267 AC

Chapter II: Curiosity

Sharra

Out of all the places in the Eyrie, the library in the Moon Tower is the place Sharra considered her sanctuary. She could spend days inside it reading the endless amount of tomes it had. It provided her relief, it provided her comfort, but most of all, it gave her time to herself. As much as she enjoyed her brother's endless antics, jokes, and quips, it felt refreshing to spend time alone. She found herself in the library more when her father's new wards, Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark, arrived several moons ago. Elbert and Jonos were family. She had been around them for as long as she could remember. However, discomfort ran through her body when she interacted with the new wards. She still hasn't gotten over that feeling even now. She wondered whether she could trust them, or how they would react to her actions. During the rare times she would play with them, they seemed to be friendly and kind. However, it did not change the uneasiness she felt when she interacted with them. She preferred her solitude, where the only thing she had to focus on were the words on the pages.

Sharra had spent the day scouring the histories. After she had broken her fast, she went straight to the library to begin her reading for the day. It was a shame she didn't have her lessons with Maester Corwyn today, or she would have had them after she broke her fast. Today, she read a book entitled 'A Chronicle of the Blackfyre Rebellions' by Maester Pycelle. Apparently, this book had been added to the library recently when Corwyn went on his rare visits back to Oldtown. It was given to him by the recently made Grand Maester, as a token of friendship. They apparently forged their chains together, and exchanged no

Sharra reached a section of the book that intrigued her. The War of Ninepenny Kings: Battles Won, Battles Lost, and Those Involved. She intently noted each of the dates, battles, and combatants involved. Though war wasn't something that particularly interested her, she knew it was important to read about them to get an idea about what caused certain things to turn out the way they did. Wars were generally events that changed how events shaped themselves. She learned about the conflict in Stepstones. King Aerys' father sent a host there from all over the Seven Kingdoms. The host included her father, Jon Arryn. Interestingly, it also included Lord Hoster Tully, Lord Rickard Stark, and Lord Steffon Baratheon. They were not referred to as lords in the book, as they were knights at the time of the events discussed. She noted Lord Rickard was not a knight, probably due to the lack of nights even among the high nobility in the North. She also assumed this war allowed her father to create connections with these men. Maester Corwyn talked about how many nobles used war to try connections, alliances, and agreements with one another.

However, this is not what caught Sharra's eye. Apparently, in the pivotal battle against Maelys Blackfyre, her father had fought someone named Ser Derrick Fossoway. While it stated he defeated him in single combat, the fate of this Derrick Fossoway was unclear. It is the only mention of her father Jon Arryn in any of the battles. In fact, it seemed like the only place House Arryn's contribution to the war effort. The rest were the exploits of a Ser Tywin Lannister, who the author stated performed admirably leading the Westerman, who contributed the most out of all the Seven Kingdoms during the war. This same Ser Tywin Lannister apparently gave the newly knighted Ser Aerys Targaryen his spurs of knighthood. She did not know about this man, as her father had told him on numerous occasions in recollection that the Westerman rallied around Lord Roger Reyne. In fact the book makes no mention of any member of House Reyne within its pages.

My brother would have ignored everything and only read about the King and this Ser Tywin Lannister. Sharra thought. She closed the book. I never heard anything about Ser Derrick from father when he told his stories about the war. Perhaps I should ask him to tell me of him?

Sometimes at meals, Sharra's father would talk of the war. This mostly happened at the behest of Jonos, all too eager to hear about tales of knights, chivalry, and battle. Her father mentioned many of his companions, including Robert and Eddard's fathers, but never mentioned anything about Ser Derrick.

Sharra rose from her seat at the table in the library. The light from the windows had been growing dimmer. Her father spent a lot of time at his study, and she would soon run out of natural light to use to read. She would seize the opportunity to ask him about it now. Her father would always entertain her visits to his study, why should today be any different?

But first, she would visit her new sibling. She had always been fascinated with his progress. With each passing day, he grew. Each moon she would notice how different he had become. This was an interest her twin didn't share, as he barely came to see him in his nursery. Jonos was too busy playing with her father's wards or performing his duties as a page in his father's court.

The nursery was not too far from her father's study. They were both in the Moon tower, where most of the important nobility within the Eyrie lived. The Eyrie wasn't a large castle, in fact it was the smallest castle out of all the great houses from what Sharra had read. The Gates of the Moon was larger than the Eyrie. However, Sharra never felt cramped and felt she had ample space to live in the comfort of her home on top of the Giant's Lance.

When Sharra arrived in the nursery, Maester Corwyn and the wet nurse had just put him to sleep. The two turned to greet Sharra as she entered the nursery.

