A:N It has been forever. I know. I'm so sorry it took me so long to get this one out. It took me 6 tries and 2 helpers to make this post happen. Read and enjoy.
The room behind the great hall had been prepared for the gathering that was to take place while the children were occupied with their hunt. While the younger generation was out on the hunt, their elders would decide the path their lives would take. In the center of the room was a table Bran had been insistent they build before the visitors had arrived.
It was a masterful creation large enough to fit forty people. It was built primarily from a wood dark enough to almost qualify as black and polished to a shine. The most stunning aspect of the table was the design inlaid upon the tables surface. Around the circumstance of the table miniature Weirwood, trees had been depicted complete with faces and red tears. The faces were modeled from the remaining Weirwood trees scattered through the seven kingdoms of Westeros. The most majestic and detailed tree was naturally the recreation of Winterfell's heart tree. All the wood had been gathered from beneath the branches was from Winterfell's Godswood tree to be used in this table. In perhaps one of their best feats of conservation and craftsmanship yet, none of the wood was had been cut from it instead having been meticulously gathered from the fallen branches under the large canopy. Inside the circle of trees ran seven large wolves. They were a grey smoky colored wood. The eyes were gems that sparkled in the torchlight. At first glance they looked as if they were chasing each other's tails in an endless loop. But in reality they ran as a pack. At the very center of the table was a large disk made out of some kind of rare stone that had been carved with all the coats of arms of all the great houses. None depicted as larger than the others, all were equal in size.
The Queen Mother stood as the others entered the room and made their way to friends or those who were the closest thing to friends people like them could have in this life. Not for the first time she wished her two childhood confidants could stand beside her. She had loved Lady Joanna Lannister and Princess Aliandra of Dorne when they were alive and sorely missed them now that they were dead.
When she was a young princess she had often spent her time in their company until her marriage to her late husband. After that the princess of Dorne had returned to her lands and Aerys drove poor Joanna from the capital she had been alone. During one of his more lucid moments near the end Arys had confessed to her that he had done everything he could to isolate her, to punish her for all the children she had lost him. Now of the four only she remained. For years she had felt tired but now? Now she was not alone anymore.
She needed only to look at their children and see the spirit of her friends living within them. Elia had been the spitting image of her mother yet the years of her own bitterness infecting her like an insidious parasite had sapped much of Alindra's happiness from her had rendered the resemblance to her friend distant: like that of cousins rather than mother and daughter. Oberyn, who possessed more of his father's look and his grandmother's inner fire, was with Edmure Tully looking sadly at the cups before them. Her son had demanded all alcohol was to be kept out of this chamber until they had reached an agreement to the matters at hand. Yet she turned a blind eye to the two men sliding their cups under the table and consequently brightening their moods. Boys would always be boys after all.
The doors across from her opened and young Tyrion walked into the room behind his stony-faced father. Despite his somewhat prickly demeanor, she had always respected Tywin. He had helped Aerys rule the kingdom wisely until the unfortunate kidnapping that marked his descent into paranoia and madness years ago. Then the families had truly grown apart when her husband refused his daughter from marring Rhaegar. That decision had caused the schism between friends to widen into an uncrossable chasm. But in the end, Rhaella felt it worked out for Cersei Lannister. Even if sometimes an insidious little whisper from the back of her mind hissed that if her son and the golden haired girl had wed the war might have been averted and many lives saved. But dwelling upon what-ifs was a to brood over a barren tree that could no longer bloom: for they could not change the past, only seek to improve the future.
She loved Joanna's children as an aunt. Especially Jamie for going against his vows a member of the Kingsguard in order to do everything he could to shield her from the wrath of the king. The last night she had been with her husband had been the worst of her life with him. (And considering the nights that had come before it that was saying something.) After the beating and assault her husband had given her and he was asleep in her bed, Jamie had opened the door to her room to make certain she was all right. He had given her a cloth to wash her face and carefully checked to see that her arm was not broken. He had wanted to kill the man his king for hurting his queen, his mother's dearest friend. But she had commanded him to stay his hand. And even as his better nature cried out for him to act, he had accepted her command without question.
