A Brave New World
Summary: Khailee Karstark, highborn bastard of Harrion Karstark himself, is now legitimized and the heir to Karhold following her Lord Father's death. Her rule is shaky, and many, including Alys of Thenn, former heir until she married the Magnar of Thenn, Sigorn, seek to depose her and claim Karhold for themselves. Once an outsider and now a mysterious force to reckoned with, since all of her holdings know that she is half Dothraki, yet kissed by fire. With the North in shambles, relationships ruined, and nobody to lead, Khailee looks across the narrow sea to Merreen, where Queen Daenerys seeks the Iron Throne for herself. Is this alliance right for Karhold and the North? Fate rests in the hands of a young woman destined for greatness.
Single Rule
"My Lady! A raven for you." Maester Ellion called from the high table in the bone chilling chamber where banquets used to be held. Since Harrion's death, no feast had been held, not even on Khailee's name day a fortnight ago. No, she needed to focus on picking up the pieces that the late lords of Karhold left in their wake.
"Who from, Maester?" Maester Ellion was a Northman before he left to study at the Citadel. From her guesses, Khailee assumed he was formerly a Whitehill.
"Another suitor. Many seek your hand for the Lordship of Karhold." He lowered his dark haired head solemnly. Ellion was not old, as many great Maesters of his calibre were. He was tall, still slim built, in his early forties at the latest. "The widower Ser Simon Santagar of Spottswood."
Khailee chuckled as she made her way over to the burning hearth. "From Dorne? Is it his penchant for Northerners or his desire for the snow he's never seen to ask such a thing? That girl of his is not quite as old as I am. Perhaps she seeks a playmate?"
"One could only guess, my Lady. What do you request as your course of action?"
Khailee stared into the flames of the hearth. "He is welcome to visit before the snows set in. It's a long journey from Dorne." Ellion murmured agreement before setting his quill to work on a response. Khailee stepped up to sit beside him. Despite being loyal to Karhold, Khailee considered Ellion to be a true friend, and his faith in her ruling Karhold gave her confidence for the future.
"Have you heard anything else from the Wall?" Khailee pressed. It had been nearly a year since the last raven from the Wall flew bearing dark wings, and darker words.
"No. Lord Commander Snow has been silent to all."
"Pity." Khailee murmured, her thoughts and worries echoed off the empty stone walls of her Keep. It was only when Ellion's candle ran low did Khailee begin her trek up into the main tower to her lonely chambers, filled only with the occasional servant or ghostly Lords that came before her.
Come morning, her first suitor, a bastard known as Aurane Waters arrives at the garrison castle. A handsome man with silvery gold windswept hair and fine riding clothes. His piercing green gaze hides layers of intrigue. Khailee, Waters, and Ellion, among some of Karhold's finest warriors break bread in the disused hall. For the first time since taking leadership, Khailee felt warmth in the castle.
"Aurane, do you still serve the Queen Mother?" Ellion presses first. While his loyalty must lie with the realm, it certainly doesn't with a Lannister.
A glint forms in the sailor's eye. "Nae. I was too cunning to play her game. I wanted more than what she was offering."
"And what was that?" Khailee butted in, suddenly disinterested in the blood sausage and roll in front of her.
"Dragonstone. She offered Rosby. Far too close to the taint of the capital. You can still smell the stench from there." He tore his roll in half before continuing. "In fact, I took their drommonds. Now I'm a self made captain."
"So why bother coming up here? Nobody sails the Shivering Sea." Khailee blurted. The hall grew silent of its chatter.
Aurane Waters grinned. "A lady of power, ruling her own keep, that gives her lord time to build her wealth in other areas." He winked.
It was obvious that Ellion was suspicious. Khailee kept much of her plans to herself until she was certain she would gain the upper hand. Chatter continued and so did the small talk of the high table. Khailee wondered just how much Aurane could advance her power.
After a small meeting with the townsfolk over a dispute on skinny sheep, Khailee took her horse, Dusk, a robust and massive black Percheron, to the godswood, little more than five miles outside of Karhold. Despite her Dothraki mother, Khailee followed her father's old gods passionately. While close to the Lord Harrion, who treated Khailee a both son and daughter, she often wondered who her mother was, and why her father had loved her so fiercely as to create a half blooded northerner kissed by fire. At the always listening weirwood, Khailee sat on a decomposing log and stared into the weeping eyes of the pale tree. She wondered what it had heard from the former lords, and what the gods thought when they placed her in power. The daylight seemed grayer than usual, a dismal cloud cover that promised more snow in the coming days. As she stood to leave, the wind rustled and the sound of twigs breaking made her turn, but there was nothing but a whisper.
You are destined for greatness.