Chapter 21: Sisters

Twelfth Moon, 90 AC

Alyssa

How had it come to this, Alyssa wondered? Two years ago, all had seemed right in the world. Viserra had just had her newborn sons, the alliance and bond between Houses Targaryen and Velaryon had seemed stronger than ever, and Alyssa had felt like she was finally clawing her way out of the melancholy that had haunted her for years, returning to who she had once been, little by little.

Now though? Now that alliance was in pieces, the broken shards strewn on the floor, edges sharp and cutting. Viserra was far, far away from her. In a foreign land, doing foreign things. And Alyssa felt like she was at the edge of a cliff of despair all over again.

She and Viserra had never been that close when they were younger. Maegelle and Daella had been the sisters dear to Alyssa's heart. To her Viserra had been too young, too irritating, too spoilt. She and Saera had seemed all too similar to her. Baelon had remained close to Viserra but in truth, Alyssa had never been the most pleased by that, well aware of the childish infatuation Viserra had had for him. She'd had it as well after all, and knew best what it could make you do. Envy had crept in little by little as every year passed and Viserra grew more and more beautiful, tainting her every interaction with her younger sister, and they had not been common to begin with.

The more Alyssa thought about it, the more she began to wonder just how alone her younger sister really had been growing up. She had drifted away from Saera long ago. Once they had seemed close friends, only two years apart and so very similar. Too similar it would seem, for both Saera and Viserra were the kind of people that demanded attention, desired to be praised and loved. And in the groups they frequented, there was often only room for one Targaryen princess.

With no true companionship from her siblings and parents too busy to pay any attention to her, Viserra had turned to her beauty and her daring to draw friends and affection. Formed a circle of lickspittles and bootlickers that fed her ego and her vanity further. Alyssa was thankful that from that circle, true friends had eventually arisen, friends Viserra had relied on more instead of the sycophants following Saera's scandal.

She dreaded to think what Viserra might have become if they hadn't. What she had believed she was right up until that fateful day Viserra stood before the Iron Throne, tears in her eyes but steel in her spine. Defiant and vulnerable. Like a book she had finally opened and turned the cover, Alyssa had seen the real Viserra that day for the first time.

In the months after, she had watched as Viserra had blossomed and grown into herself, becoming confident and self-assured. Her vanity had slipped away slowly and surely like the mask Alyssa had only then realized it to be. Viserra was beautiful that would never be in doubt, but her beauty was not her only worth and she had seemed to realize that after she had claimed Dreamfyre.

Alyssa had grown close to her once estranged sister in that time as they had shared a mutual love and passion for their dragons. She had watched as she eagerly absorbed every lesson she could from her, and learned quickly and brilliantly. Viserra's bond with her dragon was one of the strongest and closest Alyssa had ever seen and it had had an incredible effect on Viserra's confidence and strength of will. Seeing Viserra strive forward had inspired Alyssa to drag herself out of her own melancholy.

Which was why it hurt. It hurt to know that the one who had inspired hope in Alyssa was so far away from her now. To realize that the sister she had finally become close to after so many years was pulling away from her and they were becoming estranged once again.

Every letter Alyssa had sent Viserra in the months since House Velaryon had taken Tyrosh had been unanswered. The couriers had assured her that they had personally delivered it to her hands, tucked away and busy behind the walls of Tyrosh's Black Fortress, and still they had not been answered. The only reason Alyssa knew Viserra was even still alive was because Baelon told her the Master of Whisperers' weekly reports on Tyrosh in the Small Council.

It was not just Alyssa. The letters their mother and Aemon had written had been ignored. Even the letters Baelon had sent had been as well. Viserra was ignoring all of them.

Was she simply too busy? So much so that she could not find the time to write a single letter in four months? Did she resent them perhaps? Blame them for what their father was doing to her husband's house, the house of her children? Hold it against them in some way for not holding his anger in check?

What right did Viserra have to be angry at them for that? When their father had humiliated Viserra and her husband in open court in front of their allies and rivals, Alyssa had stood by them. When he had stripped her nephews' inheritance from them and taunted Viserra, Alyssa had stood by her. They all had. Their mother, Aemon, Baelon, and her. They had all promised her their support to overturn the decree and restore the rightful rewards Viserra and her husband had earned.

And how did she repay them? With an illicit war to conquer a foreign nation and set her husband up as an independent ruler, daring to make him an equal of his rightful liege House Targaryen. It was an absolute betrayal of their family, undermining their position as the rulers of Westeros and their reputation among their other vassals.

Whether they had agreed with his initial decision or not, House Targaryen had had no choice but to unite behind their father and king to face the ramifications of what Viserra and the Velaryons had done. Their reprisal had been swift and brutal.

With Aemon and Baelon's backing, and her mother's reluctant approval, her father had begun methodically destroying the finances and influence of House Velaryon in any way that he could, throwing the full weight of his power and reputation as the legendary Conciliator behind it.

Her father's wrath was quite terrifying when it was aroused. The charter of Spicetown that had been Viserra's dowry, had been effectively suspended. Numerous taxes, tariffs, customs, and every possible legal and bureaucratic obstacle had been placed on Driftmark to impede its ability to export goods to both Westeros and Essos. Foreign ships and merchants were encouraged and enticed to make port in King's Landing or even Duskendale as far as possible, and provided all the reasons to not go to Spicetown as they might have before. The trade Driftmark had once drawn from King's Landing had returned at long last.

