Chapter One: Sunhome
Ocean spray glittered on the boy's lips, their laughter peppering the air. Wet hair whipped about in shining tendrils, scraping cheeks and casting droplets. She was happy, her second home the sea.
Noarei screamed as her brother tossed her off his back, sending her into the waves of the bay. Sound muffled and bubbles rose around her as she plunged into the warm waters. After a moment she resurfaced, and jumped onto the back of her thrower and latched on, sending him reeling.
"You can't get rid of me that easy, Ben!" The 8-year-old declared after her brother regained his balance. The little girl was dwarfed in comparison to her 10 and 6-year-old tall and broad brother. He laughed and declared defeat, and thus Noarei was Queen of the Bay, sovereign ruler over 4 men. Boys, really.
Suddenly clouds cast out the sun. A cold wind caused the siblings to shiver and huddle together. Benareon, the eldest and protector, held his arms around his three brothers, Noarei still on his shoulders. Time slowed. Noise ceased. Water stilled.
"Ben!" Reho whispered, the youngest brother at ten. Noarei saw him grip onto Benareon's arm, nails digging crescent moons into his golden skin. With his free hand, Reho shakily pointed to bubbling water.
The wind picked up and cascaded water around Noarei and her brothers. It created a wall, blocking her from them, and she called out, but as soon as the water appeared it was gone. Noarei stood alone in a vast, eerily calm and cold ocean. She was far from home.
A dark head emerged from the water, tangled kelp hair dripping as it rose. Glowing white eyes stared at Noarei's green. Thin arms, pale blue skin stretched over bones reached out for her. Noarei did not scream. Spindly, claw-like fingers grabbed at her, nails black and ragged. Noarei did not move. Teeth snapped, spittle flying.
Noarei screamed.
Noarei screamed.
With damp hair plastered against her forehead, she shot up from her bed. Her chest heaved as she frantically tried to leap from it, but her legs were tangled on the sheets. Noarei wildly looked around the room. Her mind was still in her dream, and all she saw was the open ocean and all she heard was the high, eerie note of the wind coursing through the air. She gasped for air, desperate to get out of the nightmare that still plagued her reality.
Noarei calmed as her familiar surroundings materialized around her. She leaned forward and pressed her hands into her cheeks, elbows digging into her thighs. She did not wince at the pain, but welcomed it. You are home, you are safe, Noarei told herself over and over. Her breath became regular and she exhaled slowly. The terror was gone from her eyes, the nightmare over.
Noarei slowly untangled herself from her sheets and stood on shaky legs. She gripped onto the bedpost and pushed herself off, making her way to her open window. Noarei rested her hands on the sill and leaned out, taking a gulp of fresh air. She looked out into the Narrow Sea, but the sun was not there to greet her this morning. It was a cloudy, blustery day, and Noarei's hair waved around her.
After a moment, Noarei regained her composure and drew her curtains closed. She turned and climbed back into bed. Her cat, Iris greeted her, and Noarei pulled her close against her chest. Iris purred, and Noarei closed her eyes. She dreamed of what she would do today, and soon fell back into a more peaceful slumber.
This had become a routine of sorts for Noarei, even when she did not have nightmares. She always woke with the sun, but terror free nights were becoming less frequent. After she falls back asleep, her handmaidens, Miere and Rekahati, come and wake her when the sun has long shone through her window. A bath is drawn with oils and scents to soothe Noa and her oft-tense muscles. Miere does her hair and Rekahati picks out an outfit, all done in amiable silence.
"Miere?"
"Yes, my Princess?"
"May I have a massage?"
Miere laughed softly at this, and Noarei smiled, and Rekahati joined in. "Of course."
"Thank you, Miere." Noarei said, leaning forward so Miere could rub her shoulders. "You're getting too good at this," Noarei sighed as Miere's expert hands soothed her tense muscles, eyes closed and a grin on her lips. "I may fall back asleep."
