LION'S LEGACY
33. Distant
Six months ended up passing after the spread of Winter Fever was officially over and all seemed to be well in the Seven Kingdoms. Annalys and Robb were nearing the age of thirty-one. Torra, of course, was sixteen, nearing seventeen. Lyanna and Eddard were almost thirteen, Olyvar was twelve, the younger twins were nearly eight, and Rickard was six years old. Little Edric, of course, was the baby and was only eight months old.
It was morning time. Annalys and Robb laid in bed, underneath the covers. They were lying on their sides, facing each other. It was silent between them as they stared into each other's eyes. Annalys lifted her hand, placing it on Robb's cheek as she lightly stroked it. She began to smile softly, staring at him lovingly.
Robb smiled back, lifting his hand before running his fingers through her golden locks. "We most likely won't have more than another few minutes before the kids run into here," He whispered to her softly as they both began to quietly chuckle, "I love you."
"And I love you," She replied, a smile forming on her lips.
Robb smiled, leaning forward. He was on the verge of kissing Annalys when they heard little Edric beginning to cry in the nursery, clearly beginning to wake up.
They both exchanged a look, just before sitting up from the bed. Together, they walked into the nursery, finding their son settling down and no longer crying. He stirred in his sleep, lying fast asleep on his stomach.
Annalys smiled softly, looking down at the blonde-haired baby. Robb moved closer to Annalys, wrapping an arm around her before they both looked down at their youngest son.
"What do you expect he's dreaming about?" She questioned, a soft smile playing on her lips.
"Perhaps his future wife," Robb answered jokingly, beginning to smile as well, "The Princess of Dorne."
"If she becomes anything like her mother and father, I believe our son will have a happy marriage," She explained, letting out a small sigh, "That's if he does want to marry her. If he doesn't, he won't. When she is eight years old, she will be brought to court to be fostered by us. Until then, we won't know if their betrothal is official."
Robb nodded in understanding. He pressed a quick kiss to the top of Annalys' head before leaning his chest against her head. He looked down at his son, who slept so calmly. "He's so much different than the others," He admitted in a soft tone, beginning to smile at the sight of Edric, "He doesn't cry as much as Rickard used to. He isn't picky like Joanna and Torrhen. He doesn't demand to be held like Lyanna used to. Despite being such a good baby, Eddard was not even close to being as well behaved as this one," He paused, chuckling as he gestured toward the sleeping baby.
"We were lucky enough to have a well-behaved boy as our youngest child," She informed Robb, who frowned at the revelation, "Oh, if you think I'm having any more children, you're mad. I've given birth seven times. Six are still around, but we have eight altogether. I do not think I will survive giving birth to yet another child," She paused, beginning to look saddened as she thought of Myrcella and her death at the hands of childbirth, "We have more children now than there are Great Houses. Don't you think that hints at us having more than enough children?"
Robb quietly laughed, nodding his head in understanding. "It's a shame we couldn't have another daughter," He paused, speaking in a sarcastic tone, "They're the only ones who seem to like me. The boys favor you over me, if it isn't obvious."
"That is only because I am not as strict as you are," Annalys reminded him, both of them beginning to smile in amusement, "They're boys. It doesn't matter if they are princes, they should be able to be free whenever they please."
"They idolize you, my love," Robb pointed out, beginning to smile at the thought.
"And Joanna idolizes you," Annalys responded in a calm tone, "You're a hero, in her eyes. The one who will always be there to protect her."
Hearing his wife's words, Robb suddenly felt himself beginning to feel a bit uneasy and saddened. Annalys noticed his reaction and sighed, knowing what caused such a reaction out of him.
"Our daughter...she's good, too good for her own good," Robb admitted, something they were both thinking, "She's not like the rest of our children. She's the exact opposite of her sisters. I fear the worst for her."
"She'll grow out of this naivety, Robb," Annalys assured Robb, but understood why it made him so uneasy, "She's only seven. It wouldn't be wise of us to compare Joanna at her age to Lyanna when she was that age," She paused, beginning to smile, "After all, it's Lyanna, she has always been smarter than any of us and spends most of her time around Torra, another girl who used to be smarter than the usual ten-year-old when she came to live with us."
