Game of Thrones: A Blessed Union

Chapter 4: The Tully Sisters

Lysa Arryn waited impatiently for her sister to arrive at the Red Keep. She had received a raven to say that she and her husband were coming to visit Lysa and Jon Arryn. However they were late, it was past midday, the time they had been expected at. As she waited Lysa considered the past few years; she had been through four more miscarriages; a total of two in the Eyrie, three in Kings Landing. Each time she had sent a letter to Cat, informing her of her loss; Cat had always replied expressing deep sympathies for her sister. It was in response to Lysa's last miscarriage that Catelyn had announced her intention to visit; presumably to try and offer more direct comfort to her sister.

'Cat's coming south, back to spring, summer, the sun.' Lysa thought. 'She must've missed it, stuck in that cold frozen northern castle of hers.'

Lysa thought how lucky Cat was to have a child; but she wondered if anything else had happened. But she doubted it, surely Catelyn would've have sent her a letter if it had. Judging from Eddard Stark's solemn face when the two sisters married in the Sept; it was very unlikely that anything had happened between them after the wedding night.

"They've arrived, Lysa." Her elderly husband stated. "Let's go."

She nodded and followed him.

'Perhaps Cat is as miserable as I am; perhaps she's suffered miscarriages too.' Lysa found herself wondering; almost fervently hoping. 'Perhaps Robb has grown up sickly and weak and her husband can scarcely stand to look at her.'

She knew it was shameful to think like that, but she wanted it to be true, so she could have someone who understood her pain.

However her thoughts came crashing to a halt as she finally saw her sister for the first time in five years. Her sister was winter pale now, her hair hung loose, unadorned; her gown cut for winter, exposing nothing but her hands and head. Yet she looked happy, radiant even; her husband was smiling, an expression that Lysa had never seen on his face before. She couldn't understand it, once again she felt envious of Cat; she had taken a marriage made solely for political reasons and made it a real, happy one. Another blow to Lysa came when she saw the children, Robb had siblings. At five years old Robb was clearly not sickly or weak, just the opposite, tall for his age and strong, walking proudly beside his father; his auburn hair practically shining in the sun; Tully blue eyes wide as he saw the wonders of the Capital. Walking next to Catelyn, trying to keep pace with her longer strides, was a three year old girl; very pretty, the very image of Catelyn. In Catelyn's arms was a one year old girl; this one did not have Tully features however; with brown hair and grey eyes. It was then Lysa received the biggest blow; she saw it and felt cold in the pit of her stomach; Cat was pregnant again; her stomach starting to swell. Before Lysa could fully process the unfairness of what she saw, she realized she was standing right in front of her sister.

Lysa fought to smile and judging from Cat's return smile, she had succeeded.

"Welcome to King's Landing, sister." Lysa said as happily as she could.

Cat smiled embraced her as best she could, holding a one year old in one arm and being pregnant. "It's good to see you again Lysa. You remember Robb."

Lysa and Jon both nodded and Jon smiled widely. "I see he's grown into a strong young lad; that's good."

Eddard Stark and Cat smiled and Cat then introduced the other two children.

"This is Sansa." She said, indicating the older girl; before shifting her weight slightly, bringing the younger girl into focus. "And this is Arya."

Eddard looked at her concerned and gently took Arya from her, carrying her. "You shouldn't have carried her, Cat. Think of what could've happened."

Cat nodded slowly; it was obvious he was referring to her pregnancy. Jon smiled at them and gestured.

"You should all come inside; I'm sure there will be people waiting to greet you and hear news."

As the group walked past her, Lysa furrowed her brow. Jon was only being polite she knew; only Northerners truly cared what happened in the north. It was then she realized that the sister she knew as no more. Her sister was of the north now, was no longer the Summer child Lysa had looked up to in their youth. Catelyn had changed; she was a Lady of Winter now.

It was later on, during the evening meal that Catelyn found herself seated next to Queen Cersei; with Lysa sitting on the other side of the Queen. This prevented her however from talking to Lysa; she didn't feel that their family troubles should be shared in front of the Queen. Queen Cersei looked as lovely as the rumours said; her blonde hair done up in luxurious southern style; similar but not exactly the same, as Lysa's style. Both women wore elegantly cut gowns in their house colours which bared their shoulders and the tops of their breasts; although Lysa wore the colours of her new house, the Arryn's. Cersei wore Lannister red rather than Baratheon gold and black. Next to them Catelyn knew she looked out of place; but she did not care, her thoughts were on her children, even her currently unborn one. She noted Robb seemed tense, seated near Prince Joffrey, however Sansa acquitted herself well. The women of the court seemed to adore her and spoke to her regularly. Ned still held Arya in his arms as he spoke with Jon Arryn. It was then Catelyn's attention was brought back to her present company by Queen Cersei's voice.

"So, is this your fifth child?" She asked, referring to the swell of Catelyn's stomach.

Catelyn shook her head. "My fourth."

Cersei looked at her critically; something about her gaze made Cat uneasy. "I heard there were already four children in the North?"

Catelyn stiffened and nodded. "Yes, the other is Jon Snow."

She could see the look on Lysa's face and knew she would be hearing about it later.

Cat was tired as she returned to her chambers; in addition to the usual exhaustion she felt during pregnancy; she had just endured endless questioning from Lysa about Jon Snow. Lysa had seemed gleeful that Ned had fathered a bastard; Catelyn guessed, given the relatively poor state her marriage was in, Lysa was simply happy that hers wasn't completely perfect either. Catelyn didn't blame her sister for that; after all her unhappiness; she guessed Lysa's bitterness wasn't entirely unexpected, or wrong for that matter. Ned was already in bed when she entered she quickly got herself ready and joined him. Ned rolled over and put his arm around her.

"Are you okay?" He asked tenderly. "I heard about what the Queen said; Lysa must've given you a hard time about it."

Cat sighed. "She's changed so much, Ned; I want to help her, to comfort her over her losses but…I don't know if she'll listen to me anymore."
Ned was silent, he had no reply, but still she shared his wife's concerns. They both decided however, they best thing they could do just now, was sleep on it, and so they did.