I don't own A Song of Fire and Ice.

Chapter 1

It has been years since that Rebellion that dethroned the Targaryens and had them exiled for years.

Robert Baratheon is now King.

He married Cersei Lannister to position himself in better light to wear the crown and unity of the throne.

However, there have been reports that he often took women and drank instead of being king and husband. It resulted in many fights between him and his wife, but many heard of interesting results of siring his three golden-haired children.

Two sons and one daughter.

Robert often left to go hunting, drinking, and women instead of being a king. He would leave Jon Arryn his Lord Hand to do many rulings in his stead.

Jon tried. Oh, by all the Gods, he did.

Instead, he allowed more Lannisters to come to the Red Keep which influenced the queen's power. All so, he could please Tywin Lannister from borrowing so much gold from him.

Eddard Stark, also known as Ned, is enjoying his family and marriage in the North. He recently has a newborn daughter Sansa.

How is Jon Arryn's only daughter is doing right now?

Margaret is quite the beauty of all of Vale. There isn't a soul who couldn't say no to her. Her long blonde hair, blue eyes, and her chubby cheeks flush red. A girl of only eight years old is a true Arryn beauty. Her blonde is curly and long flowing hair that is tied with beautiful ribbons. She wears simple, bright color dresses.

Margaret's fostering in Runestones made things livelier and happier times.

Thou, the young and only daughter of Jon Arryn deeply missed her father. On rare, occasions, he would visit her and enjoy their walks, horse riding, and falconry together.

Yohn Royce adored his goddaughter, and his wife was the one to whom the girl would listen and obey. Lady Margaret is in awe at Lady Royce as if she is the Mother herself.

'Perhaps, it's because the little princess doesn't know her mother.' Yohn thought and he could understand as her mother's name was forbidden to mention it. Jon Arryn forbade everyone to speak of his wife's name who tragically died in the most mysterious circumstances.

They said that Jon Arryn loved Princess Rhaelys very much and hurt his heart to have reminded him that she was gone.

However, Margaret loved the history, especially the Targaryen's. Her favorites were Queen Visenya Targaryen, Alyssa Velaryon, The Good Queen Alysanne, and Queen Mariah Martell.

However, there was one incident involving her eavesdropping on kitchen servants.

Lady Margaret wanted to get a light snack like an apple, but she heard something she shouldn't.

"Lady Margaret wanted to see the puppies that named, Old Girl gave birth seven of them, I reckon! The little lady wanted to keep one." The old lady cook laughed.

"The young lady is a good child even though she came from royal blood." One maid started talking as they washed dishes.

"Hush now, that is treason talk."

"But still, she has Targaryen blood in her. But thank all the Gods, she doesn't inherit any madness."

"She reminds of Lord Arryn of her mother, Princess Rhaelys who looked more blackwood save for her eyes."

"Aye, her mother was such a gentle soul." She sighs sadly, "And everyone knows Lord Arryn still thinks of her every day despite not wanting to hear her name."

"I still believe it was Lord Lannister who did that deed! The poor girls' mother was thrown off by that window on his orders." The younger one insisted on the rumor.

"I agree if anyone wanted to kill the Targaryen's offspring and steal their crown. It would be that old lion. Tis only natural it is Tywin Lannister who has the most motive to done it." The second oldest nodded as she was drying the dishes.

Timid voice, "But he saved the princess Rhaelys from that fire at Summerhall when she was a child. Could he be that cruel?"

"Ha! That Lord of the West is cold-hearted. His ambition is based on sending his only daughter to be King Robert's wife. Face it, my child, he still wants his blood on that throne! Tell me, can anyone say anything different?"

"Yet it seemed like it became worse when King Robert took the throne." The maid leans forward, "And I hear people are saying it is the Lannister who rule the kingdom in all but name."

They all gasped.

"By gods, what is happening to this kingdom?"

"Ladies, return to work. Now." The old cook firmly reminded the girls and they mumbled, "Yes, mam."

