Ninth Month of 276 A.L. Highgarden

Lady Olenna Tyrell

Summer was baking hot in the Reach, it always had been, for as long as Olenna could remember. When she had been younger she had often gone swimming in the sea with her brother and sister, and then later when she had wed Luthor she had gone swimming in the Mander with him and done all kinds of things. The Reach had prospered during the peace that had come at the end of Summerhall and the Ninepenny Kings, trade was booming, the other kingdoms demanded a lot of the products that were produced by the people of the Reach, especially during summer, melons, wine, grapes apples and peaches were all in high demand, and as such were sold to places such as the Westerlands, the Riverlands and the Vale as well as to the north in exchange for the materials that the Reach needed. As such Olenna was happy to note that her hard work had paid off and House Tyrell was once again respected amongst the various lords of the realm, it had after all been a very bad state when Luthor had come to his lordship, his father Mern had been an oaf and a fool.

Of course her husband Luthor had been as big an oaf as his father had been, but he had had the good sense to listen to her and let her do all the heavy lifting when it came to the political manoeuvring and dealing with his bannermen. A laugh and a smile, a well placed jest was enough to win many of the lords over, and twist them to her needs, some of the others though, Tarly, Rowan and Appleton all gruff men needed to be shown just how smart she truly was and she had done that. Leaving her husband to go hawking and drinking with her own brother and his own cousin that oaf Ashford. When he had ridden off of that cliff she had laughed and then she had mourned for she had been more than passing fond of the oaf. Her son and the Lord of Highgarden worried her though, Mace, he had a lot of ideas and aspirations but did not have the brains to carry them out. He plotted and planned but in the end often landed on his arse. He was an oaf, an oaf who did not listen to her most of the time but when he did good things happened, such as him following up on his feelings for Alerie Hightower and marrying her at Olenna insistence, thus keeping Lord Leyton happy and content. Mace and Alerie's son Willas was a very sharp boy, smart and curious Olenna knew he would make a fine Lord of Highgarden when his time came and she made sure to do all she could to ensure his father's oafishness did not rub off on him. As for her daughters, well Mina was smart but always allowed her emotions to rule her, that she had even wed Paxter Redwyne when she had been dead set on marrying that Osgrey fellow showed Olenna that at least her daughter was not a complete airhead. As for Jana, well her second daughter was good looking and had a good brain on her, she was a lot like Olenna, she was cunning and knew how to play the game had been doing it for years, which was why this letter from the north was such a surprise.

"Why has he sent the letter mother?" Mace asked, his face drawn in concentration. "There has been very little dealing between Winterfell and Highgarden as far as I can tell in the recent past. It makes no sense."

Olenna shook her head and said. "Mace, sweetling listen closely. It makes perfect sense, Lord Rickard is looking to increase the presence of Winterfell and the Starks south of the neck. After all the Starks have ruled the north for thousands of years and are now its uncontested rulers, there is little else for him to gain there. Looking to the south means he can have a foot in the game we all play, and show that the north is as strong as any of the other great houses if not stronger. This offer is a way of doing that."

Mace looked at the letter again and then said. "But why now? Why is he looking to make the offer now and not have them wed shortly afterwards? Why have the marriage in a few years if he is so eager to have his influence in the south grow?"

Olenna sighed. "Because Mace, Jana is only fourteen, Brandon Stark is fifteen, they need time to get to know one another and assess what they like about one another. Besides from what my sources have been telling me Brandon Stark is a man of great passions, if Jana makes a good impression on him we shall see our power grow and we ourselves will have more presence in Westeros."

"But how will that happen if we are not wedding into one of the houses that has a presence at court? And besides Rhaegar Targaryen is still unwed, if we suggest a match between him and Jana, then the king would be a fool to refuse." Mace said.

Olenna felt the familiar shudder run through her at the thought of wedding her daughter into that family, she had to try very hard to keep her voice calm when she replied. "The King has just come back from Duskendale, gods alone knows what happened there, but the man will not look kindly to any overtures we make towards him and his son. He has kept his son unwed for a reason, it is best if we stay away from that direct play. Marrying into House Stark means we are wedding into an ancient bloodline, one of the oldest in the kingdoms, and it also gives our name more weight, and power if the other lords see that the Starks are willing to wed us. Others will follow and Tyrell blood will soon sit in the other kingdoms as well."

She saw her son's eyes grow wide then as they always did when he thought of the power that waited for him. "And you think that this could truly happen?"

Olenna nodded and said. "Yes Mace. Once the other lords see that House Stark is marrying into us, they will want a piece as well. And that is where we can begin implementing our plans. Otherwise, nothing will happen."

Her son still had doubts and he began grumbling about them. "I still don't understand why we can't see her wed to a southern house. Marrying her into those savages north of the neck makes things so much harder. Besides if Brandon Stark truly is what you say he is like, what is the guarantee that Jana will enjoy being his wife?"

Olenna sighed, for all her pretended to be politically savvy he was still very naive. And so clearing her throat and saying with as much patience as possible she explained. "Jana is nearly a woman grown, and she is also a very smart woman at that not like half the air headed ladies your cousins seem so happy to flitter about with Mace. She will know how to charm Brandon Stark and make him see her attractiveness. If she does not come to love him, well there are other ways she can get enjoyment from their marriage other than foolish concepts of love."

Her son merely said. "If you say so mother."

Olenna laid a hand on his arm and said. "I do sweetling. Now will you respond to Lord Rickard giving him our consent for this or shall I?"

Her son puffed out then and said. "No I shall do it." Olenna smiled, part one of her plan was complete.