Chapter 29: Life
The river crackles as the water rushes over the rocks, the sun shines brightly on the north today. I take the fish off my pole and hit it against the rock before throwing it into the basket. I do not go fishing often, when I was staying at Riverrun the men want to go fishing all the time and it becomes such a bore. That was long ago. Today was the right day for it, with the right Companions.
"Papa!" Aegon cries excitedly I look over at him a happy healthy boy of 10, every day he looked more like a Targaryen prince but everyday he was more Stark too.
"That's it Aegon!" I told him excitedly as I went to him as he pulled in his own fish. I took his pole so he could grab it off the end.
"I caught one!" He said happily!
"Nice Silver! Hold it by the lip just like that!"
"Can I put it in the basket." He asks happily.
"Of course!" I tell him proudly.
The first thing people noticed about Aegon was his alarming purple eyes and Ludacris silver hair but once they knew him how good he was like his mother how very Stark he was becoming, how he was my boy they found themselves loving him like I did.
"ARRH!" Jon cries and I turn to him quickly thinking I need to jump into the water after him but instead my younger boy is standing there with a snapped line and watery eyes.
"It is alright Jon." I promise going over and ruffling his hair, but he is still upset.
"Jon…You must have had the biggest fish ever on your line!" Aegon says and Jon smiles. "It must have been massive, your lucky not to be in the water!" Aegon says and now Jon is astonished.
"Do you think we can see it!" Jon askes looking into the water.
"Maybe." Aegon says looking with him I pat Aegon's back he is such a good boy.
I turn when I hear horse hooves coming this way I instinctively step in front of my boys even though there are stark guards with us. I see the nights watchmen and wave him through he rides over to the river and gets off his horse letting it drink from the river.
"Lord Stark, apologies for interrupting your leisure time."
"A man of the nights watch is always a welcome sight; I assume the Lord Commander agreed to come to Winterfell." I say I assumed he would be relieved at my invitation. A show that I took his concerns about the wall seriously.
"He has m'lord."
"Good, we have much to discuss. Join us at Winterfell to rest before your journey."
"Thank you m'lord." He says softly.
We go back to Winterfell the boys happily take the basket to the kitchen to show off their good work my children are truly the joy of Winterfell and people smile at them as they hurry by.
I look over to Rhaenys leaving the stables I don't know when it happened exactly but it is as though I took my eyes off my sweet girl for one moment and she grew into a young lady. She was twelve and had long black hair kept back in a simple tie so it would not wipe in her face when she rode, she had her mother's brown skin but bright purple eyes like her brother, aside from the eyes and their heart shaped faces the two Targaryen's could not look more different. Rhaenys lived in riding dresses and never found an animal she could not love, her room was filled with wild cats she has tamed and she was doing her best to spoil the sheep dogs. Elia thought I needed to be firmer with her but it was hard when Rhaenys just exudes love in the way that Elia does but Rhaenys could also be tough I liked to think that was from me.
"Well anything yet?" I asked her as she came up to me.
"No this foal is taking its time." She sighs annoyed.
"Well these things do take time." I tell her as we walk.
"Really? It seems to take no time for you and mother." Rhaenys snarks.
It was true Elia had a much easier time having my babies then Rhaegars. One night She and Benjen speculated that it was a Targaryen thing they named all the Targaryen brides they could name that died in childbirth. Childbirth is dangerous and often deadly, but it did seem to more than normal. They continued to add to this theory, but I did not. I knew next to nothing about childbirth, but I knew enough about horses to know not to look a gift horse in the mouth and I was sure I was very blessed when it came to my wife and the children she bore me.
"You cannot start sassing me now." I tell her.
"No?" she teases.
"No, you're my eldest daughter that means you have to love me, always laugh at my jokes, take care of me when I am old and sickly." I tease her back.
"And make sure your heir does not smother you in your sleep?" She teases Elia did not like the dark humor, but I had to I knew she got it from me.
"Exactly now you get it." I tell her.
"You should have considered that before you went fishing with Aegon and Jon instead of ridding with me one of the few times you are free." She pouts.
"I go ridding with you all the time." I remind. "I don't think I have gone fishing since before I met you." She does not smile though that was my intention.
"Not today. I need to practice everyday if I am going to be as good as you." She tells me. I knew Ned thought it blasphemes that I let my children talk back to me but I feel they should fight for what they believe in. Rhaenys is a smart girl who presents her points firmly but gracefully and deserve to be heard out.
"Alright." I agreed. I look around the passing guards to find one I trust enough. "Jory!" I call and he comes over.
"My Lord." He says with a nod before nodding to Rhaenys. "Lady Rhaenys."
"You are to gather a group of guards and accompany lady Rhaenys on a ride."
"Yes your lordship." Jory said he was a great lad I was about to threaten his life about protecting her when Rhaenys grabbed my arm.
