The sound of heavy boots filled the passageway.
Lyanna had been just about to set herself to bed for the night, but now she found herself staring down a dozen men and women, led by none other than Ser Barristan Selmy of the Kingsguard.
"What is the meaning of this?" Her voice sounded shrill in her own ears, and her hand twitched for a sword at her side that was not there.
Ser Barristan seemed rather surprised to see her so upset by his presence. "We are here to assist with the removal of your families from the capital," he said simply. "We've come from the docks just now, where ships are being prepared for this very purpose."
Elia stood beside Lyanna now. "From whom does this order come?" She asked.
"The King," Barristan said simply. "We… I had thought that word would have been sent ahead, but it appears that this is not the case."
"For what reason?" Lyanna questioned.
"Secrecy, I was given to understand." The old knight gave a strained smile.
Thoughts whirled through her head. Barristan had served Aerys, was this his attempt at freeing Aerys' spawn? Had the King resolved to eliminate Viserys in an accident of the sea? Were they merely being removed to keep them out of Tywin's reach?
"I will not accept this on your word alone, Ser Barristan," Lyanna stated, causing Selmy to frown.
She continued before he could interrupt. "I do not consider the security of the Maidenvault to be a small matter, Ser. Now, is there any issue with me seeking out the King and confirming this before anyone is moved?"
Barristan's face flushed red with heat, but he bowed. "No issue at all, my lady. The matter of time is not so very pressing to us. We will not stir until you return, I promise it."
She stormed from the Vault, nearly colliding with Ser Wendel, who was but a few steps from the door of the Vault with a dozen or more of his men-at-arms, all laughing and making merry.
"Ah, Lady Lyanna!" The fat man cried. "My fellows and I come lately from an evening's amusement, and I had thought to pay my respects, before Ser Barristan and the others went in. But now, I see that there is distress upon your face. Is aught wrong?"
Lyanna paused a moment, mind whirling. Perhaps… "Ser Wendel, there is a matter you might address, but..." She winced. "It is not a favor I can fairly ask of you."
"Name it," he stated with a broad smile.
She took in a deep breath. What she asked of him was treason, or might be, but she had to be sure. "Ser Barristan claims he was ordered to remove me, Elia, and our families from the Vault. He has promised not to do so until I can confirm this order with the King himself..."
Ser Wendel bowed, his voluminous shirt bunching up about his neck as he did so. "And you wish to hold him to this promise? It shall be done."
She stood on her toes and kissed him once on each cheek. "Ser Wendel, I will not forget this."
Wendel chuckled warmly. "My Lady," he said quietly, "for what purpose did you think my father sent me here?"
Her eyes widened, but before she could reply, Wendel's face turned stern. "If you would speak to the King, you should be about it."
She stilled her questions and nodded, leaving him there by the Maidenvault.
Finding the King, at least, would be no difficulty. The King spent nearly all his time in his solar, reading and arguing and giving orders. Indeed, at this hour, he could scarcely be anywhere else, unless he had already gone to bed, but she knew him better than to think that. Her soft footfalls echoed throughout the nearly empty corridors of the Keep. She heard the coming of the King and his entourage long before she saw him. The King had not been in his solar, he had been coming down from it, and in a moment she came face to face with him in the hallway.
The last few weeks had been painful for him. Knives in the night and hard labor in the day. The streets of the city had been painted red with traitors, and the cells were overflowing with others. Every one of these trials was written across his face in lines and creases, as though his crown weighed as much as the whole realm together.
"Your Grace," she managed, barely maintaining the minimum courtesy in her address. "I understand that my family and Elia's are to be relocated?"
The King nodded, his face grave. "If you have heard this from someone other than myself, it appears that I have been too slow about my business. These days are long and full of trouble, and other duties pulled me from speaking to you about this first."
Lyanna drew in a breath. Though such a statement should be an insult from anyone else, she knew enough of the King now to know this to be an apology, and an apology from the King was no small matter. The spike of fury lodged in her heart dulled and she cooled her expression. "And what was it that you intended to tell me?" she questioned, "Your Grace," She added awkwardly.
The King looked to the side and frowned. "Walk with me," he stated, his voice low. "I was just headed down to the Vault now."
He went. She followed. They were walking now along a great open balcony that ran alongside the walls of the Keep. Cool night air washed over them, seeming to lighten her troubles with every step they took.
"There," the King stated, pointing out toward the west. She did not know what to look for at first, but presently she saw it. A tiny blossom of light just beneath the western horizon. "That is the army I am sending to stall Lord Lannister. A small band of Stormguard accompanying thousands of goldcloaks and pot-boys with spears."
"Is it wise?" she asked. "They are so near, would it not be better to put them atop the walls? A man atop a wall is worth ten below."
