Happy Holidays everyone! Another chapter just in time for Christmas. Enjoy! :)
Author's Note: Two minor lemons ahead.
140 AC
Spring is the season of new life. Buds on trees unfurl to reveal bright green leaves. Grass and flowers sprout and reach up for the sun from beneath the dead leaves of a bygone autumn. Animals and insects awaken from hibernation to resume their lives and to seek out mates. Serfs thank the gods for the return of spring, pray that it will last for years, and begin planting their fields.
Summer provides warmth and nurtures the bounty of spring. Autumn is the signal that the bounty is soon to expire, and that it is time to harvest the fields, and to pray that the winter will not be too long or harsh. Winter is the longest season regardless of whether or not it lasts for just a month or a year, but that's only if Westeros is lucky and the maesters predictions are right. But no matter what, spring always comes back, and the cycle begins anew. This makes spring the season of hope as well.
The most recent spring started in 136 AC, and it was a season of plenty and hope for House Targaryen. Their numbers grew with the births of every prince and princess and dragon hatchling, and there was hope for a reconciliation between the Blacks and Greens after years of tension over the Iron Throne. The birth of Princess Valaena Targaryen on New Year's Day 140 AC was viewed as being an auspicious event for the royal family, and clergymen and augurs alike declared that her birth was a sign of good things to come. Princess Jaehaera Targaryen hoped that this was true for the sake of her newborn son, Prince Gaemon Targaryen, and thankfully it was. Learning from the written observations of the long gone Grand Maester Elysar and Septa Lyra from when they brought up Princess Gael Targaryen during the first year of her life from 80 AC to 81 AC, Maester Orwyle came up with a plan to help ensure that the blind prince lived past infancy.
Gaemon was watched over by Orwyle and his grandmother Helaena as his mother recovered from his birth. Wet nurses were brought in to feed Gaemon, and Jaehaera insisted on having septas pray over her infant son as he laid in his cradle. One of these holy women gifted Prince Gaemon with an amulet that consisted of a golden chain bearing a gold medallion that was embossed with the face of the Mother for divine protection. Praying over him since the night he was born on New Year's Eve 139 AC, Jaehaera was delighted when her baby boy began to show signs of improvement, and that he was going to live. Sadly, the milkiness in Gaemon's blind eyes never dissipated, but his mother was nevertheless glad that he was growing a little stronger each day.
Now if only his father could warm up to him... Prince Jaehaerys never held Gaemon again after his birth, and he rarely visited his wife's bedchamber on his own to see both her and their firstborn. Jaehaera began to notice how Jaehaerys was beginning to act coldly towards her, a great change from how warm and kind he was to her after they got married and when she first learned that she was pregnant. Aegon the Elder and Helaena believed that their son's behavior was him being unable to accept that his firstborn son was born both frail and blind, and they hoped that Jaehaerys would come around. Maelor, on the other hand, was delighted with his nephew, and he was happy to hold Gaemon after he was summoned from the Queen's Ballroom following his older brother's sullen departure after seeing his blind son for the first time.
The twins' grandmother back at Oldtown was delighted with the news of her firstborn great-grandchild's birth, and both she and her sons and extended family wrote to the Green captives saying that they were praying for Gaemon at the Starry Sept. Two months into 140 AC, maesters at the Citadel released white ravens to announce the arrival of summer. The season's warmth would nurture both Gaemon and his half-second cousin, Valaena, as they grew bigger every day. When they were well enough to leave their beds, Jaehaera and Myrine presented their babies to each other, delighting in the joys of holding a brand-new innocent life in their arms. The princess noticed, much to her sadness, how Viserys was always the first to hold Valaena in his arms after his wife did, something Jaehaerys did not do with Gaemon at all.
Viserys and Myrine delighted in everything that their baby daughter did, and there was not a child who was more loved and doted on as little Valaena was. Her mother's family at Duskendale held a feast when they heard of the princess's birth. Having a new Targaryen with Darklyn blood running through their veins another milestone for House Darklyn under the reign of the Dragon Queen. Valaena's birth also increased House Darklyn's standing in the Seven Kingdoms, with some speculating that they would soon be held to the same status as House Velaryon if Myrine were to bear another child with Prince Viserys Targaryen. The Darklyn's climb up the social ladder evoked much jealousy from House Darry in the Riverlands, and Myrine's oldest brother began receiving letters from the Lord of Ploughman's Keep wanting to discuss the possibility of betrothing his children to any available man or woman from the noble houses of Duskendale!
