The Falcon Flies High

Rowena Arryn screamed as she gave birth to a child by the lead of her husband. She tried for a long time and blamed herself a lot when she couldn't bare her husband an heir as all other candidates died around him, yet he would tell her that it isn't her fault but his own because of his age and she refused to agree as Walder Frey is going on fifty and has plenty of sons, daughters, and even a few grandchildren. She was so happy when her moon blood hadn't come and went to tell Jon with joy written on her face and was happy the Vale has a true future and their child will be risen around her, Jon, Denys, and Elbert, she had done her duty and given what she couldn't hand over when she had first married him... All was right and well.

"Just a few more pushes my lady, just a few... " Colemon, the Maester of the Eyrie said soothingly as she nodded and continued pushing.

She even came up with a name for her child. Rodrik after an old King of the Mountain and the Vale during the first three hundred years of Artys Arryn reign. If it is a girl then she will be named Jeyne after the Maiden of the Vale. She envisions a son who is brave, kind, strong and would lead the Vale as great as his father had done. She also envisioned a daughter who would be beautiful, smart, and would be meant for the best man that can care for her, either one she doesn't mind as she will love them the same.

Moments later the cries of a newborn were sounding through the chambers and she glanced to see a healthy baby, thought the gender cant be seen yet, she was glad it finally happened. "Congratulations my lady, it is a boy. I must inform Lord Arryn- " The Maester said and was set to leave but she grabbed the mans cloak and chain to stop him, "My Lady?" He asked her with worry.

"Tell my husband his name is Rodrik, Rodrik Arryn. May I hold him?" She asked with beads of sweat on his face. The Maester smiled and told a midwife to hand the child over whilst he leaves to inform her husband. He is in the Eyrie for business but hopefully, he returns with haste upon hearing that after all these years he has finally conceived and beget a son to carry on the Arryn name for future generations.

Moments later she began getting weaker, fatigue slowly setting in and her eyes became heavier. She realized soon on what was happening and started tearing in the eye, she doesn't want to go and leave her baby boy without a son. Rodrik began crying upon noticing her change of state, she cooed and nudged her head against his forehead. Her handmaidens and midwives looked on with worry and asked if she was alright, she told them to tell Jon she was glad to have been with him all these years so they went to get help, leaving her with her son.

"Listen to me my son, know that I will always love you even if we just were introduced. I am sorry I won't be here to see you grow and become strong, I am sorry! I don't want to die!" She wept and her son did the same, there is so much she hasn't done or accomplished. She is only twenty and nine name days old, and yet... yet.

Sometime after...

Jon Arryn. The Lord of the Eyrie, Warden of the East, Lord Paramount of the Vale and a loving husband bid his farewells to his wife, she died from the fatigue of laboring a day and a half to give birth to their child, a son named Rodrik Arryn. He had planned to name him Ronnel or Artys, but he will honor his late wife and let Rodrik grow proud and just as he had been and taught his two wards. Robert and Eddard were like children to her and she cared for them deeply, he looked at his son who remained quiet and fast asleep, he smiled sadly.

"I will see you grow, as your mother would have it. I vow to the Seven Gods above... "

284 AC, The Kingdom of Dorne

The sun was beating on a nine-year-old Rodrik Arryn as he traveled with his father and a retinue of 100 guards, supplies, and the remains of Princess Elia and her two children. They are heading to Sunspear, the seat of power for Prince Doran Martell, the ruler of Dorne and they are coming to get some semblance of peace for the entirety of the realm after the war ended three months ago with the seat of House Targaryen, Dragonstone was captured. Alas, the young Prince Viserys, and the newborn Daenerys escaped the island.

Dorne is at odds over the deaths of Elia and her children when the capital was taken a hundred atrocities were acted and the worse came with Ser Gregor and Amory Lorch. They found, raped Elia, stabbed Rhaenys a hundred times and bashed little Aegon against a wall, only then was Elia murdered and the bodies were presented to Robert. His father said that Robert was truly a different person that day which he was front row too, I don't see children, only dragonspawn! he remembered as the memory replayed in his mind.

