77
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198 AC
Harrenhal
Elmo Tully
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"They want us dead." My Father speaks up with conviction in his voice as he looks out of the window of the room he has been given for our stay at Harrenhal for a small tourney.
One of the Dragon seeds lived to see another name day and the acting 'Prince' of Harrenhal is throwing a small tourney for his little sibling. Not that these wasteful incestuous freaks need a reason to throw out gold, they seem to always be hosting some big event. Each time the majority of the Riverlands flocks to Harrenhal and it only serves to smear our names more.
We are the Lords of the Riverlands and yet the Targaryens annexed the Gods eye and more than a few castles into the Crownlands. This castle was meant to stay under House Tully and remain a loyal vassal but instead, it was long ago given to the Dragon Prince and he turned it into an eye soar. An eye soar that screams old Valyria and only grows worse with time as more and more dragon statues and carvings are added.
Hell, they even made the large gates into dragon mouths, and the 'tunnel' to get through the freakishly large walls has been carved to look like the inside of a dragon's throat.
I have heard it was done so all who visit Harrenhal remember it is now the home and nesting sight of dragons. It is meant to put fear into all who visit that they are in the 'belly of the beast' and should be on their best behavior. But I see it for what it really is, vain and quite honestly hideous to look at.
"Well, boy?!" My Father shouts and I jump up from the seat I was in and look around anxiously before remembering he was talking to me.
"Of course, they want us dead, they want to annex the whole Riverlands and grow the Crownland's influence and power. The Dragon Prince is hungry for more power than any Targaryen before him and he will eat everyone should he be given the chance." I smack my lips together and shake my head. "But they are being smart about it, instigating it to where we are the ones making a move, small slights, and taking favors with our allies to weaken us in the eyes of all of Westeros." The damn boy in charge did not even greet our part when we arrived and instead was attending to 'other matters of great import'.
Foolish and simply disrespectful.
"If we sit back then just like the North and the NiNight'satch we will find ourselves taken advantage of like the Prince already did." Ignoring that he already stole Harrenhal out from underneath us... which is something we will always be sore about seeing the town rapidly growing outside its walls.
This castle can hold the full force of the Riverlands army inside of just one and a half of its bigger towers. It has the stables to also keep all of the horses of said army with plenty of room as well, the Targaryens built this place back better than it ever was intended to be. The Iron Born built this place as a way to hold ground on the mainland and always have a place to be secure in... it is now far beyond that.
With dragons as well... Harrenhal is the hardest place to attack anywhere in the world.
That is not even bringing up the rumors of the Targaryens having their own secret assassin group like the Faceless men. I have heard they are using old Valyrian magic that was the original source of the Faceless men who were born in Valyria and was the second biggest religion before the Doom. Some nights I have even found it hard to sleep knowing that this is likely true with how they always seem to know things they should not. Every Lord I have talked to has had a similar circumstance where they have been approached about something by the King or one of his Sons and have been confused about how word got out.
They have people in everyone's castles and I do not doubt they are using vile magic to do it.
"We must do something to at least keep our family safe... maybe if we offer up your daughter's hand to one of his Sons. No doubt they will take multiple wives just as their Father has before them, it might save us from further insults and schemes." I grind my teeth imagining my sweet girl having to be wed to one of those vile incest spawns.
"We will attempt other means first... surely?" I ask and see a slow nod and deep down I know he is heavily leaning on using marriage to attempt for 'peace' with the Hungry Dragon.
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198 AC
Harrenhal
Cerelle Lannister
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"So you can take anyone you want onto your dragon?" I ask Princess Daenys as we sit in the Godswood and watch dragons feast on a large pile of fish.
"I do not have a dragon." I look at her in confusion and when I see her frowning I feel bad for even speaking up about the overgrown lizards.
"I am sorry." I hope I did not just make her angry at me, Mother told me to befriend one of the Princesses my age and try and earn some trust.
I don't know why, but I have no problem with making friends as it's my favorite thing to do back in Lannisport.