" I don't want to go ridding with him I like ridding with you." She says sweetly. I smile I cannot stay mad at her not when she would rather spend time with me then a young man closer to her age. I think how different she is from Lyanna, I hate comparing them so much so that I would not let her give Rhaenys Lyanna's old riding boots I had new ones made for her because I could not bring that old hardache back, still Lyanna was the only 12 year old I had really known until now and there is no way she would rather ride with her father then ride away with some man, I pushed all that away.
"Before dinner we will go ridding." I promise and she hugs me happily I just hold her for a moment holding onto this moment with her wishing she would just stop growing up.
"Thank you papa."
"Of course, I love you sweetling, I am less fond of you Jory keep moving." I say making Rhaenys giggle.
Rhaenys darts after a cat and I go up to the gallery to watch Aegon and Jon training in the yard under Benjen's tutelage. Benny grew up to he was not a boy anymore he has been all around the North even over the wall and now he is the Master of arms. They could not ask for a better teacher.
I watch Alarra at only seven march up to her uncle Benjen with the steel of a commander. Of my children she looks the most like me, dark brown hair, paler skin, dark grey eyes like stone, people use to say she looked like her aunt and I would watch Elia resist the urge to pull her baby back from those people.
They were wrong she just looked like a stark besides she had her mother's noes and face shape. She walked straight to him in her blue dress arm and arm with her sister though a little ahead of her because Alarra had to be the boss, Benjen and Ned always comment that she got that from me.
Myriah is just a year younger than Alarra and the only daughter of mine unfortunate enough to get the long stark face. She was already a little taller than Alarra to her big sisters' frustration. She has her mother's warm skin and black eyes and my nose, brown hair, and temper. She was not in a dress she hated dresses instead she wore a flimsy skirt with trousers underneath and one of the boy's old boots and white undershirt. I guessed Aegon he would give it to his roudy sister if she even asked. It was Elia's turn to pick the babies name and I thought it odd she chose her ancestor who married a Targaryen king until she told me that both of our family trees had Myriah's on them we just spelled it differently. She loved it since Myriah was truly a mix of the two of us though somehow, she got both of our stubbornness.
"Master of Arms." Alarra greets making Benjen chuckle.
"What happen to uncle?" He asked.
"If you let Myriah train with the boys I will call you uncle again!" She says in her sweetest voice which makes me laugh.
"She is only a little thing she could get hurt." Benjen says.
"I want to be like Nymeria!" Myriah says.
"Do you want to be Nymeria?" Benjen askes Alarra.
"No, I want to be like Meria she was a wise strong leader who fought off the horrible Targaryens-"
"I have done nothing to you!" Aegon reminds with a grunt as he and Jon practice.
"Not you your fine!" She hollers back.
"I am sorry girls she is just too little." Benjen says.
"But girls get to fight in Dorne and I am half Dornish!" Myriah shouts.
"When Aegon and Jon were her age they had wooden swords!" Alarra reminds.
"She can have my old wooden sword." Aegon says. "Ow!" He says as Jon hits him.
"Aegon pay attention! Jon don't hit your brother when he isn't paying attention, on second thought do it might remind him to stop talking." Benjen says making the boys laugh as their training swords clank.
Benjen looks up at me and I nod.
"Alright I will find you a wooden sword but if I find out your hitting your siblings with it I will take it away." Benjen says she nods happily.
I go into Winterfell I hear baby Don before I see him with those powerful lungs of his. I turn up the staircase to the rooms saved for members of our household. That's where I meet Berena desperately bouncing her baby.
"Sorry Lord Stark he won't stop, and I thought going on a walk could help." She says.
"That sound is always welcome in this Castle Berena and call me Brandon." I tell her.
"GO AWAY!" I hear screeched from bellow by Rhaenys.
"PAPA SAYS YOU ARE THE ONE WHO WANTED A SISTER!" Alarra yells back never one to give into a challenge.
"WELL NOW I WISH YOU WERE A STUPID BOY!" Rhaenys shouts back I sigh.
"That sound I could do without." I say turning to see why the girls are fighting it usually takes a lot to test Rhaenys patience but her sisters are well versed at it.
"I will go see what is going on, you go see her she could use you." Berena says.
"How is she?" I ask worried.
"The same as usual." Berena says passing me by with her boy. "It's her poor mother who needs you. She says she is fine, and she does it well but nothing pains a mother like a sick child."
She was wise for such a young girl I decide as I head into the room where I know Elia will be. My wife is there with our youngest in her arms she is singing to softly neither of us are big singers, but it seems to help Ashalyn's scattered breaths. All the other children were healthy but Ashalyn got Elia's frail health. I watched the woman I love as she rocked and sang to our daughter, she was such a good mother and after all these years we were still madly in love even though Ashalyn was our last baby. It was too hard on Elia worrying about her all the time feeling like she failed her because she had the same fragility that Elia has. Ashalyn was over a year old now but it was several months ago that Elia asked me how I would feel about moon tea and I agreed to it I could not ask for more children Elia had given me all my wonderful children.
I kissed Raya's head when I entered the room, she was four now and was the sweetest child she was rarely away from Elia's side she happily played with her dolly's. Of all our children Raya looked the most like Elia infact she was her little twin.