She was dragged to the present by Tyrion sharing some harsh whispers with his father. The young man kept looking to his sister and her angry scowl. Rhaella had heard rumors that old Tywin wanted to name Cersi's boy as his heir over his two still living sons. Her handmaid had heard the Lannister family fighting about it. She had wondered what Tywin was thinking, trying to pass over Jamie as the heir to the Rock. The Golden Lion of Lannister might perhaps have taken overlong to stop his wandering ways but he was now he had returned to shoulder the responsibilities some had thought he would never stop running from. Rhaella walked behind father and son to over hear what they were arguing about.
"Father you cannot do this. Asking for Myr-" Tyrion implored before he was interrupted.
"I can ask for what is best for this family. Since I was denied my request regarding Joffery it once again falls to me to think of another way to keep the Lannister family strong." Tywin rebuked sharply, his tone that no-nonsense discussion ender that Rhaella was so familiar with.
Tyrion opened his mouth to voice his disagreement in spite of it, but the doors to the room leading from the Great Hall opened and King Rhaegar entered. She smiled as everyone stood and bowed to her son. He was everything that she had wished for him to be. Her husband had tried to his best to keep her son away from her for much of his early life. Yet that did not matter anymore. For now they were close and he counted her as one of his most trusted advisors. The two had spoken many a time on their venture to the frozen lands of the Northern Queen's home about the matter regarding the impending marriages for the royal family and the others that would arise from the gathering around them.
Queen Lyanna and Queen Elia flanked the king as they made their way to the seats that had been left opened for them. Rhaella sought her place at the table and stood waiting the same as everyone else to sit once the king was seated. The two queens sat but he stayed standing while indicating everyone else should take their seats. Rhaegar looked around the room and met every person's eye. He smiled at them all and Rhaella felt proud at the man that he had become.
"I thank every one of you for braving the cold and the hazards of the road to come to this land. All of this is a family visit, but the more the merrier." He gave a smell laugh and the others smiled in return. Rhaella looked to Lady Catelyn and saw her shift in her chair. "I had planned on calling a great council of the lords to convene once this family gathering was complete; but I confess it a great boon that you all chose to join us in Winterfell. I would like to once again thank our gracious host, Lord Eddard Stark, for allowing us shelter and food while we are here."
Ned inclined his head in response. Rhaella knew that Rhaegar had to set the tone for this meeting yet she couldn't help but wish that he would hurry along. She knew that there were more pressing matters to speak about once the children's betrothals were settled. She knew that the dead no longer stayed in the ground; that they now roamed the lands of the living. She knew that there was concerns that are more pressing then the impending weddings of the nobility of the seven kingdoms when the very soul of the world was in danger of being consumed.
"For the first time in Westeros's history, we have a chance to set a foundation for us to build a stronger nation for the future, for our children, for our legacies. What we decide here will be the starting place where we take our people into a new and greater age. Never before have so many members of the great lords of Westerose met face to face in order to forge new bonds upon an open council instead of behind closed doors. I do not wish this to become a wrangling contest for perceived favor with the royal family. What is decided here will be binding for all that are involved. With that said: I have and the queens have decided who will wed our children. If there is no one who wishes to speak I will make the propositions to this council." Rhaegar looked around the room.
Tywin stood and bowed at the waist to the king before leaning forward to press his palms flat upon the round table: his serious countenance and imposing height creating quite the formidable stance.
"If it pleases your grace, I would ask your indulgence on a matter regarding my son Jamie." Tywin said, his sharp eyes taking in the expressions of everyone within the room. Rhaegar inclined his head for the older man to speak. "Your grace, with your permission, I would seek the hand of Myrcella Baratheon for my eldest son."
