The Arryn Heir

by kdsstarg8

After Viserys announces his plan to marry Alicent, Rhaenyra realizes she will never be permitted to wear the crown and then flees to the Vale.

Chapter 1

The Princess learns the truth.

The small council meeting had just been adjourned and Princess Rhaenyra was in both shock and anguish. Her best friend and sole companion was to wed her father, a man who hadn't said much to her since he named her heir. Neither had even implied that they were courting, to her and they were still supposed to be in the mourning period for her beloved mother, the Queen Aemma Arryn.

Oh, she could not wait until her cousin got wind of the treachery as it was HER army that helped secure the crown for Viserys and now he was slighting them through his recent actions. Yet, her father, every time Daemon had asked for an annulment from his unwanted wife Rhea Royce, claimed that they could not afford to slight the Vale. Well, Rhaenyra vowed that the Vale would know precisely just how much their King himself was slighting them. The Hightower chit would never have their support when they learned about the rapid marriage followed so closely behind Lord Roderik's youngest child's murder.

Yes, Rhaenyra was heir to the Iron Throne but she wasn't foolish enough to believe that she would retain the position for long, especially once Dear Alicent gave her father his all important son, especially with Otto whispering in her father's ears. After that she would likely be sold off to whomever Ser Otto dubbed best for his ambitions and likely would die "tragically" in the birthing bed. She had no intention of letting that happen.

Following Queen Aemma and Prince Baelon's funeral, Lady Jeyne Arryn, the Warden of the East and Lady of the Vale, had approached Rhaenyra and they had spoken of the situation in the Vale. Jeyne had no interest in men and was her father's only surviving child and also had no nieces or nephews. The cousins they had via their Arryn uncles were either girls who were married off into other houses, dead or imprisoned in the Sky Cells at the Eyrie in their attempts to forcefully take the Eyrie from Jeyne. As for the cousins they had via their Arryn aunts, while they did have a couple living male cousins, most of those were also dead or imprisoned though a few were married like their sisters and content with their lives. Jeyne had asked Rhaenyra if she wished to foster with her in the Vale as she feared for her young cousin's safety in the capital with so few allies. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, Rhaenyra was named heir and Jeyne returned home, though the cousins kept their correspondence. Her cousin had, in light of Rhaenyra's naming, suggested that her fostering in the Vale would be good for her as then Jeyne could teach Rhaenyra to be a leading lady in her own right, just like she was. Rhaenrya was not sure if she'd ever be a leading lady of the Realm, but she decided that she really would be safer in the Vale.

After the Princess returned to her chambers, she quickly wrote a letter to her cousin stating that she would be coming to the Vale to stay as she wanted to feel closer to her mother. The Princess worded her missivive that way in case someone would read it.

The next item on Rhaenyra's agenda was discovering how her father came to pick such a low born maid as his second bride. Thankfully she was on good terms with the staff of the Red Keep and soon found out that Lady Alicent had begun visiting her father's chambers for long hours in the middle of the night and that she had not bled in three moons. With the planned wedding only a moon away, well, her bastard would be well on the way though, unfortunately would likely be given a royal title and the Targaryen name. This outraged the Princess. She was her father's heir but he planning to supplant her and her mother had only been dead a mere four moons. Alicent would replace her mother less than six moons after her death and would bear her child less than a year after Prince Baelon passed. Aemma and the Vale would be deeply disrespected.

Chapter 2

Rhaenyra flees to the Vale.

Needless to say but while the Red Keep busied itself with the rushed wedding preparations, Rhaenyra prepared her escape. She also prayed and offered sacrifices to the Valyrian Gods that Alicent's children would not be able to bond with the dragons. Yes, it was a bit vindictive, but she felt it was justified that the future Hightower Dragon King might be dragonless.

As for Alicent herself, she actually made herself present to Rhaenyra a bit more now that she was to be Queen than she had been in the first moons of Rhaenyra's mourning. Alicent attempted to force Rhaenyra to wear brighter, happier colors in celebration and jubilee for her upcoming nuptials and how she would finally have her dream of being an elder sister with all of the babes Alicent was sure she would bear for the King. Rhanerya was steadfast in her refusal saying that she would give her beloved mother the respect she deserved and reminded Alicent that black was one of House Targaryen's colors. It made Rhaenyra sick with how Alicent would go on and on about the wonderful, kind and caring man Viserys was and how she was going to be a far better Queen to him than Alyssanne had been to Jaeharys and how her goodness and virtue would ensure that no one would remember that Viserys had ever been married to that poor unfortunate failure, Aemma Arryn. Rhaenyra almost would up biting her tongue off whenever Alicent would start on that as she hated knowing just how low the whore felt about a far greater woman than she could ever be.

