Chapter 9

Harry Potter + A song of Ice and Fire Crossover

Chapter 9

It would be quite fair and apt to say that Lily was quite bewildered for the next few days.

She said nothing of her encounter with the strange man to her Uncle who she knew for a fact had taken notice of her silence.

In truth, Lily's quiet introspection felt like something she had no choice but to engage in after the strange encounter.

She had kept the staff that the man had left behind but kept it charmed so that no one would notice it. The red head was on the fence about whether or not to mention the strange meeting to her Uncle because if she did, she might have to explain to him about her magic.

But would that really be so bad?

She had wondered about how much she should say or if she should say anything at all given what she knew.

But how much did she really know?

A man in a long green cloak with green eyes had sat beside her in the inn and she had had a short and odd conversation with him. And then he had disappeared into thin air leaving behind a strand weapon that she had never seen before but yet she couldn't help feeling was meant for her.

Naturally none of that made a lot of sense.

So Lily decided to keep silent for the time being and yet keep the weapon close. If it was meant for her than she was going to learn how to use it gods damn it.

And so the next few days of their trip passed, they passed the God's eye and then left the Riverlands behind altogether.

Before long Lily became aware of rocky crags in the distance and the lush greens of the forest giving way to greys and steel colours of rough ground and stone. Their horses hooves on the path grew louder and the sky became more visible as they weren't nearly as many trees to obscure it.

"The Vale Lilian," her uncle called out to her in a rather formal voice. "The home of the Arryns and the Mountains of the Moon."

"I can see that," Lily muttered as she looked around. "It does have a certain majesty to it doesn't it?"

It did at that and Lily was suddenly reminded of the mountains that surrounded Hogwarts causing a lump to form in her throat.

She swallowed hard and turned back to her Uncle. "I hope I get to see more of them up close while I'm here."

He smiled at her. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves niece. I promised your father I would keep you out of trouble and I am certain that going traipsing through the mountains qualifies as trouble."

Lily laughed. "Well then let's just make sure we don't tell him."

Brynden raised an eyebrow. "There are times when you are so like me that it is frightening."

They had just passed over the channel between the Riverlands and the Vale and were now on the High Road heading towards the Bloody Gate which afforded Lily a spectacular view of the Vale of Arryn in all of its craggy glory.

So far they had met no travellers on the road which was a little odd but so far their company had paid it no mind.

It was a quiet overcast day which allowed for some blessed relief from the summer heat. The Vale was much cooler than the Riverlands and the wind whistled over the rocks and through the crags in a delightful chorus that lifted the hair from Lily's shoulders and rustled the sleeves of her tunic.

The staff which she had disillusioned was still strapped to her back and every so often she would reach back behind her shoulder and touch the top of the blade as if to make certain it was still there.

The presence of it still confused her but she had a feeling she was supposed to take it with her so she had.

What also confused her was the fact that it seemed to be the perfect weight and height for her. It's grip in her hands was perfect, and her fingers wrapped around the pole without them overlapping each other.

Underneath the leather wrapped grip was the strangest wood she had ever seen. It appeared to be birch bark but no type of birch bark she had ever seen. It was mostly white with a few streaks of black interspersed throughout.

She still examined the blades and the strange Runes carved into their flats wondering what on earth they meant.

She hoped in time that she would.

"Banners to the fore if you please," the Blackfish said suddenly and Lily looked at her Uncle sharply. "Is everything alright?"

"I thought I just heard a strange sound," Brynden Tully imparted. "Perhaps Lord Arryn sent a delegation to greet us."

Lily strained her ears to hear what her uncle was hearing for a moment and squinted slightly as she looked at the rocky crags around them.

And that was when she saw them.

They had entered a narrow passage in the path where only two horses could walk abreast and large rock walls rose on either side of them. They had passed through certain sections where the High Road mimicked such a design so Lily didn't find it alarming but in this silence she could almost feel a sense of tension begin to rise.

She glanced at her uncle's face and saw his narrowed eyes and grim countenance and slowly reached a hand behind her back to touch the blade of the staff, as if drawing comfort from its presence.

But when she chose to look around her at their surroundings she noticed that they were not alone.

Slowly coming up amidst the rocks was a strange collection of men in an even more peculiar assortment of armaments. Some had long hair and others kept their manes closely cropped. All had long beards as to guard their faces from the harsh winds in the mountains. Several of them had axe heads rising above their shoulders and she was certain she saw one with a flail of all things.

She narrowed her eyes, having heard stories of the Mountain Clans of the Vale, how they were of the First Men and were defeated by Artys Arryn when the Andals arrived in Westeros.

Some of them certainly looked the part of brutal killers given their whispered cheeks and hard expressions.

And then she looked ahead of her and saw that the narrow pass they needed to go through in order to continue their journey was begin blocked by another collection of the same men.

And all of their eyes were trained on their small party.

Oh dear…..

Lily reached out and touched her uncle's arm as he rode next to her. "We have an audience."

Immediately the Blackfish jerked his head upwards and took in the threat surrounding them. His eyes narrowed and he reached for his sword.

Lily knew he was analyzing patters and knowing that they were in a tight spot. If the men of the clans wished, they could pick them off with arrows one by one.

