The Shadow of Winterfell Chapter 22

Margaery Tyrell

She had to wonder how everything could fall apart so quickly, and in the worst way possible at that. If Margaery was so inclined, she would have been drinking away her sorrows in a way that would’ve put Robert Baratheon to shame. Luckily, she had more self control than that, and to think she was in a much better situation compared to most. Like Arianne…

Her ally, and Harry’s betrothed, was now their captive. When the Dornish girl wasn't at Margaery’s side, she was either in her own guarded quarters or in the gardens of their keep while being watched over by guards. The girl was a Princess of Dorne, meaning she received good treatment as deserving of her status, with a minimal guard detail at all times to watch her. That didn’t mean Margaery would ignore her, as she went out of her way to comfort the Princess in the aftermath of Oberyn Martell’s death.

Renly and Loras had concocted the unfortunate situation they now found themselves in. Both Margaery and Olenna were barely able to breathe a word of protest before being scooped up by men-at-arms and knights solely loyal to Loras and Renly. Said men then spirited them out of the Kingswood and to the Reach in record time, heading straight for Highgarden before Margaery realized what was truly going on.

Robert Baratheon was dead, along with her betrothed, Joffrey. The two were killed by a rampaging boar on a hunt, a terrible event that was a bad omen that only the gods could have caused. But there was a shining light to it, in that Margaery wouldn’t have to live out the rest of her days with Joffrey. The Crown Prince had been cruel, more monster than man, and it was only Harry’s presence in the capital that would make her life bearable while living under him.

But it was the aftermath of their deaths that made everything worse, in that Renly had decided to try and take the Iron Throne by force. He attacked the Dornish encampment in the Kingswood, slaying Oberyn Martell and taking Arianne hostage to use against her father. And if things weren’t bad enough already, Loras was grievously injured in the scuffle.

Margaery knew that war was unavoidable at that point. Renly would have to contend with the young Prince Tommen for the Iron Throne, as the Lannisters wouldn’t have it any other way. That wasn’t to mention Stannis’ claim being greater than Renly’s own, and that Stannis might actually declare himself King and raise his own banners.

The realm now sat on a knife’s edge, ready to take the deep plunge as Lords called their banners across the land. Margaery knew that Renly was working hard to get an audience with her father, to finally persuade him into formally joining his cause. It was just her luck that she managed to intervene in time, right as Renly had finally managed to get an audience with her father, excluding Olenna as Renly wished to have a ‘private’ audience with the Lord of the Reach and his daughter.

Renly smiled, easy and bright as dawn. “My lord of Highgarden, your hospitality is legend, but I must say your company is its equal. It gladdens me to see the Tyrell banners flying beside mine. The realm has need of unity now more than ever.”

Mace’s cheeks flushed at the praise. “Aye, well. These are troubled times, Lord Renly. Two kings dead in the same fortnight… the gods are sending a message.”

“Perhaps,” Renly said smoothly, “that the realm is ready for a better one.”

Mace chuckled uneasily. “Better, eh? You mean yourself, I suppose.”

“I mean stability, my lord. And peace.” Renly lied. “Tell me, who better to provide both than the last Baratheon standing? Stannis will not. He’s too rigid, too cold. He’ll burn half the realm before he lets anyone share in rule.”

“Your brother is a lawful man.” Mace said, rubbing his chin. “He is the elder—by right, the throne is his before you.”

“By right.” Renly snorted. “But tell me… What’s right ever won a war? Robert took the throne with a hammer, not parchment. The realm loved him for it. Stannis will never inspire such love. But I can.”

“You mean to take the realm by force…” Her father seemed to come to the obvious realization, causing Margaery roll her eyes. Renly had already started a war not moments after Robert Baratheon’s death, and then came running to Highgarden straight after. It wasn’t hard to discern his intentions, in that he wanted the Reach’s swords to put him on the throne.

“Aye.” Renly nodded. “With your swords added to my own from the Stormlands, we are already guaranteed victory. Our might will surpass a hundred-thousand, more than anything that the Lannisters can bring to bear.”

“Still, another war cannot be good for the realm.” Her father leaned forward slightly. “What would the Reach gain from such an affair?”

“I would make your daughter Queen.”

Mace Tyrell went still, almost as if he never considered that Renly would try and take Joffrey’s place as her future husband in the aftermath of his death. Her father laughed delight in that moment. “You hear that, Margaery? You can still be Queen of the Seven Kingdoms!”

“It would be an honor.” She bit back the irritation with her father, hating the direction the conversation was going. “But what of Tommen Baratheon, father? Surely he would honor the original arrangement we had with Prince Joffrey?”

A dark look crossed Renly’s face, clear irritated she risked ruining his plans. “I’m afraid that your original agreement is null and void now that Joffrey is gone, along with my brother. You see, Cersei never liked the thought of marrying Joffrey to your daughter, and will never let it happen now that Robert is dead.”

