Later that day,when the sun fall down and long after the dinner was over Vanya was sitting in her room waiting for her sisters. Lyanna thought that the girls need time to know each other and it couldn't be a better way than to stay in room chatting and drinking. So she grabs a bottle of wine and knock on Valaerrys door.
Twins ran to open the door, waved and dragging Valarr to their room, they vanished there, just their giggling echoed from room and joyful shouting. "They had a cake for a dinner, it will be a long night. Parenting," Klaus sighed, then winked and left to the room to Valarr and twins.
Valaerrys came to her sister with crooked smile. "5 golden, that I will go back to room and they will be still up," she chuckled, shaking head.
Lyanna watched them running to the other room and chuckled. "Add another five that they'll be sleeping with them jumping on their heads." She tells to Val and turn raising the bottle. "But tonight,i think you can take the rest of your night off your duties and drink with your sisters. Come on! There's an army behind them literally,you don't even have to worry."
"You don't have to say this twice!" Valaerrys immediately agreed, closing door from her room and joined Lyanna.
The girls went straight to Vanya's room. The young girl was waiting for them and smiled brightly when she saw Val. "I'm so glad you came." She went straight for a hug and grab her hand to take her to bed to get comfortable around their pillows.
Lyanna went on the shelf and took three glasses. "We have to celebrate this!" She exclaimed enthusiastically as she returns to the bed.
"Lyla,mom will be angry. I can't drink you know that.." Vanya said although she wanted to try too.
"Come on, she won't find out. She's occupied enough. They'll spend all night talking and then she'll go straight to dad.." she snorted laughing and gave the filled glasses to the girls.
"Ned will kill father, if he finds out," Val took a glass and when she saw hesitating Vanya, she gestured her to take a glass. "Wine will just warm you, it's no bubbles and they say that red wine is good for blood. Just one cup, sister," she cocked her brow once.
Vanya took a sip and open her eyes widely. "It's sweet.." she hummed enjoying the taste. "I expect it to be more sour."
Lyanna nod in agreement and explain. "Yeah well. There's dry too but it would be too much for you. But take it easy with the sweet,it tricks you and you end up with two heads." She chuckled and get comfortable on the spot in the bed.
Vanya sighed feeling the alcohol already making her calm and relaxed. "Tell us about dad, Val. How is he as a father? Did he took care of you?"
Valaerrys took a seat on a fur next to fire place and leaned against the wall so she could see both girls. "Yes," she said with smile. "It was hard in the beginning, but then he slowly began to be more human. He built a house, where we all live now. He made sure we always had something to eat. When you imagine him growing up in a palace it's funny, how he had to change. It was sometimes weird a little bit awkward, when it came to some things, but... He tried his best, you know." She paused and sighed." You know, I understand, that Ned had to be devastated, when he found us. He found family, who seemed to be happy, celebrating birthday of twins, living life. We had to seem like happy family, who simply decided to forget the rest and move on," she pondered, playing with locks of her hair.
"Believe me Ned would never be devastated because he found you living your life happy." Lyanna answered calmly as she took another sip and lay on the bed placing her hands under the chin. "He's not a cunt." She chuckled and shook her head.
"Lyla!" Vanya pokes her to stop. "Stop talking like that. Is not everything a joke.."
"What you want me to do? Cry it all over again?" Lyanna roll her eyes. "Can we turn back time? No! So let's drink it and laugh it." She rose her glass.
"You know, how I mean it. I'll be honest with you. Ned said, that we have sister, he told me about you, Vanya. And first thing that crossed my mind was, I am sad, cause mom has somebody else. That's my point," she shrugged. "I know, he is not a cunt. He is just hurt," she took a sip of wine. She then chuckled as memories crawled back from her childhood. "Basically I was raised by two fathers and the only woman I had was and still is Miriam."
"And what about uncle Jon?" Vanya asked her curiously. "Mom, always talked about him like her saviour. But growing up we realize how difficult was for her to talk about him and eventually we stopped asking." The young girl sighed deeply taking another sip from her wine.
"He is extremely protective. Listening, understanding. He would sacrifice his whole world just to keep you safe. When he appeared in Aen Sedin, I thought, I was dreaming. And yes, he came like a saviour. Pure soul, my curly step father," she snorted, laughing. "What everything do you know about the time father, when father was mad?"
