Homes

Dragonstone

Arianne stood, hands held in front of her, as Robert Baratheon's ship pulled into Dragonstone's harbour, docking next to the ship that had carried them from Kingslanding – the very same one taking them home soon. She had suggested to Rhaegar that she wanted to greet him, to have a conversation with him about his treatment of Lyanna, before he came to take her home. Though they hadn't spoken much in the last week, Arianne knew it was the least she could do for her.

"She's beautiful," Lyanna had stated, standing from the door, holding her own son in her hands. "They both are." She was referring to Valerion, who was sleeping in his cradle quietly.

Visenya, who was sat on her mother's lap as if she had heard her, let out a squeal. The little babe scratching her mother's nose in the process. Arianne laughed, moving her chubby hand away. "Isn't she just? I hope she and Jon are friends when they grow up."

Lyanna moved into the room, sitting down onto the bed next to Arianne. "Perhaps they will be betrothed," she sat Jon down to face Visenya. "What do you think my warrior? Will you ever be married?" Baby Jon cooed at his mother, staring at the babe in front of him quizzically. He had never seen another babe up close, much less one with white hair and purple eyes. Visenya's hair had grown from its wispy strands to loose curls, standing in six or so strands. He held out his hand, wanting to see what exactly was staring back at him. Visenya took his hand in hers and bit him, causing Jon to let out a wail. She didn't even have teeth yet, what was he crying about? Lyanna wondered, patting his bottom.

"Vivi!" Arianne scolded, moving her away from Jon.

Lyanna laughed, rubbing Jon's hand lovingly. "Oh, he'll be fine. No son of mine is going to let a girl better him." The two sat in silence, playing with their babes as they did so. They hadn't played in a long time, the last they had properly truly spoken was at Harrenhal. When Lyanna had told Arianne, she was growing to like Robert. "Can you believe we are mothers?" Lyanna asked her softly.

"I can't believe you are a mother," Arianne admitted. She had never attended many lessons with their Septa, and Arianne wondered how she had done it all alone up until now. Even she, the one who had gone to every single lesson on politics, history, lore, childbearing, stitching ... and so many more would be lost without the wet nurses and maids and her ladies-in-waiting.

Lyanna let out a scoff, "I couldn't be free forever, as your husband so kindly reminded me."

"Why do you hate him so much?"

"The Prince?"

"Robert."

Lyanna bit her lip, "his whoring, his drunkenness, his ...-," she had nothing else to say. "I hate him because I never wanted to marry in the first place. He reminds me that I am a tool. You married for love, I married because Brandon and father thought it best, I marry. I would've grown to hate any man they had paired me with."

Arianne nodded in understanding, moving the demanding Visenya's hands away from her dress collar. "Sorry, she is so determined sometimes it's ridiculous. You don't mind, do you?" Lyanna shook her head in response. She took her breast from her dress and gave it to Visenya.

She saw the bruises and marks on her chest and brought her voice to a whisper. "Does the Prince hurt you?"

Arianne looked down to her chest and laughed, "no. We ... enjoy each other's company." She wasn't sure how else to word it.

"Oh," Lyanna responded. There was another short silence, the only sounds coming from Valerion's small snores and Visenya breathing out loudly. "Will you take him for me, Arianne. I'm begging you as a mother. I can't go back to Robert."

"Lyanna you can't leave a man for whoring. Especially not the Lord of the Stormlands. Can you imagine what Robert would say and do if he knew his heir was with the Targaryen's? I don't want to give Rhaegar something else to worry about," she responded truthfully. "Brandon is already planning to raise his arms against the crown, we need to keep Robert from swaying."

Lyanna bit her tongue. She'd have a lot to say about that, there was no way in seven gods Robert was fighting for the King who killed her father. She Arianne trusted her with that information, something she shouldn't have told Lyanna, so she nodded slowly.

"Lord Baratheon, welcome to Dragonstone," Arianne smiled, watching as the tall man stepped climbed the endless steps to reach her.

"Your grace," Robert responded.

His rosy cheeks drawing her into his handsomeness. How could Lyanna dislike him? He was handsome, tall and looked unbelievably strong. Arianne had heard stories about him and his hammer, but she'd never seen him in action and noted that the next joust she'd request it specifically from him. "I hope your journey was easy," Arianne started, leading him back into the castle.

Robert nodded, "nothing I couldn't handle. I want to thank you for finding Lyanna. My men have been scouring the Stormlands for her, we didn't think she'd get as far as Dragonstone. I assumed ... I thought she was dead."

Arianne took his large hand in hers and wrapped her arm around it. If Rhaella had taught her anything, it was that a woman's touch was just as helpful in swaying men as gold was. "I have been wondering how she survived for so long, but she is strong and smart. In all honesty, she probably just needed a break and became too attached to nature around her. Lyanna used to do it a few times in Winterfell."

"Aye Brandon told me to give her time, she'd eventually return. But it has been moons, your grace," Robert sighed, playing with his belt. "I hear congratulations are in order as well. Twins!" He exclaimed.

"Two white-haired beauties," Arianne smiled proudly, "although in truth we were not expecting Valerion."

"Then he is a gift."

"I said the same," Arianne said, laughing at his words, they stopped before entering the castle gates. "Look, Lord-,"

"Robert is fine."

"Robert," she ran her thumb down his arm, just the way Rhaegar liked, "Lyanna had told me at the Tourney of how she liked you. I fear she is much more conservative than you may be and is slighted by-,"

"The whoring and the drinking and the whoring," Robert nodded, let out a chuckle. Her thumb had dazed him for a little, but he tried to shake it off. He was reminded of Harrenhal when the bastard of Winterfell had perplexed many of the lords and had them betting on her maidenhood. He was reminded of when he first laid eyes on her, thinking he'd take her over Lyanna if it came to beauty. But Lyanna was his, in soul and in marriage – he just knew it. If the whoring annoyed her so much, he'd tone it down around her.

