Brynden

It had been two years since the Tourney for his fourteenth nameday, two years in which winter had finally arrived and kept Westeros in its deep embrace, two years in which Brynden had grown from being a gangly boy, to a strong and muscular man. He was to be meeting with his betrothed- one Rowena Arryn- today. It would be the first time the two of them were to meet and Brynden- he who was usually quite confident and sure of himself- found that he was very, very nervous. He knew how important it would be that he made a good impression on his betrothed, when he had been younger he had often wondered why his mother had never seemed to be truly happy with his father, but as he had gotten older he had come to better understand. His father had been a very clever and bookish man, but had not truly paid attention to his mother, and as a result his mother had become quite bitter about it. Brynden knew for a fact that he did not wish to be like his father, he wanted to be able to discuss the most intimate of things with his betrothed, after all she would be his wife for the remainder of their days, and he now knew the importance of having someone to confide in.

"You're doing it again." Brynden heard his mother chide.

He turned round and looked at her, confusion etched on his face. "Whenever you get nervous, you keep playing with your hands. Don't worry sweetling you'll be fine." His mother said reassuringly.

Normally he would make a face at his mother, for calling him sweetling, but just now he could with all the reassurance and endearments he could get. He could never understand why, but whenever he had to talk to a girl who was not family, he always became so very, very nervous. Raising his head up, he spoke. "Very well then, I shall try and refrain from doing that. Thank you lady mother."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his mother trying to repress a smile. He could also tell that Ser Garlan Tully was also trying to repress a smile, ignoring them he called out in his most kingly voice. "Ser Devan bring in Lady Rowena and her family please." He saw Ser Devan Manderly bow his head and then move to open the doors, as the doors opened and the Arryns walked into the throne room, Brynden felt his breath catch as he looked at his betrothed. She was stunning, as few years younger than him perhaps, but truly stunning, she was tall with long curly brown hair, piercing green eyes and a smile that seemed to belie a hundred promises. He had never seen someone so beautiful.

As the Arryns got to the steps of the throne, they stopped and bowed and curtseyed, but Brynden only had eyes for his betrothed. Once all the customary greetings had been done, Brynden gave the rest of the Arryns leave to speak with his mother, his hand or his uncle, and stepped down from the throne, and asked his betrothed to walk with him. Fitting her arm to his hand, they walked out of the throne room, Ser Edrick and Ser Garlan, two white shadows behind them, trailing at a respectful distance.

As they walked through the Red Keep, both of them were silent for a time, as Brynden tried to figure exactly what he was supposed to say. He had seen his cousin Egg talk with girls with little to no problem, but he himself had never truly learnt how to start a proper and decent conversation with a girl, without making himself feel like they were just trying to flatter him. Luckily for him, his betrothed seemed to have no such qualms for she was the one who broke the silence. "The Red Keep truly is lovely Your Grace."

Brynden replied. "Truly? And please its Brynden, my lady."

They stopped beside one of the windows looked out onto the city, his city, and he heard his betrothed speak once more. "Yes truly Your Grace, the Red Keep though it may not be as big as some of the castles truly is a beautiful castle; it has some features that truly resonate with me, as does King's Landing. And if I am to call you by your name, then I insist that you do the same for me... Brynden."

Brynden could not help the smile that broke out across his face then, he knew then that the both of them would get along just fine. "And what is it about King's Landing that makes it so appealing to you my lady?"

"Well, the hustle and the bustle of the streets, the liveliness of the whole place just seems so invigorating to me. Much more so than the Eyrie or the Vale." Rowena replied.

After that they moved from the window ledge, and walked some more through the Red Keep, talking and joking about various things. Brynden told her some more about King's Landing and the court, whilst Rowena filled him in on what her life had been like at the Vale. Eventually they parted ways, for both of them had their own things to attend to before the feast that night.

The feast that night seemed to go well. The Arryns seemed to be having a good time, and Brynden became more and more enraptured with his betrothed, hanging of her every word, and laughing at her jokes. If he thought himself enraptured, he surely thought that she too must have become more enraptured with him too, though he would not voice these thoughts aloud for fear of sounding pretentious.