His father hopes the Martells will see reason and forgive the actions of House Lannister. He thought it was foolish as if he were in the position, he wouldn't forgive it. The most that can be done is to placate them with the bodies of the deceased and see no more conflict towards each other, he thought a deal hand over the Mountain and Lorch would be much help in the case of placating the south, but with King Robert wed to Cersei Lannister and from that tied to Tywin makes that an idealistic dream for idealistic rulers.

"How far now?" He asked Ser Vardis, the knight he was assigned to squire for. His father wanted to send him across the Vale to see the land he will one day rule, but the war came and those plans had to be put aside and so his father assigned him to Egen to squire and one day will earn his knighthood, it also keeps him close to his father and little brother.

As far as he knows, his father needn't have remarried with him around but Lord Tully wouldn't budge to align himself to the rebellion without a marriage to the North and the Vale. It made no sense to most but he along with other nobles put it up to Lord Tully being ambitious, he figures that his father's marriage to Lady Lysa will bring a son that can contest against his claim and hopefully make his father chose the younger son to replace the elder son for inheritance of the east. Not to say he hates Robert, his brother, it is just sense.

"Not long now. Maybe we could have been there sooner if that storm hadn't forced us to stop at Yronwood." Vardis stated and Rodrik smirked, it came from nowhere, twenty or thirty men were lost during the voyage here, it was originally 150 men if a storm hadn't come from anywhere on the way to Dorne.

"We are here!" A scout said and moments later was met by several men of Sunspear. The main bulk of guards were made to stay but ten were allowed to accompany them.

The seat of Martell was grand as people at Yronwood said. Sunspear is a walled settlement, protected by three massive Winding Walls, encircling one another and containing miles of narrow alleys, hidden courts, and noisy bazaars. The Threefold Gate, where the gates are lined up one behind the other, avoids the labyrinth, instead of allowing straight passage on a brick path to the Old Palace. The Sandship is a squat, ugly keep. It looks like a dun-colored dromond that has washed ashore and turned to stone.

The entered the keep and were brought before the ruler. Doran was sided by Oberyn, his brother and the Red Viper, a girl his age, and a boy two years his younger. Other such people and guardsmen were spread about the great hall and his father bowed, he and Vardis and the nine others did the same and so began the talks that will lead to peace, or worse.

"I thank you for seeing me, I understand these are, trying times- " His father started and was cut off by Oberyn who stood forward, spear gripped in his hand.

"You jest, our sister was murdered! And yet you come to seek peace!" Oberyn shouted and continued on, "My niece was three name days old, my nephew, not even a year before he was killed! My sister was raped and murdered because we were loyal! I should!-" The Red Viper was cut off by his brother who rose to his feet, a frown across his face.

"Oberyn, enough. Everyone leave us, me and Lord Arryn would speak alone." Prince Doran said and everyone began clearing the room, his father then turned and put a hand on his shoulder and smiled sadly.

"You too, Vardis and the others will look after you, I'll find you when I am done."

He nodded and walked out with Vardis and company following behind besides two guards. He turned to see the area since this will likely be his only time in Dorne for a long time. Hours pass when he found himself in a gallery where several portraits were put up, strange nobles walked about but he paid no mind to them as he stood looking at the portrait of a woman, pride and power written across the woman as far as he assumed, he was about to put a hand upon it when a voice called out telling him to stop what he was doing.

It was the girl from before. She was pudgy and flat-chested, her height was short for a young one. One quality he noticed was her eyes, dark and brown but had a shine to it like any he had seen, "This is the portrait of Nymeria, don't touch it!" The girl exclaimed and Rodrik's eyes widened in shock as no lady openly shouts as this one had just done. Rodrik looked at Vardis who shrugged at him, "You're Lord Arryn's son, right, am I right?" She asked him persistently and he gave her a look before gesturing to his clothes.

"Did the blue give it away?" He sarcastically said and she pouted and glared at him. She then turned back on her heels and went the other way, his ego was hurt by her leave so he gave chase, "Wait!" He beckoned and she refused to listen and still went on her way and he thought how in the seven can an individual be so rude! He steamed from the rudeness and turned his lip the other way, allowing his stubbornness to take hold. "Come on, Ser Vardis. I am hungry." He stated bluntly and went on his own way with Vardis following behind.