The true Master of Coin, Florence Fossoway, and her brother Aemon, the Master of Laws, had worked meticulously to provide her father with these options. They had even helped him draft new laws and raised new and high taxes that appeared impartial and fair but in practice were only applicable or enforced on the Velaryons and those who dealt with them.

The Velaryons had attempted to work around the restrictions by shipping goods with their personal fleet to Tyrosh, bypassing the tariffs, and exporting from there instead but then her father imposed similar restrictions on Tyrosh shortly after. While he couldn't stop Tyrosh's exports to Essos the way he was restricting Driftmark's, he could deny them any purchase in Westeros. With Tyrosh as unstable and shaken as it was from the war and the abrupt end of slavery, surely the Velaryon fortune could not long survive and they would be forced to withdraw and beg for clemency from the King?

In truth that was merely an assumption, a hope to be honest. They did not actually know. Not even Quentyn Qoherys, the Master of Whisperers himself or his spies, had been able to ascertain the current state of the Velaryon's fortune.

Customs officers and inspectors dispatched to Driftmark had reported on how badly the restrictions were affecting Driftmark's merchants and smallfolk, many of whom had seen their livelihoods diminished, if not destroyed. Yet so far it seemed not a dent had been made in the Velaryon's seemingly endless wealth. They still paid their servants and guards the same wage they had before, and had even begun giving aid to the people of Driftmark.

Contrary to her father's expectations and hopes, the people of Driftmark had not turned against House Velaryon. Instead, it seemed their loyalty to the Seahorse was stronger than ever. They rallied behind their lord and lady and whispered to each other of the tyranny and heavy-handedness of the supposed Conciliator.

Gulltown, Crackclaw Point, and Tarth were outraged. The new policies and restrictions affected them most severely as the largest trading partners of Driftmark and House Velaryon's strongest allies. They and other Velaryon allies and trading partners had petitioned and sought redress or relief at court but their attempts had been for naught. Her father was King and wielded great power. With one hand he deftly ignored the petitions of the mere merchants and smallfolk, dragging out decisions with 'careful deliberation' and ultimately changing nothing, and with the other he extended a helping hand to Houses Grafton, Celtigar, and Tarth, if only they would reduce their support for the Velaryons.

Driftmark and her allies were not alone in their suffering however. Though no restrictions had been imposed on the rest of Westeros beyond the bans and limitations on imports from Driftmark, many had already begun complaining and protesting her father's restrictions. Smallfolk and nobles alike from the Crownlands, Riverlands, and Stormlands appeared in the throne room of the Red Keep daily seeking redress and the King's aid in solving their crises, and their number and status was great enough that he could not ignore them all. King's Landing itself had suffered grievously from the restrictions. Many whose businesses and trades had depended on exports and imports to and from Driftmark now found their livelihoods threatened.

The Velaryons had traded extensively with much of the eastern coast of the realm, selling spices and silks and other exotic luxuries from the Far East or exporting their own innovations and designs such as the compass, concrete, and other highly valuable and useful imports. Suffice to say, the upgrading and expansion of her father's beloved roads had halted as an alternative to Driftmark concrete was searched for.

Her father was not unaware of this however. No king accrued the reputation of the Conciliator without a measure of competence and skill. Cunning as always, her father had summoned many great and wealthy lords and merchants to the capital. Houses such as Darklyn, Rosby, Estermont, Whitehead, Swann, Peake, Caswell, Footly, Manderly, Redwyne, Hightower, Lannister, and many more.

The work had already begun. Robert Redwyne was now the new Master of Ships, his brother Rickard was the Lord of Redwater and Larazor's Rock in the Stepstones. Their goodbrother Ser Otto Hightower had been named the Lord of Highwatch and Governor of the Stepstones. Lord Darklyn's younger son had been given Dustspear. Tymond Lannister's infant son, had been given the Lordship of Guardian and Golden Haven, just so the Lannisters backed her father and his policies with their immense wealth. And Lord Theomore Manderly, always so close and loyal to her parents? His second son had been given Serpentholm.

With her uncle Boremund having been given Veil, only two major lordships were left in the Stepstones to give out. Scarwood and Grey Gallows. Perhaps that was why her father had summoned Saera of all people back to the capital? An attempt to gain the support of Maidenpool and make amends with an estranged daughter for the sake of family unity?

Her father spoke a lot about family unity these days. It was for the sake of the family, so he had said, that he had confirmed the plans for the construction of the Royal Citadel, a branch of the Oldtown Citadel meant to help King's Landing compete with Driftmark's university. It was for the family that he had approved the construction of a new great Sept on Visenya's Hill, to replace the Sept of Remembrance that Maegor the Cruel had once destroyed. Vaegon and Maegelle would be heading the new Citadel and Sept, and perhaps in time House Targaryen might have full control of both the Maesters and the Faith. Surely that was good for the family?

Was it for their family and house, that their father had all but ordered Aemon to give Rhaenys's hand to Viserys? The betrothal had been confirmed already, though it had yet to be announced publicly. They would wed in two years when Viserys was five and ten. Part of Alyssa felt like she should be overjoyed, Baelon certainly was. Their son would be King Consort, their grandson would be King in his own right, their line would be joined with that of their beloved elder brother Aemon.

