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Chapter Four: An Avoided Conflict

Breakfast the next day was mostly silent for the Arryns. There seemed to be a current of tension in the air that even little Robert sensed, for he did not speak, choosing instead to play with the porridge in his bowl. Artys sat in silence like the rest of them, occasionally shooting concerned glances at his twin. Alyssa did not seem to notice, her eyes were fixed on her plate, but she wasn't making any attempt to eat the food on it, she simply cut it into smaller and smaller pieces.

"Aren't you hungry, Alyssa?" His father asked at last, breaking the thick silence around their table. "I don't think I've seen you eat a single thing since you sat down. Are you well?"

Finally, Alyssa looked up and offered their father a small smile that only Artys could see was feigned. "Oh, yes I'm fine, father," She said, her eyes not meeting his. "I was simply caught up in my thoughts is all."

"Well, if that's all it is." His father smiled at her, and returned to his food, but Artys was of course not convinced by his twin's words. He tried once again to catch her eye, but still she would not look at him. Sighing, Artys looked at his own plate, vowing to speak to Lys after breakfast.

When breakfast mercifully ended, Artys caught hold of Alyssa's arm as she hurried down the corridor outside the dining hall.

"Would you like to go riding with me today?" He asked her. "It is a wonderful day, and I know your mare must be restless and eager for some freedom."

To his relief, a small smile came over Alyssa's face. "I haven't visited Moonlight yet since we came back. It's been two years since I've ridden her."

"I thought you'd like to see her," He said. "So, shall we go?"

"All right," Alyssa said. "Let me get changed into something more practical, and I'll meet you at the stables, all right?"

"All right then." Artys nodded, and he headed for the stables and saddled and prepared his horse and Alyssa's.

Fifteen minutes later, his sister arrived, wearing more practical riding clothes. She hurried to the beautiful white mare that was waiting for her beside Artys's horse and patted her silky neck affectionately.

"She's more beautiful than I remember," She told Artys, beaming. "She's been taken care of."

"Of course she has," He smiled. "Now, shall we go?"

Alyssa nodded, and mounted her mare, as Artys mounted his own horse. They rode out of the gates, and Artys smiled with satisfaction as he saw the happiness return to his sister's face. He had known that this would work, and now that she was no longer upset, he thought he would be able to get to the bottom of what had upset her in the first place.

"So," Artys said as they sat at a table in a small inn. They had stopped for an afternoon meal, and Alyssa felt a lot better after the long ride they had had. "Are you going to talk to me now?"

Alyssa gave him a look of faint confusion. "What? I have been talking to you all morning, brother."

"Yes, but you haven't talked to me about last night, have you? No one else is here, Lys, you don't need to pretend that you weren't upset."

Alyssa frowned, her confusion turning quickly to annoyance at her brother's words. She had thought that he had dropped this topic, but really, she thought, she should have known better than that.

"Lys?" Her brother was looking at her with concern. "Please, just talk to me would you? I can't help you if you won't even tell me what happened, can I?"

"I can't tell you because nothing did happen, Artys," Alyssa sighed, looking away from him. "Please, let it go. I'm fine, all right?" She couldn't tell him that it was Lysa who had upset her, she thought, it would only make things worse. He'd only confront her and cause more animosity than there already was in their family.

"I'm not a fool, Lys," Artys said. "Where were you before you went running to your chambers, anyway?"

"I...I was nowhere," She said. "Come on, Artys, just leave it be. We've been having a good day, let's not spoil it all now by arguing. I don't want to fight with you."

"And we don't have to fight. Tell me what happened, and I'll drop it, I promise."

Alyssa sighed wearily. Her brother could be awfully stubborn sometimes, and this time, it seemed that she was fighting a losing battle with him. If this kept up, she knew that he'd annoy her enough that she'd eventually tell him, so now all she could do was to minimise the damage.

"Well?" Artys asked when Alyssa knew she'd been silent for too long. "Are you going to tell me what upset you last night?"

"Fine," Alyssa said finally, already knowing how bad the consequences of her decision would be. "I will, but please don't do anything stupid, all right? You'll have to promise, or I won't tell you, I mean it Artys."

Her twin nodded, his expression deadly serious. "I won't do anything, Lys. I just want to know, I promise."

Alyssa nodded reluctantly, and looked at her brother. "Really, it wasn't a big thing at all," She started, her hands twisting together nervously. "I shouldn't have gotten upset at all, not really. Well...last night, I went to see Lysa about something and-"

"Lysa!? Lysa upset you!? What did that mad woman do, Alyssa?"

Alyssa sighed miserably, wishing that she could take her words back. "Artys, calm down," She said. "You promised, remember? You said you wouldn't do anything."