She could certainly see bows in the hands of many of them with arrows notched on the strings.

This was very bad indeed.

In an instant Lily realized that if it came down to a fight, she was going to have to use her magic to get them all out.

She took a deep breath and braced herself. She hadn't intended to reveal it in so wild a fashion but if it came down to it and she didn't have a choice that that was what she would do.

She noticed in the next instant rather that while all of them were armed, they had not drawn their weapons.

If they wanted to attack us they would certainly have done so by now, she thought to herself with a frown. What's going on here?

Brynden seemed to also sense that this was a strange encounter for he left his hand on his sword but did not draw it.

The horses nickered as if nervous and absently Lily patted the neck of her mount to calm her.

Just then a man with an impressive grey beard on the right side of the rocky craggy wall beside them called out something in a loud voice.

It made no sense to Lily but next to her, her Uncle suddenly stiffened as if he had been shocked.

"What did he say?" She asked.

"He is speaking in the old tongue," the Blackfish replied as if stunned.

Lily wasn't sure how her Uncle knew the old tongue of the First Men, but he had also traveled extensively so she decided not to question it.

"Uncle?" She asked again. "What did he say?"

Brynden Tully didn't have time to reply for in the next instant, even more men emerged from the rocks and alarmingly began to make their way down through the crevices towards them.

The horses cantered back and forth and Lily became even more aware of how difficult this would be to get out of if weapons were drawn.

It was then that she looked up and locked eyes with the man that had spoken and was shocked to see his eyes trained on her.

There was an almost burning intensity in the depths of those silvery grey eyes as if she was the whole purpose for which they had been stopped.

But the question that had yet to be answered was whether or not it was for good or ill.

Lily knew though she was the best chance for all of them getting out alive.

She tore her eyes quickly from the grey haired grey eyed man staring at her and assessed the number of men there were descending to know how much of a treat they possessed.

It was then that she became aware of that this entire party had their eyes focused on a single object as they came closer.

Her.

They want me, she realized with a start. But whatever for? Do they know who I am? And if so, how?

It was then that the words of the strange man in the green cloak came back to her from a few days earlier. He had somehow known her name and she had had no idea way.

This was the second strange occurrence and the result of the first had been the weapon she was now carrying on her back.

And just then that strange weapon itself began to burn.

Lily jerked slightly as if she had been stung and blinked for a few seconds in shock before reaching back behind her shoulder and gingerly touching the tip of the staff.

A second later she jerked her hand back when her fingers came into contact with that same metal that was hot and growing steadily hotter.

What is this? She thought in alarm.

She looked back at the strange armor clad man heading towards her, weapons at his back but not in hand….and then she suddenly had an idea.

So she pulled her horse to a stop.

"Lilian, what in the seven hells are you doing?" Brynden Tully demanded.

"Testing a theory Uncle," Lily said as she got down from her horse, hardly daring herself to believe she was doing this. "Don't worry."

"Don't worry?!" the older man hissed. "What in the seven hells are you doing girl?!"

But Lily had already begun walking towards the older man approaching her and she wasn't quite sure why she was doing it.

There was a curious gravity all around her as if she were a magnet being drawn towards her corresponding half.

Perhaps it was the blade she was carrying, perhaps it was her own curiosity or perhaps it was a magic much stronger than she knew compelling her, but Lily couldn't have stopped her feet from moving or got back on the horse if she had tried.

Surprisingly enough, the man with the grey hair stopped walking the moment he reached the edge of the road.

His hands were held loosely at his sides and the weapons at his back remained untouched and when he stopped moving, everyone else on the rocks ceased to move as well.

It was as if they were one being moving in tandem which Lily supposed they had learned with the centuries of remaining hidden and constantly moving about among the rocks and crags and mountains of the Vale.

The movement behind her from her uncle at the rest of the party had ceased and Lily felt as if she might be able to cut the tension with a knife.

Finally the man spoke.

"You are Lilian Tully," he said and his voice was low and rough, some might say raspy but it had its own innate power as if he had spent the better part of his life speaking for others.

Instead if being intimidated however, the red head was fascinated.

"I am," she replied. "But how do you know my name?"

The man shrugged almost nonchalantly, "Old ways, old traditions."

Lily frowned. "What does that mean?"

He was being maddeningly vague but also very calm. Lily had heard stories about the viciousness of the Mountain Clans when she was a child but she wasn't certain if she truly believed them.

It was all too easy to paint one group of people with a dark brush simply because of the sins of the past.

She would know.

"There is something I must give you," the man said and Lily blinked before her frown deepened. "What is it?"

He held out his hand and reluctantly the red head placed hers forward into which he placed a small round object.

It was only when she brought her hand close to her face that she realized what it was and her eyes widened in shock.

It was a small circular disk about the size of the middle of her palm and about half an inch thick. Engraved in the centre of it was a tree that could only be identified as a weirwood.

A chill stole over Lily then and she realized that the weapon at her back had ceased to burn and had turned cold all of a sudden.

A startled oath behind her caused her to look up and she blinked. When had that bank of clouds moved in? That hadn't been there a few moments ago.