Surely that was good for the family? It united the claims, kept their house from splintering. Even Aemon himself had reluctantly consented to the match and had come to see its benefits, having told as much to Baelon himself. Yet why did it leave such a foul taste in her mouth?

Perhaps she wished her son and niece had been given the right to marry for love as she had? Perhaps she wished her brother had wanted to join their lines out of love for her and Baelon and not political demands? Alyssa wasn't sure. It felt like something had gone very wrong with her family lately.

Wasn't Viserra their family too? For all that politics and the ever present game of thrones demanded it, this feud with House Velaryon was not something Alyssa wanted. Viserra had been her sister long before she had been the Lady of the Tides and the rider of Dreamfyre. Why did those titles stand in the way between them?

At this point Alyssa wasn't even sure who she resented more. Was it her father, who had created this whole damn mess with his stubborn and obstinate refusal to give the Velaryons the Stepstones like they had rightfully deserved? Was it Corlys Velaryon? The overly proud and arrogant fool who had been so incapable of patience he committed treason in all but name and dragged her sister into it? Was it Viserra herself? Who had blindly followed her husband and set herself down a path that could lead to her being killed by her own family?

That was Alyssa's greatest fear right now. It haunted her dreams. The idea that a terrible day might come that House Velaryon's defiance goes too far, their sins too great to be forgiven any longer. On that day, her father would order House Targaryen to war, and one of them, be it her father, her mother, her brothers, or even Alyssa herself, would end up killing Viserra. Her little sister, beautiful and vain, proud and passionate, loving and kind, would die for the pride of two stubborn fools.

Alyssa cursed her father again, but she found her resentment burned more for the Sea Snake. Her father had made a stubborn mistake but he was the King and he was kin. There were ways that the Velaryons could have appealed or sought support from other members of her house. Instead they had turned to the most drastic possible option and it was all the fault of Corlys Velaryon.

To think that she had once thought him good for her sister! Corlys Velaryon lived up to his epithet. He was a snake indeed. He had wormed his way into her innocent little sister's heart, turned her against her family for the sake of his pride. Her father might have started this feud, but it was Corlys who had escalated it so dangerously with his brazen conquest of Tyrosh. It was all that arrogant self-proclaimed Archon's fault! He had ruined her family and taken her sister away from her!

As her anger reached its peak, unbidden the memories came of that day. Viserra in tears as her family judged her for something that would not have been a crime if she had only had a brother to wed. Her heart on her sleeves for the first time in years, the mask thrown aside as she revealed the depths of her despair.

Her rage left her, and Alyssa sank into her chair, tired. Her anxious mind had led to her pacing worriedly around her quarters for the past hour when she should have been getting ready for dinner.

How much could she really blame Corlys for turning Viserra against her family, when they had already done half the work for him? She thought of her sons, Viserys and Daemon, even Aegon her precious babe who had died before he had truly lived. Would she not do anything for them? To see them get what they deserved? How could she resent Viserra for doing the same for her boys?

But she had to try! No matter how good Corlys had been for Viserra, if he continued leading her down this path, regardless of her own willingness to pursue it, it would only have a tragic end. For the both of them, and their sons.

Viserra was the key to Corlys's occupation of Tyrosh. Without Viserra and Dreamfyre, Corlys would never have been able to take the city to begin with. If she withdrew her support for any reason, the Velaryons would have no choice but to withdraw and this crisis could come to an end.

For Viserra's sake, for all of their sakes, Alyssa had to convince Viserra to pull back. She knew that was asking her to betray her husband and the father of her children, but she'd rather that than both of them dead and their children left hostages of the Iron Throne. So long as Viserra refused to answer her letters however, Alyssa couldn't get her to do anything. And it was so frustrating to feel so powerless.

 A knock on the door distracted Alyssa from her dark thoughts. Making herself presentable in a hurry, Alyssa spoke. "Come in."

Her husband entered the room. Baelon was as dashing and gorgeous as the day they had married. He always was. It was Alyssa herself who had fallen from the bold girl she had once been but Baelon had remained a constant, a rock in her life, and she would always be grateful for that.

"What troubles you?" he asked.

Despite herself, Alyssa smiled. Baelon knew, he always knew. Even when she had been in the depths of her melancholy and despair after her son had died, Baelon and their wonderful older two children had been what had kept her from giving it all up. He had tried so hard to understand, even when he couldn't truly, even when it burdened him to even try. He was her light.

And sometimes, there was no need to dim that light with your burdens. She had already confided in Baelon before, and had seen how it had worn down on him. She hated that, hated dragging her love down with her. So she kept her thoughts to herself this time.

"Just wondering how dinner is going to go with Saera and Daella in the same room," she lied with a smile.

She could tell that Baelon didn't believe her. He knew her too well. But he let it pass, for now, and she was grateful for that.

"It will be… interesting, that's for sure," he said in reply to her lie.

"More interesting than Saera and Father sharing a room again?" she teased with a smirk, eliciting a genuine laugh from Baelon.

"I genuinely do wonder how that is going to go."

Alyssa melted into the comfort of her husband's presence. Soon the dark thoughts were banished, for the time being at least.

_________________________________________________

She twiddled her thumbs anxiously, seated at her place at the dinner table. Her husband and eldest son were beside her but they were not comfort enough to ease her mind. Something Alyssa had learned long ago about having a melancholic state of mind, was that one often found new things to brood on even when they didn't want to. For now, her thoughts and worries over Viserra and the Velaryons were laid to rest, but a new concern, if less worrying, had arisen.

