2 Months Later
In the 2 months since Arya returned, things still were not the same. Jon hadn't given any notice to Visenya or Sansa at all, worrying them heavily that something went wrong. Jaime, Bronn, and Brienne hadn't returned from Highgarden, making Visenya fear for not only the death of her husband, but the death of some of her closest friends. Bran continued to have his visions, which alarmed most of the residents of Winterfell, and to top it all off, Sansa and Arya now hated each other.
Why?
Visneya would never be able to understand it...but based upon her relationship with her own sister, Visenya could understand not getting along with your own flesh and blood.
That trait was too common in her family...in both of her families for that matter.
Something positive did happen out of all of the chaos though...at least in Visenya's mind.
The birth of her child.
It had happened a month and a half after Arya had turned. While she had begun to feel pain in her lower abdomen for most of that day, she had never expected to give birth late into the evening. The entire time she was in labor, she screamed like she never did before. She was certain they could hear her screams in Dorne, for how loud they were. The pain was horrendous, and because Maester Wolkan knew of Queen Rhaella's complications with childbirth, he was extra cautious with Visenya. Sansa, Mira, Myrcella, and Arya were all present in the room while Visenya gave birth, and while Visenya warned them that they may not want to witness what was about to occur, all of them denied her request to leave, and stayed until she felt alright.
Late into the evening, almost a few hours before the dawn broke, was when the child finally came into the world.
A girl.
And while many of the Lords and Ladies of the North gave Northern name suggestions to the Queen, Visenya had already decided on the name, long before they knew she was with child.
She named her, Helaena.
And similar to the woman she was named after, she child was quiet. Rarely cried...rarely whimpered, which at sometimes, Visenya was grateful for. Myrcella and Mira became completely enamored with her, constantly fussing over the child, and while Visenya would do the same to the babe, she'd never do it in public.
Always when she was alone.
"Given birth to a babe just half a month ago, and you look like you did before you became with child." Olenna commented one afternoon, sitting across from Visenya.
Visenya smiled, before looking to Helaena, who was sleeping in her crib, next to her desk. "Sometimes I wonder if she is even real...if any of it is real."
"That is how a new mother always feels." The older woman advised. "You will feel it even more so, being a Queen...but remember to not forget the child and solely focus on the realm...one must balance both."
Visenya hummed in agreement, still not taking her eyes off her daughter, still enamored by her presence.
"Are you going to mediate what is about to occur between Arya and Sansa Stark?" Olenna asked leaning back in her seat.
Visenya took her eyes off Helaena to look Olenna in the eyes. "Do I have a choice?"
The older woman shrugged. "Probably not."
She let out a sigh before leaning back in her chair. Since Arya and Sansa were at odds with each other, Visenya found out that Arya had ventured to Braavos and become a faceless man, and has murdered various individuals across Westeros and Essos. To get justice for her crimes, Sansa was going to hold a trial later this afternoon, but all Visenya wanted to do was lock the two of them in a room and have them yell at each other to get over their differences.
But she knew that'd never happen.
The two of them were stubborn.
More stubborn than Visenya ever will be.
Just as she was about to reply, Mira entered the door without announcing herself.
"Your Grace, My Lady, my apologies for not announcing myself." Mira explained.
"The Princess is sleeping." Olenna warned gesturing to Helaena, who was still sleeping in her crib.
Visenya put a hand off. "It is quite alright, Mira. What's wrong?"
"They're back." She said with a sigh. "From Highgarden."
Visenya's eyes widened as she stood up from her seat.
"What of the Princess?" Mira asked.
"Dress her in her furs, and bring her to the Courtyard." Visenya instructed from the doorway, before abandoning Olenna in her study, and beginning to walk through the various hallways and corridors of the castle. It was down one of these hallways, was where she met Myrcella, who was walking with just as much swiftness as Visenya.
"Where's Helaena?" Myrcella asked.
"Mira's bringing her." Visenya immediately replied.
"That's good." Myrcella replied with a nod before the two of them opened the main doors that led to the Courtyard.
No sooner Myrcella laid her eyes on Jaime, she immediately broke out into a run, and no sooner she was within arms reach, he pulled her into a hug. Visenya, being the very observant individual she always was, noticed how tired all of them looked. From her position, she could see that Brienne's armor was covered in smoke and ash...as was Bronn's...as was Jaime's...making Visenya frown in confusion.
Why were they covered in ash?
They all looked tired...but she didn't understand as to why they all looked troubled.
Almost like they saw something.
