The next chapter of Vale of Arryn!
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Gazing at the rolling pastures of farmland and riverbed, Harry sighed deeply as another rock on the rough road caused the carriage to jolt violently. He had begged his father to let him ride to the river lands with them, but much to his frustration and his stupid foster-brother's amusement, he was forced into the carriage with the other noble children too young to ride. He wouldn't have minded it too terribly, the Valemen procession was large, as just about every Lord and Lady of the Vale would be in attendance, meaning there were more than a few young children to interact with.
But that was his problem. The only two people he kept in regular non-halting contact with aside from his father was Eddard and Robert. And there was a good reason for that. He frankly couldn't handle interacting with children his age. As Harry Potter, he never had a childhood let alone friends his age to spend time with and socialise. And now as Harry Arryn, he was technically as old as Rob and Ned! He knew he was being bratty, and that his cousin Denys didn't deserve to have his ears bled out by hours upon hours of complaining about the injustice of age inequality. But he was a child damnit! He could behave childishly if he so chose!
He'd decided early on that whilst one's mind can be as developed as it wants, nothing over comes the body's hormones and impulses. He may be mature for his age, and secretly possessing memories from another life, but his turning six-year-old body wanted to be out and about, not stuck in a carriage, and he was determined to make sure everyone within his vicinity knew about it, frequently and loudly. Once again sighing as the carriage jolted, he looked forlornly to the head of the procession several hundred metres further up the road.
"Cheer up Harry, we're almost there now" his cousin Denys Arryn said. He looked far to relieved about that fact, almost sinking into his saddle.
Ignoring his older cousin's platitudes, Harry sat up further and looked ahead, as Denys had spoken truthfully, the grand structure of Harrenhal was truly coming into sight.
Gasping in awe, Harry could not tear his eyes from the towering structure that was the dilapidated, yet no less majestic Harrenhal. Many of the towers that shot into the sky like spears were blackened and broken, said to be drowned by the firestorm that was Belarion the Blackdreads flame.
So, large was the castle that the massive nearby lake, a good distance from the structure, barely managed to reflect all of it upon its surface. Even more amazing than the castle to Harry, who lived in the Eyrie, which was quite frankly to him the greatest keep in the world, was the ocean of tents, carriages and other forms of shelter completely covering the vast field close to the keep as far as the eye could see.
If he was to compare it to anything, he would compare it to the Quiditch world cup on earth, though in his opinion this was far more impressive as there was no magic involved and considering each tent couldn't house twenty people like the wizarding tents of earth.
"Have you ever seen so many people before Denys?" Harry breathed as he took in the sight.
"Aye Harry, I've been to Kingslanding where ten hundred thousand people live in squalor on top of one another. The thousands you see before you are nothing compared to that. Though I haven't seen so many Lords and Ladies gathered before, no. And especially not all the seven Paramounts and the Royal family in one place. This tournament will surely be the greatest in memory" Denys stage whispered to the enraptured Lordling.
As the procession came closer and closer to the tournament grounds the sounds that were distant before were now deafening, as men and women and children ran about, drank, sang, laughed and had a merry time.
Harry could see the tents up closer now as they moved into the large encampment. He could see the finest ones had great silken ribbons flying off the entrance ways, dancing in the wind in a rainbow of colour. A top each of the largest tents was a large banner bearing the sigil and house words of the House it belongs to flapping in the wind. The pierced sun of the Martells, the Golden Rose of the Tyrells, the Red trout of the Tully's, the Dire wolf of the Starks, the Stag of the Baratheon's and even the Kraken of the Greyjoy's were the most apparent. Though all tents paled in comparison to the massive gazebo that stood apart in the very centre of the camp. Black and red with fine gold filigree, the banner that stood above the monstrous silk tent was that of a red three-headed dragon upon a field of black.
"House Targaryen" Harry whispered, eyes looking about to maybe see the blood of the Dragon.
As the carriage finally came to a stop in front of a large tent that was dyed a beautiful light blue, Harry almost burst out as he fell to the ground in a tumble.
"That eager to taste the earth little bird?" Robert taunted from atop his dustier.
"Shut up Rob!" Harry grumbled as he stood and dusted himself off.
"Harry, language boy, you know better" Lord Jon chastised from behind him, apparently materialising from thin air.
"Father!" Harry startled, whirling about to face the aging lord.
"The servants will carry your bags into the main room, Robert needs to go join his brothers at the Baratheon encampment, and Ned's already gone to find his siblings." Jon stated, looking ahead to see that indeed the servants had started unloading.
"Well, can I go exploring then?" Harry asked eagerly before sobering and putting on as straight a face as he could. "I promise to be good."
Jon gave him a dubious look but relented none-the-less. "Yes, you may. Though take Rand and the others with you, I want no trouble boy."
