Lyanna led her family on a tour of the Great Hall of Winterfell. She had not been in this room for twenty yeses, yet it looked the same. The banners of house Stark were lining the walls, along with the banners of all the houses who swore aligned to her family. She looked towards the raised dais that held the Throne of Winter and she felt tears well in her eyes. They escaped their confines the closer she drew to the throne.
"Mother, are you alright?" Jon asked. He was beside her and reached out his hand for hers. She clung to it as they walked.
"Yes Jon. I am fine, just remembering. The North Remembers." Her voice was swallowed by the hall as they walked. Her husband was on her other side and he took her other hand.
"We should have come sooner. I see that now. I am sorry I kept you so far from your strength my Winter Rose." Rhaegar said to her as they made their way closer to the throne her father had sat in for so many years. But not enough she thought as they walked.
"I know why we never made it to my homeland in the past. We had a kingdom to rule." She smiled at her husband and he gave her a sad smile in return.
"Be that as it may, this place is where you were raised. We visited Dorne enough on the past to satisfy Elia. We should have done the same for you." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her palm.
"We both know why we never visited here." She said with heat. "There was never an appropriate time to come." She bit out. She left the remark cryptic so the children would not understand the meaning, but Rhaegar knew.
For years, she had pleaded with her husband to come North, to see the full extent of his kingdom. Elia had counseled against it. They had too much to do in Kings Landing, they could not set aside months to visit Winterfell. Lyanna knew it was just another way for the other woman to show that she had more power over the ruling of things than she did. Now though the tides had changed. Lyanna was the one of this land; the old gods spoke to her and her child here, and if she was so bold to believe their eldest child as well.
Lyanna had been telling tales of the North to the children for many years in hopes that they would one day come to this land and feel the pull of it. Jon she was sure felt it. She had been pleased by Rhaenys' feelings to it as well. The girl had come to her after her first glimpse of the old castle one week ago. She smiled as she remembered the conversation.
"Mother, we have seen Winterfell. It is as you always said. Beautiful and majestic. Larger than the Red Keep and not as frightening. There is something about it that feels safer and like home, like you always said." The girl had panted as she stood in her tent when the children had returned from their ride.
"My tales were not just stories dear one. I would never lie to you." Lyanna had smiled at the girl.
"I know. However, seeing the place with my own eyes. I saw the Gods Wood and I think the Heart Tree! Oh mother I wish we could ride ahead and be there first. The place feels like home." Her words had hung on the air as Elias and Rhaegar had entered the tent they had been in.
Elia had shot her daughter a look, but Rhaenys was too lost in the magic of the North to notice. Lyanna had not missed it, or the look Elia had given Rhaegar. She had smiled at the small victory at that. Two of their children loved the country as much as she did. Lyanna knew that the two Queens had been waging a silent war with in the family for many years and Lyanna had just won a major victory there.
"The throne of Winter is said to have been carved by Bran the Builder. Front a single block of wood. That makes it older than the Iron Throne." She smiled at her husband who rolled his eyes as they continued walking.
"What is the stone set in the carvings the wolves' eyes?" Aegon asked as they drew closer. The glint of the eyes calling them closer. He did not know if the beasts were going to lick them or eat them.
"Dragon glass. And they are dire wolves. Siegel of House Stark. The real beasts are larger than common wolves and much fiercer as well." Lyanna said in a mater of fact tone. They were at the steps leading to the throne. She had a feeling that she was being watched as she walked up the steps, touched the arm of the chair, and patted the carving of the wolf.
She remembered sitting with her brother Ben when they were children. They had wooden knights and wolves and would have fierce battles as their father handles matters of the North. She loved her memories of her childhood. They strained her in her during the hard times. She stood looking at the throne with her husband and sons hands in hers, her other two children beside her. This was the feeling she wanted, the feeling of home.
They stood there in silent reverence when the doors banged opened. They turned to see the new comers enter the room.
"So this is what Winterfell looks like." A voice she knew well said from the door.
