AUDITIONS
Although Robb is not the only Northern noble waiting in line, he surely is the only Northern nobleman. It is to be expected; most lords would rather send their daughters to the Royal Academy instead of their sons and heirs—who are usually sent to Torrhen Square School, if sent at all. Robb only managed to convince his father to audition because his mother had fond memories of her time there, and because his aunt is one of the teachers.
Personally he blames his mother for his deep interest in singing. Sansa, as well, although he can't make a solid argument on that angle because his sister is younger. Still, her enthusiastic singing inspired him to pursue his own ambitions.
Father never particularly cared for performing. His own father wanted all four of his children to go to Dragonstone, as part of his so-called 'southron ambitions'—whatever that meant—but only Aunt Lyanna made it to the Academy. Father ended up being fostered by Jon Arryn, who also bore little love for performing, Uncle Brandon ran away from lordship and was only found years later in Dorne, and Uncle Benjen stayed two years in Torrhen Square before quitting and joining the Night's Watch. Only Aunt Lyanna showed promise in Grandfather's eyes, but that only lasted so far.
Lord Rickard is not proud of his daughter nowadays.
However, while Robb is the only nobleman, he is not the only male: his half-brother Jon stands right beside him, much to Mother's dismay. He never fully understood Mother's treatment of Jon; some days, she'd look at him with barely concealed disgust, other days, she'd send pitiful looks at him. It's hard to pin down which look is the most sincere, or whether his mother simply doesn't know what to make of Jon. Regardless, the two have always been close, and today is no different.
They are both going to be accepted into the Royal Academy for the Performing Arts. He's sure of it.
Professor Lyanna nearly flinches when he tells her his name. He suppresses a sigh; even his estranged aunt disapproves of him due to his birth.
Still, a near-flinch is all he actually gets; afterwards, she sits back down and gently tells him to pick any instrument he wants. When he picks the biggest harp, he hears her take a sharp breath. Does she not like it?
Oh, well. If she doesn't, it shouldn't be on display for any auditioner to pick. With a deep breath of his own, he begins to play the first notes of Seasons of my love, a song he learned from his grandmother Lyarra before she died of a mysterious disease.
Grandmother was one of the few women who didn't turn her nose up at Jon. He wonders if that's why she died so suddenly, caught with an illness no maester could diagnose. Perhaps it was a curse for loving her bastard grandson.
Professor Lyanna looks rather emotional, and he wonders if the song carries any meaning to her. When he finishes, she gives him a small smile and tells him to join the other auditioners at the dancing room.
Her whole life has been leading up to this, but she is not nearly as nervous as she expected to be. Perhaps it is due to Loras' little motivational speech the other day, saying that, if he made it, so can she—and, at least in Highgarden, Margaery is reportedly more talented than Loras.
It doesn't mean she's completely calm, however. Not when her grandmother's words still ring on her ears: "Your older brothers did not make it to Dragonstone, so it's up to you and Loras to restore your House's prestige!"
Garlan was rejected and had to content himself with Oldtown Academy, while Willas' injury made him lose his timing. Their brothers only added salt to the injury inflicted on their House—decades prior, their father was also rejected, although he didn't even try for Oldtown afterwards.
Margaery must not fail, and it's this thought that prevents her from being completely calm. Still, she could be doing way worse.
She moves swiftly and gracefully, as taught at home since she learned how to crawl. Professor Oberyn eyes her with what seems to be an approving gaze. However, she realizes her audition is easily forgettable when a boy comes right after her, introducing himself as Gendry Waters.
An acknowledged bastard, for sure. Professor Oberyn smirks when he hears his surname; the man himself is known for his many bastards, one of which even studied in Dragonstone a couple years ago—alongside the trueborn princess Arianne.
Gendry's performance is not graceful or coordinated, but the raw talent is so noticeable that he draws the eyes of everyone in the room—and the dancing room is undeniably the most crowded, as Professor Oberyn is not fond of making the auditioners wait outside and 'miss the competition'.
Not that it's a real competition, not like when one auditions for an opera. Dragonstone can accept as many students as it wishes, as long as their parents pay accordingly. The difference between the Royal Academy and all others spread over Westeros is that their standards are much higher, and so is their pay.