The silence was thick in the room. Those assembled looked from one to the other in question, wondering what the king would decide. Rhaegar clenched his jaw for but a moment before he smiled at the older man. Queen Elia however was openly shaking her head. She opened her mouth to answer, but the sharp-tongued Queen of Thorns spoke first.
"It seems your age is finally catching up to you Lord Tywin." Lady Olenna remarked drily. "There is no chance the King will allow your granddaughter to marry her own uncle. The Targaryens before him tried such things and look what that almost got them!"
Rhaella stiffened imperceptibly at Olenna's blithe jab at her family's incestuous practices of the past. The Queen of Thorns continued regardless.
"Your king just announced to all and sundry that the entire reason that we are here is to make new alliances. How do you imagine marrying your son to his own niece accomplishes that goal? Don't you Lannisters need fresh blood in their family, just like the rest of us withered old prunes?"
Tywin remained stoic in the face of Olenna Tyrell's withering riposte, patiently waiting for her to finish before he spoke again.
"Do not imagine I am quite so deaf as to have misheard my king Lady Tyrell. However, the fact remains that I am freely offering my only daughter a way for her family hold her ancestral family home. With Myrcella wed to my son any children that resulted from their union would be the uncontestable rulers of the Westerlands. I trust her mother demonstrated with some degree of success how to rule such a place as the Stormlands, but I very much doubt she will ever be given the same degree of power in another marriage with those here who wish to align themselves to the Baratheon family for other reasons." Tywin looked around the room at each member of the council, nodding once when he saw no one intended to speak to the contrary. He turned again to Rhaegar.
"So what is your verdict your grace? Would this match be agreeable to the crown?"
Robert was halfway out of his chair, ready to vehemently object to his father in law's request. He had no desire to allow any of his issue to go into the house of the old Lion of Lannister. He would be damned before he saw them become scheming, overly ambitious twats like so many of their golden haired cousins. His face was somewhat red as his mouth opened but before any sound could emerge, his wife put her hand on his sleeve and moved her eyes to Queen Elia.
"My Lord Lannister, I regret to inform you that the King and I have no desire to allow your son to marry your granddaughter. If it pleases my husband I would outline the betrothals that we intend to create this day."
Lord Tywin's eyes grew colder even as he nodded his head to indicate his understanding before he sat once more: the lines in his face seeming somewhat more severe than before. Rhaella knew some of their plans, and to a degree agreed with them, or had until the night before. After the gathering, she had rethought the matches her son was thinking of. She had not had time to go to Rhaegar with her observations. The news of the dead rising had altered many of the plans they had made. He had wanted to wait a week to see what the other families would do themselves. The news from the Wall had accelerated those plans considerably.
Elia took a sip of her mint water to buy herself time to think of what she wished to say. "When the civil war broke out, the great ruling families did something that had not been done in years. They married out of their own lands and into the lands of other great families instead of the royal family. Now we have a choice before us. We can continue to follow the well-worn path that we have all seen so many times before. Or…" She paused so that they could be sure to think of all the times their families had married into the families of their vassals and bannermen. "Or we can continue to explore this new path we have opened. Since you are all gathered here I can only assume that all present here agree."
Eila sent a look to her husband's other queen and Rhaella mentally approved at the way that the two women worked together when the circumstances dictated they must. Lyanna took up the duty of presenting the plan the king and the queens had come up with.
"When my husband and fellow queen were faced with the prospect of who would marry our children we admittedly considered looking outside the borders of Westeros. But we decided that would only invite more strife instead of lessen it. That is why we come before you all to offer many of the houses here ties to the crown and we hope the chance to strengthen the other ties we have with each other. In the words of my birth house: Winter is Coming. And when it does, we must be ready to stand together in warmth rather than stand alone in the cold."