Valaena's birth was made even more special since she was the first grandchild to be born from the bloodline of Rhaenyra I and Daemon. She was the full-blooded niece for Aegon the Younger and Visenya, and they both doted on the girl. Thea also enjoyed being in the presence of the baby girl, although her crestfallenness resurfaced after she learned that both her cousin, Lady Beatrice Celtigar, and half-sister-in-law, Lady Floris Baratheon, both became pregnant early in 140 AC. However, Thea buried her sorrow, choosing instead to be happy for both Beatrice and Floris.
140 AC would prove to be a big year for House Targaryen. Just as was discussed between Queen Rhaenyra and Lady Sam during the Tenth Year Tourney, the queen's royal progress to the Reach was set to take place that year, and it was planned to last for six months. The queen left King's Landing with a sizable retinue on the first day of the third moon. Viserys and Myrine were going to stay behind with their daughter since she was so young. They promised to send ravens to their mother at whatever castle or inn she was staying at to inform her of the goings on at the Red Keep as well as about how Valaena was doing.
Princes Aegon the Elder, Jaehaerys, and Maelor Targaryen were even going to tag along with the Blacks while Princesses Helaena and Jaehaera were going to be staying at the Red Keep with baby Gaemon. The day before the retinue was due to leave, Jaehaerys learned from Maester Orwyle that his twin sister-wife had become pregnant again just two months after she had given birth! Aegon and Helaena were both flabbergasted to learn that their daughter was expecting again so soon after the birth of her first child. Their son merely smirked and said "Good" when he learned that he had another baby on the way; poor Jaehaera, meanwhile, wept out of fear. Although both his parents had some underlying joyfulness for welcoming another grandchild, Helaena heard her son's remark and saw her daughter's tears, and she chastised him for jeopardizing Jaehaera's health by getting her pregnant again so soon.
Helaena's words had no effect on her firstborn, who blew off her concerns by saying that Jaehaera "will be fine". Jaehaerys kissed Jaehaera good-bye the next day before he departed with their father on their half-aunt's progress. The Dragonpit buzzed with activity as the Targaryen's mounted their dragons. Having become a dragonrider about a week after her mother celebrated her tenth year on the Iron Throne along with Maelor, Princess Visenya Targaryen was excited to go on her first long flight with her beloved Dyannerys. The she-dragon had grown to be the size of two aurochs put together, her teeth were the length of dirks and just as sharp, and her temper had grown even more fiercer.
Dyannerys still loathed Rhaenyra, and her hatred extended towards Syrax. The two dragons would often hiss at each other from their paddocks. Dyannerys would always hiss first, and she would bite at the bars of her paddock or swipe at them with her tail if she turned around to go lay down to try and appear intimidating to the older Syrax. Visenya had to wait until her mother had mounted her dragon first before she could bring Dyannerys out to prevent a fight from breaking out between the two.
"There, there, Dyannerys..." the princess said to her dragon as she hissed and snarled at the passing Syrax. Speaking with a soothing tone, Visenya would not hesitate to discipline her mount when necessary, and she had been honing her skills with riding crops and whips since she was eight to keep Dyannerys under control. Visenya had taken her father's lesson on how to be firm with her dragon when she was three years old to heart, and now at age ten, she was already quite proficient with a whip to control Dyannerys whenever she got too agitated. It was both a humorous and amazing thing to witness this young girl with her hands on her hips, whip in hand, staring down this great creature as if she were a misbehaving dog whenever she acted up.
"Mother will be flying out with Syrax soon." said Visenya as she soothed Dyannerys. "We will depart after father and Caraxes. Just be patient."
The dragon snarled in response to what Visenya had said, only quieting down when the princess rose her whip up a little. Dyannerys's aggression allowed for very few people to be around her at a given time, so Visenya would have to arrive at the Dragonpit to help guide her dragon out of her paddock and keep her calm while the handlers put her saddle and reins on. After the saddle was securely fastened, Visenya climbed up onto Dyannerys's back and she rode her out to where the beast could fly. Although the youngest, Visenya always got to fly out after her mother and father from the Dragonpit after they had taken flight. As a rule, Visenya would always fly up next to Caraxes so that her father could see her and know that she was safe.
