A/N I am very sory for this unannounced absence I wa forced to tae these past two weeks. I dropped my laptop on the floor when I returned from an evening of feasting on ale nd singing songs (I actually sang "the Rains of Castamere"). Now I have found a way to use it again by buying a television that connects with the lptop (that just had a broken screen). Anyway, this probably was much more explanation then anyone needed, but I just wanted to let you know that I have not abandoned my lovely readers. To those of you that follow my story, this chaapter is dedicaated to you.
Tarbeck Hall was an old castle though not as old as Castamere. The First Men had lived there for a thousand years before the Andals came. The castle was build later on by the first Tarbeck, who named it after his family. The castle was built on a rocky spit of land, as both a lighthouse for the Westerland ships as a sentry to spot Ironmen ships, who sought to raid villages.
The Tarbecks had begun as small Castle owners, but the same lord who built Tarbeck Hall, had managed to gave the Ironmen such hard beating, using the castle as a sallyport, that the King of the Rock had named him Lord of the Rocky Coast, later renamed Tarbeck Hall, after the castle that dominated the land.
So the history of Tarbecks was based on merit, not on wealth, as the province wasn't all that rich. The mountains that bordered Tarbeck Hall belonged to the High Lordship of Ashemark, the big vale that was secluded within these mountains. There House Marbrand ruled, the eternal bootlikkers of the Lannisters.
A few centuries ago, when House Reyne had abdicated the claim on the Throne of the Rock and the Lannisters rose to power, the Lannisters had rewarded House Westerling, who had fought beside them during that civil war, by giving them the title 'High Lords of the Crag'. This new title included Tarbeck Hall as vassal. Of course the Tarbecks did not appreciate this action, and the relations between Tarbeck and Lannister have always been rather frigid since then.
I had known all this for quite some time, as I had familiarized myself with the history of all the Houses in the Westerlands, and the Great Houses of the other kingdoms under the watchful eye of Maester Aldun. As I was figuring out my strategy to talk to Lady Jenna instead of Lord Damion, as I had anticipated, I realized that it was no use. All I could hope for is that the woman was not dim-witted, so that she could see the political advantage in what I offered. Since she married a Tarbeck, she might have grown resentful of the Lannisters, but there was no way to be sure.
The guard led me to a tower that stood on the far side of the peninsula, and stood lonely in sight of the others. It was also the largest one. HE took me inside and showed me the way to the top floors. We stopped at a large door, that looked as if it had been there since Tarbeck built the keep.
"My Lady Jenna is waiting for you in the solarium, just enter trough here, ser Reyne." The guard said, as he stepped aside.
"Thank you good man. But I prefer Lord Reyne actually. I fear it is to be a common mistake to recognize a baron in a lad of my age, so have no fear, I shall not inform the lady Jenna of yyour indiscretion." I replied him, adding the latter as he looked puzzled by my words.
I gave the man a pat on the shoulder and stepped into the solarium. It was the largest one I had ever seen so far, and the only one I would ever see that exceeded his size would be the solarium of Harrenhall, but everything was bigger there. It took three stories in the tower, and was filled with what is to be expected in a solarium. Books, parchment, quills and ink. The first story was dominated by a large desk with an enormous window behind it, allowing the sun to shine in.
At this desk, a woman sat. She was middle aged, yet still pretty, in a graceful way. She wore a gown of blue silk, and her hair was held back by a silver circlet. The colors of House Tarbeck. The sun illuminated her and her desk in a golden glow, and left the rest of the room in a more dark, shimmery light, where I ,wearing the black tunic of Toran and a very dark grey cloak, blended perfectly in.
The Lady looked up, and her eyes were brightened by surprise. "By the Seven. You are a spitten image of your father, my dear boy. Come closer, your clothes are so dark I feel I am looking at a hovering head. You did not join the Watch now did you?"
I smiled, Lady Jenna remembered my father, as he had said she might. "I did not join the Night's Watch my good lady, I merely wear my colors."
