The Last Reyne

Waylona

The room had a heavy feel to it, more so with the lord's icy eyes looking at her. She fumbled for words, she knew little of the lord of the Vale. Waylona had heard that he was just and kind and considered everything first hand. 

But words are wind. She thought bitterly. The words she needed to get out of this situation and return to her charge evaded her and all she could do was meet his gaze. The least she expected him to do was to stand up from his seat. 

"Come, the walls have ears." 

Waylona followed him to a room with shelves full of scrolls and books, the lamp light cast eerie shadows on the walls and her stomach churned. Thoughts raced in her mind, it was way past sunset already. She calmed her worries about Tyrence with the fact that he was smart.

But he is a child still. Her own mind whispered to her.

His footfalls stopped and Lord Arryn turned towards her. "Your name my lady." 

"I'm not a lady of any house my lord." She met his gaze once more. " Waylona Storm." 

"Storm?" His eyebrows shot up in question. 

"I was a bastard born in Storm's End, from the lord of the Rain House." 

"Ah, the seat of House Wylde. So you were recognized by your own father?" 

"Yes, and as I was no threat to the inheritance of his name and house, Lord Wylde treated me kindly and sent me as a handmaiden to the..." She hesitated. "To the Reyne's of Castamere." She whispered. 

"And now the Reyne's are no more." He said calmly.

 It irritated her. The way he could just calmly state that as if it was no horror. The screams that filled the air, the stench of burnt flesh... it was clearly embedded in her mind. 

"Anger will not help you here Waylona Storm and the dead will not come back. House Reyne was not favored by luck and made a poor choice of taunting the lion of Casterly Rock." Before she could retort to that, Lord Arryn continued. "And what brings you here to the Vale? Your demeanor tells me that it is more than just moving on from what happened. If such were the case, you would have gone back to Storm's End."

"It was by the will of the seven gods that I came here. I know not of why they sent me, but surely there's a reason." She took a deep breath. "Mercy my lord, the Red Lion's blood still lives on and I must return."

She had expected an ounce of surprise from him but Lord Arryn only looked at her calmly. "He will hunt the child."

"What?"

"Tywin Lannister. He will hunt that child or it will tarnish his name. By now House Tarbeck would have fallen as well, no allies remain."

"And that is why I went to the East. Lord Arryn, I swear--"

"Go get your liege."

"W-what?" Was this a trap? Was he in league with Tywin Lannister? 

"No harm will come to you here in the Vale." 

Just like that? Waylona thought. As far as she knew, these highborns don't do anything too good to be true unless there was a motive for it. What was he planning?

As if sensing her unease, Lord Arryn stated "Details will be settled when your liege arrives. Swear to the seven gods to bring him here."

His tone made it sound like she had no choice and gods forbid what he'll do if she broke her oath. "I swear to the seven gods my lord, I will return with my liege lord."