The queen's retinue left King's Landing and travelled south down the Kingsroad. Travelling through the Kingswood, the retinue turned onto the Roseroad to enter the Reach. Rhaenyra twisted the rings on her fingers as her family proceeded down the Roseroad and entered the homeland of the Queen in Exile, the den of the Greens. The words that Lady Sam had said during the Tenth Year Tourney echoed in the queen's mind.
"Regardless of whether their heraldry depicts flowers, apples, grapes, or even the Hightower Pharos itself, the Blacks will be made welcome, your grace. The Reach should know you and not be ignored. Reconciliation is the sweetest fruit of all, and we should all be able to taste it at some point in our lives. Do you not agree, your grace?"
"Yes, I do agree." muttered Rhaenyra I aloud to herself, heard only by the wind and possibly by Syrax.
The family's first stop in the Reach was the bustling market town of Tumbleton. Peasants tending to the fields outside of Tumbleton stopped their labors to watch as the royal procession came through. Greeting the queen and her family at Tumbleton's gates were the heads of that town, Lord Archibald and Lady Sharis Footly, and their four young sons. Fifteen dragons were accompanying the royal party, too many to be kept within the walls of Tumbleton! After welcoming their Targaryen-Velaryon guests, Lord Footly presented them with wheelhouses to transport them through the town itself to the Footly's castle.
Archibald and Sharis were gracious and considerate hosts, and their sons were sweet and well-behaved. The four Footly heirs were quite taken with the queen's daughter and eldest granddaughter. The two eldest boys waited on Visenya hand and foot. At suppertime, the oldest boy would cut the food on Visenya's plate into bite sized pieces, while the second boy would fill her goblet with watered wine. The pampered princess very much enjoyed having her own personal manservants, and more than once whenever one of her parents, siblings, or Maelor glanced over at her at the dinner table, they noticed that Visenya had a very pleased, smug smile on her face as the two boys doted on her.
The two younger boys would frequently gift Alysanne with cute little bouquets of flowers that they picked from the castle gardens. Roses, daisies, violets, moonblooms, and even rosemary from the herb garden were all gifted to the eldest Velaryon princess. Alysanne was delighted with these arrangements, and she always thanked the two little boys whenever they would present her with the flowers. As the boys pursued their innocent courtships with the two princesses, the older Targaryen's toured Tumbleton and the surrounding area. It was a successful visit, and the Blacks left goodwill behind with House Footly of Tumbleton.
Passing through Stonebridge, the family's next destination in the Reach was Longtable, the seat of the prominent family of House Merryweather. Lord Emmon Merryweather welcomed the Targaryen's with open arms, and just like the overflowing cornucopia that is displayed on their heraldry, the Merryweather's held a feast for the Blacks that showcased the bounty of their demesne. Wine made from grapes grown at local vineyards was poured from golden flagons into jewel studded goblets that were also made out of gold. Raisins made at those same vineyards were baked into the bread that was served in Longtable's great hall, loaves whose slices were then slathered with butter. The rest of the delicious feast consisted of a salad made out of sliced apples and sharp-tasting crumbled cheese drizzled with a tangy vinegar dressing, suckling pig with an apple stuffed in its mouth and basted with honey, baked whole onions that were stuffed with cheese and topped with breadcrumbs, chicken leek soup with a creamy broth, and plum and pear cakes.
Everyone was quite full after the feast was finished, and they all turned in for an early night afterwards! Other than being good at filling their guests bellies with delectable foods and wines, the Merryweather's also proved themselves to be good hosts too like the Footly's back at Tumbleton. Lord Merryweather proudly showed off his extensive lands, praising the bounties they yielded, and boasting that his orchards and farmlands produced fruits that were far plumper and sweeter than the ones that grew around Highgarden. The royal grandchildren were more than happy to sample these fruits, and they would pluck peaches, apples, and cherries off of any low hanging branch they came across when they toured House Merryweather's domain. The dragons, meanwhile, were more interested in the plumpness of the local livestock, and they ate well during their stay at Longtable too.
