Yorbert

Yorbert could not sleep, he must have gotten perhaps more than a few hours of sleep that night yet his mind kept him awake; he could feel the tiredness within him, it had seeped into his very bones yet no matter how hard he tried sleep alluded him.

Instead he wondered around the halls of the Eyrie, the castle that he lived in for almost half a decade and yet it never felt like home; the elegance and mystique of the Arryn stronghold, with its pearly white walls and sky blue colours, had made him yearn for the warm bronze of Runestone.

As he walked the halls he came upon the inner courtyard to the Eyrie, where the Godswood had been located, there the unmistakably clanging of swords echoed through an open window. Curiously he walked outside, looking upon two people dressed in training leathers laboriously striking each other with what he could only assume to be tourney swords.

He moved in closer, one of the men had left their belongings on a white stone bench. He spotted a few other men sitting around them, watching the duel. As Yorbert spotted the long platinum hair of the fighter with his back turned to him, he stopped and watched.

He watched curiously as his good-son seemed to circle around his opponent, sword in one hand while the other was stuck out in front of him, as if trying to keep his opponent at literal arm's length. When the man tried to strike at Daemon he quickly weaved to the side, parrying and blocking attacks; watching, learning and trying to exhaust his eager challenger.

The man sluggishly struck at Daemon who blocked the strike and side-stepped to the side, Daemon then quickly hitting the back of the man with the flat of his sword, then knocking him onto the ground before pointing the blade at the fallen foe "Yield ser." He asked.

"I yield." Daemon pulled the sword away and offered his hand to his defeated opponent, pulling him up onto his feet.

"You fought well, ser." Daemon complimented "You almost had me when I lost my footing."

"You are too kind, my Prince." The knight replied.

"Lord Protector!" one of the men shouted as he spotted him watching, quickly the men around the Prince stood to attention. While Daemon stood and stared, wiping the sweat from his face with a cloth on the bench.

"All of you are dismissed."

"By your leave." One of the men said as they quickly dispersed back into the castle, leaving only him, Daemon and the howling winds of the mountains that passed the Eyrie.

"Prince Daemon."

"Lord Protector." Daemon greeted him, dipping his head respectful. "I see you are early to rise too?"

"Indeed." Yorbert circled around him, walking around the benches "This is a beautiful garden, is it not?"

"Yes, good-father, it truly is." Daemon replied, removing his training leathers and placing his cloak upon himself, likely now feeling the morning chill of the Eyrie. "They call it the Godswood garden, yet it is absent of any Heart tree or weirwood."

"It makes me long for the garden in Runestone, it's heart tree would bring welcome shade during the summers."

"Baelor loves to play with the leaves that fall from the tree." Daemon said, looking to the ground, a lightness in his voice and Yorbert could not help but smile at the thought of it. "When can we expect your brother?"

"He will have likely be past the bloody gate by now and marching up the Giant Lance, likely he will attend to the Eyrie soon, possibly after we have broken our fast." Yorbert reasoned.

"I assume we shall not be having friendly discussions together." Daemon said, strapping on Dark sister to his side. Yorbert shook his head. "He must care for the boy, I shall give him that much."

"He and Arnold's father were friends, Gunthor has known the boy since birth and his own boys have know him." Yorbert replied. "I do not doubt for a mere moment Gunthor believes he is trying to do his friend justice."

"Justice is usurping the rightful ruler of the Eyrie?" Daemon asked. "I am sure sentiment is there but so is ambition, who would the boy and his supporters declare as the Lord Protector, as regent, until he reaches his majority?"

"I am aware." Yorbert sat on the bench. "He is a man driven by his ideals, by his loyalty and by his ambition."

"You asked me if ambition or survival drove me, what drives you?"

Yobert knew the answer to this "I was there when you were knighted by his Grace and granted Darksister, that you were a dragon rider and that you were the same age as my Rhea." He spoke "I saw a chance to bring glory to my house by uniting it with yours, I thought the Gods had punished me when you spoke at your wedding, punished me for overstepping. "He stood up from his seat and walked towards Daemon "I hope you prove me wrong." He looked over the statute of Alyssa "Come, you should get washed and ready in the Great Hall, we shall meet him there, once Lady Jeyne is awoken from her slumber."

