"A divorce!" Lysa Arryn exclaimed. "My dutiful sister is getting a divorce?!"
Jon Arryn nodded sadly. He watched the once beautiful, auburn-haired, woman as she suckled their young son and waited for her reaction to the news. Lysa's reactions were often unpredictable and her many miscarriages and still births had eaten away at her mind. He tried to be a good husband, but he did not love her. She did not love him either, not that he could blame her. Jon was easily old enough to be Lysa's great grandfather, in his youth he had been handsome, tall and broad-shouldered with sandy-blonde hair and strong features. But he had seen too many wars, lost too many teeth, and buried too many wives by the time that he had married Lysa.
He was a man with no heirs, and she a girl dishonoured but proven to be fertile, the match had been political and hastily made, and he had regretted it ever since, the only joyful thing about his wedding day was that it was something he had shared with young Ned Stark. Even now Jon could clearly remember Ned nervously standing beside him at the Sept, awaiting to marry a woman that he had never met. Most men would be worried about what she looked like, but not Ned, he was only worried that he would be a disappointment in comparison with his more handsome, and more outgoing, older brother. Ned had never lain with a woman and was scared shitless about the bedding ceremony.
"I don't want a bedding." Ned had whispered quietly.
"Ned," Jon had sighed. "You understand why it's important?"
"Yes." Ned had agreed. "But I don't want one… what if I can't… what if I…" Ned had looked up at him pleadingly. "I don't want a bedding." He had whispered to Jon. He had gained some confidence in the 8yrs that Jon had known him, mostly thanks to Robert, but in many ways Ned was still a shy young boy, war had not changed that. Jon had put a sympathetic hand on Ned's shoulder, but before he could respond the brides had arrived. Fortunately Ned had clearly worked out what to do, resulting in Robb, and gotten some practice during the war somewhere else, resulting in Jon Snow…
Jon Arryn himself had almost given up on fathering a true born heir by the time that Lysa had brought a black-haired infant squawking into the world. Jon cared for the child, yet something about the squish-faced infant irked him. Questions nagged at his mind that he did not wish to confront, questions that he was unsure how to even approach.
Eventually young Robert finished feeding and Lysa placed him in his crib, bringing Jon's attention back from his wandering thoughts. "My poor sister." She muttered. "My poor, poor sister." She shook her head.
"Divorces do happen." Jon Arryn replied carefully. "Not often, but they do happen. Doran Martell divorced Mellario not so long ago."
Lysa glared at him. "I don't care what the Dornish Prince and his Lysian whore did!" She hissed quietly, had the baby not been asleep she would have likely yelled it. "Their marriage wasn't political, Ned Stark married my sister for an army, just as you married me for an army… now neither of you need our father anymore…" She gave him an accusing look. "My poor sister, my poor, poor sister."
There was no point arguing with her, Jon sighed. "Do you wish to go to her?" He asked quietly. Lysa had always been jealous of Catelyn, he knew that, but Catelyn was still Lysa's sister, whatever was going on, Catelyn would need the support of her family, Jon just hopped that this divorce didn't result in a war. Hoster Tully's grandson would one day be Lord of Winterfell, but would that be enough? Better that the woman had died in childbirth than live to divorce! Lysa didn't respond so he repeated the question. "Lysa, do you wish to go back to Riverrun, to be with your family, and comfort your sister?"
"I…" Lysa replied uncertainly, she looked towards the sleeping babe.
"I can get a wet nurse." Jon replied calmly, in truth he had already arranged one. "Getting out of King's Landing might do you some good, you may go to your sister if you wish."
In the blink of an eye uncertain Lysa was replaced with spiteful Lysa. "And if I don't come back?"
He gave her a sad smile. "Tell me what you want, Lysa, tell me what will make you happy."
Lysa looked at the crib and then at Jon Arryn, he watched as fear, uncertainty, anger and then hatred washed over her face, she looked back at the baby again and he thought he saw a spark of love but she quickly pushed it down. Then a new look came into her eyes, one that he had never seen her wear before, courage. "I want a divorce." She said quietly.
