Lyanna stood on her and Robert's balcony overlooking the summery city, dressed in the corset of yellow and black to keep her stomach from being too noticeable in public. Her seven pregnancies had done a number on her body - for one, she gained a lot of weight from them. Not that she minded, but before all the pregnancies she was a tiny petite thing - now she felt as fat as a pumpkin - not that Robert minded. He was always telling her how beautiful and lovely she was, regardless of her own opinion on it - and regardless of the fact she was always getting a bigger dress to put on. She sighed at the thought, before turning her attention towards Lys itself - herself was disregarded in this instance - until her eldest son, Lord-Heir Jon Baratheon, a large, lanky boy with the all trademarks appearances of a Baratheon - from the shinny raven-coloured hair on his head to the deep blues of his eyes, came and stood next to her.
"Mum, I came here to report that uh... Prince Aegon... died a week ago of a infected wound in his sleep. Now our destiny falls to the Reds and the Whites - the Lions and the Flowers. Daeron's visited here a few times, with his heir and wife - as has Maekor. Which one should we support in this battle for the insufferable Iron Throne mum?" He asked. She snorted, turning towards him.
"Neither, we barely have enough men to garrison here as it is." She responded harshly to the idea of them even bothering to support the Iron Throne's pissing matches at this exact moment - as she put her hands on the seek white coloured deck, her hands became white as she grasped them like she meant business. She knew the defences of Lys - the people here were starving, the economy was shite due to them banning slaves of all sorts, they were nearly at war with all of the Free Cities due to this, and they had not enough men to defend Lys in the case that they were attacked by one of them. There were too many people here to take care off, not to say in the least, even though they brought Northerners and Southern alike here.
"Wow, mum you truly mean business. Also, uncle says there's been another attack from the old disposed Lion class here - they've been trying to send faceless men after us all this time, because we took away their business. It's no wonder were not all dead - but Umber lost a boy though in the insuring fight with the assassin in question...Oberyn has even gone as far to ask Rhaegar to allow father to allow them to make a Lord's Guard for us, so that we wouldn't die on the streets like cattle in this new town of ours." He was reporting the news that presumably their spymaster, Prince Oberyn Martell, was sending her way like the delightful Dornish man he was. He was also terribly effective in keeping the city from crumbling into ruin. She owed him for that at least - he had suggested that they also make a example of all those whom oppose them, violently as to make a example of them.
As for the rest of the realm, she was forseeing the building of many trading sectors to the Iron Bank - of which had begun to trade with them in the aftermath of them banning slavery, of which was a relief from everything else thus far. Not to mention, many northern and Marcher houses were considering moving their seconds sons out here - but unfortunately, the rich Lannisters cared so very little about them - not unless they supported Daeron's claim, would they be of any use to them - and the same could unfathomably be said about the Tryell's, of whom looked away from them. She needed them to end their petty squabbles in order for any of the things they were doing here to be of any use to the colony here, in essence.
She sighed at the news of BigJon Umber losing a son for her family - the Umbers have always been unquestionably loyal to the Starks of the North since the very beginning and Lyanna supposed she owed them something in compensation in keeping them safe. "Who was attacked in our family unit by the faceless men of all people?"
He stared at her and nodded slowly. "Me. I... don't know very much about what happened but... but one second I was duelling Robb in the courtyard, and the next Umber had me pinned to the ground, with a shield covering me as if he knew what was going on. The next he was on the ground, convolving with foam coming out of his mouth and something was pinned on his neck..." He stared at her shyly, "And the next, the guards were escorting back me and Robb back here just as quick. Robb was brought to uncle Ned and they said I was to spend alone time with you because father isn't here..."
She wished to tell him to that standing out in the open while an assassin after him was not a well-thought out consensuses but thought otherwise. The boy was as daft as his father when it came to danger - he'd stand out here forever to prove he wasn't scared of them - as if he was out on some permanent dare from someone. "Okay.." She was actually feeling threatened herself, for those bloody faceless men could be anyone - anyone, and they could strike at any time. It made her feel wheezy, just thinking about the possibility of any of her dear children being harmed by them.