Rhaegar and Lyanna froze. The widower of their Hand walked in. She was talking to her brother, the waif of a son clutched to her side. The King and Queen shared a look. One thing that the Royal family had agreed on was that the death of Jon Aryan had been too sudden and mysterious. The three had talked for many days after his death.
He fell ill right after he had decided to send the child away to the Stormlands for fostering. The king had agreed it would be for the best for the boy. Jon had asked the king for his thoughts. They had talked for many days about the best place to send Robin. Rhaegar stood looking at the woman and reflected on the discussions.
"He needs to be away from Lysa." He had said. "I know she loves him, but he needs to be away from her." Jon had paced the room.
"We will back you whatever you do." Rhaegar had said.
"Thank you my friend." Jon had said. "I have three places in mind. Riverrun, Winterfell and Storms End. I know that you are not overtly fond of Robert, but he has changed greatly since you saw him last. For selfish reasons I want my child to go there." Jon had looked at his king.
"If that is where you feel he would have the best opportunities I say send him there. Robert is a good lord. His lands are the safest we can boast. His lands are some of the most prosperous in the realm. I believe Robin can learn a good deal with the Baratheon family." Rhaegar had said. Despite their history, he had grown to respect the man he had once battled with for life and death.
"Thank you Rhaegar. I have told Robert of my intentions. If you don't mind I would like to take him there in a week." Jon had said evenly.
"Go with your son to see your foster child. It has been to many years since you saw him." Rhaegar had said. A week later, on the eve of his departure, he had fallen ill. He never made it to Storms End.
Lysa was still speaking.
"It is not as the hall in Riverrun, or as beautiful as our hall in the Airy. We have beautiful blue and white marble stone decorating out hall. This is all just grey stone." She had tasked. "And the tapestries, just banners and none with any real color. It is all so drab."
Lyanna held still. She wanted to fly at the woman, to stick her face over her comments. The group around the woman had noticed the family by the dais, but made no mention of this fact to Lysa, she had not looked at the front of the room yet. They let her continue to talk.
"What they should do is make some more windows here. They have all these candles burning and the two hearths burning for light. It is a little depressing in here." They walked to the center of the room and finally she noticed the King and family at the dais. They all stood there looking at each other.
"My King, Queen Lyanna, it is a pleasure to see you." Edmure spoke into the growing silence.
"My lord Edmure it has been a long time." Rhaegar said to the young man. He liked the young lord of the Riverlands.
"King Rhaegar. Greetings." Lysa said, sticking her nose in the air.
"Lady Aryan always a pleasure." He replied.
Their silence stretched for a long moment. Rhaenys watched the adults with eager eyes. She knew something important was going on. She had loved Jon Aryan. He has doted on her and her brothers before the birth of his child. He had been like a grandfather to her, to them all. His death had shocked her. His widowed wife had behaved strangely after his passing. She had left Kings Landing in the dark of night. It had made her suspicious, but in the eyes of her parents, she was nothing but a child.
"It is fortunate that we all have family to be with within these halls." She said to the silence of the room.
"It is. My sister and your brother make a happy pair. Our nieces and nephews are all grown. It saddens me that they are all grown before any of us have had a chance to know them." Edmure said directly to Lyanna.
"That is the truth." Lyanna said with a smile. She took a liking to him instantly. "Do you find it odd that two of the children of our siblings looks like the two of us?" She smiled brightly. "Robb could be your twin a d Arya could be mine. Fun y how the blood works."
Edmure chuckled and started to distance himself from his sister. He was showing them not all that he was with her. Lyanna glanced at her husband and she saw he took note of the movement. This was something to remember, they may have an allied with him in regards to the sister.
"The strong will win out. My Robin is the image of his father." Lysa spoke into the jovial room. The happy feelings that had been building was shattered. Nine pairs of eyes shot to her. All held varying degrees of anger in their gaze.
Robin wanted to tear himself away from his mother. Since his ride with his uncle, he had been feeling better than he ever had before in his life. Uncle Edmure had kept him close to him. He loved the time he spent with his uncle. He did not treat him like a baby, but like the young man, he was. He loved his uncle for that. It was the way his father had treated him. But he always deferred to mother when it came to him. Jon Aryan might have been the Hand of the King and Warden of the East, but he became a bowl of mush when it came to him and his mother.
