Chapter 41: The Royal Wedding
King Aerys, 280AC, Kingslanding
The day of the wedding had arrived and everything was in place for a grand celebration for his sons wedding. Throughout the realm the people's thoughts were on the glory of the Targaryen line and the bride that was fortunate enough to marry into it. His people were lining the street and singing praises, as they should. Aerys had hired musicians and entertainers from throughout the seven kingdoms and beyond, all to please the masses of small folk and nobles alike. Food iin Valyrian styles would fill their bellies and delights from the known world to entertain them. It would be a great occasion, of that he was certain.
Aerys had thought by giving Rhaegar some freedoms of his own he might grow into his role as the future king. For too long he had been obsessed over the prophecy of the prince that was promised and the murky tales associated with it. His uncle Aemon himself had professed to the boy that prophecies were often not what they appeared and it would do little good to dwell on them, though dwell his son did. In Aerys opinion it was fool hardy and he had voiced as much to his son, though he knew the boy hadn't come around to his thinking. Hoping to distract him from his books, he had urged him to look into candidates for marriage so that they might decide on the future queen. Aerys had been tempted on finding a Valyrian wife from Essos at one point for his son, or perhaps even Tywins daughter Cassy, a strange name for a noble girl, but in the end his wife convinced him to let Rhaegar make a decision on his own.
When Rhaegar had selected the Dornish Princess as a wife, it had caused a bit of an uproar amongst the nobility of Kingslanding. Many were displeased with his decision including his hand Tywin Lannister, who no doubt had hoped that his daughter would be chosen. He knew full well that Aerys had allowed Rhaegar to select his bride, though clearly he hadn't been convincing enough when he had no doubt spoken to his son. Part of Aerys was a bit satisfied that his son had decided to turn down the offer of Lord Tywin's daughter in marriage. Though whatever part of him was pleased at his son's refusal, soured at the thought of a Dornish princess instead. His son had been unwise in his decision making, that much was clear.
The Martells had long held the delusion that they were equals to the Targaryens in any form. King Baelor had made a mistake when he settled a peace between the two kingdoms, and that mistake had only led to more problems in the courts of Daeron the good. During the time of King Daeron, Dorne had joined the seven kingdoms and had sworn to the Iron Throne, though they were allowed certain concessions that still angered some of the nobility to this day, chief amongst them was the right to retain the royal title of Prince and that they had been given a special charter that allowed them unusual autonomy from the Iron Throne that other Lords didn't have.
It was Aerys belief that King Daerons reign had suffered under a number of issues that he had both created and inherited. First amongst them, was the rift between Daeron and his father Aegon, which had cast some doubt in the courts on whether or not he was a true born son of Aegon's. The rift had been caused by the substantial Dornish influence in court and their disagreement in regards to Dorne. Aerys firmly believed that Daeron was indeed a true son of King Aegon, though it was a mute point to argue over now.
The next thing that had harmed his reign was the Dornish themselves at court. In those days, the courts had been filled with Dornishmen due to the numerous marriages conducted under King Baelor to bring peace between Dorne and the Iron Throne. It was said that the courts resembled a place foreign to Westeros, with all manner of changes engulfing the red keep. This had caused further resentment from the lords of the realm, who felt they no longer had a place within the capital of their own country. It had also led to them looking towards the great bastards of King Aegon. This of course had led to the Blackfyre rebellions that had finally come to an end in the war of nine penny kings, which Aerys himself had fought in.
His son it seemed was fancying himself the second coming of King Daeron the good, holding many of the same beliefs and taking similar actions. The path to the stranger was paved with good intentions, as some would say. Luckily, Aerys had no great bastards for his son to contend with, nor did he plan to cast any doubt on Rhaegars birth, for it would certainly divide the realm and no matter their disagreements, his wife and Rhaegar's mother deserved the respect of a true, dutiful and strong Targaryen Queen. Rhaella was everything that Elia Martell could only hope to be, much like his daughter Aerea. He had hoped Rhaegar would be wise enough to see that, but alas he hadn't.
He had earned the loyalties of many in his reign, earning the moniker the uniter in the process. He had formed a close bond of friendship with his cousin, Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, Steffon Baratheon and the Lord Paramount of the Westerlands, Tywin Lannister. During his reign he had removed the stagnancy in the courts and replaced them with younger and more capable people. He had also brought the North into his council, ending their long standing isolation and turning them into loyal subjects to the crown. He had created a balance on his council of voices from around the realm and he would continue to do so into the future. Under his sharp mind, great works that would resonate throughout history and pull the kingdom together had been built. Furthermore, the economy had grown and had never been stronger.
His early reign had suffered a few bumps along the road, but Aerys had eventually come into his own. Unlike Rhaegar, he never had a father to grant him his own decisions to grow and provide him a guiding hand. His father had thrust him into an unwanted marriage at a young age, that through hard work had turned out well. It was through much hardship that Aerys had risen to be the great king he was now and he would help his son do the same. A king can be good, but a King must also be hard when needed, a lesson his son had yet to learn. A weak king that was unwilling to do what must be done jeopardized his line. The dragons would always be superior to those of their servants, any who disputed such were fools.
