Many people were shivering. Rarely travelling outside of Essos and when they did really only when they had no choice but to do so. But not her, she was used to this. From the age of only four she had snuck onto the Pride of Driftmark, the grandest ship in their fleet and had been commissioned for a multitude of uses from battle ship, trading galley, and pleasure ship all in one. Whilst more had been built since then, many considered it to be the first of its kind and her father relished in such a thing.
Maela remembered it well, the way a wave had struck the side of the ship which caused her to lose her footing and reveal just enough of her pale golden curls for people to realise who was there. He'd been furious with her and for good reason, but her brother had found it amusing and said the day she turned ten he would get her a ship of her own to command. She was a Velaryon of Driftmark, and before the Doom her family were partially split between Gogossos and Valyria itself, travelling back and forth between both often and growing richer and richer as the years went on. They'd been a small House in Old Valyria, but not anymore. They were now one of the top House's of the Freehold, and that fact was never going to be forgotten.
She'd sailed all over really, sometimes with people she knew, sometimes with strangers, sometimes on her own when she was bored. She'd gone as far as the western border of Ulthos, had tried to sail up to Stygai only for Monterys to firmly talk her out of doing so, to the three islands found long ago by a Westerosi woman who disappeared from existence afterwards. Maela wanted to know anything and everything there was about the world, do something no one else had ever done and accurately map every single piece of land one could get to.
That is, if it weren't for the damned babe in her belly.
She'd not wanted to wed so young, only just turning seventeen when herself and Viserys spoke their vows in the Temple and went through the binding. Wishing to be like Taevar and being able to live a long life without having someone to tie them down to one place. Yet she'd been sworn in, and she was not going to deny her faith. At least Viserys treated her decently, and he often took her into the sky on Dawn which was something she never refused. How could she? Once, they had been dragon riders, all families who survived had been. Yet war after war within the Freehold whittled them down and they forgot the original spells which allowed them to bond with dragons in the first place. Slowly losing control until eventually losing them all together.
No one could conclusively agree on how their bonds formed. There were currently six known species of dragon and each of the six remaining Dragonlord families each controlled one species. The Targaryen dragons wings were attached to their front legs so they could glide easier and often had a lot of spikes on their heads. Dallaeron dragons were always jewel toned in colour and depending on the way the light hit off their scales actually looked like hundreds of gemstones glittering away. Rhaentheon dragons had no spikes on them whatsoever. Had they always been individual? Had they been specially bred in the Freehold? Was there truth to the rumours of advanced blood magic being used to keep them in one family and that family only? It was information she wished to know and she vowed one day she would find out the truth of such a thing.
Maela herself would never be a Dragonrider, but Aeressa had the ability to do so due to her mother being Daera Rhaentheon. In fact, she'd not so secretly eyed up a pale yellow dragon that was unclaimed the last time they had visited Tyrosh. Whether she ever worked up the courage to claim it though was another story. Jelaerya was beside her, the older woman looking around in wonder and Baemala practically skipping in excitement beside her, Aemon to her right alongside his cousins to show them around White Harbour. Monterys and Viserys were looking at one of the stalls aligning the streets, Haelysanne and Raerion with their son and daughter on their shoulders who were pointing to everything.
It must make a strange sight to the locals, she thought to herself. The Freehold for the most part kept to itself and even when they did expand further out it was really only in Essos and occasionally the islands off the coast of Sothoryos such as Naath and the Basilisk Isles. Haelysanne would be able to blend in well as did Aemon and Rhaenys considering they all looked like their mothers who hadn't been Valyrian, but everyone else? They stuck out like a sore thumb with their unique eye colours and silver/gold hair.
"It's not as cold as I thought it would be."
Jelaerya asked Aemon and turned to him somewhat awaiting an answer.
"It's summer in the North- "
"Summer!"
Raerion yelled back, causing her to pause in alarm as she hadn't even realised he had walked back over to them and Haelysanne was fighting to contain a chuckle.
"Kesy jaedos issa, sōnar hobrenke." (If this is summer, fuck winter).