"Yes.." they both said in unison raising their heads. "Ned avoids the details about what really happened back then and we didn't dared to ask mom or aunt El about it." Lyanna turn her face on the fire. "At first when we were little and asked why we don't have a father in the house,mom just told us that he died to protect us." She swallows hard and clean her throat. "But I'd like to hear the truth."
"The truth," Valaerrys sighed. "The truth is, that during wedding day of Daemon and Vanya, father's twin, who's name I won't say out loud, appeared. He crawled into father's mind and turned him completely against everybody. Turned him into a monster and there was no salvation for him, so in crypts uncle Daemon killed him," she said and tear rolled over her cheek." That is the truth. He wanted to get along with lost part of his heart and he was way too naive. Feeling guilty. So that snake filled his mind with darkness and madness."
Vanya's eyes filled with tears hearing her words. Sadness consumed her as she hold her knees on her chest. "I'm so sorry uncle Daemon had to do this. It must have been so hard to take his brother's life." She sighed deeply. "And dad,i can't imagine what he had been through."
Lyanna was still staring at the fire and sighed raising her glass. "Tossing coins. You never know which side they will land.."
"Exactly," Valaerrys nodded to confirm Lyanna's words. "You know. He was so distant, every night, when he came to bed to tell me a story, he was like an ice. Lost, wandering. Yet somehow I felt that warmth spreading, when I cuddled into his arms like a little bird," she wiped tear from her face. "He still has episodes, he doesn't remember some things and when it gets back to him, he is... Well he simply sometimes tries to kill himself, because the guilt and the pain from everything he did feels like thousand daggers in his heart."
"What about you?" Lyanna turned to see her. "You never missed mom?" She asked her queitly.
"Of course I missed her. I never stopped think about her. The truth was, that I wanted to visit her, when dad seemed to be more stable, but... well... It seemed like Niklaus just sneezed next to me and I got pregnant. And things got a little bit more complicated again," she shook her head. "I guess that everything has a reason, why it is happening in a certain time."
"That still doesn't excuse the cold shoulder you show off.." Lyanna spoke the truth and she wasn't about to bite her words. "Your detachment cost on people, you know. You could just tell the truth.."
"Lyla.." Vanya tried to stop her from making the moment uncomfortable.
"But it's true. You could do that.." Lyanna turned on Val calmly again playing with her glass on her hands. "You choose to keep that as it is despite the coincequenses on the others."
"I know, you are right, Lyanna. Well, I was 7, when all this happened and I just wanted to save my dad. And the longer it took, the more I was worried, what would happen to him, if we come back. Jon told me, that death waits for him here for abandoning his kingdom. And one lie covered the other. Ned doesn't blame me, yet in the very beginning, it was most of the time me, who played with feelings of Jon and dad in attempt to protect them, no matter what consequences. I was a selfish cunt. Yes, I was."
"No,Val. Don't say that!" Vanya came next to her and hugged her. "You were so small. How could you know?" She holds her tightly as Lyanna nods thoughtfully in her spot.
"That explains a lot about what i heard about Jon. Everyone said that he was the bravest but everyone also agreed that he wasn't the smartest.." Lyanna noticed and shakes her head subtly. "I still can't believe that uncle Daemon did that.."
"Lyla,stop for gods.." Vanya chuckled and throw her a pillow.
"What? I heard a story about a wildling and Jon. She always told him that he knew nothing.. Tormund told me." She shrugged.
"Daemon was and still is afraid, what presence of dad here in the North could do to his mind," she answered calmly. "He had a strong breakdown, after he met you, Lyla," Valaerrys admitted. "One of memories came back and Klaus dragged him to woods to bring him back to senses."
"Vanya, my dear, I know, it is hard to swallow all this. Yet it is a truth. The truth without glitter, that is far from perfection. The truth filled with mistakes, with people trying their best and fail the others in attempt to save somebody. That is what makes us humans. That is why Queen gave dad the second chance."
"That doesn't make sense." Lyanna exhaled and dive back on the bed. "Why she's keeping him like a prisoner there then? If Daemon is trying to keep him sober why she doesn't let him stay in Gwendeith at least so we can see him?"
