I own nothing
Quick Author's Note: I'm so sorry for the lack of updates. I came back with somewhat of writer block for this story. That is why I have not update as of yet. I now have a clear idea of where we are heading so the updates should follow as such. As always thank you for all your support.
Ser Rolland Storm reached the Eyrie early the next morning. He had been riding nearly nonstop since leaving Riverrun. He wanted to prove his worth to his Queen. He only stopped long enough for his steed to drink so it would not die. Rolland ate on the back of his horse and could go a long while without sleep. He slowed down approaching the gates. He eyed the surrounded mountains. He could sense he was being watched.
"Who goes there?" Lord Royce called out.
"Ser Rolland Storm of the Kingsguard, I'm here on behalf of the Queen," Ser Rolland answered trying to figure out where the voice was coming from.
"I was unaware that Queen Cersei had bastard guarding her son," Lord Royce commented.
"Who said anything about that lion-hearted bitch? I am here on behalf of the one true Queen of Westeros Her Grace, Raenera Stark daughter of King Aerys II Targaryen. I am here to speak to Lady Lysa Arryn and Lord Petyr Baelish," Ser Rolland commented coldly.
"The Dragon Queen" Lord Royce muttered.
Lord Royce heard the stories about the queen that was dragon forged in ice. He heard the stories of the fall of Stannis Baratheon and her taking Westeros back one of the seven kingdoms at a time. She married the northern King, Robb Stark. She was the family with Martells through her later brother's marriage. She turned the Tyrells to her side. They were always tied to the Targaryens. She even had Lord Tywin's sons on her side meaning it was only a matter of time before the Westerlands fell into her control.
"They will likely not see you until they break their fast" Lord Royce said allowing Ser Rolland Storm to enter.
Once in the courtyard of the Eyrie Ser Rolland dismounted. He looked around the place with distaste. This was the impregnable fortress. Lord Royce made his way down to Ser Rolland. He looked at Ser Rolland. He looked at the crest on Lord Royce armor.
"Are you Lord Royce?" Ser Rolland asked.
"I am," Lord Royce answered.
Ser Rolland walked back over to his horse. He reached into his saddle bag. Lord Royce looked a little unnerved by Ser Rolland's action. Ser Rolland pulled out a scroll that was sealed. He handed the scroll to Lord Royce. Lord Royce looked at the scroll for a moment. Before, he turned examined the seal on the scroll. A confused looked on his face for a long moment. It was the seal of House Arryn. The only times he saw that seal was when Jon Arryn or his daughter Raena wrote him. He remembered her like it was yesterday. She was such a determined young child.
The dark hair four-year-old ran through the courtyard of Eyrie. She was under the watchful gaze of her father. She looked up at the castle where Lady Lysa watched with distaste. Lord Royce son Waymar chased after her. Her innocent giggles captivated any who were in ear shot. It was rare to see Lord Jon Arryn in the Vale after he was named Hand of King. This was a gift from King Robert after Lady Lysa loses her latest child. He thought it would be good for her to stay away from the capital for a week.
"She does not look much like you," Lord Royce commented.
"She doesn't but make no mistake she is my daughter," Jon Arryn stated.
"Of course my Lord,"
"How is young Waymar writing coming along?" Jon Arryn asked.
"Well as I expected. He more interested in swords then the written word," Lord Royce said.
Raena ran over to her father as fast as her little legs would carry her. She hugged her father's legs. Jon Arryn smiled down at the child who had become his world quite easily.
"Raena what is it?" Jon Arryn asked.
"I want to learn to write Papa like Waymar," Raena demanded.
"You have no one to write to, child, why ever would want to learn to write?" Lord Royce commented shocked at the little girl request.
"I can write to you and young Waymar and perhaps in time my betrothed. Please Papa?" Raena begged.
Lord Royce came out of his head as he remembered her amethyst eyes staring up at him. He had quickly become quite taken with her as well. In fact, most of the Lords and Ladies of Vale loved Raena Stone. She was treated much better than most bastards of high lords; mostly because for the longest time she was Jon Arryn's only heir. It was not until much later into his marriage to Lady Lysa that young Robin was born and by that time Raena was already eight years old. He broke the seal. He stared at the written words on the page. The way it was written reminded him of Raena letter's to him when she was a child. No one had heard of her since Ned Stark loss his head.