It had only really just sunk in that Saera and Daella had returned to King's Landing. Both had presented themselves at court that morning, but Alyssa had not been able to greet either of them before they had disappeared with their families to settle into their quarters.

Now, now they had returned and Alyssa was left uncertain. She hadn't seen either of them in years. Neither had attended Viserra's wedding. Saera, disgraced as she was, had not been invited, but Daella and her family could not attend either despite their invite. Raids by the Mountain Clans had made the Vale unsafe to travel at the time and Daella's husband and goodbrother had actually gone out to fight.

She had a niece, and two nephews she had never even met coming for dinner today. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about that, but she suspected guilt was part of it. She had promised Daella years ago that she would write and visit but after her son Aegon had died in the cradle in 85 AC and she had fallen into melancholy and despair, she had stopped keeping that promise. Even when she had begun to recover, she hadn't written again. It hadn't felt right, for some reason.

The room was beginning to fill with the members of the royal family and their kin. Her uncle Boremund and his wife were speaking with Aemon and Jocelyn by the door. Borros seemed to be making friends with Daemon and Gael. Rhaenys appeared from a neighboring room and eagerly greeted her uncle.

The door opened then, and in walked the Arryns. Lord Rodrik looked much similar to what Alyssa remembered from her youth. Short, and pot-bellied, but humorous and affable. He was no great warrior but he was beloved nonetheless by all in the Vale. A strong and just ruler that had served ably as the Iron Throne's justiciar and Master of Laws for decades.

His son was beside him, the dazzling Ser Jasper Arryn, some in court were calling him the 'Darling of the Vale'. Alyssa would admit they did not do so without reason. Ser Jasper was tall and broad, with a flat stomach as hard as oak. All the warrior his father was not. His eyes were kind and charming but also belied his protectiveness.

The years had been kind to Jasper Arryn, and he had grown up into himself very well from the lanky awkward boy that had married Daella ten years ago. Yet where the change in Jasper was surprising, the change in his wife, in Alyssa's sister, was nothing more than astounding.

The timid, shy, and sweet sister Alyssa remembered was hard to find in the confident and daring young woman that stood in front of her. She carried herself with surety and elegance in an Arryn sky-blue dress. Her hair, silver and glowing like the moon, had clearly been fashioned to resemble the moon on the Arryn banner, with a crescent moon headdress helping to create the image. Her back was impeccably straight, head held high, grace in her steps as she treaded along to their mother and embraced her dearly.

Their father looked absolutely astonished by the change in Daella's character, though their mother had instead a proud smirk. A sliver of guilt crept up as Alyssa remembered that alone of the family, other than perhaps Maegelle, her mother had kept writing to Daella and had even visited her at times, including at the birth of her daughter, the adorable little Aemma, all of eight years old and clinging to her mother's dress.

Little Aemma Arryn was her mother's spitting image. Purple-blue eyes on a cute little face with silver-blonde hair tied neatly in an imitation of her mother's hairstyle. The little lady clearly adored her mother and sought to emulate her.

As she approached Daella, Alyssa realized that if she looked hard enough, she could see hints of bravado in her step, traces of hesitance in her stride, as she walked over to them. Few would recognize it, and Alyssa certainly would never have until she had had to learn how to do it herself Sometimes the easiest way to become confident was to pretend until it became real.

"Alyssa!" her sister said with cheer as they embraced. Little Aemma was beside her, all but hiding behind her mother.

"Oh I'm sorry about Aemma. She's not usually this shy. I think she feels a little nervous about meeting so many family members she's never met before."

"That's alright Daella," Alyssa said as she knelt. "Hey. I'm your Aunt Alyssa, your mother's older sister. It's nice to meet you Aemma."

"It's nice to meet you too Aunt Alyssa," she replied shyly, an adorable half smile on her face as she shuffled nervously.

"I know just the trick to make you feel a little less shy Aemma, don't worry," she told her niece. "Daemon! Gael! Come here!"

"Aemma, I want you to meet some people. This here is my younger son, Daemon, he's your cousin. He's only about a year older than you so I hope you two get along," she said as she pushed her son forward.

Let it not be said that her son couldn't be a gentleman when he wanted to be. He graciously bowed and took his cousin's hand and kissed it gently. "A pleasure to meet you Lady Aemma. Might I say, your hair looks splendid," he complimented. The blush on Aemma's pale face made her resemble a cherry.

Gael seemed to be irritated though, amusing Alyssa. She remembered what that felt like. Why couldn't the stupid thickheaded boy just realize it yet? Baelon had realized it… eventually, and if Daemon took too long to do the same, Alyssa would just have to be a good sister and mother both and beat it into his head.

"This here is your Aunt Gael, your mother's and my younger sister," Alyssa said, introducing Gael to Aemma.

Poor little Aemma looked positively confused. "But you're my age!"

Gael seemed to find her astonishment amusing. "Two years older if I recall correctly."

The knowledge that her aunt was older than her by two years did not seem to diminish Aemma's surprise very much. Alyssa understood the feeling. Gael was even younger than Rhaenys and Viserys were. Children had a tendency to expect all their aunts and uncles to be much older than they were and were usually shocked to find that wasn't always the case. Quite often not actually. Alyssa's own uncle and aunt, Boremund and Jocelyn were of similar age to her elder brothers, barely older than she was.