"Your grace, a man by the name of Varys has come requesting your presence." Ser Barristan spoke from the opened door.
"Send him in." Aerys ordered in response. The sent of flowers filled the room as the bald man walked quietly into the room and gave a bow to the king. "That will be all Ser Barristan." Aerys dismissed as the Kingsguard member inclined his head before casting one last suspicious glance over Varys before closing the door.
"Your Grace, your messages have been delivered." Varys informed him in his soft feminine voice. Aerys had hired the enoch on after hearing about his prowess in discovering secrets. It was wise for him to have his own spymaster with the current one loyal to his son. Oberyn had provided ample services in his position as Master of Whispers, but it was prudent for Aerys to have more than one spy network in his employ, especially one that reached into Essos. If the defiance of Duskendale had taught him anything, it was that having more than one spy ring to uncover plots was necessary.
"Have you uncovered anything of concern?" King Aerys questioned.
"My birds hear many things your grace and I am working diligently to filter out truth from fiction. Most recently, they have uncovered some rising tensions between the Brackens and the Blackwoods in the Riverlands, nothing unusual as I understand." Varys informed him as Aerys listened.
"That is all Varys, please send Ser Barristan in on your way out." He ordered.
The spider was soon out the door and Ser Barristan had stepped back within the room to take up his vigil. "Your Grace, Lord Stark has arrived." Ser Barristan informed him.
"Excellent, we shall depart soon." The King informed him.
Tywin Lannister, Kingslanding, 280AC
The sept of Baelor was filled with nobility from across the Seven Kingdoms, who had come to witness the royal marriage. The seats were filled as everyone watched as the Prince and his bride proceeded across the marble floors of the sun lit floor towards the great gilded statues of the Father and the Mother where the High Septon awaited. Tywin eyed the Dornish bride, Elia Martell with a sour taste in his mouth as she proceeded towards the alter between the two great statues where she would officially become a Targaryen by marriage. He had long envisioned this moment in his mind, though the circumstances had not fallen as they should have. Instead of Cersei walking down the isle, a Dornish Princess from the deserts of the realm had taken her spot.
"Stop brooding, it won't do you any good. If King Aerys had given me leave, I would have sailed to the ends of Essos to find him a Valyrian bride if it meant keeping the Dornish woman from the throne. The Dornish are mettlesome creatures at best." Steffon attempted to console as Tywin spared him a short glance of annoyance. He knew as well as anyone that it should be his daughter up their instead of the Martell woman. Steffon had no love for Dorne, nor did many of his stormlander vassals. The Stormlands and Dorne had a long and bitter history of wars occurring in the Dornish Marches. Less than a hundred years had passed since Dorne had officially joined the Seven Kingdoms, yet the Stormlanders had softened little in their stance, especially the Marcher Lords.
"And how would you have me react? I have served the realm well, yet my offer fell on deaf ears." Tywin seethed.
"You should be angry, though don't blame the King. You know as well as I that he gave Prince Rhaegar leave to choose his own bride." Steffon reminded him. King Aerys had given Prince Rhaegar leave to choose his own bride, a decision that hadn't resulted in a welcome outcome for Tywin. He had approached Prince Rhaegar about a match with House Lannister and the benefits it would bring, though the Prince had spurned his offer in the end. Tywin suspected it may be a possibility that if Aerys had chosen, he would have picked his favored daughter as a bride and future queen, following the long tradition Targaryen sister wives. He however, hadn't suspected that he would be spurned in the end for a Martell, a girl that he himself had disregarded for his own heir.
The High Septon began to speak as the two stood in front of the large crowd, ending any further conversation between the two as Tywin's green eyes scanned the high born nobles present. To his right, King Aery's sat with the Starks of the North, watching the ceremony. Tywin had tolerated the Stark Lord's presence at court; the man ran his office well and was never lax in his duty. He was a stern and hard man who had thus far served the crown well. The man was ambitious and competent enough to bring the Starks into the politics of the seven kingdoms successfully, though the Northerners were still ill suited for the court. The man's own daughter had savagely attacked his own, though from all reports it was started by Cersei in a bout of foolishness.
In the coming days, he would need to find a match for Cersei and Jamie as well. Despite his daughter not being queen, he could still get a royal match. Prince Viserys and Princess Aerea were both still young, though they were close enough in ages that they would make a good match for either of his children. Jamie was an excellent swordsman and had done well so far in his squiring. He had arrived in Kingslanding for the wedding and Tywin would ensure that he was introduced to the Princess. Having a Targaryen Princess for the Rock would be a great boon, though having his blood on the Throne was still of greater importance to him. That alone would secure his houses prominence in Kingslanding for the generations to come.