It was almost as if a fine mist was creeping over the ground towards them like a snake preparing to strike and the air suddenly became very cold and damp like the sky had promised rain when a moment ago it was cool and sunny.

Something strange was going on her.

Lily turned back to the man who was watching her face intently. "Why did you give me this?"

"A message," he said in a low voice. "A message…and a warning."

"A warning?" Lily whispered back. "A warning for what?"

"You will soon know," he replied. "You have been marked. Our task is done."

"But – "

"Lilian!" the sharp voice of her uncle caught her attention and she reluctantly tore her gaze from him to turn back.

The Blackfish had gotten down off his horse with a hand on his sword and was looking at her with intent blue eyes. "Come, it is dangerous to be on the path with a fog bank like this moving in. We will not be able to tell how close we are to the cliffs."

Feeling torn, Lily glanced down one more time at the silver medallion before looking back up at the strange man from the Mountain Clans to demand more information.

And that was when the strangest thing of all occurred.

The moment Lily looked back to demand answers…she found she was alone.

There was a chorus of shouts and startled oaths from the men gathered in their company and Lily knew she hadn't been the only one to see the bizarre vanishing.

Every trace of the Mountain Clans that had been all around them along the path….was gone. It was almost as if they had faded away with the slowly incoming mist.

Ice slid up and down Lily's back and she trembled for a moment before tightening a fist around the silver medallion.

"Uncle," she called out in a halting voice. "Did you see that?"

"I saw it my lady," one of the other guards replied in a stunned and awed voice. "They just faded away on the misty air."

"Was it….Was it magic?" one of the other guards asked in a somewhat hollow voice.

"Magic is gone from this world," Brynden Tully replied but for once he didn't seem sure of himself in the way that Lily knew her stalwart uncle to be. The line seemed to be something he was saying because he had been told it all his life.

"Given what we've seen Uncle I don't think that's strictly true anymore," Lily muttered.

She glanced down at the silver medallion gently trailed her finger across the surface of the engraved tree and nearly flinched when she felt a slight tingle race up her arm as if a trickle of cold water had been run across it.

"Whatever the case," the Blackfish said, his voice returning to its familiar commanding tone. "We should leave this place. Enough mysticism has been had for one day."

Almost reluctantly Lily walked back to her horse but not before slipping the silver medallion into her pocket.

As she climbed onto her horse however she could feel her uncle's eyes on her saying clearly a message without words.

We will talk….and soon.

Ω

For Lily, the next few days passed as simply one long continuous silence.

She and her uncle never talked about what happened on the road with the Mountain Clan and how they had disappeared into the fog, but it hung in the air between them like a rain cloud ready to pour out at any moment.

The medallion that Lily had slipped into her pocket remained there for her to reach in and touch every so often just to make certain it hadn't disappeared.

What also hadn't disappeared were some of the words that the man had spoken to her.

You have been marked…..what the bloody hell did that mean?

Those four words bounced around in her mind for those days on the road like an ancient echo or a clanging gong which continued to reverberate when struck.

Every so often Lily would feel her uncle's eyes on her but when she would look up at him his eyes were always facing forward.

There were things he wanted to say, she could feel it and yet how did one bring up a mystical meeting with a Mountain Clan that had faded from sight into the winds and in which a silver medallion changed hands.

You couldn't….so they didn't.

When they passed through one last cleft of rock on a crisp, cool but sunny day and Lily caught a glimpse of the Eyrie for the first time, she breathed and unconscious sigh of relief.

"Take a look Lilian," Brynden Tully said as he pulled his mount to a stop next to hers. "This is the ancestral seat of the Arryn of the Vale that they have held since the Andal invasion centuries ago."

It certainly was impressive.

Situated atop the massive stone spire known as the Giant's Lance sat a white castle that almost rose like a throne over the whole valley below.

There were seven slim white towers clustered around the outside of the keep and Lily knew they would serve as a defense should the Vale ever be attacked.

That was unlikely however as there was only one road the Vale could be reached by which they were riding on now.

A single stone road jutted out over the valley which was resting atop a natural precipice that must have hung there for generations.

It was the only way to reach the keep and the only way to leave it.

Short of a dragon, the Eyrie could never be breached.

The white keep gleamed in the sunlight making it hard for Lily to take it in at times. She had a feeling that from the right vantage point that keep could be seen for miles in every direction.

In the back of her mind, the red head made a mental note to find a spot like that in the keep where she could see for miles in every direction.

On a clear day like this one she imagined it would be a stunning sight.

"You've been here before haven't you Uncle?" she asked.

"I have," the Blackfish replied. "Not often but I have. There have been times when I considered being the Knight of the Gate but it seems a rather boorish task that I think I will pass on."

Lily chuckled and then urged her horse after him and the rest of the guard to continue in single file on the High Road up to the keep.

Finally they entered the stone road over the precipice and Lily had to fight the urge to look down, certain it was going to make her dizzy.

A wind raced past them making an odd whistling sound as it dashed in and out of the rock crevices throughout the valley.

As Lily listened carefully she almost though it sounded like a wolf howling.

It was both eerie and beautiful.

