Queen Baela Targaryen
King's Landing was cold, very cold, and yet it still managed to be swelteringly hot at the same time. It was something that Baela just could not understand; she had spent her entire life before now growing up on the Driftmark, the home of her mother and grandparents, and during the seasons as the Driftmark was an island, it was usually either very warm or mildly cold, but not this confusing mixture of both. There were times where she missed the simplicity that life on the Driftmark had offered her, not having to worry about all the court politics and intrigues that were so rampant now especially after the war, not having to worry about putting on a pretty face for the lords and ladies who came to court to seek some sort of favour from her husband. But then there were times when she saw how much joy her husband got from being with her and their son that she truly felt as if she belonged here.
Valarr was very busy, her husband, the third son of King Jacaerys and Queen Rhaenrya, had never expected to become King of Westeros, Baela knew that her husband had always believed that role would go to either Lucerys or Aemon, but both of those young men had died during the Dance and now her husband was king. It was not a role he had wanted, it was most certainly not a role he had been prepared for and yet he seemed to be doing well at being King. Baela knew her husband spent long hours each day with his council and with the court discussing various issues and hearing petitions and the like. And she knew that the nobles of the court appreciated that a lot, it certainly made a change for when the usurper had been in power. Still she knew that Valarr felt insecure, felt as if he was not doing the role to the best of his ability, despite the many times she reassured him that he was.
Of course with Valarr being so busy, Baela often had enough time to spend with her fellow wife Sylvia Baratheon. Sylvia had been betrothed to Prince Aemon for a long time, but once the prince had died during the war Valarr had wed her in order to make sure her father did not side with the greens. There were times where Baela felt angry with the girl for making her have to share Valarr with her, and there were times when she often felt sorry for her. Valarr was so busy he often had very little time to spend with either of them or their respective children, though she had noticed that he spent more time with her and Matarys then he did with Sylvia and her daughters Helen and Rhaenrya, and she thought that must sting for her fellow wife. In order to make Sylvia feel more at home, Baela had begun spending more time with her, and had begun to invite her to sit with her and her ladies during the morning and various meal times.
As such she was coming to find that she actually shared more in common with her fellow wife than she had first thought. For whilst Baela truly was her father's daughter in that she was fierce and bold, Sylvia was more lady like, and more pristine and refined than Baela and yet there was a fierceness to Sylvia as well. Baela supposed she should not have been surprised by that after all though her fellow wife was a proper lady she was also a Baratheon, and Baratheons were noted for being fierce and proud. Their conversations were often very lively and to some extent ribald, exchanging court gossip and talk about various lords and ladies. Like today for example, Baela and Sylvia were sat in the nursery looking over their children with Ser Tom Costayne and Ser Jeffrey Norcross standing guard, and conversation was about Ser Alyn Velaryon the heir to the Driftmark who had been summoned to King's Landing to discuss his upcoming wedding to Baela's sister Lady Rhaena.
"I have heard Ser Alyn is very good looking Baela, is it true?" Sylvia asked in that shy way of hers that Baela found quite endearing.
Baela was silent for a moment before she replied. "He is Syl, but he is also very arrogant, and very flamboyant. Whether or not he will be the perfect match for Rhae I know not."
Baela watched as Sylvia pondered her words, her mouth doing that rather attractive thing where it curled up slightly when she was in thought, it always made Baela wish to kiss her. "Valarr wouldn't arrange a match for Rhaena without taking into consideration all of Ser Alyn's qualities though would he?" Sylvia eventually asked. Baela heard the admiration that her fellow wife had for their husband, she knew Sylvia felt slightly intimidated by Valarr, who for all intents and purpose could seem very aloof at times.
Baela snorted and said. "If Valarr believes that the marriage will suit his purposes then he will force it through. He does not much care about whether or not Alyn will be right for Rhae. That will be our job."