"Your colors? You are Damion of Castemere's boy, aren't you? Then how come you aren't dressed in the silver and red?"
"I am my lady, but this might explain some matters." I stepped forward and handed her one of the letters my father had written.
She read the letter and looked up in amazement. "Lord Robert Reyne of Castamereton? That is quite the honor your father has bestowed upon you. How old are you?"
"Sixteen my lady." I answered, as I shifted uncomfortable n my feet, my age was a soft spot, as few lords would take me serious as a fresh lord of sixteen.
"Sixteen and a new lord. That doesn't happen very often. Well you lordship what are you doing still standing there? Take a seat, your father wrote that you would have urgent matters to adress, that could not be trusted to the parchment."
"Indeed my lady," I answered, and I undid my cloak. As soon as I took it away, the sigil on my chest became apparant.. I looked at the face of Lady Jenna as it caught her eyes. She had a calculated look in them, mixed with a hint of surprise and fear.
"The sigil you have chosen is a very bold one, lord Reyne. Has your father consented in this?" While she spoke she looked not at my face, but remained to stare at the black tunic, embroided with the silver lion rampant on it.
"I have not consoled my father on the matter, as the sigil of the Reynes of Castamereton is not his choice to make, my lady." I nswered, not sure what to make of her comment.
"Then I pray you cast it aside and took another, now that it is not yet shown to the world, for you will catch a lot of attention with it, and not in a good way. You do realize who raised this banner before you don't you?"
"I am fully aware of the history of my sigil, but it is not in use anymore, and therefor I am free to choose it as my coat of arms."
"You make a bold statement with it Robert. You will feel Loren's wrath for this. He will not let you walk away unscratched after you raised the banner of the House Leon. His family name is in jeopardy here." Lady Jenna said, and she looked worried.
"I know it's history, and it is one of the reason's I chose it. Although it is not the same sigil. As you see, my sigil is a lion rampant, like my father's, the Leons had a lion regardant."
"It will make no difference to the man."
"I see you concern my dear lady, but it is to late, even if I intended to change my standard, I could not do so, for word has already been sent to my armourer at Castamereton, who is forging me a new shield, and makes sure banners and tunics embroided with my lion are made. The Silver Lion will be a symbol in the upcoming war. And if it antagonizes the Lannisters, than it is a bonus a gladly receive." I declerad to her, a little hurt that my deeply considered sigil was thought of s a fling of my mind.
Of course her fear was understandable. House Leon was a house that only lasted a generation, but at the same time had a large impact on the Westerlands for the last two centuries since its rise and fall. The House consisted of all the bastard sons and daughters of King Tyrek Lannister, second f his name. After his demise his successor, King Tybalt, first of his name, had ordered his father's bastards caught aand killed, for he feared instability and uprising with so many pretenders. However the word got out to the bastards, who all huddled around the oldest son of the old king, Robert Hill. He proclaimed himself and his bastard brethren to be the House Leon, and called war upon House Lannister, because they had attempted assassination of another house. This war was known as "The Bullion Lion War", because it was fought between the Silver and the Golden Lions. The Lannisters won the war, and utterly crushed the bastards. But the defiance of their act was still a sore spot in Lannister history.
Lady Jenna looked intensely to me. "You are ore alike your father than I thought. Beside the fact that you are a thirty-year-younger mirror for him, you have his tenacity. I believe if he was given a barony at sixteen, he would have done the same thing."
I smiled,, "I shall take that as a compliment, for I know you hold my father in high regard."
"That I do, or more to say, that we do. Here in Tarbeck hall your father is seen as a man of importance, as he is not afraid to go toe to toe with the Lannisters. We uphold him in very high regard."
"It pleases me to hear that. M father always spoke highly of House Tarbeck, and of you, Lady Jenna." That was a small lie, my father hadn't really mentioned her before he saw me off to Tarbeck Hall. But it seemed to please her.
"Did he know? Well let's go to business Lord Robert, for your father spoke of a hurry?"