"I promise father!" he cried as he hugged the man around the middle before dashing off into the crowd.
"Follow him. Don't let him out of your sight." Jon said very seriously to the guards. "And do not let him anywhere near the king, no matter what you do." Giving them a severe look he moved on to get his household settled.
Setting off, the men soon caught up to their young lord.
"There you are little falcon" Rand Al'thor exclaimed as he grabbed the over excited child by the nape, lifting him up to meet his eye. "You know better than to run off like that."
Chastised Harry gave him a lopsided smile before begging to be let down.
"There's so much to see Master Rand. And the Tourney hasn't even started yet!"
"You have time little falcon, you have time" the chuckling Blademaster assured him.
Harry turned to him, grinned and pulled him further into the festivities.
As Jon sat at the table in his pavilion, he was not surprised in the least when Rickard Stark entered the tent and joined him, sitting heavily in his seat.
"So, is it true?" Jon asked pensively.
"Aye, the Prince is calling for a secret meeting. It was the whole reason for designing this tourney. He apparently plans to over throw the king." Lord Stark said gravely.
"He did not plan for his father joining us?" Jon joked weakly, searching for humour in the darkness that was the mad king's presence.
"No, I imagine he had hoped his father's paranoia would keep him away. But it seems it came to be the opposite. Aerys sees daggers everywhere he goes, and poison in everything he touches. Rhaegar should have known his father would never allow two Paramounts to meet alone unwatched, let alone all of them." Jon could see the truth in such a statement.
"Will the meeting still go ahead?" he asked.
"No, now that the King is here there will be no secret meeting. Rhaegar has been watched the moment he arrived behind the Royal procession and will most likely continue to be. This tourney has become just that, a great spectacle." Rickard sighed as he reached for some wine.
"Well, at the very least, my Harry was more than excited to come. He was just about bouncing off the ceiling in the carriage all day." The men chuckled.
"Aye, Lyanna was much the same. Though she demanded to ride with her brothers, and woe upon those who deny her anything these days" the Lord gave his friend a rueful grin.
Just then the flaps of the entrance to the main tent opened and a Vale knight walked in giving a sharp bow.
"Lord Arryn, Lord Stark, the Household is in order and the men have set up stations and patrols. The other lords have reported settling well." The dutiful man reported.
"Thank you, Ser Courtnay" Jon replied. The knight bowed again and left just as abruptly.
"Well, we might as well enjoy the tourney after coming all this way. Plans of usurpation or not." Lord Rickard stated as he stood and gripped Jon by the shoulder.
"Aye, let's hope there's no unpleasant surprises" Jon joked.
Chuckling the Lords left the tent together to join the merriment and festivities.
The days passed in a blur to Harry, who had been trying to fit in as much as humanly possible. Poor Rand and the household guard suffered trying to keep up with his endless energy and curiosity. It was the last day of the tournament and tonight was to be a great ball to honour the victor of the tournament, Prince Rhaegar. To be honest, Harry had been just as shocked as anyone when the Prince had crowned Lyanna Stark as his queen of love and beauty, though more than anything he was upset on behalf of his friend Robert. He knew Robert slept around, well, slept with anything with attractive legs if he was being honest, but he also thought he knew enough of Roberts character to believe that he would stop once wed, never being unfaithful to his wife.
There was just something about the way he reacted to anything to do with Lyanna Stark. The boy-man was infatuated and Harry truly wished they would get their happiness. Robert would be good to Lyanna, Harry knew this. Though in his heart he had to admit he was a little biased in favour of his foster-brother.
Still, the ball had come and everyone was out in their most expensive and luxurious clothing. In his life as Harry Potter he had never cared for clothes, they were just things he wore to keep warm and cover his decency. However here, he had to learn that clothes were just as much a sign of nobility and status as bathing and speaking properly. And as the Heir of the East, he had to be dressed to the nines.
Pulling at his doublet, Harry didn't notice where he was walking until he ran into someone, almost knocking the both over.
"Hey!" an indignant voice cried. It was high pitched and distinctly girly. Oh dear, it was a little girl.
Harry groaned mentally as he prepared for the usual tirade a bratty noble girl can spout when started.
"Watch where you're walking boy." Was the much smoother and dangerous voice of an adult male, as a man, clearly the girls relative, slid forward and made sure the girl was in one piece.
"I'm fine uncle, the stupid boy just wasn't watching where he was walking" she stated imperiously, sticking her nose in the air. Taking a close look at her, she was his age, maybe a little younger. She was pudgy and had blotchy cheeks which stood out against her tanned skin.
"Me? You were the one not watching where you were walking! I am perfectly aware of my surroundings!" he claimed indignantly. He knew it wasn't true, but he wasn't going to be insulted by a little girl.
