Desmera Beesbury

Braxton Beesbury

## Lady Desmera Beesbury

The sixty-eight year old, and current head of House Beesbury, is the holder of the lands of the Honeyholt. She has sat in the Ever-Sweet chair since she was seventeen years old, and overseen the production of her families trade secrets since. An aged woman now, she has seen two of her three sons die in battle, and prepares her seat for her granddaughter Olenna.

## Appearance and Character

Desmera is an aged woman, of sharp eyes, and infamously curling, golden hair. In her youth she was once considered a highly appropriate marriage prospect but now, with two deceased husbands, she has long since accepted she will not marry again. Desmera Beesbury still in her old age has her with hair of spun gold that turns to translucent amber in the sunlight. She has delicate, porceline, pale skin and dangerous, blue eyes. Her age though is present on her face, deep crevaces line her face, and her lips are thin, where once they were full. Desmera stands no taller than 5’5” and is most often dressed in conservative fashions designed by herself, or her late grandmother Ellyn. Never shy to present her opinion, Desmera has seen the world change, and her place in it numerous times, she is unafraid to do what she must, but knows the role of a woman.

Desmera wears black and yellow, the colours of her sigil most often, scarcely resorting to wearing other colours, fashion is power in the world of women, and Desmera wields it fast as any blade. Unique broaches, and hairpins are her game, different pins reveal different intent, or messages for those around her, and she appreciates other women who can read the signs of such things. She does enjoy crafting dresses for her granddaughters, and still is spritly enough to ride a horse when required. She walks with a cane of black, ironwood, a gift from a suitor long ago. She daps herself with lavendar water most mornings, and cleans her teeth with mint, and rose, her smile, though rare is a gift she does not bestow often. .

## History

### Early Life

Born shortly after the marriage of Gwayne Tyrell and Rohanne Florent, in 62AC, shortly after the feasting is concluded. The early years of her life are quiet, the Reach had finished the Third Dornish War, and there was relatively little for House Beesbury to partake in. Instead Desmera is raised on learning and statecraft. She is taught the womanly arts, and take has a strong affinity for the sewing, and numbers. Her father a merchant by nature, is particularly impressed by his daughters ability to grasp numbers and teachers her of the honey trade.

Though she is too young to remember it Desmera and House Beesbury hosted Gwayne Tyrell in his travels across the Reach. Thinking to impress him and spare themselves from future tax increases, they spent extravagantly to host the Lord of the Reach. It did not work and as Lord Hightower found his taxes increased, so too did House Beesbury. Their coffers crippled, and their trade not able to replenish it, House Beesbury resorted to debts to fund their spending. At seven years old Jaehaerys Targaryen died of Dragonblight in King's Landing, as an expression of sorrow, Garlan Beesbury sends seventy-seven jars of honey to the capitol, thinking to sway the Royal House to House Beesburys favour. Desmera remembers in these years her sisters, and her, learning how to harvest honeybees, for it required nearly all hands working to supply the offering.

At thirteen, the Maegor's Breath sweeps through the Honeyholt, and while the smallfolk shiver in the frigid winter, House Beesbury struggles to preserve its hives. Honey trade is crippled, and even Desmera recognises that steps must be taken. On her suggestion forests around the Honeyholt are cut down for wood, and great, communal, fires burn in the villages of the Honeyholt. The smallfolk love her for the idea. In the last years of the brutal winter, the marriage of Alyssane Tyrell and Lucien Hightower takes place. House Beesbury attends as loyal vassals of House Hightower, Desmera is sixteen. Gwayne is a known White Rose supporter, loyal to his liege in an attempt to generate House Hightower's favour. Gwayne does not survive the last days of Maegor's Breath though, and as winter chills his lungs, he passes, leaving sixteen year old Desmera as Lady of the Honeyholt.

### Adulthood

Desmera's first order of business is to begin restoring her families finances, and she does so with remarkable productivity. Using the cut down forests, she establishes new apiaries, and due to the love she has from the smallfolk, by virtue of youth and winter fires, many young men sign up to tend the new bee hives. Through to her twentieth nameday Desmera rejects all marriage talk, in favour of restoring the coffers, and she does so. Becoming recognised as a woman of high skill, and talented statecraft. As her trade flourishes though, so do does her network of connections. Every shipment of honey, comes back with secrets, and word from throughout the realm.

In 83AC the Fourth Dornish War brings her first real test, and she marshals her levies for Lord Hightower, charging her distant cousins to lead them. It was during this war that Desmera heard in depth of Starfall and Anders Dayne, marriage to a Dornish was impossible though, and she let the idea leave for now. Instead after having her levies serve faithfully, she looks to the Reach for a marriage, and two years later is married to Roderik Rowan. It is a marriage of convenience, and propriety, showing strength and connection to the Reach above all others. In the same year, she gives birth to her first son Ben Beesbury, a healthy boy of golden hair, and dark green eyes. Two years later, she gives birth to another boy Hugh Beesbury, and the Honeyholt rejoices that the line of Ellyn Ever-Sweet shall continue unabated. The rest of the decade is peaceful and the Beesburys function as leal vassals, partaking in tournaments, and raising their young sons. During this time they remains as strong White Rose supporters, seeing few reasons to change.

