Breakbones and the Dragonrider

Chapter 19

Jeyne's head rested in Jessamyn's lap. Jess ran her fingers through Jeyne's dark brown hair, delighting in the look on her face as Jeyne closed her eyes contentedly. It had been some hours since the feast concluded, and with what little time they had in private, Jess and Jeyne were reluctant to sleep. As the years wore on, the nights felt like they were getting shorter and shorter. There was never enough time for them to live as they wished.

"Do you think he's right?" Jeyne asked Jess, opening her eyes to look up at her lover. Jessamyn could see the conflict in her eyes.

"He may be," Jess admitted with a sigh. She ran her thumb over Jeyne's hair. "But Commander Strong only did what he has sworn to do, which is defend the princess."

Not an hour before, Ser Ralston had come to Jeyne's personal quarters to relay the last of the evening's events to her. He had stood there, in front of Jeyne, recounting that Harwin Strong had taken up for his princess when Ralston had skirted the issue of her virtue and infidelity.

"And what if Ralston is right?" Jeyne wondered aloud. "What would he have me do? Did I not reject Daemon's claim to Runestone?"

As Wardeness of the East, the welfare of the lesser houses in the Vale was Jeyne's responsibility. When Daemon had come to the Vale on dragonback to contest the inheritance of his late wife's home, Jeyne had rejected his claim. Lady Rhea's nephew had inherited the title after her judgment. It seemed though that Ralston's ire towards Daemon now extended to Rhaenyra.

"House Royce still holds Runestone despite Daemon's claim, and Ralston would do well to remember that his cousin is Lord of Runestone thanks to you," Jess said. "You mustn't entertain this vendetta he holds. What he hints at is treason, and I can't bear the thought that a man's pride would separate us," Jess whispered, and leaned down to kiss Jeyne.

When Jessamyn pulled away, Jeyne sat up and pressed her forehead to Jess's. She smoothed Jess's red hair with her hand, and held her there a moment.

"Even if he is right.... who am I to judge whom a woman loves?"

Jess's eyebrows knit together softly. She pressed her lips to Jeyne's gently.

"You make it very easy to love you."

---

Every spring, the population of the village that lay nestled in the valley below the Eyrie swelled to ten times its size for three days. Shearing the sheep that grazed the valley would last those three days, and visitors from all over the Eyrie would come to trade their wares for raw wool. The women cooked, washed and dyed the wool, and houses bought and traded what was produced during the three-day festival. Hosted by the Lord of the Vale, this tradition dated back to well before the time of Aegon the Conquerer. Every year the excitement built around this day, but this year the village anxiously anticipated Princess Rhaenyra's attendance.

Lady Jeyne and her court led the way down the mountain pass on horseback on the first morning of the festival, with Rhaenyra, Laenor, and their party following. When they reached the green grass of the valley, Rhaenyra was finally able to pull Halya next to Jeyne's horse. The two rode side by side in the direction of the village.

Rhaenyra was thankful for her fur trimmed wool cloak as they rode in the morning chill. Opting for a woolen dress instead of her riding leathers, Rhaenyra thought a plain dress would seem less austere than her riding leathers.

Jeyne looked sidelong at Rhaenyra and smiled. "The village has been buzzing with excitement since they learned last week you would be present for part of the festivities," Jeyne said.

Rhaenyra looked over at her cousin, returning her smile. "I am eager to see the village. My mother spoke of it often."

Jeyne and Rhaenyra both looked off in the distance towards the village, smoke rising from chimneys. The sky was overcast that day, but it did nothing to dull the vibrant green around them.