It had been nearly two months now and Emily's lady mother finally seemed to be on the mend. Maester Seron had been the one to suggest to her lord father that his wife's health might improve if she could see one or both of her daughters after losing her baby girl she'd birthed recently, which had sent her lady mother into a deep depression and had made her become sick enough her lord father had agreed with the Maester and sent a request to King's Landing. While Queen Cersei claimed to sympathize, she simply couldn't part with both Brax siblings and Talia made arrangements to stay while Emily traveled to Hornvale.

To be honest, she often felt inadequate to the task since Talia remembered more about the uses of herbs, but Maester Seron attended to that with his usual gentleness so all she really had to do was keep her lady mother company. She talked about the events in King's Landing and thought of Ser Barristan when her lady mother was resting. She'd felt the connection when he'd kissed her, but she was fooling herself if she thought she could ever have a marital relationship with him. She might not be the first born like Talia and expected to marry the future lord of another house, but one might ask for her hand in marriage. Even a captain of the guard like Jory Cassel who'd come South with Lord Stark would be considered a better match than her being involved with a man outside of wedlock. Besides, Ser Barristan wouldn't ever do something like that and she'd always admired him for that reason.

"Emily?"

"Yes, father?"

"Could you come here a moment, please?"

She glanced at her sleeping mother, then set aside her needlepoint and walked to her father's study a couple doors down. She found him at his desk as two ravens sat on his window cill eating kernels of corn and drinking water. "What do you need, father?"

"It would seem I have two letters from King's Landing. One is from Lord Eddard Stark inquiring if Talia is betrothed or not and the other is from Ser Barristan Selmy. Apparently King Robert has declared all kingsguard can wed now and he has asked permission to marry you." He looked up at her. "I know the Starks are an old and powerful house, so arranging a union with them would insure Talia is well cared for even if it means she lives far away. Ser Barristan on the other hand is the only Selmy left and he admits in his letter he isn't young, nor does he have much as others who will surely inquire after your hand, but he cares for you and promises whatever he has and can obtain will be yours. He is certainly a man of his word and there is none more bold and fiercely loyal in all the South, though I would like to hear your thoughts before I make my decision."

"My thoughts?" She studied her father's face and wondered if he really meant it or if he'd already chosen and merely wanted to hear her side. She knew there was a chance to be married to Ser Barristan either way, so she had to take the risk. "Well it's no secret I always liked him and even if he doesn't have much, I have a feeling I would be as well cared for as Talia will be. As the second born daughter, my value to other lords is debatable, even among the lesser ones. With the knight at least, I would know my value is far above what others might see me as. It's true that I would probably be widowed young, but such things have happened before to women who married men closer in age."

He nodded. "All that you say is true. I have had no other inquiries or offers concerning your hand in marriage and I owed my life to Ser Barristan out on the battlefield a few times, so it would be unfair not to take his offer into consideration. This Lord Stark is a respectable man with heirs, I assume?"

"Yes, he is as honorable as they come. He has three sons, though only one is marrying age and I don't know if he's promised to anyone or not."

"If he has written me, his son must be unwed unless he himself a widower."

Emily shrugged. "I don't know father, but I suppose both are possible. He's not mentioned much about his family back in Winterfell and is an extremely private person. Talia has gotten more out of him in the conversation area than I and was the first to trust him."

He looked thoughtfully at her for a time. "Would you say Talia cares for him enough to agree to marry him if it turned out he was inquiring discreetly for himself?"

"I don't know... maybe. If she has any feelings for him, she keeps them hidden away just like I have been."

"It was our biggest regret knowing you girls would be in a place you'd have to do that and there was nothing we could do as your parents except hope that you might catch the eyes of suitors. Out here in Hornvale there was a smaller chance visiting lords might find you comely enough to marry to their sons, but I doubt it would be anyone nearly as prestigious as a Stark or a Selmy. Although Lord Tywin Lannister could still reach out now that his son Ser Jaime is back on the market since he has obviously given up marrying off Tyrion. Yet I have heard Ser Jaime's temperament has worsened over the years since King Robert began his rule and anyone unfortunate enough to marry him would have to deal with that."

Emily pursed her lips. "The only person he seems to get along with these days is his sister the queen, though Talia and I both agreed even their relationship seemed unstable sometimes."

Her father understood what she meant since he'd seen the twins interact before when they'd visited before and after the war and he'd thought it odd at best. "Indeed. Should Lord Tywin inquire after you girls, he undoubtedly would understand if I've already promised you off. After all, refusal of first offers is almost unheard of unless it's a very undesirable person or a better offer arrived at the same time."

"So what is your decision, father?"

"I promise I will think over what you have said before making my final verdict, though chances are high both letters will receive my approval."

She nodded and left before she could look happy lest that it influence his choice in a way she didn't want because either her or Talia ending up with Ser Jaime was undesirable and unthinkable. She stopped in the Sept to pray more fervently than she had in a long time before she rejoined her still sleeping lady mother and took back up her needlepoint as if nothing were amiss.