"Lord Yohn Royce,
I know you do not know me truly. And I know you would never betray House Arryn. But I feel the need to warn you. Warn you of the danger you may very well be placed into unknowingly. Lady Lysa has married a power hungry snake. I will be the first to admit that Lady Lysa and I have never seen eye to eye. And I cannot change that now. If Petyr Baelish has complete control of the Vale army he will drive you to the brink of disasters. I know he lied his way to the position he is in now. And no doubt he lied to the Lannisters to get close to Lady Lysa and power. Make no mistake he wants the Iron Throne and will kill any who stands in his way. Please, for me, don't trust that man. I have already lost so many good trustworthy men to him. I refuse to lose you.
From what I remember of you from my childhood, you were a fair and just man. I sure by now you are wondering who I am. It's Raena. I am safe and protected. You were right. I was never Jon Arryn's daughter not by blood. I was always the daughter of King Aerys Targaryen the second. But I always saw myself as Lord Arryn's daughter and I know he saw me as his daughter as well. I am thankful every day that he nerve to claim me as his to save me from the same fate as baby Aegon or Princess Rhaenys. He died to protect me, he knew the truth about Cersei and her children but did not tell anyone because of me.
I know Baelish held a knife to Lord Eddard Stark neck betraying his trust for his need for power. The way my father died does not sit with me. I saw him the day before he died. He was healthy as a horse for his age. Then as suddenly he was here he was gone. I never got to say good bye. I know what killed him, it was poison called Tears of Lys. It is very costly. I feel in my heart of hearts that Baelish had something to do with it. But I cannot prove it. I need you to watch him closely and maybe alert the other lords of the dangerous snake in the Vale.
Your Friend,
Queen Raenera Stark, First of her name, Queen in the North, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lady Regnant of the Seven Kingdoms; Protector of the realm…Aka Raena Stone.
Lord Royce eyes widen as he read each passing word. He always knew that Raena was cut from different cloth but royalty was something never dreamed of. But that did explain so much why Lord Jon Arryn worried when anyone stared too long at his daughter. Most were just seeing her for what she was a beautiful little girl. But that fear that someone would discover her true identity most likely caused many sleepless nights. When she was babe Jon doted on her but as she grew Lord Royce knew Jon's love for her had grown as well. Lord Royce still had letters between him and Jon Arryn saying that her mother was Dayne. Not that he believe it for a moment but it all made sense to him now. The look of shock passed over his face as her words slowly sank in. Raena Stone was really always Raenera Targaryen now Raenera Stark. Seven Hells if the rest of Lord of Vale learned this truth they would demand to join the fray on Raenera's and Robb's side. They were family by both accounts.
"Come I will take you to Lady Lysa and Lord Baelish," Lord Royce said.
Robb woke up first. He looked around the room. How the light slowly filtered through the drapes casting a beautiful shade of blue over Rae's features. Robb sat up removing the sleep from his eyes. Greywind looked up at him. Robb could not help but smile as he looked at Greywind. He had five pups playing with him. The leader seemed to be the little white terror that Robb named the night before. He was followed by two silver pups that almost looked like twins to Robb's eyes. The dark gray one and sandy color ones were biting at Greywind's paws. Only a dove gray pup sat gently cuddled up to Starlight. Robb chuckled softly at the sight before him. He felt Rae shift from her sleep. He looked down at her. She looked up at him with a sleepy look on her face.
"Morning," Rae said softly.
"Morning my love" Robb replied kissing her softly.
Raenera went to sit up. She let out an out an annoyed noise as she struggled to sit up on her own. Robb quickly wrapped his arm around helping her to sit up. After he was sitting up he leaned down and kissed her baby bump twice. He cradled her belly in his arms. She cuddled up to his bare chest watching Greywind interact with his pups for the first time. He kissed the top of her head.
"What are they named?" Robb asked watching them.