"But Lysa changes things, Lys. I can't just stand by and let that witch upset my sister."

"Well, you will," She said, finally snapping. "She only brought up my inevitable betrothal, that's all. For all I know, she meant her words as a compliment." Of course, the last part was completely untrue, but she had to calm him down as soon as was possible.

"Oh please," Artys said, letting out a snort. "It wasn't a compliment Lys, and you know that. The woman was trying to get to you, it's what she does. Don't worry though, I'll be having words with her when we get back."

"Oh Artys no, you promised. Please don't say anything, it'll only make things worse."

"And her making those comments to you didn't make things worse? Alyssa, she can't just get away with things like that."

"Yes, she can," Alyssa insisted. "Listen to me, Artys, it's nothing, okay? Let it go, we have better things to discuss."

"Oh do we?" Her brother demanded. "Like what?"

"Like the tourney," She said quickly, trying to distract him. "Loras Tyrell arrived yesterday, did you know? His new tourney armour is outrageous, apparently. It's literally encrusted with jewels."

At this, she was relieved to see a small smirk appear on Artys's face. "Maybe I can knock a few of them off when I unhorse him."

She smiled at him, amusement flickering in her eyes. "Oh, maybe," She said. "The boy really does seem as arrogant as you said he was, from what I heard. Most of the court ladies fawn over him like idiots though."

Artys actually chuckled at that. "More fool them," He said. "The only fawning our Tyrell rose favours is that coming from the king's charming little brother lord Renly."

Alyssa giggled at Artys's words. "You know, King Robert suggested a betrothal between me and Renly once, since we're of similar age and status. Do you remember that?"

"Oh yes, I do I'd almost forgotten. The look on your face when father told you, truly I thought you were going to explode with indignation!"

"I didn't look that bad," She insisted. "It was just shock, and well, Renly Baratheon wears brighter silks and jewels than I do. Honestly, he's more a peacock than he is a stag, and I wouldn't want to be outshone by my lord husband."

"I can't argue with you there," Artys said, chuckling. "Although apart from his er...taste for expensive clothes, he isn't a bad sort, is he?"

"I suppose he isn't," Alyssa said, looking thoughtful. "He's actually quite kind, and he's a wonderful dancer."

"Oh? And how would you know that?" Artys teased, smirking at her.

Alyssa only shrugged, rolling her eyes at her twin's teasing. "I've danced with him at feasts a few times, you know that."

"Ah yes, of course," He nodded, still smiling. "Still though, I'm glad you won't be marrying him. After all, you'd have to live in the Stormlands if you did."

"That's true," Alyssa frowned. "I don't really like the Stormlands, it's just such a grim part of the world. Well, its weather is grim, in any case."

"Yes, well it has a fitting name at least." Artys noted and Alyssa laughed quietly.

"Where would you like to live then, when you do marry, that is." Artys spoke cautiously, well aware of his sister's dislike of this subject.

"I don't know," Alyssa wouldn't look at him, instead staring at her half full wine cup. "I don't spend a lot of time thinking about it."

"I'm sorry," Artys said, looking a little guilty for bringing it up. "I know you don't like talking about it, Lys. Let's focus on something else, shall we?"

"Yes," Alyssa nodded. "Something like the fact that the tourney is only two weeks away, and I haven't seen your armour for it yet. You do have it, don't you?"

"Well...no," He admitted, looking sheepish. "Actually, I was going to go to the armoury this week."

"Well, you had better, Artys. Unless of course you want to wear your old training armour."

"I'll sort it," Artys insisted. "Now, finish up that wine, we'd better get back before it gets dark."

"You're right," Alyssa said, nodding. She hastily finished her wine and they left, swiftly mounted their horses again before heading back to the city.

Alyssa smiled as they rode, and lightly patted Moonlight's neck. The mare had been a gift from her father years ago, and Alyssa loved her dearly. She was a beautiful horse, and she had the gentlest temperament Alyssa had ever seen.

"Moonlight seems happy," Artys said as they rode along. "I think she missed you."

Alyssa smiled at him. "Really?" She asked. "I missed her too. I hated leaving her here but you can't go riding from the Eyrie, unless you use a mule."

"Yes, that is a disadvantage of the Eyrie, isn't it?" Artys asked, and Alyssa found herself nodding in agreement. She truly loved the Eyrie, but her love of riding went ignored while she was there, and that saddened her.

She and Artys spoke little on the remainder of the ride back. They put away their horses themselves, and after bidding her brother goodnight, she went to her chambers and readied for a early night.

As she settled back into the comfort of her bed, she smiled with relief. She had deflected Artys from causing conflict with Lysa, even when she hadn't thought she could. She knew that more conflict would arise within her family sooner or later, but for now, she could rest easy, knowing that things were as all right as they could be.