Jon Arryn gave her a sad smile. "Go to your sister." He said quietly. "Talk with her, and with your father, spend some time in your childhood home. If you still want a divorce in three moons time I will give it to you."
"And my sweet Robin?" She asked uncertainly.
Jon was not fond of the nickname. "Robert is my heir," He said calmly, although he had doubts as to the truth of that statement, now was not the time to address such matters. "You may visit him as often as you wish, but you may not take him with you."
"I'll leave in the morning." Lysa said quietly, her gaze never leaving the crib.
Jon Arryn did not trust her, if allowed she would steal his heir away and leave in the dead of night. He shook his head. "Your sister needs you." He said kindly. "Your family needs you, it is your duty to go to them and it would be dishonourable of me to stand in your way." He knew it was low of him to turn her family's words against her but what choice did he have? "I've already made arrangements, you may leave as soon as you are ready."
She gave him a horrified look. "You want me gone, don't you! You've already found wife number four! Tell me, who's my replacement? Tell me!"
Her yelling caused the baby to wake up and start crying, she moved towards the crib but he stepped in her way. "Go pack." He said coldly. Lysa burst into tears and fled the room, Jon Arryn sighed and picked up the crying babe. Either way he knew he would pay dearly for this, but he was more worried about Ned than about himself. A divorce… something was very, very wrong. He needed to clear his head, he cradled the still crying child and started making his way out of the Tower of the Hand… he didn't know what lead him to the godswood, but as he stood in front of the old oak and looked at its carved face he felt a sense of peace. He wasn't sure exactly when the baby had stopped crying.
Jon Arryn had been born and anointed in the light of the Seven, and was the line of the Andals, whom had brought the true faith to the savage First Men of Westeros long ago. He knew the Seven Pointed Star word and verse, he was not a religious man, but if he believed in any god it was the one with Seven faces. Yet he understood the appeal of the Northerners gods, it was a gentler faith, kinder, more in tune with nature. Who could truly argue with the sentiment of it?
"Look after Ned." He whispered to the heart tree. "I don't know if you are real, but if you are the quiet wolf needs you now more than ever."
"And so do his pups." A gruff voice said from behind him, King Robert Baratheon.
Jon Arryn turned slowly. "Your grace."
Robert growled. "You can cut that crap when we're alone old man." He frowned. "So it's true, huh? Ned's getting a divorce?" Jon nodded. "And Lysa?"
"Asked for one," Jon said quietly. "I told her if she still wants one in three moons I'll give it to her."
Robert scoffed. "What did she take worse, that you would grant her a divorce or that you would make her wait three moons for it?"
Jon shrugged, careful of the now quiet baby in his arms. "Who can tell with her?" He said with a sad smile.
"Be rid of the woman, be rid of her and be done with it." Robert declared.
Jon shook his head. "I'd rather not anger Hoster Tully if I don't have to… or the Blackfish, he does guard my gate after all. Hoster will tell her to return, there will be no divorce." He said confidently.
Robert shook his head. "Maybe if I'm lucky Cersei will ask me for a divorce as well?"
Jon shook his head. "Even if she did, her father would simply march her straight back here, and you are too far indebted to the lion to risk angering him."
"So what can I do?" Robert asked. The question seemed genuine.
Jon looked at him and sighed. "You know the answer, we need to start counting coppers. We need to stop spending so much, cut the tournaments, pull back on the feasts and your own spending, start paying back what we owe him. When the debt is clear, then, maybe, you might be able to get a divorce."
Robert growled at him. "Is that how you talk to your king?" He asked.
"No." Jon Arryn replied calmly. "That is how I talk to a man I love like a son. You're getting fat, Robert, and your purse is getting thin."
Robert sighed. "You're right, but I'm not the one that needs a father right now." He shook his head, for all his bluster and boldness in some ways he was still the angry young man that had watched his parents drown. He sighed. "Gods, poor Ned… I…" Robert looked down. The man was stubborn and proud, he often seemed selfish, but the sad truth was that he was insecure. He doubted his own ability as King, which was why he leaned so heavily on Jon Arryn. He seemed to debate with himself internally before speaking again.
