After reading Jon's letter over and over again Rhaenys put it in the box where she kept the letters her family sent her. They were so far away and it was her only way to feel close to them to read their words and imagine they were with her, imagine she was not always so very lonely on this mountain she hated.
She felt herself lucky to have her daughters though they were mere babes they were a great comfort to her, she doubted her mother even had that. Rhaegar kept her cruelly tied to him far away from all those who loved her and cared from her just as he made Rhaenys go so far from love and care.
She was but a girl when she married Lord Arryn and the age difference kept them from being close along with the fact Rhaenys had no respect for him, he both was too spineless to stand up to Rhaegar and too arrogant to think himself her keeper all because he was her husband. He thought her body was his right and she did not want him to touch her.
Rhaenys looked like her mother in skin color and hair but she had Targaryen eyes and curves, she was a beauty to behold and everyone knew it. Even Lord Arryn said she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen but she was also the unhappiest.
He said this thinking it would never get back to her but she knew all the happenings in the vale she made it appoint to so she could better keep the girls safe.
She wanted to be with her daughters, but they were having a nap and needed to rest. Rhaenys paced around her bed chamber thinking of how to cement Sharra's place as the heir and keep her old man husband out of her bed chambers which is what she thought about most days.
She flopped down on her bed she did not want Lord Arryn not only because he was old and had few teeth but he thought it was his right and she found it insufferable they rarely agreed on anything and as much as she disliked him she was sure he disliked her just as much all he could say nice about her was that she was beautiful he did not appreciate her mind, or her stubbornness or any other trait of hers he found unbecoming of a young woman.
Still she was lonely for a companion she did not really trust anyone her but her babes. Sharra at five looked just like her mother completely Dornish and just as willful. She was surprised the wild little girl she loved so much had agreed to take a nap at all she usually told everyone she did not sleep.
Aemma was a gentle spirit and though she had tan skin her hair was sandy blonde and she had bluish eyes she was so sweet and docile she was lord Arryn's clear favorite daughter not that he spent much time with either child.
Rhaenys spent every free moment with her girls but there was some voids children could not fill the want of a partner and a true man. When she first came to the vale she dreamed Lord Arryn would die and she would run the vale as his widow and marry whomever she chose and be happy but she was staring to think the old man would outlive her at this point.
Her handmaidens rushed in and she did not sit up they were annoying her today and she did not have the energy to pretend to care.
"Are my daughters awake? " Rhaenys asked the girls were her only joy in life she could actually touch and hold she had not seen any other family member in years the last had been her brother Jon. She had not seen any of the others since she was sent away. She never knew why he did it. Why here father did not want her, why he had to give her to the old man when there were plenty of other choices, why him?
"No your ladyship, Lord Arryn is with the Imp, he just arrived we thought you would want to know." The girl said and Rhaenys got to her feet there was no way she would allow a meeting with a Lannister happen in her Castle without her present.
"What are they discussing?" Rhaenys askes curtly.
"The marriage of your daughter to his nephew-" The handmaiden begins and Rhaenys is out the door rage fueling her as she climbs the stairs.
Without any care for decency she bursts into his study where her husband is drinking with the youngest son of Tywin Lannister both turn to her immediately. Tyrion gets up out of respect her husband does not.
"Wife we are in the middle of-"
"HOW DARE YOU TRY AND SELL MY DAUGHTER LIKE A BROOD MARE! She is a baby and will not be thought of any marriages until she is much older and I will be apart of it!" She tells him.
"Please excuse my wife though she is quiet beautiful she lacks any other womanly graces including holding her tongue."
"I have never been good at holding my tongue either." Tyrion says with a smirk before bowing. "And from what I recall from court in my younger days, her highness has many graces including singing, dancing, and being the smartest person in the room which was very humbling for me." He says and she smiles.
"I left court when I was just a girl." Rhaenys reminds.
"Some are blessed with the gift of wit." Tyrion says with a smirk.
"So even Lannister's tongues are gold are they?"
"Only mine the rest of the lot are better with wine, well there better to tolerate with wine." Tyrion says and Rhaenys smiles again.
"I should knight you that is the first time she has smiled all year." Lord Arryn says making his wife frown.
"As amusing as you are I am afraid there will not be a marriage contract today." Rhaenys says simply.
"That is not your choice!" Jon Arryn reminds trying to put her in her place.
"If you try to marry her away at five I will make your life hell if you do so."
"I can not imagine it worse." Jon arryn says softly.
"I will jump from the top of the castle then and you will never have a new bedmate you would not do so out of marriage and my father would never let you marry again to keep his granddaughter heir and you are so spineless even though you have an impregnable fortress you would do as he says." Rhaenys tells him.
"My wife is to young to remember the war how many good men died reasonlessly. She does not understand war!"
"Yet she has won this battle has she not." Tyrion says and Lord Arryn's face turns red. "If Cersei knew I was here she would have me thrown of the eyrie on her child's account I promise you this is just a inquiry from my father the boys parents have no idea any match is years off and I promise If I am still being used as a Raven on that happy day I will let you know." Tyrion says making her smile again.
"She smiles for an imp but not her lord husband a gentleman." Lord Arryn groans.
"I assure you husband I have not met a gentleman in many years after all lord Tyrion just arrived." Rhaenys says before leaving.
All day she thought of more permanent ways to protect her children and dreadfully she arrived at it before supper and refused to dine with her husband in Tyrion instead drinking her supper, right after supper her husband went to his room to sleep like he always does but was surprised to find her there in her robe.