Or faced something.
After he hugged Myrcella, Jaime walked up to Visenya, and pulled her into a hug, kissing the side of her head. In that moment, Mira, carrying Helaena walked into the Courtyard, also noticing how beaten up all three of the knights looked.
"Sorry for not writing." He murmured into her hair.
"You have no need to appologize." She murmured into his shoulder, before pulling away. "Want to tell me what happened?"
"Later." He sighed, before looking her over. He frowned. "Why aren't you..."
She gave him a small smile. "We have a daughter."
His eyes widened, now noticing Mira, holding something in her arms. "A daughter?"
Visenya nodded, taking Helaena from Mira, before placing her in Jaime's arms. He looked upon the infant with admiration and love.
"What is her name?" He asked quietly, still fascinated by the child.
"Helaena." Visenya replied calmly. "I hope you remember our deal."
His eyes met hers. "How could I forget? A Lann-"
"Don't say it." She glared. "Don't fucking say it."
"Don't use such language in front of our daughter." He glared back making Visenya's stern gaze soften.
Just as she was about to give a smart reply, a familiar voice called to her.
"Your Grace."
Visenya turned around to see Lyanna Mormont waiting for her.
"Lady Stark is waiting for you, the trial is about to begin." The girl explained.
Visenya nodded before turning back to Jaime.
"Trial?" He asked in disbelief. "What trial?"
She shook her head. "A stupid one."
Eventually, they all gathered in the Great Hall, surrounded by the various Lords of the North. Visenya, Rickon, Bran, and Sansa all sat at the head table, and watched as some of the guards led Arya in. Jaime, Bronn, Brienne, Podrick, and Olenna, all stood towards the back of the room, and watched in confusion and disbelief as Arya was placed into the center of the room. Deciding that it was not appropriate to bring an infant to such a situation, Mira and Myrcella, opted out for witnessing the trial, and would rather watch Helaena.
Visenya wished she was with them, and not witnessing this.
Once Arya was standing in the middle of the room, Visenya let out a sigh, before turning her head to Sansa.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked.
"It's not what I want. It's what honor demands." Sansa replied still keeping her eyes on her younger sister.
"And what does honor demand?" Arya asked
"That I defend my family from those who would harm us. That I defend the North from those who would betray us." Sansa challenged back.
Arya nodded. "All right, then. Get on with it."
Sansa sighed. "You stand accused of murder. You stand accused of treason."
"How do you answer these charges Lord Baelish?" Visenya asked, as she Sansa, Arya, and everyone else in the room turned their heads to look at Littlefinger, who in response looked at them in confusion.
"My sisters asked you a question." Arya asked with a small smile.
"Your Grace, Lady Sansa, forgive me I'm a bit confused." Littlefinger began, not understanding why he was on trial and not Arya.
"Which charges confuse you?" Sansa taunted with a smirk. "Let's start with the simplest one you murdered our aunt, Lysa Arryn. You pushed her through the Moon Door and watched her fall. Do you deny it?"
"I did it to protect you." He protested.
"You did it to take power in the Vale." Visenya countered. "Earlier, you conspired to murder Jon Arryn. You gave Lysa Tears of Lys to poison him. Do you deny it?"
"Whatever Ned or Catelyn Stark might have told you, she was a troubled woman. She imagined enemies everywhere." He began trying to clear his name.
But Sansa and Visenya would not let up.
"You had Aunt Lysa send a letter to our parents telling them it was the Lannisters who murdered Jon Arryn when, really, it was you." Sansa strongly replied. "The conflict between the Starks and the Lannisters, it was you who started it. Do you deny it?"
He shook his head. "I know of no such letter."
"You conspired with Cersei Lannister and Joffrey Baratheon to betray Ned Stark." Visenya challenged. "Thanks to your treachery, he was imprisoned and later executed on false charges of treason. Do you deny it?"
"I deny it!" The man shouted in anger. "None of you were there to see what happened. None of you knows the truth."
"You held a knife to his throat." Bran interjected.
Shocked at the knowledge that Bran had on him, he turned to Bran in shock.
"You said, "I did warn you not to trust me."" Bran replied with a monotoned voice.
Arya, who was silent this whole time, pulled out the Valyrian steel dagger and showed it to the man. "You told our mother that this knife belonged to Tyrion Lannister, but that was another one of your lies. It was yours."