"Mother, can I go and speak with the children of the King and Queen?" He asked. He tugged on his ha d until, she let go. He was starting to show her resistance for the first time in his life. He was afraid she might hit him, like she had done after his first ride with Uncle Ed, after he called her a liar. She just looked down at him with a wrathful look. But she smiled and kissed his brow.
"Of course baby, go see your friends."
Robin walked away from her to where Jon and the others were gathered. They had always treated him fair and with true kindness. Jon had always called him cousin, despite the fact they had no real blood ties. Edmure was walking over to Rhaegar and Lyanna. Rhaella went to Lysa. Jon smiled at Robin.
Since he had come to understand the relationships between his mother's relationship and Jon Aryan, he had always called him Uncle Jon.
"We are two of a kind Jonny boy. Both called Jon, both meant to destine to help the king. You watch everything Jonny boy." Jon Aryan had said to him many times.
When Robin had been born, he had taken to him immediately. He had been Jon's constant companion, when his health permitted. What no one knew was that Robin was sick. He suffered from shaking sickness. It was a well-kept secret, only Jon, Lysa and the boys father knew. Jon smiled at the boy as he walked closer.
"Hey Robin. How has the journey been for you?" Jon asked with real concern.
"It has been okay. I've learned a lot." Robin said in his soft way.
"You look well." Dany said. She smiled at him warmly.
"I feel well." Robin said, puffing out his chest. He was trying to make himself look bigger then he was. The shock of seeing his cousin's heights and stature had made him feel small.
"That's good Robin." Jon said with meaning. He knew the boy before him knew what he meant. He blushed and looked down at his feet.
"I don't think things will get to bad for me here. Uncle Edmure said this place is good for me. I believe him. He even mentioned the bathes here held healing properties." Robin said, indignation raising in his voice.
"Healing properties must come in handy for the Starks. They battle the others up here you know." Aegon said with authority.
"That is crazy Aeg. They don't just go around slaying White Walkers. They battle Willing and giants." Rhaenys rolled her eyes. "Didn't you ever pay attention to Mothers stories?"
"Not like you did." Her brother retorted.
"Will you all behave? We are not supposed to act like children. We are adults." Jon snapped. "If father heard you acting like this he would be less than amused."
"But mother wouldn't be." Rhaenys shot back.
"Well Mother One would be passed and make us do something horrible. Mother Two would give us cakes and pat us on the head. Oh the joys of having three parents." Aegon said with a sigh.
Robin watched the princes and princess bicker. He had always wanted brothers and sisters. He had always wanted a family if he was being honest. His mother smothered him and his father was dead, that was not a family.
Then the doors of the hall boomed opened and the next party entered. Oberyn walked in laughing with his niece. The two walked over to the king and queen. The two men embraces and then Oberyn kissed the hand of the second queen.
Jon watched how coolly his second mother's brother treated her. They were not close, but treated each other the way any member of the ruling class would. Arianne greeted the representatives of House Arryn and Tully. She smoothed over her uncles blunting snub to the two other families.
"Lady Arryn, it is good to see you again. I was but a child the last time we met." She said.
"You have grown into a woman since we last met. I don't know if you have met my brother, Edmure." Lysa waved her hand in her brother's direction but didn't look at him.
"Lord Edmure it is a pleasure to meet you." She offered her ha d and put a purr into her voice. He was a good-looking man and she wanted to flirt with someone since her attempt with the Winterfell heir fell down flat.
"It is a pleasure to meet you my lady." Edmure gave her the expected smile but as soon as he could, he looked away and walked to the door to the great hall. Her cousins were close to the throne talking with one another. She knew she should go to them, but something held her back.
"Arianne it is lovely to see you." Rhaella said to her in her soft voice. "I know we didn't have much opportunity to talk during the journey. Walk with me to look at that tapestry over there."
She looked at the woman and her once silver hair now had grey streaks in it. She walked with her to the other side of the hall. Neither of them spoke. Arianne knew that the old woman had something to say to her, so she waited until they were at the tapestry.