"I know you need to go to him… and I know I haven't been to many small council meetings lately…" He seemed almost like a scolded boy, yet Jon had done no scolding, if anything he was guilty of being too soft on the man.
Jon Arryn sighed. "Two weeks." He said quietly. "Come to every small council meeting… I'll wait two weeks before I go… but I want to go for a while. It is far too long since I have returned to the Vale and if Lysa does return…" He looked at Robert sadly, his kindness wasn't helping the younger man. "I want to step down as Hand of the King." He said quietly.
Robert looked at him in horror. "Resign? Take a break, yes, but resign? The kingdom would fall apart!"
Jon shook his head. "No, it wouldn't." He said calmly. "Elevate Stannis to Hand… make Lord Swann Master of Ships... If he declines ask him to suggest a brother or cousin. You need people from the Stormlands around you… not people from the Vale, and most certainly not Lannister's."
"Stannis." Robert muttered, he almost spat the name. Robert had never forgiven Stannis for not crying or yelling at watching their parent's die. Robert himself had yelled and screamed and cried and cursed until he was horse. He'd beaten his fists bloody until somebody had stopped him. His hands had still been scabby and raw the day he had returned to the Vale, his grief worn around him like a cloak. Jon Arryn had feared that he would never pull the young man out of his melancholy. Luckily Ned had been able to be the brother to Robert that Stannis couldn't be and had helped him grieve. Unfortunately part of that grieving process had led to Robert fathering a bastard, Mya Stone, on one of Yohn Royce's serving girls, but Jon couldn't begrudge a man seeking comfort.
If only Lord Rickard Stark hadn't insisted that they wait until Lyanna was sixteen to marry things might have been so different. Robert wasn't a bad man, he had only turned to whoring because he needed the comfort, if only he'd wedded Lyanna sooner. Jon regretted not encouraging Robert to push the matter.
"Yes, Stannis." Jon said quietly. "Let me go back to the Vale, Robert, let me get my house back in order. I can take Joffrey as a ward when he is older… before you announce your intent to put Cersei aside."
"You'll help me get the lions out of my life then?" Robert asked hopefully.
"Get them out of your pockets first, and out of your court." Jon replied calmly. "You should visit Storms End within the year as well, don't take Cersei with you, return with a suitable retinue for your heir before he is raised as a Lannister."
Robert nodded. "If you're going to help me remove the lions you will need to come back." He pleaded.
Jon nodded. "In time, I won't come back to the Red Keep though… when I do return to King's Landing I'll purchase my own residence."
"Jon." Robb sighed.
"You don't need me, you can do this, Robert, if I didn't believe that I would never have put you on the throne." He balanced baby Robert in one arm and gave King Robert an awkward hug with the other.
Robert frowned down at the child as he pulled away from the hug. "He doesn't look much like you, does he?" Robert muttered. "I wonder where the dark hair came from?"
"Joffrey doesn't look much like you, either, not like Mya does." Jon replied lightly. The comment was made in jest, but later he would think heavily on it.
Robert nodded. "When you're in the Vale…" He let his words trail off. Jon could see the sadness in Robert's eyes, he did love his first-born daughter, but he dared not bring her to court, Cersei had all but promised that the girl would suffer an accident if he did. That had been the point at which Jon had realised what a mistake it had been to push Robert to marry Cersei… maybe if he had allowed Robert time to grieve Lyanna first things would have been different? Long life was a curse, the longer you lived, the longer your list of regrets.
"I'll check in on her." Jon Arryn reassured.
"Thank you." Robert said quietly. "Maybe in time…" Greif contorted his face and closed his throat.
Jon placed his free hand on Robert's shoulder. "Maybe." He replied. "Once you've freed yourself from the lions."
"You bloody chained me to them." Robert muttered.
"Yes," Jon agreed. "It was what was needed at the time, but now we need to remove their teeth and claws."
"Tell Ned to get Balon to start harrying them." Robert muttered.
