Delia

Biodata

Background / History

Family and opposition to Jon Arryn

Delia grew up in House Royce at Runestone. As a child, she was close to an aunt who gave her a valuable amethyst taken from a Crystal Shark. According to Delia, her aunt’s husband, Jon Arryn, falsely accused her of adultery with his elder brother, driving her to jump through the Moon Door. Delia’s father considered rebellion afterward but was dissuaded by House Targaryen and House Stark 30.

Her aunt’s death left Delia with a lasting hatred of Jon. Nevertheless, she recognized that acting on resentment could endanger others and insisted on waiting for the right political opportunity. Her family suffered another loss when her eldest brother died; his burial at sea intensified House Royce’s feud with Wickenden 21 30.

Courtship and betrothal

Delia considered marrying Su Qin from their first meeting because she recognized him from her dreams. In one dream, he rescued her on a flying dragon but then left with three other women. As she pursued him, her dreams increasingly connected their lives 30.

She initially approached him with personally sewn knight’s attire. Su Qin admitted that he did not yet have feelings for her, leaving her hurt, but later wore the clothes to his welcoming feast. Before his departure, she presented him with a remade Yellow Dragon banner and 1,000 gold coins earned through sewing for nobles. She confessed her feelings, and they kissed with her parents’ approval 20 21.

Yaron later revealed that Delia had personally requested Su Qin’s title and their marriage alliance, and that she guided many of House Royce’s political measures. Su Qin accepted the alliance after considering both her devotion and the support her family offered. They formally exchanged wreaths and engagement rings before Runestone’s nobles 29 30.

Intelligence and financial support

Delia received advance intelligence that Jon Arryn would become heir to the Vale. She assessed the resulting alliance shifts and resolved to warn Crown Prince Rhaegar about Tywin Lannister’s activities 28.

She also participated in the antibiotic trade that enriched House Royce. After the Golden Tailors assassinated the merchants involved, their remaining money entered her private treasury; House Royce’s total gain from the dealings reached 7,000 gold coins. She subsequently used her tailoring contacts in the Reach and Featherwood to spread word that Gulltown accepted refugees 31 32.

Assassination attempt

While Delia was receiving an intelligence report at Runestone Castle, an assassin wearing the face of her personal maid entered her room. Her Golden Dragon Necklace warned her of danger, allowing her to reach the window and raise the alarm. A Silver Tailor fought the attacker but was stabbed and lost a hand 40.

Delia recognized the assassin’s connection to the Many-Faced God. When the attacker reached her, the necklace created a golden barrier that stopped the strike. Household guards eventually killed the assassin after losing dozens of men, and the necklace shattered afterward 40.

Su Qin rode to Runestone and vowed retaliation. The attack helped precipitate House Royce’s war against Wickenden, although Su Qin’s declared grounds concerned the earlier attempt on Yaron’s life. Delia initially blamed Jon Arryn but later acknowledged that the Targaryens, merchants in the Fingers, or the Iron Bank could also have arranged the attack 41.

Establishment at Gull Manor

After inspecting Su Qin’s cornfields, Delia recognized that their extraordinary yield and geographically restricted cultivation would attract powerful interests. House Royce recalled available Golden Tailors to remove hostile agents around Gulltown. Believing her family’s protection would eventually be insufficient, she considered securing further marriage alliances for Su Qin, particularly through her cousin Lyanna Stark 42.

Delia moved into Gull Manor as its future mistress and established a temporary intelligence base there. She helped maintain order during the harvest, handled political and alliance matters surrounding Gulltown’s growing importance, and hosted officials’ and merchants’ families during Su Qin’s year-end meeting 43 44 45 49.

By January, she was inspecting the planting undertaken by 2,800 farming households. She also agreed to help recruit women for Su Qin’s planned Red Gull House through the Scissors, beginning with women already working secretly in the four Gull towns 50.

Appearance

• Height: Approximately 1.7 meters 21.
• Hair: Long, glossy, straight black hair, sometimes pinned up 21 29 42.
• Eyes: Distinctive violet or purple eyes, repeatedly compared to gemstones 20 29 50.
• Clothing: Wears noblewomen’s gowns, including black silk and a purple dress 21 42.

Personality

Delia combines strong affection with political calculation. Her pursuit of Su Qin begins with dreams and a deliberate marriage strategy, but she supports him with personal wealth, intelligence resources, and practical administrative work. After witnessing him obtain their paired magical earrings, she concludes that he matters more to her than the miracle itself 21 30 47.

She is emotionally direct with those she trusts. She openly confesses her love, shares her grief over her aunt, and cries in Su Qin’s arms after surviving the assassination attempt. In private, she is playful and teasing, particularly when questioning him about other possible wives 21 30 41 45.