The two of them stepped inside the mansion in the aftermath of this discussion, with Lyanna leaving her son with Ned while she went to talk to Oberyn immediately. Her son bashfully protested against her shoving of him with Ned in the 'safe' room of the House, claiming that she need not worry about him. But she pushed him into it with a shove and told him not to say another word about it.
She wanted the details on this assassination attempt done on her son - and thus, put an end to this little excursion, although she'd also have to deal with the Imp too in the process. Tyrion Lannister 'The Exile' was the current Master of Coin here, so he and Oberyn had interaction with one another - although she did regret that the Imp's presence did nothing to garnish support for the Lannister's. In fact, Tywin Lannister was completely disinclined to do anything for his dwarven son - and basically declared him a bastard even though by birthright and age he should be Tywin's heir to Casterly Rock and the Westerlands, not young Cerion, his third son.
His appearance here resulted in a rather large friction between them and the main body of Lannister's, that did not help their cause in the slightest. I think Lord Tywin takes it as a slight on his family that we allowed his exiled Dwarven son into the mix because it threatens his boy's inheritance.. She thought nervously. But she guessed the Imp knew of this fact, but decided to be here anyhow. He was rather keen on the helping part though, but it was quite troublesome, him being here of all places. He quite literally threatened their relations to the Lannisters, but they were of need of any and all help here in Lys. Even him, even if it did come at a cost. A rather large one, because Tywin Lannister refuses to fund us as long as he's here , threatening Cerion's inheritance and we do need the gold more-than ever. She supposed briefly that they could get gold from the Tryells, as they were most accommodating and thus being on the Tryell's side would benefit them the most, but than again, they couldn't afford to be in a feud with the man that literally made the 'Reigns of Castmere' a thing as far as she was concerned.
She walked through the tunnel-styled hallway - of which led to several children's room, to go to the large, and overbearing self-appointed council room - of which consisted of a general metal table but five wooden chairs, all with the Targaryen three-headed Dragon tattooed onto them as a reminder of their overlords from the Iron Throne. King Rhaegar had decided they needed a council in order to run the rather populous port of Lys, and thus allowed them to bring whomever they saw fit to be that. He said they were kind of like the Dornish right now as far it went, but he refused to allow Robert to use the title Storm King though, but there was more clemency in paying the tax the Iron Throne imposed. He even once brought his own small council here - of which consisted of Lord Steffon Baratheon, as the Hand, Viserys Targaryen as the Master of Laws, Jon Arryn as the Master of Ships, Richard Penrose as the Master of Whisper, Grand Maester John Tryell, and Michael Royce as Master of Coin.
He even brought along Oberyn with them after he decided they had need of someone of his talents, he said. He said he'd also give them leave to make a 'Small Council' equest thing if they wished too.
So they did. She entered the large golden-coloured door, with it's tiny lions on it to symbolize the Class it had once belonged too, before barging Into the room. Her presence was noted immediately by Oberyn and his Paramount, the good Lady Eliara Sand, and Tyrion Lannister and his Valyrian looking half-naked whore whom gently sat on the imp's knees like she belonged there while the imp looked at her gregarious waistline. The temptation to snort in disgust at the scene was quite overwhelming to Lyanna's tastes.
"Oberyn, my son got attacked by a faceless man set by one of those gods forsaken overrated Lions. Not the Lannister sort mind you Imp, but I do fear the rest of the former classes - like the Elephant, may join them in getting enough gold to attack us with Braavosi's faceless men, despite the fact they use to be former slavers..." She felt extremely irritated with Braavos, the one city that forsaken slavery in all efficiencies, for allowing their faceless man to attack them. They even forbade slavery when they attacked other regions of Essos, why are they fucking working for the scum now?Lyanna felt tempted to go to Braavos to ask them why they were working alongside them; even though they had just started trading with them. "And not to mention, they might be selling our people illegally into slavery without our consent or knowledge. I need the names of the most likely candidates amongst the Traders that would likely do this attack again."
