Alayne Harlaw

**Alayne Harlaw** is a distant member of **House Harlaw,** daughter of the late **Lord Ravos Harlaw, Master of Harlaw Hall** and his wife, **Lady Serra née Volmark**. She is a lover of Theon Harlaw and mother of their natural son, Harras Pyke.

## Appearance and Character

Alayne is a waifish mouse of a girl, with a white, scar-ridden body. Hanging in her face like a window drape, her pale blonde hair looks to have never seen a day in the sun, resting in loose waves on her chest. She has a high forehead, round eyes framed by dainty eyebrows, and a thin-lipped smile. Her skeletal figure is made worse by her increasing use of poppy milk. Alayne's style of dress naturally favors a dark cut, typically in the form of a cloak draped over her bony shoulders. When she speaks, her voice rings high-pitched, like that of a young girl.

She speaks evasively to those she is unfamiliar with, but the twenty-something is far from mute, or without opinion. Swift and silent on her feet, more akin to a shadow than an animal, more akin to a feline than a human, she is capable of moving her mouth quick as her legs if need be. Intimately, Alayne is vengeful and unforgiving, though her scornful words land soft as a feather when she perceives the repercussions to be too great.

## History

### Early Life

Alayne was born on the 13th Day of the 3rd Moon 417 AC, the eldest child of Ravos Harlaw, then-Master of Harlaw Hall, and his wife Lady Serra Volmark. Master Ravos was instant that his daughter receive the proper courtly upbringing of a lady so that she may be offered to a good husband, though he wasn't without lessons of his own to teach her: namely, how to fight, and how to survive outside the warm confines of a keep. He understood his daughter was naturally introverted, and tried not to reprimand her meekness unless he perceived it would allow people to take advantage of her. Master Ravos wanted to raise more than a proper lady; he wanted to raise a survivor who would live through the inevitable. Though Alayne had a gaggle of younger brothers, she remained her father's favored child, and so it was little surprise when he sent his daughter to Volmark when conflict began in the Iron Islands.

### Black Prophet's Rebellion

Master Ravos took up arms with the rebels early in the Black Prophet's Rebellion, with the ambition of taking the Ten Towers for himself and leaving Alannys and Theon on their asses. While prepared for the worst, Alayne herself evaded most of it while she, her mother, and her brothers were holed up in Volmark. When the rebellion failed, however, it was not long before her safe haven would come crumbling down, if Alayne ever felt safe there at all. Her father died in the fighting outside the walls of Volmark, and while she was thankful not to see it herself, rumors make her especially glad that it was something she'd never have to remember- she didn't even have a body to bury in horror. The castle fell, and one by one her brothers were slain as their mother watched on in agony. Unfortunately, Alayne was not spared those sights. Alayne herself was nearly halfway out the window, perhaps to begin a transient lifestyle, or an attempt to go home. In truth, Harlaw Hall was not home anymore; she didn't have a home at all. The Rebellion ended with her family losing everything.

### Lover

When her mother jumped, only to land broken and bloody on the rocks below, Alayne dealt with her trauma alone and silently. Though she was the "lucky" survivor in her family, she did not truly feel safe; she was a loose end to be snuffed out whenever desired, by the same man who murdered her family. She briefly considered many things: running away in the dead of night, ending her life to be with her family once again, or perhaps even kill Lord Harlaw for what he'd done, and accept the immediate consequences. That thought lingered longer than the others, but fizzled away when Alayne determined that she could not do it and survive. So she did her part to break away at Lord Harlaw's outer shell, to embrace her woman's body and give him reason to keep her alive. Seething hate became tempered by animalistic desire, and a prime urge to protect. This instinct was noyl furthered in late 435 AC when Alayne discovered that she was with child. She never considered herself a complete person after losing her family, but in that moment knew this would be the closest she would get. Any dreams of naming her beloved child after one of her late parents was dashed, but Alayne cared little; they were dead, and there was no good to be gained from dwelling on it.

Harras Pyke was born in 436 AC, remaining on the Iron Islands throughout his life.

## Recent Events

Alayne accompanied her lover to the royal wedding in Oldtown, where she is finally reunited with her beloved son Harras.

## Family and Household

* Sargon Harlaw b. 351 AC d. 401 AC

* m. Olenna Westbrook b. 363 d. 390 AC
	+ Lucimore Harlaw b. 376 AC d. 420 AC
	+ m. Ysilla Farwynd b. 378 AC d. 411 AC
		- Ravos Harlaw b. 399 AC d. 433 AC
		- m. Serra Volmark b. 401 AC d. 433 AC
			* **Alayne Harlaw** b. 417 AC
			* Theon Harlaw b. 406 AC
				+ Harras Pyke b. 436 AC