Annara Brune

Annara Brune is the current Lady of Dyre Den.

Early Life
''“In your youth, Anya, you were more of a warrior than half of your bannermen. You, your sister, and even that damned reedling that perches on your shoulder! I knew that the moment they said your mother died. Even as mere babes, you were too fierce for her.”''


 * Eustace Crabb, Former Regent of Dyre Den

Annara Brune was born of ire and distrust - she was the product of a marriage between Lord Nestor Brune and Lady Gretchel Mooton which was arranged and consummated on the very same year of her birth. It was uncommon indeed to see the fruit of a match present itself so quickly, but the circumstances regarding the birth of Lady Annara and her sister Lynora were equally as uncommon. In that year 289 AC, then-Crown Prince Viserys Targaryen adopted the faith of the Red Priests of R'hllor; an act that was poorly received by the fanatically zealous Lord Brune. Lord Brune, who had previously been content to rule unmarried in his ancestral halls, arranged his marriage to a Mooton of Maidenpool in order to secure his family’s succession before he himself would abandon his seat. Nestor could not abide the presence of a heathen on the Iron Throne - it was fortunate for all at court, then, that he was unaware (or at least, refused to acknowledge) the religious tolerance of the head of House Mooton at the time. Having been married into the closest approximation of a true and faithful house dedicated to the Seven that would entertain his offer, Nestor eagerly awaited the birth of his heir. He expected and prayed for a strong, formidable son that would be able to carry on his legacy in his absence; instead, Nestor Brune was robbed of his wife and his chance for a son as quickly as he had obtained them. The midwives assured him that Gretchel had fought valiantly for her life, but all Nestor had to show for the past months was a set of newborn twin girls. He named them Annara and Lynora, wept, then abandoned his seat to a regency for his children on the spot. The pain of loss coupled with the shame of a heathen liege proved too much for Nestor, who set off from Dyre Den on the night of the birth of his children, not to return for decades.

A castle in chaos with little in the way of learning opportunities for two young girls was not the optimal locale to raise children - the Brune twins had no choice in that matter, however. The castle’s regents, representatives from the petty houses of Crackclaw Point, squabbled constantly over religion and politics, leaving no time for the education of the children of Nestor Brune. As soon as they could walk, the children were let loose upon the castle to do as they pleased, provided they caused little trouble for those who were politicking. Annara and Lynora practiced fighting with blades and sticks, intrigued by the drilling of the castle’s soldiers which they often observed. Annara took to securing armour and swords intended for squires and the smallest of knights, and Lynora attempted in vain to convince her sister to occasionally pick up a book - an absolute failure, mainly due to Annara’s insistence that she was the older sister of the two by virtue of her being taller than Lynora. This purported eldership was enough for Annara to assert herself over her sister. Lynora had no choice but to follow - nearly every waking moment was dedicated to sparring, stealing equipment in order to spar at a later date, or exercising in order to prepare for a bout. Anya lived for battle; she found herself able to slip into a trance that numbed one's mind to all but the most grievous of injuries. Though others with this gift favoured offense exclusively, her trance was not so one-sided. Between her armour, footwork and blocks, it was quite difficult to harm the lady as well as avoid being struck by her in her usual state. When bouts were finished for the day, however, the smaller sister sister did manage to convince Annara to occasionally visit the bogs that pervaded Crackclaw Point. It was there that they developed a keen sense for nature, as well as a certain finesse with handling the animals native to the Claw. Annara and Lynora both began to keep bearded reedlings - a living nightmare for the cleaning servants of Dyre Den, but their time working with the birds in the bog as well as at home was a bonding experience that brought the twins closer together than ever before. This loop of sparring and exploring was performed for years, satisfying the pair until they came of age.

Warriors and Leaders
''“Aye, Lynora and I enjoyed our time together. Enjoyed it a great deal more than we’d have enjoyed needlework and reading, at least… We sang and climbed, played instruments and mingled with beasts. She’d talk to the lords and ladies who wandered into Dyre Den, and I’d give them a nasty glance when they said something we didn’t like. We made sure every man holding a sword knew what we expected of them. Couldn't instruct them on the fighting-trance that comes over me in the middle of a good rumble, but I did show them how to block my hits. That's what I'm good at. I wasn’t stealing us armour and weapons anymore, but we were still working just as hard for ourselves. The two of us grew thicker hides than the dragon-men away from the Claw, and we’ve been served well by it, that’s for damn sure.”''


 * Annara Brune, Lady of Dyre Den

A decade and a half of regency had passed, and Annara and Lynora became ladies in their own rights; Annara ruled the lands of House Brune by law, but in effect, the two were two minds of one purpose. The raw strength of Annara coupled with Lynora’s wits was a positive combination - the indecisiveness and near-constant fighting of the Brune regency had come to an end. Gone were the days of open back-and-forth religious violence; the twins had been raised in an environment where they were surrounded by theology belonging both to the Red God and the Seven. They spoke openly of tolerance and impartiality though in private they still held paramount the way of the Seven, although some ways of the red priests of R'hllor had seeped into their view of the religion. This served to broaden their perspective on the religious conflicts introduced to Westeros by King Viserys’ conversion, though it did not endear them to extremists on either side of the fighting.

Fighting, however, had remained strong in the blood of both twins - Annara was rarely seen without a thick set of armour and a long blade at her side, while Lynora carried a spear at all times. Both sisters were well aware of the dangers that ruling ladies often faced, and refused to be caught unarmed. Rumours abound that the twins are to be the second coming of the Brothers Brune; peacemakers at swordpoint, this time perhaps bringing lasting peace to a region in turmoil. These plans were best faced with allies, though both ladies found it difficult to develop friendships apart from the bond they themselves shared. A new opportunity had presented itself, however - a celebration at King’s Landing, held in honour of a young dragon. The twins departed from the Claw together for the first time in twenty years, soon to be joined by a third party who they previously believed to have abandoned them.

Timeline
289 AC - Annara and Lynora are born. Their mother Gretchel Mooton dies in childbirth, and Nestor Brune abandons his position as Lord of Dyre Den.

298 AC - The twins tame their first bearded reedling chicks, sparking a passion for animal taming that has never left either one.

300 AC - Owed to their intense (for children) training regimens, the twins (Annara in particular) surpass the combat capabilities of most of Dyre Den’s squires.

305 AC - The regency of Dyre Den is lifted. As the purportedly seconds-older twin, Annara becomes lady of her house. Lynora begins to fulfill the role of a second-in-command of sorts.

309 AC - For the first time in their lives, the Brune twins depart Crackclaw Point to attend the celebrations in King’s Landing, fueled by curiosity and a desire to secure allies for their house.

Family Tree
https://www.familyecho.com/?p=GIKQL&c=f7x6o6abdk&f=177043348380489349