"Yes my lady. first I must say we were shocked with the way yoour family was treated by Loren . The breaking of the engagement as a smack in the face that a House as noble as yours does not disserves."
Lady Jenna looked dismayed, "The breaking of the engagement wasn't the worst part. the fact they gave preference to the Crakehalls... Now that is a smack in the face."
I nodded in sympathy. "The Lannisters clearly have gone out of line there. I trust you know of the problems in the east? Golden Tooth is under siege of the Ironmen. King Loren wants my father to oin the army to defeat them, yet he has only called upon the Marbrands of Ashemark and the Garners of Goldshire. My father fears that he is planning to subdue him, by surrounding him with a lage host, where it is easy to pick him off and smash the defiance against the Lannisters."
Lady Jenna gave me a curious look as she poured wine for the both of us. She seemed to realise where I was going.
"Of course is this something my father would like to avoid. You see, on its best Marbrand and Garner can muster 27 000 people, combined with the army of the Rock. We can put 12 000 men there, for we are one of the largest provinces, but we still would not have enough to pose a serious threat if the king decides to swat us. That's why we would call on friends of us, old and new. My brother has ridden to castle Drox, and will rally Lord Peckledon, who will surely ride to our aid. He will arrive as a surprise force through Pinkmaiden, within 9 days from now. My father has arranged for the rally at Oxcross to be postponed until 5 days from now, so when we march from Oxcross to the Ironmen, we will be strengthened by his men. If Tarbeck were to join us, we would have an army of 60 000 men to fight them, and we would have an advantage over the Lannisters with 33 000 to 27 000. Lannister will be kept at bay."
"But how does that benefit us? All I see is a way for your father not to get killed. And as much as I would appreciate that, I cannot raise banners and risk live for another man's life."
"It is not only to seek his own life my father wishes to muster a large host. We have a guest at our castle. Lyanne Hill is what she is called."
"The Bastard of the Rock? You found her?" Lady Jenna blurted out. "How is that possible? I thought they took her across the Narrow Sea?"
"That was a mere lie to cover up her true location. My father intends to announce the marriage of Lyanne Lannister and Roland Reyne. And what way is better to persuade a king to do something he does not want to than with an army? Lyanne will be legalized, and we get a claim on the Rock, and when pressed, the Reynes shall not forget who helped them there."
"This is a lot of speculation. Prince Tybalt will still be the one succeeding his father."
"War is a tricky business my lady, death lurks everywhere. Prince Tybalt will be leading the host until his father arrives, and after that he will probably assume command over the vanguard. And accidents can happen."
Lady Jenna was thoughtful. I realized that I was winning my ploy, but she needed a little push to help her get over the fact that she was committing treason if we were discovered.
"In order to symbolize the lasting union between our families that my father hopes to achieve here, I would like to ask the hand of you daughter Sylvia. Our union would be a union of our families, and the start of a wonderful friendship." I smiled and showed her the other letter my father had written, giving his blessing over the union, and expressing his hopes that the Tarbecks would do the same.
Lady Jenna looked at me with eyes full of joy. A chance to stick it up to the Lannister with use of the very marriage they had turned down. How they would hope that they hadn't spurned lady Jenna. I would later keep regarding her as one of the most influential and cruel women I knew, and that meant a lot, considering the company I kept. When I met her gaze I knew I had won my ploy.
"A long life to you, Robert Silver Lion. You will certainly make life interesting in this kingdom."
A/N So yeah, that was the 4th chapter. Any remarks can be given at my trough reviews and PMs. Both are welcomed, I enjoy your input and vision on my story.
Also I would like to make a call on all of you my dear readers. As you might have noticed, my grammar isn't always what it should be. That is because English is not my mother tongue, and I only had a basic English education at school, same as other kids. If anyone would be interested in becoming a Beta Reader for me, and helping me improve my grammar and thus the quality of the story, you are welcome to do so.
On a side note, the House Leon is completely my imagination gone loco. So GRRM never wrote them, they are all me, to add some spice to the story.
That's all folks!