An AU in which Steffon and Cassana Baratheon return safely from their journey to Essos
ao3
When Father summoned her to his chambers, Lyanna expected a scolding. It would hardly be the first time she’s gotten into trouble. Though, she ponders as she makes her way through the halls to the Lord’s Solar, what it could possibly be this time? To her recollection, she hasn’t done anything worthy of a scolding in quite some time. At least, not anything Father would’ve heard about. She and Ben had been extra careful only to play swords deep in the godswood, when they knew that the staff was too preoccupied to pay them any mind. And Brandon had been off in Barrowton for moons now, they hadn’t gone off racing outside of the castle walls in gods only know how long. She had skipped a lesson or two with Maester Walys. Perhaps he’d told Father and now she was about to get an earful about the importance of a lady’s education.
She feels not a trace of apprehension as she knocks on the heavy ironwood door and Father bids her enter, but something about his expression is —always solemn, he has the long face of a Stark, after all— but somehow… well, more serious, if it were at all possible. And that makes her anxious.
“You called for me, Father?”
“Yes. I need to speak with you, Lyanna. Please, sit.”
And Lyanna knows then it’s not a scolding that is coming. He always expects them to stand through a scolding. Nervously, she takes the seat offered, perched upon the very edge of it. This is serious, she thinks to herself. Is it Brandon? Or Ned? Are my brothers all right? “What is the matter?”
“You’ll soon be three-and-ten. Nearly a woman grown. And with womanhood comes certain expectations, duties. Not the least of which is marriage.”
Lyanna can hardly believe the words, this cannot be! Her knuckles tighten around the arms of her chair, taught and white. “I-I am not ready for marriage!”
“Aye, that I know,” he agrees easily. “Which is why I’ve come to an arrangement. You’re to be fostered at Storm’s End. Be a companion and lady-in-waiting to Lady Baratheon. She will prepare you in ways that I cannot. Teach you what it means to be the lady of a great house. Something I feel has been sorely lacking in your education thus far.”
“Lady Baratheon…? All the way in the Stormlands? Father, but why so far? Surely, there is some Northern lady who can teach me. Perhaps, she could even come here, to Winterfell—”
“No, Lyanna. It is to be Storm’s End. You must learn how to run the household. After all, it will be yours one day.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve arranged for your betrothal to Ser Robert Baratheon, heir to the Stormlands.”
“Robert Baratheon? Surely, not the same Robert Ned’s been fostered with.” Lyanna remembers the man well enough from her trip to the Vale with Brandon and Benjen to visit their brother, only last year. He was a big man, in every way. He was tall, and broad shouldered, and his voice loud. He smiled too much, like he found some jest in everything that everyone else did not. Ned seemed enraptured with him, called him like a brother, but both Brandon and Lyanna agreed; they could not see the appeal.
“I know of no other.”
“You cannot be serious!” As if Lord Rickard Stark were ever anything else. “Why— why him?”
“It is an excellent match. House Baratheon is an old and noble house, with good incomes. And someday, Robert is to be Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. There are few ranked higher than him, outside of the royal family.”
“But why— why can I not marry a Northerner?” Lyanna whines despite herself. She’d once had quite an infatuation with Brandon’s squire, young Ethan Glover. While House Glover was a vassal house to the Starks, they were still noble and had a fair keep. Not so far from Winterfell, if one were to ride through the Wolfswood. Or even a Karstark, an Umber. Please don't send me so far away.
There is an odd look about Father as he considers her question. It's not as if he is looking for the answer, no, he knows exactly why. What he is considering is what lie to tell her to make her more agreeable. But Lyanna is no fool, and she realizes the answer before Father even opens his mouth. “For the same reason Brandon’s to marry the Tully girl, isn't it?”
“Yes.”
“I don't understand why you want to give us all away to Southerners!”
“You will not raise your voice to me, Lyanna,” he says coldly, all the iciness due to the Warden of the North, what she and her brothers called ‘the Lord’s voice,’ and Lyanna immediately falls silent. “You will do this because I have said so. It is my duty as your father to find you the best match I see fit, and it is yours to obey.”
“Yes, Father…”
“I've already made the arrangements with Lord Baratheon. You're to leave after your nameday, to White Harbor, then sail on to Storm’s End.”
“So soon?” She asks, startled.
“I can think of no reason to tarry, can you?”