"I will not blunt my words, I fear that if I do not speak truthfully you will shrug this off and continue on as if you were home." Rhaella said evenly. "Your uncle, the king and your aunt will look the other way with your behavior. I heard from one of the passing servants that entered with you that you acted to boldly when you met with the Stark family. That behavior might have been tolerated in Dorne encouraged even. It was allowed when you visited Kings Landing. Here, with these families your brazen ways will not be tolerated."
Rhaella was looking at the wolves stalking on the trees of the Gods Wood. It was a hauntingly beautiful piece of work. It was newer than some of the other hangings in the hall. Arianne couldn't help but shudder while she looked at it. It made her feel cold.
"I don't know what you mean, Dowager Queen." She said. She decided to use the woman's title. "I did nothing but play the game."
"That is precisely the point I am trying to make. You think you know what the game that all of us seasoned players are playing at is. You are a child. You know nothing about what it is we do, or why we do it. Your flagrant flirtations with everything male must stop."
"Excuse me Dowager Queen, but I know I must make a good match with one of these men here. I will not let my self be pushed off for some weak man. I am the heir of Dorne, a Princess. If I try to find myself a suitable man to marry and help me rule I will not shrink from using any means to get him and keep him." Arianne said just as smoothly as the former queen had.
"I am trying to warn you, my dear, about the dangers of what you think you are doing." Rhaella said smoothly.
"Then I am warned. Now if you excuse me I have to go and speak with my uncle."
Arianne turned her back on the old queen and walked to Oberyn. He was with neither the king or the queen, or the Riverrun or Arryn groups. He was looking at the tapestries alone. She was slightly seething from what the old woman had said to her.
"That old woman should have stayed in Kings Landing." Arianne said when she drew close to her uncle.
"What did she say to you my pet?" He asked, tucking her hand in the crook of his arm.
"That this was not home or the capitol and my behavior would not be tolerated here." Arianne said with a huff.
"She might be right pet. The lord we are given hospitality from is not one to take kindly to open flirtations. I suggest you only go after real men. And if that's who you are going for there are few here." He said with a wave of his hand, and as if on cue, the doors opened and the Iron Island deletes walked in.
Theon looked around the room. Besides the royal family, there were three other families with in the hall. All of them looked as if they had never had a hard days work in their lives. They were all soft. The once warrior king was not as sculpted as the stories said. The princes were both strong looking, but their ha ds gave them away, they were too soft. They might have calluses from sword practice, but they had never seen work. The princesses and the queen were what proper ladies looked. The Queens hands though looked like they did see work.
The other people in the room had weak looking hands as well. His hands were used to hard work. As were his sisters. They worked hard. He had looked at the Stark families hands. They all knew hard work. Even the little pretty one, the red head. He liked the Starks just because of that fact.
He looked around the room. It was vast. Impressive even. It was more stately then the great hall of Pyke. He liked it here very much. Asha have a low whistle and looked around.
"They knew how to build." She said.
"This family built this great castle and the Wall. We know the stories. The know what is on the other side of that icy barricade. We know the stories as well. Why do you think our sisters chose a rock to live on?" The on said with a rakish smile.
"You always did like the scary stories." Asha said with the first smile since they had talked on the road. "Look, here comes the Queen."
Lyanna walked over to them. She had a warm smile on her face a d looked at them as if they were old friends.
"Asha, Theon, it is so nice to finally meet you. I heard quite a bit about you both from your father's letter to me." She said when she was close to them.
The two Greyjoy's looked at each other. Neither of them knew what she was talking about.
"Our father wrote you?" Asha asked.
"Oh yes. He asked me a favor. He wanted to make sure you both met plenty of people when you came among us land lovers." Her eyes twinkles as she said it.
"That sounds like father." Theon said with a shrug.
"Did he way why we were to meet plenty of people?" Asha asked.
"You know why Asha. He wants you both wedded to the mainland. He felt that I would be nest equipped to help you both find compatible matches. We Starks might have warred with the Greyjoy house for many years, but we are both people who know how to work hard. AMD we both know the 'arrivals of living so separated from the rest of the Great Houses and their petty problems." She spoke not as the Queen, but as a woman who had grown up hearing all the scary stories Theon had just mentioned.
