Before We Were Old
Cregan had marched south to fight a war for the rightful Queen, by the time he had arrived in the south, the Queen and her idiot brother were both dead, as were most of their children and family. House Targaryen was only a scared little girl, a broken boy and two young ladies one who was too headstrong for her own good and another who was the perfect lady. Cregan had thought about reminding the King and his regents that he was owed a bride, but decided against it. He did not want to take what little family the boy King had away from him. Instead he had taken the position of Hand and done the right thing as his father had taught him. He'd then agreed to leave and marry Alysanne Blackwood.
Their marriage had been a moon ago, and Cregan had to admit, he was slowly falling in love with the woman. She was fierce and proud, and though not beautiful in the traditional sense, she was very beautiful to him. She rode and knew how to fight, she was like Arra, but different as well. She was very appealing to him. However, he wondered what had prompted her to leave her comfortable southron life and marry him and come north. They were in together in bed, the morning light was just starting to come through, Rickon was asleep in another room. He looked down and saw her looking at him.
"What are you thinking about, Cregan?" Alysanne asked. That was one thing he liked about her, she had not demurred and called him 'my lord', like other southron women would have. Instead she had instantly taken to calling him by his name, and he hers.
"Wondering what would have prompted you to come north. I know what you southron lot say about me and mine. We are not like you. We are a harsh people for a harsh land. Your brother is also a friend to the King's you could have had your choice of husbands, so why me?" Cregan asked.
Alysanne looked at him and then she sat up, removing her head from his chest. He felt the loss there. "Because I was intrigued by you." She said simply.
"Intrigued by me? How so?" Cregan asked curious.
"You are different to the other lords, even your own bannermen that came for our wedding. You are not so cold as you make people think, and you have this sense of adventure about you. I thought you would make a fitting husband for me." Alysanne said.
"And is that why you agreed to marry the Wolf who the entire southron court considered an usurper and a danger?" Cregan asked, he had heard the rumours and the murmurs.
"Yes. I did not think you were as bad as some made out. The fact that you agreed to allow Lord Corlys to take up his position again was proof of that." Alysanne answered. "Furthermore, I knew you had a son in little Rickon, and I have always wanted to be a Mother."
Cregan nodded, his wife was a good mother to Rickon and his son seemed to love Alysanne. "I see." He paused and then said. "I am glad that you agreed to my proposal."
"Why did you make it?" Alysanne asked.
"Because I found you interesting. The woman who commanded archers during the War, and the woman who refused the hand of Lord Kermit Tully, a dashing knight. I was intrigued and I still am." Cregan said.
"Well, I am glad to have intrigued you." Alysanne replied. There was a brief pause and then she asked. "Do you think the King will be okay? Having regents is no easy thing, I remember hearing from my brother about the regency he endured. And that was for a mere lordship. The King is the King, everyone will want power from him."
Cregan thought for a moment, remembering the conversation he'd had with King Aegon, remembering the fire in the boy's eyes. "I think the King will be okay so long as he remembers who and what he is."
Alysanne didn't ask what he meant, instead she said. "A dragon and a King, not merely a boy."
"Indeed." Cregan replied. "Though it will be very difficult for him. Nobody should have to go through what he went through. Furthermore, the regents won't want him acting too independently. I know that they will want to constrain his power."
"If you know that, why did you decide to return north?" Alysanne asked.
"Because winter has come and my people need their lord. I could not waste time in the south." Cregan answered truthfully.
"I do suppose you also have Ser Torrhen in King's Landing to look out for the north's interest." Alysanne supplied.
Cregan nodded. "He is someone the boy will know given that he was there when Queen Rhaenyra was at King's Landing." He had his doubts about Torrhen, oh he knew the man was loyal, he was a Manderly after all, but Cregan had seen the way Torrhen had looked at Cregan after Arra had died. The man had three daughters, one of whom was of a marriageable age. He no doubt would suggest the girl to the King should something happen to the Queen.
"Well, we will just have to wait and see how things progress no doubt." Alysanne said.
Cregan looked down at her and nodded. "Indeed we will."
He heard his son call out then. "Papa!"
Cregan looked at his wife and said. "That's my call." He kissed his wife on the lips and got up then, he put on his trousers and a shirt and walked out to see his son stood before his door his thumb in his mouth. "Come, lad, let's go say hello to Alysanne shall we?"
His son smiled. "Yes Papa!"
Cregan picked his son up and walked back into the room where Alysanne sat, wearing a shirt. "Someone wanted to say hello." Cregan said. Rickon extended his hands for Alysanne to hold him which she did. Cregan looked at his son and his new wife, and smiled in happiness. This was everything.