"Don't worry Aemma. There's no need at all to be so polite with Gael. We only call her Aunt if we're trying to annoy her," Daemon said conspiratorially to his cousin.

The look in Gael's eyes promised retribution. She grabbed Aemma's hand and pulled her away. "Come, let's go meet Rhaenys and Borros. We can leave Daemon here with his 'Aunt'."

"Hey!" Daemon was insulted. "Wait for me!" he shouted as he ran after them.

Alyssa laughed. The antics of the children never failed to make her laugh, even in her darkest moments. "Viserys?" she called her eldest son, noticing his approach.

Viserys hurriedly embraced his aunt in greeting before turning to her. "You called mother?"

"Yes, do follow after your brother. Make sure he and the others don't get into any trouble. Rhaenys is there as well," she emphasized the last sentence pointedly.

Hiding a slight wince, Viserys nodded. "Yes mother."

As she watched her son walk off, Alyssa suppressed a sigh. Viserys was ever so dutiful. Her elder boy was so eager to obey and please. He was charming and made friends easily, and though not as talented as his younger brother, he was not incapable with a sword either. Why didn't Rhaenys see any of that?

"Do Rhaenys and Viserys not get along?" Daella asked.

Alyssa snapped back to her sister. She had become terrifyingly observant in the past ten years. Releasing her sigh, she answered.

"It's not that, they don't dislike each other or anything it's just… things have been… awkward between them since their betrothal was arranged. Father hasn't announced it to the realm yet, and they're already like this. I shudder to imagine what it will be like once it is common knowledge," Alyssa explained.

"I take it Rhaenys was not impressed with her husband to be?" Daella noted.

Alyssa suppressed a shudder at how astute her guess was. "She was not. She hasn't been impolite but she hasn't been acting much like a betrothed either. It's really weighing on Viserys."

"Tell your son he has to value her, and reassure her. I think that in time her disappointment with Viserys as a husband will fade as she comes to appreciate his good character, but she can never do that so long as her fear that she will be usurped by him remains."

"You think Rhaenys is fearful of that?" Alyssa asked.

Daella grimaced. "I have heard that Father has let it slip that he thinks Rhaenys is unsuitable as an heir. That he all but ordered this betrothal would be alarming to her I'm sure. Once they are wed, she can be disinherited so much easier, with the excuse that nothing will have changed, she will still be queen. But she will have been reduced from ruling to a consort."

Alyssa was impressed by Daella's astute political observations. It was the last thing she expected of her once timid little sister. And she sensed that something was not quite as it seemed.

"You feel strongly about this for a reason, don't you?" Alyssa said, looking at her niece. Her sister followed her eyes. Aemma Arryn was happily babbling with her cousins Borros, Daemon, and her aunt Gael. Rhaenys and Viserys stood awkwardly to the side watching them.

"Aemma is Jasper's only child. He and I are in agreement, as is my goodfather, that she is his heir. There are… many in the Vale who do not agree. My goodbrother Eldric is among them. He has a son not much younger than Aemma who is similar in age to her. Arnold by name. They do not get along well. He struts about the Eyrie like he is its heir. If I told Aemma she had to wed him, no matter the reason, she would be angry at me. She despises him," Daella said, as she gazed at her only child amongst the better half of her kin. The look in her eyes was one Alyssa recognized. The eyes of a mother, worried for her child's future.

She grabbed her sister's hands. "You have grown very wise in the years since we last met Daella. You have come a long way and I am so very proud of you. I just regret that I wasn't there to see any of this journey. I broke my promise to you… I'm so sorry little sister," Alyssa said, her voice cracking.

She felt a strange sense of loss. Though the pride she felt was immeasurable at seeing Daella finally grow up into a strong young woman and devoted mother, Alyssa could not help but feel grief knowing the little sister that had toddled after Maegelle and her was gone. Time had made a fool of Alyssa, and she had let it steal away from her years she might have spent watching her sister blossom. She was like a stranger to her now.

"No, no Alyssa," Daella said as she embraced her again. "It wasn't your fault sister. When you stopped writing to me, I admit I felt sad. I felt abandoned, and lonely. But Mother came to see me shortly after and explained what happened. And I am so, so sorry you had to go through that. I can't imagine what it must feel like to lose a child. I don't blame you Alyssa. I… I hope we might rekindle our sisterhood now."

Alyssa smiled. "Of course Daella."

Daella looked like she wished to say more, but it was then that Saera walked into the room. All conversation in the room halted at her abrupt entrance. Her two sons were on either side of her and her husband was behind her. Like he had been in the throne room, Lord Jonah Mooton was clearly submissive to his wife, though it seemed he was doing a better job of hiding that now that he was a little less terrified of the King's wrath after having been welcomed in peace.

"I'm not late am I?" Saera demanded bluntly.

Ever the peacemaker, Maegelle broke the silence. "Not at all Saera. You are quite on time. Please, do come in, take a seat."

Saera ignored Maegelle and turned to their parents. "Mother, Father," she said stiffly before pushing her two sons in front of her. "These two brats are my sons. Aegor and Maegon. Go on, introduce yourself to your grandparents," she told her sons.

Her mother seemed overjoyed to meet more of her grandchildren and just as she had with Aemma earlier, she eagerly introduced herself to them and spoke to them. Meanwhile, Saera and their father were staring at each other, each observing the other in silence before they broke away.