"It is not your fault, there were no eggs available when I was a babe, and when the next few clutches were laid the eggs did not call to me." I nod along pretending to understand but I suppose only a person with dragon blood would really understand what she is talking about. "I will get a dragon eventually, Father says it is only a matter of time before the other dragons approach egg-laying size. Rhaellas dragon even carved out a new cave not long ago and has been 'broody' inside of it so I might even have a dragon soon if she lays a clutch." Daenys looks more and more excited as her earlier gloom drifts away and I can't help but feel excited along with her.
"When you can fly on your dragon can you take me up to a cloud?" Daenys looks at me with a raised brow and I shrug helplessly. "I wish to see if the clouds are as soft as they look and if I can take a bite of one or not." Her jaw drops open before she shakes her head and starts giggling at me and I cross my arms with a small huff.
"Clouds are just water, they taste like water." My eyes widen as I realize she has already done what I have longed to do and I quickly grab her hands and lace my fingers with hers.
"What do they feel like?!" She giggles some more and I suddenly realize that I will certainly not mind if my Mother sends me off to be friends with Daenys as she is now my favorite person ever.
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198 AC
Harrenhal
Elaena Targaryen
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"That's cute." I mutter as I watch my Daughter have fun with a little Lannister girl who is a part of the Lannisters of Lannisport's family. "I was about to send for the girl's Mother and have her sent off somewhere else but it seems they are having fun and it's not fake." It's hard for little children like that to fake anything anyway, the girl seems kind and easily pleased so that might be why her family sent her, they knew she would hit it off with at least one of the Targaryen children.
I will keep an eye on them, but I do hope Daenys can find some friends besides her sisters and brothers. She could grow a lot more if she branches out and explores different people besides the people she was born around and has always known. I am a bit troubled with it being a Lannister and I have had my eyes open with Aerion and Daenerys being gone but this does not look bad.
"If you want to know what I know then I will tell you." Gwenys speaks up from across the little table that was carried out here by a guard.
"What do you know?" I ask almost wanting to roll my eyes at the 'Spymaster of Harrenhal' who loves to act cryptic like a prophet from Essos.
"Lord Lannister saw that his grandsons were gaining no ground in befriending the boys even when playing different games together for years. So he is taking a new approach with some of his Granddaughters and little Cerelle is apart of that." I nod having guessed as much but it does leave a sour taste in my mouth hearing it spoke aloud.
Should I send the girl off?
"Poor baby girl." I purse my lips watching my Daughter make fast friends with a girl who likely does not even know she is just a piece in a game.
"We could offer to foster the girl and remove the influence her family has over her, if they refuse they would be cutting any chance of strengthening ties with us and solving the problem for us at the same time." Daena speaks up after watching everything going on while sipping wine.
"That could work." I nod in agreement, It would be like a small test and if they failed they are taking two steps back but if they 'pass' they are still taking two steps back.
I smile liking the plan more and more.
"Why not, We have room and already have so many children here it won't matter if another is added to the hoard." Mya also seems to approve and after saying her peace returns to pressing kisses on Alyssa's head.
The youngest child has taken the absence of her parents horribly and cries if she is not smothered in love. The poor girl keeps repeatedly calling for her Kepa and Muna and I know if either of them could hear her they would turn their dragons around on the spot and return. But I am sure they will be back soon, a few days at most and we all have plenty of love to give to the youngest to hold her over until her Father and Mother both return to ease her worries.
I am personally more worried about Shiera giving birth before they get back, Aerion would be devastated if he missed the birth of one of his babes. He has sat beside each one of his wives each time they gave birth instead of sitting outside of the room and waiting for the screaming to stop. He even fights with his wives to be the first to hold the little bundles of sweetness even after watching all the pain they went through to bring the child to life.
I will always hold that against him... not that I am actually mad but it is a good way to get him to rub my feet and my back. Which always ends in blissful sex and relaxation, so I am not mad that he took our Daughter before I could even see her face. It is also nice to know just how much he loves his children and how far into the future he has planned for them. He is an even better Father than he is Dragon rider and combatant and as one of the best of both of those he is a damn good Father.