"The white one is Balerion you named him last night the two silver ones are females. The one with the little white moon on her ear is Artemis and her twin is Athena. I named them. The dark gray one is male his owned by Arya. She named him Storm since she claims Nymeria is still out there somewhere. The sand color one I gave to Evalyne. He is named Achilles. The dove gray one is female she was chosen by Sansa. She reminds her of Lady. She named her Winter, I think she claimed some like that she would always be a Stark and this way she keep a part of her house words with always. I think she's guilty about what happen to your father more than she lets on," Raenera explained.
Robb looked down at her for a moment. He hugged her close to her. He knew his sister had finally completely opened up to Raenera. He kissed the top of her head holding her close. They had become very close. Yes, Sansa he knew trusted her since she traveled here but completely open up to Rae did not happen until recently with the birth of pups.
"I will talk to her," Robb said softly.
"It's not something you can help with, sweetheart. She has to come to terms with it in her own time. From what she told me, your father wanted them to leave but she still wanted to be married to Joffrey. Now that she really in love with Smalljon she understands that it was a just childhood dream. To be like the ladies in the stories she was told. I'm glad she had the childhood she had. I would not want Sansa to be like me," Rae confessed.
"I like how you are Rae, " Robb said.
"I learned an early age that knights and princes were the things that the tales made them out to be. I want our child to have the kind of childhood like you and your sibling had. Where you could be a kid, where you don't have worry about someone finding out who are and fearing for your life," Rae said with tears in her eyes.
Robb hugged her close as he realized that what young Rae's life was like. He could not imagine what she went through. He silently made a vow to the Gods that he would protect her and children from the life that she had so she would never have to face that again.
"Our pups will have a chance to be children, Rae sweetheart I promise," Robb vowed as kiss her forehead as his hands possessively caressed her baby bump.
They laid in silence for a long moment. Rae tilted her head up to look at him. Robb leaned down kissing her soundly. She let herself sink into his protective and possessive embrace. Robb was a wolf there was no doubt about that. Rae giggled at the image of Robb as wolf protecting her. Robb leaned down capturing her giggles in his mouth.
"I love you," Rae said sweetly.
"And I you," Robb said.
"You know our pups could be girls right?"
"Of course my love, they will the prefect image of their mother," Robb stated like it was fact.
"Robb," Rae said teasingly.
"I will love them what ever they are Rae," Robb said seriously.
"Did you give any thought of names for them...if they are girls I mean," Rae asked.
"I always wanted to name a daughter after father's sister, Lyanna."
"Lyanna, I always wanted to name a daughter after my mother, Lilliyan"
"Then it settled if they are girls they will be named Lyanna and Lilliyan" Robb stated.
Robb sighed getting out of bed even though he much rather spend the day lounging in bed with his wife. They had a wedding to attend. Robb made his way over to his trunk. He was quickly followed by Balerion, Strom, and Achilles. He shook his head laughing at them as he pulled out his doublet. He looked to the bed again. Rae was sliding to the edge of the bed. Her hand was on the headboard. She was trying to pull herself up which seemed to be getting harder for with her ever-growing baby bump. The blankets had fallen from her chest giving Robb a glorious view of his wife body. He had missed so much when he was away from her. Robb's mind quickly went to all the things he would like to do to her body as he idly got dressed with the help of three pups. She caught him staring at her.
"Robb a little help would be nice," Rae teased as she woke him from his trance.
Robb quickly snapped out of it and rushed over to her up. Robb picked her shift off the floor on his way. He slipped the shift over head as it pooled around her baby bump. He leaned down kissing her again. Before, he helped her up. His hands did not leave her middle once she was on her feet. Robb walked her over to a chair in the room making her sit down.
"Take it easy I will call the maids to you,"Robb said
"Robb I am not made of glass," Rae said
"I know sweetheart let me spoil you today. I've been away from you so long," Robb said as he leaned down to kiss her again.
Robb rested his forehead against her for a long moment. They stared into each other's eyes. Robb kissed her again before he turned to leave her. As Robb closed the door to the room Rae's mind traveled back to her dream and the three babies she held in her arms. Her hand traveled to her bump with a look filled with dread and wondering on her face. From what she remembered triplets nearly killed their mother or none of them survived. She did not want that fate for Robb. She needed to speak with a Maester soon.