She couldn't hold in a snort at that remark. She'd come here in the height of winter before with her father and brother and it was so bitingly cold it was impossible to not chatter her teeth every couple of seconds. It was relatively cool currently, something which had stunned the Caeniar's who were now looking to Aemon almost fearfully with their thick fur cloaks which went down to the ground to keep warm. Were Jelaerya to do what she was thinking of doing, she'd have to get used to it and quickly at that. Viserys took her hand at that and walked her away from the chaos to the more secluded streets. Looking up at a large building ahead that here may be considered a tower but in any of the Valyrian cities would at best just be a tall building.
"Qīzalbar hen Jaehossa ūī brōzis." (The tower of Gods they call it.)
Maela made a face at that.
"Skore Jaehossa? Uēpa? Izula Ampa? Velkrys qeldlie mīsītsos lilza?" (What Gods? The Old? The Fourteen? The tap dancing stag in a yellow dress?)
She'd only added the last part to poke fun at his distant cousins. Cousins they had to remain somewhat cordial with even though the hatred was strong for very good reasons. Not many people knew she possessed enough magic in her blood to work glass candles so she had seen snippets of what was happening in Storm's End. Robert was furious at the blatant show of disrespect. As if any respect was owed to the man, he had ordered her husbands father shot down outside the castle and he had taken part in the Third Faith Rebellion against the Freehold. That fact was sour for Rhaegar and Viserys who were old enough to remember their father whereas Daenerys had still been a quickening in their mothers womb when it happened and had no memory of him. Robert believed they were being petty and they were purposefully excluding them due to this when he wanted to bridge the gap.
"Sōpā, ābrāzyyrys ñuhus." (You are funny, my wife.)
"Rhēden, valzyyrys. Yne yydrās, skorī Mīrīnī Aemoso Daeneryys henujī?" (I know, husband. Tell me, when are we going to Meereen with Aemon and Daenerys?)
Viserys paused for a second as they came across another street vendor, her mouth watering at the pastries aligned and taking one and biting into it. Savouring the taste of the winter berries she loved which didn't grow outside of the North.
"Rhēdioty daor, rūhot iksan- " (We don't know if we are, you are pregnant.)
Not this again. Rolling her eyes and firing back.
"Rūhot! Ruaka ikson daor! Rakīnna harris kostas." (Pregnant! Not incapable! While I can take part I will take part.)
"Bartos ōdretā iksan." (You are a headache.)
"Tēmās." (Prick.)
The older woman at the stall was now biting back a laugh at their byplay. Whether she understood their tongue or not, it didn't take a genius to figure out they were poking jabs at one another. The annoyance didn't remain for long though as they fell into step in the many streets of the city they were in.
"Aemon Daeneryys rhēdesi?" (Do Aemon and Daenerys know?)
They were supposed to have been told back on Dragonstone and the plan was for them to head back to Braavos and travel to Meereen from there on Rhaelithox and Guēsin. It would take them a couple of weeks minimum on dragonback to arrive, and it would take even longer for any reinforcements to arrive unless it were coming from Elyria itself which would never be happening now. Groaning in annoyance as she remembered the way Malaelar had held Nymeria down by the throat which prevented the wolf from running free. Then there was the fact some of them had refused to come to Aeranor and Wynafryd's wedding which was an affront that would not be tolerated. It wouldn't be surprising if Haeldon and Eraelyra planned to send men to attack Elyria for the slight. The Vaelaleas' were closer, and they had a better chance to help considering once Rhaella and Jaehaerys were old enough to wed they would be kin to one another. It had been a long time since a Vaelaleas and a Targaryen had wed one another, and there would be no shortage of extravagance when that happened.
"Kesy bantis yydrēlzi sās, skorī Aemon jaehossa baelzi gūrēntas." (They will be told this evening, gods help us when Aemon finds out.)
She replied back. She was planning on going to Meereen too as was Vyserya, Maevon, Rhaenyanne, and her own brother. Viserys sighing at her words.
"Ñuha lēkia trēsy Ghīske buttas." (My nephew does hate Ghiscari.)