Margaery wished what Renly said in that moment was a lie, but it was the truth. Cersei Lannister was notoriously bitter and power-hungry, and now that Joffrey was dead and Robert was gone, the woman would never allow Margaery to marry her youngest son. In fact, she wouldn’t put it past the lioness to be arranging a marriage between Tommen and a girl from the Westerlands she could easily control as they spoke.

“Hmm, I suppose you’re right.” Mace nodded. “However, you cannot expect the other Great Houses to so easily go along with this. And as you said, Stannis will likely reach for the Throne, and that’s not to mention those who will support Tommen.”

“Stannis will get no support from any of the Great Houses.” Renly spoke confidently. “He has burned too many bridges with the other Lords. There is even whispers of him worshiping a foreign god, led astray by a Red Priestess from Asshai. Even if the Lords come to accept him, the smallfolk never will.”

“Still, the Starks did marry their heir to Princess Myrcella, so there is no doubt that they will back Tommen.” Her father mused. “With them comes the Riverlands, and maybe even the Vale! To take on all of them is a bit much, even with our numbers. And if Dorne decides to throw their weight into the mix as well…”

“The Martells you mean? The same House that crippled two of your sons?” Renly asked brutally, and Mace reddened in rage. “We have the perfect hostage to use against them. After he was viciously attacked by the Red Viper, Loras heroically helped me secure Arianne Martell. Prince Doran will never move against us as long as we have her. In fact, I would give her to you, to keep safe here at Highgarden.”

“A monumental gesture of goodwill on your part, your Grace.” Mace nodded in gratitude.

Renly sipped his wine before putting the goblet down. “So then, do we have an accord?”

“I believe we do.” Mace smiled joyfully. “We shall put you on the throne, your Grace, and my daughter will be your Queen!”

/////

Margaery found herself moving aimlessly through the halls of Highgarden without thought in the aftermath of her father’s meeting with Renly. There had been the small hope that Mace Tyrell would be smart enough not to drag the realm into war, but in the end her father was a fool. Renly would get what he wanted, and the realm would burn for it.

Tywin Lannister would never allow Tommen Baratheon to be usurped. And that wasn’t to mention the Starks, with Robb Stark being wed to Princess Myrcella, a fact that would no-doubt force them into war. And with the Starks, came her lover, Harry…

She used to envy Arianne’s good fortune, being able to wed Harry. Yet now the girl was her family’s hostage, and her lover might not even survive the coming war. And even if he did, it would either be on the side of the losing Starks and Lannisters, or having successfully defeated House Tyrell and Renly’s armies. Either way, Margaery knew she would likely lose him.

She made her way through the keep and to the guest quarters where Arianne was being kept. Two guards stood outside the door, and didn’t move to stop her as she walked past them and into Arianne’s room. Margaery was a regular visitor to the Princess of Dorne, and sadly, others were beginning to take notice.

Arianne sat at a table with a book in hand, marking the page and putting it down as she entered. “How did it go?”

Margaery couldn’t hide a grimace. “My father has decided to join the war on the side of Renly.”

“Fuck.” The Dornish Princess cursed, and Margaery couldn’t blame her.

“There is some good news.” She added. “As part of their agreement, it was decided that you would remain here, in Highgarden.”

“To use as leverage against my father, I assume?” Arianne let out a snort. “I suppose there are worse places to be. Tell me, will you remain here as well?”

It was hard to distinguish, but Margaery could hear the vulnerability in the girl’s voice at her question. While they hadn’t been exactly close in King’s Landing, the events since her kidnapping had brought the two together in their shared misfortune. Margaery genuinely felt bad for the Princess, and as the days went by, their relationship went beyond having a shared lover.

“I don’t know.” She answered truthfully, walking over to the side of the room and pouring herself a goblet of wine. “I am to be wed to Renly, although I do not know whether it will occur sooner or later.”

“You should try and delay it.” Arianne said quickly. “Your best bet would be to wed after the war.”

Margaery knew exactly what Arianne was getting at, in that it wouldn’t be good to be wed and impregnated by Renly, only to see him lose the war and even die. Most likely she would have to speak to her Grandmother first before talking to Mace, otherwise her father would agree to have her wed Renly immediately.

/////

Yohn Royce

The waves crashed against the jagged rocks as thunder roared overhead, bringing rain and harsh winds which smashed against Runestone’s walls. All the while Bronze Yohn sat in his solar as he read over the most recent ravens that had arrived from across the realm.

There was a knock at his door. “Enter.”

A guard entered and bowed. “My Lord, there is a man here wishing to speak with you outside the main gate. He claims to be Lord Stark’s nephew.”

“Lord Stark?” Yohn froze in place for but a moment, before standing. “I will speak with him immediately.”