Robb sighed in defeat, but nodded, knowing Annalys had a point with what she was saying. Joanna may have been far more innocent and naïve than the rest of her siblings had been at her age or even Rickard, who was younger, but that didn't mean she'd always be like that. She had time to grow out of it. Of course, most would think Annalys and Robb should want their children to be like Joanna, but they knew what happened to girls like her in Westeros. Shireen Baratheon had been a perfect example of that. And the was the last thing they wanted for their youngest daughter.
____
That afternoon, Annalys was sitting at the desk in her chambers with the door open. She had Edric sitting in her lap while she held a quill in her left hand, signing off on numerous different documents. Robb sat near her, doing the same at another table to assist her.
Ser Davos had requested a leave of absence for a few months to visit his wife and children and of course, Annalys allowed it to happen. However, that meant Annalys was left to do all of the work on her own, even the numerous documents that always needed to be signed.
Just then, Rickard and Torrhen ran in, immediately stopping in front of their mother. "Mother," They greeted Annalys, bowing before stepping forward to press a quick kiss to her cheek.
"Torrhen. Rickard," She responded, smiling slightly at the sight of them.
They turned to Robb, bowing to him next. "Father," they said in unison, earning a small smile from Robb.
"Rickard. Torrhen," He greeted them back, just before Joanna ran in as well.
She wasted no time running over to her mother. She grabbed the skirt of her dress, politely curtsying to her mother, "Mama," She greeted her mother politely.
"Joanna," Annalys replied, placing her quill down to wrap her free arm around Rickard while Joanna moved toward Robb.
"Father," She told Robb, placing a kiss to his cheek.
She was about to turn toward Torrhen when Robb spoke up. "Do I not get a curtsy, Joanna?" He questioned jokingly, causing Annalys to turn to look at the duo.
"Forgive me, Father, but you are not the sovereign. Mother is," Joanna informed her father, causing Annalys to begin to quietly laugh, "Lyanna says the rules are different when the consort is a man. They don't get the same benefits Queen consorts do."
Annalys tried her hardest not to continue laughing, causing Robb to turn to her. He gave her an annoyed look while Joanna innocently smiled. Robb sighed, nodding his head in understanding, "Ah, I see," He replied, despite finding it odd that Joanna, of all people, decided to follow that rule while no one else in Westeros seemed to.
Joanna turned to face her mother once more, gasping when her eyes laid upon Annalys' crown, which was placed on the desk Annalys sat at. "May I try it on, Mama?" She questioned, her eyes wide in astonishment.
"You may. Thank you for asking," Annalys responded, knowing for a fact that Torrhen and Rickard would have attempted to try the crown on without asking especially Rickard, who seemed to listen to no one but himself.
Joanna smiled sheepishly, moving to lift up the crown. "Careful now, that thing's heavier than your brother," Robb warned Joanna as he referred to Edric.
Joanna gave him a knowing look, just before placing it on her head. The entire group turned to look at Joanna wearing Annalys' crown. It was the same crown Annalys had forged for her coronation over seven years before.
It was a gold crown with each point forged into a lion's head with ruby red eyes. Robb had one to match it that was silver with each point forged into a wolf, but neither of them actually wore their crowns as frequently as they were expected to.
Annalys smiled at the sight of her daughter wearing the crown. Of course, Joanna would never get the chance to be the queen with Lyanna as heir to the throne and two legitimate older brothers who were second and third in line for the throne, but that didn't mean the crown didn't look good on her.
She looked just like her mother, just a miniature version. She had Annalys' green eyes and golden hair. She was a mirror image of her mother, yet acted nothing like her. Lyanna was the one who was most like her mother. Next came Rickard, but he was only similar to his mother in the ways he caused mischief.
Torrhen and Rickard stared up at their sister, mesmerized by the crown she wore. Annalys smiled softly, noticing their curiosity regarding the elegant crown. "Torrhen, Rickard, would you like to try on the crown?" She questioned her sons, but both of them were quick to argue.