Elia's eyes looked up at me and she smiled gently as she finished her song I kissed her cheek and combed through Ashalyn's hair with my hand.
"How do you sweetheart?" I ask she had been well when I had left running around with her sisters on this beautiful warm day. Elia had been so happy.
"Just over did it that's all." Elia promised Ashalyn is gently pulling at Elia's hair and it makes Elia smile as she rocks her, I could not ask for a better mother of my children. Elia's first Northern Winter was a short one but bitterly cold she had Rhaenys, Aegon, Jon, and Alarra sleep in our bed for warmth she was big with Myriah at the time and I had such trouble sleeping because I would rather stay awake and watch them all nestled up safe and secure in their mothers arms. I have always loved my Dornish princess but it was in moments like that I saw Elia for the mother wolf she was and it brought me nothing but joy.
"She just needs to rest." Nan agrees from where she knits in the chair. Elia nods and puts her down in the cot. I look at little Shara she looks a lot like her mother too she has her black hair though it's wavier then curly yet.
She has fluttering eyes as soon as she is down, I kiss her head. I feel as though I prayed away her first year of life asking the old gods to let us keep her to not take her from us to soon. Elia was worried all the time even allowed another woman to breast feed her in hopes she had healthier milk. I understood it was best we do not have any more children I could not imagine going through that again or putting Elia through it. It meant Alarra would be wardenness of the North and I was good with that. In fact, I was starting to think it was a joke from the gods that I with all my past heartbreaking ways would only have daughters. After all they seemed to be taunting Oberyn with the same jest.
"You need a nap too." Elia says going to Raya.
"Okay mama!" Raya says happily she is easily our most agreeable child. I pick her up and put her in bed, Elia kisses her head. "I love you mama I love you papa."
"We love you too." Elia promises.
"So so so much." I tell her I look at Ashalyn she is sound asleep but even as a babe she barely cried she did not have the energy.
I pull Elia out of the room into the hallway where I can just hold her for a moment. "I am so lucky to have you as the mother of my children you are the most wonderful mother that little girl is lucky to have you, we all are." I promise.
"Its hard to see her suffer."
"She is not suffering she is only tired." I tell her that's what Luwin told us and I have to believe it is true, Elia says sometimes when she is really faint, she gets headaches but is usually just exhausted.
"Thank you." Ellia says sometimes she needs the reminder, sometimes she just needs held. We stay like that for awhile after all this time my love for Elia is still growing everyday, I think I cannot love her more until I do.
"You smell like fish." She teases finally.
"I will clean before dinner." I promise.
She smiles at me. "See that you do my love."
Informal dinners are my favorite so we can all just be together. Ashalyn softly cooed on my lap. Elia had been fussing over her at first, but she was more relaxed now listening to Jon talk about fishing. They had such a close bond you would think that Elia bore him herself. It was odd to me she knew his parents were the two people she had the most reason to hate in all the world and she gave him nothing but love.
Aegon and Rhaenys bickered back fourth while Rhaenys had to Mother Raya who was next to her. Alarra and Myriah were laughing and giggling even though they could not be more different. Elia says they are exactly like she was with her brother constant companions even though they were vastly different.
"Where is Benjen and his family?" I ask Elia.
"Don is finally sleeping; I assume his tired parents are too." Elia says and it makes me smile. Ashalyn was too weak to cry as a baby and Rayla was instantly soothed when anyone held her, the last time we had a screaming baby was almost 6 years ago, it's a funny thing to miss.
"A man of the nights watch came to us while we were fishing." I say and Elia looks at me nervously the King was still dead set on Aegon going to the nights watch as soon as he was 12, Jon Arryn was a bit more reasonable with 16 and even Ned did not have a problem with that. I watched Aegon instead of cutting Myriah's meat for her he was showing her how to which she appreciated. He was a good happy boy who was quick to smile, I was not ready for the nights watch to harden him. He did not deserve to suffer for his father's mistakes he already had the misfortune on having an infamous name and bad reputation it was unfair to take the future he could make for himself away.
Rhaenys they were less concerned about because she would change her name when she married which they endorsed so long as it was someone they approved which of course meant she was not to marry a man of importance I wrote back that she was only a girl of twelve they were ready for their to be one less Targaryen but Elia and I would not be those parents who marry their daughter off to young. Elia would not let Lord Hornwood marry his sister to Benjen until the girl was a little older which I was glad for but the suggestion to do such a thing to Rhaenys had left me in a rage.
"Darling?" Elia askes and I kiss my little daughters head, Elia named her for two women she admired, even with Elia's own delicate health she was the woman I admired the most in the world which made me think she would be alright, in fact I would make sure they all were.
I pull Elia close and kiss her head the boys and Rhaenys groan but Alarra and Myriah giggle. "I was just thinking how much I love you all and that there is nothing I would not do to keep you safe."
This Chapter was very nerve racking to write but I wanted to focus on Elia and Brandon's growing family and getting to see a little but of who each of the kids are. Hope you enjoyed it please let me know what you think and thank you so much for reading!