Love and Duty (T. Lannister)

Chapter Two

A/N - Just wondering when you would like Tyrion and Vaella to get married. It will start off as a political thing, and likely a way for the Lannisters to remind Godric of his family's place by marrying his daughter off to 'the imp', a way to humiliate him for the Targaryen side of his family. Possibly also a way to stop Vaella from getting any political ideas of her own regarding her own standing in regards to being in line for the throne given that with Rhaegar and his children are dead, and only Ned knows about Jon, Naerys would have been next in following the death of Rhaegard and his children, which actually, currently, makes Vaella heir to the throne before even Viserys and Daenerys as they are younger than Naerys. Obviously, Jon is next in line, but because of the believed family tree, Vaella is the current publically known heir of Aerys. So the Lannisters marrying Tyrion off to her, might give people a reason to stunt her political clout.

1. In Winterfell before Vaella goes to King's Landing with Eddard and the others and Tyrion goes North. This way means that there will likely be a long time before they see one another again (He returns to King's Landing in season 2).

2. In Winterfell after Tyrion has been to the wall, and then they head south together, it will give them some more time to bond and throws Vaella in with a lot of the Stark/Lannister drama of Season 1.

3. Or in King's Landing in Season Two, with her going to King's Landing with Eddard and the others, similar to option 1.

- I suppose it just matters which drama you would prefer to see her involved in more than when she'll marry Tyrion.

.....

Still in the courtyard, Arya stands with Vaella in front of Skriax. The young Stark girl is utterly fascinated by the sharp-beaked animal. Vaella knows that most people take one look at those talons and that beak and they decide that he's too dangerous to interact with. Arya is refreshing actually. Seeing someone looking at Skriax the way that Vaella knows she looks at him. Not many do. Many will see the creatures she adores as monsters and beasts.

"Would you like to get up?" Vaella asks, Arya looks at her surprised before she looks back across at her father who seems very unsure about letting her ride the griffon. Vaella follows her gaze to Eddard.

"On the ground" Vaella assures them. "He'll just trot around a bit" She motions with her fingers.

"Not for too long" Eddard answers. Vaella nods a little and turns to find Arya has already moved. She is already trying to scramble up onto Skriax's back, seemingly not waiting for his approval. Vaella laughs a little and moves towards the girl to help her up onto the back of the animal. Once she is up there, Arya makes herself comfortable in the saddle, reaching forward to touch the feathers on Skriax's neck, amazed at how soft they are.

"What is it like?" Arya asks as she closes her eyes and holds out her arms, imagining what it would be like to soar through the sky on the back of the beast. "Up there?" Vaella smiles a little.

"Like nothing else in this world" She answers softly. There is something about flying that is unexplainable. That freedom. That feeling of lightness. That emptiness up there. The peace. "Perhaps we can persuade your parents to let you take a flight" Arya opens her eyes and looks down at Vaella who reaches into a pouch on her belt to pull out a piece of meat for Skriax. To reward him for allowing Arya up there.

"You would let me?" Arya asks her. Vaella tilts her head in confusion with that statement, Arya sounds as if she really thought Vaella wouldn't let her get this involved with Skriax.

"Why wouldn't I?" Vaella counters, Arya shrugs a little. She'd heard stories of Godric and the Gryffindors and of course the Targaryens. She assumed that Godric and Vaella would be harsh and hardened and cruel. That her sister was going to be married to a horrible man with a horrible daughter. But Godric was soft when he spoke with her. And Vaella is being kind and sweet. Arya knows that not all the stories are bad, her aunt is close with Godric and always painted him as a kind and brave man.

"Mistress" Vaella turns to look at Pandey behind her. "Your father wishes to speak with you before dinner" Vaella pulls a face knowing exactly what that conversation is going to be about. It's going to be about her behaving and keeping the creature and magic talk to the minimum. She turns back to Arya who seems to understand completely the look on Vaella's face. Arya starts to climb down from Skriax's back, with Vaella reaching up to help her down, setting her on her feet on solid ground.

"If you like Skriax, you should see what else I brought with me" Vaella teases a little.

"You brought other things all with you?" Arya asks, her excitement growing at the thought of all these magical creatures in Winterfell. Vaella chuckles.

"As if I would leave home without them" She adds and moves to where Pandey is waiting for her as Skriax takes off into the air, likely going to join Blacktalon, where ever he has disappeared off to. Likely some snow-covered field close by. Vaella lets out a breath as she closes her eyes. Tomorrow she will wake up with a new stepmother. Tomorrow her family will be changed. Tomorrow she and Godric's dynamic will likely change. He will have a new wife, of course, it is going to change. She supposes she better start thinking of her own future. She knows he's tried hard, but there is only so long he can hold off on getting her wed. She would hate it, but it is the way of the world. Young girls are married off to secure political alliances or to keep banner lords sweet. If she was a betting woman, she would put money on him trying to wed her off to one of the Lannisters. their ruling lord in the Westerlands. Maybe a cousin or a loose family member, she doubts that house would want a Targaryen wed into it, given their role in destroying her family. She knows it wouldn't be a happy match, how could it be? She will try and put it off as long as she can though. She won't be reduced to the role of wife or heir maker. She is far too independent for that. She shakes her head. For now, she only has to worry about her father getting married. An event that is going to change her home life. It's just been the two of them for so long now that throwing in a new person is bound to change that. She takes a deep breath as she opens her eyes. She just needs to get through their stay in Winterfell. She will worry about the future when she returns home. Whatever that future might be for her.