"Lord Protector." Daemon bowed his head and headed back inside.

Inside, Yorbert met the young lady Jeyne; the poor girl looked to be exhausted having been woken up, washed and then dressed at this early hour as she was taken to the High Hall, placed upon the throne on the dais. Jeyne rubbed her eyes, trying to wipe the sleep from them as a line of guards stood before the dais below her. "Be ready, my Lady." He told Jeyne who quickly sat up straight.

Daemon quickly rushed over to Jeyne, standing on the other side of the throne, a bit later than he was meant to be. "Lady Jeyne." He bowed "Hope the hour is not too early." He looked to Yorbert "Your brother will likely have finished cross the Giant's Lance, yes?"

"I would assume so."

"Good." Daemon said with a devious smile "I had Caraxes, circle around this morning." Yorbert scoffed.

Ever a more subtle message.

The double wooden doors to the Hall opened, in stepped a troop of men glad in armour without their livery on display, with his brother Gunthor at it's head.

A show of strength but not of support…

Gunthor and the knights stopped before them, the line of guards separating both him and them, he looked towards Yobert, then to Jeyne and then to Daemon, his expression turning to a scowl as he spotted the Prince.

"Lord Protector, Lady Jeyne… Prince Daemon." He spoke, trying to make his voice boom against the walls of the Eyrie. "I see you did not come to greet me and my men at the Crescent chamber, I had hoped we could discuss this in a calmer place than this."

"You address the Lady of the Eyrie first, Lord Gunthor." Daemon was the first to speak "You are in her home."

"Aye but it is my brother who rules the Vale, not her." Gunthor retorted, venom in his voice, he turned to him "I would have hoped you'd have seen to sense brother, I fear that your wits must have left you completely."

"Hold your tongue." One of the guards spoke, their hand on their sword. As they stepped forward one of Gunthor's knights did so too.

"Hold." Yorbert commanded, the guard stepped back, as did the knight. "I had always took you to be a loyal man, yet I see that you seek to work against our liege lord and risk disturbing the King's peace."

"I am a loyal man, brother." He proclaimed "I am loyal to the Vale, I want what is best for her, can the man who near you say the same? She suffers brother; her enemies, both inside and outside our lands look at her and see she is weak."

"And you believe that placing the young lord Arnold will change that?" Daemon questioned "Tell me, what is the merit in replacing a child with another child?"

"She is the last child of Lord Gerold Arryn, the Eyire and the Vale passes to her." Yorbert proclaimed "Anyone who wishes to dispute this brands themselves an enemy to House Arryn, it's line and the Vale."

"I am not enemy to House Arryn." Gunthor declared. "Nor the Vale, for thousands of generations the Eyrie has been a line of kings from before the Conquest and lords afterwards, I seek to preserve it's history and tradition, that is what has kept the Vale going! A boy can grow into a man, but a lady shall always be seen as weak to the rest of the realm."

"Such bravery, where is this boy then?" Daemon threw back "Will he not show his face to fight for his claim?"

"Do you believe me a fool, Prince Daemon?" Gunthor questioned "Do you truly believe that I would bring him here a risk his capture by the likes of you?" Daemon took a step back, as if hit but a suddenly realisation, Yorbert watched; his own expression was calm yet curious.

"I can not let you remove the Lady Arryn, brother." Yorbert proclaimed.

"It matters not what you will allow, there are dozens of lords who stand behind Arnold." Gunthor proclaimed "Many of whom are ready to march and put its rightful lord on the throne."

"Even still, she is the Lady of the Eyrie." Yorbert stood just a bit taller "And you risk breaking the King's peace, the crime of which is treason and its price death."

"The peace in the Vale has already been broken, the King will not act." Gunthor argued, he glanced towards Daemon "Unless he is willing to open the wound of succession once more."

Yorbert looked over to Daemon, this time the Prince stayed silent, a tenseness in his jaw as he watched and listened to Gunthor "The only one who can break the King's peace is his Grace's grandson… shall you do it, Prince Daemon?" Again Daemon stayed silent. "Do you not have something clever to say?" clearly he was now trying to goad the Prince into doing something foolish, Yorbert could only hope the Prince does not take the bait.