When the greetings had all finished, Father had called them all to their seats. Maegelle, ever insistent on following the Faith's teachings, led them all in prayer, saying grace and thanking the Seven for the food, before the servants brought them out.

The food was… disappointing. Alyssa would admit, she had become spoilt the last few years. When Corlys had become Master of Ships, spices had flowed readily into the Red Keep like never before. That flow had been cut off at her own father's command.

Spices were much rarer now, imported from passing swan ships or Essosi traders. She suspected her father had had some of the last of the Red Keep's spices used for this meal, there had been a complete lack of them in the previous weeks. Yet still it was not the same flavors that they had once been, the richness in taste that she had grown accustomed to was not present. A not unexpected side effect of their feud with the Velaryons, but a bitter one indeed.

She noticed several of her family members had similar feelings about the meal. The trace amounts of spices were enough to promise the flavor they craved but not enough to deliver. It was agonizing. She hoped her father's plans to make the spice flow again came through soon or half the family might defect to the Velaryons just for spice.

And oh Seven, whose brilliant idea was it to seat Saera and Daella directly opposite each other!? She could feel the tension in the air. Daella was glaring at Saera with no small amount of malice in her eyes while Saera only smirked smugly.

"Daella, I must ask. I think you've surprised almost all of us with the change in your demeanor. The last time many of us saw you, you were scared of your own shadow. Now I look at you and I see an elegant and poised lady. It's amazing to see, but I'm quite curious as to how it happened. Would you mind telling us?" Jocelyn asked, breaking the silence.

That drew attention from the entire family. All of them had been shocked by Daella's change. Many began paying rapt attention, curious to hear of how Daella, deemed unteachable by the Maesters, had learned to read and write properly.

Daella, a bit surprised to be put on the spot, recovered and took it in stride. "Well, it took time. It didn't happen overnight. It started... well I felt a little ashamed if I was being honest. With Lady Arryn sadly having passed away, I was supposed to be the new Lady of the Eyrie once I married Jasper, but unable to read properly, I was completely lacking. I threw myself into my studies and forced myself to learn how to distinguish the letters, best as I could. I eventually found that I could, with great difficulty and focus, read better. Once that was done, improving my writing was simply the next step. And after that, familiarizing myself with the accounts and other matters of the Eyrie's household came along in time."

In the corner of her eye, Alyssa noticed Vaegon scoffing and felt strongly tempted to pour a cup of wine on him again, like she once had years ago. Maybe it would remind him to not be a rude sod to Daella. To her surprise however, the smirk had fallen off Saera's face and she was paying close attention to Daella's story, a neutral and unreadable expression on her face.

"You used to struggle to memorize your prayers. The slightest thing would scare you," their father noted.

Daella nodded. "Yes. It took time to overcome those as well. As my reading improved, so did my confidence in myself. I was able to remember more easily, or at least be more sure that I remembered them. And eventually things that had once scared me, I forced myself to confront them. The Lady of the Eyrie could not be frightened of cats and bees."

"Lord Rodrik imparted some wisdom to help me in this time as well," Daella said with a gesture of thanks to her goodfather. "I had asked him once how to be brave when I was scared. He told me that that was the only time I could be brave. That courage was not the absence of fear, but the decision that something was more important than that fear. I decided that my duties to my daughter and to the Vale were more important than my fears."

Her mother was beaming proudly at Daella. The smile on her face was the widest Alyssa had seen since before the dispute with the Velaryons had started. Her father, Aemon, and Baelon looked amazed, and also proud. Uncle Boremund looked thoughtful. If she remembered correctly, his son Borros was barely able to read, much like Daella had been. Perhaps he wondered if he might help his son using what Daella had learned.

"Did Jasper help you with any of this?" Alyssa asked curiously. If the goodfather had helped, why not the husband? The Darling of the Vale preened beside his wife, a proud smile on his face as he looked at her.

To her surprise, Daella, who she had not thought the type to blush anymore, blushed as red as her daughter Aemma had. Oh? Alyssa thought, amused.

"Jasper was a great help. Whenever I felt like I wanted to give up, he would encourage me and push me to work harder, promising me… favors if I succeeded in my goal for the day."

She tried her best, she really did, but Alyssa could see the red bleeding into Daella's cheeks as her thoughts lingered on these favors. A grin found its way onto her face. Alyssa wondered if any of those favors had happened in bed. Oh where indeed had that sweet shy Daella gone? Little Daella would be scandalized to hear of what her older self had gotten up to.

Not that Alyssa had ever thought anything wrong with that. As far as she was concerned, what a wife did with her husband was between only the two of them and nothing to feel ashamed about. She had waited years to bed Baelon and she had ridden him eagerly when the time came.

Ah it was times like this that Alyssa felt a little more like her old self. It felt good. Things had been going surprisingly well. She clenched her fists around her cup when their mother asked Saera next however.

"How about you Saera? How has your time in Maidenpool been?"

Saera froze, looking like she hadn't expected the question. Chugging some wine, and Seven, Alyssa really hoped she wasn't getting herself drunk, Saera put down her cup and began to speak.

"Maidenpool was good. Is good. Better than King's Landing that's for sure, much less stench there. I made sure of that too. Had all the sewers expanded and redesigned."