Though Alicent loved to brag to Rhaenyra, those visits quickly faded as the wedding drew nearer. After the announcement, Viserys had dismissed Rhaenyra as cupbearer at the Small Council, stating that she had grown too old for that role. Since then, the Princess had barely even seen her father and he was always far too busy to grant her an audience.

Fortunately for Rhaenyra, this helped her as it meant that her father was unlikely to notice her departure until she was long gone. Three days before the wedding, Rhaenyra flew to Dragonstone where she picked an assortment of books on her Valyrian heritage to take with her to the Eyrie. She spent two full days on the island and when she returned, she quickly discovered that her absence had not even been noted.

The day before the wedding, Rhaenyra packed up everything she wished to take to the Vale that she hadn't already sent on ahead (some of which were her late mother's possessions) and that Jeyne had confirmed had already arrived. Then she took a long nap. She woke after the Keep had gone quiet and quickly drafted a short letter that she left inside her desk. Then she departed the Keep, unchained Syrax and began her flight to the Eyrie.

Chapter 3

A Letter left behind.

The Princess's absence at the wedding should have been noted but no one did. Not the King, whom she was, at present, his only living child; nor the new Queen whom had once been the Princess's closest companion. Shockingly not even the Lord Hand nor any member of the small council noticed that the girl was not there. Even more surprising was that it took weeks before a serving girl managed to pass word to King Viserys that the Princess hadn't called for food, a bath or anything in some time and when they had gone in to clean the space, as they did every few weeks unless otherwise called upon, the room was as spotless as if it had just been cleaned and there also wasn't any laundry.

This made Viserys pause as it was only then that he realized that it really had been awhile since he'd last seen his child as he'd been busy. He wondered where she had gone off to.

At this same time, Ser Otto burst into the King's chamber with news. Somehow word had been gotten out that Queen Aemma had been butchered in the childbed and shortly thereafter Alicent had begun whoring herself to the King. It was also being said that Alicent was already pregnant and her babe had been named heir. As for the Princess, she had been disowned, disinherited and stripped of the Targaryen name after having spoken out that a bastard child and a whore should not be granted royal titles.

Despite how most of it was true, it distracted Viserys from the mystery of his missing daughter as he and Otto were quickly consumed in trying to quell the rumors and salvage Queen Alicent's reputation. However, in the coming weeks as Alicent's belly began to swell more and more, it stopped seeming possible and all the men could do was accept them and inform everyone that Alicent's child was going to be fully recognized as it would be born within wedlock.

It would take a couple months before the issue of the missing princess would be brought up again and that would be when Viserys and Alicent would go seeking her out to ask her to pick out a dragon egg for the new baby.

When they would arrive at her chambers and find them empty, the King and Queen would summon servants who would all attest that it had been months since they had last seen the girl.

In a panic, Viserys would look through his daughter's wardrobe, her bed, dressing table and finally desk for any clue about her whereabouts and that is when he would discover her letter.

To Whomever Finds This:

Fear not for my safety as I am safe with my dear cousin who had requested that she foster me following my most beloved mother's cruel passing. I have spent my life barely being noticed within the Red Keep by any other than her, my wonderful Uncle Daemon and the backstabbing, social climbing whore whom I had once considered to be a sister. She has now achieved one of her greatest and her father's greatest ambitions and has become Queen. All that is left is for her babe to become King and the Hightowers will have achieved their aim.

I know that they will never allow me to ascend the throne especially if Alicent bares a child with a cock. It does not matter how much I could ever prove myself worthy of the crown, my generosity, my devotion to my studies or even whom I marry or if I should bear a dozen fully true born and completely legitimate sons or anything else. I am a woman and I am not of Hightower blood. They will order my death before I could ever be crowned.

It would greatly surprise me to learn that this missive has been found any earlier than a couple weeks after my departure as people just don't care all that much about me, despite having the official title of heir and Princess of Dragonstone. I renounce those, by the way, and House Targaryen as mine own house. From henceforth I am Lady Rhaenyra Arryn. I will not call Alicent my step mother nor any spawn of hers as my sibling. They can take the crown and the name Targaryen. I will have my mother's people. I will not slight them as my sire has done through his treatment of my mother, his denying the annulment of Lady Rhea Royce and his brother Prince Daemon and marrying a girl who offers nothing long before the official mourning period ends for my mother and last ever brother.