The third stop on the royal progress was Cider Hall. Rhaenyra felt some nervousness while visiting the seat of House Fossoway. Houses Footley and Merryweather were known Black sympathizers during the reign of King Viserys I Targaryen while the Fossoway's were known Greens, and Rhaenyra still recalled how her uncle-husband had openly questioned the loyalty of Lord Owen Fossoway during her coronation feast eleven years ago. Thankfully, Owen was another hospitable host, and he opened Cider Hall's gates to his queen and her consort. Bread, salt, and wine were all provided for Rhaenyra and her retinue, and her nervousness gradually dissipated with each day she spent under the Fossoway's roof.
Alyssa impressed Owen's grandsons and grandnephews with her archery skills in Cider Hall's training yard. When the children played in the local apple orchards, Alyssa impressed the boys even further by being able to shoot an apple off the head of his lordship's eldest grandson, and was even able to do the same with the boy's father too after much cajoling from his son! The bowstring happy princess was rewarded later that evening with two apple crisps made from the same two apples that she had successfully shot off the heads of the two Fossoway's. Cinnamon sticks were shoved through the holes that were made by Alyssa's arrows. The princess happily ate her two well-earned treats that night.
Alyssa was not the only Targaryen to enjoy the fruits of House Fossoway's orchards during her stay Cider Hall. Just like what Lady Sam had recommended to Rhaenyra I, both she and her family sampled the Fossoway's fresh cider. It tasted great, and the men soon grew very fond of it. King Daemon and his son, stepsons, nephew, and grandnephews were more than happy to stay up all night drinking cider with their host; thirteen year old Maelor had one sip and decided that was enough for him. The rest of the men would sorely regret their decision the following morning.
The king, princes, and Lord of Cider Hall were all bedridden and miserable the following day. Hungover with throbbing head pains and rippling nausea, groans of discomfort and sickness could be heard coming from the rooms that the men were staying in. Tapestries and curtains were drawn to block out sunlight, and the men buried themselves under their blankets and pillows. While their husbands and other kinsmen suffered in darkness, the queen, Owen's wife, Maelor, and the princesses and ladies enjoyed a few days to themselves. Travel had to be postponed until the men got better, and during this time, the king and princes and even Owen swore off cider for the rest of their days!
After everyone had recovered from their hangovers, the Targaryen's departed from Cider Hall for their next destination, Highgarden. Halfway to House Tyrell's seat, the Targaryen's were greeted by a grand welcoming party that consisted of the cream of the crop of Highgarden's stables and knights. The knights were garbed in magnificent shimmering plate armor that was bedecked in surcoats that bore the colors and heraldry of Houses Tyrell, Blackbar, Norcross, Vyrwel, Florent, and Pommingham. Plumes of lovely feathers fluttered from the helms of the knights, and they rode on the backs of chargers who were just as beautifully dressed as their riders. The banner of House Vyrwel intrigued the Targaryen's since it looked similar to their own heraldry: a silver wyvern on a black and red field.
"Look, Dyannerys." Visenya said as she pointed down to the Vyrwel's banner from the sky above. "They have you on their coat-of-arms!"
"Are they Valyrian?" asked Prince Daemion Targaryen to his mother, who shook her head.
"No, my sweet. The Vyrwel's predate the Conquest." answered Nell. "They have been serving the Tyrell's for as long as anyone can remember."
Leading this fine host was one of the High Marshal of the Reach's uncles. Ser Tyrell guided the royal procession down the rest of the Roseroad towards his home. Highgarden was a welcome and magnificent sight, and the queen's grandchildren all gaped when they first laid eyes on the castle. It was so big, made from white stone and surrounded by three large white walls and a sea of green from the grass and trees. The young Lord Lyonel Tyrell and his mother, family, and household were all present when the Targaryen's finally arrived.
The eleven year old Lord of Highgarden was dressed splendidly in green and gold livery and he bore a proud demeanor. Lady Regent Mary Crane wore a dress of blue, yellow, and white with an elegant two-horned headdress that had a veil trailing down from the horns. The Tyrell's were amazed by the sight of the dragons flying overhead, and were patient as the Targaryen's dismounted and walked towards them. Mary was especially keen on meeting her future daughter-in-law. Prince Jacaerys Velaryon and Princess Baela Targaryen walked up to the Lady Regent of Highgarden with Alyssa in tow.
