Marriage I
Haelyx was in her uncle's lap and he was holding her as tight as the man could. She felt small, barely a child.
A girl who left her second home, the only one she remembered, to get married
-You are only a three hour flight away, sweet girl. Only three hours of flight with Hedwig.
Haelyx nodded to her uncle. The ceremony would formally take place in the Red Keep, but the bedding would be in Riverrun in a few years. The official reason was the decline in the King's health. Daemon Targaryen did not attend his daughter's wedding, claiming that his second wife was about to give birth and he should stay with her
Haelyx told herself that it didn't hurt that her father wasn't at her wedding.
The Sept was filled with nobles and the royal family. Haelyx was much smaller than Edmyn and she thought they looked ridiculous together. But she tried not to be disgusted when a great-uncle of Edmyn's came over to congratulate him on choosing a young mare he could break in to his heart's content and produce many children.
Edmyn also seemed disgusted by his Great-Uncle's words and promptly dismissed him. His hand was soft on Haelyx's back and she took pity on him. He had been chosen to be her husband because he was there during the incident. Nothing else.
By saving her he had lost the chance to fall in love with someone, get married and start a real family.
-There will be no bedding ceremony. The young couple will leave directly for Riverrun. – The King announced and the nobles complained. – Even so, we will celebrate in honor of the couple.
The nobles howled and mugs of ale and wine were raised in the throne room as the feasting began.
Haelyx smiled politely throughout the party before she and her husband left to reach an inn. Haelyx had already made the trip to Riverrun several times in the last few months to bring her personal belongings. But now they were taking her dowry.
One hundred thousand gold dragons.
The money came from Aegon's personal funds, the Queen's funds and the state coffers. A nice way to tell Haelyx to shut up about the matter. A threat from the Queen
The carriage belonged to the Tully house, and it was very comfortable, although not as comfortable as the one that belonged to the royal family and that Haelyx used to use on her few trips. Still, it was a good carriage and quite solid. At Haelyx's side was a maid who would travel with her. She wasn't one of her servants, she was a spy for the Queen. Haelyx knew, she had seen into the woman's mind
She was a smart girl named Ronia who came from Old Town. Her mother and her father still served in the ancestral home of Hightower House. If she failed to properly spy on Princess Haelyx, her parents would die.
Haelyx knew it, she understood it and accepted it. In the game of politics it was normal to put spies in other houses
Her magic was even more powerful than before, because in this world there were only a few witches and magic was abundant everywhere. Even the so-called witches were only lesser creatures that barely scratched the surface of true magic.
But now Haelyx had another problem, after solving her marriage.
A war was coming. It was obvious that the Queen wanted Aegon on the throne. And Princess Rhaenyra would not give up without a fight. Three riders on one side, five on the other. The Princess would win, but it would be better if she got the support of the marriage formed by Laena Velaryon and Daemon. That would add up to eight dragons. Two of them used to war and one the biggest dragon alive
But that left her in the middle
If Daemon Targaryen joined the war and supported Rhaenyra…. So he would expect her to join. Her dragon would soon be bigger than Vhagar, the last dragon of the conquest. In the palace she had always avoided wearing green or black, preferring red, blue, yellow or white. But she soon she couldn't choose.
Unless….
Unless she got a Kingdom of her own and got away from her family's madness. But the seven kingdoms were the most powerful in the world. And Dorne would not accept it easily. The Kingdoms of the other continent were non-existent and weak in actual comparison to her home Kingdom.
Maybe she should create her own Kingdom. With magic it was possible. And with Hedwig too. Haelyx glanced at her dragon hovering over the carriage. Her faithful Hedwig of hers, who had followed her into this life, although a little older but just as pompous as she always was.
-Don't feel sad, princess. Riverrun will become her home very soon. – The maid had misinterpreted the tears running down Haelyx's cheeks
-Yes, but it's sad to say goodbye
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Haelyx felt an icy stone fall into his stomach as the innkeeper said there was only one room free between bowing low and as he wiped the sweat from his hands and the man's bald head gleamed. Edmyn sighed and said that he would share a bedroom with his wife. The Tully gentlemen bannermen raised their glasses and cheered. But Haelyx felt cold
- Wife, the best thing is that you dine in the room. It will be better for you, the people in these places can be quite rude. – Edmyn observed the clients of the inn. Haelyx was dressed in travel clothes, simple but of great quality, her wedding dress had already been removed before leaving the capital. Her hair was in a simple braid and she looked tired. But her white hair and her orchid eyes were something others coveted and marked her as royalty.
Haelyx climbed the stairs to the simple room. The room only had a bed and a chair, but someone had painted a green meadow on one of the walls. It was not an artist that Haelyx could recognize and the drawing was not good, but it filled Haelyx's heart with warmth. This was without a doubt the best room in the inn. And it was closed most of the time, not for lesser guests. But the inn was close to the royal road, many nobles would pass through it.
A wooden bowl of stew came into the room from Ronia. Haelyx cast a gentle detection spell that came back clean and began to eat. It was a good stew, with pork and potatoes. There were even herbs in the mix.