"Come to visit your brother again, my dear?" the old man asked. Maester Corwyn had served the Arryns since even before her grandfather had become Lord of the Eyrie. He had been a kind teacher to Sharra, and Sharra felt the old maester had stirred her love of learning. Sharra nodded at his question and approached the crib.

Her brother looked so peaceful as he slept in the bundles of cloth set out for him. If he had his eyes open, Sharra knew he had the same indigo eyes, she had. However, his hair was not blond like theirs, but the colour of her mother's house. He did, however, possess the makings of a prominent nose bridge, and the other traits the twins had. His hair colour just made him more unique to his siblings.

"Has he been asleep long?" Sharra asked the two adults watching him. The wet nurse shook her head.

"No, he had just fallen asleep when you got here. Little Darnold has always been a restless little falcon. I bet he's eager to spread his wings," the wet nurse answered. Sharra looked at her new brother. She wondered what he would look like when he grew older. When Darnold would be as old as her, she would no longer be a girl, but a young woman. She pondered about the man he would become in his later years. Perhaps he will be a gallant knight. Perhaps he will be a scholar. Or maybe a schemer like Bloodraven? Only time will tell.

She thanked the two for allowing her to visit her brother. After leaving her brother's nursery, she went straight for her fathers study. One perk of living in the segmented towers of the Eyrie is how close together everything is. Sharra thought about how it would be like living in the mammoth corridors of the larger castle like Harrenhal. Must have been really hard getting around a castle that big.

Just as she reached her fathers study, something collided with her knocking her off her feet. Dazed, Sharra spent a few seconds on the ground just recovering from the pain on her side lingering from the collision.

"I'm sorry. I didn't see you," the boy she now recognized as Robert Baratheon apologized. Robert was much larger than most boys his age, he was taller than Jonos and stockier than Jonos. Jonos was also a year older than him, and by no means was Jonos considered small for his age.

"Your time is at an end, outlaw!" Like clockwork, Sharra saw Jonos running in with the smaller Eddard Stark, who was always referred to as Ned, accompanying him. If Elbert wasn't with her uncle at the Gates of the Moon, he would be close behind. Jonos immediately stopped running as soon he saw Sharra on the ground, "You ran into Sharra, Robert! That's great, maybe we can play Princess in the Hightower now that she's here."

"Brother, he quite literally ran into me. Also, the last time we played Princess in the Hightower, I got stuck on top of a dresser. We had to get Uncle Ronnel to get me off it," Robert gave her his hand to help her up, and she quickly accepted it. She quickly brushed herself off, and straightened her dress.

"Actually, I may have to rest. All this running has gotten me tired," Ned stated, quickly walking away from them. Sharra noticed that Ned would always find ways to get out of playing if she was involved. Did she do something to make him not like her?

"I'm going to see if I can get something to eat from the pantries," Robert declared. Sharra knew Robert had become notorious with servants for raiding the larder for snacks. Jonos nodded, and looked at Sharra.

"Well, I think we might have to play together some other time. I'm surprised you aren't spending your time with the septas or in the library,"

"I needed to ask father something,"

"Well good luck with that, I'm going to see if there are any knights sparring in the barracks. Who knows maybe one day I'll squire for one of them?" Jonos bid his sister farewell. Sharra always enjoyed how playful and energetic Jonos was. He certainly had enthusiasm and energy.

After that detour with her brother's friends, she quickly noticed the door to her father's study ajar. Her father usually didn't leave his door open. Curious, she opened the door to her fathers study.

Her father's study had a large desk with two tall bookshelves behind it. There were various geography tools such as a globe, and a table map of Westeros in front of the desk. There were various drawers in cabinets on the sides of the room, filled with papers, vellums, and different things that Sharra could only speculate about. Her fathers study wasn't large, but he spent a lot of time in it because of all the responsibilities he had to manage as Lord of the Eyrie, Lord Paramount of the Vale and Mountains, as well as being Warden of the East. When Sharra scanned the room, she noticed her father was nowhere to be found. However, she noticed there was something on his desk. Her father usually kept his desk neat and orderly, and never left anything out of place.

Sharra wondered what it was. Now that she was slightly taller than desk, it didn't take much effort to grab the vellum. It was sealed, but recently opened. It looked like something a raven would deliver. Sharra guessed it was a letter of some kind. Whether it was her father who sent it, or if it was sent to her father, she would have to open it to find out. Would it be wrong if I looked at the letter?