Oh Seven. Alyssa took a sip of her own wine. You always needed to be just a little bit drunk yourself to handle Saera. Was she really poking at their father's work on King's Landing? Damn it Saera, didn't she know that was a sensitive topic with their father? Then again she probably knew exactly that, and that's exactly why she was bringing it up. It seemed grudges died hard.

"I heard you increased the incomes of Maidenpool tenfold in four years. I remember Lord Martyn and Lady Florence were astounded by the report," their mother said.

At this Alyssa scrutinized Saera more closely. She had not been aware of this at all. What even… tenfold? How did she accomplish that?

Saera leaned back into her seat, ever so pleased with herself. "That I did mother. That I did. See I was in a new town. The people were… a little apprehensive of me. I can't imagine why. Can't be a certain event that never happened. Certainly not. So there I was in a new place, alone without any family or friends, tossed out with nary a dowry, in a town that disliked me. How ever was I going to survive?

"Well I'll tell you how. I'll let you in on a little secret. Most people tend to like you if you make them rich. Most. For some reason I can't imagine, the increase in taxes we sent to King's Landing didn't do much to improve opinions of me here. I didn't get even a single letter for six years. Quite a curious difference from the norm."

Alyssa's eyes glanced over to their father. His expression was carefully guarded, and his face looked like it was carved from stone. She wondered why he had summoned Saera back to King's Landing if this was the result.

"The Maester always did tell me I was very clever. I just didn't 'apply myself'. Whatever that meant. So I just did it. You would not believe how inefficiently half the things in Maidenpool were done. Why some of them were still writing important records by hand! And then they got all mixed up or wrong and suddenly an entire shipment's gone missing. Can you imagine? Ugh. I had that sorted out right away. Had some printing presses brought in from Driftmark.

"Things went so smoothly after that and all the other nonsense was taken out. To be quite honest I wasn't expecting our incomes to increase that much. Who knew making money without a city charter was so easy?"

Alyssa felt like slamming her head into the table at this point. It was like Saera couldn't say a single paragraph without aiming a blow at their father. Now she was mentioning Driftmark and discarding the need for the city charter he had denied her.

"Soon enough, Maidenpool adored me. I'd made them rich, very rich. I was very loved. Everyone would wish me well, people in the court respected me and didn't slander me behind my back. Or if they did, they were smart enough to do it where I could not hear them," Saera said, a dark smile on her face.

Alyssa felt the slivers of guilt begin to creep up. Had Saera? …Of course she had been. She had been a wild princess, controversial and scandalous. Even before her disgrace, many had whispered of how wild and unladylike she was. Court was rarely a nice place and Saera had obviously not been spared its savageries.

"Eventually I had these two little rascals, and well things seemed perfect then," she said, a shocking tenderness in her voice as she ruffled the hair of her sons, disturbing their neat grooming and irritating them. Tough love Alyssa supposed.

Conversation was rather stilted and stiff after Saera's speech. It had been riddled with so many subtle and unsubtle jabs at their father, everyone had been left on edge wondering if the King was suddenly going to explode in anger. To his credit, her father seemed unaffected by Saera's words, engaging in casual small talk and even smiling, but Alyssa could not help but feel that there was some tension in the air still.

As the silence began to fade away and the room was filled with the bustle of a dozen conversations, Alyssa's thoughts drifted. All things considered, Saera had been rather restrained. Alyssa had half expected her to curse at their father with enough obscenities to make Maegelle's septa ears bleed and make Daemon admire his foul mouthed aunt forever more. That boy had enough of a foul mouth already, she didn't need Saera adding to his repertoire.

She hated to admit it, but Saera had displayed a shocking maturity. She had seen it most obviously when she had spoken of her sons. That tender care and love, that pride, it was clear to see. Even if she showed it differently than the rest of them did, Saera still had that motherly love for her children. It was the best of her. Saera had changed, it was undeniable. The years had made her responsible and far more mature than she had once been. Perhaps with even the slightest shreds of wisdom.

She still remembered how she had been disgraced. It had been over six years ago. At the time Alyssa had been heavily pregnant with the son that would be doomed to die before his time, but she had still been active enough to be involved with matters of the court.

Saera had always been difficult. Mischievous, even outright malicious at times. She had played cruel pranks on the court fool Tom Turnip and had brutally bullied Daella without relent. That is what had really made Alyssa dislike her. All of them did in some way or another. The daughters of Alysanne Targaryen had always agreed on few things but one thing they had was that their sister Saera was unlikeable and somehow their father and brothers just didn't see that.

Alyssa had complained to Baelon many times about it, but much like Aemon and their father, he had brushed off her misdeeds as childish mischief, amusing pranks that she would grow out of. Alyssa had disagreed but even then she had never expected what would happen.

It was eventually discovered, that Saera and her five friends, Lady Alyn Turnberry, Lady Perianne Moore, Ser Jonah Mooton, Lord Roy Connington, and Ser Braxton Beesbury, had been involved in a lurid scandal. Whispers had reached the court of kissing games and supposed orgies.

Alyssa and the rest of the family had suspected that Saera had been involved with all three men, possibly even the ladies as well. And yet when their father had questioned Saera, she had refused to answer, stubborn and defiant.

Perhaps he might have let it go, and swept the whole scandal away, had word not reached his ears of whispers that he was weak and unable to control his own daughter. Some had even dared to compare him to the late King Aenys. It was too late by then.

By the next morning, court had been gathered and were stunned to see Princess Saera and her five companions before the Iron Throne in shame. The King's wroth had grown immeasurable and his patience was at the breaking point.