And she knows that is not a question, nor an invitation to argue. Father is only seeking her obedience, which she grants, however much it pains her. “No reason at all.”
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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Rules: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it!
Starting off with jonsa!
- flatlands (the only one I'm currently posting)
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
- bells of spring
- Love, Actually
- Desdemona
- even a worm will turn
- A Game of Love
Then, a single lyabert:
- Horse Heart
And that's it I'm afraid! I will love to answer any of your asks!
In case you'd like to play too (anyone else who'd like to and I've forgotten to tag please feel free!): @standbehindhousestark @sailorshadzter @asoiastarks @istumpysk @kitnjon @greenlemonstre @aliceinfwonderland @bluedaffodil21
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Robert Baratheon is not a morning person, that much is for certain, and thus when Lyanna’s alarm clock had started going off at 7 am he’d rolled over, turned it off, and failed to give it a second thought. He wrapped his arms around Lyanna and nuzzled his face into her hair. It was a Saturday, her kid was at his dad’s, and they had all morning to laze about in bed with no one to disturb them.
Or so he thought.
He’s not sure how much time has passed when he starts to wake again, vaguely aware of the sound of the bedroom door opening. He yawns and stretches, just because Lyanna was up didn’t mean he had to be. He rolls over, intending to fall back asleep on his other side when he’s met with a pair of heads, one dark and curly and the other very very blonde. He blinks, and as his brain begins to process what’s in front of him his stomach drops.
Six year olds Jon Stark and Daenerys Targaryen are standing at the edge of the bed. He sits up, rubbing his eyes. “Shit.”
“That’s a bad word.” Daenerys says.
“Lyanna!” Robert hisses, waving his arm behind him absently to shake her awake. “Lyanna!”
“What? What?” Lyanna groans, he hears her shifting in the bed behind him and sitting up. “Shit!”
“That’s a bad wooorrrddd” Daenerys sings rocking up on to her tiptoes as Jon cocks his head curiously at them
“Bad time?” The words draw Robert’s eyes from the two six year olds to the doorway. There, dressed all too impeccably for a Saturday morning, stands Rhaegar Targaryen. Behind him he hears Lyanna let out a soft ‘ fuck’
“That’s a - “ Daenerys starts
“Jon, Dany,” Lyanna interjects, “Go - go to the living room, i’ll be there in a minute.”
“But we’re -” Jon starts.
“Now.” Lyanna says firmly. “You know where the cereal is, go.”
“Yes mummy.” Jon mutters, giving them each one last look at taking Daenerys’ hand and dragging her from the room. Rhaegar steps back from the door, watching the children go with bemusement.
“Why the hell are you in my apartment?” Lyanna growls at him, pulling the sheet up with her as she searches for her shirt in the bed clothes. Her face is very red, embarrassment more than anger if Robert had to guess “You only have him two weekends a month can’t you even handle that?”
“I take it you forgot then.” Rhaegar raises his eyebrows.
“Forgot what?” Robert asks, frowning over at Lyanna.
“Oh shit.” Lyanna’s face falls and she raises a hand to cover her mouth. “The- the wedding.”
“Yes.” Rhaegar sighs. “We switched weekends because I’ve got a wedding in Dorne to go to and you offered to take Daenerys too.”
“Wh- why didn’t you call?” Lyanna says. “I - when I dropped Jon off last night you didn’t say anything?”
“I said I’d bring him and Daenerys over today on my way to the airport around 10.” Rhaegar says. “And I did call, twice, your phone is off.”
“Shit.” Lyanna says, looking sheepishly over at Robert. She’d turned it off last night when Ned had tried calling her twice in the middle of their evening. “Oh my god I - I’m so sorry I just - I completely forgot.”
“I figured.” Rhaegar purses his lips and looks the two of them over for a moment. “Look I’ll… give you a minute to get dressed but I would like a word Lyanna.”
“Right.” She groans, watching him leave before flopping back down on the bed and letting out a long moan of embarrassment.
“Why didn’t you tell me you had the kids this weekend Lya?” Robert grumbles, grabbing his boxers off the floor and sliding them on. “Gods be damned, that was not exactly my idea of a nice wake up.”
“Oh and it’s mine?” Lyanna grumbles, pushing herself up and scowling at him. “Being woken up at 10 in the morning by my kid, his aunt, and my ex is not exactly how I envisioned people finding out about us - and if I remembered I had them this wouldn’t have happened at all.”