Her face must have born a curious expression because her uncle chuckled next to her. "It's something to get used to. When I was first here I awakened sometime in the night and that was the only sound I heard all across the valley. It took me a long time to get back to sleep after."

"I should say so," Lily muttered. "I imagine the Arryns have gotten used to it after all the years of living in this place."

The wind howled again and she pulled the hood of her cloak up to block it and secured the garment with the pin of a silver fish.

"The view certainly is impressive," she said. "But somehow I thought the keep itself would look bigger. Different expectations I suppose."

Her uncle didn't reply for a moment. "Its supposed to be a sort of nest in the sky, impenetrable from all land based foes. That may very well be why the Targaryens have been the only one to conquer it since the Andal invasion."

"No one could very well conquer it now though," Lily replied thoughtfully. "There aren't any more dragons."

"And thank goodness for that," The Blackfish muttered before he spurred his horse into action to follow his men. "Come along Lilian. I am certain that Lord Arryn is waiting."

No more was said as the small company continued their journey over the stone bridge and guided their horses up the steep steps of the High Road towards the Eyrie.

In some places Lily truly felt sorry for her horse and made a mental note to herself to rub him down and make certain he was comfortable after the long ride and this climb.

All other times her head was craned back as she took in the Eyrie which seemed to grow bigger the closer they got to it.

The seven white towers seemed even more ivory colored in the light and Lily imagined them to be quite beautiful for a moment.

And then a stiff grim wind blew in across the open valley and she gritted her teeth. Merlin, that breeze cut like a knife.

She imagined that after living there for her entire life she might be used to it. After all she had gotten used to the bitter cold winds that blew down from the mountains and out across the Black Lake at Hogwarts.

Her throat tightened slightly at the memory of studying down by the water under that special tree that she had loved so much, looking up at the stars and the passing clouds and looking out over the water and talking as she had done with her friends after exams.

Now there was none of that.

Merlin, there are times when I really miss exams. Vyman's verbal tests really aren't enough.

As they neared the main gates of the Eyrie there was a shout from above and Brynden roared back a response which startled Lily out of her reverie.

A moment later there was a deep grinding sound and the massive iron gates swung open like a giant's arms to welcome them in.

The whole place was like a castle in the clouds and Lily thought with a short smile that this keep would have been good inspiration for a Jack in the Beanstalk movie.

She and her uncle clattered through the doors and into a stone courtyard with the rest of their guard to shouts all around them as groomsmen hurried forward to take command of the horses.

Lily looked around from under the privacy of the hood still atop her head.

The courtyard wasn't large but it wasn't small either and was made of white stone as stark as the rocks which made up the towers that surrounded them.

Off to the right there was a path which Lily assumed led to the stables and to the left there was another large door which must have led to the inner sanctum of the keep.

"Ser Brynden!"

At the sound of the unfamiliar voice, Lily's head whipped around and her eyes took in a new man in Arryn blue striding towards them. He appeared too old to be the nephew of Lord Arryn but too young to be Lord Arryn himself.

Her uncle seemed to know who he was however for he gave a wolfish grin and fair nearly jumped off his horse.

"Nestor Royce," he bellowed and clasped hands with the other man as he came to a stop in front of him. "I haven't seen your face in a damn age!"

"I hardly think it was that long Ser," the man replied with a chuckle. He had brown hair and brown eyes which Lily noticed when she took a good long look at him. There were lines around his eyes indicating that he smiled a lot and a deeply tanned face making her think he spent a lot of time under the sun.

"Well your hair was not this grey when I saw it last," Brynden guffawed. "Jon working you that hard then?"

"No Ser," Nestor replied. "But the Vale does have her tiresome moments."

"More than a few I dare say," The Blackfish muttered before turning to Lily who had dismounted from her horse. "Niece, I would like to introduce you to someone."

"I believe I heard his name uncle," the red head said with amusement evident in her tone. "Who couldn't with you bellowing it around the courtyard?"

The Blackfish barked out a laugh and then turned to Royce. "Very well then, I will do this in the opposite manner. Nestor Royce, I would like to introduce you to my niece Lilian Tully, my brother's youngest daughter."

Lily smiled and pulled down the hood of her cloak so the steward wouldn't see a shadowed face any longer. "It's very nice to meet you sir."

"Likewise my lady," the steward said giving her a warm smile before turning back to Brynden. "You made good time. We were not expecting you for a few hours more. Lord Arryn wishes me to apologize. He was called away on some unexpected business and should return in an hour or two with his nephew and two wards. In the meantime, the Eyrie is at your disposal."

Lily gave the other man a brief smile, feeling a little relieved that she wouldn't have to play the role of lady for a few more hours. Right now she wanted a bath, something to eat and a short nap to get rid of the travel weariness she knew was clinging to her like a subtle fog.

She wanted to be alone with her thoughts as well. The appearance of the Mountain Clans before them had rattled her more than she wanted to admit.

The silver medallion that had been given to her was still in her pocket and seemed extremely heavy.

She wanted a better look at it but she also didn't want to do it when everyone else was around.

That encounter, even though she had experienced it with others around her felt extremely personal and almost raw.

Now she had two things to contemplate….the staff and the stone.

And something told her she would need to figure out the meaning of both soon.