Jon swallowed thickly, that was a dangerous choice. "Is that a royal command, your grace?" He asked quietly.
"Not officially." Robert replied. "Officially we never had this conversation."
Jon relaxed a little and allowed himself a small smile. "See, I told you that you don't need me." He muttered.
"I'll always need you." Robert muttered back.
"Robert," Jon sighed. "I'm seventy-two years old, I won't always be here."
Robert shook his head. "Don't talk like that, old man, I don't want to hear it."
~~/~~
Jon Arryn had been at Winterfell for two weeks and he was worried about Ned, the quiet wolf had become even quieter. Ned had welcomed Jon Arryn's arrival warmly enough, but Ned completely refused to discuss Catelyn or the divorce.
"There is nothing to discuss." Ned had told him quietly but firmly.
Jon Arryn knew Ned well enough to know that when he refused to discuss a matter that was the end of the conversation. Jon warned Ned that there would soon be a lot of pressure on him to take another wife, but Ned claimed that he would never remarry. Jon sympathised, he had felt much the same after the death of his first wife, Rowena , but he cautioned Ned against publicly declaring it and pointed out that 'never' was a very long time. Ned did not need to make any decisions straight away and his vassals needed the hope of a possible political gain through marriage.
Ned had always been quiet, even shy, when he was younger. His grey eyes seemed to take in everything, but his words gave away little of his insecurities. He still had that slow smile, but two wars had made him seem as hard as the lands he ruled. The exception was with his children. Ned had a sweet, kind heart, he'd built stone walls around it over time but it was still there.
When Jon passed on Robert's instructions for Balon Greyjoy, and the reasons behind it, Ned was firmly against the idea. Ned felt that such a thing was not only dishonourable, but would weaken their position with the Ironborn, and would lead to other attacks.
They discussed recent events, Ned telling him of the troubles on Bear Island and how Jorah Mormont had forced his people into such levels of poverty that they had poached out of desperation, to add insult to injury Jorah had then sold his own starving people into slavery for trying to feed themselves. The craven and his pretty young wife had run, leaving his aunt to pick up the pieces.
Ned feared that encouraging the Ironborn to raid would have negative repercussions on the struggling people of Bear Island. Jon offered to send the Island aid (in the form of food, ships, and fighters) to help compensate. The Vale had been having good harvests the last few years so he could spare it. Ned was thankful, but reluctant to accept on Bear Island's behalf, stating that they were a proud people.
Since Arya's first name day was fast approaching Jon suggested that Ned host a large feast and ensure that Lady Mormont was strongly encouraged to attend, if she did come then Ned could discuss Jon's offer with her then. Ned nearly choked when Jon referred to the She-Bear as a lady and the next two hours were spent on Ned educating Jon about Bear Island. Jon had heard some stories in his time, but he'd never heard anything as outlandish as the founding and history of Bear Island.
The idea that a King could win or lose an Island in a wrestling match made Jon wonder what King Rodrick Stark had betted, although he suspected a piece of land or a daughter's hand were the most likely wagers. He held a lot of respect for the old First Men ways, long gone were the days when a war could be won or lost on a battle of two champions, and far older were the days when a King had the nerve and ability to be that champion. Oh, Robert would try to stand up and do it, but years of drinking and whoring had not treated him well…
~~/~~
Ned had asked Jon to stay until after Arya's name day and Jon was more than overjoyed to do so, in some ways he considered Ned's children as grandchildren and Jon was happy to get to know them. He was intrigued to observe that Robb was very protective of Jon Snow, and greatly saddened when Ned explained the reasons why. Cat's treatment of Jon may, or may not, have been the cause of the divorce, but it had clearly contributed. It wasn't like Jon Snow was the first ever Bastard of House Stark to be raised at Winterfell, either, Lonnel Snow had done much to help his legitimate family protect the North from the Ironborn. And Brandon Snow, half-brother of King Torrhen, had been the one to negotiate peace with Aegon the Conquer, on his brother's behalf.