"With this kiss, I pledge my love and take you for my husband." The Dornish bride spoke as the wedding cloak exchanged finished.
"With this kiss, I pledge my love and take you for my wife." Prince Rhaegar declared as well. Leaning in, the pairs lips met briefly to seal the pact of the royal marriage.
"One flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever." The High Septon finished as the crowd gave a thunderous applause.
Helena, 280AC, Kingswood.
Kingslanding was in a state of celebration following the wedding of Prince Rhaegar and Elia Martell. King Aerys had put forth a beautiful display of mummers, musicians and entertainment for all to see. The food had been excellent and Helena had enjoyed the feast immensely. Her husband's musicians had proved to be popular throughout the courts, with their unique songs and styles. No doubt they would be highly sought after in the days to come and would surely drive a steep price to secure. They had put on a show for the wedding feast with a song titled "Be our guest" which had been accompanied by much dancing. Helena could see that it had clearly been a hit amongst the nobility.
Helena had enjoyed seeing her kin and introducing Jorund to them. Her father was clearly pleased at the sight of his grandson and the upbringing that he was receiving. He had even gone as far as to request that Jorund be fostered for a time in Harrenhal to better understand the south. She of course wouldn't be parted from her son, nor would Baldur like the idea of his son fostering in the south. Her father had convinced her to remain though, at least until winter passed and the dangers of travel in the northern waters lessened. She certainly wouldn't miss the Northern winter on Skagos, and her husband had grudgingly accepted the request, though was adamant that his son would be raised mostly on Skagos.
Baldur wasn't aware of it now, but his return to Skagos would not be permenant. Her father had spoken with Ser Oswell and was keen on arranging for her son to squire under him in the future. Baldur would likely not accept a fostering, though tutelage for his son under one of the great knights of the realm would surely be appealing for him. She had promised to approach the idea with Baldur though. On Skagos, the women had a great deal of decision making when it came to raising the children and the decisions that went into their upbringing.
The role of a woman in Skagosi society varied a great deal from those of the Riverlands and many of the noble houses of Westeros. As a child of a noble house in the Riverlands, her father had made many of the decisions regarding her tutors and her future. Ultimately, a woman was prized for her ability to provide heirs, manage the house staff and political ties of kinship. The wisest of Lords selected a smart bride who could provide more, though that was at their discretion. On Skagos, a woman held a much greater amount of authority. It was the role of the woman to oversee the finances of the house, the running of whatever occurred within the walls of the home and the decision making in raising the children. The running of the finances of the house were alone, unheard of in most of Westeros, outside circumstances where a woman was the heir or in Dorne.
Throughout the history of Skagos, the men were often either working or for the warrior class, fighting. Due to the extensive amounts of conflicts and ancient raiding culture, this would leave the women alone with the family for often months at a time, creating the power structure that Skagos still held today. It was generally looked down upon for the man of a household to involve himself in what was considered to be a womans role. For a man to do so on Skagos would be similar to a woman in the riverlands taking up a sword and fighting. As Lord and Lady of House Crowl, they both enjoyed a fair bit of leeway, due to their position of leadership over the clan, though Baldur was certainly not likely to step across the line of traditional role, due to his worry of being made out as less than masculine, a silly sentiment to her, but it had served her needs well.
"My Lady." A royal guardsman spoke as he approached, drawing Helena's attention from her book. She had been enjoying some quiet reading in the great library before the festivities continued on the eve with a play.
"Yes?" Helena questioned curiously.
"My lady, their has been an incident…" The Royal Guardman began as Helena's chest swelled with fear. She had left her son in the care of her father and her daughter was currently under the careful tending of a nanny from the North.
"My children?" Helena demanded rising out of her seat.
"Fine my lady." The Guardsman prompted. "Their has been an attack on Princess Elia's escort on the outskirts of the Kingswood." The Guardsman explained. The Princess and a number of nobility had decided on a leisurely ride into the Kings wood to spend the morning before the entertainment of the evening would begin at the play house. Helena herself had opted to reside within the library, though her sisters and other kin had accompanied them.
"Surely no bandits would attack an armed caravan the size of the princess's escort." Helena said in disbelief.
"Yes my lady, it's believed to be the work of the Kingswood Brotherhood." The Royal guard said nervously.
"They were last reported to be well south of here and of little threat." Helena replied with a frown. The king himself had deemed them of little concern and already groups of soldiers had been sent out to bring them to justice. Her husband had been charged with eliminating them at the end of the celebrations if the other attempts failed, but from what she had heard, they were dwelling far south near the storm lands, few in number and adept at hiding.
"My lady, they suffered a number of casualties and injuries but the Princess is alive and well. Ser Gerrold of the Kingsguard led a charge of men to fend them off, though he and many others suffered wounds. Ser Roote took an arrow defending Lady Lysa Tully and Lord Edmure suffered an arrow wound as well. Your good sister has requested your presence at once." The Guard spoke hurriedly as her thoughts whirled.