Her possessiveness is tempered by pragmatism. Although pleased when Su Qin says she is enough for him, she worries that House Royce cannot protect him alone and considers bringing other noblewomen into the marriage while retaining her position as principal wife 41 42 45.

Delia is also cautious about information and motive. She considers the possibility of false intelligence or disloyal agents and reassesses her initial certainty about who ordered her assassination 28 41.

Abilities & Skills

Targaryen—Dreamwalker

Delia possesses the red-grade Targaryen—Dreamwalker talent, which produces dreams involving Su Qin and influences her decision to pursue him 30.

• Dreams include Su Qin rescuing her on a flying dragon and accompanying three other women 30.
• Her dreamed life becomes increasingly connected to his after she decides on a marriage alliance 30.
• Su Qin does not know about this talent or its role in her courtship 30.
• Her recorded bloodlines also include Royce, Velaryon, Mormont, and Stark ancestry 29.

Political Strategy and Administration

Su Qin considers Delia the strongest civil administrator he has encountered when he first examines her attributes 29.

• Influences Yaron’s policies and arranges the foundations of her own marriage alliance 29.
• Evaluates the constraints preventing Jon Arryn from openly intervening against House Royce 42.
• Handles intelligence and political alliances for Su Qin as Gulltown’s agricultural wealth attracts royal attention 45.
• Assists with public order, agricultural inspections, and household hospitality 44 49 50.

Intelligence Leadership

As the Crone, Delia occupies the highest position in the Golden Tailors, an intelligence organization operating across the Seven Kingdoms 31 43.

• Hierarchy, lowest to highest: Scissors → Silver Tailor → Golden Tailor → Chief Tailor → Crone 43.
• Receives reports on succession, noble alliances, overseas operations, and assassination threats 28 40.
• Uses tailoring establishments and their personnel to circulate information and instructions 32.
• Brings one Golden Tailor, two Silver Tailors, and twenty Scissors with her when traveling to Gull Territory 42.
• Relies on trained agents and personal guards for physical protection; her own martial prowess is low 29 43.

Sewing and Embroidery

Delia is an accomplished seamstress who earns money making clothes for nobles of the Seven Kingdoms 21.

• Personally sews Su Qin’s embroidered knight’s attire, leaving visible needle pricks on her hands 20.
• Rejects the crude workmanship of his original Yellow Dragon banner and summons her chief seamstresses to remake it 21.
• Uses 1,000 gold coins from her sewing income to support him 21.

Recorded Attributes

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Golden Dragon Necklace — destroyed: A blue-grade magical gift from Su Qin. It heats up to warn of hostile intent within 10 meters and contains a single defensive spell capable of blocking a physical or magical attack. It saves Delia from the assassin at Runestone, then breaks into seven main pieces, leaving its chain behind 29 40 41.
• Torch Dragon Pair Pendant: One of a pair of purple-grade dragon-shaped earrings shared with Su Qin and individually bound through blood. Each provides Torch Dragon Shield, usable actively or passively, and Torch Dragon Eye, which allows its owner to contract an animal and see through its eyes. The spells are reusable but require magic crystals 47.
• Amethysts: Requests two from House Royce after receiving the paired earrings. Her father identifies amethyst as a magical energy source and values each at approximately 1,000 gold coins 48.
• Betrothal ring: Exchanged with Su Qin during their formal engagement ceremony 30.

Relationships

• Su Qin Herculys — Fiancé, lover, and political partner. Delia actively pursues their marriage and supplies money, intelligence, and administrative support; he gives her the magical items used for her protection 21 29 30 47.
• Yaron Royce — Father and Earl of Runestone. Relies on her political advice and approves her match with Su Qin 21 29.
• Beatrice Mormont — Mother. Approves the match but reprimands the couple for their intimacy before betrothal; comforts Delia after the assassination attempt 21 29 40.
• Robar Royce and Waymar Royce — Younger brothers who take an interest in their prospective brother-in-law and his weapons 30.
• Lyanna Stark — Cousin whom Delia considers recruiting as Su Qin’s secondary wife to strengthen his protection 42.
• Jon Arryn — Political enemy whom Delia blames for her aunt’s death. Initially suspects him of ordering her assassination, but later considers other possible culprits 30 40 41.
• Yira — Head maid at Gull Manor. Delia approves of the care she takes with Su Qin’s room and clothing, although Yira is initially apprehensive about her arrival 43.

Notable Quotes

“I only told you because I wanted to vent my hatred, so I don't make the wrong political decisions! My political decisions could affect many people's lives! I have to wait for the right opportunity!” 30

“I brought three thousand gold. Count it yourself. I want to see this divine dragon's miracle!” 47

Trivia

• Runestone and Royce refer to the same house: Delia is introduced as Delia Runestone before the text clarifies that the family can be identified by either its lands or its surname 20 21.
• She habitually hides money beneath her bed, despite having an unused secret compartment in her bedroom 28 47.