Rhaella allowed her lips to quirk in a small smile for her second daughter in law. Her words were simple yet meaningful. As any ruler's should be. Now they had to wait to see how the others would react to the choice that they were given. She looked at Eddard, his face pale and his hands clenched into fists. Rhaella felt as if she knew the man to a certain degree from the stories his sister told her. She felt certain that keeping the news of the Others from the top of the conversation must be tormenting him. Yet he was a man of honor and he knew the importance of this meeting. For what good was it to save a realm from the ravages of a mystical threat if it were going to tear itself apart in the aftermath?
Rhaegar now turned to speak to the group. She watched the faces around her as the king spoke.
"I would like to start with asking the houses I intend to wed my own children into and then give the rest of you the best advice I have for the other houses. It is my wish that we can get this section of the meeting accomplished and move on to more pressing matters." There were murmurs of consent and he smiled at in approval that things were moving along at a decent clip. "I would like to speak first of my heir to the throne; Aegon."
Rhaella saw ears perk up around the table. It was always quite the boon for a family to be able to claim familial relation to the ruling king.
"Prince Aegon needs a bride that will be strong enough to help him in the times to come. One who will be able to rule beside him the way my queens rule beside me. I have two choices in this matter and after much deliberation I have decided to ask for the future wife of the heir to be the Lady Arya of house Stark."
Rhaella had seen the way that the younger Stark girl was so much like Lyanna in looks but where the queen had been rash in her youth Arya was level headed, yet the hint of what she called 'wolf blood' was still present. The girl would have a long wait to be Queen since Rhaegar and his two queens were still in good health but Arya would learn from them and she would be able to help Aegon when the time came to ascend the throne. She would be a fine queen and in the times to come, when winter was truly at their door, the kingdom would need someone on the throne who understood the threat it presented. Yet the tension in the room had grown thick enough to cut with a blade.
"My king, I am honored for the great offer you present to my family. Yet Arya has a suiter who has already asked for her hand." Eddard slowly responded. His eyes flickered to his friend across from him.
The King and Queens shared a look. They had been planning on the marriage of the Tyrell girl to Aegon but the decision had been made to wed Arya to Aegon for the looming threat of the waking ice demons that had almost been forgotten to time itself. Lyanna was most adamant to align her birth house to the crown again and making her niece queen was the best way to do this.
"We were not aware of this. Who is the man who wishes to claim Lady Arya's hand?" Lyanna asked her brother.
"Well it is not set yet. We had a ward for some time; Domeric Bolton the heir of the Dreadfort." He let his words sink into his sisters understanding. For generations the Starks of Winterfell and the Boltons of the Dreadfort had been bitter rivals. In the Age of Heroes before Aegon the Conqueror came to Westeros bearing fire and blood the two families had fought the worst battles in the history of the North. The Boltons fearsome reputation still lingered this day in the form of rumors that spoke to skins of long dead Stark enemies adorning their walls. An alliance between the two houses would be a major step forward to lasting peace between them.
"Perhaps he and his father would be willing to consider the hand of another." Lyanna put forth.
"Domeric is not a young man to think of the marriage in terms of alliances or the marital bed, he believes he truly loves Arya. They grew up together and became good friends in time. We admittedly never formalized the match with Lord Bolton but we had discussed it. We had always assumed that the two would be married." Catelyn explained to her royal audience.
"Yet the needs of the realm outweigh the feelings of one young man." She paused to think before tentatively offering a solution. "If this child I carry is a girl we can offer her to the heir of the Dreadfort. I think even Roose Bolton would find such terms agreeable, if they are given to him by the decree of the king himself."
Rhaegar nodded in mute acceptance and Lyanna smiled at her sister in law with obvious approval. Rhaella was relieved that a problem of some potential contention had been nipped in the bud so quickly. Now that the matter was settled regarding the Starks Rhaella let her gaze shift to Lady Olenna. Her lined face showed narrowed eyes much like Tywin's at the turn things were taking but otherwise was careful enough not to give away anything in her expression. Rhaella may not have gotten along with Olenna, but she had always respected the older woman's canniness and cunning. Even when it gave her a headache.