As the steward of the Eyrie barked orders at the groomsmen to take charge of their horses, Lily and her uncle followed him through the large doors of the white castle and down a long hallway towards what she assumed to be the main hallway.

The floors and walls were pale and in places veined with fragments of blue stone. It was rather pretty in Lily's opinion and she was able to lose her deeper thoughts with appreciation for the scenery.

Torches lined the walls but they were not burning as it was not yet night. On either side of each torch was a pillar in the same white stone veined with webs of blue.

Every so often they would pass a tall window which afforded Lily a glimpse of the mountainous country that surrounded the Eyrie.

The entire color palate was awash in shades of white, blue, grey, brown and the odd patch of green in some places yet the first two were overwhelmingly apparent.

No wonder the colors of House Arryn are blue and white. I won't ever understand why green wasn't a part of our banner when its all we're surrounded by in the Riverlands. What does red have to do with our home?

Her thoughts were interrupted when a tall archway appeared ahead of them and she followed her uncle into a rather large hall that was lined with long white tables on either side of the room.

At the front there was a pair of steps that led up to yet another white table that had an ancient looking white chair made of weirwood sitting at its center.

The hall was lined with the same tall windows that lined the hallway which allowed a near perfect view of the mountains around them.

On a clear day like today Lily imagined she would have been able to see for miles in every direction.

"The high hall Ser, my lady," Nestor Royce explained. "When Lord Arryn returns in a few hours he will sup with you here."

Lily nodded and then allowed the words of her uncle and Nestor's conversation fade into the background as she wandered towards one of the windows to look outside.

Like she had suspected, the view was spectacular and off in the distance atop the mountains it looked as if she could see falcons circling, wings wind just wafting on the afternoon breeze.

Appropriate.

She could still feel the weight of the medallion in her pocket and absently she reached her fingers down into her pocket feeling the top of the rounded surface.

Her fingers tingled as she ran her hand over it and it was only when she heard her uncle calling her name that she jerked her hand out and turned to him.

"Yes Uncle?" she asked.

"We are about to be shown to our rooms," He said giving her an odd look as if he had called her more than once.

"Coming," she replied.

But as they were shown out of the high hall, Lily could feel her uncle's eyes on her and she had a feeling that that conversation he intended to have with her would happen before the day was out.

Ω

Not long after she had found her guest chambers and had a long hot bath to get rid of the stench of travel did Lily hear the sound of a knock on her door.

She had exchanged her riding clothes for a simple blue dress with long sleeves and a scooped neck before leaving her hair in its long red curls.

Sometimes it was nice to wear pretty things and sometimes it was nice to simply run around dressed in a tunic and trousers. She liked to think she was versatile that way.

She had been sitting in the rather large window seat writing a letter to Lysa who had no doubt arrived at the capital by now when she heard the intrusion.

"Come," she called.

A moment later the door opened to reveal the only person it would make sense to see.

"Hello Uncle Brynden," she said with a cheery smile as the auburn haired man came through the door.

He too had changed his clothes to a dark blue tunic and trousers tucked into brown boots. His hair was tousled as well betraying that he too had bathed to rid himself of the stink of travel.

He wasn't carrying his sword and there was no cloak about his shoulders but Lily could see the long dagger he usually kept concealed on his person strapped to his belt in plain sight.

One thing she had learned about sparring with her uncle throughout the years was that he always had a trick up his sleeve and he didn't take it easy on anyone he was sparring with, practice or otherwise.

She remembered a time two years ago when Lily thought a squire might have gotten lucky in one of his bouts with him and somehow gotten the sword out of her uncle's hand.

It was an incredibly fortunate shot made mostly from desperation rather than skill but in the blink of an eye the same blade her uncle was carrying was in his hands and at the throat of the squire as if he had never been disarmed at all.

"Hello child," he said. "Lord Arryn's banners have been spotted. I thought perhaps it might be a good idea to go to the High Hall to greet him."

"That's a good idea," Lily replied setting her quill and parchment aside.

"Who are you writing to?" Brynden asked as he sat down opposite her.

"Lysa," Lily replied. "No doubt they have all arrived in the capital by now and I wanted to see how Axel was."

"A prudent idea," the Blackfish replied.

It was then that he glanced down at the cushions on the window seat where the medallion was resting.

Lily had taken it out of her pocket and placed it there when she went to have her bath and hadn't as yet returned it to her things.

As soon as the silence fell, the red head had a feeling that that conversation would be coming now.

Slowly, almost as if he were afraid of it, the Blackfish reached down and touched the tree carved into the face of the odd flat stone.

Lily carefully watched his face, trying to come up with something to say to make the silence seem a little less heavy.

But her uncle beat her to it.

"I've seen a lot of strange things traveling back and forth across this country," he said finally. "But being confronted by a veritable herd of Mountain Clansmen who didn't attack is something I have never seen before."

"It will certainly be quite a story," was all Lily said.

"One that I would not wish to repeat any time soon," Brynden Tully replied. "After all who would believe us?"

"Lord Arryn?"

"Perhaps, but I would not wish to impart this knowledge yet until I know what it all means."

"He," Lily faltered for a moment and swallowed hard before continuing. "He said…that it was a message."