Jon Arryn watched Robb and Jon interact and compared the two boys. Robb's hair was a dark chestnut, with the look of one whom might grow a red beard when he was older. His face was rounder than Jon's, you could see the Stark in him, but not as loudly as in Jon. Robb had the Stark shoulders though, in that respect Jon was a narrow slip of a boy. Despite Robb being taller the two boys looked so close in age that some whispered that Jon might actually be older, but Ned was firm that Robb was older than Jon, all be it by a matter of weeks. The two were closer than brothers, behaving much like twins. Robb was the bold one, but Jon seemed to think things through more.
Jon Arryn's thoughts shifted to Sansa. She was beautiful, but angry, she had striking red hair and even at two years old it was clear that she would take after her mother in looks. The toddler could not understand why her mother had left and nobody could comfort her on the matter. She had a Stark's temper though. Her blue-green eyes flashed like emeralds when she had tantrums, which she had been having a lot of lately. She yelled and screamed, and blamed everybody for her mother leaving. But if Jon Arryn thought Ned was going to have his hands full with Sansa then Ned was going to need more hands for Arya. Luckily Robb and Jon Snow were already actively helping look after their younger siblings.
Little Arya was the most independent baby that Arryn had ever seen, he hadn't realised that she was already walking until he left a door slightly ajar and looked away for few seconds. Arya was fast, she had disappeared and sent everybody into a panic, until Vayon Poole came up the stairs with the squirming girl in his arms and a smile on his face. Somehow the girl had lost her clothes and her nappy before being found.
"I found this underfoot, my lord." Vayon said with a smile as he passed the babe back to a panicking Jon. "You may want to keep doors and windows closed, she's faster than any of my five girls were at her age, and she's a climber too."
"Down!" Arya demanded.
"I see." Jon replied. "And where are your clothes?"
"Off!" Arya answered triumphantly.
Jon laughed. "Well if you're going to do that we better get you potty trained." He smiled at the dark-haired girl and Old Nan took her to get some fresh clothes. Arya looked so much like her father, and she was a loud, happy child. The only other child that shared Ned's looks so strongly was Jon Snow, it was only the eyes that didn't match. Jon Snow's eyes were so dark as to almost be black, Jon Arryn had never seen eyes quite like them. Arya had her father's changeable grey eyes, Stark eyes.
Not for the first time Jon Arryn found himself wondering who Jon's mother was. Oh, he knew that Ned had given some name when Robert had pushed the issue, but he also knew the name had been that of a wet-nurse and nothing more. Jon Arryn had often suspected that the boy was Ashara Dayne's, but Ned refused to discuss it. Ned's avoidance of the subject only served to raise more questions. Jon Arryn's mind wandered to the only known bastard in history to be said to have black eyes. Orys One-Hand Baratheon, allegedly Aegon the Conquer's half-brother. Could having one parent with purple eyes lead to black eyes? Arryn would need to take a closer look at the histories on that question, maybe he would have to give the Dragonstone library a visit some time in the future?
Brandon was a quiet and handsome baby, at only a couple of moons old it was difficult to predict what his future held, however Brandon's quietness only went to highlight just how fussy young Robert was. The two babe's shared a crib and looking at them side by side made Jon Arryn realise just how dark Robert's hair was. The two wet-nurses shared the duties of nursing Arya and the two boys, although Jon was surprised to discover that Arya was already half-weened. When he commented on it to Ned the man just smiled and said she'd be changing her own nappies if it was up to her. The girl was as wild as the House's sigil.
~~/~~
Jon Arryn's attention was drawn back to the birthday girl, whom was currently on his lap, as she reached for a large bread roll. "Here, let me break that up for you." He offered, reaching for the roll, but Arya snatched it away.
"No." She insisted, she squished the roll in her chubby wee hands then shoved as much of it as possible into her mouth and took a triumphant bite.
Maege Mormont, the Heiress of Bear Island, laughed loudly at the girl's antics. "If you ever want to foster that one out let me know, Ned." She chuckled. "I'll have a mace in her hand by the time she's six." The She-Bear drained her horn of ale and reached for some more.