"Now that the crown prince is taken care of let us move on to the other royal children." Rhaegar said, careful tone not quite hiding from the other lords that he was looking to move on.
"For my son Jon we wish for him to wed Princess Arianne of House Martell. They hold no blood relation and we believe that their temperament would be a fine match to help rule Dorne in the future." Oberyn nodded his head as if he expected nothing less in terms of a match. His eyes glinted with something that might've been amusement or partial inebriation but it was difficult to tell seeing as how he hadn't said anything in response.
"For my daughter Rhaeneys I wish for her to wed Edmure of House Tully. For far too long the people of the Riverlands have been at the center of most every conflict of the realm and yet with no significant tie to the crown. Lord Holster had tried to make the Riverlands strong with his arrangements with the Houses Arryn and Stark. In a way one could say he was the one who started us on this path we tread. Rhaenys would help the Riverlands enter the new age at the forefront while helping to continue with the rebuilding of your lands."
Edmure looked a little pale and Rhaella hid her thoughtful expression by taking a sip from her cup. Rhaella had seen at the feast the way that the Lord of Riverrun had looked at the Knight of the Flowers. There was something about Lord Edmure that was not the same as what Ser Loras had or what he shared with young Renly Baratheon shared together. The old queen suspected that the young man was perhaps one of those who will try any partner if he or she were attractive enough. Edmure was flattered by the offer of the princess of the realm, but he also looked a bit nauseous at the thought of settling down so soon. Deep down it appeared Lord Edmure had never truly had to think about what it meant to have your betrothal arranged for you and now that it was occurring before his eyes the concept disagreed with him. Though he kept silence, Rhaella could tell she was not the only one who had seen his expression change.
"There is one last member of the royal family to still be placed in a match that would benefit the kingdom. Daenerys would make a very striking match and she would be an asset to the land that I wish her to wed herself to." Rhaegar looked to his mother and she imperceptibly nodded her head in consent to continue. Despite the fact that as King, Rhaegar could marry his sister to anyone he pleased just as he could have remarried his mother to another man after the death of his father, he still sought her approval in the matters of his sister. "It is my desire to have Lord Robert of House Arryn wed my sister."
There was silence for only a moment before Lysa Arryn's slightly too high voice made itself known to the occupants of the table.
"My king, I fear I must protest: my son is still too young to marry." She looked around the room blinking her eyes at them as though she could not understand why no one else had seen this.
"He is still two years from being old enough to wed and while I love him with all I am, he is a boy very prone to illness. There is no person in the world that could take care of my son when he is unwell but myself. Introducing the idea of marriage and all that such complications would bring would be too difficult on his already frail constitution."
"If he is so unwell, then perhaps his father would have said something to his king about the matter. If the boy is as sick as you are make him out to be we will have to reconsider his capacity to be the Warden of the East and the Lord of the Erie." Elia answered to the other woman's objections.
"With all respect your grace, my son is the blood of House Arryn and he will lead them at the time he is ready." Lysa insisted.
"Your son would not be married until he is the proper age. In the meantime, his betrothed will be retuning with you to the Eire so that she will know her future husband and his people." Lyanna offered in a kind tone.
As Lysa opened her mouth to object yet again, Rhaella noticed a slightly alarmed expression pass between Catelyn and Edmure that she couldn't quite understand. What did they think, that Rhaegar was going to incinerate her where she stood?
"You mistake my intentions Lady Lysa." Rhaegar said softly, his tone velvet covering steel. "This is not a request; it is a mandate. Princess Daenaerys will return with you to the Vale and she will be married to Robin Arryn once he comes of age."
There was a pregnant pause as the other lords waited to see what Lysa would do now.
"The princess will return with us." She grudgingly accepted. "But if there are any difficulties between the two there will be no marriage. I will not subject my son to needless misery for any reason." Lysa declared with finality, her face flushed with Rhaella concluded was the effort of keeping her tone civil.