“How could you have forgotten that detail?” Robert says, holding her a shirt out for her and grabbing his own from the bedroom floor.
“Well the wine probably helped.” Lyanna mutters, giving him a look and pulling the top over her head. She had a point there, they’d gone through a bottle of wine together last night and as it was they had a no kid talk rule on their nights together. “Gods I think i’d rather it have been Ned.”
“I wouldn’t.” Robert chuckles, pulling her to a stand and giving her a kiss.
“Really?” Lyanna raises her eyebrows, standing on tiptoe to kiss him. “You mean to tell me you’d prefer two six year olds and my ex to my brother?”
“Hands down.” Robert laughs. “He may be an ass but at least he won’t punch me for sleeping with his little sister.”
She smacks his chest playfully and goes to get her pajama pants off the nightstand with a roll of her eyes. “Well no, but we did just traumatize his son and his sister.”
“They’re much too young to have understood that.” Robert rolls his eyes, following Lyanna from the bedroom.
“But they aren’t too young to tell Ned and Cat.” Lyanna reminds him. She moves through the living room, stopping briefly to kiss Jon and Daenerys on the heads. Both children are occupied with cheerios and the television for the time being and Rhaegar is standing near the door, looking irritable. “What’s up Rhaegar?”
Deciding it’s best to leave them to their discussion Robert goes into the kitchen and starts on the coffee, trying not to eavesdrop. It’s easier said than done however, the entry way is right next to the kitchen and though Rhaegar seems to be trying to keep quiet, the same cannot be said for Lyanna.
“You’re an ass Rhaegar Targaryen.” Lyanna growls.
“Lyanna -” Rhaegar’s tone is more even and measured. “I think it’s perfectly within my right to worry what you’re exposing our son to, he’s only six.”
“Exposing our son to.” Lyanna scoffs. “You haven’t got a leg to stand on there. How old were Rhaenys and Aegon when you started fucking their nanny?”
“Lyanna.” Rhaegar chastises. “The kids.”
“Oh don’t ‘the kids’ me Rhaegar.” She mutters. “Look, I’m sorry I forgot, it won’t happen again, just go.”
“Lyanna I’m just -”
“Are you marrying mummy?” Jon’s voice almost causes Robert to drop the coffee pot. The little boy is standing in front of him, Daenerys just behind him, grey eyes and violet ones blinking up at him in unison.
“I um -” He swallows, glancing at the doorway, Rhaegar seems to be leaving now and Lyanna has her arms folded crossly as she watches him. “Um why?”
“You were sleeping with Mummy.” Jon continues. “Like Uncle Ned and Auntie Catelyn do. Only they said it was only for married people and to knock before Robb and I come into their bedroom. Do I have to knock before coming into Mummy’s room?”
“That’s not true.” Daenerys scowls at Jon. “It's not just for married people. Remember Vis and Arianne?”
Jon starts to cut in but before long the two of them are arguing back and forth in Valyerian and Robert can’t understand any of it. Lyanna comes in then, red in the face and practically shaking with anger. He looks around the room, at the two arguing kids, the still empty pot of coffee, an angry Lyanna. He sets the coffee pot on the counter and claps his hands together to get the kid’s attention. They stop arguing long enough to look up at him.
“Both of you put your shoes on. We’re going to IHOP. My treat.” He announces, Dany and Jon forget their argument immediately, clapping their hands and scrambling off to find shoes.
“Robert,” Lyanna sighs, looking over at him. You don’t have to do that.”
“No, no.” Robert shakes his head. “You heard me, IHOP, my treat.”
“Okay, okay.” A smile cracks across her face and she raises her hands in surrender. “I’m going to put some actual clothes on first.”
Ten minutes later the four of them are piled into Robert’s truck, Jon and Dany sitting in the back seats, chittering away together. Robert reaches over and takes Lyanna’s hand, pulling it up to kiss the back of it.
“I’m sorry about that.” Lyanna sighs. “I completely forgot about the wedding this weekend. I should've told you this wasn’t a good time.”