One of her uncle's eyebrows rose so high it threatened to disappear into his hairline. "A message for what?"

"I asked," Lily replied. "but he wouldn't tell me. And then he said something else?"

"What?"

"He said….well he said it was a warning….and that I had been marked."

Her uncle's eyes widened. "Marked? Marked by what?"

"By this," Lily said holding up the medallion. "And I think the fact that I have it means something. I don't know what though."

Her uncle sighed and ran a hand through his already tousled hair. "I don't suppose we could simply write this all off as a trick of the mist?"

Lily chuckled. "There's far too much physical evidence otherwise."

Her uncle didn't laugh with her, in fact he seemed to become even more serious. "In that regard Lilian, I would tell no one of this encounter, not your siblings, not your father, not Petyr, no one. We don't know what this means and such an encounter, should it be revealed to more than the necessary people could spark….controversy in the Vale."

Lily narrowed her eyes at the older man. "What sort of possible controversy could this create?"

"You are of the Riverlands, the men we encountered are of the Vale. Your acceptance of this medallion could be taken to mean that you support the ongoing conflict between the Mountain Clans, the First Men of the Vale and those who count themselves Andal. The last thing we need is more armed conflict in the East."

Lily grimaced slightly. "They wouldn't take whatever this was that seriously would they?"

Her uncle uttered a bitter laugh. "I don't know what people would do or say and the last thing I wish to do is engage House Tully in a conflict with House Arryn, especially if your father has a marriage alliance in mind with them."

Lily snorted. "I wouldn't worry about that too much Uncle Brynden. Father is already set to claim the north and the west, what does he need the east for?"

Brynden Tully's answering chuckle was almost dark in tone. "When it comes to men like your father and Tywin Lannister and Aerys Targaryen Lilian, there is no such thing as too much power."

An ominous silence filled the chamber for a moment and Lily felt a chill rise on her skin.

It was darkly humorous the staying power that the words of Tom Riddle had in this life.

There is no such thing as good or evil….there is only power and those too weak to seize it.

It was also in that moment that she realized how different her father and her uncle were and perhaps that was why they had split ties all those years ago that had strained their relationship forever.

Brynden wasn't interested in power but Hoster was.

"Do you think you would have been different had you been born first and he had been the second son?" she asked curiously.

Brynden rubbed the side of his face wryly and uttered a deep exhalation that seemed to come from the pit of his stomach. "I have thought of that myself. Were you all my children I would like to think I would let you marry whoever you wanted but I cannot say with absolute certainty that that would be true. Power is a seductive mistress and its lure is difficult to resist."

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing," Lily said cocking her head to one side.

"Not at all," the Blackfish replied. "Power is not a bad thing. But it's a burden, not a right and those who have it must acknowledge that, otherwise you will end up with kings like Aerys Targaryen. Power can lead to the greatest downfalls in the world and the greatest victories. But it depends upon the right people. The right king and queen could lead this realm into the greatest golden age it has ever seen or they could lead it into a dark age."

"Aerys Targaryen seems as if he is testing that theory if the rumors we have heard are true," Lily muttered and her uncle chuckled.

"Don't say that too loudly. Even now where we are, far away from the capital, stranger things have happened."

He didn't know that Lily had placed silencing charms around her room so no one would hear whatever was spoken inside.

At the thought of that, the red head remembered the heavy issue of her magic and that this trip might be the perfect time to tell her uncle what and who she truly was.

And she had just opened her mouth to do so when there was another knock on the door.

"Come!" Brynden Tully barked as he got to his feet.

A servant in Arryn colors pushed the door open and bowed a second later when he saw the both of them together. "Your pardon ser, my lady. But Lord Arryn and his retinue have just arrived and are awaiting you in the High Hall."

"That was damn fast," Brynden muttered under his breath and then turned back to the servant to thank him.

"There goes my hopes for a peaceful evening," Lily muttered as she got to her feet after the servant had left. "I'll be the only girl amongst a gaggle of boys. I certainly hope some of them are conversationalists or this is going to be a very long night."

"You might be out of luck then niece," Brynden Tully chuckled as they headed for the door. "From what I hear Robert Baratheon lets his fists and hammer talk most of the time and Eddard Stark hardly speaks at all. You may have not wished for a marriage proposal to come out of this but if Elbert Arryn turns out to be the best conversationalist amongst these three young men, you might just like him despite your intentions."

"Perish the thought," Lily muttered.

The servant led the both of them down the long hallway back the way they had come from the High Hall an hour or so earlier in silence.

Lily's mind was far away on the medallion that she had secured in her chambers but it didn't remain so for long.

In the back of her mind she was thinking about Lysa and the unfinished letter sitting on the window seat in her chambers.

She wondered how things were going for her in the capital and whether or not Petyr had noticed her as yet.

The red head wasn't really sure how she felt about her sister and her best friend potentially becoming romantic especially given her father's aspirations about an alliance between the west and the Riverlands, but more importantly because Petyr had never shown favor to Lysa in that regard.

She just didn't want her sister getting hurt if Petyr didn't feel the same way.

In the back of Lily's mind though she had a sinking suspicion that this wasn't going to end well for anyone involved and that made her nervous.

