Chapter III

A/N: I apologize for the long wait in between updates. A combination of writer's block and family issues hit at roughly the same time. I am working on figuring out a schedule for my 4 main WIPs, one of which I haven't started yet. This chapter might be a bit on the short side, but the chapter after this should prove interesting. SSD

Runa was sitting in the library after Lyanna's funeral. While she was sad that another family member of hers had died, Runa could not summon much more than that. After seeing that other possible future, Runa was glad that particular brand of chaos had been averted.

Yes Lyanna was her cousin, but Runa had caught herself thinking that perhaps Westeros was better off without her.

A guard came up to her. After bowing, he said, "Your lord uncle requests your presence in his study."

Runa nodded. She had a very good idea of what that discussion would entail. It was shocking that he had waited this long.

After a short walk, Runa sat down once she was inside, as Uncle Rickard motioned for her to do so.

"I was going to be discussing potential Northern matches for you, but in light of recent events they've had to be put to the side."

"Who were you considering, Uncle?"

"Jorah Mormont and Roose Bolton," he replied.

Mormont would not have been too bad. At least he'd likely treat her right.

Roose Bolton on the other hand... Runa shuddered and made a discreet gesture against evil.

"That's one thing in Robert Baratheon's favor: He won't slit my throat as soon as I give him a son with Stark blood."

"What are you talking about, niece?"

"Roose Bolton yearns for the time when his family ruled as the Red Kings of the Dreadfort. He would use the child as a way to claim Winterfell, once you, Brandon, Ned, and Benjen, had convenient accidents. Oh, and he wants flaying to return. Watch him closely, he's ripe for turning his cloak."

For the first time in his 16 years, Stannis actually felt concern for his brother Robert.

Upon his return from the Vale after the news of Lyanna Stark's death spread, his older brother had thrown himself into being Lord of the Stormlands, something he had previously not given much thought. He also wasn't drinking as much, and to his knowledge Robert had not gone near women since he returned to Storm's End.

While Stannis was pleased by this change of behavior, he had noticed that Robert was dividing time between the study and the sparring ring, only sleeping when Maester Cressen forced him to go to bed, with threats of using sweetsleep on him.

He found his brother on a balcony overlooking Shipbreaker Bay, looking out over to the Narrow Sea. Robert noticed that he was behind him, then turned back to looking out over the bay and then ocean before saying,

"The Stark alliance will still go through. Ned has a first cousin who is his age, and will be taking his sister's place. The wedding will be in six months."

Remembering the Tourney at Harrenhall, Stannis couldn't help but wonder whether Rhaegar Targaryen had anything to do with Lyanna Stark's demise. The Crown Prince had shown her much attention, even after he crowned her. It had taken him, Elbert Arryn, and Ned Stark to convince his brother not to go after Rhaegar.

Perhaps this incident would turn out to be a good thing for Robert. Stannis had not liked Lyanna, as she had been rude to both him and Renly as well. He hoped that Runa Stark would be an improvement on her cousin. And perhaps his brother just might be able to run the Stormlands smoothly, like he was now.

The Riverlands on the other hand were anything but running smoothly. Brynden Tully had just watched his brother order the hanging, drawing, and quartering of his former ward Petyr Baelish, who'd had the temerity to marry Lysa in secret and subsequently get her pregnant. For which the boy had also been gelded.

The castration was overkill. He was already half dead.

His niece's pregnancy was too far along for the moon tea to work without killing her. Lysa would be confined to her rooms and watched to make sure she would not harm herself or the child. It had already been decided that a boy would be sent to Oldtown. She would be permitted to keep a girl.

He'd persuaded Hoster to send his ward's bones to the Fingers.

In the wake of Lyanna Stark's self inflicted death, his brother had considered Lysa for Robert Baratheon. However with the news that a niece of Rickard Stark was taking her first cousin's place, and Lysa's own actions, that plan was in the dirt.

Brynden remembered meeting the cousin, Runa he believed her name was. She was of an age with her cousin Eddard. But her eyes had looked too old for her age, as if she had seen too much.

Oberyn had just finished the letter Doran had given him from Elia. It seemed that Rhaegar's coin had finally come down on the side of madness, and looked to have the potential to be madder than his father!

What the so called silver prince would have done to Elia, Rhaenys, and Aegon if he had succeeded made him want to slip some Tears of Lys into Rhaegar's food,

"A rescue plan needs to be in place for our sister, niece, and nephew, if Rhaegar starts another war," Doran said.

"The question is not *if* Rhaegar starts another war, but when," Oberyn snarled.

"I have just sent a few ravens to the Daynes, the Quorgyles, and the Ullers, to tell them to start training their troops in earnest."

A/N 2: Looks like Dorne is also getting ready for war. Perhaps at some point they'll be allies in a future war? Looks like his betrothed's death knocked some sense into Robert. I am never writing a Stannis Baratheon pov again. He was a pain to write, and one of the main sources of writer's block.

Casting:

Young Stannis Baratheon- Anuerin Barnard