Though, the damage has been done. Tears soaked on her cheeks as she heard them.

Margaret sneaked back into her room and thought back.

Blood of the dragon.

Can that be true?

Margaret thought back to how she was raised not knowing why her papa never wanted her to come to Kingslandings. She thought he was busy running the kingdom and he couldn't play with her.

It was because the King and the Lannister would hurt her or worse end up dead like her mama.

She shed some tears as she felt like she was the first time in her life, she was sad and upset. She slowly realized her life was grand because they fed her ignorant and naïve freedom.

It was as if they didn't want her to know the truth about Robert's rebellion.

Margaret was upset though she could not understand why.

It wasn't her fault.

She wasn't feeling hungry anymore. She silently left and returned to her room.

Three days later…

Lady Royce came to her chambers. She noticed her ward wasn't coming down for supper. In fact, it was already three days, and she should know that it was similar to her sons. Something must have upset the little falcon.

Knocking on the door.

Knock, knock.

"Lady Arryn," Lady Yrsa Royce spoke her name. She heard a small movement, but she decided to let herself in.

She enters the chambers. The little girl seemed to be under the blankets as if it could hide her from the world.

Lady Royce entered the chambers and saw a bundle of blankets. She sighs as she wonders what is wrong.

She went and sat on the side of the bed.

"They tell me that you haven't been eating lately." Lady Royce as she saw no movement. However, Yrsa is cleverer than you think. "Was it because your lord father couldn't come this month?" She looked for signs of movement but none. Okay. So, she wasn't upset about that. "Was it because those stable boys were picking on you again?"

Nothing.

"Was it the lesson with Septa Katherine?"

Nope!

Hmmm. She is puzzled. Okay, she thought back. It is not about Lord Arryn, Septa Katherine, nor those stable boys.

What could it be?

But she felt something knot in her stomach that she wonders if it was about that.

"Is…is it about your lady mother?"

A flinching movement notified her horror. Good Gods! Lady Royce rubbed her forehead and shook her head negatively.

She had hoped that Lady Margaret was older enough before hearing that story.

"Oh, I am sorry we've kept this from you."

Margaret still holding a blanket to cover her head as she looked at her foster mother. Teary eyes are shown as she wipes herself.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Yrsa felt her heart could break in two.

"Your father thought it is better to forget that person to make your life easier to live." Yrsa combed her blonde hair, then continued, "But it didn't it. It made us sad and worse that we were forced to forget your beloved mother."

She could remember like it was yesterday. Princess Rhaelys Targaryen had the look of a Blackwood despite her burn scars, but her eyes held strength and beauty. How could Vale not love their beloved lady Arryn? They knew Jon Arryn did.

That is why it hurts to remember the terrible death that no one knows.

Yrsa showed a picture of her mother in her locket. "I was going to give this to you when you are older, but I supposed now is a good time."

Margaret saw her mother. Her mother dressed in Arryn coloring though she carried a red shawl of her Targaryen heritage. Her hair is black and curly as windblown ringlets. Her eyes are purple that shine with contentment and gentleness. Despite the burn scars, Margaret didn't care about that. Only seeing the image of the woman who gave birth to her.

'This is mama?'

She tried to recall her mother, but she saw a blank face blocking a light. However, she can only remember someone's gentle hands that combine through her hair and sing a sweet lullaby when she is scared or lonely.

That day, Margaret felt a bit better.

Margaret would have two keepsakes given to her.

One was given by her birth mother, a necklace that was given to her by Bertha Blackwood. It is shaped like a big black circle and a sigil of Blackwoods.

And a new one given to her by Lady Yrsa Royce, her mother's portrait which she kept close to her body for her sake.

It was then that she knew that her mother was once a Targaryen princess, but her death did not have justice.

Margaret Arryn had decided that she must gain stability and power so that her fate wouldn't be shared like her poor mother.

So, she began to test her mind.