Tell my sire and his wife to be well and that I hope that they get all they desire, unless those desires include humiliating me, selling me off to someone who benefits Ser Otto's ambitions more than the good of the Vale, anything else that would cause me pain, hurt or humiliation or that would further slight the Vale.

Lady Rhaenyra Arryn

Chapter 4

A father's remorse.

The letter Rhaenyra had left behind had enraged Otto and Alicent but, after an exchange of letters to and from the Vale where Lady Jeyne Arryn had been very adimate that Rhaenyra refused to have anything to do with being heir, the crown, the capital, Dragonstone or her father so long as he was married to Alicent, her children were to be given royal titles and Otto remained Hand. Should Otto someday be executed for treason, Alicent sent to the Silent Sisters and any and all of her children be named bastards, then she might consider returning. Otherwise, Jeyne said that Rhaenyra would remain her foster until she found her an appropriate husband and Rhaenyra was wed.

For Otto, though it did not work perfectly into his plans, having Aemma's child gone from the capital and having renounced her claim and father's name did mean that it would be easier for him to get his blood on the throne, he just had to convince Viserys to name his grandson heir once born.

As for Alicent, well she had wanted to brag to Rhaenrya about how easy her pregnancy was and, once she birthed a healthy boy, bragged to her about how she had succeeded where her "friend's" mother had failed. Despite lacking this ability, she was still happy about her triumph.

It was Viserys who was hardest hit. His little girl had denounced him and her place in his life all because he hadn't been a good father to her or a good husband to her mother. Even after the birth of his son Aegon, he was still sorrowful. Rhaenyra would never see the boy as her brother and the two would likely never have any sort of relationship beyond that of many of the Lord's and Lady's who lived within their own keeps had with the Royal family. She would just be another noble to him.

Chapter 5

The Royal children.

As it does, time passed and Aegon grew from a babe to a toddler. Viserys wanted his son to have a playmate and so Alicent bore a second child, a girl they named Helena which gave the Realm a new princess to dote over, especially since Viserys firstborn was still maintaining her life in the Vale. Helena would be followed a couple years later by a second son who would be named Aemond and then a fourth named Dareon. All four would have dragon eggs placed in their cradles but none would hatch. More eggs would be brought in for the cradles and all would turn to stone. Vhagar would die of old age and Lady Laena would claim Dreamfyre as her mount. Rumors would circulate that Canibal had chosen to fly to the Vale and make his home near the Eyrie but others claimed that those were just rumors.

Viserys hoped that they were rumors as if they weren't, he feared for Rhaenyra's life.

Shortly after Daron's birth, Lady Jeyne Arryn would send a letter addressed to the court that she had decided to name her cousin and ward her heir and had begun searching for her a husband who would take on the Arryn name. Viserys, knowing very little about his first wife's family, figured that she spoke of another cousin rather than his firstborn.

During this time much to Viserys dismay and Otto's perplexment, very little word would be send to them about how Rhaenyra was faring other than she was becoming quite the skilled huntress, she was in good health and that she was finding great joy flying her dragon through the mountains.

Chapter 6

A suitor fit for a Lady.

Far in the North, at Winterfell, Lord Rickon Stark received a missive from Lady Jeyne Arryn requesting to know if he knew of any possible suitors for her young cousin and heir. This made him immediately think of his much younger brother who lusted after Winterfell despite knowing that the North was the rightful inheritance of his nephew, Rickon's son, Cregan. He summoned his brother to his solar and told him that the dragon riding heiress of the Vale was in need of a husband and that her cousin had sought Rickon to help her find one suitable. Rickon told his brother that he wanted to arrange for the pair to meet as he believed that they might find one another suitable. It would mean that Bennard's children would take the Arryn name and that Bennard would still not rule in a seat of power of his own, but, should he wed the heiress, he would have considerable power in the Vale and it would be possible that his children might be dragonriders as well. Bennard agreed to meet the girl.

Upon Jeyne receiving word that Lord Rickon believed that his much younger brother might be a worthy suitor for her cousin, she decided to mention it to her young and beautiful cousin. Rhaenyra, who still feared the Hightower ambitions, especially since her father had still not officially named Aegon his heir, figured that, assuming that Bennard was a decent fellow, would be a good match as it would offer her further protection as she would be kin to the Starks and would strengthen the ties between the historical adversaries of the North and Vale.