The Arryns stayed in King's Landing for just over a month, in which time Brynden got to learn slightly more about the Warden of the East and his family. Jasper Arryn, was a proud man, who liked the sound of his own voice, though when he spoke, Brynden tended to listen, for what the man said seemed to make much sense to the king's young ears. He listened most intently to the man's stories of his uncle Baelor, how mighty a warrior his uncle had been, how skilled a diplomat the man had also been. Brynden had once tried to ask his mother and his uncle Maekar, about his uncle Baelor, but both of them had become very sad, and he had never asked since. Lord Jasper's wife was a kind and courteous lady, though she seemed to be quite quiet never saying much unless Brynden's mother spoke with her. Rowena's younger siblings were too young to truly be of much interest to Brynden; Jon Arryn the heir to the Vale was but a young baby.

The time he spent with Rowena though, was time he truly cherished. In the month since he had met her, he had quickly realised that his betrothed was a smart, and funny lady, who made him more comfortable with himself and around her. For though Brynden was normally quite confident in himself, there were times where it all became too much, the thought of being king, truly wore on him. But when he was with Rowena, such concerns did not seem to matter; they seemed minimal in comparison to making Rowena laugh and smile. The first time they kissed was at the feast held for his sixteenth nameday, the day that signalled that he was officially a man and could be properly coronated. They had gone for a walk out in the grounds of the Red Keep, Ser Edrick and Ser Oberyn walking behind them, when Brynden had had a sudden urge to kiss her, pulling her away from the main path, he led her to a grove where the apples grew, where he had walked with his mother when he was but a babe, and pushing her against one of the walls the leant over her and whispered in her ear. "I've been dying to kiss you since I saw you enter the hall this evening, Rowena."

"As have I... Brynden." He heard her pant back, as ever the sound of her saying his name sent thrills shooting through him.

Leaning in closer so that both their foreheads were touching, he said. "I don't think I can last much longer, without kissing you."

"So do it then."

And do it he did, he leant in and kissed her full on the mouth, and she kissed him back. They kissed for what seemed like an age, their tongues fighting each other in their mouths, and when they pulled apart they were both gasping for air, though they kissed again and again, each time better than the last until, they heard footsteps approaching, and they quickly pulled apart, but before they did Brynden heard Rowena whisper "Happy nameday Your Grace."

The next day was his coronation. He was dressed in a doublet of red and black, with a three red headed dragon clasping his cloak. As he kneeled in front of the High Septon, on the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor, and swore his oaths, to protect the people of all faiths and creed, from wrongdoing and injustice. To defend the seven, the old gods, the drowned god from those who would wrong them. To ensure that justice was served to the best of his ability and to rule wisely for as long as he could, he felt a sense of duty envelop him. As the High Septon put the crown on his head, and bid him rise, Brynden knew that there was no turning back now, he was no longer a boy, it was time to kill the boy and let the man be born.

Small council meetings, Brynden had quickly learnt were some of the most boring things known to mankind. They were a place for the lords of his small council to puff out their chests and speak and speak and speak, as if they feared that if they did not continuously speak about monotonus things like finance- though he knew it was important- then they would lost the ability to speak all together.

One of the worst people on his small council Brynden thought was the Master of Coin, Tybolt Lannister. The man had served on his father's small council as master of coin as well, and his son and heir was married to Brynden's sister Daenys, and yet the man never seemed to shut up, nor did he seem to think that he had got his just desert in life. It was something that Brynden could not fathom. He knew the Lannisters were a rich and powerful family, second only to Brynden's own family, and yet the man never seemed to be content with his lot, it was almost as if he thought life had cheated him of some elusive goal.

His uncle Maekar, seemed to share Brynden's view on the man, if the number of times that Brynden had seen his uncle grit his teeth to hold back some scathing comment was anything to go by. Though of course his uncle said nothing to reprimand or keep Lord Tybolt in line, for though Brynden was loath to admit it, they did need the Lannisters and their gold, if they were to have any hope of quashing the Blackfyres before they tried to invade again.

Brynden's namesake, otherwise known as Bloodraven continued to serve as hand, though as he was getting older, the man seemed to be less of a presence than he had supposedly been during Brynden's father and grandfather's reigns. He had even asked Brynden if he could resign and head north for the Night's Watch, something that Brynden had been reluctant to allow, the man may be getting old, but his services were still needed in the south, for now.

The other members of the small council, excluding Lord Commander Ser Edrick, were all, as far as Brynden was concerned a bunch of old women. Afraid to make changes to the status quo, Brynden had had to argue fiercely for changes to be brought to the systems of ship building and raising men, he knew that the Blackfyres were building war galleys, and that the Golden Company had war elephants. He had argued fiercely for the Royal Fleet to be expanded, they needed bigger and quicker ships which could fire off powder that could deal with enemy ships without having to have men die needlessly mounting the other ship. The Master of Ships, Rodrik Greyjoy- Dagon's son- had scoffed at the notion, until Brynden had told him that unless he wished to have his head grace a spike on the Red Keep he would look into the matter.