Hours became a day which became two when his father finally decided it was time to go home. He was glad as he began to get uncomfortable from the heat, the same with King's Landing and he would rather be home in the Eyrie where it was nice and cool any day. They were walking to their ship which Prince Doran was so gracious to lend them when they heard a person walking towards them and turned to see the girl two days ago and she had a smile on her face, their entire time there she was constantly bickering with him about meaningless things from clothes to toys to horses.

"What do you want now?!" He asked stubbornly and with a tint of rudeness. His father chided him for his words with a smack across the head, "ow! What was that for?" He groaned and his father gave a frown before it turned into a smile.

"Come to see us off my lady?" His father asked and the girl he had found out was named Arianne pulled an item from the back of her and past it to him. It was a knitting of his family crest, perfectly lined and the right type of blue string put into it, he suddenly frowned in shame and bowed to Arianne, thanking her without words as he can't think of any to say, she smiled lightly and went on her way back to the keep, alone his father chuckled, "It seems you made a friend my boy." The teasing made him angry and he glared at the Lord of the Vale and Hand of the King.

"Shut up!"

296 AC, The Vale

Twenty and one, the heir of the Vale looked over a rock onto a camp of Mountain Clansmen that had attacked a number of settlements throughout his domain and that of House Corbray. A couple of years prior his father sent him to look after the east whilst he remained within King's Landing, his first year was relatively peaceful as he did what he couldn't do and began touring the domain he would rule, even made a few friends such as Robar and Waymar Royce, Jon and Mychel Redfort and Domeric Bolton, a northern heir to the Dreafort, he also met Harold Hardying, Ben Coldwater, and Lyonel Corbray's youngest brother, Lucas. All the friends he made and took with him in the past two years.

Now he and his company accompanied by thirty other Valemen watch the tribe more carefully, he sent a handful of guards a week prior to chase them off but they were overrun and killed except for two who returned with grievous wounds on their person, he would avenge them with steel if words of force couldn't get them to budge away. He turned to Vardis and nodded for him to get the others. His remaining thoughts turned to his brother, Robert was sent to him with his mother a month ago and asked to accompany him. His brother is much too young and he told him it was dangerous, he pouted and complained as he left.

"Let us go!" He cried and rode, sword unsheathed and shield ready as he and his men attacked the mountain clan who are very much far away from their hold. He slew the first who knocked an arrow as the others pierced or trampled over the rest. The camp was alerted and the armed began attacking, he deflected a few arrows and caught one that almost hit him with his shield, safety first he dismounted and took the fight on foot and slew two men coming at him by smashing one with his shield across the face and plunged his sword into the stomach of the other. The Mountain Men and Women were caught unawares and were outnumbered after several minutes.

"Come face me, boy!" A bigger clansmen stated and it was a burly fellow with a large beard. He obliged the warrior and got ready to slay the man. The clangs of steel and iron sounded as his longsword collided with the warriors iron ax, he rose his shield to take the next set of attacks until he ducked and rolled the next swing, at his back Rodrik swung his blade and slashed the man at his lower back, sending the brute to the ground and hissing in pain. He swiftly beheaded the warrior and wanted to finish the bastard right away.

The fight was fun and prisoners consisting of women, children and elderly were taken and brought before them.

"What is to be done, my Lord?" Waymar asked him and he took a deep breath before deciding what to do with the prisoners.

"The elderly, women are to be sent to Essos and will be given enough supplies to hold themselves. The men and young boys are going to the Wall. Have the heads of the dead placed on spikes around known Mountain Clan territory to show a warning to those who disturb the peace of the Vale." He commanded and his followers nodded and prepared to see it done, he himself was getting his horse ready when Vardis appeared and stopped him, "What?" He inquired to his teacher and now fellow knight since he had been given the title three years ago for good and dutiful service, he remembers how proud his father had been and thought how excited he was to be given the name of Ser, Ser Rodrik of House Arryn and Heir to the Vale.

"Your first battle, how do you feel?" His teacher asked and he finally realized his hand was shaking and noticed some blood on his boots, armor, and gloves. He blocked it out when he called for the charge and simply worried about his surroundings and the enemy soldiers in front of him at the time.