Rickon and Bennard would journey with a retinue to the Eyrie where they would receive a very warm welcome. Bennard would upon first meeting the twenty year old, would be mesmerized by her classic Targaryen looks but would soon find himself enchanted by her strength, knowledge, humor, and genuine goodness. Rhaenyra's thoughts on Bennard were quite similar. She was very attracted to him when they first met and as they had opportunities to speak with one another would find herself enjoying his company.

It wouldn't take long before an official betrothal would be written up between Lady Jeyne and Lord Rickon for the pair.

Chapter 7

The joining of kingdoms.

Six moons and over a hundred letters later, Lady Jeyne Arryn, Lady Amanda Arryn, and a retinue would accompany Rhaenyra to Winterfell where she would marry Lord Bennard Stark in the Godswood of Winterfell.

It would not be the first time that Rhaenyra had made the trip North as, following Lord Rickon Stark's death, she had flown North to be with her intended and his young nephew when they entered the late Warden. The painful loss of a parent was something she was able to bond with the young new Lord of Winterfell over and made Bennard glad to see his bride and nephew getting along as, following their union, Rhaenyra would live at Winterfell for a few years. This was due to Bennard being Cregan's regent.

A good thing about Rhaenyra getting to know the North and Winterfell is that it would further strengthen the ties with the Vale, especially once she took over as the ruling Warden since she would know the people and desires of both kingdoms.

The wedding took place three days after the group from the Vale arrived. No one had thought to inform the King of the union as she had truly become Rhaenyra Arryn over the seven years of her foster. Though the ceremony was very simple and lacked any cleric for service, all who witnessed the wedding thought it was very beautiful with both bride and groom dressed in gray, pale blue and white. The following banquet was filled with laughter and music as people from both kingdoms mixed and mingled.

Then it was time for the bedding. There were no questions at all concerning the bride's virtue that night as the newlyweds were undressed and then put to bed, both blushing bright red.

When morning came though, the sheets were collected and all were able to see the stain and the red blush on the new couple's faces knowing that everyone was fully aware that they had coupled.

Chapter 8

Arryn heirs.

Nearly a year after Rhaenyra and Bennard were wed, they were blessed with twin daughters whom they named after Rhaenyra's mother and maternal grandmother, Aemma and Daella and the eight year old Cregan Stark doted on them both. Three years later they had another daughter named Arya. Their fourth daughter would be born four years later and would be given the name Jayne, which would make Rhaenyra's cousin Jeyne very happy. Another four years would pass before a fifth daughter would be born to the happy couple and she would receive the name Sansa.

Syrax would mate with Canibal and would lay eggs which would then be placed in the cradles of the Arryn-Stark girls and each egg would hatch within a week of their placement much to Rhaenrya's joy and Bennard's wonder.

At this point, Cregan was a young man of nineteen and as such, it was time for Bennard and Rhaenyra to move their family to the Eyrie. Before they left however, Cregan made the request to his aunt and uncle that, in five years time he be allowed to wed his niece Lady Daella Arryn, who would be sixteen. They told him to keep a correspondence with her and, should she desire it, in four years time they would draft the betrothal.

During the eleven years Rhaenyra spent in the North, she had come to love those people and they, her. It made her desperate to keep strong ties between the two kingdoms that she was bound to.

As for things down in King's Landing, Viserys was struggling to find a suitable bride for his eldest son as it was an open secret that Aegon had at least a dozen bastards running around and that he was a violent drunk and alcoholic. In a drunken rage he had stabbed his sister Helena. Helena did recover from the injury but was rendered sterile due to the wound being to her lower abdomen. She had since become a Septa. Aemond was a master swordsman and had already decided to join the Kingsguard as soon as he turned sixteen the following year, plus she did not like women and thought all were far too weak for him to bother with. Young Dareon had spent some time in Old Town fostering under Hobart Hightower but after Helena's injury, he was summoned home.

It was known to the King that his eldest was a wife but he knew little beyond that as he kept getting further buried with problems. Otto had raged when he learned that, following Daemon's victory in the Stepstones, he had left Westeros to join his Aunt Saera Targaryen in Volantis and that, a couple years later, Lady Laena made the journey there as well with her parents and would marry Prince Daemon by way of the 14 at a Valyrian temple. Dreamfyre and Caraxies would mate and have eggs which would wind up in the cradles of their children and some of Sarea's grandchildren and great grandchildren. Alicent would also rage at Viserys since, even with it now being twenty years since Rhaenyra had left King's Landing, he had still not officially disinherited her nor had he named Aegon his heir. At this same time, the throne kept injuring him more and more while parts of the realm were experiencing drought or floods. It seemed as though Viserys was constantly faced with never ending problems.

