eager to display their might, with the hope one of them shall win the tournament.
All around smallfolk and highborns were placing bets on their favorites, as a way to earn their own lump sum. Arrelle sat in the royal box, in the middle of the grounds, watching as the fanfare took place.
It was a brutal thing, some men going as far as dipping their own blades in blood. They were battle hungry but lived in a time of peace, none had known war, and they were eager to draw blood because of it. It was cruel, the ways of men, the lack of care for another life. They only saw it as a way to win glory, but lacked the understanding that it may have cost them their soul.
The young lady of the north sat in the first row, where most eligible women sat. It made them easily accessible for the contestants to ask for their favor and for the realm to get a good look at the women who would birth the next generation of lords, no matter how unseemly the concept was.
Her mother sat closer to the princess, the two women conversing in between rounds. Arelle smiled as she saw her mother interact with the daughter of her best friend, she knew that the Princess brought back such wonderful memories for her mother. It delighted her that she could bring their families together, even though the prospect of her upcoming nuptials scared her.
Her own intended was to take part in the tourney today, he had known longer about the tournament and had trained with his step-father as a result. Perhaps he wanted to show his people the strength of their future king, or he wanted to impress his future wife. Unfortunately, her prince was not the only prince that was to take place in today's events.
The prince Aemond with his looming figure and single eye watched over the crowd with a menacing smirk, it painted a ghastly figure. Arrelle had never met him personally, but she knew that he was not to be trusted, having tried to kill his own kin at ten and one.
Whenever she looked over to him, her stomach lurched in a placated fear, she prayed that Jace did not have to go against him. She hoped that Cregan got paired with the one-eyed prince instead, she knew that her older brother would win with ease.
After a few rounds of lowly squires going head to head, Arrelle grew bored and tired of it all. Normally, she loved tournaments, she cheered as the boys she grew up with fought for glory, laughed with her friends. Here, she didn't know any of the young ladies surrounding her as she was a stranger in this court and as a result she had no one to talk to. She felt so alone, almost as if she was a part of the spectacle as well as whispers flew about.
It grew so bad that she tuned it all out, instead choosing to stare at the silver direwolf ring around her finger, one of the last gifts she had received from her late father. She had no clue what was taking place around her, until suddenly, the world truly became silent.