"Had we either walls or men worthy of being called such, that adage might prove true. But have no fear," Stannis smiled, his face cold and angry, his expression fierce and proud. All the same, Lyanna felt her heart warm to see him smile. "Tywin will be dealt with shortly. With his chosen heir leaving the city, he cannot find victory."
"And what will you do with him? The Headsman's block? He still has many friends in the realm, and his only error here has been trusting overmuch in the virtue of his own daughter."
The smile vanished as quickly as it had first appeared. "That error alone makes him a great enough fool to make him unworthy as Lord of the Rock, but his treachery runs deeper. How quickly do you think a man can assemble ten thousand horse?"
"In the North, perhaps eight weeks." Lyanna allowed. "Less time in the southern kingdoms."
"Tywin managed it in three, and had supplies for his men along the roads to speed their progress."
Realization dawned on Lyanna. "He had been preparing for war with the throne."
Stannis stared straight ahead as they walked, his voice cold and unforgiving. "The man's avarice is limitless. Being the second most powerful family in the realm could never be good enough for him. I have accorded him as many honors as Arryn and Tully, but because I did not give him the kingdom, he has always resented me."
"So, what then? Do you think he intended to poison you and use his army to establish himself as Steffon's regent?"
"Four of his lickspittles have tried to kill me since the letter went out. Tywin doesn't keep such scoundrels employed unless he has a purpose for them. It is fortunate that Cersei played the harlot, or else we might never have known of his plans until too late." He laughed coldly "There are enough men scheming against the realm in these days that they are more like to hurt each other than anything else."
He turned to her then, a questioning look in his eyes. "You have studied the usage of arms, I noted."
She flushed. "A little."
"More than a little," he stated firmly.
She did not deny it. She hardly could.
Stannis scowled. "Brynden Tully."
He knew, then. Lyanna bit her lip. She must say something in the man's defense, he did not deserve the King's censure. "He helped me practice, sometimes, and helped conceal that practice from the Queen. But my training in arms predates his assistance." She paused. "My father would not let me wear a sword to court, but he did not prevent me from learning how to use one. If he did not mention it to you, I am sure he only did so because it was beneath your attention."
"You intended to train your son in arms."
She drew in a breath. "Yes, if he shows interest in the Night's Watch, I will prepare him." She kept her voice cool and quiet.
"I had specifically commanded that the children of the Vault not be trained in arms."
"You never gave such a command to me."
A breath of air escaped Stannis' nose. Long acquaintance with him told her that this was his closest approximation of a laugh. "It suits me ill to complain of martial skill when it was last employed in saving my life. I suppose that treachery as much as loyalty has been my salvation."
Quietness ruled for a moment. The riots had finally been quieted, and the moon's reflection played in the bay. Lights played up and down the streets of the great city, and in a sudden moment, Lyanna realized that for the first time, she found the city beautiful.
"I am sending you back to the North," Stannis stated.
She halted in her steps. "I had thought-"
"That I meant to send you to Dragonstone, or the Eyrie? I might have done such a thing a year ago, but I see now all too well where my kingship has been lacking."
Lyanna could not reply to such a statement. He had failed. He had made mistakes. She could not honestly protest this. A year ago she would have laughed at him for saying such a thing, and happily supplied a dozen ways in which he had been an intolerable ass. Now, though, she had some idea of what Stannis had been up against, and could only think that if he had failed, he had failed less than many kings before him, and perhaps that was as much as a man might achieve.
And now, now he was setting her free. It was everything that she had asked for. Everything for which she had scraped and begged so many times. Words of thanks formed and died upon her lips.
Stannis spoke first. "I have lived too long in my brother's shadow, cursing him and everyone who loved him. I raged at him, at Jon, at your brother. Fear and love: a king must wield both if he is to rule. I knew that. Lord Arryn had told me as much. But I refused to become Tywin, and the very idea of becoming like Robert made my blood boil. What, should I drink and whore? Would that make me a better King?
"But that was arrogance and folly. I acted as though there was no matter of duty that I had failed in, that I could only improve by losing myself." He sneered as if in some dark memory. "I do not have to be Robert to make men follow me. I need only be somewhat better than what I have been. You know that your brother is rallying his troops already?"
"The one letter I have from him confirmed this, yes, although… I do not think he will come south in time. One way or another, this war will be nearly over."
"I will need him, all the same. For after. After Tywin and Balon and the Vulture and the Crab and thousands of others are dead, I will need him. I will need him, I will need Tully, and I will need Arryn, should he still live. Your brother and the others have shown their loyalty countless times. What have I done as King to reward their loyalty? Why should I be surprised that Tyrell and Martell make endless excuses against calling their banners against Tywin? I should be surprised that Stark and Tully answer my call at all. The dogs at Tywin's table eat better than the Lords at mine."
The Maidenvault had come into view beneath them, and Stannis gave a quiet nod. "This changes now."
A/N: Character Development Ho! Thanks for reading. Please leave a review.