Queen Sylvia Targaryen
Winter was still here, the citadel had sent ravens to her husband saying that they believed that this winter would only be a short one, that had been two years ago. It was now the fifth year of winter, and some were beginning to belief that this might be the longest lasting winter known to man since records had been kept. Sylvia knew her husband worried about the winter, and the stores and supplies for his people, not just in King's Landing but the rest of the kingdoms, it was something she found very endearing in him, and something that had helped to break the ice between them all those years ago. When she had been told by her father Lord Borros Baratheon, that her betrothed Prince-King really- Aemon had been killed, she had been distraught but like a good daughter she had married Aemon's brother Valarr, Aemon had been so full of fire and life and had looked so dashing and beautiful when Sylvia had met him all those long years ago she had thought herself half in love with him. When she had wed Valarr five years ago in the Godswood of King's Landing, she had thought her husband a cold and uncaring man, she had lived largely in fear of him and her fellow wife Baela after her marriage. Thinking them both cold and uncaring, though Valarr more so.
It had been Baela and not Valarr who had broken the ice between them, speaking with her about a variety of things from the Stormlands, to dragons to the members of the court. She had known her fellow wife had resented her at first for being forced into her and Valarr's lives, but now Sylvia was quite certain her fellow wife loved her if not as a lover than as a sister. It had been Baela who had broken down the myth that she had built around their husband, showing her that Valarr was not cold and uncaring, not really, not when you truly looked deep down inside and got to know him. It was only that he as the third son had never expected to be king, and had always lived in Lucerys and Aemon's shadows, the deaths of his twin elder brothers as well as his sister Visenya and mother would have only added to the burden he felt. Sylvia had done all she could to ease that burden along with Baela, by meeting with the ladies of the court, speaking with them and getting to know them, as well as their husbands. It helped she supposed that she and Baela gave birth to children at roughly the same time as well, Matarys, Rhaenrya and Helen were born mere hours apart. Laenor and Orys born two moons apart, Orys after Baela's sister's wedding to Alyn Velaryon.
Her husband had finally broken down the barriers he had placed around himself at the sight of her and Baela and their children, he smiled more often and he laughed more easily around them then he did around others, it was something that gave her a sense of pride, as if she had won a hard fought battle. Right now though, she knew her husband would be in the council room meeting with his council members to discuss how Ser Baelon Waters was doing in his conquest of Volantis. The man, Ser Baelon scared her somewhat, and the fact he scared Baela as well terrified her. He was an old man passing sixty now, with silver hair tinted with grey, and an angry and defiant look about him, his dragon the Cannibal was said to be one of the fiercest dragons to still live. And he had taken Netty with him as well, the girl who had become Prince Daemon's lover during the dance, she and her daughter Rhaenys had gone with Ser Baelon to Volantis to become Queen and Princess it seems. Valarr had laughed when she had mentioned that, and had said softly one of his fingers playing with a strand of her hair. "Ser Baelon will find the girl a handful, only Daemon could truly tame her and he is dead now." Valarr had gotten a sad look on his face then and had fallen silent, she had not know then why, but now she did. Baelon Waters had killed Prince Daemon out of revenge for Daemon slaying his son Ser Lewyn during the taking of King's Landing. Valarr had been helpless to stop it, not unless he wanted to bring about a blood feud. When Sylvia had confronted him about it he had merely looked at her and said. "Baela can never know my love. She would be hurt and destroyed, and then war would come once more." War something she knew her husband feared would continue to happen. Lord Maron Blacktyde had resigned from the small council and taken the Iron Fleet with him to aid Ser Baelon in defiance of Valarr's wishes. "A death wish, that's what he wants." Baela had said when they had learnt of that.
Sylvia turned to look at her fellow wife. Baela was six moons along, heavy with another child, one Sylvia knew she hoped would be a girl. "Valarr has three heirs form which to chose from. It is time there was another little princess to grace the halls of the Red Keep." Was something Baela often said, Sylvia could only smile and nod, she too hoped for a child soon, another brother or sister to give to Matarys, Rhaenrya, Helen, Laenor and Orys. Another child to fill the void that was still so present in King's Landing after the dance. "What are you thinking of Syl?" She heard Baela ask her, turning to face her fellow wife, Sylvia saw that Baela's hair was fisted in Orys' hand, the boy was strong already at one, and Matarys and Rhaenrya played on the floor, with their blocks, Helen helped Laenor learn to walk. The scene was peaceful.
Sylvia responded eventually to her fellow wife's question. "You Baela. You and Valarr and our family."
