ELIA

SUNSPEAR

Elia stands before the tomb of her son Prince Jaeharys; she visits his tomb every day and spends an hour praying for his innocent soul. She also reflects on all the mistakes she had made with Rhaegar and Lyanna. It broke Elia's heart to leave Lyanna's lifeless body at the Tower, but if she had not Eddard Stark would have torn the country apart looking for it dead or alive. She was also sad that she had to sacrifice to noble and worthy Knights like Ser Gerald Hightower and Ser Aurthor Dayne to keep Lyanna's secret.

Elia is full of sorrow and regrets, but she still has her daughter Rhaenys whom she must be a mother and guide to in life. Rhaenys is only five name days old and wishes to learnto fight. The main reason is due to her rambunctious cousins; Princess Arianne Martell and Obara Sand. Elia leaves the tombs and finds her daughter in the courtyard practicing to use a sword.

"Rhaenys!"

She runs across the yard, "Mother!" They take a seat, "Is it true mother?"
"Is what true my child?"

"What they say about my father?"
She sighs, "Who are they? And what do they say?"

"Arianne and Obara…They say Father kidnapped Lyanna Stark and raped her…"

"Arianne! Obara! Come here now!" The two girls ignore their aunt at first, but eventually they stop what they are doing and join mother and daughter. In truth Elia can't be angry with them as few people know the truth. "Sit down…Sometimes rumors aren't true…Sometimes they are…In regards to Prince Rhaegar…The rumors are false…He did not kidnap Lady Lyanna…"

"Then why did father send men to fight?" Arianne asks, 'Why do the servants say those things?"

"They say them because that is what most people believe…"

"So what is the truth?" Obara asks.

"If I tell you must swear never to tell another person…"

"I swear…" Obara quickly says.

"Me too I swear…"

"Well…My husband Prince Rhaegar fell in love with Lyanna Stark…"

"But mommy father was married to you…"

"Yes but sometimes people can love more than one person…You love me don't you…"

"Yes…"

"And you love Your uncle Prince Doran…"

"Yeah…"

"Well there you go…and father didn't stop loving me…He loved us both…In fact Lyanna and I became very good friends…but she was promised to Robert Baratheon…And King Robert believed that Rhaegar kidnapped Lyanna…"

"Why didn't someone tell him the truth?" Obara asks.

"Well adult relationships can be complicated sometimes…and sometimes we make mistakes…"

"I hate Robert he killed my father!"

Elia grabs Rhaenys and hugs her, "Be angry my child, but be a child…Play and have fun and when you grow up…We will avenge your father…"

She looks up, "Promise."

"I promise…" Later Elia meets with her brothers and advisors.

"A letter from the Capitol…Robert Baratheon promises not invade Dorne so long as you and your daughter send Ravens out renouncing the Iron Throne…"

Elia balls it up, "Robert Baratheon can go fuck himself…"

"I say we gather our banners and go to war…" Oberyne says.

Doran shakes his head, "Always the fighter…"

"Its what I do brother…"

"Send the Ravens out and renounce the Iron Throne…for now…Then when the time is right we strike…"

"And how many years will that be?"

"Time to gather allies…Arianne…We can promise her to House Romyn…Princess Rhaenys to House Tyrell…We wait and build our coffers…Raise many troops…Then we fight…Perhaps we can steal a few Houses from the Baratheons…"

Reluctantly Elia sends out the Ravens renouncing the Iron Throne on behalf of her daughter. A few months later they receive word that House Romyn has won its independence from the Iron Throne. So over the next few years plans are made to win back the Iron Throne for House Targaryen. Eventually Elia decides she wants to visit West Point and see how Aegon is getting along. Part of her regrets parting with the boy, but Julian Romyn made sense.

"And why do wish to head for the Western Expanse? The truth dear sister."

She looks around the room, "Leave us!" She commands, "What I have to say you must swear to keep secret for now…"

"Even from Oberyn…"

"Especially Oberyn…At least for now…" When he agrees she starts at the Tourney of Harrenhal and ends her tale with her journey to the tower of joy.

"All that bloodshed over a lie…" Doran says. "…but why did you agree to allow Lord Romyn to take the child?"

"He was very insistent…Said that it would be better to keep the children separate…See if any of them immolate their Grandfather the Mad King…Then to choose from among them who would be best to sit the Iron Throne…"

"Protocol says the boy is next in line…"

"I know, but if he is not fit to be King…Then Arianne…Should be Queen…"

"You play a dangerous game dear sister…And you gave Julian Romyn a lot of power…"

"He said when things calm down that I may come and see the child anytime I wished…It has been two years…"

"Fine go…Perhaps we can open up a line of communication and air out a plan of action…"

Elia takes three days to prepare and on the morning of the fourth day she leaves on a merchant ship for the Western Expanse. On the Northwest side of the Expanse on the edge of the land mass the Romyns had built the port city of Capri. Some of the buildings and streets are on the water. The town had been built to house the freed slaves that became a part of the Romyn naval force. As time passes the town is added on to. The growing city is ruled by Lord Marcus of House Crassus. His sigil is that of an Eagle with its wings spread out to the side. Their words are, Soaring to New Heights.

