4 3: The Defiance of Duskendale Part 1
Quick Author's Note: This Chapter is intended to serve three primary and one secondary Purposes. The First primary reason is to showcase Rogar's Goals and Plans for the Vale of Arryn and how otherwise unimportant Characters such as Waymar and Robar Royce will play a part in this and/or provide room for Character and Plot Development.
The Second primary reason is to create a Chapter that improves the overall quality of the story, characters, and development without to much usage of Time-Skip's, POV Shifts, Exposition, etc.
The Third primary reason is to showcase Rogar's progression into a man grown. This Chapter is written in a that will help make things interesting down the line as it shows how certain characters feel about Rogar politically or personally, but it also shows a growing independence and foreshadows his future moniker. Which your more than quite welcome to guess or throw around ideas, so long as you can provide a suitable reason for consideration. Otherwise I'll stick with my current top contender....which you don't get to learn just yet.
The Secondary Reason is to increase the length and depth of this chapter and it's succeeding ones by at least five hundred words on an average write. This is the goal so that I can get more out of a chapter without too much Exposition and too little dialog.
---------------------------------
(Casterly Rock, Lannisport, The Westerlands, The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, Westeros, GoT Universe)
---------------------------------
(Time-Skip: One Year Later: 274 AC)
---------------------------------
(Rogar Arryn POV)
---------------------------------
Rogar was packing his bag, he expressed his desire to return home and live amongst his people once more, and Lady Joanna allowed him a week to get his affairs in order before his journey home. He was going home now, for more than the fact the Defiance of Duskendale was this year, a certain widow had been made, making his return necessary. Myranda Royce was freshly widowed, making him ready to seek out a betrothal. Lady Myranda was freshly flowered and freshly widowed, a nice combination for courting.
Besides which, he liked Myranda Royce's character and her beautifully busty figure of course.
But then again this was more for the sake of appearances and strengthening his Control in the Vale of Arryn for when he was eventual undisputed Ruler of the Vale of Arryn, The Trident, and The North. Even if to get those two extra Kingdoms he had to fuck a child into the belly of Sansa and Arya both, a child per Kingdom...but hopefully it wouldn't come to that, and if it did it would only be necessary to impregnate Sansa. He had a thing for Blondes and Redheads after all.
Still he'd try to make it a happy marriage, mostly for Myranda's sake.
However Myranda Royce was far more important than what one might think, outside of Ysilla Royce, she was the only unwed Royce Women in Cannon and as such had a distinct albeit distant blood claim on Winterfell. Ysilla's was stronger, but She wasn't even born yet. So Myranda would have to suffice. And on another note it granted the Cadet Branch of House Royce with no lands of their own increased stature and influence.
Rogar knew of at least three unwed and eligible Women in his own Families Cadet Branch, yet spurned them in favor of Myranda Royce. Now these Women were directly descended from House Grafton,The Lords of Gulltown. Gulltown was the Vale's only Real Port of any real Value, so this raised a question about why he'd spurn a match with them. The answer was because of the fact that he intended to raise new Castle's and expand, renovate, and update old ones.
He'd name Lord Nestor Royce Lord Of The Gates of The Moon, and Take Myranda Royce for his Lady Wife, bringing House Royce of The Gates of The Moon into existence and He'd upgrade Sky, Stone, and Snow and one day name Waymar, Albar, and Robar Royce's to one of the three Way Castle's before raising two Seats for them specifically.
He wanted to increase the Vale's population and it's military might before launching his plans of revolutionizing Westeros Technologically speaking starting with the Vale of Arryn. He knew how to produce higher quality liquor, better metals and alloys, and how to modernize the Vale's Armies through tactics and training alone.
But for the moment it was time to say goodbye to Casterly Rock and say hello once more to The Eyrie, or The Dreary as he once coined it growing up much to his Father's bemusement at that particular time.
Right now he was a little nervous, it'd been years since he'd been home and seen his father and his future lands. He'd have to make sure that he'd stop in at Runestone on his way home, but otherwise it's a straight shot home...
---------------------------------
(POV Shift: Cersei Lannister)
---------------------------------
Rogar was returning home to the Vale. There was a time in Cersei's life where she only imagined Marrying Rhaegar and before him Jaime. But now Rhaegar was denied her, and while she hadn't given up hope of wedding the Crown Prince, she slowly began to entertain the prospect of a marriage to House Arryn, or more specifically to Rogar himself.