"I will be fine, lets head home then. No doubt my brother will want to hear stories."

Despite it being a small engagement, his heroic charge spread throughout the Vale and the folk around the Eyrie began calling him Rodrik the Fierce.

298 AC, King's Landing

He's doesn't hate this place, he just doesn't really want to be here; the smell of piss and shit keeps even the fish away and he isn't talking about the Tully's. Rodrik was summoned by his father back to the city where he spent a majority of his life, he begrudging agreed and left the same day the letter came. Lysa was also asked to come but the woman refused to leave Roberts sides, he grimaced and told her that the boy is fifteen now and should be left alone and allowed to be a man for once in his life. She argued about it until he gave in and let his brother come instead of watching the Vale for him.

His anger with his father's third wife wasn't from nowhere, it happened a year prior when he found a letter she was going to send to his father. The contents were about replacing him with Robert as heir and a whole lot of bootlicking about the Vale needing a strong lord to command it and it was Roberts destiny, he was furious and demanded to know why she would send such a thing, she simply said that her offspring makes a better heir than he and that caused him to remain angry as he shouted that she won't do such a thing again but she simply turned on her heel and left.

They docked and made their way up to the Red Keep and to the Tower of the Hand, he wondered why his father wants them for or more specifically, him. The last Raven he said that he needed his counsel on a few matters and there was another thing he wanted him for but the letter didn't say anything after that. His father wanted Lysa probably to spend time with a husband she hasn't seen in three years because his brother had been by his side for that time. He suddenly felt a chill down his spine and looked and through one of the buildings was the Queen, Cersei Lannister looking down at him.

He might not have been old enough but he still remembers how Princess Elia and her children were brutalized and before the Iron Throne, his king cackling at the bodies as if it was a prize he got on one of his hunts, how the Lions soon were everywhere in the keep, you couldn't pass a corner without bumping into a Lannister guard or the Kingslayer for that matter, a man who slew the one he was meant to fight for to live a cowardly act no doubt, he thought as he walked the steps of the tower to his father's chambers and office. Lady Lysa and her son went their own way to another area to get settled in.

A knock came and a voice called for him to enter, his father definitely aged the past few years but was ever so robust and strong as he had always been. Sixty and eight yet still the figure of a strong leader of the Vale. He smiled brightly for the first time in a long while, his new lady mother doesn't really give him a chance to do any of that these days. His father laughed and stepped forth, embracing him in a hug for the time they hadn't seen each other, his duties in the Vale kept him there and will probably do so for the next several years. "Hello, father. How have you been?" He asked his father.

"I am well my boy, even this place can't hold a falcon down." His father said confidently and had him chuckling, he added to the man's words with his own.

"The riskier the gusts, the falcon flows free." He quoted his father who looked happy that he remembered that, it was told to him ten years ago. "You called me here? What is it?" He asked and got to the point, he enjoys speaking to his father but like his sire, he has a domain to look after too. His father sighed and bid him to take a seat so they can begin.

"I'm in need of counsel and I want your input, I am looking to getting your brother fostered. I was thinking of having him go North or under Stannis's service." He nodded to the choices and thought on them. Good choices to be sure but there is one problem with going through with this plan, "What do you think my boy?" Jon asked him and he sighed to himself.

"If it is your wish to see Robert become just, honorable, valiant. Then Lord Stark and Baratheon will have quite a time with them." He said and got his father curious expression.

"What do you mean? Is he not doing well under you?"

"No, he isn't. Lady Lysa keeps interfering at every turn, I would show Robert one thing and she will show him another and say my way is wrong. In fact, its been this way for some time." He admitted and felt guilty for it, his father cares for the woman like a second daughter, despite her clear feelings towards his father and yet he cared about his father's feelings. "And at fifteen he is acting like an entitled child and she enables his behavior. Then there is that letter... " He trailed whilst his father listened to him rant, his eyebrows curled in confusion as well.

"What happened there? Why so much animosity to your mother." His father asked and he himself sighed in frustration as he decided to reveal what happened.