"I'm sorry, but did our father ask your help to find us both a match?" Asha asked, looking even more confused than when the queen had first spoken.
"Yes he did. He wants to find Theon a wife who isn't going to be frightened to the hard work of living on Pyke. And for you, a man who will be able to temper your, um, hot head." She looked sheepishly at Asha. "Fathers want either two things when it comes to daughters. To marry them off well or keep them locked away from all men. I am most cases they want both at the same time. It makes men so difficult to choose for their girl children a groom. I told your father I would be more than happy to intercede in these matters for him."
Theon and Asha were stunned. This was not something they ever expected their father to do, ask the Queen to help them find them matches. Asha was frightened that her father had mentioned finding her a husband. It was contrary to everything he told her. She just looked at the queen dumbfounded.
"I am sorry, but this does not sound like my father." She said.
"I realize your father might not have told you about his correspondence with me. Fathers are always trying to shield their children." Lyanna said with a dark cloud on her face. "But I want you all to fi d good matches."
"Thank you, your highness, for looking out for our wellbeing." The on said with his brightest smile. "My sister and I would be grateful for any assistance you could offer. We do not understand the climate that we have walked into.
Lyanna looked at the two young people before her. They were warn out and she knew how sheltered their father had kept them. The girl might be a captain of her own ship, but she still was not wise to the game they were just now starting to play. Her children knew how to play the courtly game of intrigue. These two didn't. She needed to do something useful. Helping these two would do that. She would do anything to help these two.
"Come with me. I want you to meet my children." Lyanna said sweetly.
Theon walked beside their queen, but Asha held back for a moment. She was still in shock that her father wanted her to marry after all. She had a feeling that no matter who they thought of as a good match for her would never be the match for her.
The on and the queen were laughing together as they walked up to the group of young people. The queen made the introductions and the young people smiled kindly at each other.
"If you will excuse me I have to go speak with my mother in law." Lyanna moved away before any of them could react.
The group of five, now seven with their new guests stood in silence. Theon sized up the matter at hand spoke.
"So who feels like our parents have gone a little mad, bringing us all here?"
"By the old gods, a man of sense!" Aegon said, smiling at Theon.
"I have a feeling they only dragged our assed up here was to marry us off. Glad to know I'm not the only one who thinks that." Dany said. She gave the Greyjoy boy a long look.
Dany had never really considered what she would do once she came of age. Most of the Great Houses were more interested in her niece and nephews as potential matches for their children. None of them ever thought of her. She wanted to find so done to be her match. The man before her wasn't a bad place to start.
"So what do you all think of Winterfell?" Asha asked. She was uncomfortably aware she did not fit on with this group, but she would not let them know it.
"I think it is amazing." Rhaenys said.
"Just you and Jon do. This place is bleak. Isn't that right Robin?" Aegon said to the boy.
"I want to explore. If my mother allows me." The young boy said.
"Don't worry about that Robin. She will. Father will make her." Jon said to him with a smile. "No one can defy the king."
"Hurry up!" A voice boomed from the opened doors at the end of the hall.
"Sorry to inform you father, but I have short legs. I can't walk to fast." Tyrion said to his father.
"You will not talk. Neither you nor your brother. I am sick of you both. How I wish I could have gotten rid of you two and kept your sister. Cersei always knew what was best for the family." Tywin said to them as he walked to the center of the room to the king.
"She has a new family now. We are less than useless." Tyrion said as he hobbled beside him.
"She is still a Lannister." Tywin said with gritted teeth.
"She's a Baratheon now father." Jamie said.
"She is a Lannister. As are her children." He said. He walked to his king and his sons shut their mouths. Badgering their father was one of their favorite games to play, but they knew not to say anything in front of people who could use what they said against their family. They were Lannister's after all.
"Lord Tywin, it Ks a pleasure to see you. And Ser Jamie, you as well." Rhaegar said. He smiled warmly.
"King Rhaegar. It is always a pleasure." He said to the king. "It is always a pleasure to see you. I have some pressing matters to speak with you about."