Baela chuckled slightly at the surprised look on Sylvia's face at her words then. "You wish for me to help you find out about Ser Alyn Baela?"
"Why of course Syl. You are my wife as much as Valarr's and my sister as well, we must do all we can to make sure that Ser Alyn will not mess around with Rhae. My sister is a smart girl but she can be quite naive when it comes to matters of the heart." Baela replied.
Sylvia blushed slightly then, and was about to reply when they both heard a little squeal come from nearby. Turning round to see what was happening, Baela found herself overjoyed to see Matarys hobbling towards her on unsteady feet. Helen and Rhaenrya had already learnt how to walk and talk, and whilst Matarys knew how to speak she was slightly concerned that perhaps he would not learn how to walk. When he fell into her arms then and began peppering her face with kisses, she could not help but chuckle. "Mama!" Matarys babbled, and sure enough Rhaenrya and Helen soon followed him balling into Sylvia and then Baela herself. Both women began laughing slightly then as they watched their children play with each other.
Their delights were slightly interrupted when out the corner of her eye Baela saw both Ser Tom and Ser Jeffrey straighten up, signalling that her husband had entered the room. Sure enough when both she and Sylvia turned round, Valarr was stood there dressed in the black and red of their house looking far too exhausted. "Your Grace." Both Baela and Sylvia said.
Valarr merely nodded at them both, before he sat down into one of the chairs in the nursery and then slumped in his seat. Sylvia looked at Baela then, and Baela nodded, she gave Matarys to Sylvia to look after and went over to Valarr, leaning in between his legs she looked at his face, and saw the lines of tiredness beginning to thicken on his face, and she saw the exhaustion in his eyes when he looked at her. "How was the council meeting today my love?" she asked.
Valarr looks at her, his purple eyes showing just how tired he truly is, his voice sounds worn when he replies. "Tiresome, very, very tiresome. There is trouble in the Vale it seems. The mountain clans are causing all kinds of havoc and are getting bolder, and nothing Lord Gaemon does seems to be able to scare them off. He believes that this could be a diversion for some other sort of event in the Vale, Lords Corbray, Grafton and Templeton have been voicing their discontent of Aegon being married to Lady Jeyne for some time now, and now that Lord Joffrey seems to have fallen victim to the winter chill, their protests have grown even louder."
"What are their protests my love?" Baela asks.
Valarr sighs and says. "They believe that the crown is trying to monopolize control over the different kingdoms. Lord Corbray so very kindly pointed out that it was me to named Edric Baratheon as Lord of Storm's End and Lord Paramount of the Stormlands when the issue came to a head."
"Did he not remember that you chose Lord Edric so as not to incur the wrath of the Stormlords and to make it abundantly clear that the Lord would not be a puppet to the throne?" Baela asks, feeling the anger at Lord Corbray beginning to come into her voice, the man still has his head on his shoulders because of the words that Sylvia spoke to Valarr at the end of the war.
"He argues that I have done the wrong thing, by appointing Edric as Lord of Storm's End. And he believes that I have had a hand in killing Joffrey Arryn so that Aegon may sit the weirwood throne in the Eyrie." Valarr says sounding so very tired.
Sylvia speaks for the first time then, sounding outraged. "Surely he is not stupid enough to believe such a thing my lord!" she blushes when she sees both Valarr and Baela looking at her, Valarr looks slightly surprised, usually Sylvia remains quiet when they discuss issues of the state.
Valarr looks at their wife then and says. "He is still sore that I did not feel obliged to give him Storm's End. He is after all married to your sister my lady. He believes that by rights Storm's End should have passed to a son of his. When I told him that would have created only more problems, I could see it in his eyes that he wanted to hit me, and he would have done so had Vermithor not been present."
That does surprise Baela, for though she knows how close her husband is with his dragon, she would not have expected him to have allowed Vermithor to attend the court session, she does not thing Vermithor could still fit into the throne room. "Vermithor was there my love?" she asks, her voice shaking.