Chapter 9

Jeyne's death and the King's visit.

Two years after Rhaenrya and Bennard would settle into the Eyrie with their five daughters, tragedy would strike when, following a long illness, Lady Jeyen Arryn would die. Just like what had been done 14 years prior when Lord Rickon Stark had died, word was sent to the capital, only this time instead of it being a young child as heir apparent, the new Warden of the East would be a full grown woman of 35 with five daughters of her own.

When Viserys would hear about Jeyne's death, he would immediately order that things be readied for travel as he wanted to pay his respects and hopefully see his eldest child whom he had not seen in 22 years.

Viserys was shocked when he arrived at the Eyrie by the seven dragons that dwelt in the Vale. Yes, he had heard rumors long before about Cannibal having moved there but finding out that the overly vicious dragon had mated with his daughter's dragon, well, he did faint.

Another huge shock for the King was finding the young Warden of the North at the Eyrie as he knew there had been much contention between the kingdoms in the past. However, Cregan quickly explained that Lady Jeyne had been something like a grandmother to him as he was raised by his dear Aunt Rhaenyra and Uncle Bennard following his father's untimely death and Lady Jeyne had been a frequent guest at Winterfell. When Viserys learned just whom his daughter was wed, he really could not argue about the suitability of the match. Bennard was the younger brother of the Warden of the North but had also been trained in how to lead. Add that to Jeyne naming Rhaenyra her heir, it gave Bennard a Keep that he would help lead.

It was at dinner, on the first night after arriving that Viserys would finally meet his five granddaughters. No one could deny the sorrow in the King's eyes when he learned that the twins were thirteen and their sisters were ten, six and two respectively. He knew that what Rhaenyra had written in that letter from so long before was true, the Realm would never accept her as Queen. If she and Bennard would have had sons, then there was a chance but they didn't. They only had girls. Viserys did inquire of his good son how many miscarriages and stillbirths Rhaenyra had had over the years, as he figured there must be since they had no male heirs and the girls were not closer in age. Bennard laughed before responding that they had never lost a child in any stage but that they had chosen to space their children so that Rhaenyra had ample time to recover from each birth and to just bond with each child before welcoming another into their home. The bewildered King was astonished that his good son placed so much value upon the life of his wife rather than endlessly seeking a son and, much to his sorrow, he realized that it made the younger man a better husband

After staying two weeks, Viserys knew he had to return to King's Landing and his endless responsibilities. Despite knowing that he would never have a strong bond with Rhaenyra, he was glad to know that she was happy and that she had been blessed with children of her own.

Chapter 10

Three years after Jeyne died, Cregan Stark would marry his niece Daella Arryn at Winterfell in a joint wedding of her twin with the second son of Lord Lionel Mormont, Brandon, who was to be her consort one day in the East. The twins would be seperated but their bond would remain close.

Much to everyone's surprise, a year later, both twins would give birth to a son and a daughter and their mother, now aged 39 would birth her only son, Rickon. Lady Aemma Arryn, however, would remain her mother's heir.

Four years later King Viserys Targaryen would die which would compel Lady Rhaenyra Arryn, her husband and her children to go to King's Landing. By this point in time, Aegon had been dead several years after a drunken brawl in a pub in flea bottom, and Aemond was crippled due to a jousting injury. The 23 year old Prince Dareon was still unwed and Alicent hoped to find him a bride at his father's funeral. Alicent would be dismayed to learn that Rhaenyra's three oldest daughters were all married (Arya had only just married Lionel Royce, the current Lord of Runestone). Ultimately, Alicent would match her only living son with Lady Amanda Frey, the fourth daughter of Lord Walter Frey's third son. The pair would only have a single daughter who lived to adulthood.

Daemon and Laena's oldest son Baelon and Jayne Arryn would become acquainted at the funeral and would marry a decade later. Sansa Arryn would meet a great grandson of Saera Targaryen while at her sister's wedding and they would marry a year later.

Rickon Arryn would follow his nephew's example and would marry said nephew's second daughter Rhaenyra Stark.

All of the descendants of Daemon and Laena Targaryen and most of the descendants of Bennard Stark and Rhaenrya Arryn would either claim or hatch dragon eggs. When the Long Night finally occurred, while there weren't many dragons throughout most of Westeros, there were plenty in the North and the Vale to drive off the forces of the Night King.