"He can't leave borders of Aen Sedin without a permission, because she keeps a magic barrier over the place. If he tried to run away, he'd die. If he doesn't get back in time, he will die. From Gwendeith, he'd escape easily. And on top of everything... Aunt Vanya would never agree, because she hates him. You will understand, land of Brokilon is a sacred place, even the water that you drink makes you to be calmer and peaceful. Here father is constantly nervous, tensed. He struggles to create simple sentence."
Lyanna sighed and shrugged. "Maybe. How would I know? Didn't even knew the place."
Vanya trying to calm and sooth the sadness she turns to Val and took her hand on her own. "Tells about Klaus. How did you met?"
"How is he in bed?" She adds her question raising her head from the bed and chuckle. "Or straw?"
"It's actually a funny story, because it was father, who introduced us. They met in woods and once he brought him home. Niklaus was sick, after an attack some animal, he had badly wounded leg and almost died. So, dad took care of him and... And well, you can imagine the rest," she bit her bottom lip with a chuckle. "To answer the second question, allow me to ask first, how the bloody hell would you know something about straw, dear sister?" She rose her cup with wine, her lips curled to crooked smile.
Vanya turn to see her surprised too and immediately her cheeks turn red. "Oh gods! You did it! Who is he?" She asked her curiously and excited.
"It was someone from the king's guard.." she shrugged casually and took another sip from her wine. "And a month later he miraculously disappear and i found out he was sent to King's landing. You know who put his hand on that!" She rolled her eyes and chuckle.
"Overprotective brother," Valaerrys snorted laughing. "Are you sure he ended up in King's Landing and not dead in woods near by Winterfell?" She shook her head. "Well, how was he? Did you have something from it or was it just a curiousity?"
"He wouldn't harm him. They grew up together actually. He's the cook's son but he didn't allow him to stay. I read about his transportation in the report." Lyanna explained with a small smile. "And except the straw in my ass I can't say really that i had something from it."
"Come on, Lyla.." Vanya sighed. "You must have felt something about him."
"Well yes,he had very good looking behinds.." she said and snort laughing. "That's reason itself."
"You can't allow yourself to attach to somebody, hm?" Valaerrys looked at Lyanna sadly. "Are you scared, you'd end up like mom?"
Hearing her words the smile slowly faded away and she pin her eyes down. "No..i was just too attached to his pecker rather than his heart so.." she sighed and looked back at her. "I wish i was like her but I'm not." She admitted. "I would never have survived what she had."
"You are yourself, be yourself. Don't try to be somebody else, Lyanna. It leads to catastrophe. And never underestimate your ability and surviving skills," she stood up and came to her, cupping her face. "You are strong, allow yourself to be vulnerable too, it is good for surviving," Valaerrys then hugged her with a sigh.
Sansa after she left Miriam's and Elaine's company she went straight to the twins chambers. She wanted to tell them goodnight before she retired to her room. When she gently knock on the door and walked in she found Valarr telling stories to the girls. "Oh forgive me." She smiled softly to them. "I didn't wanted to interrupt. I wanted to tell you goodnight before you go to sleep."
"Nana!" Both girls in unison jumped on their feet and ran to her. "We thought you won't come!" They took her by her forearm and led her to the bed, nesting immediately between Valarr and her. "How about that story about direwolf? Grandpa said, that he doesn't know any good," Sancia pouted her lips as she curled on Valarr's chest and Elia nested on Sansa's side.
"Yeah, grandpa failed in this," Valarr smiled briefly at Sansa with soft glare.
Sansa kiss their foreheads and hold Eli close on watching over him with a small smile."Well i have a lot of stories with the direwolves. There was the story of the young wolf." She spoke calmly brushing her fingertips on Eli's soft hair. "That wolf lived in North and he was strong and beautiful. The King of all wolves." She smiled softly watching their eyes going wide to the story. "And a lion wanted to steal his house and his pack. And the young wolf fought bravely. He through himself where the battle was the thickest and hardest." Her voice soft and she paused to kiss Eli's cheek. "And he defeat the lion and claim back his house and save his pack."
Valarr stretched his arm and took Sansa's hand into his, briefly caressing back of her hand with a sigh. "That was really a beautiful story."
"I've never seen a lion, just on a picture. You knew the lion? Have you ever seen him, nana?" Sancia questioned, looking at her from Valarr's embrace.