"Refusal is not an option." Elia said.
"As your grace says." Lysa answered with a sparkle of something Rhaella was alarmed to recognize from Aerys when he was getting worked into one of his paranoid fits. But before she could speak upon it, Lyanna Stark spoke up again.
"Well since the royal family is settled we have the suggestions for the rest of the ruling houses to consider. These suggestions are not mandated; however we do strongly encourage that they be implemented." Lyanna paused to take a sip of her own iced water.
"I will like to discuss arrangements with my former family. I am aware that young Rickon wishes to follow Benjen to the Wall and Brandon wishes to study at Hightower. Since Arya is matched with Aegon, the next person to discuss is my nephew Robb. My husband and fellow queen think that the Lady Myrcella Baratheon would make the Heir of Winterfell a fine wife. One cannot deny the effectiveness of a good alliance after all." She explained.
"A fine match. House Baratheon would gladly accept it." Robert said with a jovial laugh.
"The crown also feels that the Heir of Storm's End should wed Lady Sansa. We know this would cause two marriages within the same families, making the two houses very closely intermingled, yet we feel that this is the best for the realm. After all, there are many a story of House Stark's founder being the architect of Storm's End." Rhaegar spoke with finality.
Robert and Ned looked stunned while Catelyn and Cersei looked pleased at the idea.
"This would be agreeable to House Stark as well." Catelyn said.
"That's all well and good for the Baratheons and the Starks having ties of blood and marriage to the throne and to now keep those ties firmly within their own ranks." Olenna injected sarcastically. "But unless my memory is frailer than it was yesterday, the stag, wolf and dragon still need to eat. And yet thus far they seem content to not spare a single thought for the food that grows from their grounds!"
"We have not forgotten House Tyrell Lady Olenna. My Queens and I agreed that the best matches for your families obvious." Rhaegar answered calmly, weathering the Queen of Thorns with what Rhaella thought was admirable stoicism.
"Then please your grace; enlighten a wrinkled old bag of bones and thorns as to what her failing eyesight obviously has missed right in front of her." Olenna said with a sweeping gesture of her right hand.
"Wilas Tyrell, we would like you to consider the match of Lady Shireen Baratheon. This might seem like a strange match considering that the girl is admittedly young. However, given the girl's aptitude for learning she is well suited to Wilas's temperament." The king addressed the man being discussed directly.
"My king; I appreciate that you took the time to consider my interests in this matter. If what you say is true then the lady and I will be able to share a love of knowledge that will serve our realm in the years to come." Came the diplomatic but strong answer with a strong voice, but Rhaella could not help but see the way that the polite smile he expressed didn't seem to reach his eyes. No doubt he too was not precisely overjoyed to not have a choice in the matter. She watched as his eyes looked down at his cup then they flashed to the young Iron born woman across the table. He took drink from his cup and kept his face pleasant.
"Lord Baratheon as the man present representing the interests of Lady Shireen on your house's behalf, do you agree with the idea behind the proposed match?" Elia asked politely, forcing the families to commit before they could have time to think of counter-proposals. It was a clever thing to do, especially given Robert Baratheon was likely over the moon now that all of his wildest dream matches for his own family had been made reality thanks to the royal family. The only one of his brood not mentioned was his second son. The young man was a fine boy, but he was to wed a woman from his father's lands.
"I can't see why my stone faced brother would object." Robert said genially, pleased at how well things seemed to be going for the Baratheon family at this meeting. "And even if he doesn't, I'm sure I can talk him around to the idea."
"As to the Lady Margaery," Rhaegar continued. "There is a match for her that would not only be the most beneficial for your family, but for the young man's as well. It is our hope that the Heir of the Iron Islands, Theon Greyjoy, would align with the Tyrells to at last provide peace in the region. For too long there has been countless blood shed between the Islands and the Eastern Coast of the realm. This match is our hope of at last putting the quarrels of your shared pasts to rest." Rhagae said to the gathered houses.