That he did. So did Daenerys too for that matter. Then again, most Valyrian's hated them and were at best cordial. When Valyria of Old was still young and they didn't know the entire might of their dragons yet, Ghis had stood as one of the greatest empires in the east of Essos. Not much was known on what caused the wars between Ghis and Valyria as that had been lost in the Doom and not much was passed down from person to person and the few it had been there was no proving it was true as thousands of years had passed since then. Gaining a steady relation with one another after the Doom and they were picking up the pieces as they had done with Dorne slowly over many years. One many would consider even a friend of the Freehold, but the others? The thought was laughable at best.
Remembering a time a few years prior, before Aemon and Rhaella had been sent to Winterfell to foster. Heavily rumoured to be one of the reasons all Targaryen children were sent for fostering actually but no one ever dared ask Rhaegar, Elia, or Lyanna aloud. They had all been in Mantarys to celebrate the agreement for Rhaella and Jaehaerys along with the Tarennis' and an assassin was sent after both Elia and Lyanna. They never knew with certainty where he had come from, but the dark blue tokar was rather telling as only Ghiscari nobility wore them.
"Aemon zyyhi muñe jorrāelza, sēntys tolī ziry Eliā jittisi." (Aemon loves his mother, they sent an assassin after both her and Elia.)
"Koni gōntisi." (That they did.)
Viserys agreed. No words were spoken for a while between them as they got further out from the centre of the city. She was lucky with the fact she was relatively familiar with White Harbour as she visited often, if they did end up lost all they needed to do was look for the Snowy Sept and its great domed roof to get a general idea of where they were. Eventually, her husband clocking on to what she had said earlier about Robert as he gave her an odd look.
"Velkrys qeldlie mīsītsos lilza? Skore avy nūmāzme iotāpton daor." (Tap dancing stag in a yellow dress? You don't mean what I think you do.)
But she did. Robert Baratheon was no fool as much as they hated to say so aloud. If Steffon were still alive it would be a whole other matter as Steffon and Aerys were very close to one another and their parents had been siblings. Why he'd given the order no one knew with certainty, and they didn't want to entertain it too much.
"Arlī Roberti ēbryyrro jaelilza bēmilza." (Once again Robert wishes to bridge the gap.)
Viserys' nostrils flared at her words and practically spat back her way.
"Ñuhe kepe sēntas Maela- " (He murdered my father Maela.)
"Rhēden, rhēdetāt. Gīda lo kaerīntas laehurlion Jaedot Dāryyti." (I know, everyone knows. Even if he denies it to save face in the Summer Kingdoms.)
So much for slaying ones kin being a sin in the eyes of the Seven. For if that was the case, the Baratheon's would all be dead. They hid behind their gods and their beliefs but were happy to preach the very practises they were sworn not to partake in. At least they were honest with their own beliefs, which was something not seen outside of the North who are highly devoted to their own gods.
"Ñuha lēkia ēbryyrro jaelilza īlos daor- " (My brother will never bridge the gap.)
"Yn Āegon kostion. Dāri Velkri ziry Joffrey va Arianne Martell dīnilza bēmilza." (But Aegon might. A whisper tells me that King Stag wishes to betroth Joffrey to Arianne Martell.)
This caused him to stop, wondering why she had never brought that up to him before. She'd only gotten the whisper that morning and she was finding it difficult to bring up to anyone.
"Doran kony jiōrilus daor, mandie Lyanne ziryy riñar buttas, yn Valzyyrys buttō daor." (Doran won't accept that, he hates sister Lyanna and her children, but he does not hate Valyria.)
That was true enough, Maela hummed to herself as they entered the main square of the city again and spotting the reddish-blonde hair of Haelysanne up ahead with her daughter behind her.
"Doran Valyrie ziry ondossi ānogri jorrāeltan, jāla Valyria daor. Harris Aemon Rhaellā ziry sātās iksos daor." (Doran loves the idea of Valyria being his by blood, not Valyria itself. Whilst Aemon and Rhaella live it will never be his.)
"Qrimpālēs kustikā." (You suggest treason.)
He practically spat back but keeping his voice low in case anyone was listening in. Lowering her own voice and speaking the dreaded words.
"Drīves qrimpālēs buqātās issa, Viserys." (Truth is treason and hate, Viserys.)