"Of course. Why don't we walk a bit?" Rhaegar said, inclining his head to go to the less crowded portion of the great room.
"Thank you my king. This will take but just a moment. Jamie, Tyrion stay out of trouble." He walked away with the king and the two men stood together.
"Now what do we do?" Tyrion asked.
"I have a duty to perform." Jamie said as he walked to the dowager queen. She smiled as he approached her.
"Ser Jamie. I was hoping to see you." She smiled brightly and held out her ha ds to him.
Jamie took them and knelt in front of her in a deep bow. It was the pose that the Kings Guard adopted somehow honor to the ruling family.
"Arise Ser Jamie. You know that between us you never have to a base yourself." Her warm voice said above his bowed head.
"I wanted to show you the respect you deserve my Queen." Jamie said. He got to his feet and smiled brightly at her.
"My gods. You were handsome as a youth, but now in adulthood you are even more handsome than my son is. Your mother would have been so proud of you. I have heard of all the deeds you have accomplished in the past twenty years. You made me very proud." She touched his cheek.
"I only wanted to do my duty. You and Eddard showed me in the weeks after the war what honor was. Whenever I came upon something that was unjust, I often thought would the queen approve. Then I tried to right the wrongs I saw." Jamie said. Even now, as a grown man, Rhaella made him feel like the 15-year-old boy he had been when he became a member of the King's Guard.
"That is something I am happy to hear. I have often wondered why you took to the road instead of going home." She asked.
"You know why. We talked about it when I was in the capitol. With Cersei, there I would have never been free. When I learned of her marriage to Robert I was shocked, when I heard the tales of their love match I was pleased. We were always to close for comfort. I loved her, but love would never been enough." Jamie said. "And nice I got a feel for the wandering life I grew to like it."
"I am glad that you realized that the feelings you felt for Cersei were not healthy." Rhaella said with real warmth. "But that doesn't answer why you have waited this long to find a wife. Everyone might call this gathering a meeting of friends, but we all know it is a marriage auction." Rhaella said to him.
"I didn't want to settle down, to be honest. I never took the time to find love. Now I know the opportunity has passed me by and I now have to find a wife. This is the place to do it." Jamie said with a rueful laugh.
"You might be amazed where love finds you my boy." Rhaella said. "Do you remember by daughter?" She indicated the group of young people gathered by the throne.
"I remember the red face baby. She truly looks like you. Lovely and cunning." Jamie joked.
"She is. My son might be king, but she was meant to be a great lady." Rhaella said.
"Are you playing match maker my lady?" Jamie asked, raising his brow as he looked down at her face.
"Always Jamie." She patted his arm. "She would be a good match for you. Unless you have another in mind."
"The younger Stark girl is something. From the moment we were with the Stark family she was the only one with any personality." Jamie shrugged.
"Those Northern women have a way with men. They weave a spell. They make good wives as well." Rhaella nodded with approval. "I will keep your counsel and not speak of this with anyone."
"Thank you my lady. I should go and save my brother from taunting the Snakes." Jamie said to the queen.
"Watch out for the girl. She wants all she can get. Do not let Arianne push you around." Rhaella said with an unveiled contempt for her husband's niece.
"I will remember the warning." Jamie said and kissed her hand and took his leave from her.
Jamie walked over to the red faced Oberyn and the smiling Arianne. Tyrion was in his lecturing mode.
"I find that the women of your region are some of the best lovers. I have only had the pleasure of three, but they were all amazing. I also approve of your customs of finding love. Sometimes I wish I were Dornish, so I could live so free." Tyrion told the two before him.
"Your views are most enlightening Tyrion. I will make it a point to speak with my father about your views. I am sure he will be eager to hear them." Arianne said.
"Am I interrupting?" Jamie asked as he walked up.
"Ser Jamie, thank you for coming. Maybe now your brother will stop his ramblings." Oberyn said with a clenched jaw. The two had met many years ago and had remained in contact. Due to his friendship with Oberyn, he had spent many happy days in the Water Gardens and in castles on the sea.
"Ser Jamie, I am happy to finally meet you. My uncle has told me of some of your many adventures." Arianne said with a flirtatious smile.