For a moment she was glad that she hadn't gone with the rest of her family to the capital if anything to avoid the drama that was sure to happen despite a positive or negative outcome.

She had always hated drama, her relationship with James had been simple and sweet, the result of a straightforward pursuit that neither of them had been unhappy with.

The red head cast her eyes up to the ceiling as she continued to follow her uncle. Please for the love of Merlin don't let Lysa get hurt. She's so sensitive already and I have a feeling that my speech to her in my room is going to have to be repeated many times more before she believes it. And please if Petyr does not feel the same way, please for the love of anything let him handle it well so her feelings won't be hurt more than necessary.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of voices up ahead and she glanced forward to see that they had come in sight of the High Hall.

A chorus of voices could be heard coming through that archway and Lily pricked her ears to see if she could ascertain who was speaking by their voice.

There was a deep raspy almost world worn sounding tone that made her think that had to be Lord Arryn. No young man would have such a tone to their voice unless they had seen a great many things.

And then if possible there was a deep booming laugh that followed it which could have belonged to Robert Baratheon or Elbert Arryn.

Finally there was a quiet calibre asking a question and Lily had a feeling that the owner of that voice would be Eddard Stark who was known for his contemplative nature, at least from what she had heard.

The servant walked into the room first and Lily could see him bow first and the voices fell silent.

"My Lord Arryn, Ser Brynden Tully and Lady Lilian Tully the third daughter of Lord Hoster Tully."

It was a lot of pomp for what should have been a simple introduction and Lily suppressed an eye roll as she strode behind her uncle into the hall.

Her first view of the four men standing in the room was one of varied interest. In fact, you wouldn't find a collection of more different men.

Her eyes landed on the eldest, Lord Arryn himself who still retained the blonde hair of his youth but which was fading slightly with age. His eyes were still a deep blue however and were not clouded. There were lines around his eyes and mouth indicating that he smiled frequently and he was quite tall, dressed in Arryn blue with his riding glove still grasped in one hand and the other on the pommel of his sword.

She could tell that he had been a handsome man once and still retained that, aging gracefully.

The young man standing next to him was so alike in face and appearance that for a moment Lily thought this was his son rather than his nephew. Elbert Arryn appeared the quintessential golden child with his fair hair, strands of it just touching his forehead at a disgustingly perfect angle. His eyes were just the shade of blue that Lily knew would make the girls back at school swoon if they had seen them. He wasn't quite as tall as his uncle but at only a few centimetres shorter, he did cut a striking figure.

The man beside him was the polar opposite and of the men standing in the room, he was the tallest.

Check that, he was enormous. Lily was certain he was at least six foot three perhaps more. He had a snarl of black curls atop his head and his eyes were the most electric blue that Lily had ever seen. His skin was tanned while the rest were fair and there was a smattering of stubble on his cheeks and chin. His body was like that of knife blade, hard and lean and his hulking shoulders filled his tunic to the point Lily thought they would burst through.

Perhaps this was the sort of man that dominated many a maiden's fantasy as it wasn't just his body that drew attention but his face as well. His chiselled and perfectly symmetrical to the point that Lily didn't think it could get anymore perfect.

He was dressed in black which made his form even more striking and it made his stunning blue eyes seem even more prominent.

The one thing she wasn't sure she liked was the smug little smile on his face when he looked at her.

And finally the fourth man in the room had to have been Eddard Stark as he certain had a northern bearing. He was the only one who was wearing leathers and judging by the colors of grey and white on them, she had been correct.

He was not nearly as attractive as the others but he certainly wasn't unappealing either. His calm grey eyes took her in and Lily had a feeling he was assessing her from a contemplative nature that had been honed over the last few years.

There was caution in those eyes, a caution born out of the north a place where one had to be careful about everything one did as it might cost one his or her life otherwise.

"Brynden Tully!" Jon Arryn barked striding forward so that he might clasp arms with her uncle. "I haven't seen your face in a damn age man!"

"It must have been an age, you certainly look it," Brynden joked back prompting Lord Arryn to release a bellow of laughter.

Lily smirked as she watched the two men interacting. Her uncle hadn't told her much about his relationship with the Lord of Eyrie, but seeing as how he was well liked by almost everyone he met, she would have been surprised if they hadn't been at least friendly.

After the raucous niceties were out of the way Brynden turned to her. "Might I introduce my youngest niece, Lilian Tully."

At that, Lily stepped forward and curtsied to Lord Arryn with a smile who returned it with a courtly bow. "My lady, its been a long time since we welcomed the presence of a noble lady to the Eyrie."

Lily cast her gaze quickly at the three young men standing behind him and then smirked up at Lord Arryn. "I can see that."

He gave her a small smile as he recognized the joke in her tone and stepped back so the other three could come forward. "My nephew Elbert."

Lily smiled up at the young man who was three years older than her. He had the build and reminded her of the captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team when she was still at Hogwarts. He certainly had the same golden good looks. "Its wonderful to meet you my lord."

He gave her a genuine smile in return. "And you my lady."

Next stepped forward the quiet brown haired man with the grey eyes that Lily knew she would be calling family in the next few years.

