As One We Walk - Robb Stark [1]

Letters From Strangers.

If you were to tell Rhaellaerys Maezyra that she would be married in a year, she would leap for joy. In truth, it was all the girl had wanted from a young age. She wanted a husband, she wanted kids, she wanted a home with them, and she wanted it bad. The mere thought of marriage to her was beautiful. Perhaps this perspective of hers was due to her peoples customs.

The continent of New Valyria was small and directly north of Essos. Rhaella's people settled there centuries ago, and began to set new traditions that would live on far past their lifetimes.

One of these customs was a marriage bond. They were much like typical marriage vows, but rooted deeper due to their Valyrian magic.

The Bond allowed for married people to know and understand each other far beyond anyone or anything else. It irreversibly intertwined the souls of the married. She though it was a beautiful practice to know someone, and to be known, so intimately.

So it was when her father handed her the raven-sent letter, that Rhaella felt her soul leap and flow and burst with energy. It felt like fire in her ribs, slowly crawling it's way up her body and leaving her warm with it's buzz. Rhaella felt her magic respond to the betrothal, that's how she knew her life would never be the same. She was to be married! Gods she was so happy.

Rhaella bowed to her father as he sat on his throne made of ice. She held the raven-sent letter in her hand as she turned and left the room, she would never forget it.

As soon as the large doors shut with a loud sound like thunder, Rhaella kept her promise. She completely leapt off of the floor, pumping her fists in joy. When she landed she bolted for her room, taking twists and turns, making sure to avoid the ice snaking across the stone floors of the Ice Citadel.

Rhaella grabbed the corner of a wall as she turned, hitting an ice puddle and sliding across it. Unfortunately, she had no balance.

Sliding on the cold and icy floors, soon turned into slipping, which progressed into falling. Rhaella fell, her head banging back onto the stone floor and her upper back hitting harshly upon it.

When hearing a thud and a quiet groan, Rhaegor and Daenora shared a glance where they sat in the library. The two twins were ironically two very different people. Whilst Daenora shrugged away the noise and went back to her book, Rhaegor began to walk towards the origin. As he passed rows upon rows of books sitting on shelves, he heard cursing coming from the hallway.

Grabbing a small dagger from a side table, Rhaegor continued to walk casually toward the source of the noise. Call him what you want, but you'll never call him unprepared. He felt the iced chill of the dagger sitting in his palm as he opened the library door, the feeling was familiar in his hands.

"Stupid fucking floor covered completely in ice. Unbelievable and so fucking stupid- ow!"

Rhaegor chuckled to himself. There was no intruder or danger lurking in the castle, just his adorable baby sister. Tucking the dagger into his waistband, he walked around the corner to help Rhaella stand.

"Can you believe it Rhaegor? Look at all this ice lingering upon the floor. A safety hazard, a trap for the unsuspecting." She complained to her big brother. The two had always been closer to eachother than their other four siblings. Some would even say that Rhaegor was closer with Rhaella than his own twin.

"I cannot believe it, dear Rhaella. It is a tragedy. They will write songs and- did you hit your head, sister?" Upon seeing how the fifteen year old cradled the back of her head, his eyebrows furrowed.

He reached forward and spun his sister around before beginning to look at the back of her head. She rolled her eyes in annoyance as her brother sectioned her hair to search for an injury, but said nothing as she knew arguing was pointless. For a few seconds she could only stare and the stupid ice that covered the wall in front of her. Then she heard her brother speak once more,