"It couldn't be too bad if I saw what was in the letter. Would it?" Sharra whispered to herself. Something in Sharra's mind told her to open and read it. It was her father's personal correspondence, and she knew it would be impolite to look at it. But that voice in her mind won, as she opened the already broken seal.

To My Dear Friend Lord Jon Arryn,

I received your most recent raven two days ago. As we speak, servants are preparing a place for young Jonos here in Riverrun. I knew we had discussed this during the feast, a year ago, but for the time to arrive so quickly, surprised even me. It is truly an honor for me to be considered trustworthy enough to foster your son in my family's seat. It is also quite refreshing to know that he has experienced being a page in your court from what you told me in your last raven. We will be expecting him within the two fortnights you had given for his travel from the Vale to Riverlands in your last raven. I was also rather surprised myself when my brother offered to squire your son after he finished his progress as a page here in Riverrun. One of your bannerman the Lord from Midlor Point has entrusted me to raise his son, Petyr as well when he grows an age appropriate for fostering. Rest assured your son will be educated well and will be treated like one of my own children. I will be sure to ensure your son is raised to value his family, his duty, and as you have shown in our friendship, his honor.

Your Loyal Friend

Lord Hoster Tully

At first the words swam in Sharra's mind. Fosterage. Jonos. Then all of it just hit her like a horse. Her brother would be leaving the Eyrie. Why? Jonos had me, he had his friends, Robert and Ned. Why did he have to be sent away? Sharra couldn't control her tears from flowing. Jonos had been the only person her age she had been close to. Her father hadn't told her any indication of this new revelation she had made. She could not notice that her tears were now making the parchment of the vellum wet. All she could think about is the emptiness she would now feel without Jonos.

"Sharra…" She turned and saw her father and mother. They were now standing just inside the study. She hadn't noticed them enter, or when they had entered at all. Her father immediately noticed what she had in her hand, "You found about Jonos' fosterage haven't you? That should teach me from leaving things afloat when I have such a clever child."

"Why father?! Jonos belong here in the Eyrie. With me. With you. With mother," She sobbed still clinging to the letter. Her father sighed, as both her parents went over to her. Her mother quickly enveloped her into her arms. Sharra could only cry harder, as she did this, but he mother let her do so.

"There, there, little falcon. It is just something most boys have to do. They have to go to another lord to complete their studies. Your father and I would be doing your brother a disservice if we didn't do this," Sharra continued to sob in her arms as she said this, "I was like this too when my brother Yohn had to foster at another lord's castle."

Eventually, Sharra calmed down enough, and her sobs only became periodic sniffles. Her father tried to give her a reassuring smile.

"We would have told you two sooner, but not even Jonos knows about this. It's going to be hard for him to leave the Eyrie behind too with the friends he's made out of my two wards. But it isn't like he'll be gone. I'm sure he'll send us ravens as well as come back to visit often," He stated consoling her. Sharra, finally broke away from her mother, feeling as well as she could. She had read about fostering and was even told by her maester about its prevalence with young boys in Westeros. However, she had hoped Jonos wouldn't be fostered, "I'm sure it wasn't your intention to come to my study to sift through my letters. What was it you wanted, my dear?"

Sharra had almost forgotten what she wanted to ask her father when she had discovered the letter. "I did some reading about the War of Ninepenny Kings. During which, I discovered that you had fought someone named Ser Derrick Fossoway. How come we have never heard of him through your stories about the war?"

Her mother and father exchanged glances but eventually her father spoke up, "Fossoway. Gods, that man was not pleasant to deal with. Although my victory over him was satisfying to say the least, I don't even want to remember any sort of interaction I had with that man."

"What was so bad about him, father?" Sharra asked.

"I was raised to put on a high pedestal the virtues of honor, diligence, and selflessness. These were all absent in Ser Derrick. But he was a damned good fighter. Had I not been clever enough to use terrain and my supporting retainers, I would have certainly lost during our encounter" Her father explained.

"So this is why you never mention your battle against him? Jonos would have loved to hear a story about your clever victory over a superior opponent,"

"Your father only spoke part of the reason for his disdain towards Ser Fossoway," Her mother stated, looking over to her father as if expecting a response. Her father, Jon, nodded at her as if telling her to continue, "Ser Derrick Fossoway, was a knight of House Fossoway. He was the third son of the Lord of Cider Hall, and he was well known for being the black sheep of their flock. However, he was a decorated warrior, as well as a reputed tournament knight."

"Cider Hall, that's in the reach if I'm not mistaken?" Sharra chimed in.

