Snow // Willas Tyrell // Oberyn Martell

19. Starlight

The night before the tournament Josie found Willas staring up at the stars.

'Any shooting stars?' josie questioned laying down next to him, he looked over at her before looking back up at the stars.

'I adore the stars.' He told her. 'the constellations and their stories behind the stars.'

'Could you tell me about them?' Josie questioned. 'it was never nice enough back home to just sit under the stars so I never really thought much about them. but I would like to know more, if you're willing?'

'I would love to,' he got closer to her, his body pressed against hers as he took her hand guiding her finger across the sky, her eyes followed her finger as he spoke.

'The northern sky, realm of star groups known as the north constellations. The most prominent figure is the Big Dipper, ursa major These bright stars — four forming the "bowl," three more tracing out the "handle" — create one of the most recognizable patterns in the night sky, an ideal guide for locating surrounding constellations.' Willas told her.

'I see it... I think.' Josie said following his hand interwoven with hers as he traced the stars in the sky.

'Then we have the little dipper, it isn't much brighter than the stars in the Big Dipper. Polaris is the brightest star in the little dipper or Ursa Minor the Little Bear. You could say that Ursa major is a little sister or ursa major.'

'sister stars, thats cute.' Josie said thinking of her own sisters, she missed them but she was enjoying her time at High garden very much.

"It is made up of seven stars as well, four in the bowl, and three in the handle. Because four of its stars are dim, the Little Dipper is hard to see on cloudy nights.' Willas told her and Josie tipped her head into him.

'but tonight is a perfect night?' Josie questioned. She really could see every single star, it made her feel small. Knowing there was so much out there, so much to explore, all those stars a million miles away yet they shone brightly for all to see.

'If you trace a line from the bowl of the Big Dipper past the North Star and continue beyond, you'll arrive at a group of stars that form a distinct letter M or W... do you see it?' Willas questioned.

'W...' Josie confirmed.

'This is Cassiopeia, Queen of Ethiopia'

'A star queen?' Josie questioned.

'With its distinctive "W" shape formed by five bright stars, Cassiopeia is one of the most easily recognizable constellations in the northern night sky.' Willas told her, willas was no longer looking at the stars but Josie. 'the legend though is that the constellation is named after the vain queen Cassiopeia, wife of the King Cepheus of Aethiopia. As the legend goes, Cassiopeia boasted that she was more beautiful than the sea nymphs called the Nereids. Her claim angered Poseidon, god of the sea, who sent a sea monster called Cetus to destroy the kingdom. Cassiopeia's daughter, Princess Andromeda, was left bound to a rock as prey for the monster, but she was rescued by Perseus the Hero whom she later married.'

'That sweet.' Josie said softly, Willas watched a smile curve on her face as she looked over at him, he turned his attention back to the stars.

''Stars also change with each season, that important to know. In case you are looking for something and you cant find it because it is on the other side of the world.'

'Wow I didn't even think of that.' Josie remarked, it made sense though.

'To see the constellations that come and go with the seasons, we need to turn our backs on the north constellations and face south.' Willas offered her a hand adjusting positions. 'Alright,' he lay them down side by side again and Josie tipped her head into him 'so that's Canis minor, the little dog.'

'the little dog.' Josie squinted his eyes into the sky. 'that doesn't look like anything to me.' she told him embarrassed.

'you have to use your imagination a bit. I didn't see them at first when I was first learning,' Willas admitted, he interlocked their fingers and she followed their hands up to the head and the tail. 'They just looked like a bunch of dots in the sky but now I see them as clearly as if there were really lions and dogs and warriors running around the sky.' The lay staring up at the stars the moon high but waning away.

'In the Spring as the days lengthen and the weather warms, Orion and his wintry retinue process slowly into the western sky. Leo now assumes center stage high in the south. Leo's most noticeable feature is a grouping of stars that looks like a backward question mark. The period on the question mark is the star Regulus. To the left of the Sickle are three stars that form a right triangle. We see the Lion from the side; the Sickle outlines his head, and the triangle, his hindquarters.' Willas pointed her finger up to the sky, using her hand to trace the stars Regulus down and around the head and the body. 'I have maps... I have maps and drawing of all of them, I could... show you what they look like, what I see versus what's just in the stars.'

'I would like that.' Josie confirmed, leaning in closer, Willas eyes drifted to her again. 'Who named the stars?'

'I don't know who named them, or how the stories came to be but every constellation has a name and story to tell.'

'Tell me another.' Josie requested looking around and pointing at a star. 'what's that one?' he tipped his head into her following her finger.

'Aquarius between Capricornus and Pisces. It's one of the biggest,' Willas told her, their toes bumping into each other. 'Despite its size, it can be difficult to see with the naked eye, no particularly bright stars that stand out....actually,' Willas sat up reaching for his mini telescope. 'Here hold this to your eye, it will give you a better look at the stars.'

'I know what a telescope is Willas.' Josie informed him putting it to her eye. 'I lost it,' Josie laughed out looking through the telescope with no use. Willas got up sitting behind her his legs around her he guided her to the right star and she leaned back into him. He wrapped his arms around her, Oleanna watched from the balcony, her plan was going better than she could have imagined and she hadn't even had to connive anything the two got along perfectly well.

'The name Aquarius means "cupbearer" or "water bearer" in Latin. The constellation represents Ganymede, a handsome young man who was the object of Zeus' affection. According to lore, he was brought to Mount Olympus where he served as cupbearer to the gods and was granted eternal youth.'

'Like Peter Pan.' Josie remarked.

"You read?" Willas questioned.

'I love to read, the winters are long and cold in winterfell if I wasn't training I was reading.' Josie confirmed.

'A woman of many talents.'