The Winter Queen

Chapter 39

Jeyne

As soon as she got the letter from her Uncle about the truths Daemon had uncovered, the punishments he had chosen and the changes she had made, she picked up a quill and penned a letter to Lord Rickon Stark, letting him know that she, and some of her most loyal bannermen, would arrive at Winterfell just before the King and his party were so that they could help with Otto’s trial.

Otto Hightower had, especially since Aemma’s death, raised the taxes on the Vale to absurd levels and she had severely struggled to keep her people fed. If it wasn’t for the Grace of the Gods, thousands would have died of starvation and there likely would have been a mutiny.  Now, she would finally be getting paid back for all of those extra taxes and be able to be part of that same terrible man’s trial and sentencing.

If only her aunt was still alive to witness the wonderful changes her husband was implementing. Changes that would secure the birthrights of girls throughout the realm and allowing Lords to not have to keep forcing children on their wives until their wives died so long as any child had been born to them who lived. If the King had made this revelation earlier, Aemma would still be alive and would be able to be her daughter’s guide in life. Alas, the King was a fool and wasted a good woman and traded her for a religious zealot and harlot.

As for the annulment of Daemon and Rhea’s marriage, Jeyne was very happy about it. Anyone with fully functioning eyes could see just how ill suited the pair was for one another and both would be much happier and easier to deal with when not matched. While Jeyne did not know if Daemon had a particular paramour whom he wished to join himself with, she did know that Rhea had always had a particular fondness for one of Jeyne’s third cousins, a now widow with a young son whose name was John Arryn. Soon she would write to him and let him know that he and his first love could finally be together. She hoped that they would marry and that soon Rhea would have her long awaited heir in her arms.

Before she could pen these letters, she received a Raven from Laenor Velaryon in which he confirmed his interest in men but also requested permission to court her and to become her betrothed. He also informed her that he had challenged his father to everything his father had after learning about all that had conspired while they were gone to war as well as his father’s rage over it. In addition to this, he also informed her about his father’s whoring ways and how they were worse than Daemon’s and how he had contracted an illness due to that which was killing him and had no cure.

As Jeyne was never a woman to wait for things, she quickly replied her consent to the courtship and betrothal. Frankly, she did not care if her future husband had a lover of his own as she had her beloved Lady Jessimine Redfort. No, their union might never bear fruit but it would be fruitful in its own way as it would provide protection to them both and allow them both to be able to better protect their beloved baby cousin and her family.