"Oh, is that so little falcon?" Rand hissed as he snuck up on his charge. "I saw you knock over the girl when you were fussing with your clothes. Be a man of your station and apologise!" the annoyed chauffeur demanded.
Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Harry turned to the expectant girl and her uncle. Bowing his head slightly he faltered before sucking up his childish pride.
"On behalf of House Arryn of the Vale, I apologise sincerely for not paying attention and knocking you over… little girl." He finished cheekily.
"Little girl! I am a princess!" she yelled shrilly, puffing up in even greater indignation, as her uncle finally let his amusement show and chuckled loudly.
"Enough Arianne, he meant no harm. Come, your aunt is waiting inside." He stated as he led the fuming girl inside.
"Can you believe her Master Rand" Harry huffed as he turned to see the unimpressed face of his mentor.
"Inside little falcon, I'll be telling your father of this" he promised darkly. Chastised, Harry continued into the large hall.
Men and women were dancing in couples to joyful music in the centre of the room as talking adults lined the sides along with tables laden with delicacies from all around the world.
Sneaking up to a table with a particularly tasting looking sticky-fig pie, Harry snatched it and watched the proceedings.
The couples were all beautiful with their swirling colourful dresses and graceful movements. The hall truly looked grand to him. Spying a group consisting of Starks, Harry moved over to them quickly.
"Harry!" Ned called as he spied him, catching the attention of his siblings.
"Hello Ned" he grinned as he looking to the highly-amused group of Starks.
"Harry this is my brother Benjen and my sister Lyanna. I was just telling Lyanna how well you portray her" he smiled evilly.
"Oh yes, 'Take me now' was a particular favourite" the Lady in question said drily before grabbing his cheeks and pinching hard. Harry winced as he looked upon Lyanna Stark. She was a rare beauty. Not in the traditional sense of graceful beauty, but more in a wild natural way. As if she had no need to groom herself for she was perfect the way she was and knew it. Magnetism, is what he decided to label the effect. No wonder Robert was obsessed with her.
Apologising meekly to the girl, he was happily surprised when she laughed it off in good humour. The two carried on for a while before Harry noticed something interesting. Ned was gazing forlornly at a slowly dancing couple.
"Lyanna" Harry whispered, drawing her attention, "Who is that couple over there?" he pointed them out.
"I'm not sure who the woman is, but the man is my eldest brother Brandon" she smiled.
Seeing an opportunity for revenge, when the next song began to end and the couples slowed, harry sauntered up to Ned's side.
"So, who's the maiden?" Harry grinned.
"Ashara of House Dayne of Starfall" Ned replied giving him a cautious look.
"Thanks!" he chirped before walking directly in their direction.
"Harry! Stop!" Ned cried frantically, hoping the brat wouldn't do something terribly embarrassing.
"Lady Dayne?" Harry asked shyly when he reached the two.
"Yes?" the pretty girl smiled down at the Lordling.
Oh dear, she was gorgeous Harry mentally sighed. So very beautiful. Was it any wonder Ned looked at her longingly from across the hall he thought. Then his mind changed track… all the better for sweet revenge!
"You're very pretty my lady." He tried smiling winsomely. The eldest Stark looked on bemusedly as his date laughed and smiled at the cute child.
"Thank you my lord" she replied.
"I wish to tell you a secret" he stage whispered, whilst beckoning her to bend down closer to him.
Amused by the child's antics Lady Dayne did just that.
"Oh? And what is this secret?" she asked in mock whisper.
"This!" He chirped, before leaning forwards quickly and stealing a peck on the lips.
Ashara jerked backwards in surprise as the Lords and Lady's around them gasped and laughed in shock. Ashara herself looked stunned and Brandon Stark just stared at the boy before laughing loudly and escorting his date away.
"Harry!" Eddard Stark called out mortified as he went beet red staring at the cackling future Lord of the Vale.
The next day an exhausted Harald Arryn stood before his father in the House Arryn tent.
"Not only did you nearly injure a princess of Dorne with your carelessness, but you acted in a deplorable manner to a Lady of a principle house of Dorne. Is there some nefarious plot I should be aware of involving Dorne, Harry?" His unimpressed father demanded as his son stood in front of him fidgeting.
"I don't understand where this behaviour came from, you're perfectly well-mannered at home." His father shook his head tiredly.
"My lord, it is know that boys, especially young ones, act out when over excited. Consider it the actions of an exuberant child." The Master-At-Arms/child-carer Rand suggested.
Jon sighed and looked at his son.
"Fine. But the moment we get to home, you are going to be starting martial training. And your lessons are going to increase in number too!" he stated in warning. "Rand, make sure you give him a thorough session" Jon demanded before leaving to finish coordinating the move.
"Oh, I will my lord." Rand promised darkly as he smiled sinisterly at his charge.
"Mercy?" Harry whimpered.