"Would you like me to stop then?" Miere asked with mirth in her voice, and Noarei could almost imagine the mischievous twinkle in her handmaiden's eyes. Noarei laughed and shook her head, and Miere continued her work.
Rekahati sat on Noarei's bed across from the bath. Noarei thought she was a great beauty, with soft, dark skin and curly hair that seemed to bounce whenever Rekahati moved. Her features are plump and gentle, and her nature welcoming. Noarei had always marveled at how such a girl who is 2 years senior Noarei's 10 and 6 has not married yet.
"So, my Princess, any plans for today?" Rekahati asked as she always did. Routine and familiarity calm Noarei greatly, so her handmaidens had adopted it into their work regimen, although Noarei had never explicitly explained why she needed such things. Noarei preferred to keep her troubles private, and very few knew of her nightmares, not even her own parents.
"I think I may stay in today, unless something comes up. The Cahuro's are coming and I imagine Mother wants me to entertain them and especially their son, Hemi, so I'd like to have some time to myself before everyone comes." Noarei explained, tucking a lock of wet hair back that had fallen in front of her eyes. Her head drooped as Miere began to rub her neck.
"Lord Hemi is their heir?" Miere asked, seemingly indifferent although Noarei knew better.
"Yes." Noarei answered, and Rekahati giggled. "I see." The older girl said with contempt, and Noarei sighed, annoyed.
"It's taking all I have not to splash you right now." Noarei said, although she laughed. Miere joined in and retreated her hands from Noarei's neck and sat beside Rekahati on another chair.
"And I thank you for that." Rekahati laughed.
"Even if Mother sees a. . . betrothal between me and him, Hemi is practically a baby." Noarei said.
"He's fourteen. Two years younger than you, my Princess." Miere offered with a smirk.
"I know!" Noarei said, and her hands shot up from the bath, cascading water droplets around her. She rested them on the lip of the bath, and raised her chin to look at Miere and Rekahati. "Would you marry a fourteen year old boy?"
Miere shook her head, but Rekahati shifted uncomfortably. "Definitely not by choice."
Miere laughed, and patted her friend's arm. "Don't worry. You can marry whomever you like with looks like yours. Men fall into your lap."
Rekahati frowned. "I don't come from a family like yours. I need to marry for gain-"
"Not like our friend the Princess." Miere reminded her. Rekahati's eyes widened.
"I am sorry, my Princess. My words were out of character."
Noarei shook her head,and smiled at the now terrified Rekahati. "It's alright. If I am to be completely honest, you do have it worse than me in some respects. I can take solace in knowing my parents won't marry me off to some old man who's already been through three wives."
Rekahati gave a wan smile and Miere snorted. "Yes, you have that." She paused, and a smirk grew on her face. "Doesn't mean you can't marry a fourteen-year-old boy."
This got a laugh out of Rekahati, but Noarei groaned. "Hemi is an annoying little brat. I'll be married to a Dothraki khal before I marry him!" She declared.
Miere smiled contemptuously. "Don't make promises you can't keep."
Clothed in a draped silk dress, Noarei's usual outfit, she found her family in the small dining hall. It was a beautiful room with large windows facing the sea and others showcasing the rolling hills and rocky outcrops of the cliffs. It was a perfect spot to watch both sunsets and sunrises, and such beautiful sights gave the palace it's name: Sunhome. Each window had long, pastel curtains and many were coloured orange, the colours of Noarei's house, house Arona. Their sigil, a black horse on an orange sun, hung on a banner at the back of the room where the King and Queen sat.
"My darling daughter," Saena began, and rose from her seat to embrace her daughter. She crossed the room with a warm smile and Noarei opened her arms and hugged her mother. "Did you sleep well?" Saena asked as she pulled back, her hands resting on Noarei's arms. She nodded obediently. "Yes," She lied. "And you?"
"Of course, my dear. Come- we have poha!" Saena said with a flourish, and took her only daughter by the hand and lead her to the dining table.