She'd never stepped foot inside the Eyrie, but to hear Rogar tell it, it was a Dreary place, one he found distinct lly absent of much warmth, figuratively or literally.
Cersei liked to think she could bring such warmth and color to such a place, and the idea of being alone with Rogar in his bed was far from unpleasant. in fact it proved quite stimulating to her.
A knock at her door broke her from her thoughts.
''Enter.'' She called and in stepped Rogar, his light blonde hair and grayed blue eyes locked into a chiseled if young frame. Rogar when not entertaining her or studying with little Tyrion was to be found training in the Courtyard relentlessly, he'd knocked Uncle Tygett flat on his ass half a month ago with a heavy bash of his majestic Shield. Much the same as he did Uncle's Kevan and Gerion several months before that. His arms were muscled as a result of favoring an otherwise defensive weapon as an extremely dangerous weapon of Defense and/or Offense.
Simply standing there admiring him was enough to break down her ambitions of a Royal Crown.
''I've said my goodbyes to everyone, except for you. Tyrion didn't take it well, but he was happy when I invited him to The Vale of Arryn. As for you Cersei, so long as you Remain no less beautiful as you are now, you will always be welcome in my halls. Goodbye....my love.'' Fogar whispered the last two words so softly she almost didn't hear him, and she lacked any means to respond before he enveloped her lips in a deep kiss.
As soon as it ends he smiles sadly at her before walking away....
---------------------------------
(POV Shift: Joanna Lannister)
---------------------------------
Cersei was depressed. Young Rogar had left two hours ago, and was now likely nearly halfway out of the Westerlands.
Joanna recalled the discussion she'd had with Tywin at the Tourney of Lannisport held in honor of Prince Viserys Birth after Young Rogar bested Ser Arthur Dayne in the Pre-Tourney Sparring.
------------------------------------------------------------------
(FLASHBACK START)
---------------------------------
It was the day before the fanfare was set to start. Young Rogar stood beside a Shield several heads taller than him, with a Slightly shorter Longsword in his offhand, but one that wasn't quite a Shortsword. He was stood in front of a panting Ser Arthur Dayne knelt in defeat.
''He's been trained well.'' Tywin notes beside her.
''Not by us, all by his own hand. If The King Rejects us, Rogar might be a better suited alternative. Besides the prince may prove more willing to wed his son to our future granddaughter.'' Joanna said slightly worried that the King wouldn't see the sense in marrying Crown Prince Rhaegar to Cersei and providing a hopeful alternative.
''The King isn't so far gone as to not see the sense of this marriage.'' Said Tywin.
''Even So, Rogar has Targaryen Blood through the Female Line, making him a better match should the King decline our suggestion.'' Said Joanna.
''We'll cross that bridge if we come to it.'' Tywin had replied gruffly but not unkindly.
---------------------------------
The Tourney was over and Tywin and Joanna had been humiliated by the King's refusal. Joanna was more determined to wed her daughter to Rogar, but Tywin resolutely resolved himself to not give up on Rhaegar until or unless the Crown Prince was already wed and with an Heir.
Joanna however had decidedly chosen to broach the matter of a potential betrothal to Lord Jon Arryn, determine his interests, needs, and desires for such a match to occur. A Lannister had never married into the Arryn Bloodline meaning that Lord Jon would require certain caveats and promises to keep face with his Bannermen. It was the way the Nobility of the Great Houses and their primary Bannermen did things after all.
The Arryns like the Lannister's had once been King's and Queen's in their own right, but they never lost a man in the Targaryen Conquest due to having chosen submission over warfare. Thus it was their priority of their people over their Crown's that brought Rhaenyra Targaryen into their World.
Rogar Arryn was well-mannered, quite learned, and as good if not better than Her Jaime at arms and Warcraft. Making him ideal for her little lioness.
