Sarya Thorne

Sarya Thorne is a lady of House Thorne and a member of the Dragon Maids. She is a grave and disciplined individual who prefers combat training and military strategy over more traditional feminine pursuits. She is the sister of Jeyne Thorne, who is also a Dragon Maid.

Appearance and Character
Sarya is an elegant but hard-faced young woman who rarely shows emotion. She is petite but well-muscled, particularly in her arms. Her intensity and focus can unsettle those she meets, particularly men who are unused to women like her.

Childhood
Sarya Thorne was born in Thornekeep, the Crownlands seat of House Thorne. She was the eldest of three surviving children. Until the age of eight she was the family's only child and until the age of eleven she was the heir presumptive to Thornekeep. For those eleven years her father, wanting a son, had raised her much as he would a boy. He taught Sarya to hunt, read her the histories of Aegon's conquests and showed her how to spar. When her younger was finally born, Sarya refused to withdraw to more ladylike pursuits and retained a keen interest in martial affairs.

A Glimpse of Dragons
As Crownlanders the members of House Thorne would often visit the capital and were regular guests at the Royal Court. It was there that Sarya first met Rhaenyra Targaryen, daughter of the king. She sensed a kindred spirit in the princess, one who took pride in her physical strength and aptitude. They became friends, to the delight of Sarya's parents who thereafter never challenged her desire to learn the ways of the knight and commander. Sarya was younger than Rhaenyra but idolised and emulated her.

Adulthood
By the time Sarya had come of age she was a fierce fighter. She had taken up the flail, a traditional weapon of House Thorne, and wielded it with deadly precision. Despite her parents' wishes she remained unbetrothed, preferring to hone her physical capabilities by running, swimming and sparring while scorning dances or other opportunities for courting. Her only goal, it seemed, was to excel in her talents.

Rhaenyra had refounded the Dragon Maids shortly after their first meeting, and it had always been Sarya's intention to join when she was old enough to do so. She was welcomed into the order in 428 AC, and relocated permanently to King's Landing to be near to her new sisters. Her own blood sister Jeyne would eventually follow her, although the two siblings were very different to one another.

Recent Events
Ensconced in King's Landing, Sarya serves as one of Rhaenyra's martial handmaids alongside her younger sister. She maintaints strict physical discipline, training every day and abstaining from rich foods. She instructs some of the other Dragon Maids in combat, while honing her own skills with shield and flail. Her loyalty to Rhaenyra is, at this time, absolute.