It was there for barely a second, but his lilac eyes darkened in rage which was quickly quelled down into nothing. It was no secret what Doran Martell wanted, he wished for a firm grip on them only to be spat on by his little sister refusing to dance along to his flute. Elia spoke of when she was young she was meek and rarely spoke up but spending so long on Dragonstone she'd opened and flourished. Now, she didn't take anything thrown her way and her eldest brother despised this and hated Rhaegar even more for such a thing.
"I remember well, Aegon coming back with Rhaenys despising Aemon and Rhaella. At least they worked their riff out. We should head back to New Castle anyway as we have that trade meeting to discuss."
A small smile played on her lips once again as they looked around for the large domed building, spotting it a minute later and following it until they reached a fork in the road which she knew. One going up to the castle and the other headed for the Snowy Sept. The only Sept in the North, and was really only there for decoration as the Manderly's were slowly converting to the Old Gods as opposed to the Seven. Entering the castle not long after and being escorted to the great hall where the King was seated with his siblings, Rhaegar, Elia, Maelon, her father, uncle, aunt, plus a handful of Caeniar's. Baemala wasn't here, but that wasn't surprising, she was probably still running around the city like a child being told she could live solely off of her favourite sweet.
If all went well, this would be their cover. Either way it was going to create a massive ripple across the Freehold that would spell doom of some kind. However, if they timed it right, arranged it right, and struck right, there would be a chance to limit the anger such a thing would cause. The doors opening as three more people walked in. Those being Viserys, Helaena, and Rhaemon. They must've known already, otherwise they would not be here, she mused quietly to herself.
"You did well in the tilts, my Lord."
Jelaerya spoke towards Benjen, spotting Lyanna smirk ever so slightly before putting on a blank face. It was painfully awkward yet it was clear the younger Stark appreciated her praise all the same.
"Thank you, my Lady."
Except she wasn't a Lady at the moment, simply daughter of a Lord Freeholder. Before Jacaerys and Daeron had died she was Heir Freeholder of Elyria, a hefty position to lose but it was better than her losing her life like what had been attempted.
"You did do well, brother, I will give you that. Although it would've been fun to have you and Lyanna versing one another."
That would've been amusing, the thought being one she now desperately wished to see. Mayhaps in the future it would be one.
"Lets just cut to the chase shall we. Are we betrothed or not?"
A few of them paused at Benjen's words, neither of them realising he knew of the plan yet and judging from the way the King's eyebrows had risen ever so slightly he did not know he knew either.
"You all aren't that subtle. More specifically the younger ones aren't exactly subtle."
Jelaerya glared to her sons and niece at that as did Delaesa, all three shuffling awkwardly and not owning up to which of them had let it slip. Maelon shuffling himself but more out of discomfort over what it meant. The Caeniar's of Volantis took immense pride in the fact their blood had never once been diluted and if they were to have children they would only be half Valyrian which was insulting given their lineage. There wouldn't be another Dallaeron match afterwards that was for certain, it would likely dissolve the betrothal of Daerya and Maelon in the process. That would only insult the Dallaeron's more now she thought on it, groaning lightly but not speaking what she was thinking aloud.
"Hen ñuha tala jorrāelilā?" (You will care for my daughter?)
Benjen frowned a little as it became clear he didn't know their tongue, Maelon himself only knowing a handful of words of common. Delaesa stepping in to translate for her father.
"I am of the North, Lord Freeholder Maelon. We treat our women with respect."
He spoke almost insulted at the insinuation little as it was. Northern pride was something to behold, spotting the black and brown wolf seated at his heels with his hand buried in amongst its fur.
"Aōho lēkio talo zokla ziry kaerīntas, kirimvose." (Your brothers daughter's wolf saved her, thank you.)