Sansa looked at his hand caressing hers and smiled softly answering to her granddaughter. "Yes,my love. They're fearful beasts but you can find kindness amongst them too." She cupped Sancia's face with her hand.
"Everybody can be good, if you treat them right," Elia thought out loud. "Daddy says it."
"Daddy is always right," Sancia shrugged, then sat on Valarr's chest, making him groan a little. "Unless mom has a different opinion. Then the only opinion that matters is her own." Girls giggled quietly and Sancia looked around. "I'm bored. What will we do now?"
"You kidding me, Sun? You should be sleeping already!" Valarr snorted laughing.
"I am not sleepy!" She rolled her eyes.
"How about grandpa tell us a dragon story?" Sansa rose her eyes suggesting. She looked back at Valarr's exhausted face and chuckle. "A small one?"
"The one Dhu threw you to pool!" Girls jumped on their feet.
"I tell that story every night," Valarr pulled them both back on bed and cuddled them on his sides. "Once upon a time there was a dragon dark as night and he met a wolf. Wolf who was shining more than a thousand flames. Dragon kissed a wolf and wolf didn't burn, he shone even more. From the love of dragon and wolf a life was created and began to fill their heart. Yet dragon failed and fell into darkness from which he was born," he said quietly and sighed. "Few years have passed and light slowly appeared in dark dragon's mind and he met his wolf again," Valarr spoke quietly looking at Sansa with joy and sadness in his eyes combined.
"How... How did it end?" Sancia asked curiously.
"It is a story, that has no end, little love. Not yet, because the dragon is still fighting," he smiled at her, tucking hair behind her ear.
Elia sat again and glanced from Sansa to Valarr. "It is easy, right? All that dragon needs is a hug!"
"Bear hug!" Girls exclaimed and attacked both Sansa and Valarr, kissing their cheeks and hugging them.
Sansa gigle holding them all. She felt a never-ending joy just having them there inside her embrace. "Bear hug! You're going to break our bones.." she chuckled and kiss them softly. Then she turn to Valarr and brush his bearded face. "The bear is tired." She smiled back to the girls.
He kissed tips of her fingers and smiled at her. "And little bears full of energy," he scoffed and shook his head. "Once these little girls were awake till midnight, just so they could see full moon above great lake in Aen Sedin. We jumped on Dhu and flew above the land."
"It was amazing, nana! It seemed like the moon was swimming in the lake and if Dhu landed on it, it would carry us!"
"They were like three, I can't understand, how they can remember it. I barely remember, what did I do yesterday," Valarr snorted laughing, glancing into shining eyes of twins.
"Nana, I want you to come with us," Elia turned to Sansa. "Mommy said, that now you have to stay here. Why can't you go with us?"
"I want to come too,my love.." she hugged her tightly and sighed. "But we can't go all of us now. Now is turn for aunty Elaine and aunty Vanya to come. But i promise soon as i can I'll come to see you."
With unsatisfied expression in her face, she curled back to her arms. "Will you caress my hair before I fall asleep?" She asked her, while Sancia cuddled on Valarr's chest, listening to his heart.
She lay down with her holding her tightly on her chest. "Yes,my love. Close your eyes,nana is here.." she kissed her temple and caressed her hair softly. Softly she started to sing to them. Soon after both girls were sleeping soundly on their chests.
Valarr turned his head and observed Sansa's face enlightened by flames from fireplace. "Nice song, shame I can't sing," he smiled and moved a little as Sancia stretched herself over half of bed.
"Yes,i remember your poor attends.." she chuckled softly trying not to wake them up. "You sing like a frog." She teased him.
He opened his eyes wide and parted his lips in surprise. "Like a frog? What? I..." He pressed his lips together and shook his head with smile. "Well, I'm trying my best! But now I understand, why they always say, mom sing, grandpa tell us story."
"That's why.." she nods thoughtfully and sighed happily watching them. "I still can't believe it." She whispers softly watching the girls sleeping. "Look at them. They're like angels."
"Until they wake up," he chuckled quietly. "No, they are angels, even when they are awake. Just a little bit wild," he watched over kids, then looked back at her. "I really wish, you could come, too."