After bowing before the royal family and listening to her son as he officially welcomed them to Highgarden, Mary gestured towards the princess with an outstretched hand, and turned to look at her family to announce the following, "And not only do we have our beloved queen in our midst, we also have our future Lady of Highgarden here as well." The Tyrell's nodded and murmured amongst themselves as they looked at Alyssa. Both Lyonel and Alyssa felt nervous being in the same place together. It was the first time that the two betrothed children had met. Mary bowed her head down towards her son's ear and whispered, "Go forward, Lyonel. Give her the rose."
Taking a deep breath, the boy-lord walked away from his mother towards the princess. When he was close enough, Lyonel handed Alyssa a lovely yellow rose, the very flower that the Tyrell's proudly use as their heraldry. Alyssa was quite taken with the rose, and she brought it up to her nose to sniff. Taking advantage of his betrothed's distraction, Lyonel took her left hand into his right and he kissed it. This caused both children to blush, and for the adults to either gush about the cuteness of the scene, or to guffaw at the young Lord Tyrell's boldness.
Clutching the rose in her hands, her cheeks still burning, a bashfully smiling Alyssa walked with her family as they followed the Tyrell's into Highgarden. Every inch of that castle, whether it be a white stone brick or a manicured garden, was a work of art. Statues of Gardner kings and queens, the Tyrell stewards who served them before the Conquest, and past Lords and Ladies of Highgarden decorated the castle's colonnades. White marble fountains filled the peaceful gardens with their watery music. Roses abounded in those gardens too, either growing on bushes or on climbing vines that painted the white walls of Highgarden in swathes of green that were covered in red, pink, yellow, or white dots.
Ivy and wild grapes also grew on the walls with the roses, covering some of Highgarden's buildings like a natural green mantle. Prince Daemion Targaryen had good eyes, and whenever he saw some low hanging grapes, he would signal for his playmates to follow him so that they could eat some of the sweet, juicy little morsels straight off the vine. But the biggest draw for the Targaryen and Velaryon children was Highgarden's famous briar maze. Both the royal and Tyrell little ones spent hours traversing the maze as Baela, Rhaena, and Visenya watched over them from above atop of their dragons.
The royal grandchildren even got to see Highgarden's beloved "Three Singers", a group of three large weirdwood trees that grew in the castle's godswood. Legend has it that the Three Singers were planted by Garth Greenhand over a millennia ago, and they have been looked after by Garth's descendants ever since. The span of a thousand years had caused the branches and roots of the weirdwoods to crisscross and become entwined with one another, giving them the semblance of being a three-headed beast of white bark and crimson leaves. The Three Singers great form was reflected in a nearby pool of water. Baelor wondered why these trees were called the Three Singers until he stood and listened as flocks of birds sang from the branches, and he stood there for some time enjoying the beautiful music.
Just as nature bloomed at Highgarden, three new dragonriders also blossomed. Much to Rhaenyra I's great delight, Baelor, Alysanne, and Alyssa, mounted their dragons for the first time and took their first flights around Highgarden. One of the castle singers was so taken by the first flight of the prince and two princesses that he composed a new song about dragon flight right then and there in one of the castle courtyards. The children flew around the circumference of Highgarden three times before making their landing and being feted by their relatives for accomplishing this milestone. Palefyre, Galewing, and Aemma were very tame and amiable dragons, and the Tyrell's were in awe at being able to approach these creatures to pet them under the watchful eyes of their riders.
Aemma glared at Lyonel with big grey eyes as he stood as still as he could. The dragon stretched her neck so that her snout could be closer to Lyonel to get a good whiff of the boy. She sniffed him three times before lowering her head slightly so that the shaking Lyonel could pet her. Carefully placing a hand on Aemma's head, which was the size of a large shield, Lyonel's initial apprehension gave way to awe as he gently rubbed the dragon's blue crest and snout.
"She likes you." Alyssa said as she watched her betrothed pet Aemma.
"I am glad that she does." Lyonel replied as he scratched the tip of Aemma's snout, something that she seemed to like very much.
Not all of the excitement during the Targaryen's visit took place solely in Highgarden. Rhaenyra happily partook in another of her friend's suggestions by going on a pleasure cruise down the Mander on one of her host's barges. Sipping fine wines and listening to bards and minstrels while sailing down the calm currents of the Mander was the perfect way to spend a lazy afternoon. It also gave Rhaenyra an idea to have a pleasure ship built so that her family could go on pleasure cruises in Blackwater Bay. She daydreamed about what the ship would look like and what its name would be all day during the cruise on the river.