-Princess, tonight your husband will want…. Consummate the union. -Haelyx choked on the spoonful of stew she was eating. - Well, the Queen asked me to explain the matter of the consummation.
- There's no need! – Haelyx didn't need it. In Harry's memories there was a lot, a lot of sex, especially after the death of his wife. And her cousin Rhaenyra had taken her to a brothel so she could see what it was like to have sex. Apart from the Queen's talk which was basically her lying on the bed, spreading her legs and thinking about the seven
-Even so I must prepare it with a special ointment that will make things easier.
Lubricant? Haelyx now wanted to cry
Ronia waited until Haelyx stopped eating to start preparing it. If the wedding dress was ridiculous, the negligee was even more so, Haelyx had never felt more like a child trying to be put in an adult's shoes. The negligee was a delicate and soft garment made of white silk with a fine lace to open it over the breasts that were beginning to be born. The hem was too long because the garment had clearly been intended for someone older than Haelyx. It was also as big as a sack of potatoes. Haelyx looked like a little girl wearing her mother's dress.
Ronia asked Haelyx to lie down and with delicate fingers she began to spread the lubricant through the girl's privacy with care and respect. Haelyx cursed not having the memories of a girl, she only had the memories of sex from Harry's perspective, a man. She, although she also remembered what girls did and what boys liked in bed.
Edmyn entered the room and Ronia left wishing them a good night. Edmyn looked disgusted looking at Haelyx and sighed before starting to undress. Haelyx didn't know if she should undress herself or let him undress her.
Her husband was dressed only in an undershirt and pants and gently grabbed her shoulders leading her to bed. Haelyx mentally prepared herself for what was going to happen. If she stayed still, maybe this wouldn't hurt so much, that's what the maid, the Queen and the Septa had said.
Edmyn laid her on the bed and then covered her with the covers. Haelyx didn't know what to think when she saw her husband grab a blanket and pillow and lie down on the thick rug on the floor.
- Husband? You do not wish to fulfill your rights over my body?
Edmyn looked at Haelyx and sighed heavily.
-Princess, I rescued you from a pervert who wanted to taste your immature meat and I volunteered to prevent another from devouring you. I will not become what I wish to protect from.
- Did you offer? Didn't they force you? They told me they had to marry me off as quickly as possible and you were the only witness to what happened who owed no allegiance to the royal family. I thought they threatened to marry me, I who am sullied- Heavy tears flowed down Haelyx's cheeks as she spoke the truth. If it got out, she would be sullied forever.
Edmyn wiped Haelyx's cheeks with sweet fingers and rested his hand on the girl's face. She looked much younger than her actual age at that time.
-You're not sullied, it's not a woman's fault that a man can't keep his dick in his pants. Especially if we talk about Aegon, the lustful prince. – Haelyx registered the title with which her cousin would go down to posterity. – Princess, I asked to marry you because I had to protect you from other men like your cousin. I'm not resentful, I chose this. I also don't plan to touch you and claim my rights, for now. – Haelyx shuddered and Edmyn smiled as he looked at her. – My mother died giving birth to me, she was thirteen years old. Too young, said the midwives and Master Jerundi. I will not subject my wife to that test. Fifteen years old, I'll wait until you're fifteen before I take you as a wife
Edmyn lay down on the floor to sleep and Haelyx looked at him in disbelief. Then she walked over to the side of the bed where he was and took his hand. Their fingers continued to be linked until dawn came and they had to leave again.
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Lord Grover Tully was ninety-four years old. He had seen wars start and end. He had seen Kings rise and fall. He had been a cupbearer at court in his younger years and a squire to a Prince who later became King. He had outlived two wives and his own firstborn son.
He was old, bald, thin, with so many wrinkles that he could hardly open his eyes. But he moved with the agility of a man twenty years his junior, and he came out to meet them, opening his arms in welcome.
In the courtyard was the entire Tully family who lived in Riverrun. His good father, Elmo Tully, Grover's grandson, and his two good brothers, Kermit and Oscar. Oscar Tully was barely a year older than Haelyx and he blushed deeply at the sight of her, despite all of Haelyx's trips to Riverrun they had never seen each other before. Kermit's reaction had been similar. Elmo's second wife, Blaina Cox, grabbed Oscar's shoulder as she dug her nails into the boy and gave him a warning look.
Haelyx saw a conflict here.
Edmyn was the heir and son of the first wife. While Blaina Cox would have to see her whole life as hers, two of her children had to bow to her brother. Without lands or titles behind them
But unlike the Court and the Red Keep, this place felt more like home. It was warmer.
-He will stay in the rooms of the south tower, together with you, Edmyn. I have already prepared the transfer of your things to the bedroom that you will occupy now. The tower will give you privacy. – His good father winked at Edmyn and then patted him on the back with a laugh.
Blaina stepped forward at that moment with a smile.
- Husband, they have been traveling for three weeks. The best thing is that they go to clean up and then to the dinner prepared in their honor
-No. – They all looked at Lord Tully. – I must speak to the Princess. There is news from home
- News? Has something happened?