Poha was a pastry native to Noarei's homeland and the one her parent's ruled: Maureo, or the Kingdom of the Cliffs. The pastry was flaky and layered with honey and nuts, sometimes with jam. It was Noarei's favourite treat, and one she enjoyed eating with raspberries. Which, Noarei noted with worry, were also present on the table.
"All of my favourite things to eat? Mother, what do you want from me?" Noarei joked, but anxiety began to grow within her. Her parents were kind, but did not go out of their way to give their children gifts and other pleasantries. And Noarei's family knew the best way to her heart was with sweets, and they only gave her those when something difficult would be brought up. Like a betrothal.
Chuckles were heard from Noarei's four brothers, but Noarei didn't laugh.
Saena scoffed, and waved a hand to dismiss Noarei's joke and sat back down. Noarei followed, taking her seat in between Benareon and the third oldest brother Laeon.
"Can't a mother be kind to her daughter?" Saena asked, and Noarei smiled half-heartedly.
Ben leaned it. "Don't believe a word she says, Noa." He whispered, but the jest dug right into Noarei's ever-growing worry. She smiled, however, as Laeon passed her a small bowl filled with raspberries and a poha. She thanked him, and put the food on her plate, grabbing other things to add to her pile.
"Good morning, Noarei." Benareon's wife, Emmera said. She delicately popped a clementine slice into her mouth and rubbed her heavily-pregnant belly.
"Good morning, Emmera. How did you sleep? Did the baby keep you up?" Noarei asked kindly, taking a bite of her poha.
Ben and Emmera laughed, and the woman shook her head. "No, thankfully."
Noarei nodded and turned her attention back to her food, assuming a quiet deameanour.
Noarei's father, Edaor, cleared his throat and patted his moustache with his napkin. "Noarei, would you like to go for a ride with me today? I haven't taken Karo out for a couple of days and he's getting quite antsy." He asked, smiling uncharacteristically warmly.
Noarei swallowed back her fear and nodded. "Of course, Father. Iriha could use some time out of her stall too." She responded. Noarei prayed to all the gods that no one would detect the worry in her voice. Edaor almost never offered rides with his children, he was always too busy teaching Benareon how to be the next King, or sorting out matters of the Kingdom or he was too overworked. Her parents were being too kind. Noarei replayed the conversation she had with her handmaidens, and it seemed like a betrothal was becoming more likely by the minute.
"May Laera and I join you?" Aleceho asked, looking to his wife who was seemingly indifferent and stared at her hands. Despite all his efforts, Alec couldn't even get his wife to truly befriend him.
Edaor shook his head, and Noarei's heart nearly skipped a beat. Something is going to be brought up on their ride, something Edaor didn't even want Noarei's brothers to know yet.
"Not today. I want to spend some time with Noarei alone."
Aleceho nodded and Noarei could tell he was frustrated. Despite his brave and gruff exterior, Alec was sensitive and being rejected by his father in an attempt to assimilate Laera more into the family would bother him more than he would like to let on.
"Maybe we could all go for a ride tomorrow? At least get one in together before the Cahuro's come." Noarei piped up, trying to mask the fear that came with the last part of the sentence.
Before Edaor could respond and likely reject the idea, Saena nodded brightly. "A wonderful idea, Noarei." She smiled encouragingly, but that smile only reassured Noarei's fears.
Hey! As you can tell, I am just a baby to this website and this is actually my first fanfiction! This fic is based off the t.v Game of Thrones timeline (albeit very loosely). I have had an idea for a chick from Essos being engaged to a Northerner rolling around in my head for a super long time now. I know a pairing like this with Robb is pretty common, but I thought I'd give it a shot anyways, because why not? (I just wanna see my bb Robb succeed, k?)
Don't expect me to stick to the timeline closely cause that's basically impossible. Just fyi.
Anyways, I know this is a very short chapter but I hope y'all enjoy it. Number two is coming soon: I am already almost done!
- sarah (the idiot who decided to write a long-length fanfiction. pray 4 me)