The Winter Queen

Chapter 7

As much as he wished to not have this conversation he knew that he had procrastinated it long enough. They had just received the message from the King saying that the Royal family and their retinue were at the Neck and would arrive in about a week’s time. This also meant that the day he would wed and much to his dismay at the Queen’s insistence of immediate consummation, bed, the Dragon Princess. Yet he had not informed his children of his imminent union and he knew it was finally time. He could not delay it any further.

After he knew his children had completed their lessons for the day, he summoned them to his Solar. Once they arrived, he embraced them both even as he struggled to fathom how the King could possibly be okay with being separated from his daughter, particularly while she was still so young. Cregan could not imagine in five years time that he could bear marrying off his dearest Alys to some Suthron Lordling, never knowing if that would be the last time he would ever see her. Hells, he knew he was going to struggle with that in a decade’s time or more when she did eventually wed and that was even should she, as she likely would, marry some Northern Lord or Lordling.

After embracing them for several long moments, he bid them both to sit down.

“My children, do you know why our King and his family are coming all the way here to Winterfell?" 

"No Papa,” they replied, “why are they coming?" 

Cregan sighed. “The King has decided that I am to wed his daughter, the Princess and she will then live here with us at Winterfell. We are to marry within hours of their arrival here. Children, I did not choose this union, however, it is one that will greatly benefit our people and thus I must do my duty as your grandsire’s son and heir. I doubt the Princess chose this union either and thus she is also doing her duty to her father and to the realm as a whole by accepting the union. I expect that both of you will treat her with respect." 

"Will we have to call her mother?” Alys asked.

“No, I don’t think she will wish you to call her that as the Princess is only three and ten years of age. You will address her as Princess or as Your Grace unless she grants you permission to address her as something else." 

"Papa, she’s so young! Why is she getting married now?” Benjen inquired.

“Her father, the King, decided that it was time for her to marry and he picked me as her bridegroom. I doubt she had any say in the decision. However, she  will be my wife and I have been told that the King and Queen expect children from us as soon as possible so a year from now you may have a new baby brother or sister.”

“Papa! I don’t want to wed at three and ten!" Alys exclaimed, worried that her father would do to her what the King was doing to his daughter.

"Do not worry my sweet girl, I do not intend to marry you off before you come of age in nine years if not several years later though your grandsire and I may pick out your bridegroom some years before you actually wed. Same with your brother. I will not have any of my children marry before they come of age unless under a direct order from the King.”

“Will she be bringing her dragon?" Benjen asked, suddenly excited to see one of the mythical beasts.

“Yes, her golden dragon is coming North with her to live here.”

“Do you think she’ll ever take me flying like in the stories of the Arryn boy King?”

“You will have to ask her but first, how about we let her get settled here before we start asking too much from her?" 

"Okay Papa!” replied his son.

“Where will the Princess sleep?" his daughter asked quietly.

"She will be my wife and thus she will share my bed as is our custom. Despite this, my children, if you need me in the night, you will still be able to seek me out. My marriage will not change that. You both are the best and only things I have remaining of your mother who was my childhood best friend and first love. Nothing will ever change that save that one day you may have more brothers and sisters joining you and looking to you both for love and advice.” Cregan paused to sigh again, "This isn’t going to be easy on any of us and will require an adjustment period but, I know we all, and I do include myself in this, need to see my marriage as a way of strengthening our House and adding to our numbers rather than something terrible and unwanted. Does that make sense?”

To this, his children replied, “Yes, Papa!" before hugging their father again and then leaving to go play.