"Not only was it his, but he stole it off a Targaryen...Rhaegar...my brother." Visenya countered. "That dagger belonged to Aegon the Conqueror. It has been passed down from ruler to heir for centuries, and the last known individual to have it was my brother Rhaegar. He stole it from him."
Ignoring Visenya and Arya's comments, the accused turned towards Sansa.
"Lady Sansa, I have known you since you were a girl. I've protected you." He pleaded trying to stay alive in these moments.
Sansa raised her eyebrows. "Protected me? By selling me to the Boltons?"
"If we could speak alone, I can explain everything." He begged, trying to manipulate the girl.
"Sometimes when I'm trying to understand a person's motives, I play a little game. I assume the worst. What's the worst reason you have for turning me against my sister? That's what you do, isn't it?" She asked with anger. "That's what you've always done turn family against family, turn sister against sister. That's what you did to our and Aunt Lysa and that's what you tried to do to us."
"Sansa, please." He pleaded.
"I'm a slow learner, it's true. But I learn." Sansa replied.
"She learned from the best." Visenya smirked.
"Give me a chance to defend myself. I deserve that." He begged, making Visenya and Sansa look to each other, before looking back to the man. Sansa gave him a nod, allowing him to defend himself.
In response he turned to Lord Royce.
"I am Lord Protector of the Vale and I command you to escort me safely back to the Eyrie."
But the man shook his head. "I think not."
Seeing as he was running out of options, Littlefinger kneeled before Sansa, doing all he could to stay alive.
"Sansa, I beg you! I loved your mother since the time I was a boy." He pleaded making Visenya roll her eyes.
"And yet, you betrayed her." Sansa sighed, not giving into any emotion.
"I loved you. More than anyone." He pleaded again.
"And yet, you betrayed her." Visenya countered.
Sansa then stood up from her chair. "When you brought me back to Winterfell, you told me there's no justice in the world, not unless we make it. Thank you for all your many lessons, Lord Baelish. I will never forget them."
Arya then briskly walked over to the man, with her dagger drawn.
"Sansa! I-" The man said, but that was all he could get out before Arya slit his throat, making him drop to the floor, and watching him bleed out before them.
Visenya nodded to Sansa, as Arya walked back toward them, to watch the man die. Within a few hours, Visenya, Jaime, Bronn, Olenna, the Stark children, Mira, Myrcella, and Tristane were all gathered in Visenya's study.
"One less person to deal with." Bronn declared. "Besides, we've got bigger things to worry about."
"What happened in Highgarden?" Visenya asked with caution.
"Your fucking sister." Bronn declared. "That's what happened. We took a blow...but we live, thankfully. She nearly turned us to ash."
"Was Jon with her?" Sansa asked.
"No." Jaime said with a shake of his head. "The Unsullied and the Dothraki were."
"Did you two idiots destroy my home?" Olenna asked with slight annoyance. "The last thing I want is for Highgarden to be turned to ash."
"It is still standing." Jaime replied.
Visenya sighed. "I feared this would happen. She's probably angry at how poor our talk went."
"You spoke to her?" Jaime asked in disbelief.
"You've missed a lot." She sighed.
He gestured to Helaena, who was being entertained by Myrcella, Tristane, and Mira.
"I can see that." He sighed.
"Do we have any news from Jon?" Visenya asked leaning back in her chair.
Rickon nodded before placing a scroll on her desk. Visenya grabbed it, and read it over, before letting out another sigh.
"What does it say?" Olenna asked.
"Jon is going to King's Landing, with Daenerys, and her army, to try and reason with Cersei to see if she'll send forces up North to fight against the White Walkers." She explained. "I highly doubt Cersei will listen, but Jon want's us there as well."
"Us?" Arya asked.
"Well...me." She sighed. "But I'm not going alone...Cersei would probably shoot one of my dragons out of the sky, if I went alone."
"I'll go...as will Bronn." Jaime replied.
"I will?" Bronn asked before receiving a glare from both Visenya and Jaime. He nodded. "I will."
"As will I." Olenna smirked leaning back in her seat. "I need some excitement...I'm tired of watching the snow."
"I want to go as well." Arya began. "Maybe then I can kill Cersei."
Visenya shook her head. "You, and the rest of your siblings, will stay here. There must always be a Stark in Winterfell."
"I will write to my father, perhaps he can send some allies our way." Tristane explained, from the other end of the room.
"Then it's settled." Visenya replied standing from her seat. "We leave at first light."
A/N:
Visenya's daughter is here!
Next chapter is The Meeting of The Three Queens...a chapter I have been looking forward to.
As always, let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.