"I don't think that Rhena can carry me too." She smiled softly and brush his face. "I know,my love. I wish i could come too." She whispers softly and sighed.
Valarr moved quietly closer to her and took her hand into his. Looking into her eyes, he observed her in silence for a moment, then kissed her. "Spring in Aen Sedin is beautiful, warm. I'll be waiting, my love," he whispered against her lips.
She looked at him in the eyes and cupped his face. Small kisses were applied on his lips. His smell so intoxicated and his large beard tickling her face made her smile. "I have forgot what spring feels like.." she tells him and brush his face. "Don't you think this is too heavy for the spring?" She asked about the beard. "How about i trim it a little?" She asked innocently.
"It's better in the woods, when I'm hunting. To prevent annoying insect from biting me. But if you want, I can get rid of it," he smiled, kissing her again.
"Oh no.." she refused smiling on the kiss. "If it helps you in the hunting then you should keep it." She whispers back to him and sighed resting her forehead on his. "What did you told Ned? What did he said to you outside?"
"That he will kill me, if I get close to you," he whispered just a breath away from her lips. "He said many things. He simply doesn't trust me. He will never forgive me. And the worst thing is, that I feel, like no matter what I will do or say, it will never be enough to at least make him able to stand me. To be able breathe the same air. I don't blame him, I was everything but father to him, when he needed me the most. That is why I don't want to push it so much. He took care of you and I am afraid, that if he sees you getting close to me, he will feel betrayed. I... I don't know, what to do, Sansa. I really have no idea, what to do."
"He would never do that.." Sansa shakes her head immediately. "He's stubborn and overprotective but he would never actually harm you,my love." She said soft softly to him and sighed. It broke her heart to see them like this. "I'll talk to him. He doesn't hate you, I'll try to persuade him to let aside all his worries and give you chance." She kissed him again and smiled. "He needs time and patience that's all. We all need time. So many things happened Valarr,he had to grow up within a night. He'll come around, I'm sure about it. All this anger comes out just because he needs you,like we all do."
"Don't, Sansa," he shook his head and as Sancia moved from him and rolled to the furs, he covered her, then turned to Sansa again. "If he wants and is about to accept me, don't push him, don't try to persuade him. It could make things even worse. Let it float naturally. I'll try my best, maybe it will be enough," he sighed, then brushed her hair from her forehead, looking at her with soft smile. "What sorcery is this? You don't age or what?"
"Keep that with the praise and i might forgive you." She smirked slightly watching him in the eyes. She stood up slowly and cover Eli took. She gave them a look feeling her heart calmer just by this sight. "We can go to my room..and let them sleep." She cleaned her throat nervously and looked back at the girls.
"What if somebody tells Ned? " Valarr asked, but stood up at the same time. With a desperate sigh, he passed the bed and came to Sansa, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Well, you said, he would never kill me, right? So..." He paused, looking at her and leaned into a kiss, that felt like it made even flames in fireplace arise.
"And you promise us time.." she softly moans into the kiss and gave another look at the girls. "And i think we need to go now before we wake them up." She took him by the hand and lead his back to their old chambers that she still keeps. She made sure that no one was around to see them and her guards didn't even turn to see Valarr walking inside. The just salute them with a small nod, silently as the walked back into their old room.
Valarr at first stopped and looked around. It really seemed like time has stopped in these old rooms. So many memories he kept, the great ones and the ones he'd rather forget. All the dark memories, that made him feel ashamed and sad. That made him to hate himself. Yet his eyes fell on Sansa and he smiled at her and came closer. "No fire in fireplace, my love," he said as his lips slowly landed on the curve of her neck. "I will have to keep you warm all night."
"Nothing could warm me since you left, Val." She admitted feeling her temperature rising just by a small touch of his lips. She chuckled softly on his words holding him as tightly as she could. Taking in his essence,his radiating warmth. "All night? You can endure so much,my love? Are you sure?" She teased him. "You're a grandpa now."
"Well I can cuddle you," he murmured to her skin, while he began to loose the back of her dress. Then took it slowly down, let it fall on the floor. "Hmm," he deeply grunted, looking down on her bare body, trailing his hands on her breasts. "Let's see, what grandpa can do with nana," he whispered, making her take few steps back and laid her into the bed with his face buried in her bossom, kissing and nuzzling with her breasts.