This was painfully awkward, not that Maela would say so aloud. Either Benjen would need to learn enough of their tongue or Maelon would need to swallow some of his own damned pride and learn at least some common like his children had done. Well, more Baemala had done and proceeded to rub it in her siblings faces and they had then wanted to learn it to rub it in her face. She'd heard that from Visenya a few years prior. Speaking of Visenya, she was still looking rather green and her hand was placed over her stomach. She felt bad for her, many did. Six times she had been with babe yet six babes she had lost. Four still in the womb and two outside the womb. The eldest had lived until he were three namedays before being inflicted with the Blue Plague which had ran rampant in the Stepstones a few years ago. People had urged for Daemador to take another wife but he was loyal to Visenya. Perhaps it would be seventh time lucky for them even if she was inflicted with horrific sickness. As far as her own pregnancy was going, Maela had it easy as so far her worst symptom was that she couldn't stand the scent of venison anymore which she loved.
"What about me?"
Rhaemon piped up almost scared, for a moment wondering what he meant before understanding dawned on a few of them. He was not betrothed yet, this would limit his choices massively. A decision needed to be made for him first before anything else was decided because once sworn in the temple it was done. As he was a Dragonrider himself it would be expected for him to wed another Dragonrider but there wasn't much of an option. The Targaryen's were out of the picture as they had no one available to marry unless Rhaella and Jaehaerys' betrothal was set aside and that would never happen. His options were Aelinor Rhaeleris, Saelyra Mellarys, or Saera Tarennis. Maybe even his cousin Aerea to further bind them together despite her not being able to claim a dragon. Aelinor was in talks for a betrothal with the son of the Sealord of Braavos but nothing had been set in stone yet and they were the richest Valyrian House which would elevate them somewhat. It seemed everyone else thought the same as the four names were spoken to him as they awaited on him deciding.
"I get along with Aelinor relatively well- "
"I will speak to Haeldon and Eraelyra this evening then to discuss the possibility. She is a few years older than you though Rhaemon- "
Elia cut her husband off with a scoff.
"I'm older than you too Rhaegar, it's not that uncommon. Viserys was initially betrothed to Rhaenyanne who is almost twice his age, five years is nothing."
That was true. Viserys himself was five years older than she was and they were happy together. If Aelinor and Rhaemon already got along with one another it would be a boon and a start to a happy marriage should things work out well. Of course, things could change massively as Jelaerya and Jacaerys had been great friends as children but despised one another by the time they were adults and had children together to the point they didn't even live in the same city.
"Will Jelaerya have to convert?"
Delaesa asked Benjen, awaiting a response.
"She'll at the least have to make it appear she has."
"But you won't force it?"
She further questioned, clearly trying to probe for something to further appeal to Maelon who was still incredibly uncomfortable but this time Maela expected it was now more because of the language barrier. His daughter translating as well as she could as he tried to follow along with their conversation.
"I will not. My Gods are my Gods and your Gods are your Gods."
From the way Maelon's eyes widened at those words, he approved massively. Shoulders no longer sitting so tense on his body as he leaned over somewhat. It becoming clear he was slowly being won over. He may be a prideful man but there was no denying he was most prideful of his children. Rhaelle Naeron had given him three sons and five daughters before she passed a few years prior. Rhaelle had been from one of the noble House's of Volantis who lived behind the Black Walls and had pure Valyrian blood with roots that could be traced back more than two thousand years which was impressive considering they themselves could not even do so given so much of their history had gone up in flames when the Fourteen Flames had unleashed their hatred on them four hundred years prior.
"I consent."
Maelon spoke up, speaking the word a little harsher than what would be expected but considering he'd likely only just learned the word granted him some leave for error.
"Do you consent, brother?"
King Eddard asked quietly as his other siblings looked to him awaiting a response.
"I have to marry one day don't I? But I'm not moving to Volantis, and you will not bring slaves with you."
Not a bad term to give and Jelaerya herself wasn't fond on the idea of slavery either despite it being so deeply rooted in Volantene culture it would likely never leave fully. The Stark's kept avid records of betrothals and marriages so it was quickly written down and it was agreed three days after they would wed in the Godswood of Winterfell. Travelling there by dragon and it would happen when the moon was at its highest. Walking from the room and meeting her husbands nieces and nephews alongside the Stark and Ryswell children too. From her simple nod it was confirmed it was indeed going ahead. A marriage that was going to change the Freehold massively and she had no idea how she truly felt about such a thing.