"My ward Eddard Stark," Jon Arryn said with a tinge of pride in his voice as he clapped the youth's shoulder.

His expression was grave as he bowed to her and Lily certainly hoped he wasn't that serious all the time. You needed to smile and laugh every once in a blue moon.

"My lady," he said quietly and she curtsied before looking at his face and cocking her head to one side.

It was then that she decided to try and break the ice with him if his brother was going to marry her sister.

"Are all men of the north this serious Lord Eddard or is it just you?" she asked in a falsely serious tone.

From the way his eyes widened and he blinked slightly he hadn't been expecting it.

There was a moment of silence in the High Hall until Lily smiled and began to chuckle. "It was a joke my lord, you're supposed to laugh. I see that I am going to have my work cut out for me with you while I'm here."

Tentatively Eddard gave her a small smile and Lily took it as a tiny victory.

Until of course the monster of a youth behind him let out a bellowing laugh and leaned forward. "Don't mind Ned. He always did have a stick up his arse."

"And of course my other wayward ward Robert Baratheon," Jon Arryn finished with a long suffering sigh.

The dark haired man grinned at her and Lily felt her heart skip a beat to her extreme annoyance. She had never been swayed by a pretty face before, but Robert Baratheon certainly wasn't pretty.

He looked less like a knight out of the stories and more like one of those brutal warriors she had read about in the history books in her first life, one who was interesting in victory and battlefield glory. His black hair and short beard made him appear even fiercer and his electric blue eyes added an air of intimidation.

He was only seventeen but Lily felt he looked almost twenty years of age.

Elbert laughed and slapped the dark haired youth on the shoulder. "You'll get to know Robert soon enough my lady. His crudeness makes him endearing."

Robert winked at her and Lily suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. He seemed a jokester just like many of the boys she had known in her previous life.

Jon Arryn cleared his throat and took command of the situation again. "Ser Brynden and I have matters pertaining to the Vale to discuss, so in the meantime why don't the three of you show Lady Lilian around?"

"An excellent suggestion," Elbert Arryn replied cheerily. "Come along my lady. We will show you the beauteous nature of the Vale, by far the most stunning of the Seven Kingdoms."

"I think the Riverlands would have something to say about that," Lily shot back in an amused tone as the four of them bade goodbye to Brynden and Jon and headed for the door.

"Oh you're both mental," Robert said in his deep booming voice as they strode down the hallway. "There is no place more beautiful than the Stormlands!"

"There's no place louder than the Stormlands," Eddard muttered prompting Lily to flash a grin at him.

"So what brings you to the Vale my lady?" Elbert asked amiably as they strode along.

Lily sighed. "Would you believe it if I said I just didn't want to go to the royal wedding?"

Robert let out a booming laugh. "Oho! A southern flower that doesn't want to show off her petals? I find that hard to believe!"

Lily cocked her head to one side and narrowed her eyes at him. "This flower happens to have thorns."

With a flick of the wrist she had loosened the strap of the blade she had hidden in her sleeve and yanked it out.

From the way the three of them blinked and paused, they hadn't seen where she had gotten the dagger and she grinned. "Now are you going to show me the most interesting part of this place where I can use this or do I have to find it myself?"

Elbert looked confused. "You wish to see the sparring grounds my lady?"

At the same time Robert asked, "You know how to fight?"

Lily scoffed at him. "My uncle is the Blackfish who fought in the War of the Nine Penny kings. He put a blade in my hands when I was six years old and told me to use it. Of course I know how to fight!"

"Well then!" Elbert said clapping his hands together and grinning savagely. "This visit just got a lot more interesting. This way my lady. I think I speak for all of us when I say that I'm intrigued."

"A woman who knows how to fight," Robert snorted as he followed them. "That's a first."

"And hopefully won't be the last," Lily muttered casting her eyes at the handsome youth. "Now how eager are you to wind up flat on your back with one of these at your throat?"

She was half joking but Robert merely laughed again and raised an eyebrow at her. "Take away the sword and I'll be quite interested."

"Robert!" Eddard hissed looking around for someone to hear them.

"And that my lady is what you are in for during your stay in the Eyrie," Elbert Arryn said with a laugh, "I certainly hope you have thick skin because there is no containing Robert here."

"Don't worry," Lily said with a snort as they continued down the hallway. "I have thicker skin than most."

Ω

There will be more shenanigans to ensue going forward. So both Robert, Elbert and Ned are three years older than Lily who is fourteen right now. Now Lily and Robert aren't going to necessarily be friends, but Lily gives as good as she gets so she isn't intimidated by him like maybe some other girls would be and Robert is going to find that intriguing. However they will have a ton of stuff as well as a few years to get through before they get romantic, so brace yourself. This is going to be a slow burn romance. Also in terms character portrayals, I envision a young Sean Bean as Ned because that's who played him in the show, I'm not sure about Elbert but Robert of course is going to look like Henry Cavill as he was playing Charles Brandon in the Tudors hehehehe. Because I think he is just that delicious 😋 I think Cavill is a perfect choice to play a young Robert. For those of you who don't know how he looked in that show, go look him up. I promise you won't be disappointed. 😏 Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter and don't forget to review!