Touring the countryside, the royals got to try more of the Reach's famous bounty like melons and fireplums. Laena, Alyssa, Megaera, and Aelyx were especially fond of the fireplums, and four happily gorged themselves on the plump, juicy, and very sweet fruits whenever they were offered. Unfortunately, these fireplums were extremely juicy, and the princesses and prince ended up staining their sleeves, mouth, and fingers with sticky, red-orange juice. The juice even stained the hems of their sleeves and got stuck beneath their fingernails! As always, the Tyrell's proved themselves to be accommodating hosts, and the fireplum loving hoodlums were given baths in rose scented water that had flower petals sprinkled on the surface.
After the visit had ended, the Targaryen's visited Horn Hill. Lady Sam's parents were more than happy to welcome the queen and her family. It was a joy to see Lord Donald Tarly again after so long, and Rhaenyra and the Tarly's conversation that evening was dominated by the topic on how quick time had gone by and how much they had aged. Donald took his royal guests out on hunting trips through the woodlands that surrounded his home to hunt for deer and boar. The Tarly's and Blacks dined on fresh meat each night during the royal family's visit.
Horn Hill would be the site of another accomplishment for Alyssa and her bow and arrows. On the third day of her family's visit, the eight year old princess shot her first deer, a hind, a female deer. Alyssa spotted the hind as she was grazing in a nearby clearing. Hiding behind a cottonwood tree with her parents and grandfather behind her, Alyssa lined up the hind in her sights. Taking a deep breath, which the hind heard and she rose her head up, Alyssa let the arrow fly. The shot was a direct hit to the hind's heart, and she was dead before she even hit the ground.
The princess was showered with praise after she had brought down the hind, and she was given the choicest parts of the animal that night for supper. Not wanting to be outshined by his younger sister, Prince Baelor Targaryen took up his bow and arrow the day after Alyssa shot her first quarry, and he got a hind of his own. One of the siblings' cousins, Prince Daemion Targaryen, deemed too young to hunt yet at nearly six years of age, was frustrated about Baelor and Alyssa's successes. Although young, Daemion's father allowed him to hunt for smaller game. Much to Daemion's delight, he was able to claim quarry of his own, three big, fat grey squirrels, during his family's time at Horn Hill.
These outdoor excursions around the Tarly's domain also provided a lowkey humorous incident. One day during a hawking trip, Aegon the Younger and Thea trailed off from the main group to look for more quarry for their birds. The two were gone for some time during the trip. When everyone regrouped to go home before dusk, Aegon and Thea did not have as much quarry as they should have had for as long as they had been gone for. Visenya rode up next to her older brother and sister-in-law, and the princess noticed something green in Thea's hair.
She rode up next to Thea and reached out to grab the mysterious green object that appeared to be tangled in Lady Celtigar's hair. It was a small blade of grass.
"What are you doing, Visenya?" asked Thea when she noticed her young sister-in-law pull something out from her hair.
"I saw this in your hair." explained Visenya as she held up the piece of grass. "How did you get grass in it?"
Thea's lilac eyes widened and she blushed considerably. Aegon the Younger was also blushing, and he hunched down in his saddle as if he were trying to become invisible, his dark purple eyes looking around nervously. Visenya was quite perplexed by the couple's behavior. Why were Aegon and Thea acting so nervously about a little blade of grass?
"Uh..." stammered Thea as she tried to provide an explanation. "Well, uh... your brother and I... uh... got tired of riding on our horses at some point, and we dismounted them to rest and..."
Thea's inner panic heightened when she drew a blank on what to say next. Taking a quick glance at her husband, who was frantically mouthing the word 'nap' to her, Thea quickly formulated the rest of the cover story.
"We decided to take a nap in this quiet glade that we found. That's all, just a nap. That's where that grass came from. I thought I got it all out of my hair..."
Thea's explanation earned her a skeptically raised eyebrow from her sister-in-law, but she nevertheless decided to drop the issue along with the piece of grass. Aegon and Thea breathed a sigh of relief. Later that night, when everyone was in bed, Thea turned to her husband as they laid in their bed and asked "Do you think Visenya will mention what happened today to your mother?"
Aegon shook his head.
"I doubt it. Visenya is one and ten. She shouldn't have a clue, and she has probably long since forgotten about it."