Jamie understood the warning Dowager Queen had given him. He had never met the girl, but seeing her now, her brazen flirtation, he knew she would be trouble.
"You two have had adventures? Jamie I am wounded. I thought I was the only one you had those sorts of adventures with." Tyrion lipped up. Jamie loved his brother in that moment.
Before any of them could speak, the doors boomed opened once again and the voice of the Queen of Thorns rang out.
"This place is too drafty. Right, get me another blanket for my shoulders, and Left find me a seat by the fire." The room fell silent when they walked in, just as the old woman had planned. Now all eyes would be on her family.
"Grandmother follow me." Margaery said with a kind voice. "We will get you a place to sit."
"Thank you my gal." The clank of the cane filled the room as they walked to a grouping of chairs before one of the hearths burning with a fire.
Lyanna had walked to her husband and they shared a look. Lyanna had seen Tywin speaking with her husband alone. She had wanted to go over to them and see what they were talking about. Tywin was probably offering money, like always. Not a week passed without the Lannister's offering them money. The kingdom was prospering, they had no debt. She knew that the Lannister's were always trying to get closer to the throne. Lyanna feared that if they couldn't use their gold to get in they would try with marriage.
"This visit should have been a happy event. Now all we have are wolves scratching at our back door." Lyanna said when they drew close together, as they walked to the old woman.
"Wolves? You use your own family animal as the analogy. Things must be dire indeed." Rhaegar said.
"It is indeed." She said. They reached the Tyrell party a d she plastered a smile on her face, playing the loving queen. "Lady Olenna. I am so glad to see you. It has been to many years. I still remember you from my childhood. I always have admired you and the way you have kept your family afloat."
"Lyanna, your niece is your image. Will she also be as temperamental as you at that age?" The old woman asked. The question was just snide to sting, but there was no malice in her words. "My granddaughter Margaery is finding me some warmed wine and spiced cheese. Would either you or the king like some as well?"
"No thank you." Rhaegar smiled at her. The lady sniffed. "How was the journey?"
"We had a less than eventful trip. It was relatively pleasant journey." She waved to the two men behind her. "Willis and Loras, my grandsons. Say hello to the King and one of his queens."
"Your Highness. Thank you for allowing us to accompany you to Winterfell." Loras said.
"My king and queen, it is an honor to be with you. I have somethings to discuss with you about the canal system in King's Landing." Willis said in ways of greeting.
"The canal system? I went over the plans last season and they were functioning well enough." Rhaegar said. Lyanna watched as her husband fell into his scholarly ways.
"I have it on good authority that they could work better. If you, myself, Bran Stark and Tyrion Lannister get together we can maximize the outcome of fresh water to the poop sections of King's Landing, especially Flee Bottom, where it is needed the most." Willis said. He was genuine in his speech.
"I think that might be arraigned. Why don't we go speak with Tyrion right now and see if what you say is possible? Ladies, if you will excuse us?" The king shot the women a look of eager joy.
"It is alright with me my husband. Do you agree Lady Olenna?" Lyanna asked.
"As long as the boy is being useful to the throne I see no problem." She waved her hand and the king and heir of Highgarden walked slowly to where Tyron Lannister was standing with the Martell family.
"If it pleases you, I will call my daughter over, as well as my good sister and niece to be introduced to your Summer Rose. All young girls need friends." Lyanna said. She wanted to get the younger generation together as much as she could arrange.
"What about the Greyjoy girl? You left her out of the group." Olenna said.
"She is not the kind of girl who would find the others conversation stimulating. She might better off with my husband and your grandson. She has a vast knowledge of waterways." Lyanna said.
"That she might. Yes, why don't we set this in play? Send for the others and move the Greyjoy girl to talk with Willis. It might be amusing to see how the boy deals with a woman who is so strong willed." Olenna said.
Lyanna looked to Rhaenys, gave a smooth hand motion to Dany, and flicked her eyes to Arianne. Rhaenys nodded her head, spoke to Dany, the two linked arms, and went to collect Arianne. Once the two reached the other group Rhaenys spoke with her cousin. Dany stayed with the king and waved Asha over to her. Lyanna marveled at how her daughter was able to notice her wish. She had maneuvered the girls nicely.