Arianne pulled them closer to the castle, "yes. We understand each other," she threw her head back discreetly and let out a song like laugh. "I'm sure you can find time for them when you have attended to her properly. Besides, the King has taken to calling you-,"

"The Cursed Baratheon Brothers."

"Yes. We must show him how wrong he is, in more ways than one."

Robert knew what she was suggesting, Rhaegar had been working hard to gain the trust of his lords and his wife seemed to have caught onto the plan. He was honour-bound to Brandon, through his wife, however. If Rhaegar could prove that he could be a good King, then it would be a different story. But Brandon was hot and ready to taste war, as Robert was.

He did not respond, they passed the courtyard and stepped up the large granite steps that led into the castle. Its walls were warm, and it welcomed Robert in with open arms – as it had done to Aegon and many Targaryen's after him. He saw Lyanna stood in the Throne room, a babe in her hand and looking to Robert apologetically.

"Lya," he whispered, jogging to her and hugging her gently. He moved the blanket that was covering his son and saw the boy for the first time.

"His name is Jon," Lyanna piped, giving Robert a better view.

"Jon Baratheon," Robert nodded proudly, watching as the boy with grey eyes stared back at him. Arianne left them to discuss their quarrels in private, meeting Rhaegar behind the Throne rooms private doors.

Their muffled voices growing quiet as Jon's coos and squeals grew louder. Arianne smiled to herself, see, Lyanna would grow to love him just as Jon has. She walked over to Rhaegar, who stood waiting for her, hands behind his back. "Are they alright? Is Robert angry?"

"No. He loves her, she is just hard to tame is all," Arianne sighed, wrapping her arms around his waist and trying to feel what was behind him. "What are you hiding?"

Rhaegar smiled arrogantly, pushing her away and presenting from behind him a sword. "I had it made. I thought it wouldn't be finished by the time we leave tomorrow but here it is." He had not wanted to tell Arianne just yet that it was his father who had demanded Aegon and Rhaenys be cut from the line of succession, enjoying his time in her good graces, so he thought to sweeten her up with a gift for the newborn first.

Arianne was relieved to return to Kingslanding, she didn't know how long she could take eating fish, fried, roasted, baked, she'd even tried it raw once when Rhaegar had taken her to see the market because she was so bored with the food options. They were running low on the dried meats they did bring and to her displeasure, the lemon cakes from Kingslanding were finished as she had seen it fit to carry a basket with her if they were exploring the town and handed any and every person a piece.

Rhaegar held the sword in front of him. "I wanted one forged with Valyrian steel, but it is as rare as your beauty," she rolled her eyes, "and there are no skilled blacksmiths to make it in Westeros as those in Essos do."

Arianne took the heavy sword from his hands; it had been made for the sword butt that Ashara had given her. She smiled, knowing he had done it for Valerion. The sword reminded her of the one Rickard has wielded, no doubt it was passed to Brandon now. Ice. Except that sword was as tall as she was and was much light. Rickard had let her hold it once and quickly took it away when she almost cleaned his head off. The blade gleamed as she took it from its dark sheath. "What are we to name it?"

"Aemon suggested Dyanna, after Dyanna Dayne," Rhaegar said taking it back from her hands and placing it safely in its cover. He had told Arianne about his grand-uncle at the watch and Arianne wondered if the young Benjen had met him.

"If you like that name, then so do I."

Rhaegar took her hands in his and pressed his forehead to her own, "I'm sorry for our silly fights. You truly are my lover."

Arianne kissed his nose, pushing him away quickly after in a joking manner. "Come," she wrapped her hand in his, "let's say farewell to Lyanna and Robert."

After Robert had admired the new sword Rhaegar was so excited to show off, they had walked the couple back to Robert's ship, Robert and Lyanna bowing as they made to leave.

Arianne gave Jon and Lyanna a kiss on the cheek and as she went to say farewell to Robert, and to remind him one more time to at least hide his whoring, Rhaegar nodded to Lyanna. She shuffled closer to him.

"I will see you soon Prince Rhaegar," her words came with a sting. Rhaegar wasn't sure exactly what she meant but watched she sent an icy look his way from the ship.

Arianne, oblivious to the interaction, clapped her hands together excitedly. "Shall we go see if Visenya favours you or me today?" She asked him.

Rhaegar shook his head, turning to return to the castle. "Should we talk about Valerion become a mummy's boy?" He joked, taking her hand in his.

"Don't you dare!"

He turned to her and pouted, "well he is a little, you must admit."

"Then he takes after his father," Arianne responded, pinching his arm. "Ser Bookish."

Rhaegar feigned hurt. Her newly fashioned ruby tiara, that was better suited for a Princess, caught his eyes. "It suits you; you know that?"

"You have told me many times," Arianne smiled, she quite enjoyed wearing crowns and tiaras.

"Do you remember when I gave you mine in that carriage at Harrenhal?"

"I have been thinking of Harrenhal as well," Arianne tutted, remembering the place that had led to her meeting Rhaegar. She wondered what life would have been like if she had not forced Rickard to let her attend. He would still be alive, but she wouldn't have Rhaegar nor her two children. Nor would she know her true birthright. She'd probably still be a ward with Olenna in the Reach, flirting her way through Highgarden and it's surrounding areas. She laughed at the idea, remembering how long ago it felt. She hadn't even celebrated her name-day! "You were to dishonour me that day."

Arianne had reminded Rhaegar that he had intended to fuck her then and there in that carriage they had stumbled into. "Well it all worked out in the end, didn't it?"

"Of course it did, your grace," she mimicked her words from moons ago.

...