---------------------------------
(FLASHBACK END)
---------------------------------
(POV Shift: Rogar Arryn)
---------------------------------
(Runestone, Bronze Coast, The Vale of Arryn, The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, Westeros, GoT Universe)
---------------------------------
(Time-skip: Three Days Later)
---------------------------------
Rogar was riding Into the Runestone after three days of long and hard travel by sea, and now half a days ride on horseback. The horse had been a gift from Cersei for his last Nameday. It suitably had a golden colouration with silver mixed into the coloring.
He rode in with his fifteen men to the surprise of the Royce Household who had not expected an Arryn to come at all, let alone the Young Heir to the Vale of Arryn. It was about five minutes later that Lord's Yohn and Nestor came to greet him, rather hastily too.
''Welcome to Runestone Lord Rogar, we apologize for not greeting you sooner, we received no word of your impending arrival.'' Nestor bows his head in apology.
''No, it is Not you who ought to apologize, but rather me. Not even my father knows I'm here, or rather he doesn't know that I am in the Vale of Arryn at all. I took ship from Lannisport aboard The Aquila to Gulltown with the intent to come to Runestone to speak with you both directly. I have a matter I'd like to discuss that directly concerns the three of us specifically, may we speak in your Solar?'' Rogar asks.
''Of Course, Young Lord, please follow us.'' Lord Yohn says.
As he passes many a maiden, many if whom bat their eyelashes at him, he smiles only at the forlorn Myranda Royce.
---------------------------------
Sat in the Solar of Yohn Royce, Rogar waited for each man to sit before speaking.
''I understand your daughter is freshly widowed Lord Nestor. I must admit she is my entire reason for coming here. I wish to court her, however out of respect I won't engage in this until a year has passed, for obvious reasons. Consider this an official interest in renewing the bonds of Royce and Arryn for the second generation in a row on my part. Good Day my Lord's, consider my words carefully.'' Without another word, Rogar departs leaving both Lord Royce's flummoxed.
---------------------------------
(POV Shift: Nestor Royce)
---------------------------------
Rogar Arryn was strange, granted most children were at his age, but to show up unannounced and express a serious interest in Nestor's freshly widowed daughter. The marriage had occurred against his wishes the fact the sod had died before he could spill his seed made Nestor grateful, but it also caused him the issue of the Fact his daughter was thus tainted in the eyes of Nobility, having your husband die during the wedding was bad luck, but during consummation was considered worse.
Myranda had contented herself to this fate, now The future Lord of the Eyrie and Warden of The East came unannounced and expressed an interest and intent in courting his freshly widowed and tainted daughter?
The boy was an anomaly showed up and expressed the Interest before departing without letting them get a word in. Now the duty fell to Nestor to inform Randa of the Young Lord's interest....
---------------------------------
(POV Shift: Rogar Arryn)
---------------------------------
Rogar was satisfied with his visit to Runestone. His goal had been to express interest and intent to Court Myranda before turning on his heel and departing without them getting a word in.
For the moment being an anomaly was the right play, plus it increased the odds of a reciprocated interest in the match. Myranda was never Wedded again in Cannon but that was because she was seen as tainted due to her husband's death during consummation, thus giving him an opportunity to acquire a very pretty, busty, and unclaimed Bride.
He was a lustful individual at heart, and being able to sleep frequently with the beautiful Myranda Royce was certainly less expensive than whoring, a shame Robert never made the marriage he had to Cersei in Cannon Manageable since they had near as many infidelities each.
Rogar wanted to father Myrcella and Tommen, which meant that around the time Joffery was conceived Rogar planned to be somewhere else.
Somewhere....East....
---------------------------------
(POV Shift: Jon Arryn)
---------------------------------
Joanna Lannister had expressed an interest in his thoughts regarding a betrothal to Cersei Lannister for his Rogar, and now a Raven from Runestone detailing Rogar's expressed interest in courting the freshly widowed Myranda Royce who was some three or four years his senior.
Rogar had always struck him as...special and gifted. Apparently Lady Joanna felt the same. But Rogar should be allowed the choice to freely choose his own bride, despite the fact that Lady Cersei was certainly a better match for his son.
In any event perhaps it was time to surprise his son with a Welcome home feast? His boy wasn't fond of surprises, but would probably make an exception for him this time, he was a proud father and getting on years after all....
---------------------------------
(POV Shift: Rogar Arryn)
---------------------------------
Rogar was at Last within sight of the Gates of The Moon, he was almost home.....