Asha quickly spoke up before Theon could say anything to jeopardize their mission here. "The Iron Islands would be willing to consent to the match."
"And why shouldn't you?" Olenna answered acerbically. "You're to be given the blooming rose of the Reach and a chance to claim Highgarden for yourselves down the line. And yet what will the Reach gain in return aside from a chance to not be assaulted by your upjumped brigands?"
She briefly looked at the rest of the table as she spoke the next line. "I don't know about any of you, but I've yet to hear of anything growing from islands composed mostly of salt and bird shit."
"Are you objecting to the match Lady Olenna?" Rhaegar asked softly before Asha could rise out of her seat to defend the Iron Way.
"And be given the same generous choice Lady Lysa was?" She responded tartly. "I know an order when it is given your grace and it seems clear enough to this blind old woman that you've already made up our minds for us."
"Wonderful." Rhaegar answered with a straight face, deciding to let go of her grumbling as even in the midst of it she had still agreed. That was the only important part.
"Now to the last match to be purposed. We feel that again the Iron Islands has spent too much time in isolation and as a way to mend past wounds we feel that the strongest match for the good of the realm would be Ser Jaime Lannister and Asha Greyjoy. The wealth of the Westerlands married to the Iron of the Iron Islands. Is this sufficient strength for your bloodline Lord Tywin?" Rhaegar said with a subtle challenge in his tone to the old Lion.
Tywin's stoic façade remained unbroken as he answered.
"All the objections I could speak have already been given voice by Lady Olenna. What use is there in repeating what has already been said?"
"As you say Lord Tywin." Rhaegar agreed as he turned back to the table at large.
The people in the room looked around the room at each other waiting to see if the meeting was over and they could depart to their chambers so they could discuss the events of the day. The king made no move to conclude the business of the day. Rhaella held her breath as she waited for the news of the Others reappearance to be brought to the attention of the gathered nobles.
"I believe that concludes the matter of the marriages. I would like to thank everyone here in agreeing to the matches and agreeing that to move toward a better future for the realm is of the utmost importance." There were nods from around the room and many moved their chairs back as if to depart. "However there is another pressing matter I need to bring before you gathered here today."
Rhaella looked around the table. They were looks of confusion on many a face. Yet the ones who knew what her son spoke of looked worried. Rhaella knew that the news that was about to be shared would shock them to their core and many would not believe it on first telling. She had not when it had been explained to her. And yet now she knew her melancholy son would have to fight the emerging evil without the support of the rest of the realm if he had to. She crossed her fingers underneath the table, hoping against hope that the alliances he had crafted today insured that everyone would have a stake in this fight now.
But still she worried how the children would react to the news of their new courses in life. She had watched the budding relationships form and could not help but feel sympathy that they would never know where those unknown relations might lead. She knew all too well what the heartache of being taken from the prospect of true love could do to a person. When she had been forced to marry her own brother she was plunged into a deep depression. She had known that duty came before personal feelings even in the best of times and these were hardly those. She just hoped that the young could see the wisdom of these choices made for them no matter how unpalatable they may find them.
"Something unforeseen has come to threaten us. Something we all thought was just a story meant to frighten misbehaving children. However, we now hold proof that it is not so." Rhaegar said and signaled to Eddard to show the proof of the Others.
"My lady you cannot barge in here!" A voice shouted from beyond the door and all eyes turned to look at the interruption.
"This is a matter of urgency that cannot wait!" An equally loud female shout answered.
Rhaella knew the voice of her daughter and instantly grew worried what could have happened to work her into such a lather on a simple hunting trip. She stood and walked to the door with a calm she did not feel. The former queen kept her composure as she wrenched opened the door and saw her daughter trying to get past the northern steward Vayon Poole. Everything about Daenerys's appearance made the alarm grow louder in her mind: from the wild look in her eyes to the disarray of her hair that had been so carefully arranged that morning to the tears and dirt that adorned her riding clothes.