As Elia disembarks from the merchant ship Wind Maker she is awestruck by the small yet growing city. Everywhere there is construction of some type going on. "Please come with us…" A soldier says to them as other soldiers board the ship searching for spies. Elia and her two guards wear heavy hooded cloaks. They are taken to Eagle Crest Castle.

"Welcome to Eagle Crest Princess. Or do you prefer Queen Elia?"

"I renounced my titles…Princess will do Sir…"

"As you wish I am Lord Marcus Crassus…I rule this city in the name of Lord Julian Romyn…We have been expecting you…My men will escort you to West Point, but perhaps you would like to rest for a day…I have sent word by Raven of your arrival…"

"Thank you my Lord that will be fine…" After breaking her fast the next day Marcus sends fifty men to escort Elia to West Point. West Point is larger than Capri or at least the city surrounding the castle of West Point. "Do all the small folk live here?" Elia asks.

"Most of them…" The Captain replies, "…After the invasion by King Tyrion Lannister was repelled…Hector Romyn built this city around his castle along with the Western Wall…The fields are given out by lot and each farmer is responsible for that track of land…The people are allowed to grow whatever crops they wish…"

"Anyone ever get past the wall…" Elia's guard asks.

"The Wall is fifty feet high…There is a twenty foot wide…twenty foot deep trench in front of the wall…So no…No army has ever breeched the wall…The Lannisters tried twice after the wall was built…"

They ride through the main street up to the West Point. The Castle is just as big as Harrenhal; it has twenty towers, and inner and outer court, a two tiered wall and a moat going around the wall. When Elia enters the inner courtyard Lady Bethany Romyn is waiting. "Welcome Princess…My name is Lady Bethany Romyn...Welcome to West Point…"

"Thank you…"

"My husband has gone hunting into the wilds, but please enjoy our hospitality…My servants are at your command…" Elia is taken to a large room. It is decorated in royal blue and gold. There are a few parts of the castle being remodeled and servants are taking down the red and gold sigils and putting up the blue and silver.

"My husband insisted on going back to our family's original colors…Lord Caster switched the colors to mock the Lannisters…But this is why you came to West Point…"

Elia gasps as Bethany steps to the side to reveal a young shy boy of two years of age. He has grey eyes of the Starks and dark hair. "Jon say hello to Princess Elia…" he waves, "He's shy, but we are working on it…"

She walks up to him with tears in her eyes and drops to one knee, "He looks like his mother…At least the eyes…" She frowns, "Jon?"

"After the Northern King who gave refuge to House Manderly…He knows his real name…"

"High Jon…I knew your mother…Your real mother…" She takes out a ring with a wolf's head on it, "Your mother wanted you to have this…"

He snatches it from her, "What do you say Jon?"
"Thank you…" He shyly says.

"Can I have a hug?"

He smiles and runs into her arms, "I wish your mother and father were here to see you…" Julian returns home with a deer and some rabbits. Evening meal is served an hour before sundown. Then Julian takes Elia to his solar to talk in private, Bethany is present. "My brother wants to promise Arianne to the Tyrells…I told him about Aegon…"

Julian sighs, "I wish you had not…But what's done is done…You didn't tell Prince Oberyn did you?"

"No yet at least…"

"Well wheels are in motion…I have sent a small fleet of ships carrying servants, gold, and a thousand men to Braavos for Prince Viserys and Princess Daenarys…They should stay in Braavos for the time being…"

"I agree…"

"Lord Tyrell has a son so I agree with Princess Arianne's betrothal to him…We will wait and see what other children the gods bless Lord Tyrell and his wife with…In the meantime…If your brother is agreeable I would like to arrange a secret marriage pact between his daughter and my son Jordan…"

"My niece is already six name days old and your son is what…"

"Two name days old…If he does not agree I will wait and see what comes from the Tyrells…"

"What of Lord Stark?"

"We will wait to approach him for now…If things work out…We can take the throne with little to no bloodshed…"

"And if not?"

"War it is…"

Elia stays for a week and then she returns home to tell her brother Prince Doran about the plan. "I will have to think about it…My daughter is the eldest and my heir…"

"The Romyns are a powerful family…One of the few in Westeros who can rival the Lannisters…"

"We shall see…"