"No, thank you, Mother," Torrhen replied politely, moving closer to his father.
Rickard, on the other hand, scoffed in disgust at the question. He removed his mother's arm from being wrapped around him before giving his mother an odd look. "What? Of course not! Crowns are for girls," He complained, causing Annalys and Robb to exchange a somewhat of an uneasy look.
They knew what Rickard meant. As a five-year-old boy, Rickard wasn't able to understand everything his older siblings did. He only knew that his mother was queen and his sister Lyanna would be queen after her. He didn't understand that that didn't mean only girls could be a ruler. It was only that way because Annalys took the throne and Lyanna was simply the firstborn child, which made her heir. And that was only because Annalys changed the rules of succession. If she hadn't, Eddard would have ended up King after his mother died and Rickard would be third in like for the throne, not Joanna.
Joanna smiled innocently. She removed the crown from her head and walked over to her mother, placing it on Annalys' head. "Here you go, Mama," she told her, earning a smile from Annalys.
Joanna turned to her father, who watched them closely. "Doesn't she look wonderful, Father?" She asked enthusiastically, "She's the greatest queen who ever lived with the greatest crown ever made!"
Robb chuckled softly, exchanging an amused look with Annalys. "She looks beautiful, with a crown fit for a Queen," He replied, smiling at Annalys.
Despite used to the compliments from Robb after being married to him for so long, she found herself beginning to blush, oddly enough, which earned a satisfied smirk from Robb.
"Glad to know I still have that affect on you, my love," Robb spoke up sarcastically, earning an eye roll from Annalys.
"Oh, shut up and sign the documents," She playfully snapped at him, continuing to smile as she began to sigh the pile of papers once more.
Robb quietly chuckled, shaking his head before doing the same as well.
____
While the younger children were with their mother and father and Eddard was with Olyvar, Lyanna and Torra stood together in the underground tunnels of the Red Keep, circling each other.
Suddenly, Lyanna swung a punch at Torra, who was quick to duck. "What are you waiting for?" Lyanna questioned in annoyance, growing impatient with Torra's reluctance to hit back.
Lyanna wasted no time swinging again. She ended up punching Torra in the face, causing the older girl to grunt as she forced herself to quickly recover from the hit. She swung a few more times, but Torra was quick to duck and dodge them.
After dodging many of Lyanna's hits, Torra no longer felt reluctant and punched Lyanna in the face. Lyanna grunted, yet the twelve-year-old girl was surprisingly able to immediately recover from the punch, getting in her readied stance once more.
"Call that a punch?" Lyanna questioned Torra daringly, clearly trying to convince Torra not to go easy on her.
Lyanna swung twice before Torra grabbed her by the shoulders and kneed the younger girl in the stomach before punching her. Lyanna grunted in pain, quick to wipe her bloody lip before straightening her back up once more.
"That's better," Lyanna commented, shrugging her shoulders as she felt convinced that her elder sister was no longer going easy on her.
Lyanna swung at Torra again, her fist colliding with her sister's cheek. She then lifted her leg, kicking Torra in the stomach as she had done with her just moments before. Lyanna whipped her body around, backhanding Torra across the face.
Lyanna went to punch Torra again, but Torra stepped out of the way in time to avoid the form of attack. Not being to stop after Torra moved out of the way so quickly, Lyanna's balled-up fist ended up colliding with the stone wall at full force. She cried out in pain, the knuckles on her left hand beginning to bleed.
Torra's eyes widened in concern at the sight. She took a step toward Lyanna, beginning to feel worried. "Are you alright?" She questioned Lyanna in concern.
"I'm fine," Lyanna replied without hesitation, wiping her bloody knuckles on her brand-new dress before getting in her fighting stance once more.
Torra smiled proudly, happy that Lyanna wasn't willing to give up so easily. Torra ended up swinging at Lyanna a few times, but the Lannister girl was quick to duck and dodge them.
As she went to stand back up, Torra ended up kicking her in her stomach. Lyanna yelled out, stumbling backwards to the ground. She fell into a crouched position, staring up at Torra with an annoyed look.
