Robb Stark [ modern!au ] (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
northless) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
brickbybrick2013-03-30 08:53 pm
northless) wrote in brickbybrick2013-03-30 08:53 pm
[closed; take a chance 'verse] yes again
the story of your life
you live it every day
the story of your life
you live it every day
[Robb has never really been one to rely on archives, not when he can rely on his memories and on his family's memories instead. Still, there are some things where neither can help him, which is where he is immensely grateful for knowing Dany as well. Not that he wasn't already--who wouldn't be grateful to anyone who serves them free coffee? And, it seems, translations of prophecies and songs in Valyrian after his time, though that had come after he promised to show up at whatever rally she was going to hold this week.
He comes home with a stack of books and papers, translations on notebook paper with half-serious notes in the margins. Gods, this is actually heavier than he expected, and he hasn't even borrowed the DVDs from Jon yet. He's wondering whether he should--it isn't all that accurate, after all.]
He comes home with a stack of books and papers, translations on notebook paper with half-serious notes in the margins. Gods, this is actually heavier than he expected, and he hasn't even borrowed the DVDs from Jon yet. He's wondering whether he should--it isn't all that accurate, after all.]
[There's an excess of documents and notes spread out on the coffee table by the couch. Une's settled in on the carpeted floor, sitting cross-legged as she looks through a wealth of research. Her work attire's been traded for a pair of gray silk pajamas. If they're going to be burning the midnight oil, she might as well be comfortable. As soon as she hears the door opening to let him in, she heaves a sigh. There's more to be read, isn't there? Her eyes don't leave the page even as he finds his way to the living room.]
It looks like your enemies did an excellent job of revising history.
[She's heard his accounts and compared them to old stories from the South versus ones from the North. The contrast was rather striking. On the one hand, he was painted a foolish misguided boy who had no business being king. On the other, he was depicted as a just and fair ruler who may have bitten off more than he could chew. She can only assume that the truth is an amalgam of both.]
It looks like your enemies did an excellent job of revising history.
[She's heard his accounts and compared them to old stories from the South versus ones from the North. The contrast was rather striking. On the one hand, he was painted a foolish misguided boy who had no business being king. On the other, he was depicted as a just and fair ruler who may have bitten off more than he could chew. She can only assume that the truth is an amalgam of both.]
Edited (redundancy) 2013-03-31 05:44 (UTC)
They do say history's written by the winners.
[Something he's long since had to get used to. He places his pile down beside the coffee table, then sits down next to her to glance at whatever she's reading.]
Still, whatever they say can't change what I remember.
[Something he's long since had to get used to. He places his pile down beside the coffee table, then sits down next to her to glance at whatever she's reading.]
Still, whatever they say can't change what I remember.
Based on what you've told me, mistakes were made and you acknowledge them. That's really all that matters. As long as you're not painting yourself as better than you actually were, we can proceed smoothly.
[As of now, she's reading prophecies made in Asshai after his death. Much of it is about the rise of R'hllor as the true god and the Lord of Light as the true king. It also speaks of the fates of the false kings. The scrolls for Balon, Renly, and Joffrey have yet to be unearthed but there are passages salvaged from Robb's.
The youngest of them will be damned to live once more, wandering the world with half a soul, condemned to emptiness until he finds the other half. When he is whole, the throne will be within his reach but he will never sit on it. He will bend the knee. He will stand behind it. All this will come to pass unless--
The rest of the scroll is far too faded to get an adequate translation but the next passage is clear as day.
Should he fail, his soul will be torn once more and he will be consigned to the dark and the cold for the rest of his days.]
[As of now, she's reading prophecies made in Asshai after his death. Much of it is about the rise of R'hllor as the true god and the Lord of Light as the true king. It also speaks of the fates of the false kings. The scrolls for Balon, Renly, and Joffrey have yet to be unearthed but there are passages salvaged from Robb's.