"... A year ago I discovered a letter, Lysa was going to ask you to change the line of succession and make Robert the heir to the Vale. I didn't tell you to save your feelings to the woman." He revealed and his father looked as hurt as he expected him to be, and he didn't want to do it but he believes his inheritance is going to be challenged by the 'Mad Fish' as he began to call her. She lost much of herself after Robert was born, three daughters and two sons came after and all died, that and an abortion from before he married his father had caused further mental damage to the Tully woman. His father cleared his throat and stood to his feet.

"I, I will speak with her tonight, set her straight that you are my firstborn son and by rights of all Seven Gods you are the heir." His father promised him and then pulled a small box from his desk and pushed towards him, "Now that the matter is finished, I will have your brother sent north and with known kin. There is another to be dealt with, and with what's coming it needs to be set in place." His words made no sense as he grabbed the box, opened it and saw letters with crests on them. Frey, Royce, Waynwood, Redwyne and many others, small and large houses with the larger half being from his lands.

"What's this?" He asked as he picked up one of the letters. His father smiled and sat back down.

"Marriage offers, Rodrik the Fierce has caught the ear of the Lords of the Vale, and a few from all around the Realm. Plenty with women that just came of age." He grimaced and looked at the contents and put them back in the box and set them back over to his father, the man frowned and put a hand on the box, "You don't approve of them?, if it is your wish I can broker a marriage with another house, these are just the ones offering first. Not many would decline a high-lords offer of marriage." He held his hand up to stop his father from talking.

"It isn't that. I don't want a wife yet, I am only twenty-three, too young yet." He stated and regretted them right away when it sounded stupid, His father scoffed and smiled.

"Too young? You are healthy and beyond the age of marriage, the Arryn line is only you, me, and your brother. You have to marry and beget sons and daughters for our house." He rolled his eyes at the scolding and wished this wasn't happening. There was a reason he doesn't wish to marry and that is simply because of his fears, he believes to Arryn line is majorly infertile, his father bore none but miscarriages and stillborn babes that never went past their first year, he is afraid of being his father and fathering the same.

"Okay, I will consider the offers carefully. Might I have some time to choose?" He asked, giving in to his fathers wish but he will drag it out until he is ready. His father smiled and stood to his feet as he had done, the business was concluded and he would rest for the night, or two before going back to the Vale as it needs attention.

"Alright, I won't keep you, although I did miss you, my son. Ah, how are things in the Vale?" His father asked and he smiled when the two began walking out of the room and towards Maegor's Holdfast, it's been a long journey and he would rest awhile before seeing some old friends such as Robert and others.

"I, Forgive me, father but I hoped you wouldn't mind. I began making small moves through the Vale, opening some old roads and clearing them of Mountain Clansmen, relocating them further into the Mountains of the Moon, and trade was improved through this with fewer attacks and villages are mostly unharmed now." He explained and hoped his father wouldn't be angry with him, the clans were originally a defense against threats to the Kings of the East, but with the kingdoms mostly prosperous and the marriage to House Tully ensures a different defense for his homeland, it made sense to him. His father had his eyes to the floor as he walked, then he sighed and placed a hand on his shoulders.

"I named you acting Lord of the Vale, your decisions there is law as I am here to serve the King and Queen. If you believe it is right to push the clans back then it is how it is." He heard him say and he smiled lightly. They made it to there destinations, "And when you leave, send your brother North for me, will you?" His father asked and he chuckled aloud causing the older Arryn to raise a brow of confusion.

"Funny, he is here. Lysa wouldn't let him stay and we argued about it." He said and his father groaned in understanding.

"I see. Well, I guess having him be here is fine, I will send him there myself." His father said and then added to it, "I know she and you aren't that close, but she is my wife and your mother." Not my mother he thought when his father asked him to try and befriend a woman who believes Robert would suit as a better Lord of the Vale than himself.

Two days passed and he said his farewells to his brother, father, and even Lysa. Some of the guards also stayed besides fifty men. His King told him to visit more often as he enjoyed drinking with him, he said that he doesn't think so as he still feels like shite from the night before. He smiled as his ship, The Sea Bird came further and further away from the city of shit and piss. He said to his father he will come to visit on his name day to celebrate with family, he can't wait until he sees his father again.

Sadly to say, his next meeting will not be so celebratory...