"Aye he was, I thought it more prudent to allow these fools to see who rules the kingdoms. We may have lost many dragons during the dance, but we did not lose all of them." Valarr says sounding tired even more so than he did before.
"Was that wise my lord?" Sylvia asks timidly. "Surely it would have been better to leave Vermithor in the dragon pit? After all, the members of the court know you to be a fine ruler with a firm hand, would there have been a need to bring more fear into your lords with Vermithor present? Lord Corbray is a proud man, he would not have enjoyed having his fears shown publicly." Baela is once more surprised by just how insightful their wife is.
Valarr is silent for a long time, before saying. "I suppose you are right Sylvia. Perhaps I did go too far, but it has been such a long day. I never knew Ser Alyn could be such a demanding person before now. I was half tempted to just show him to Balerion to simply get him to stop demanding things."
Baela snorts, so her husband has finally learnt what sort of man her cousin truly is. Ser Alyn grew up in the shadow of his older more handsome brother, Addam; Addam was a dragon rider whilst Ser Alyn never was. "What sort of things did he demand my love?" Baela asks though she has a rough idea of what her cousin must have asked for.
"He wishes to come with us to Dragonstone, to see if he can bond with one of the dragons there. It is a fool's errand and more than likely will end with him burning some part of his own body, especially if the fool tries to bond with Crimson Fury as Lord Corlys fears he will."Valarr replies.
"And you will let him my lord?" Sylvia asks.
"Aye. We shall be going to Dragonstone soon enough. Us and the children, it is time that they met the dragons." Valarr says.
"But my love, Matarys and the girls are only two, surely they can wait?" Baela says.
"They shall come with us to Dragonstone. Maelor is six now, soon enough he will learn of his dragon on Dragonstone, and I believe it would be more prudent he learn now whilst I still have time to show him, then when he is grown and others try to whisper in his ear." Valarr says.
Baela merely nods her head, and is about to say something when Ser Ryam Redwyne, her husband's Lord Commander walks into the room. "My apologies my king and queens, but Lord Corlys is asking to speak with you, Your Grace." He says to Valarr.
Valarr grumbles but he gets up, kissing both Baela and Sylvia on the top of their heads and ruffling Matarys hair, he walks out of the room and follows Ser Ryam. Soon enough Nettles, the girl that Baela's father took for a lover walks into the nursery to see her own daughter, Baela's half sister. Nettles, a fierce girl, stubborn and proud, she has pushed for Valarr to legitimise her daughter as a Targaryen, something that Baela supports, but something that Valarr understandably is hesitant to do, mainly because of the respect he bears for Lord Corlys and Lady Rhaenys and because Baela knows he disapproves of Nettles. Baela herself finds the girl quite enjoyable to be around, she is fierce and reminds Baela a bit of herself.
Usually Nettles is quite loud and has no difficulties speaking her mind, except for when she is with her daughter here in the nursery, then she is quite quiet. The child, named Rhaenys looks exactly like her mother, with dark brown hair and dark skin. Nettles is silent for a long time before she speaks. "I have been asked by Ser Baelon if I would wish to join him when he goes to Volantis."
This news surprises Baela and so she asks. "And what did you say?"
"I told him I would think on it. I wish to remain here for some more time, before flying off anywhere." Nettles say before she laps into silence once more.
Baela thinks on that, Ser Baelon a fierce man, with a lot of pride and anger, an old man as old as her grandfather. He scares her somewhat Ser Baelon, and she has heard the rumours of the part he played in her father's death, though she has never asked Valarr about that or any other part of the war, for her husband does not like to speak of it. Once nettles has left the nursery fort the time being, and the children have fallen back to sleep, Baela and Sylvia get up and make their way back to their rooms, Sylvia whispers to Baela. "I did not wish to say anything when Nettles was here, but I believe I might know the truth of Ser Baelon."