"If I had something clever to say, my lord, it would be wasted on you." Daemon replied "And as I told you back at Runestone, the matter of succession for the Iron Throne is a matter entirely to his Grace, it is the sovereign of the Kingdom who chooses their heir and last I check." He turned his head to Jeyne overtly before turning back "It is Jeyne who sits the throne, not Arnold."

"I grow tired of this conversation." Gunthor growled.

"That makes two of us." Daemon agreed.

"I am not without sense, brother, or without the need to be opened handed." Gunthor said, he raised his hand, one of the knights marched to his side and handed him a piece of parchment. "I come with terms, I hope you find them amendable and come to your senses." Yorbert stepped off of the dais and towards the line of guards, the line parted before him as he took the parchment from brother's hand. The wax seal of Arryn on it. "I beseech you, brother, read them and accept it." He looked around; his eyes on him, then Jeyne and then Daemon. "I shall await your reply and pray that those who stand here today realise the occasion."

Gunthor and his knights marched out of the High Hall, leaving the three of them and their guards alone.

"All of you are dismissed." He commanded of the guards. The troop turned to them, bowed their heads and them quickly dispersed from the Hall. "Lady Jeyne, are you well?" he asked of the young lady, whom sat on the throne quietly.

Jeyne nodded her head "Yes, my lord." She replied meekly. "It seems Lord Gunthor was angry with me."

"Pay him no mind, my Lady." Daemon said, trying to reassure her "He is a bitter and envious man, those types of men are always angry are what they can not have."

"He said I was unfit to be a Lady…" Jeyne said. "Does he speak true? Am I not strong enough to rule? Should I let my cousin rule instead?"

Daemon knelt down to her "Do not listen to him, what makes your cousin a better ruler? He is still but a boy of one and ten name days; will he lead armies? Will he face the mountain clans? No. either way it will be someone else." Daemon gently took her hand "You are going to be a great Lady of the Eyrie, and no one will take that away from you, I promise you."

"Lady Jeyne, I believe you should get more rest." Yorbert advised "You will have lessons with your septa later today." A servant came over, Jeyne dropped from the throne and followed them down the dais.

"Lady Jeyne!" Daemon called out, catching her attention "Be brave, my Lady, I know you can." Jeyne bowed her head as she and the servant left the hall, leaving only the two of them.

Yorbert looked at the parchment in his hand, he turned to Daemon who looked at him. "Let us head to the Godswood." Finally the two of them left the hall and made their way to the inner courtyard. The peace of the Eyire still remained as they stepped outside, the morning chill still reigning over it yet absent of the strong winds which it's fall guarded against.

Yorbert sat on a bench facing the white marble still form of Alyssa Arryn, a grouping of flowers growing behind her pedestal. He broke the seal, the wax falling onto the ground and unravelled the parchment.

Daemon stood behind him, just over his shoulder. 

As Gunthor read over the parchment a deep, almost bottomless, feeling of resignation and regret washed over him. He turned to Daemon and handed him the parchment to read; Daemon took it and quickly read through it's words.

"This is outrageous." He spoke, he looked at Yorbert "Lord Protector, we can not accept this; all this proves is that he seeks to rise above his station and use Arnold as the key to such." He placed the parchment down on the bench "He wishes to have himself become the master of laws for the Vale?"

Yorbert was both perplexed if somewhat touched that his brother did not demand his removal as the Lord Protector and regent until Arnold reached his majority. "He offers to keep Jeyne as Lady of the Eyrie." He spoke.

"Only as the wife to his squire when he ascends the weirwood throne." Daemon spat " I am sure he would love the idea; locking Jeyne in a tower to serve only as breeding stock, to her cousin no less." The last few words were spoken with an unmistaken disgust behind them, puzzling Yorbert as the Targaryens would wed to much closer family than cousins. "I will not accept it, we can not accept this." He sighed "Jeyne has lost so much already; her father and her brothers… she should not have to bare the loss of what is rightful hers."

"Do you believe your cousin Rhaenys was denied what was rightful hers?"

Daemon was silent for more than a moment "Maybe… maybe she should have been my grandfather's heir, maybe it should be Laenor… there is no point in contemplating on this now for it will not change anything; if you want my opinion on my grandfather's choice, I believe both Rhaenys and my father would have both been good heirs and good rulers." He looked up to the sky "Much as I believe Jeyne will make a good ruler some day too."

