Risen From Ashes

by snowflake2410

House Pyralis, Relatives to the Targaryens. Just as House Reyne, every Pyralis has been turned into nothing but mere ash and memory. All except one. Ophelia never knew who she was but when is revealed as the last Pyralis, she is soon thrust into a new world of deceit and limitations. As the saying goes: You can try to burn a Phoenix, but they always manage to survive.

2. Chapter 2

I own nothing except for my imagination. Quick note, this is also on Wattpad!

Thanks to all who reviewed, followed, and favorited! Here's the next chapter.

1st P.O.V. Winterfell
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Simplicity.

I live my life in simplicity.

I like my tea with honey.

I like my flowers wild.

And I love rest after a hard day's work.

Simplicity rules my life.

My first memory is even simple.

It was of snow, as in the object, not the person.

I was two, and I remember walking around the courtyard with My Lady, then all of sudden, there it was.

It was falling slowly and gracefully out of the sky.

First it landed on my nose, then it landed on the ground.

I reached out my hand to touch the foreign substance, and it landed on the top of my finger.

It was a slow succession, but soon the flow of the falling white glitter was everywhere.

My left hand was still clasped in My Lady's right and I pointed my finger at her.

"Is it?" I asked.

She bent down to my level, and took some of the white stuff from my hair to show me.

"That, my little bird, is snow." She smiled at me through a thin veil of crimson locks that were whipping in front of her face due to the flurry of snow.

"Pretty." I replied looking at the snow that was falling on her hair, reaching out to touch some.

My life is as simplistic as could be.

I'm not the richest person in the world, nor am I the poorest.

I have a home, whereas some people do not.

I got a job, whereas some people are still looking.

I have people that care for me too.

I consider myself pretty lucky.

My days are the same.

Every morning I get up, early enough to rise with the sun.

I get dressed in my same work dress I do every day.

It's a simple yellow one, with white under sleeves and a rope belt.

I also put on my worn leather flats.

I take a basket from the kitchen and a hog from the stables and go look for truffles, courtesy of the hog for finding them.

Once my basket is half full, I return to Winterfell and put the hog back.

I go into the coop and get some eggs from the chickens, make sure the coop is closed, I go to the kitchens and prep for breakfast.

I cut all the vegetables, stir the soup, and occasionally I have hand in actually cooking something, though not often.

The cook is often afraid I might get hurt being near the fire.

Anyway, after the vegetables are chopped I go and get a bucket of water from the well.

I put the water in a pitcher, and place the pitcher on the table after I've filled everybody's cup.

I set the table, sit everyone where they're to be seated.

When the crow squawks, I go wake Lady Sansa and Lady Arya. I set out their dress for the day, though Sansa usually wears something else and Arya usually throws the dress back at me, insisting that she wears trousers for the day. After much debating, and the occasional interference with Septa Mordane, Arya relents with much hesitation.

I help Lady Sansa bathe, get dressed, and fix her hair.

I make her bed after she's gone to breakfast, and I dump out her chamber pot and clean it out.

Not my best part of the day, I'll admit.

I wash my hands, and by this time the Starks are halfway through breakfast.

This is the part of the day where I actually get to sit at a table and eat, though not with the Starks.

No, that would be too improper as Lady Sansa loves to remind me.

However, I don't mind.

Little does she know, this is my favorite part of the day.

I sit near the end of the hall where the Maesters, Masters, Captains, Wards, Bastards, and Misfits sit.

My spot is always next to my closest friend in Winterfell, Theon Greyjoy.

This is my favorite part of the day because of all of the stories that everybody at the table has to share.

At our table we never have a dull moment.

After breakfast is finished, I clear up our table, and escort the little Ladies to their lessons.

I then return to help with the rest of the tables, and I go back and sit in on the young Lord's and Lady's History lessons, as per My Lady's request.

I also sit in on Arithmetic.

And Music.

And Dancing.

And Court Politics.

And Stitching.

I think My Lady wants me to learn all of these because I'm a handmaiden most of the time to Lady Sansa. As a handmaiden, she probably wants me to be educated and courtly so I won't embarrass the Starks if they ever have important people over.

Though sometimes My Lady lets me skip out during History to run errands in Wintertown.