“It’s fine, Lya.” Robert assures. “I mean I was embarrassed but mistakes happen. Wires get crossed. Sure I could’ve done without that being how your kid and his dad find out about us but we would’ve told them at some point right?” They never really talked about telling people about them, they’d been doing this for a few months now, spending nights together when they didn’t have their kids, they’d been on a few dates while Jon was at sleepover with Neds kids, but never anything super serious, and certainly not anything to tell the kids about.
“Yeah.” Lyanna sighs, glancing at the back seat to make sure Jon and Dany were still occupied. “I - I mean I think this has been headed in that… more serious direction. Don’t you?”
“Yeah.” He admits. Relationships weren’t always his strong suit, the three kids by three different women attested to that, but this felt different. This wasn’t just drinking and fighting and sex. There was drinking, but a lot less of it than usual. Sex, but a lot more personal sex then he was used to. Fighting? Well they hadn’t really done any of that yet. This felt like it was going somewhere. “Yeah it does. I just - I didn’t have that being how we told them.”
Lyanna snorts. “That was nothing short of the most embarrassing moment of my life.”
“It’s definitely up there.” Robert chuckles, pulling into the parking space at IHOP. “Come on lets feed these kids.”
Ten minutes later the four of them are sitting in a booth near the window. Jon and Dany sit on one side, coloring the pictures on the paper menus with the provided crayons. He and Lyanna sit across from them, a cup of coffee in front of each of them and his arm around Lya’s waist as the two of them peruse the menu. He’s pretty sure both kids are going to stick with chocolate chip pancakes and as much whip cream as the waitress will bring them, but he would like a real breakfast.
“Definitely banana pancakes.” Lya decides, closing her menu and taking Robert’s free hand.
“It’s always the banana pancakes.” Robert chuckles, closing his own menu. “But I’ll be sticking with the egg breakfast so I guess I can’t talk.”
“You eat more eggs than any person I know.” Lya teases, kissing his cheek.
“They’re a good source of protein!” He protests. “What about you two little dragons hmm?”
“Chocolate chip!” Jon grins, Danny nodding her head in agreement.
“Jon?” The familiar voice of Ned Stark says from behind them. “Lyanna? Robert?”
Yes!!!! Thank you!!! It was so much fun to write them again!!!
Parties were a different thing when you didn't drink. That was something Robert had realized for the last two years.
He nursed his ginger ale now, sitting at the bar, his eyes drifting to the bartender every few minutes - it would be so easy to order a beer, it was an open bar even, it was begging people to drink. He took another sip then - the taste wasn't great, but he wasn't giving it up.
He gave up drinking too late, he knew that. It was too late for his kids not to hate him, or to make up to the women he had hurt - from his wife to women young enough to be his daughters.
But he was doing something right. It was good for him, that was undebatable, as his sponsor reminded him, he should stop drinking for himself. But there was more.
Maybe for the first time since he was fourteen, he was not completely plastered at a Stark party. He was not gonna ruin Ned's sixtieth birthday party.
His friend looked happy - carried the age better than him. It was not bad, only fair that he at some point he would become the most handsome of the pair.
Robert finished the drink and with that left the bar, back to the others. And then he saw her - one of the few things he got to fix, thirty years in the making - she threw her arms around his neck, barely reaching him.
"Come dance!!!"
"I will as long as you don't mind me stepping on your feet," he told her with a laugh - she already knew he had two left feet. Lyanna didn't seem to have complains, pulling her arms of his neck and taking his hand, pulling him along.
A fast song, while none of them young still their favorites, and she waved their hands together while laughing.
"How much have you drunk, Lya?" he asked, not wanting to ever be the one to judge someone's drinking but only to check in.
"Just the right amount," she said with a laugh. "I have to give a speech later - this will make it funnier," she promised.
He nodded. She was too coherent for the drinking to have been too much.
"Now dance!!!" she ordered once again and he obeyed, until both too tired, dropped onto the chairs.
"I love you," she whispered, before laying a kiss on his lips, still mid smiles and laughs. And as he tasted the beer she had been drinking, he smiled and kissed her lips once again.
"Love you too," he told her, as she rested her tipsy self against his shoulder, there was enough time for a nap before the speeches, he thought as he kissed the top of her head. He truly loved her.
Lyanna had only been sixteen, a child-woman of surpassing loveliness. Ned had loved her with all his heart. Robert had loved her even more. She was to have been his bride.
AU where Lyanna survives and marries Robert, becoming queen of the seven kingdoms.