"You sound confident." Yorbert commented, Daemon nodded his head.

"I have been blessed to see a good heir rule Runestone in her father's stead each day for nearly two years, Lord Protector." Yorbert chuckled at the remark.

He took in a deep breath, the cold air filling his lungs "I am proud of Rhea, truly I am, yet…" he paused, looking upon the statue of Alyssa "Yet… since the birth of Baelor I have wondered to myself if perhaps I should name him my heir."

"Explain." Daemon replied, his requested sounded more as a demand.

Yorbert looked at him, Daemon could not hide the fury on his face. "Since my houses rise during the Dawn Age, there has been a long line of kings and lords who ruled Runestone; Rhea will be the first Lady of our lands, I fear that our bannermen and other lords will look down us, perhaps even if I were to pass soon and Baelor made Runestone's lord then maybe that will more acceptable to the lords who follow my House."

The sound of the winds filled the silence between them, Yorbert waiting for an answer.

"No." Daemon replied simply, the tone of his voice not matching the malice on his face.

"No?"

"No." Daemon repeated "I reject this, good-father, Yorbert, who do you think will rule Runestone in your stead once you pass if you do this? Who will likely serve as regent to Baelor?"

"Rhea."

"And do you, and speak true, believe that when Baelor reaches his majority he will be as capable a ruler as Rhea has with more than sixteen years of experience?" Daemon questioned "Yes? No?

"No."

"Then why deny Rhea what is rightful hers?"

"Do not believe it would not pain me or that I do not believe her to be capable or that I love her less than I would a son or my own grandson." Yorbert spoke "This is merely politics, the world that we find ourselves in."

"I have spent my entire life in King's Landing, good-father, I can say this with confidence; fuck politics." Yorbert couldn't help but scoff "I am serious, had my grandfather looked out for his children more than his reputation then I have no doubt some of them would still be alive, would still be with them." He sat down next to him "My grandmother… she realised it far too late and my father wishes only to not repeat their mistakes. Maybe the lords will talk, let them, it will be up to Rhea to silence them and she shall do so."

"You truly love her." Yorbert commented.

"I am her leal servant." Daemon jested. "Our first duty should be to those we love."

"In perfect world maybe, but we live in a world the Gods have created." Yorbert leaned forward as they both looked at the statute "One day… you may have to pick your duty to others over your duty to those you love."

"I do not doubt that, good-father." Daemon leaned back "But that day will not be today."

Yorbert sighed "Have you ever heard the story of Alyssa Arryn?" Yorbert asked, looking upon the woman, covering her weeping face.

"I have, you have an extensive library at Runestone; I read a rather detailed history of House Arryn." Daemon eye's looked upon her form "It was cruel what happened to her, crueller still what the Gods had done to her; to judge and condemn a person for how they react to the loss of their loved ones, for a horrible fate to fall upon her when such had already scarred her life. I shall not allow fate to damn Jeyne when life has already been so cruel." Daemon stood up from his seat "Good-father, Lord Protector, I must ask; if I had not been here, had Gunthor brought Arnold into the High Hall… would you have used that opportunity to seize him and end this usurpation?"

Yorbert pondered on it "Yes, I would have." He looked to Daemon "Was that why you stayed silent for a moment when Gunthor spoke?"

Daemon nodded his head "For that, Lord Protector, I ask you forgive me for I have complicated this matter." Daemon picked up the parchment on the bench "That however does not mean we cannot find another way to solve this problem."

"What do you propose?"

"Your brother brings terms to us, quite unreasonable terms might I add, but that must mean he is open to negotiations, perhaps we can come to some kind of arrangement; I am sure it will be one that can see Lady Jeyne remain as Lady of the Eyrie."

"One can only hope, I shall write to my brother and tell him we can discuss terms with him, he is a hard man but a pragmatic one too." Yobert stroked his beard "I am sure that he will be willing to listen to reason."

"Good, if we can get this sorted without having to involve my grandfather and the small council the better." Daemon smiled "And before long this shall all be over."

"One can only hope." Yobert replied.

Daemon shook his head, looked upon the sky and said with a grin on his face "Rulership… I would not wish it on my worse enemy."