Black Beauty, Aenys I

one

Chapter One
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Court

The court must have been one of Melarie's favourite places. She loved to talk to people and get to know them. She had many friends in the ladies around her.

There was lady Stonetree who will just shortly be in the court. She came from Iron Islands and is one of the tallest women she had ever seen. Her figure has its beauty, she has hair dark as woods in the forest a little darker than her eyes. Being eight and ten she was waiting for her marriage to take place, until then she stays at court and entertains friends she made in the last two years.

" I am to marry Lord Joron Kenning. " She explained to the women of the court. Most women at the court were young maidens who were waiting for a better marriage proposal, than what they would have found if they stayed home.

" Did you meet him? Is he handsome? How old is he? Does he have a beard? Did you know him from before? " Questions were thrown at the daughter of Lord Stonetree, she laughed at their interest and willingly answered.

" I have. "
" I don't know it's been a long time. "
" I believe he is twenty-three or four. "
" He may have. "
" I know him from the time he knew how to wrestle he would beat his younger brother easily, but not only that before I left I saw how he disarmed my father with just one swift of a sword. "

She might have taken it too far and added a thing or two, but it made a conversation rise from voices of ladies.

If one thing was for it would be how no matter the time, women at court had something to talk about.

One of the biggest talkers was Lady Lysa Whitehead. She wasn't a widow, neither was she a maiden. Born into House Buckler she married her husband and they had a son and a daughter. At first, it was all good. First, five years of marriage and she gave her husband an heir and a girl to make some alliances with in future.

But Lady Lysa was a hard lady to please, very demanding and loving to be in control. Her husband got tired of her energy for arguing and put their marriage to the side as well as his wife.

She was sent back home and meant a great shame to her father who succeeded to push her into the court with help of the former hand, Melarie's father Orys Baratheon. Lysa's father wanted to be the Hand of the King after Orys, but he asked too much for Lord Baratheon's liking who declined him a thing.

Lady Lysa was like an aunt to Melarie, truth is spoken she was a hard woman to impress but it seemed she came to love women which surrounded her.

Her children visit her in King's Landing twice or three times a year. After Lady Stonetree announced her betrothal, Lysa mentioned how her son, just got a son of his own, making her a grandmother.

She left for House Whitehead's seat and was meant to be there for a week, but returned five days earlier, it was unknown how long she stayed, a week it surely wasn't.

When asked about the matter she would shrug it off, saying her daughter-in-law was feeling sick.

She was a caring mother, the story of her leaving just when the woman who birthed her grandchild is sick leaves.

It wasn't very believable, but Lady Lysa was not to be questioned. Many women of the court learn from her, calling her " Mother of the Court ".

Argella always favoured Lady Whitehead of the other women, finding her mother's traits in her.

The Storm Queen Manera was already over thirty when her child was born. To disappointment, it was a girl. A long-awaited prince never was born and she was made the heir to Storm's End.

Her mother passed some time before Aegon and his sister-wives took their dragons in the sky and occupied the whole Westeros.

As for her grandsire, he died at her father's hand, well while it still was there.

Just after Melarie came to the world, Orys Baratheon was left without a hand, deciding to leave his position as the Hand of the King and return with his family to the seat of a newly created House Baratheon.

He may not be a Hand, but now he could see his sons grow up into strong men and his daughter inherit her mother's elegance.

Seven years, Orys and Argella and their children visited King's Landing twice a year, until 14 AC when Lady Argella or better said her daughter was asked to join the court.

It is very flattering if a King asks you to come to court, however Lord Orys wasn't so, please to go back to King's Landing or to let his wife and daughter go.

He wanted to grow old with his children by his side, close to home. His daughter would be married to a Lord somewhere in Stormlands, keeping her not too far.

But who was he to object to the King's order, this would be a great opportunity for Melarie which only a fool would reject.

And they travelled to Crownlands, the neighbour to Stormlands.

Not only was Melarie welcomed like a princess, but she was also greeted by the King and his son Aenys.

A boy who caught a liking to the black-haired beauty.

The innocent children when on to play while their parents, the King and Lady of Storm's End discussed.

" You wish for my daughter to be betrothed to the Prince, Your Grace? " Former princess glanced at Aegon's eyes,  purple fire burning from the light shine of a morning.

" I wish to do so. " He confirmed her question. She knew of it, her husband spoke of the letter in which the King expressed his wishes to marry his niece to his son.

" Of course not now. " His voice said, gaze on his heir.

It was pretty obvious why. He spoke with his Hand. Aegon was the first King of House Targaryen and he needed his son to replace him once when he is gone, continuing his dynasty and rule over the Iron Throne.

Targaryens married their brothers and sisters. But he only had two sons Aenys by his late Queen Rhaenys and Maegor who lived with his mother on Dragonstone.

The closest he had was Melarie who was a cousin to both of his sons.

She was dear and sweet, reminding both the King and the Prince of Rhaenys and her loving side which attracted many.

The younger sister-wife of Aegon was loved by the smallfolk and as Melarie had a lot of her aunt's traits, she would be a match that would delight her people.

" Then perhaps we will talk about it some other time. " They had plenty of time before marriage, at least another seven years.

She is too little to know such things as what her destiny is, or its big meaning.

What will Melarie Baratheon's name mean in history, she has yet to find out.