Ned paled. "Six is a little young for a mace." He muttered. "A training sword maybe…"
Maege scoffed. "Didn't do Dacey any harm, did it girl?" She asked slapping the shoulder of the young woman beside her.
"No, mother, it didn't." Dacey replied politely.
The young woman was a strong contrast to her mother. Maege was short, stout, grey-haired and a fierce warrior. Darcy was getting close to six feet tall and still growing. The young woman was lean, with black hair, and elegant. She was a graceful dancer and a skilled warrior, she was currently in a dress, but was equally at ease in leather armour.
She must have gotten her height and build from her father. Jon Arryn thought. He suspected that Maege had brought her along in the hopes that Ned would take her to wife, many of the other guests had also brought along daughters, sisters, and nieces of marrying age. As the feast continued Jon found himself looking around the table, trying to discern which traits each woman had inherited from which parent.
Jon half listened as Ned said that he hadn't really thought about fostering out any of the children, Maege had replied that she had a daughter, Jorelle, that was a similar age to Sansa, and Ned had quickly suggested that maybe when the girls were older Jorelle could come to Winterfell for a time? Rickard Karstark had quickly pointed out that his daughter, Alys, was a similar age to Robb, and before Ned knew what was happening he had been drawn into a conversation about future handmaidens for his two daughters.
~~/~~
Jon Arryn was still at Winterfell when Lysa demanded both a divorce and her son, he rode to Riverrun to speak with her. Upon his arrival Hoster greeted him warmly but there was a sadness in Hoster's eyes. Hoster advised him that Lysa was claiming that Robert wasn't his, but was instead fathered by Littlefinger. It made sense, the hair matched, the child was small and sickly, as Petyr Baelish had been as a boy, and Lysa had been pregnant to the man once before. Jon Arryn gave her the divorce but not the child, instead he rode from Riverrun to Kings Landing at a hard pace. He stood in open court and informed King Robert of Lysa's insistence that Robert Arryn was Petyr's bastard, he pointed out that both Petyr and the child had dark hair, a trait that was lacked by both the Tully and Arryn Houses, and suggested that the King let the Mockingbird chose if the child should be renamed as a Waters or a Baelish.
King Robert, however, gave Littlefinger no choice, the boy had been named after him and he shared Jon's anger at the insult of it all. He legitimised the babe as a Baelish and stripped Littlefinger of his role as Master of Coin. Robert stripped Littlefinger of all of his holdings in Kings Landing and strongly suggested that he return to the Fingers with his son and heir immediately. King Robert then gifted the brothels, and the whores to Chataya, a Summer Island woman whom owned the Kings favourite brothel.
Chataya appeared in court three days later with the royal books, which had been hidden at one of the brothels, and her nine year old daughter, Alayaya. Both mother and child had the ebony skin, dark curly hair, and golden-brown eyes that their people were known for. Both mother and child were striking and dressed in beautiful silks. Chataya gave Alayaya to the King as a thank you gift, flippantly stating that he could keep her as a cup-bearer until he deemed her old enough to be a mistress, and that her flower would likely blossom within the year. Summer Island girls were known to bloom early. Chataya stated that Alayaya already had extensive training and could be sent back to her for more training if she did not please the King.
Cersei was outraged, but soon silenced, and King Robert accepted the gift. From that day on the girl, Yaya as she was sometimes called, seldom left the King's side, even attending him on hunts.
Jon Arryn returned to the Vale, as he had originally intended, Ser Brynden Tully, Lysa's uncle, greeted him at the gate. Brynden, or the 'Blackfish' as he was called, was the Knight of the Bloody Gate, an important role in the security of the Vale. He reassured Jon that he had no intentions of leaving unless Jon asked him to. Jon lingered at the Gate for a day, reacquainting himself with the men, he did the same at the waycastles of Stone, Snow, and Sky. He soon realised that he was delaying returning to The Eyrie, it would be lonely to go back there with no wife, no wards, and no children of his own. His thoughts moved to his sister's grandson, Harrold Hardyng, perhaps it was time to name the lad his heir?
~~/~~