Arianne and Rhaenys walked over to the Queen and the older woman as Margaery walked over with a servant caring a tray of the items Olenna had asked for.
"Perfect. I am pleased to see that the staff here knows how to handle the demands we will undoubtedly place upon them."
"Our people have been well trained and they are very loyal. We value their service." Lyanna said for the benefit of the servant. The boy smiled at her. He might not know her personally but he knew who she was and where she came from.
"Yes. Your father was very good at training his people. I am glad your brother has continued with his ways," Olenna sipped from her cup and smiled.
Lyanna took in a quick breath. The woman knew how to sting with her words.
"My father was the best Warden the North has ever known." She said, with a smile.
"He was a great man. I always liked him." Olenna said as the two girls walked over to them.
"Rhaenys, Arianne this is Lady Olenna and her grandchildren, Loras and Margaery. But I feel you know each other." Lyanna said at the way her niece had reacted to the two Highgarden youths.
"Yes. I have had the pleasure of meeting them last week." Arianne said.
"She is a delightful gal, despite her family." Olenna said as she ate her cheese.
"Grandmother, you known that the joust is a fickle game. Lord Oberyn was not at fault." Loras spoke for the first time. His voice was strong with a lilt to it. He would have made a great singer.
"I have reserved my judgment until the man can prove himself worthy of my forgiveness." Olenna said. She turned away from them and Lyanna knew it was her time to depart as well.
"Alright children, I am going to get back to our guests from Riverrun and the Array. Excuse me?" She left before they could reply.
Rhaenys watched her mother depart, feeling like a small fish in a large pond. She had heard the serve its tales of the formidable woman before her. She watched her cousin and the two you g people before her talk as if they were old friends.
"Loras, how was the end of your journey?" Arianne asked with a sparkle in her eye. Rhaenys knew the sparkle. Nothing good ever came from that look.
"It was uneventful. Renly and I found ways to amuse ourselves." He laughed and smiled.
"Lord Renly is a delightful man. I look forward to spending time with the two of you." Arianne's voice dripped honey and Loras ate it up.
"Just so you know, princess, my brother has no liking for women. It is not a secret. He made your cousin laugh, that is all." Margaery said as she stood by Rhaenys watching her brother interact with her brother.
"I had heard rumors of the fact. My mother is from Dorne. I know that men and women can choose to love whom they wish. It is not our place to dictate otherwise." She said.
"That is a most enlightened stance to take." Olenna said. "But then again before your father your family used to marry and breed with in their own. So I guess coming from a Targaryen it may not be so enlightened." She sniffed the cheese and waved it away.
Rhaenys was shocked and didn't know what to say.
"Grandmother has a way with words. Do not let her confuse you. She is not as harsh as she seems. She is very loving when she wants to be." Margaery laughed. "Don't let her harsh tongue hurt you."
"Nothing that she says can hurt me. I am the daughter of a dragon." Rhaenys said. She knew it was her duty to stand here with these ghastly people but she didn't want to. She just smiled and tried to think of something to say. Her mind went blank.
"Excuse my cousin. She has no patience for word games. She is much to blunt for them." Arianne said.
"For the daughter of the king she should be used to this kind of game." Olenna said.
"I know how to play. I just choose not to." Rhaenys snapped, harsher than she wanted to.
"I like you gal." The old woman said. "We will talk more later. Right now I think the last of our group is at the door."
They all turned to see the great doors open and the Stark family and Baratheon's stood there with smiles on their faces. The looks on their faces were happy, but as soon as they turned to the room at large, all the smiles vanished quickly.
Arya had been with her family and was pleased to see the smile on her fathers face. Since her aunts raven telling them of this horde of raiders, as she liked to of think of them. Seeing her father see his sister and his old friend made it worth the visit to her. Now looking on the crowd of visitors in her family great hall, she wasn't so sure.
"Ready to go into the Frey?" Ned asked them all. Before anyone could say a word they entered the Great Hall of Winterfell.