The maester approached quietly and reported:
"My lord, Lady Elena has delivered a healthy, strong boy."
Without a word, the father moved toward the young mother, but his sons stepped into his path.
"Father, forgive us, but Elena is exhausted. It was a hard labor. Let her rest."
"I agree, Father. Give it a little ti. She isn't going anywhere."
"YOU!!! Insolent little whelps! I'll have you both..."
"My lord, I would strongly advise giving her ti to recover," the old maester decided to speak up.
"Grr! Kyle, Yohn, when Elena has rested, you will all co to my solar together. And bring that bastard with you."
"Father, how can you call your own grandson a bastard?!"
"Don't try my patience, Kyle. I've said all I an to say."
The head of the family turned on his heel and walked out briskly.
"Kyle."
"Mm?"
"Are we going to catch it badly?"
"Looks that way."
"I hope he doesn't harm the boy."
"He won't. But he'll put the father's head on a spike. Or force him to marry Elena and spend his life grinding him down."
"Right then, let's go check on the new mother."
"Aye."
...
Twelve hours after the birth.
"Well then, hello, sister. How are you feeling?" A tall, well-built young man with dark hair and grey eyes said this as gently as he could.
"Kyle, at least you don't start in on too. I'm well enough, though I don't expect that to last," said the young mother calmly. Lady Elena Royce.
He only smirked at that and announced cheerfully, "Quite right. You're absolutely correct. Thanks to your little escapade, we're all completely done for."
"It doesn't beco a knight to speak that way in front of ladies."
"Agreed. But right now I'm just a brother who got shad in public because of you!!! Elena, what in the seven hells? You've always been the most sensible one among us, but this tops everything."
"Calm yourself. Where is my son?"
"Father ordered him placed in another room. He also wants you to co to his solar when you've finished resting."
At that, Elena let out a sharp breath and rose abruptly, but lost her footing and nearly fell. Thanks to the Seven, her brother caught her in ti.
"Easy, easy. Where are you rushing off to? Father isn't going anywhere, and you could do with the rest."
"The longer I leave Father alone with his thoughts, the more foolish a version of things he'll convince himself of. Roslin, Joanna, help dress."
Two young, pretty maidservants slipped quietly into the chamber and began to help their lady.
Kyle said nothing to this, understanding well enough that his sister was right. He did say, however:
"Right, I'll wait for you outside the door and fetch Yohn while I'm at it."
Without waiting for an answer he stepped out. Fifteen minutes later, Elena erged in a fine, rich gown. Glancing about, she found her grim-faced brothers standing together alongside a maidservant holding a bundle with the child. Fully grasping both the inevitability of what lay ahead and the plain harm of dragging it out any further, she gave the word:
"Forward. Let's not put off the inevitable."
Their small procession made for the solar of the Lord of Runestone, Robar Royce. Not a word passed between any of them in those ten minutes; none of them had the mind for it. Each was lost in their own thoughts. And then the door of the solar ca into view. The siblings exchanged glances. Elena took the child and dismissed the maidservant.
She knocked, received an answer, and they entered to find a perfectly ordinary scene with one small addition: a cradle. In the spacious study sat their father. He was sorting through papers as he always did, paying them no attention whatsoever. They drew up chairs and sat before his desk, having first set the infant down. Their mother had once let slip that the paper-sorting and deliberate indifference were their father's standard ans of unsettling people, yet they grew uneasy all the sa.
For about five minutes the only sound in the solar was the scratching of a quill. Then he finished his letter, dusted it with sand, folded it, and pressed his seal into the wax. He began to fix the three of them with a piercing stare, which only made things worse, for they were not accustod to seeing their father like this. He had always been a man of strong feeling, and this cold, quiet anger troubled his children deeply. It was the head of the family who chose to break the silence first:
"I need his na. And his head."
"No," ca Elena's reply.
"No?"
"I swore that it would remain between us alone."