"If I lay with you tonight will you let me be incharge of the girls betrothals when the time comes." Rhaenys asked his eyes studied her it made her skin crawl.
"That is a big job little one." Her husband says making her roll her eyes.
"You are not a bad man Jon you have never been cruel, grant me this to make sure our daughters are not miserable like you and I." Rhaenys tries to reason.
"I don't want that for the girls especially Aemma. Alright but I get you every night for a fortnight." He barters.
"5 nights over the course of a fort night." Rhaenys says back.
"7 nights over a fortnight at your choosing." Lord Arryn tries.
"Fine." Rhaenys sighes disgusted but willing to sacrifice herself for her daughters future.
"Lets go to bed." Lord Arryn says excitedly quick to take his close off and jump into bed Rhaenys fought the urge to be ill as she joins him in bed clasping her robe.
"You are so beautiful wife." Lord Arryn says happily, Rhaenys turs on her side.
"Is there anything else you like about me Jon?" Rhaenys askes out of curiosity, she never asked before and was starting to wonder. He is to polite to say no so he scrambles to think of something but cannot Rhaenys sighs laying on her back. "Nevermind just get it over with." She sighs.
"Don't be like that, I want you to smile like you did for the imp today. I think you're a good mother and am ready to make you a mother again." Lord Arryn says pulling at her rob she lets him move it apart she cannot stomach his grin at seeing her so she begins looking up at the canopy while he takes his hand to himself to prepare.
She wishes she could fall through the bed and the floor and out into the mountain as she hears his noises she shuts her eyes tightly when he falls on her.
"JON!" She yells shoving him off of her he hits the headboard with a thud but never moved. Rhanys gets up tying her robe.
"Lord Arryn! Lord Arryn?!" Her hand clasps her mouth when she realizes.
She does not know what to do and she does not know who to trust in this castle but she knows someone she can barter with.
"It's alright he is an old man it…happens." Tyrion says when she explains she is shaking like a leaf and he wraps a blanket around her and offers her wine his head is reeling to understand what is going on the Lady of the Vale a renowed beauty comes into his bed chamber unannounced in a bed robe in utter shock.
"Harry Harding is going to take the vale from Sharra." She cries. "She is just a baby."
"He will not most likely he will be more then satisfied marrying you I know this is not fair to you but-" Tyrion starts.
"I would do it for my daughter marry another man I loathe but he would not have me because I have been 'ruined'." Rhaenys says he is surprised at that answer.
"First of all anyone who would not marry you is a fool second off you need to breath, we are the only one who knows so you have time to consolidate power and make yourself lady regent of an impregnable castle, no one will ever be able to hurt you again." Tyrion promises taking her hand to try and calm her as she was still panicking she stills and looks up at him.
"No one, not even my father." Rhaenys says curiously.
"You would be acting lady of the vale he would want to keep you on his side." Tyrion said Rhaenys had no intention of that but found herself in a position she could help those she loved.
"I know you don't want to hear this but agree to marry your daughter to Tywin Lannisters grandson WAY into the future when they are much much older and you would have an ally everyone would fear. No one would move against you not even here in the Vale they are scared of him.
Rhaenys stared at him for awhile with big purple eyes. "Do you really remember me from court."
"Of course you were a protégé."
"No I just wanted to be, I wanted to be like you." She says softly sipping the wine he gave her.
"A princess who wants to be an imp that's new." Tyrion says looking down.
"I am sorry he called you that." Rhaenys says touching his hand.
"Everyone does, I wear it well enough." He says with a sad smile.
"I remember you, I remember when everyone gave me silk nightgowns, candlesticks and lennens when I was going to be married you gave me the only gift I liked a kitten."
"A suitable gift for a child which you were at the time." Tyrion says.
"She died but I have five of her babies." Rhaenys admits.
"that is…nice princess but perhaps we should get you some allies nobody must know until you have power to back you so no one in the vale will question you as regent."
"Write your father, tell him if he backs me as regent of the vale publically, I will marry his son….once it is approprite. He won't even have to try and take the vale his name will be enough and I am still young enough to have heirs, heirs with Targaryen blood one could marry a child of Aegons someday." Rhaenys says decidedly.
"Jamie is in the kingsguard and-"
"I mean you." Rhaenys says shocking him. "I have been half in love with you since I was 12 and you were 18 you had no idea but I…fancied you." Rhaenys says blushing.
"Me? Every man in the world wants you and you wanted me?"
"You were so kind to me, smart, funny, kind." Rhaenys says softly. "You never really talked to me before but you saw a terrified child who desperately wanted to stay with her mother and you gave her a kitten because you are good." Rhaenys says softly.
"Edmure Tully, Harry Harolding, Garlan Tyrell all of them more suitable fantasies for a young girl."
"All pretty boys like my father I do not want a man like that besides I have always liked your eyes." Rhaenys admits.
"We cannot be doing this now, this is the best thing that has ever happened to me but I have to stop it because your husband just died and no one can think we were together."
"Why?"
"Because I am going to marry you and I wont let them use this against you I swear all of my money, knowledge, and wit is yours but it cannot seem like we got rid of your husband so I must go have an alibi an you go to bed they will alert you to your husbands death early in the morning." He says as she wipes away a tear.
"Are you alright?" He askes softly and she nods.
"I, I have been wishing for his death since I was a child but now that he is gone….he was the father of my daughters…"
"He was an old man he had a long life." Tyrion says simply.
"Tell me everything is going to be alright." Rhaenys askes as she is at the door to leave.
"I will make it alright." He promises.