"You've always been a bright young girl, yes, Ser Fossoway was a Reachman. Your fathers involvement with this knight runs deeper than just his character. Ser Fossoway took a liking to your father's sister, Alys Arryn, after a tournament he attended in Gulltown. However, at the time she was betrothed to Ser Wallace Redfort. Ser Fossoway, with no political leverage, being in line to inherit nothing and being the son of a minor lord of a distant realm, challenged Wallace to a duel for her hand." That wasn't a rare occurrence, many lords who are smitten with a woman far above their station issued challenges of mettle against the rival lords. Although, even in victory, they never really get what they want in the end.

"You mean my aunt, Alys? The same one married to Elys Waynwood,"

"Indeed, however, Elys Waynwood wasn't originally supposed to marry her. During the duel between Ser Wallace and Ser Derrick, Ser Derrick slew him despite numerous yields. In the end it wasn't even a fight, Ser Wallace was completely outmatched. When Ser Derrick was accosted by the Ser Wallace's squire he slew him too." Her mother explained. Sharra hadn't witnessed such ruthlessness with her own eyes. Sure, she heard about tales of villains in the stories, but Ser Derrick seemed like one of the knights that were only knights in name. Chivalry was completely absent in the minds of those types of people, "Ser Derrick was exiled, not risking a trial for his murder, your grandfather Jasper was afriad that if he charged him with a crime, instead of exile, Ser Derrick would ask for a trial by combat. And there were no knights of the Vale that matched Ser Derrick in combat."

"He became known as the Bad Apple, he joined the band of nine shortly afterward. Alys refuses to speak about him to this day, so I do not know what transpired between the two of them. However, defeating Ser Derrick in the war was satisfying. It is just not something I like to or care to want to talk about given the circumstances," Her father chimed in. They stood there awhile in silence, until her mother spoke up again.

"That reminds me, Sharra. I was going to sept for prayers this evening. Do you want to join me?" After that abrupt change in the conversation, Sharra knew that was all she was going to get from them. But nonetheless she was satisfied with the information she received about Ser Derrick and her fathers involvement in the war.

"Yes mother."

"Very well, let us be off then. Your father has a lot of work to do, let us not disturb him any longer," Her father patted on her head as she walked out of the study with her mother. Sharra knew he always had something to take care of, because of his responsibilities to the people of the Vale. He was indeed a wise and prudent man in her eyes.

Sharra still hasn't recovered from the sadness of the news of Jonos' imminent departure to Riverrun. She didn't know what to do without him, as she was never really close to anyone in the there wasn't really anything she could do about it and she knew it. Sharra made sure to pray to Seven for Jonos' safety and to give her one thing, one thing she wanted more than knowledge and its pursuit. She prayed for a companion, someone who could understand her, and even encourage her in all her pursuits. Though shy and rarely giving her trust to others, she wished for it. For what is use is knowledge if there is no one to share this knowledge with?


A/N: Alright, that concludes the chapter. I was unable to update last Friday, because I had to focus the week on Midterm exams, Florida universities or at least my school doesn't go on Spring Break in March like most other major universities, so it caused a bit of a delay. Regarding characters in this chapter, Ser Derrick Fossoway's backstory is not elaborated in any of the source material so I made up one. Jonos also will be in Riverrun when his next chapter will be published, which is after the next chapter, which is in the perspective of their mother Jeyne Royce. This also means he will arrive in Riverrun before Littlefinger, as in this timeline Baelish would be under a year old. Speaking of births, I wanted to take the time to give some changes to character births and timelines to better fit the story. Right now, the ones that will be clarified are the ones I think are worth mentioning. You can think of this as the very first cannon divergences (LOL). Here is a crude time line of that.

259: Jonos and Sharra Arryn are born in the Eyrie, Rhaegar Targaryen is born in Summerhall

260: Robert Baratheon is born in Storm's End, Brandon Stark is born in Winterfell

261: Eddard Stark is born in Winterfell

262: Catelyn Tully is born in Riverrun

263: Stannis Baratheon is born in Storm's End

264: Lysa Tully is born in Riverrun, Hoster Tully becomes Lord of Paramount of the Trident, Jaime and Cersei Lannister are born in Casterly Rock

265: Petyr Baelish is born in Midlor Point (The Fingers)

266: Edmure Tully is born in Riverrun, Lyanna Stark is born in Winterfell, Jon Arryn becomes Lord Paramount of the Mountains and Vale

267: Benjen Stark is born in Winterfell, Tywin Lannister becomes Lord Paramount of the Westerlands

Thank you all for the follows, favorites, and reviews. Please consider leaving a review if you haven't done so, as critcism/comments/praise is only going to improve the story. See you guys this Friday for chapter 3!