The she-wolf and the lion

Chapter 115 - perhaps we should send him on a grand tour

Three years later.

Jaime and Lyra break the fast together while now 13 year old Daemon sits with his groomsmen.
"Beloved, perhaps it's time to send him on his grand tour to find him his future wife", Lyra says.
"I agree, I went on my grand tour when I was 13, although I didn't find a wife until I met you at 16", Jaime says.
"True, do you think it's too early for him to find a wife?" Lyra asks.
"Not at all, he is almost 14 and almost a man grown, it's high time he is at least betrothed to a fitting girl, a girl from a house that would benefit house Lannister and house Stark both", Jaime says.
"I agree, we need to think of what's best for both our houses", Lyra says.
"Perhaps a Mormont girl, they are vassals to house Stark, are they not?" Jaime asks.
"Yes, they are vassals of house Stark, I have a certain Mormont girl in mind, lady Alysanne, the young she-bear", Lyra says.
"I agree, we could send house Mormont a raven and invite the girl here, you could send it under your Stark seal", Jaime says.
"I think that is a good idea, they are my vassals after all", Lyra says.
"Want me to send for the maester?" Jaime asks.
"Yes, please do", Lyra says.

Jaime waves a servant over to
"Get maester Craylen for us, tell him to bring paper, ink, quill and Lyra's Stark seal", Jaime says.
"Yes, m'lord", the servant girl says.

The servant girl returns in a couple minutes with maester Craylen with paper, ink, quill and Lyra's Stark seal.
"We'd like to have two letters sent, one to house Mormont of Bear Island and one to house Westerling of the Crag, about a possible betrothal between the heir of Casterly Rock and either of the young girls", Jaime says.
"Which girls do you have in mind?" Maester Craylen asks.
"Lady Alysanne Mormont and lady Elenya Westerling", Jaime says. "We would like to invite them here to see which one would be the most fitting wife for our heir, mark the letter to Bear Island with Lyra's Stark seal and the letter to the Crag with my Lannister seal."
"Yes, m'lord", maester Craylen says.

Maester Craylen sits down at the table and starts writing the letters to house Mornont and house Westerling on behalf of the lord and lady of Casterly Rock and their young heir.

Jaime dictates the letter to house Westerling first and then the letter to house Mormont. When the letters have been written and marked with the right seals, maester Craylen excuses himself to go send them off with two of his swiftest birds.

When the birds have been sent off, maester Craylen returns to the master and mistress of Casterly Rock and their heir to discuss his lordly progress.
"Where would I be going first on my progress, father?" Daemon asks.
"I would suggest, if your lord father and lady mother permit me to share my thoughts, that you start by visiting your lord father's banner men as they will be your banner men when you are lord and master of Casterly Rock and hold your lord father's titles and lands", maester Craylen says.
"That's a very good idea", Daemon says. "Should I visit mother's banner men as well, even though Winterfell will go to Gerion?"
"Yes, I think you should, since you will be visiting Bear Island on your progress and since your future wife might be a Mormont, I think it might be a good idea to meet some of my banner men, even though, like you so wisely stated, sweetling, your brother will be lord of Winterfell after me", Lyra says. "It's also good to remind the northern houses that even though your lady mother, the heiress to Winterfell, married a man of the Westerlands, a Lannister of Casterly Rock, she is still a Stark of Winterfell."
"If they doubt your mother's loyalty to the northern houses, you can remind them how ruthless she was in the treatment of your lord father when I came to Winterfell as a prisoner of war after losing in battle to her father and uncle", Jaime says lightly.

Four days later, Daemon leaves with his servants and ten carefully selected soldiers to serve as his guards on his journey. He leaves Casterly Rock after a few parting words from his parents and Bronn.
"Good luck on your journey, my boy, come safely back to us", Lyra says.
"Write us as often as you can to let us know you are well", Jaime says.
"Good luck in your travels, my young lord, remember what we've all taught you", Bronn says. "Take good care of Prince and in return he will take good care of you."

Daemon's grand tour takes him and his small company first to house Westerling at the Crag. He stays there for three days before continuing his journey, leaving the Crag already with a half landed betrothal to lady Eleyna.

The maester at the Crag, maester Thurman, on Daemon's request, sends a raven to Casterly Rock, to Jaime and Lyra to let them know about the betrothal between their son and heir, lord Daemon Lannister, the ice lion, to lady Eleyna Westerling, the youngest of lord Westerling's daughters.

Daemon continues his grand tour around the Seven Kingdoms to meet all the people most important for him to meet, stopping off in the capital and staying there for two weeks to meet his younger sister, princess Jariella, his nephew, prince Jaime, his aunt, queen Brianna, his uncle by marriage, king Rhaegar and his uncle by birth, lord Tyrion, the king's hand and his own younger brother Gerion, now serving in the prince guard for their cousin, prince Jaehaerys and their sister princess Jariella and their nephew prince Jaime Targaryen.

On his return journey back to Casterly Rock after having been away for over a year, Daemon stops at the Crag and there, under a starry sky, in the first light of the morning of his 15th name day, Daemon Lannister, the ice lion of Lannister and Stark, takes lady Eleyna Westerling to bride, her but 13 years old but already in full bloom.

He rides in to the courtyard at Casterly Rock on the back of Prince of the Rock with his new bride in front of him in the saddle. Jaime, seeing his son ride in to the courtyard, can hardly believe his eyes when he sees the young man, his 15 year old son, his firstborn, hardly a man grown but already seemingly settled down with a wife.
"Father, may I present lady Eleyna Westerling, my lady wife", Daemon says.

Bronn, Will and Tommy the stable boy are quick to catch Jaime, saving him from a nasty fall when he collapses in pure shock at seeing his firstborn coming home married.

The three strong men carry Jaime to the master's chambers, calling for Lyra, maester Craylen and a couple servants as they walk with their unconscious master between them.
"Bronn, what happened?" Lyra asks worried when he comes seeking her and telling her something happened to Jaime.
"Your firstborn happened, m'lady, the shock of seeing young Daemon coming home from his travels with a wife shocked his grace, the lord of Lannister so much that he fainted, he is in your rooms recovering, guarded by Will and Tommy and hopefully looked over by the good maester, maester Craylen was at least swiftly sent for, come now, come see your lord husband", Bronn says calmly, trying not to show how worried it made him to see his master faint like that.