Over the next 4 years, the boys grew together, constantly pushing each other in their spars, and developing their own styles of fighting. Hinrik also grew in other areas, nearly obsessing over his lordly duty's.
Not much of note occurred in those 4 years besides the untimely death of Lord and Lady Baratheon. So, Hinrik used the years to tour the Vale a number of times, as to familiarize himself with his banner men. Besides these trips, he stuck by his fathers side, slowly taking on more and more of the duty's of an Arryn of the Vale.
Many of Jon's lords had already begun to report how impressed they were by his heir's decision making. Now however, for the first time, Hinrik would leave the vale. A great tourney was to be held at the ruined keep of Harrenhal, and nearly every lord would be in attendance. So both Arryn's were journeying to the Riverlands so as not to miss such an unprecedented event.
For the most part the tourney went as expected. Hinrik didn't participate in any of the contests, a holdover from a time when keeping ones skills unknown was a necessary precaution.
Instead he spent his time acquainting himself with as many lords as possible, taking this tourney as a chance to begin building good relations he was sure he would need as the lord of the Vale. Unfortunately, few of them were capable of holding his interest for very long.
There were some notable exceptions, like The sour faced lord of horn hill Randyl Tarly, who he ended up playing quite a few games of cyvassy with. Or Howland Reed, whose family controlled the swamplands of the neck. Hinrik had read of how the Reed's had defended the North from countless invasions, using poison and guerrilla tactics that reminded Hiruzen quite strongly of Amegakure Shinobi. Howland himself appeared to be quite shy, but after Hinrik drew him into a conversation about some of the poisonous plants that could be found in the Neck, Hinrik felt that his comparison to the old Salamander's village wasn't too far off the mark.
Ned had also introduced him to his family, and the Starks were all quite interesting to talk to, but for the most part Hinrik talked to Ned and young Benjen. Brandon Stark was a bit too feral for his tastes, and Hinrik would rather not earn Roberts ire by getting too close to Lyanna Stark, Roberts betrothed.
Oddly enough, the person Hinrik found himself in the company of most often, was Princess Elia Martel. Apparently his use of the spear had reminded her of her brother Oberyn, and she had been charmed enough by his manners upon their first meeting that she invited him to sit with her from time to time and watch the events. Not that Hinrik minded, as he genuinely found the Princess to be quite good company. it also served to boost his image and give him a chance to observe the royal family first hand.
Unfortunately, what he saw wasn't good. Elia was kind enough, but King Aerys was clearly insane and Prince Rheagar was oddly blank and uncaring.
Perhaps Rheagar was just reserved, but Hinrik chose to withhold from forming any opinions of the Prince since he couldn't get a read of the man.
So, at the end of the Tourney, when the Crown Prince foolishly named Lyanna Stark as his Queen of love and beauty instead of Elia. Hinrik simply concluded that Rheagar had inherited some of his fathers madness, and went about consoling Elia and calming a furious Robert.
However, Hinrik wouldn't learn the depth of Rheagar's madness until he was back in the vale, where he would hear of both Lyanna's disappearance with Rheagar Targaryen, and the subsequent executions of both lord Rickard Stark, and his heir Brandon when they attempted to retrieve her.