Baela smiled at that and leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "Aye. Say when do you think we shall be going to Dragonstone Syl? I know Valarr grows weary of King's Landing but he always spends longer and longer in the council meetings when he complains." There was a slight tinkle to Baela's voice, something Sylvia had noticed happened when she was heavy with child.
Sylvia thought for a moment before saying. "Perhaps after this meeting. After all he did say we would be leaving soon enough."
"We shall not be leaving for sometime my loves. I am afraid to say." A voice said from the doorway.
Sylvia and Baela turned round to see Valarr standing there, looking tired and worn out. Matarys and Rhaenrya stopped playing when they heard their father's voice and threw themselves at them, Helen and Laenor too. Valarr chuckled at that and tickled the children till they laughed a sight that made both Sylvia and Baela smile with love. Eventually the children returned to their play, and Sylvia asked. "How did the council meeting go my love?"
Valarr's face which had a moment ago been filled with joy, turned sour then. "Badly. But I would not speak of it here, not where the children can hear. Baela remain here, there is a matter I must discuss with Sylvia." Baela nodded and sat back down in her chair, Orys fast asleep against her chest. Sylvia stood up and followed her husband out of the nursery, they were followed by Ser Ryam Redwyne and Ser Olyvar Frey of the Kingsguard, her husband's expression seemed grim, and for a moment she feared something bad had happened or been said in the council to get him this angry.
As they walked, Sylvia realised they were not going back to their chambers, but rather to the rooms where Valarr slept sometimes when a council meeting went on till late in the night. "What is the matter my love?" Sylvia asked once more, but Valarr did not reply. He opened the door to the room, and then nodded to Ser Ryam and Ser Olyvar and closed the door behind himself. Then he turned to look at her, and his eyes seemed so tired and worn, his body slumped into a chair.
His voice was weak when he spoke finally. "I spoke with Ser Boremund today."
Sylvia felt herself freeze at her husband's words. Ser Boremund Storm the bastard of the Dornish Marches, though some whispered he was her uncle Harbert's bastard, had squired for her father when they were children and they had been close as brother and sister, and yet she had always had the feeling Boremund felt more for her than she did for him. She was not surprised though when Valarr told her he had appointed the man as master of coin for he was very good with numbers and money, though the man had never made contact with her so far. Still she dreaded what the man had to say. "What did you discuss my love?" she asked hesitantly.
Valarr looks up at her then, his hair falling about his face in a manner that makes her want to brush it away and kiss the sorrow from his face. His voice is gruff when he speaks. "He told me he squired with your father as a youth and that he and yourself and your sisters grew close. Though he especially said you and he grew close. He spoke of how he was your first love, the person to claim your love before you had even met Aemon, and he told me he knew ways to make you happy that even I would never know." Valarr's voice was growing angrier and angrier as he spoke.
Sylvia spoke softly then. "You must know that he speaks lies my love. I loved him it is true, but as a sister loves a brother no more than that. He is deluded if he believes that I ever loved him the way I love you."
Still Valarr seemed unconvinced and for a moment Sylvia began to panic and worry that her husband, her love believed the lies of a stupid young man. Then he looked at her and said. "I know my love. I told him as much, still the man seems quite adamant you love him and would marry him should I die in battle."
Sylvia feels her heart tighten then. "Battle, what battle, there is not going to be any battle is there my love?"
Valarr runs a soothing hand through her raven curls, and whispers softly. "No, not if I can find Corbray and Grafton and kill them myself. Then Ser Boremund Storm will be next. No there will be no war. But alas that is not the other concern I have. Grand Maester Gormond read a letter today from Storm's End. It seems your sister Delena is ill."
Sylvia felt something drop inside of her. Delena had always been a frail girl growing up, that was why father had never bothered to find a match for her, not wanting her out of his sight for too long, not after what had happened when Lord Corbray had come calling. "She will be well though I am sure of it. Maester Theodore has never failed us yet."
Valarr smiled at her then and said. "Of course my love. We shall be going to Storm's End for sometime soon enough. But first there are matters of the council that need sorting. Come I will escort you back to our chambers." And with that they went back to their chambers, Baela was not present when they entered, clearly still in the nursery with the children. Valarr kissed her once on the lips and then said. "I will see you at dinner my love." And with that he walked back to the council.
Sylvia did not expect to feel so tired, but the minute she saw the bed, she got onto it and curled up into a ball and fell fast asleep. When she woke up the moon was shining through the curtains, and she turned round to see Baela fast asleep beside her, Valarr standing by the window staring out into the sky and the land beyond. "My love?" she whispered. "Are you well?"