The youngest of them will be damned to live once more, wandering the world with half a soul, condemned to emptiness until he finds the other half. When he is whole, the throne will be within his reach but he will never sit on it. He will bend the knee. He will stand behind it. All this will come to pass unless--
The rest of the scroll is far too faded to get an adequate translation but the next passage is clear as day.
Should he fail, his soul will be torn once more and he will be consigned to the dark and the cold for the rest of his days.]
...well, that's optimistic.
[Half a soul--the dark and the cold--gods, he really doesn't like the sound of that. Hell, he doesn't like the sound of this entire prophecy, cursing him for his mistakes. As if he doesn't already know he made mistakes.
He glances down further: and he will be starved for food and for love.]
That was fairly accurate.
[Half a soul--the dark and the cold--gods, he really doesn't like the sound of that. Hell, he doesn't like the sound of this entire prophecy, cursing him for his mistakes. As if he doesn't already know he made mistakes.
He glances down further: and he will be starved for food and for love.]
That was fairly accurate.
This seems to be one of the few prophecies that's accurate. Sadly, it's not one heralding your triumph. There's another one here...
[There's some hesitation when she extends the translation to him but he needs to know these things.
His other half will be found twined with the soul of another, crowning their heart for they will rule him.]
[There's some hesitation when she extends the translation to him but he needs to know these things.
His other half will be found twined with the soul of another, crowning their heart for they will rule him.]
Perhaps it's time to start. This could help to spare us a lot of grief.
[Her hand moves to stroke his face, trying to wipe the furrow from his brow.]
And I swear seeking to rule you is not on my agenda.
[Though that's exactly what happened, isn't it? He works for her, after all.]
[Her hand moves to stroke his face, trying to wipe the furrow from his brow.]
And I swear seeking to rule you is not on my agenda.
[Though that's exactly what happened, isn't it? He works for her, after all.]
Not just yet. We just have to read them properly to unlock their secrets. The throne might be referring to the mayoral seat. Depending on who wins...
[No, she won't have him bending the knee to Cersei. That would be far too cruel after all that's happened.]
[No, she won't have him bending the knee to Cersei. That would be far too cruel after all that's happened.]
I'll need to cement my position then. At least the prophecy offer us some leeway on that.
[She can't help but hold her hand to her heart, knowing what the crown-shaped birthmark meant. It's her duty to take care of him, to make sure he doesn't go back to being starved.]
There are quite a few more to read through and the night is long. We should go on.
[The next prophecy is from a woodswitch long dead and she reads it aloud for him.]
Death will come for the one who takes up the Young Wolf's mantle unless a great sacrifice is made.
They're pretty fond of 'unless,' aren't they?
[Whatever sacrifice that might be, she's not about to let him make it on her behalf. He's already lost too much.]
[She can't help but hold her hand to her heart, knowing what the crown-shaped birthmark meant. It's her duty to take care of him, to make sure he doesn't go back to being starved.]
There are quite a few more to read through and the night is long. We should go on.
[The next prophecy is from a woodswitch long dead and she reads it aloud for him.]
Death will come for the one who takes up the Young Wolf's mantle unless a great sacrifice is made.
They're pretty fond of 'unless,' aren't they?
[Whatever sacrifice that might be, she's not about to let him make it on her behalf. He's already lost too much.]
Too fond of it, I'd wager.
[He cracks open one of the books he'd brought in, stifles a giggle when he sees Dany's translation and the notes in the margins (there is a thin line between mysteriously cryptic and just plain annoying and this fell into the latter, one of them reads).]
Here: for a king will fall, and shatter like a mirror, and none can save him from the darkness that awaits to swallow his soul. [A pause.] None but one.
[He cracks open one of the books he'd brought in, stifles a giggle when he sees Dany's translation and the notes in the margins (there is a thin line between mysteriously cryptic and just plain annoying and this fell into the latter, one of them reads).]
Here: for a king will fall, and shatter like a mirror, and none can save him from the darkness that awaits to swallow his soul. [A pause.] None but one.
[One, really? She traces her roots from Lorath and she's pretty sure her last name is a bastardization of the word "one." At least that's what her father liked to say.