"Whomever it is, I'll find and find himself a nice pillar to rest on for the rest of his short life." Oberyn wasn't joking about doing this very action. " But don't worry my Lady Lyanna, my spies are looking into them right now. I must say, they all rest on a lot of blood money and thus they're more impeccable for blackmail."
"Thank you. As for you Imp, you presumably heard the news of Prince Aegon's sudden and tragic death?" She asked the man. Oberyn at least was a tad bit more studle in his whoring ways, and for that she was thankful, but Tyrion seemly had no such barriers. I want to ask him to please be more tactful about it for the sakes of my sons.
"I have indeed - and I understand if you have the need to ounce me like my father did." He soundly mildly indifferent about this fact. "Because I'd rather not see your colony to go to the shite house because of my father's wrath against me."
She nodded, as she pressed her lips though. "I'm concerned though..."
"No, I'm not after Cerion's birthright - I met him, you know, and he was a terribly innocent lad." He put the whore to the side with a push of hand. "And I don't wish to harm him, despite the bloody exile. You can feel free to tell my father this, if he ever decides to grace us with a visit, that is."
She raised her eyes at that. "But your the firstborn son though before him and firstborn sons born from true marriages always come before the younger brother in the line of succession. Since Jaime is in the King's Guard, that technically makes you the first in line before Cerion Lannister."
"Dwarfs are bastards to their fathers, m' Lady."
She stiffed at the comment and decided to ignore it for now, turning her back again to Oberyn. "Thank you for your help, m' Lord." She bowed politely.
They had to decide which side to declare for - and King Rhaegar's seemed the best option for now at least. He had the most providence to provide for them, right now, although that would mean making Princess Visenya, the Jewel of King's Landing, Queen-Regnant of the Iron Throne someday. Lyanna knew of Princess Visenya - she was shrewd for one of her age; but Aegon was taught how to rule, whilst she was naught. She was no doubt taught to be a housewife, until Rhaegar decided to make her his heir. Because of pettiness. Rhaegar's never been said to have the greatest relationship with his brothers... Lyanna thought, as she left the room and went down the hallway, leaving the men to their business.
She walked out of the hall in deep thought -as Robert wasn't here to do something similar. He had long since forsaken ruling in favour for running his army for Braavos - which left it all to her to deal with it all - from ruling to dealing with their numerous children. Jon at least inherited something of responsibility and thus was more palpable to being taught in the ways of Leadership. Her husband was by no means, a terrible man - he was a good, decent man with a good head on his shoulders. He also loved children - and he loved them so much, that he constantly dotted on all of their children whenever he saw them, and even once brought along with him a blue-haired former slave from Pentoshi once as a Squire during one of his Braavosi anti-slavery annexations on the provision. He's a good man, Robert Baratheon, despite him having a bit of a drinking problem. He had lots of nightmares though and often had to sleep without her when he was here, less he'd scare her with his visions.
She hoped Robert was alright though alongside his company as they went on many adventures together, as she stared at the painting of a young, strong Robert holding Jon in his arms with a cheerful smile on his lips and the baby was laughing as he sat squabbled in a raven and gold blanket, overlooking the tumultuous bay of Shipbreakers Bay. She found Robert to be delightfully handsome as a young man, with a head of raven-coloured hair and a musty bread as he brushed it against his babe son. It was a lovely painting, done by Daena Targaryen when she was being fostered at Storm's End by Steffon, as a courtesy to his cousins of course. The girl was charming and sweet, and Stannis, that dour brother of Robert's, seemed to like Daena despite him being completely and utterly tongue-tied around herself though, to her great amusement.
"Fury is ours, Robert." She smiled at the painting, as she walked off from it to deal with her children in the next room.