No matter. House Tyrell can pay for however many members get in. All she can do now is hope that Gendry's outlandish audition doesn't eclipse hers too much.
The duo who is meant to evaluate her audition does not introduce themselves, but Jeyne doesn't need them to in order to remember them later. Near the window sits the most handsome man she's ever seen, and at his side sits the ugliest woman she's ever laid her eyes on.
Obviously, this is a trick. The principal must have picked those two so their contrast distracts the auditioners. Well, she won't fall for that.
The handsome man impatiently tells her to begin her audition, while the ugly woman merely looks at her in expectation. She takes a deep breath and begins her monologue. It's taken from one of the most famous operas in the westerlands, but she doesn't use any singing lines. This is the acting audition, after all, so she picked, in advance, the longest speech she could find in the script.
By the gods' grace, she doesn't falter. The man looks impassive, but the woman lets a small smile out—it doesn't make her beautiful, but it fits her face in an odd way.
"You'll know if you are in after sunset," the man declares when she's finished. "Go to your next audition and call for the next student."
Hopefully, he sounds unimpressed to everyone.
He's incredibly nervous, but Professor Lysa is nothing but understanding. "I was even more nervous when I came here," she says softly. "Go on."
She fails to mention whether she got in or not, but perhaps he is supposed to assume she did.
He closes his eyes and begins to sing, in a low voice so to not falter too soon.
"Is it okay if I call you mine just for a time?
And I will be just fine"
His father's voice echoes in his ear, reminding him that, if he fails at his audition, he won't inherit Horn Hill. He doesn't particularly care about the place—he might hand it to Dickon himself after their father dies—but his only other option would be the Wall, a place father and son know Sam would not survive for long.
"If I know that you know that
I'm wanting, needing your love
Oh-oh-oh, woah woah woah"
His voice falters at the first 'woah', but, if Professor Lysa notices, she doesn't show. Good.
"If I ask of you, is it alright?
If I ask you to hold me tight
Through a cold, dark night
'Cause there maybe a cloudy day in sight"
He goes on. Sometimes he slips, sometimes his tone goes wrong, but the woman before him remains with a discreet smile, nodding encouragingly at him. In comparison to his other auditions—Professor Lyanna's eerily calm gaze, Professor Oberyn's mocking smirk and the unnamed teachers' impassive expressions—this one is going rather well.
She doesn't offer any real optimistic words at the end, though; she just asks whether there is any audition pending for him. "No, my l—Professor," he replies, remembering, at last minute, that nobody uses 'my lord, 'my lady', 'prince, 'princess' or 'ser' in the Royal Academy—there, they are all artists first and foremost. It maintains a good image for the school.
"Then wait for the results in the castle," she instructs him. "A raven will deliver it right after sunset."
As sister to the King and the Prince of Dragonstone, Daenerys gets the privilege of reading the list of approved students first.
She firmly believes she will get in, and not due to her bloodline—Viserys was rejected in his time, after all. But she got all the tips from her niece Rhaenys, who recently graduated, and years of interacting with the teachers taught her a thing or two.
Her brother doesn't look eager at all, which is understandable. Viserys never tried even for the 'lesser' Griffin School, run by the Conningtons, and resigned to his role as Lord of Dragonstone, responsible for the settlement in general and for the Royal Academy's students.
Finally, right before suppertime, a raven arrives. Viserys opens it, and she waits for him to finish reading it; she knows better than to take a peak over his shoulder. Eventually, he hands it to her, with a cold, "Congratulations, sister. You made it."
His tone doesn't stop her smile. She grabs the parchment and reads it avidly.
LIST OF NEW STUDENTS AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY FOR PERFORMING ARTS
ALL CITED, PLEASE BE PRESENT AT FIRST CALLING TOMORROW AFTER BREAKFAST
Alyn Ambrose
Hoster Blackwood
Roslin Frey
Walda Frey
Harrold Hardyng
Alys Karstark
Lyra Mormont
Desmera Redwyne
Meera Reed
Jon Snow
Robb Stark
Joanna Swyft
Daenerys Targaryen
Samwell Tarly
Margaery Tyrell
Gendry Waters
Jeyne Westerling