Valarr stirred at her words. He turned to look at her then, and his eyes seemed so sad in the moonlight, Sylvia felt her heart break for him. "There was a raven when the council was about to be dismissed. Word from Riverrun, it seems Lords Bracken, Shawney, Goodbrook, Frey and Smallwood have banded together and are laying siege to Riverrun. The winter snows make it hard for the lords of the west to answer any of Lord Simon's calls. I will need to ride out to deal with this threat."
Sylvia shivers then and says in a shaky voice. "But my love, surely you can send someone else out to fight for you? Why not send Lord Gaemon off to fight? He would be willing to."
Valarr merely sighs and turns and walks toward her cupping her face in his hands. "I must go my love, I do not want to go and leave the children and you and Baela, but I must. I am the King and I must show these traitors that rebellion will not be tolerated."
With that the conversation ends, and Sylvia goes back to sleep. A week later she and Baela and the children say goodbye to Valarr and his army of some 4,000 men from the crownlands as they march or fly in Valarr's case for Riverrun. Baela had argued fiercely for joining Valarr but he had shot her down, saying he needed her and Sylvia to help run the kingdom whilst he went. As a compromise he said, the Black Dread had stirred from Dragonstone and would be joining him on his march, how he knew that Sylvia knew not, and she would rather not know at all. Valarr disappeared in the clasp of smoke and dust, Vermithor up ahead roaring his defiance for the world to hear, a roar that was joined by one more, a primal roar, something not long heard in Westeros, a black shadow covered the sky, and it was the Dread come to life again.
The weeks went by rather quickly surprisingly as they waited for news from Valarr and his campaign against the rebel riverlords. There were noble lords and ladies to see to, those who had come late to the city when Valarr had sent his ravens out to the Crownlords, Lady Darklyn came with her two year old son and spent the whole time trying to arrange a match between the boy and the girl whom she was convinced Baela would give birth to. "She's carrying to high for it to be a boy Your Grace, it will be a girl. And surely there will be no better way to secure the alliance of our houses than through marriage." Somehow Sylvia managed to fob her off, and later when she told Baela of what the woman had said, her wife had laughed and laughed and said. "I highly doubt Valarr will want his daughter to marry a Darklyn, not after what happened during the Dance."
Sylvia and Baela spent most of their days in the nursery watching the children grow, Matarys, Rhaenrya and Helen turned six the day a raven arrived from Volantis writ in Lady Rhaenys Velaryon's hand declaring Volantis conquered, Baelon and Nettles crowned as King and Queen of the city. Sylvia knew not what to make of that, she was only happy that her wife's grandmother was coming home, she quite liked Lady Rhaenys. Lord Maron she later learnt had died fighting against the ships of the Yunkish, leaving behind his wife and a four year old son as Lord of Pyke and the Iron Islands. Lady Rhaenys returned the day Laenor turned two, his black hair becoming more and more apparent. The day Baela went into labour and gave birth to twin girls, Alysanne and Daenys a raven arrived from Volantis announcing that Nettles was pregnant.
Six moons after he had left King's Landing to deal with the rebellious riverlords, a raven came writ in Valarr's hands announcing his victory, the deaths of Ser Cressen Frey the Knight of the Crossing, Lord Delton Goodbrook, Lord Walton Shawney and Lord Mern Bracken. House Frey he wrote had been extinguished completely, the Twins left to ruin like Harrenhal, House Brackens lands were taken from them and given to House Blackwood, and Houses Shawney and Goodbrook were drive to the point of near extinction. "Good," Baela said when they read the letter together that night by the fire. "That will teach them to rebel against the dragons."
Sylvia merely remained silent, but then there was a knock on the door, and Ser Olyvar Frey of the Kingsguard, stood in the doorway looking pale, his family had been wiped out for the crime of treason Sylvia thought sadly. The knight said nothing for a moment before saying. "Lord Larys Strong is here to see you my Queens." Lord Larys entered then stooped and hunched in old age, but still with a bold light in his eyes.
Lord Larys bowed before them both and then said softly. "My Queens, congratulations on your children's births, and the success with which King Valarr has had in dealing with the rebels. If I may sit down?"
They nodded and Baela said impatiently. "Get on with it then Lord Larys, we do not have time to wait."
Sylvia looked at her wife curiously, but Baela merely remained silent. Larys spoke then, his voice sounding suddenly stronger. "My Queens I have come to warn you of a plot against the crown, not one that will come to war, but one that may lead to strife in the future. Lord Lyman Corbray and Lords Grafton, Melcolm and Templeton are coming to King's Landing, to present a case before his Grace, for the crime of treason."
"Whom, whom will they accuse?" Sylvia asked.
Lord Larys turned to look at her then and said sadly. "You, Your Grace. For the crime of relations with Ser Boremund Storm."