259 AC
Prologue
Jon
In the first full moon of the year, a great tragedy occured in Summerhall. King Aegon V and his former heir, Prince Duncan, died in a great fire. Rumors swirled around the Kingdom about what had started the fire. Some speculated enemies of the crown had caused the fire to be rid of King Aegon and his close confidants. Some believed it to be an accident. Jon, however, subscribed to the theory that the fire may have broken out because of an attempt to hatch a dragon egg. Whatever the cause, the consequences of the event occurred swiftly. King Jaehaerys II ascended the throne days after the tragedy. The young king not only inherited a kingdom, but also the enemies threatening it.
A year ago, a band of rogues and mercenaries aligned themselves with one of the last Blackfyre pretenders in Essos. Initially both the new King's father and the new king himself thought this host would not be able to counter the might of Free cities. However, when this alliance managed to conquer the free city of Tyrosh, installing Alequo Adarys as its ruler, they were no longer dismissed as a threat. This band of merchants, mercenaries, and pirates managed to conquer the stepstones, within days of the fall of Tyrosh. With the fall of Stepstones, they were no longer a distant threat to Westeros. Thus, King Jaehaerys sent a call to all the Seven Kingdoms to rally as a host in King's Landing.
Jon Arryn, heir to the Eyrie and keeper of the Gates of the Moon, was being sent by his father Jasper to lead the Vale's contribution. Three thousand knights. There were no finer cavalry in the Seven Kingdoms. He had to leave his wife, Jeyne and his unborn child, behind and ride off to war. Jon, however, knew he had to fulfill his duty as the heir and as a knight of the Seven Kingdoms. It was his chance to prove himself in battle. Not only a chance to prove himself in battle, but prove himself as a worthy successor to his aging father. There was some fear inside him. He feared that he might die and leave his lady wife and unborn child behind. But this was his duty, and he was a man of honor. He took strength in the words of his house and his ancestors. As High As Honor.
This was the final morning he would get to spend with his family before he departed for King's Landing. The retinue of House Arryn had gathered just outside of the Gates of the Moon. From there they would depart for the rally point at The Bloody Gate. From the Bloody Gate, the rest of the Vale's host would gather for their final destination before war, King's Landing. Jon prepared himself in his chambers before he would ride out. From in front of a mirror, he made final adjustments to his riding kit. When he finished, Jon took a breath as fastened his sword to his belt.
"Bring honor to yourself and our house, my son," he heard someone say. Jon looked behind him and saw his father standing in the doorway to his quarters. His father, Jasper, was approaching sixty. His formerly blond hair had turned grey from age. However, he still stood in a dignified manner as if he was still a young man. But Jon could see the weariness in his eyes, his father was in the twilight of his years.
"Of course, father. I won't let you down," Jon replied walking over to him.
"War is dangerous, son. Lead your men, but don't let valor give way to recklessness. You remind me of myself as a young man. You are calculating and a good leader. Use it and come back alive," His father explained. Jon took in his father's words of advice. This was his father. Although Jon was fostered in Runestone, where he learned many important things, his father had been a constant mentor throughout his life. Jon had been taught many lessons by his father. He learned various topics such as warfare, stewardship, and diplomacy from his father. Now he was sending his son off to war to put in practice all he had learned.
Without another word, Jon approached his father and pulled him into a firm hug. Though slightly taken aback, his father reciprocated.
"Thank you for everything father. I bring pride and honor to our house,"
"You've already done much to bring honor and pride to our house. Come back so you may have stories to tell your wife and children for years to come," his father stated as he stepped out of the hug, "Don't let me keep you, your brother, Ronnel is wait-"
Before his father could finish, the pair heard footsteps rapidly approaching them. When they looked to see who it was, they found one of Jon's lady wife's ladies-in-waiting running towards them.
"Lord Jasper, Ser Jon! Come quickly!" she exclaimed with urgency in her voice.
"What is the matter?' Jon asked, wondering why he was needed right before his departure.
"It is your wife, Ser Jon. She is in childbirth," Jon looked to his father. The Seven certainly had a sense of humor. They picked today, of all days, as the day his child would enter the world..
"Go to her, my son. An hour or two with your wife will not hinder the war effort. I will tell Ronnel, the Eyrie's retinues will leave when you have settled the matter," His father stated. Jon nodded and started for his wife's quarters with haste.
By the time Jon had managed to navigate the halls of The Gates of the Moon, his wife had already given birth. Jon entered her quarters, and greeted the onlookers with a solemn nod. Jon could feel the eyes of the onlookers when he entered the room. It was not every day someone entered their own wife's chambers dressed for battle. Septas, midwives, and Maester Corwyn all surrounded the childbed. There were also other servants gathered around ready to dispense the needs of his wife after such a harrowing ordeal.
There in the middle of the small crowd of people, lying in bed with a tired expression on her face was his wife Lady Jeyne. Her face, neck, and body were soaked in sweat. The bedclothes that she had were clinging to her skin. Her black hair was wild and ragged like she had been in a fight against a bear. However, her piercing grey eyes did not seem to notice him enter. She was too fixated on the two bundles of cloth she was holding in her arms.
"Ser Jon, your wife welcomed two healthy children into this world. One son and one daughter," Maester Corwyn explained. Twins. That was all Jon could think of. The seven had blessed him with two children, one daughter and one his son's birth, the line of succession was assured for two generations. He could feel a moment of happiness and respite. The worries about the conflict in the Stepstones, the fears about the war all seemed to fade. He approached closer to his wife's bedside, with those around her bedside making way for him.