"You are probably right..." said Thea as she adjusted her position on the mattress to get more comfortable.
"Are you not comfortable?" asked Aegon.
"I am now." replied Thea. "More comfortable than I was when we were in that glade."
The couple chuckled as they recollected fondly on what actually had taken place in that glade. Aegon was feeling rather frisky earlier that afternoon, and he encouraged his wife to break off from the main hunting party on the pretext of finding game on their own. During the ride, Aegon spotted a quiet glade that had a small pond with a gnarled beech tree overlooking it. Once reaching the spot and dismounting their horses, Aegon revealed the true reason for the private trip to his wife. Thea was surprised at first, but she soon agreed to engage in carnal relations there with him in the glade, surprising herself that she was thrilled at the prospect of making love out in the woods.
The grass was soft, and the air was warm and fresh and peppered with birdsong. The air was soon peppered with the sounds of two young adults enjoying the intimate pleasure of one another's company. Aegon and Thea had done their best to stay quiet so that their relatives and hosts did not hear them. It was quite hard to stay quiet though! After they were done, Aegon and Thea just laid there in the grass enjoying the peaceful sounds of nature and feeling the warmth of their naked bodies pressed against each other.
They had done their best to brush off all of the grass and debris before leaving their glade to rejoin the hunting party. Thankfully, the blade of grass that evaded getting brushed off was spotted by the innocent and naïve Visenya. If Rhaenyra had seen it, she would not have stopped asking until either Aegon or Thea broke down and confessed. If Daemon had seen it, he would have figured out what his son and daughter-in-law had done right away since he had engaged in such shenanigans during his youth. The king consort would sneak off from his father or brother's hunting party to rendevouz with either the daughter of one of the Kingswood's gamekeepers or one of Queen Aemma's handmaidens in a certain spot for some carnal entertainment.
"It was so lovely listening to the birds and being there with you, Aegon." spoke Thea as she brushed Aegon's hair over his ear. Aegon gave his wife a mischievous smirk.
"It was so lovely being in you." he said, his lips stretching into a big grin.
"Ah, Aegon!" guffawed Thea as she playfully punched her husband's chest. "Does your lechery ever stop?" she said while laughing and grinning.
"Never." the prince said proudly. Joking and childishness gradually subsiding, the couple shared a sweet, tender kiss before resting their foreheads against each other.
"So, Aegon," began Thea as she gently traced a finger in a circular motion on her husband's chest, "would you like to be inside me again?"
Aegon's dark purple eyes widened with glee when he heard that. He did not have to be asked twice. Grinning from ear to ear like a little boy celebrating his nameday, Aegon quickly straddled his giggling lady wife, her giggles silenced by another kiss from her husband. Just like in the glade, the prince and Lady Celtigar's bedchamber soon resounded with the moans and sighs of their lovemaking. After receiving her husband's seed for the second time that day, Thea contently drifted off into slumber in the embrace of a very satisfied and still smiling Aegon.
The couple left Horn Hill with the rest of the royal entourage the following morning. Adding a change of pace to the usual progress routine, the Tarly's were allowed to accompany the Targaryen's to their next two destinations. Honeyholt was next. Queen Rhaenyra and her family received a warm welcome from the Beesbury's. The Lord of Honeyholt's younger daughters and nieces had each made flower crowns to give to their royal guests, and Rhaenyra I and her female relatives took great delight in these welcoming gifts.
It was a wonderful homecoming for Lady Nell Beesbury, who had not set foot in Honeyholt in nine years since she married Prince Joffrey Velaryon in 131 AC. She warmly embraced her parents, younger siblings, Uncle Damion and his wife, and cousins after arriving at Honeyholt. Nell marveled at how tall her siblings had gotten, especially her brothers. The Beesbury's were in turn so glad to see their daughter again. It was also the first time that the Beesbury's got to meet Nell and Joff's two boys, Princes Aeric and Daemion Targaryen, and Daemion's little dragon Redfang.
The Targaryen's stayed at Honeyholt for a week. Farms and orchards abounded on both banks of the Honeywine river, and Lord Alan Beesbury stated that this was the most fertile region in the Reach. While the farmland in Alan's domain yielded much produce, it was the beehives that his family maintained that he was the proudest of. The hives were located in Honeyholt's beautiful gardens. Flowers like goldenrod, buttercups, violets, honesty, clovers, roses, and lilies, including flowering herbs like lemon balm, borage, thyme, lavender, and basil, grew in well cultivated garden plots that swarmed with bees looking for nectar.