Margaret learned from many books, often escorted by knights of Royce to observe the commoner's life, and politics in Runestones.

Margaret Arryn is a gifted scholar, in philosophy, and taught public speaking oration. She spends her days of youth in libraries in Runestones. She was taught by the kind yet educational Measter Helliweg who praised her knowledge and devotion to her studies.

"My Lady Arryn was very much like her lord father when he was at that age, but her excitement for new things to be discovered overshadowed by her deceased lady mother, Princess Rhaelys Targaryen." He had spoken to Lord Royce and Lady Royce about his new pupil.

Margaret first studies the Runes of their alphabet. She got her first try success and decided to study and learn how to speak Valemen. Many would say it was hard to practice for many, but Lady Arryn views it as a way to connect with the Vale people. She shows them that she too is a Vale woman.

She was then taught by Lord Royce to learn how to public speaking which was very important for Lords to practice such things, but Lady Margaret Arryn who was no more than a girl was taught the same practice.

She was often taken to hunting parties by Lord Royce as she was quite a mark ship in archery. Many praise she has 'Falcon eyes' as she never seems to miss a target and can spot from a long distance.

However, she was not out of touch with her feminine arts.

She had talent in playing the Lute, dancing, and horsewomen.

Margaret established herself to gain a reputation among the common people in Vale.

She would disguise herself as a common woman and work in the farming fields that she bought with her own gold to buy that land.

"My lady," A kind guard helped her as she sniffed the smells of cow's manure. It wasn't practiced as commoners used their own feces. Many claimed that it wouldn't work, but Margaret had been hearing that the Valyria Empire used Cows Manure to grow their bountiful harvest. That practice was lost because the Targaryens were more focused on wars and conquering. They also mixed it with branches, leaves, brunt fruits, and straws and added horse manure.

Thanks to that they cannot smell any manure that stinks and can help grow the soil without any sicknesses.

"Let's put them in." Margaret and her guard covered their face as they got to work on her land. Margaret ignores the snickers from people around them.

She doesn't care about their ignorant minds. After all, what Margaret cared about was the future for generations to come.

'They will see that this will fertilize Vale!' Margaret believed it.

Many moons have passed. Her theory was…

"Successful?" Lord Royce paused his eating as he heard from one of his men. He looked shocked.

"Successful?" A fishmonger was puzzled.

A few farmers yelled, "Successful?!"

Farm garden

Margaret breathed in relief. "Successful." She pulled out a carrot and placed it in her basket.

The guard spoke rapidly fast, "I've never seen such good carrots in my life. They are ripe and munch!" He eagerly took a bite from a carrot that was delicious! And it was just a carrot. It tasted different. Almost like divine foods from the Gods.

Who would have thought that this was put on the soil by cow manure?

Margaret smiled as she looked at the hard work she had done. She had read the dialogue of the old translation of the Valyria empire Maetser.

'Who would have that we would be saved the Cows? They said that they are the king of fats.' She giggles at that funny title. 'They have all the rich nutrients, and everything comes with it. Not just that they are the medicine to help our bodies and gain strength.'

She saw a group of people and a few arrogant farmers who looked shocked at her success.

'Unlike human fences, people often fail to realize that they don't have the proper vitamins and protein that children need because they lack themselves. Which is why many had caught winter shivers, starvations and carried diseases.'

She shook her head. Once she completes this farm, she needs to find a way to spread this influence further to Vale and the deeper path to the North.

There is another idea she wants to try.

'How to create that cream milk Valyria Measter talk about?'

Margaret's idea of new farming had spread throughout the kingdoms. The farmer communities are debating whether to use that technique or not. Since most couldn't afford cows even taking some from stables would be hard.

Margaret Arryn created what she called, "Compost Soil." As this began the revolutionary movement for farmers.

Next chapter, stage planned for stolen black gold?! Margaret created a new cooking material and influenced her spread to Vale to the borders of the North.