During stitching, I excuse myself to go out to the vegetable patch and dig for some potatoes, onions, and carrots for dinner.

I make sure to put on my apron so I won't dirty my dress.

I bring them to the kitchen, wash them off and do whatever the cook wants me to do with them.

I then get some more water from the well, and make tea for My Lady, Lady Sansa, Lord Stark, and Maester Luwin.

I make sure to take off my apron before I deliver everyone's tea, because if Lord Stark catches me in it, it tends to make him a bit disturbed.

After years of practice, I am proud to say I have finally managed to balance everyone's tray on me!

I put My Lady's on my left forearm, hold Maester Luwin's in my left hand, Lady Sansa's on my right forearm, and Lord Stark's on my head.

I ignore the usual stares as I climb the steps to Maester Luwin's wing.

I knock in his door with my foot, and he answers always smiling at me, and takes his tea, which always comes with goat's milk.

I then carefully slide the two trays on my arms to my hands, then go to the other side of the castle.

I reach Lady Sansa's room who chastises me for knocking on her door with my foot.

I hand her the tray of tea, which she always takes lemons and sugar with.

I make my way to Lord Stark's study and knock with my foot.

"Tea time!" I call out cheerfully. I always make sure to smile when I approach Lord Stark or else he might relentlessly question me about my happiness.

I place his tray on his desk near his mound of papers and letters he always has on there.

He thanks me as he pours himself a cup. Lord Stark always takes his tea plain.

No muss or fuss, like the Lord himself.

I exit and make my way to My Lady's study, and knock with my right hand.

She opens the door for me, and I place her tray on a small round table for her.

She always takes her tea with just sugar, and there's always two cups and a small bowl of honey.

She has me sit down and she pours me a cup and stirs in honey as she has me read poetry to her for about an hour and half.

After finishing the tea, I go and collect everyone else's trays and wash all of the cups, bowls, spoons, and pots once I reach the kitchens.

After I'm done, I have free time to what I please.

Usually I go to the Godswood to pray or to the fields to pick flowers, but sometimes Lady Sansa has me go to the market to pick up fabric for her.

After some me time, I go to where the young Master's are almost done practicing weapons training.

I carefully collect all of the weapons, while Lord Robb and Jon help me.

Robb never speaks to me.

Jon does, and I'm glad he does.

Not many of the other servants speak to me at the castle, not even the two girls, Katherine and Emily, that I share a room with.

They think that I might have opinions that I'm better than they are because I'm not quite a servant and not quite a handmaiden.

I'm somewhere in between, and though I don't fit in either position completely, I'm comfortable where I am.

It's always been that way.

After weapons training, I go the stables and feed the horses hay.

Then I wash my face and head to the kitchens where I bring all of the food out to House Stark, and any of their guests they might have.

It's my job to serve Lady Sansa and Lord Robb.

Which is one of the most difficult parts of the day because, Robb always glares away from me, and Sansa always says how I serve her too little or too much.

After they've finished, I clean up with all the other servants.

Then I can eat dinner in the kitchens.

After I'm done I help Lady Sansa bathe, undress, and get ready for bed.

I have to empty out her chamber pot again, but I don't have to clean it until morning.

After Lady Sansa is asleep, I go down to the training yards and talk with Theon and Jon until Robb shows up, who stays silent until I leave them be.

I go to my room where Katherine and Emily ignore me, though sometimes they ridicule me until they go to sleep or until Emily leaves for a night's escapade with Theon.

I dress in my comfy old nightgown and read until the candle burns out.

Then I fall asleep.

The cycle begins itself over and over, everyday.

Some people might think it dull, others nice.

I love the consistency of everything, because without it, things would be constantly changing.
I have never really been fond of change and I don't suppose, I will be.

Unlucky for me however, my life wasn't going to be consistent with everything I knew.

Change decides to enter into your life whether you're ready or not, and I was most definitely not ready.

I guess fate decided to change The Life of Ophelia.

Or rather it be known, my life.

And it all started with some spilled spices and a very bad whipping.

Alright, well there's the first chapter. I wanted to show the events of Ophelia's life because there is an emphasis on it later on in the story. So basically, an informative filler. So please read, review, and rest easy. :)