And now they had received word from one of Bloodraven's sources across the narrow sea, that the Blackfyres were planning another assault, and discussion was fierce over what their next move should be. As usual Lord Tybolt seemed to wish to wait. " The Blackfyres have tried three times to take the Iron Throne from its rightful owners, and three times they have failed. What is there to say this attempt will be any different?

"The fact that they are arming more and more men, this Maegon Blackfyre will be bringing with him not just the Golden Company, but the Second Sons, the Brave Companions and even the armies of Pentos with him." Brynden heard his namesake reply.

He heard Tybolt Lannister snort in derision. "And did Bittersteel not bring the second sons with him the last time the Blackfyres tried to invade? And did Prince Maekar not crush that rebellion alongside Prince Aegon and Ser Duncan? What is there to say this invasion will be any more successful?"

"The fact that half of Dorne will also be rallying behind this Maegon Blackfyre. The Yronwoods have managed to get some powerful houses to agree to fight behind the black dragon. Should they invade, we shall have no support from Dorne." Bloodraven answered.

Brynden was glad to see the smug smile rubbed off of Tybolt Lannister's face even if he himself felt nerves begin to flutter in his stomach at the mention of the rebellion in Dorne. "What would you suggest we do, the Lord Brynden?" Brynden asked.

His great uncle turned his eye toward him, and gave him a piercing look. "With your permission Your Grace, I would have my spies in the Golden Company whisper in the pretender's ear that should he land in the Dornish Marches, we will be caught unawares, and that he will have time to link up with his Dornish allies."

Brynden remained silent for a moment, debating the possibilities, before saying. "Very well then, but I want there to be full proof backups just in case, Mors cannot hold off the rebels. There will need to be men ready to march as soon as we hear that the fools have landed. Grand Maester Derryck, I want you to send ravens to all corners of the kingdoms. Since Lord Tybolt and Lord Rodrick are already here, you will know that as soon as the ravens come, banners will be called. I want your men and the men of every other Lord Paramount ready to march the minute the ravens arrive in your castles. I want these Blackfyres done for, and I want them done for good."

The preparations for the inevitable Blackfyre invasion, soon took a back seat, as the plans were made for Brynden's wedding to Rowena Arryn. Since Rowena had left King's Landing, the two of them had kept in touch via raven, and Brynden could firmly say, that he felt as if he had known his betrothed his whole life. What was good was that his mother seemed to be quite taken with her as well, and that was important to him, for his mother was the only person Brynden had ever truly loved and cared about along with his sisters, and her acceptance of his bride to be was crucial.

He had noticed that both his mother and his uncle Maekar, seemed to be much happier as of late than they had been in years past, and he was curious to find out what had caused that. Though if they way they looked at each other was any indication, then he should have no trouble truly finding out what was going on between them. Not that he was truly bothered, so long as his mother was happy, and his uncle Maekar did nothing to make her unhappy, then Brynden would be fine, should, something go wrong though...

Eventually the day of his wedding dawned bright and early, Brynden soon found himself walking toward the Great Sept of Baelor, the crows that had been gathering for days cheering loudly as he passed them by. He was followed closely by his mother, his uncle Maekar, Bloodraven, his cousins and his sisters and their husbands and children. He entered the Sept and felt his heart rate begin to speed up, this was yet another step of becoming a man, yet another step to finally wedding his betrothed, he had waited for so long.

When Rowena entered the Sept on her father's arm, Brynden felt his breath catch, just as it had done all those months ago when he had seen her for the first time. She looked stunning in a dress of blue and grey, her hair worn loose around her shoulders, he could see the curls that he so loved clearly, and he felt his heart begin to pound quicker. He could not stop looking at her, even as they said their vows to each other, and it was a relief when the High Septon announced that he could kiss her. He kissed her long and deep, and felt happy and content.

At the wedding feast they talked and laughed and danced, and Brynden could not take his eyes of off her. They danced and danced, and when the men in the hall called for the bedding, Brynden gave his wife's hand a quick squeeze, before they began the journey that would confirm them officially as man and wife.

Brynden did not see the servant who came into the hall to speak with Bloodraven and Maekar, if he had, he would have seen the letter that was shown to both men, with the Three Headed Dragon on it. War was approaching, and this time Brynden would be needed to fight for his throne.