He made his way through the keep and down to the main courtyard where rain poured down in buckets. Up ahead laid the main gate, with several men-at-arms standing guard as to make sure no one entered the castle unauthorized.

A large bridge connected Runestone to the mainland, the castle itself being built upon a large outcropping of rock. It made the keep nearly impregnable, forcing any attackers to approach on a bridge that could only hold three horses widthwise.

And yet one man had crossed that bridge in the dead of night, doing so while strong winds and rain no doubt impeded his crossing. Yohn had to wonder how the stranger had managed such a feat without being blown off the bridge.

The stranger, who was supposedly Ned Stark’s nephew, stood under the main gate as men-at-arms held torches around him. He was alone, having no horse, and no clear explanation as to how he had arrived. Yohn could only guess he had come by boat to Gulltown, and then traveled the rest of the way from there.

“Lord Royce.” The man, who was supposedly Ned’s nephew, bowed. He wore a dark cloak that was wet from his travels, his face barely visible under torchlight except from those unnatural green eyes that put even him on edge.

“I have been told you are Ned’s nephew.” Yohn spoke. “I assume that you are Hadrian Snow, the same man who slew the Mountain?”

“I am.” He nodded politely. “Although I prefer Harry.”

“Ned got my letter, I assume?” The boy wouldn’t have come otherwise. There was no reason for Harry to be in the Vale other than his uncle sending him, especially when Lady Arryn was calling for his head, along with the heads of any Stark, on a near daily basis.

“He did, and he sent me to take care of the problem.” Harry said easily. “My uncle spoke highly of you, and I hoped you could help me resolve the situation.”

Yohn Royce restrained a frown, not liking that Ned had sent only his nephew to take on such an important task. It wasn’t something the Ned Stark he knew would do, to burden someone of his family so highly, and a bastard at that.

But there was also the fact that Ned was Hand of the King now, and was responsible for the entire realm. And as befitting of such a title, Lord Stark would have to make decisions that went way over Yohn Royce’s head. Either way, Ned Stark was one of the most competent individuals Yohn had ever met, and he was sure that his nephew was to be trusted.

“What does Ned need of me?”

“It has been decided that you are to foster Robin Arryn.” Harry spoke. “And are to raise the boy to be loyal to the Crown.”

“I… see.” Lord Royce said slowly. “I am afraid that Lady Arryn will never agree to this. She knows too well of my connection to House Stark.”

“It has already been decided.” He then reached into his coat, pulling out a letter stamped with the Arryn seal before handing it to him.

Yohn took it and read it over under torchlight, his eyes going wide, and then wider as the letter written by Lysa Arryn went on. “How…”

“Lady Arryn has had a change of mind as of late.” There was something unnerving in those green eyes of Ned’s nephew then. For some reason, even Yohn felt hesitant, as if he didn’t dare ask what caused Lysa’s change of mind. “She has decided you are the best Lord to oversee the raising of young Robin. Especially with the sudden sickness she has fallen under…”

He stiffened. “Sickness?”

The boy nodded. “Lady Arryn has fallen ill, and part of her decision to send young Robin away was her poor health. She believes he needs a father figure, someone to guide him.”

This boy shows up, and now Lady Arryn falls ill? Something told him not to think about the questionable nature of events that just so happened upon his arrival. That wasn’t to mention how this boy even traveled to the Eyrie, and then to Runestone as quickly as he did.

But it was Yohn Royce’s faith in Ned Stark that made him accept it. He swallowed down his apprehension, deciding to go along with this scheme for now.

“It will be an honor to guide Lord Robin on his way to becoming Lord of the Vale.” Yohn spoke with barely a quiver in his voice. “However, I’m afraid that if Lady Lysa is to pass, then there will be a council of Lords to decide her succession. A regent and protector of the Vale must be chosen with Lord Robin being so young. It will make the decision to join Lord Stark in the coming war nearly impossible to make in a timely manner.”

“War?” The boy froze. “What war?”

“You don’t know?” Yohn’s brows rose in surprise, before realization set in. He must have been running himself ragged to travel all this way, and simply didn’t notice. “Ah, I suppose you must have been traveling, and have yet to hear. King Robert and Prince Joffrey have died, although I am unsure as to how they passed. Renly Baratheon has since called his banners and proclaimed himself King, and is set to clash with Tommen Baratheon. Your uncle, most likely, will side with Tommen along with the Lannisters.”

“Is there anything else you know?” Harry seemed urgent, and Yohn could see the genuine concern in his eyes. If it was any other bastard speaking to him in such a way, Yohn Royce would’ve punished them.

He hummed. “Information is still pouring in. The last raven claimed that Renly attacked the Dornish retinue while fleeing the capital. There are also claims he is seeking the Reach’s support, and will likely wed Lady Margaery to get it…”

Disclaimer: All Characters are over the Age of 18