There was even a grove of apple, peach, and plum trees whose blossoms were pollinated by the bee colonies from the Beesbury's prized apiary. Beekeepers wearing thick white clothes, gloves, and veil facemasks tended to the wicker and clay skeps. From these skeps came dripping honeycombs and beeswax. Fulfilling another suggestion of Lady Sam's, the queen sampled the Beesbury's honey on slices of fresh baked bread. The honey was an instant hit, and Rhaenyra ate honeyed bread for breakfast every morning, drank honeyed wine every afternoon, and snacked on honey cakes every evening during her stay with Nell's family.
While his mother fed her honey addiction, the Prince of Dragonstone's matchmaking skills were sought out by Lord Alan. Being the bannerman of House Hightower, the Beesbury's never saw a shortage of betrothals from other noble houses hoping to create strong ties in the Reach before the ascension of Queen Rhaenyra I Targaryen. After Nell married Joffrey, Honeyholt saw an increase in the number of ravens bearing letters detailing possible marital engagements. The floodgates really opened after Joff's appointment to his mother's small council as Lord Justiciar. Honeyholt's maester was receiving dozens upon dozens of letters from lords all over the Seven Kingdoms hoping to gain access to House Beesbury's growing status.
Jacaerys's brown eyes widened when he saw the Dragonmont sized pile of letters in the flustered maester's study. Wax seals bore the coat-of-arms of many powerful and wealthy noble families, and Alan was having trouble deciding which ones to marry his family members into. Jace accepted the challenge of aiding his host with his dilemma, and the results of his intuition would be celebrated by House Beesbury in the years to come. First and foremost, with Lords Alan Beesbury and Donald Tarly present, Jace created a double engagement between the men's heirs and daughters to one another: Ser Philip Beesbury and Lady Sansara Tarly, and Lord Alan Tarly and Lady Allison Beesbury, securing the women's futures as the Ladies of Honeyholt and Horn Hill respectively.
Next, Jacaerys betrothed Lord Beesbury's two younger sons, Thore and Aubert, to Lady Myrine Darklyn's two year old twin nieces, Alys and Lysa Bracken. And finally, Alan's two youngest daughters, Olyve and Ela, were promised to the heirs of Houses Brax and Lefford. Ser Damion Beesbury did not bother the crown prince by asking him to help arrange betrothals for his own children. However, the knight was inspired by Jacaerys's matchmaking to aim high during his search for potential husbands and wives for his daughters and sons. Damion found much promise in betrothing his eldest child, Sonja, to the Lord of Tarbeck Hall, and he would later send out a raven in the direction of the Westerlands after the Targaryen's departed Honeyholt.
The five Beesbury matches were celebrated with much toasting and feasting. Not only did these betrothals set to bring more power and prestige to House Beesbury, it also helped to strengthen their ties to the Blacks. Lord Alan Beesbury swore eternal loyalty to the queen during their last night at Honeyholt. His late grandfather, Lord Lyman Beesbury, would have been so proud to see how far his family had come in recent years. The next day, Queen Rhaenyra I and her retinue departed from Honeyholt.
Before they left, Lord Beesbury gifted his queen with twelve pots of honey, which she really appreciated. Hearing of Princess Alyssa's skill with a bow and arrow, Alan saw it fit to gift the girl with twelve bars of beeswax to use on bowstrings to both protect and preserve them. Alyssa appreciate the gift too. Leaving Honeyholt, Rhaenyra uttered a silent prayer. Traveling down the Honeywine, the Blacks headed down to their next and most important destination.
Oldtown.
Oldtown awaits, as do Alicent, Aemond, and Daeron and their Hightower cousins. At least Lady Sam will be there. When I was researching Medieval beekeeping for this chapter, I learned that beeswax was also used as an early form of tooth filling. Just thought that would be a neat piece of trivia to share. Maybe Ser Damion will think of creating a betrothal between one of his children to a member of House Waxley of Wickenden?
They make candles and most likely have their own apiary, but the Waxley's could probably more beeswax from the Beesbury's maybe? Anyway, thanks for reading and please review! :)