In 93AC The Rosegold Rebellion breaks out, and Desmera sends her brother's in law to lead her levies rallying faithfully to Lord Hightower, and Lord Tyrell. As the battles waged, and Oldtown was blockaded, it was on the back of the Honeyholt's fields that the city was fed. Desmera directed her own stores be emptied in order to feed Ser Lucas Hightower, Lady Alysanne Tyrell, and her liege's city. Spared any battle or sacking directly, the Honeyholt could have thrived afterwards. yet, her fields were not designed feed the largest city in Westeros, and years of rebuilding were necessary. In 97AC Roderik Rowan, Consort of the Honeyholt, and previously very healthy, catches Dragonblight and passes away. Desmera enters an appropriate remorse, donning a black shroud for the remainder of the year. At the turn of the year to 98AC, she take a new husband, the previously mentioned Ser Anders Dayne, his silver hair, a handsome match to her own golden yellow. They had a baby boy not nine months later, Braxton.

### Later Years

The death of Roderik though sad, was fortuitous, for without him leaving when he did, House Beesbury would have been torn between the White and Black Rose factions. Instead they were steadfastly White Rose loyalists, backing their liege dutifully. This time the Honeyholt forces were led by Consort Anders Dayne, in an attempt to show his leal service to House Hightower and Tyrell. Desmera's sons Ben, and Hugh, squired under [Insert lord here]. The rebellion was a swift defeat, and while there was no burning of the fields, the debts House Hightower had to pay as compensation, were drawn from her vassals; House Beesbury was once again depleted. The resulting years saw quick changes in the Reach, a realm used to slow progress. Theodore Tyrell's abdication in favour of his nephew Dorian, put the Beesbury's on the right side of the Lord Paramount. Then the return of Lucien and Alyssane, gave Desmera a favoured voice in court, the set up for the next century was very much in her favour.

Desmera and House Beesbury attended the tournament at Highgarden in 101AC in full retinue. Desmera herself came with her two sisters, three sons, and half a dozen nieces and nephews. They were presented behind House Hightower, a wash of black and gold livery that came to be known as the Hive of the Honeyholt, and Desmera, the Queen Bee. The grand joust was won by Ben Beesbury, a boy freshly 16, and knighted by his cousin Edmund Rowan, with the blade Stonebreaker, he named Cassandra Florent his Queen of Love and Beauty, despite the girl being 6 years his senior. Marriage talks would start shortly after, the first significant marriage for a new generation of Beesbury's.

In 112AC, Braxton Beesbury, Desmera's youngest son, travelled to Lys on a trading venture, to sell honey to the East, and secure a line of finance. On his adventure he met Lysara Rogare, and together the two wed in Essos. Their children, twins Beony, and Arys were born with Lyseni features, and celebrated immensely on their presentation to Desmera, her first grandchildren. Her heir Ben and his wife Cassandra would try for many years to conceive a child, but it would not be until 114AC that at last they would be blessed. Sadly though, the birth of Olenna Beesbury, on the thirty five year old Cassandra was too much, and she died in childbirth. Ben, a fine man of numbers, and martial skill, felt the deep effects of shock, and depression, he dies four years later in a drunken accident, falling from his horse. Desmera once again dons a black veil and mourns through 118AC, retiring from court, and letting her husband Anders, and sisters rule in her stead.

Her retreat does not last long though, only a few months, and in that time she takes to being Olenna's direct guardian. Naming Olenna, Heiress Apparent the Ever-Sweet Seat, Desmera returns to court in full determination to raise her chosen heir proudly. Her fortitude is rewarded in the years after, with a marriage to House Tarly from the Stormlands, and House Harlaw from the iron islands. Children from both marriages fortify House Beesbury, as a lively and cheerful house. As the years of 120 tick passed, Olenna is brought up as a model heir, learning her theology, her numbers, and diplomacy. She is presented to the court on her sixteenth nameday, a beautiful woman ready to lead when Desmera decides to leave.

## Family

### Important Members

* Mina Beesbury - Sister
* Alys Beesbury - SIster
* Hugh Beesbury - Son
* Olenna Beesbury - Granddaughter
* Arys Beesbury - Grandson
* Beony Beesbury - Granddaughter

## Household Members/NPC's

Ser Bertram Beesbury - Captain of the Gate Guard, and a very distant branch Beesbury.

Ser Alan Beesbury - Commander of the Family Guard, and a very distant branch Beesbury.

Lady Myranda Honeykeep - Petitioner to the Honeyholt, daughter of a beekeeper family in service for many years.

Master Frederick Flowers - Chief Beekeper of the Honeyholt.

Ser Leo of the Honeywine - Favoured knight of the Ever-Sweet court.

Maester Tywald - The fifth Maester to serve Desmera, and the most knowledgeable on flora. He was a direct request from Desmera to the Citadel.

Septon Bonnifer - The second Septon of the Honeyholt in Desmera's time, and holds a balanced approach in faith and spirituality.

## Meta

#### Skills:

* Finances(EDU)
* Deception(CHA)
* Awareness(STA)
* Espionage(INT)
* Infiltration(INT)