Torra smirked in amusement, moving closer to Lyanna as she held out a hand. Lyanna cautiously took Torra's hand and as the elder girl helped the redhead stand back up, Lyanna ended up punching Torra as hard as she could in the gut before standing back up.
Torra stumbled back, but was quick to steady herself before she could actually fall to the ground. She bent forward slightly, however, beginning to cough due to how hard Lyanna had punched her.
Once recovering, Torra rose to her feet, glaring at Lyanna, yet still had a smirk on her face. "Oh, you're going to get it!" She exclaimed, lunging for Lyanna.
Lyanna let out a large laugh, just before being tackled to the ground.
_____
That late afternoon, Annalys sat at a table in the castle with Joanna and Lyanna, the three of them eating their meal together. Little Edric cooed as he sat in his mother's lap, munching on a piece of bread Annalys had given him.
"Mother?" Lyanna called out, causing Annalys to turn to her eldest daughter, "When will I marry?"
Hearing her daughter's question, Annalys quietly chuckled. "My love, you're not even thirteen yet. You won't be marrying anytime soon." She responded, causing Lyanna to sigh in utter relief, "Why do you ask?"
"I was just wondering," Lyanna admitted, shrugging her shoulders, "As you know, Torra is yearning to marry Aden as soon as possible and the only reason she hasn't yet is because she's waiting for Father's approval."
"Your father will agree sooner or later, he just doesn't want to see Torra leave," Annalys responded in a calm tone, "She's one of the last things around here that remind him of home."
"King's Landing is home, is it not?" Joanna suddenly asked, adding into the conversation.
"Father isn't a Southerner like us, Joanna," Lyanna replied before Annalys had time to, "He was born in the North, remember? At Winterfell."
"I want to go to Winterfell," Joanna admitted, a large smile forming on her lips, "I want to see the snow! Olyvar and Ned say it snows a lot there."
"Ned?" Robb suddenly asked as he entered the room, causing the three females to immediately turn to look at him and Brienne, who stood alongside him.
Lyanna found herself feeling annoyed, giving Joanna a warning look. Joanna, oblivious, turned to her father and smiled at his question. "Ned is Eddard, Father! Don't you like the name? It fits wonderfully."
Robb remained silent, smiling sadly at his daughter's words. He nodded, trying to contain his sadness at the thought of the last person close to him that was called that. His father.
Annalys frowned slightly, noticing the doll Robb held in his hand. She noticed that his eyes were locked on Lyanna, indicating that he was hoping to give it to her. She sighed in defeat, knowing for a fact that wouldn't get Robb any closer to having a bond with his firstborn as he hoped it.
Lyanna was nearing the age of twelve and still, Robb was nowhere near close to having a strong bond with Lyanna as Annalys had with her. He had a stronger bond with both Torra and Joanna than he had with Lyanna. He didn't understand why it was so hard. He tried everything. It seemed as though Lyanna was born not getting along with her father and that bothered Robb most of all. However, he refused to give up. He needed to keep trying.
"Why don't we go for a walk, Joanna?" Annalys suddenly spoke up, turning toward her youngest daughter.
Joanna smiled, nodding her head in agreement. She jumped off her seat, walking out of the room with her mother, who was carrying little Edric. Her direwolf, Dreamer, followed close behind them without hesitation.
Once they were gone, Robb turned to Lyanna, inhaling sharply. She was looking down at her plate of food, seeming to be bored after her conversation with her mother had been cut short being of her father's sudden appearance.
Robb smiled awkwardly, taking a seat next to Lyanna at the table. Dawn peeked out from under the table, lowly growling at Robb. He sighed in defeat, knowing Dawn was merely mirroring her owner's emotions, meaning Lyanna was unhappy about Robb being there.
It awkwardly silent between them for a moment, Robb trying his best to think of something to talk about with the girl. His eyes locked on her cut lip and split knuckles, causing him to smile slightly, despite being concerned. "Get into a fight lately?" He questioned, causing Lyanna to lower her hand and place it in her lap.
"Torra and I have been practicing underneath the keep," Lyanna responded in a calm tone before she began to speak with an attitude, "It seems you've forgotten to invite me to your weekly lessons in the Kingswood with my brothers."