-Something. – The old man laughed. - Dear girl, if only something had happened I would be very happy. too much has happened
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Haelyx was in the bathroom while she washed and thought about Lord Tully's words. Lana was dead. Well, that didn't matter to him, he had never met her. Her unborn brother was also dead. He was not sad, just…. She felt empty.
Aemond now rode Vhagar. That balanced both sides.
Laenor had died by dragonfire, suicide, some said. But Haelyx thought that his cousin's husband must now be in one of the free cities with Sir Carl. The man she had seen being kissed by Laenor as she walked the halls carefully and silently, like a wraith.
Lucerys, sweet, sweet Lucerys had gouged out Aemond's eye. Which had led to the gap between the Black and the Green already being unbridgeable. The Blacks in Dragon Rock, the Greens in the Red Keep. Haelyx was shocked at the lack of punishment for Lucerys when the news of the last raven reached her ears.
Daemon Targaryen had married Rhaenyra Targaryen on Dragonstone. And Aegon had returned to the Red Keep.
The Queen had taken her first son back to the Red Keep instead of defending the second. And Lucerys had not received a punishment for what happened. Haelyx's misfortune had been for the benefit of one of her half-brothers whom her father loved so much.
Her father had gotten three new children to forget her even more.
Haelyx sighed as the hot water flowed down her body and she submerged for a few seconds. Flowers and herbs floated in the bathwater, and seeing them from below the surface was a beautiful thing.
Haelyx wished the world would stay this quiet for a few more years.
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For Haelyx the marriage was a surprise. Haelyx had never had anyone for her before, only her uncle. And Haelyx's uncle was the King so the time they could spend together was very scarce and Haelyx felt lucky if they got together once a week. Edmyn wasn't like that, the Tully family wasn't like that. Edmyn met with her every day in the afternoon for at least two hours. And the meals were made together, but the jokes were exchanged and the laughter was frequent.
In the Red Keep words were interpreted in a dozen different ways and meals were tense. The fear of being poisoned was constant and even then a taster was not allowed. Eating the first bite of each dish was a true act of bravery.
The second week Edmyn gave Haelyx a dagger and took her to the training yard.
-I want you to know how to defend yourself even if I'm not with you.
Haelyx had Harry's memories and Harry had been a master at fighting with various weapons because most wizards were useless without their wands. But Haelyx had a problem. She had the technique and the knowledge, but her body lacked strength and muscle memory.
As demonstrated when she couldn't even scratch the practice dummy on the first day
-The posture is good, you have attacked the right place too, but you lack strength.
-Until now I had only seen the training sessions, I had never trained. – Haelyx was sweating
-And have you been able to do the postures and attacks just by having seen them? That is amazing
-Not so much. In Court one must be attentive to everything. You learn more about ladies by watching and imitating them than by listening to them.
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Hedwig was looking at Edmyn and Edmyn was looking at Hedwig. Haelyx was stroking the neck of the great dragon that had caught a shark and now she was taking turns between burning the shark and eating its meat. It was quite large and Haelyx did not recognize the species. It looked like a great white shark except that the belly was red.
Hedwig brought her big head close to Edmyn and sniffed at him before blowing on him and going back to her food.
- She likes you!
- Oh really? It does not seem
-Hedwig is like that, the most beautiful and proud of all the dragons. – The dragon moved with evident joy.
A cold wind blew and Haelyx looked to the north.
-Winter is coming.
-Yes, after a summer of five years. – Edmyn pulled Haelyx towards him. - She will be alright? We don't have a hot pit for her to be comfortable in.
-Dragons don't die from the cold. They hibernate. – Haelyx approached Hedwig and leaned on her scaly body. The most comfortable feeling in the world. – They can sleep for whole years waiting for spring, but my ancestors needed to have their dragons ready for war at all times, so they created the moat and prevented them from hibernating. Hedwig may be the first dragon to hibernate since the fall of Valyria
- That is important?
-She will tell us if we can permanently bring dragons to Winterfell. She would be of great help to the Wall if there was a dragon permanently in Winterfell. That is why one of the Dragon Wardens will come, the wisest and oldest. He will come to inspect Hedwig during the winter. A crow has already arrived warning us of this
-Very good…. I don't like the royal family meddling in our affairs.
-I know, my husband, I know. But the royal family considers all dragons their property. Including Hedwig, although she was born for me
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Haelyx was humming as she embroidered in front of a window with the afternoon sun bathing her back.
- I love hearing you sing. Although I've never heard the songs you sing. – Edmyn was giving her armor maintenance and cleaning it. He said that a man should take care of these things.
-They are just…. Things that come to my head and I only accompany those thoughts with a melody. --- She couldn't tell that they were songs that she had obtained from Harry's memories. The man liked Celtic music, timeless romantic ballads and melodic music.
-They are beautiful. Wife, your thoughts are beautiful
Haelyx smiled and realized that Oscar was watching them from the doorway. Oscar had watched her a lot in the months she had spent in Riverrun. It wasn't weird. Haelyx was beautiful and closer in age to Oscar than Edmyn. But Oscar was only a third son, he couldn't marry a Princess, even if she was one like Haelyx.
Even so, Oscar was not rational now, just a young man in love with his good sister's beauty.