"That held until you had his bastard! You are the daughter of the second most powerful and influential house in the Vale! You had everything: beauty, wit, noble blood, the backing of your house. You threw it all away, and for what? What for did you ruin your future? We were making alliances with great houses and might have done so again. But now... does your thick head understand that your only choices now are minor lords or landed knights? I had been in talks with Doran Martell about a marriage for you. You know there are discussions of a royal match between Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell. We were nearly at an agreent when the letter about a bastard ca flying in. Had it all gone through, I would have had a seat on the Small Council!"
"You're furious about a lost appointnt?! As if you even care about ..."
The crack of a slap rang through the solar. Elena sat in shock, hand pressed to her cheek. Their father had never once raised his hand to her.
"To the seven hells with that appointnt! I am furious because of your ruined future. Now. HIS NA!!!"
"No."
"Argh! Yohn, hold your sister. Kyle, do it."
Kyle rose slowly and began walking toward the cradle, drawing a small vial from his coat as he went. In a single motion Yohn was at Elena's side, wrenched her arms behind the chair and bound them.
"Why are you tying up, you traitor!" Elena scread, struggling to pull free.
Yohn held her firm and lashed her to the chair. "Kyle, what does this an?! What do you need that vial for?" And then her face twisted with horror and realization. "No... Don't! He is an innocent child! He is not to bla! Father, stop this! I am the one at fault for all of it! Give that poison, just let him live!" Elena was sobbing, having understood what her brother held in his hand.
When Kyle brought the vial to the child's lips, Elena made one last desperate attempt to reach her baby, but could not break free. In her anguish she cried out:
"He is Jon Arryn's!"
That struck every man in the room dumb. And Elena pressed on as quickly as she could:
"Nine months ago there was a tournant at Gulltown. At the feast soone reduced to tears and I ran without looking where I was going, and at a turn in the corridor I walked straight into Lord Arryn. He offered to escort to my chambers, and along the way we fell into conversation. He was so kind, so courteous and gallant, that I did not even notice when we began to kiss, and the rest follows plainly enough. In the morning we understood what a mistake we had made and swore to tell no one. Three weeks later I knew I was with child."
For a few minutes the n in the room sat with Lady Elena's story. Each had his own thoughts turning over. Robar was weighing the central problem of it all. Had it been soone of lesser standing or equal rank, he could have compelled the man to marry his daughter and acknowledge the child. Even with a great lord, Jon Arryn included, such a thing could be arranged; his own position allowed for it. But Lord Arryn already had a wife. That was the chief obstacle. Though... even that could be addressed.
"Yohn, take Elena to her chambers. Kyle, you stay."
Yohn cut the ropes and moved to help her to her feet, but received a blow for his trouble. Elena rose on unsteady legs, trembling, took two steps and nearly fell, but caught herself in ti.
"Lord Royce, may I take Axel with ?"
Robar looked up from his thoughts. "Axel? Ah, the boy. Take him."
She was at the cradle in an instant, lifting her son into her arms as though to shield him from the whole world.
When only two remained in the room, Robar looked to his son and heir:
"What do you make of it?"
"It is... very unexpected."
"Be more specific."
"By or through this, depending on how you look at it, we could make Elena the Lady of the Vale. But Lord Arryn already has a wife." Kyle t his father's eyes and said sharply, "No. Don't. Father, that would be dishonorable."
"Honor. Hmm... What is honor set against the happiness of those you love? What is duty set against a newborn son or grandson held in your arms? We do what is right when it costs us nothing, and honor cos easily then. But there cos a day for every man when he must make a hard choice. That day has co, and you must decide for yourself what matters most."
Kyle rose abruptly and made quickly for the door. He stopped just before it and said:
"Give ti to think." With those words he left Robar alone.
The lord let out a heavy sigh and turned his gaze to the stack of papers before him, resuming his duties. He read through letters and docunts, but his thoughts were far from them. Realizing that nothing useful would co from him today, he closed his eyes to rest, yet his mind kept returning to Elena and Axel.
"Lord Axel, of Houses Arryn and Royce. Lord of the Eyrie, Defender of the Vale, and Warden of the East," Robar Royce's voice broke the quiet. "That has a fine ring to it."
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