"They are beautiful, Jon," Jeyne said with joy, although accompanied with the tiredness from her ordeal.
"May I?" Jon asked motioning her to give him one of the children. She nodded allowing him to take one of the children. It felt like nothing when he held the babe in his arms. He moved some of the cloth, covering the babe's face. The babe's eyes had opened, revealing two pools of indigo eyes. A blend of colour only made possible by his mother, a Velaryon by birth. His father had won his mothers hand in marriage as a boon during a tournament in High Tide. Only Seven could know why his father had decided to even marry into House Velayron. They were in the narrow sea far away from the Vale. Perhaps they married for love. Perhaps his father had a greater ambition for the house, which he could not understand even now.
His mother had passed on years before. She would have loved to see that a part of her lived on in her grandchild. The babe's clumps of blond hair on its head was the signature of House Arryn. He also had the makings of an aquiline nose, much like his ancestors. Jon also noted several parts of the babe's face would develop to be more in tune with his Royce lineage. The boy had Andal, First Men, and even Valyrian blood running through his veins. This was a testament to how diverse House Arryn had become from its Andal roots. But none of this mattered to Jon, only that his children were born healthy. His wife was also recovering well from childbirth.
"What would you like to name him, my love?" Jeyne asked him. Jon didn't know he would have to make this decision right before riding off to war. He had assumed they would be born after he left, and thus would not be consulted for their names. But he pondered this even before his wife began showing signs that her pregnancy would end. As his father told Jon, names were something decided for you that you had to carry for the rest of your days. He consulted the histories for a good name, and came up with one. A name fitting for his son.
"Jonos. Jonos Arryn," Jon told his wife. While an odd choice Jon chose the name that belonged to the Kinslayer. Jonos Arryn made his own brother Ronnel fly from the moon door. No other Arryn had been named Jonos since he himself flew from the same door his brother had. It was high time an Arryn of honor, courage, and intellect carried the name and restored its place among the honoured members of the house.
"What a coincidence. I wanted to name this little one, Sharra," His wife stated, referring to the babe in her arms. The original Sharra Arryn was regent to the Ronnel, when the Dragons invaded with the intent to subjugate the Seven Kingdoms under their rule hundreds of years ago. Ironically, the original Jonos is Sharra Arryn's son. The two were joined at the hip. They entered the world together and will likely have to face whatever challenges life will bring together.
Little Sharra looked a lot like Jonos, it was plain to see even as newborns. She had the same indigo eyes and the same mixed features of her brother. Twins shared a bond with one another that would not exist under any other circumstance.
"It's a beautiful name, for a beautiful child," Jon replied looking at his daughter while holding Jonos in his arms. This moment of never wanted it to end. He was focused on the two children, no his two children. They would be important to the success of the house in the years to come.
"Take your time, Ser Jon. But I am informed that your brother has your horse saddled and ready to go," Corwyn tapped him on the shoulder. Then he snapped back to reality..
"Jon, promise me you will stay safe. Come back to me and your children?" His wife looked him in the eye. Jeyne always had deep grey eyes, her most striking feature that he could remember as far back as when they met when Jon was fostered at Runestone. Jeyne always had this strong, willful aura about her. Jon remembered all the times she would ask him to spar with sticks in their youth. He remembered the adventures they had in the godswood of Runestone, or when they would climb some of the ruined towers of the castle. He even remembered all the scoldings they both received when they were caught doing these things. She was his companion through his life, and he dreaded the thought of losing her.
Jon knew marriage in Westeros was political mostly, but he thanked the gods for being able to marry for love. They knew each other as friends, and were thrilled when the betrothal had been announced. However, he could tell his father had arranged it to keep House Royce placated, unable to turn against them during a time of such extraordinary volatility.
Although they had to wait an extraordinary amount of time for the marriage to actually take place, because of various conflicts involving the same pretenders plaguing them now, they were nonetheless happy about it. They had spent the first fifteen years of their marriage waiting for these children to arrive. Many even worried Jeyne was infertile
"I promise. I won't be gone for long with luck," He handed back little Jonos to his wife.. He wished he didn't have to leave, but his duty demanded it. He kissed them all goodbye and turned to Corwyn.
"Tell my brother, I am on my way. We ride for The Bloody Gate," Corwyn nodded and with one last look at his family, Jon left. The flames of war ignited to threaten a kingdom. He would go and spread his wings in war. And begin to fly as high as honor could lift him.
A/N: And that settles it. it's a little short, but so are most prologues. Okay now to get the elephants out of the room. After three years of a long hiatus, I decided to throw my hat in once again in writing in this fandom. Some may remember me from a story called Fury (written by MatthewStaffordLionsFan17 or RedEnchanter12, i forgot some of the other usernames that account went under). i had written that during my last year of high school. However, I created a new account to start fresh as I am a much different writer than I was over four years ago. As for this story, I am not the first one to come up with the idea of giving Jon Arryn children. There are great stories out there especially by an author I followed the progress of called Metal Flash. However, most of the stories are complete or have not been updated for some time. Rest assured I will actually finish this story unlike my last one, which i made in high school. Hope you guys follow/favorite this story and leave some good constructive reviews! Thank you and see you again this Saturday with Chapter One!