We are a family built to stand as one. That's where our name comes from.]
They're pretty rigid, aren't they? Cruel, too. There are billions of people in the world. You could go your whole life without finding your salvation.
We are a family built to stand as one. That's where our name comes from.]
They're pretty rigid, aren't they? Cruel, too. There are billions of people in the world. You could go your whole life without finding your salvation.
See what I said about prophecies being unhelpful?
[He reads on, taking comfort in Une beside him, and in Dany's wry remarks in the margins of her translations. (Too many wolf allusions, says another, scrawled beside a translation of an old song.)
The wolves will come with the winter, he reads, his lips moving silently. Beware, beware, the bite of the Young Wolf will close once more.]
I like this one better. Less pessimistic about my chances.
[He reads on, taking comfort in Une beside him, and in Dany's wry remarks in the margins of her translations. (Too many wolf allusions, says another, scrawled beside a translation of an old song.)
The wolves will come with the winter, he reads, his lips moving silently. Beware, beware, the bite of the Young Wolf will close once more.]
I like this one better. Less pessimistic about my chances.
It's enough to grant us a bit of hope.
[Looking over his shoulder, she glances over the translations from his friend. They're certainly a lot less dull than the ones she's been reading.]
What about this one?
[Her finger lands on the bottom of the page, pointing to a prophecy that's been encircled. The annotation beside it is simply ???
His head will stay on his shoulders for as long as his heart does not--
Does not what?
[Break? Stray?]
[Looking over his shoulder, she glances over the translations from his friend. They're certainly a lot less dull than the ones she's been reading.]
What about this one?
[Her finger lands on the bottom of the page, pointing to a prophecy that's been encircled. The annotation beside it is simply ???
His head will stay on his shoulders for as long as his heart does not--
Does not what?
[Break? Stray?]
[His head will stay on his shoulders for as long as his heart does not--and then nothing. It's an ominous warning, certainly, and it sends a chill down his spine.]
I don't know.
[Be careful, Stark, reads an annotation just below the question marks.]
I don't know.
[Be careful, Stark, reads an annotation just below the question marks.]
[Another piece of the puzzle. How are they supposed to put this all together? There's so much to look through.]
So far, what do we have? You have a chance at living a happy life but only if you're "made whole" again. Whatever that means. And I...
[I'm supposed to save you but I don't know how.]
I'm not entirely sure how I fit into it all.
So far, what do we have? You have a chance at living a happy life but only if you're "made whole" again. Whatever that means. And I...
[I'm supposed to save you but I don't know how.]
I'm not entirely sure how I fit into it all.
[At least he's found levity in it. She pairs a scoff with a smile.]
Then that rules out one way of "making you whole." The prophets aren't exactly keen on specifics.
[Though maybe sleeping with him had helped to trigger something. That stabbing pain...]
It could mean anything from marriage to something far more mystical.
[On second thought, she probably shouldn't have put it that way.]
Not that I'm intent on getting married or anything. That wasn't intended to imply anything. I'm just...
[She's just digging herself a deeper hole, isn't she?]
Then that rules out one way of "making you whole." The prophets aren't exactly keen on specifics.
[Though maybe sleeping with him had helped to trigger something. That stabbing pain...]
It could mean anything from marriage to something far more mystical.
[On second thought, she probably shouldn't have put it that way.]
Not that I'm intent on getting married or anything. That wasn't intended to imply anything. I'm just...
[She's just digging herself a deeper hole, isn't she?]
[Sighing, she accepts his reassurance despite the doubt lingering in her mind.]
It's just...I'm comfortable with how we are now.
[Slipping into something deeper might be tempting fate. But what are they really? He's not exactly her boyfriend, is he? Friends with benefits? All these past life matters made things a lot more complicated.]
It's just...I'm comfortable with how we are now.
[Slipping into something deeper might be tempting fate. But what are they really? He's not exactly her boyfriend, is he? Friends with benefits? All these past life matters made things a lot more complicated.]
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