Before the entire court, King Jaehaerys had demanded that his daughter name the man who had taken her maidenhead. Perhaps realizing that her time was up, Saera took a moment to think before she named Ser Jonah Mooton. Even now, Alyssa doubted that was true. In her mind, Saera had weighed her options and chosen the most appealing option, the richest, with a town worthy of being a city to his name as heir.

The very next moment, their father had pronounced her betrothed to Ser Jonah and commanded her to do penance in the Sept. She was to cast off all luxurious cloth and food and pray for guidance to virtue in the castle sept daily for three months.

Never one to take punishment lightly, Saera obstinately declared before court that she had done naught but offend the sensibilities of overly prudish septas. She was already to wed her betrothed. What need have she of penance?

Their father had grown wroth then and had tripled her penance and commanded her to obey or join the Silent Sisters. Dragged out by a Kingsguard and their mother's sworn shield, the King turned his attention on the remaining five.

Ser Jonah had been ordered to pay a weregild to her father, forfeit the dowry for Saera's hand, and spend a fortnight in the sept praying for forgiveness from the Maiden for deflowering a princess out of wedlock.

The remaining four were told to choose the partners they would wed. Later Alyssa had learned that the Kingsguard had whispered in their ears that the King had demanded their stories lined up with that of Saera's and Jonah's and if it diverged in any way, the consequences would be dire.

With the furious King atop his throne, they were all cowed and obeyed. Ser Braxton Beesbury would marry Lady Alyn Turnberry, and Lord Roy Connington would marry Lady Perianne Moore. All four would be banished from court for their part in a disgraceful scandal and once Saera's nine-month penance was over and she was wed to her Mooton betrohed in a quick and simple wedding, they too were banished from court.

She was brooding again. Alyssa shook herself from her thoughts, trying to shake out of the memories and dark thoughts.

Despite her efforts, it was not long before she found another to linger on. As the small talk continued, she felt it strongly. The keenly felt absence. With the gathering of the whole family like this, the absence of Viserra and her family felt like a scar on her heart, no matter the feud between their houses.

It was at that moment, rather uncannily, that her father stood up and began to make a speech. "My dear family. I thank you all for being with me here today. I have long pondered how we have been divided. Mistakes made in anger. Misunderstandings. Regrets left to linger." His eyes seemed to dwell on Saera as he said that last sentence.

"But no more! I hope to right any wrongs that exist between us, put aside the bad blood and animosity. We are kin! We are family! We must stand united in these trying times! A house divided against itself cannot stand, and though not all of us have the same name, what is undeniable is the bonds of kinship, by blood and by marriage, that bind us all together," her father said passionately as he took up his wine cup.

"To family!" he said as he raised his cup in a cheer.

"To family!" many of them chorused back, some eagerly, others only in obedience to their king.

Someone, Alyssa was not sure, began clapping at the King's speech, and soon the entire room was applauding her father's speech and calls for unity. All but one. Saera had not joined the cheer or the applause. Instead a look of exaggerated confusion had found its way onto her face.

"Forgive me father, I must confess myself… confused. You speak of uniting the family, putting aside bad blood and animosity… how can we do that when not all of us are gathered here?"

The silence was deafening. Thick and heavy, no one dared to speak a word as father and daughter glared at each other. Lord Jonah seemed to be silently pleading with Saera to stop but she did not listen to him. She stood up and continued, anger barely held in check on her face.

"I have one more sister. Do you remember her name? I wonder if I do because she hasn't even been mentioned at all. She has reason enough to seek redress does she not? I hear she is married too. Such a shame I wasn't invited to her wedding. Isn't her husband the famous Sea Snake? I was quite looking forward to meeting him, and their two brats that she apparently gave dragons to. But she's not here. Isn't she family as well?

"So tell me Father. Where is Viserra? Where is that vain little sister of mine and her brats and husband? Where is House Velaryon? Archons of Tyrosh and dragonlords? Are they not family as well? Do they not deserve to have their animosity settled? Or is that the truth that you have not spoken? The truth the rest of you know as well but are merely content to leave hanging in the air," Saera said as she pointed to the rest of the family.

"Let us not mince words Father," she said mockingly, turning her attention back onto the family patriarch, "you did not gather us all to make amends and unite the family. You brought us here to ensure we were behind you as you moved against the Velaryons. To be your willing servants as you persecuted yet another of your daughters."

The mask had broken, the anger and fire was clear to see in the eyes of both their father and Saera. Alyssa made to rise to try and calm tempers, her mother, Maegelle, and Aemon, and Baelon did too. But before they could, Daella spoke.

"Blunt as ever Saera. I see Maidenpool hasn't taught you the art of subtlety, or even common courtesy," she remarked drily.

Saera sneered. "Like the Vale apparently taught you how to read? Spare me your mocking Daella. It feels almost laughable coming from you."

Tempers were rising but it seemed like the anger had faded slightly from Saera when she spoke next. "I fear this conversation is not going well. May my family and I be excused, Your Grace?" she asked of their father… no, of her king.

Jaehaerys continued to glare at his wayward daughter before he finally said, "Go," and sat down immediately after.

Saera turned and walked out the door, her husband and sons quick on her heels. Alyssa sighed, placing her head in her palms. Her recently improved opinion of Saera had lowered all over again and yet… not a single word she had spoken had been untrue.