cw: eating disorder

my name in his throat like a jewel.
— cecilia woloch, tsigan

PROPERTIED AND PROSPEROUS, the Seerstones of Crystal Keep are an ancient and proud house. It is said their banner was first flown by Symeon Star-Eyes of yore, a blinded knight who placed star sapphires in his barren eye sockets.

     While the stones did not restore his vision, they granted Symeon a second sight. Forever after, he could see into the future . . . a power which became his bloodline's birthright, and the caves whence he claimed it now the gemstone mines that bring them their fortune.

     Many a story has been spun of crystal balls that show the future, while other tales tell of stone pendulums serving as conduits to commune with gods and ghosts. In any case, it is certain that the members of House Seerstone believe crystals to be a window to the truth, and it is they who supply the stones used in small council meetings.

THE BLOOD OF HOUSE CAELESTIS is as ancient as the stars they revere, running back to the days of Old Valyria. Charting the night sky on dragonback, they discovered the Houses of Heaven, dividing the stars into twelve constellations: Zaldrīzes, the dragon, Vandis, the aurochs, Qintir, the turtle, Kēlio, the lion, Sōvion, the butterfly, Lanty, the fox, Zokla, the wolf, Myrdys, the deer, Hunes, the rabbit, Valdrīzes, the sphinx, and Peldio, the viper.

     Astromancers are they, tracking the movements of celestial bodies to divine what has, what is, and that which is yet to come. Various dragonlords have brought them into their employ, with House Targaryen being one such family.

     That fateful day the Targaryens set sail for new shores, they were joined by the Caelestis household. In Westeros, they have continued to serve their lieges faithfully, providing wisdom woven by the tapestry of planet and star. History remembers Orys Baratheon as Aegon the Conqueror's Hand, but Aurelius Caelestis would be his closest confidant, and the first Master of Heavens to sit the small council.

AMETH SEERSTONE WAS NEVER INTENDED FOR LORDSHIP, but fate would deal his House a cruel hand. On a voyage to his mother's homeland, their vessel falls prey to the ruthless Three Daughters, whose greed knows no bounds. They plunder their cargo of precious stones, and their spoils do not stop there: Lady Seerstone is spirited away to a pleasure garden in Lys, lost despite the relentless searching by their men. Ameth's brother, the heir to their House, is tied to the sinking ship with the crew, doomed to become fodder for the merciless gods of the sea.

     With the bloodline hanging by a fraying thread and Lord Seerstone desperate to mend it, Ameth is forced to wed and bed Astraea Caelestis, a stranger nigh a decade his elder. He has not even reached manhood when fatherhood is thrust upon him; their first child comes before he sees his fourteenth name day, to the joy of his own lord father. Astraea succumbs to sickness soon after delivering their third.

     When duty summons Ameth to King's Landing, he brings his only daughter, Safyra, hoping the highborn ladies of the capital will be the womanly influence she needs. But the Red Keep is no refuge: it is a viper's pit, where alliances shift like desert sands, stirred by the wily winds of ambition.

     Ameth pays her little heed, busy indulging in the freedoms of his stolen youth. Even her grandsire seems more content to remain a stranger than lend her aid. Fyra must fend for herself in the strange city, alone and unseen.

     The queen becomes an unexpected guide, and Fyra her ever-present shadow. Court, Alicent teaches her, is a mummer's stage, and every courtier dons a mask. As women, they juggle two: one of courtesy, and the other of captivation. Beauty serves as their double-edged sword; duty, chastity, and self-sacrifice, the strength with which they wield it.

     So relentless is Fyra in her pursuit of perfection that food becomes a foe to conquer; hunger, a silent war she wages within. Her body bears the scars of her struggle, back torn by the tight bindings of the corset she dons beneath her gowns. Badges of discipline, she tells herself when she grows weary of the pain. A necessary price for the perfection she seeks. She masks it all, the way she has been taught.

     Aemond Targaryen is the only one who truly sees past her façade . . . and through her Crone's Stone, Fyra sees him too.

WITH . . .

tom hiddleston as ameth seerstone
josha stradowski as kyan seerstone
linus roache as cyrus caelestis
thomas harper-jones as ruben seerstone
mélanie thierry as astraea seerstone ⛥

i. mother's mercy by persephone

ii. crone's stone by weirwitch

iii. stranger's flame by vulpines

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dedicated to:

persephone & vulpines, my best girls,

and stxrmborn, pelides, Iadymisery, dreamfyres, elaenas, westerlands, duskendale, azorahais, coruscvnts, mayabrekker, shieraseastars, huramuna, crierayla, valyrians, hellcomplex, archiveofink, seasmokes, thewhitehart, veIaryons, tojaesques, TheLadyMadalena, natureskiss, whoetoshaw, velaryqns, drgonstone, drvoos, bloodquills, daenerysloki, bloodwyrms, and plavvusa, who all inspire me. 🤍


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disclaimer:

my original characters, houses, locations, writing, plotlines, graphics, or any portion of my story may not be copied or used without permission from me. if you would like to use anything as inspiration, ask first, as i will more than likely say yes so long as credit is given! please, do not be the kind of person that plagiarises others' ideas out of laziness to form your own.

the colouring i have used for my layout is by persephone. ask her if you would like to use it! we have also taken inspiration for our layouts from @/bloodskinandteeth and @/bluetiefling, both on tumblr.

cw: this fic will contain canon-typical triggers, including: violence, death, and gore. additionally, the protagonist has an eating disorder and her father is a victim of child marriage. please be mindful of your own well-being and choose another fic to read if you find any of the aforementioned topics distressing.

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much of safyra's struggles with disordered eating are a reflection of my own experiences. while it isn't a main focus of her story, including it has been therapeutic for me and a way to vent these feelings. i strive to navigate her journey with as much care and sensitivity i can, but if these issues are a trigger for you, i once again urge you to read another fic or proceed with caution. take care and prioritise your mental health.

a/n: breaking my three-year hiatus with a surprise aemond fic 😳 i've had safyra floating around my head since hotd aired two years ago, so i'm very excited to finally share her story now! if anyone is curious to know their house of heaven (the zodiac system i've developed for house caelestis), comment your birthday and i will let you know which one you are! 💓

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as you may have noticed by aemond's date of birth, dani, lee, and i have developed our own timeline for this series. aemond will now lose his eye in 132 AC, making him 15 at the time, and the dance will begin in 142 AC when he is 25 and safyra is 23. dani and i have also come up with names for the moons and days of the week. to prevent confusion over our new timeline, each chapter will be dated using these. we will also have an index chapter going into more detail!

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