Robb sighed in defeat, knowing she had a point. It wasn't for the reasons Lyanna believed it to be, either. He didn't refuse to let her come because she was a girl. It was because she was far better than any of her brothers. There was a reason Lyanna only sparred with Torra, despite the four-year difference between them. Lyanna was highly skilled with a sword, like her mother.
He didn't think it was fair to her brothers to be placed against someone like Lyanna at the beginning of their training, knowing she'd defeat them without any struggle. There wasn't a single person in Westeros that was Lyanna's age and could fight as well as she could. She was like her mother in that aspect and her mother's father. Robb had the feeling it was just in their blood.
Robb awkwardly placed the wrapped up doll in front of Lyanna, who frowned in confusion. She turned to her father, giving him a questioning look. "Go on," He encouraged her, beginning to smile, "Open it."
Lyanna gave Robb a weird look before slowly opening the wrapped object. She frowned when she found it to be a doll, a type of toy that she had never played with in her life.
"It's made by the same man who makes your sister's," Robb informed Lyanna, who felt bad about how hard he was trying, but also couldn't lie to him and say she liked the gift when she didn't.
"Joanna is seven," Lyanna pointed out, unintentionally speaking with an attitude, "And I never played with a doll in my life. You know that."
Robb sighed in frustration, giving Lyanna an annoyed look. "I didn't know what to get you, alright?" He complained, earning a weird look from Lyanna, "I tried to get you something you'd like, but that's the thing. I haven't the slightest clue what you like."
"You could've asked Mother," Lyanna pointed out, much to Robb's annoyance.
"That's the thing, Lyanna. I shouldn't have to ask your mother what my own daughter enjoys. I should already know," Robb confessed, beginning to speak to Lyanna like an adult even though it wasn't wise to. He didn't do it with the other children.
That was the thing, though. That was the greatest gift he could give Lyanna. She enjoyed when people didn't speak to her like a child. She wasn't like most girls or boys her age. She was more mature than them, that was for sure.
"But I can't really figure that out when you constantly shut me out," Robb continued on, earning a small sigh.
"I shut you out?!" Lyanna exclaimed in disbelief, "You exclude me from all the sparring sessions you have with my brothers when you know I enjoy that as much as they do, if not more. You even let Rickard go and he's five! Just because Joanna doesn't like fighting and using swords or bows like the rest of us, it doesn't mean I feel the same way."
"You think I exclude you because you're a girl?" Robb asked Lyanna, who nodded her head, "I exclude you because you're far better than they are, believe it or not. Eddard may be better than you with a bow, but compared to you, he sucks at using a sword. It's the reason I had Torra sparring with you in the first place."
Lyanna's eyes widened at the revelation, not knowing that Robb had been the one to convince Torra to spar with her.
Lyanna remained silent for a long moment, not knowing what to say. "May I be excused?" She managed to ask, causing Robb to sigh before hesitantly nodding his head.
Lyanna wasted no time standing up, rushing out of the room alongside her direwolf, Dawn.
Robb placed his face in his hands for a long moment before turning to look at Brienne. "Sometimes I feel as though war was easier than that one," He sadly confessed to Brienne, who remained silent, not responding to his comment.
Truer words had never been spoken before, that was for sure.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
An entire book and a half later and Robb still fails with getting closer to Lyanna omg. 😬🤷🏻♀️
He doesn't realize that Lyanna is a lot more like Annalys than anyone wants to think, especially when comparing her to a younger Annalys.
She isn't fit to be cooped up in the castle, learning to sew and being girly with Joanna.
She requires to be treated like one of the boys to truly understand her. (Like Jaime had done with Annalys by taking her to the dragonpits as a child)
If you haven't realized yet, Lyanna will have the same badass ability with a sword that Annalys and Jaime have/had. She'll be better than any of her siblings.
Be prepared for some badass fight scenes involving her!
Also, don't worry, the actual conflict in this act will be revealed soon cuz it would get boring with just chapters like this one. But the children will be involved in the conflict A LOT, like they'll be the cause of it. (Some of them, at least)