"Lord steward, might you move aside so I may speak with my daughter and find the reason of her distress?" Rhaella demanded as sweetly as she could.
"With all due respect milady the meeting is still in session and I have been expressly instructed by the King himself to let nothing interrupt until he says otherwise." Poole responded kindly yet firmly. This was a man who took his duty seriously and nothing would alter his actions until given a direct order from his Lord or his King. An unfortunately rare thing in the south of Westeros.
"Mother, something happened in the woods. Jon, he-"
"What has happened to Jon?" Rhaegar interrupted from his chair across the room. Rhaella was wary now. Had Daenerys deliberately used Jon's name to catch her brothers attention?
"He found something." Dany said from the outside of the room.
"Allow her in Vayon." Lyanna urged. The steward looked to Lord Stark who nodded his consent for the girl to enter the chamber.
"What happened?" Rhaegar demanded as he stood to join his sister and mothers side.
"Jon found a wildling." She got out with noticeable urgency. "As well as a dire wolf."
The room hushed at the news of a threat beyond the wall and a beast that many had dismissed as myth being found at the same time by the dark haired son of Rhaegar.
"There are no dire wolves this side of the wall." Eddard objected, shaking his head briefly to emphasize his disbelief in Daenery's claim.
"Begging your pardon my lord, but there are six now: A mother and her pups. Jon assisted the wildling in the creature's birthing them. I rode as fast as I could to the castle with instructions from the princes for assistance. I have already sent a wagon to the others but they will still need your help! The wildling, she escaped!"
"Was she dangerous!" Lyanna demanded.
"She admitted that she had killed men. I don't know where she is. Robb Stark has formed a hunting party for the girl. They are searching for her even as we speak!" Dany answered.
"Who did she kill?" Eddard asked.
"I don't know my lord: I only know my nephews need help!" Daenerys responded with some heat in her voice.
"Lord Stark!" Came an aged voice from the corrider.
"Maester Luwin, what're you-" Vayon Poole moved to stand before him.
"An urgent raven from Lord Bolton my lord! He claims that his men have been attacked by wildlings and that one of them was last seen heading this way!" Maester Luwin called from beyond Vayon.
An urgency granted Rhaegar swiftness to his movements now.
"Were they Bolton men sister? Do you know?!" He asked quickly.
"I don't know, I don't know!" Daenerys answered as her eyes looked wilder by the minute.
"Now's not the time to stand around asking questions! We need to get out there and get answers out of the wildling ourselves!" Robert declared, as he stood with a slammed palm on the table.
Rhaegar nodded in ascent to his assertion.
"Quite right Lord Baratheon. Lord Stark, summon your men. If we're to find this wildling girl we'll need your familiarity with the land." He ordered as he moved toward the doors, Robert and Eddard hot on his heels.
"Vayon, summon Jory and at least ten able bodied men, tell them they're to join us at the gate immediately!" Lord Stark snapped off as they moved down the corridor with Daenerys right behind them.
"Yes M'lord!" Vayon moved immediately to summon the others.
Rhaella couldn't help the chill that went down her spine. Somehow, she got the distinct feeling that this was a portent of the chaos to come. And that all their work up to this point might teeter on the verge of collapse before they'd even begun.
So what did you all think? Do you want to hurt me for how this played out? I know some of you will hate me, and I am okay-ish with that. Just remember things that may seem set in stone aren't always, so keep that in mind.
I want to thank my darling NewGirl for being there when I was complaining about this chapter for all this time and letting me bounce ideas off her. And another HUGE thank you to Mx4 for polishing this chapter and for stopping me from continuing to call it the Evil Chapter. Without these two I don't know when I would have ever posted anything.
As always thanks for reading and let me know how this one made you feel. I'm ready for the good and the bad and the angry.