i. Raya glanced downwards, her cheeks flushing in shame. "I knew no better, Your Grace, but I pray you show mercy and forgive me."

Robyn stared at her half-sister, something akin to pity blossoming in her breast. Poor Raya. She had wedded Joffrey Baratheon, who had been, by all accounts, a mean man and even meaner a husband. It seemed that the ordeal had taught her sister something.

"There is not fault, my lady, and no blame to be endured." She opened her arms to the other woman. "I wish you all the happiness with your Tommen. He is kinder and wiser, I daresay, than his brother ever was."

The door burst open and Rhaegel trailed in. "Mother," the boy shouted upon seeing her, "father says it's time to go."

ii. "You do not have to do this, father," Visenya tried to dissuade her parent. "Aegon and I are not that greedy for an ugly chair." Her jest was met with a smile. "Truly, father, do you not wish to remain here until your grandchild is born?"

At that he laughed truly. "If I were to remain here until every one of my grandchildren is born, daughter, I would never leave."

"That would be the point." She pouted, catching him by the arm. "I will not hesitate to speak with mother."

He gave her a mock-scolding look. "Your mother would never admit to it, but she is just as desirous as I am that we depart."

"But why Essos, father? It is too far away to visit and very much inconvenient to write for." Her complaints were brushed aside.

iii. Rhaenys kissed the soft curls upon her son's head and smiled at Abelar who stirred them through the crowd. "If you make us late, my lord husband, I shall be very disappointed."

"If we are late, my lady wife," Abelar answered, "it is only because you would not make up your mind on which dress to pick."

"It is not everyday that I must bid my father goodbye." Alyn shifted in her hold. "Do you know where your grandfather is going, Alyn?" she asked. The boy shook his head, looking at her with big dark eyes. "He is going to Essos."

Abelar Hightower could only shake his head at his wife. "The way you keep repeating that, it makes me think that you yourself wish for Essos."

"It would help us escape mother's wrath," she laughed.

iv. Lysara scowled at Lynor. "Mother, he keeps looking at me."

Jocelyn stirred in his wife's arms and Jon looked back at his oldest daughter. "Lysara, please, we have been over this before, Jocelyn needs her sleep."

"And I need Lynor to stop looking at me," she insisted. "Look at the face he's making, father."

"Lysara," Lyanna moaned in dismay, "listen to your father. Lynor, stop teasing your sister."

"But I'm bored," his son offered in his defence.

His wife, fierce child of the Bear Island that she was, shot the boy a scowl. Jon could not quite hide his smile. "Come here, both of you," he called to Lysara and Lynor, "if you are so bored, it means you will be more than happy to help me."

v. Gaemon gave his twin a long look and signalled as subtly as he knew how to that their cousin had finally arrived. Baela looked with curiosity between the two of them, but Gael gave her a warning glare. "Take care of Aemma," his twin sister ordered softly.

"I don't have to do what you say," Baela replied, crossing her arms over her chest. She did, however, turn to search for Aemma. Which was just as well, because Rhaegel had juts seen them and he was waving.

They were just about to go to him when, quite suddenly, their mother stopped them. "You two, you must promise me you won't upset the vendors and you won't try to escape the Kingsguards watching you."

"But we don't need to be watched," Gael groaned.

"I think you do," their father cut in.

vi. Lyanna smiled upon all her family, gathered near the vessel as they were. She looked upon Visenya's four children, Jon's three offspring and even Rhaenys' son and Viserys' child by her niece. They had all come to see her and Rhaegar off and she couldn't be gladder for it.

"Grandmother," Lysara cried out, running to her and wrapping her arms around her. All the other children, hearing her, crowded around her. All but little Alyn who was holding on to his mother's skirts.

Lyanna knelt down and held out a hand in an inviting manner. "You too, Alyn."

Rhaenys gave her a grateful smile. It was good to be part of such a large family.

"Grandmother, can't we go with you?" Rhaegel and Lynor asked.

vii. "Daenerys will be truly sorry to have missed you and quite put out that you did not wait for the birth of her child," Viserys warned, throwing an arm around Rhaegar's shoulder. "And I will be at my wit's end trying to make sure the realm doesn't fall apart."

"What use is the Hand of the King otherwise?" Rhaegar jested. Turning serious after, he sighed. "I trust that Aegon shall do well as Prince Regent, but I still fear leaving him for some reason." Yet his eyes went to Lyanna Stark, sitting down next to her good-daughter Lyanna Mormont, and cooing over little Jocelyn.

"They call it having a heart, I reckon," his brother informed him cheek in tongue. "You are only human, after all."

viii. "I am so glad you were the wiser one," Rhaenys informed her brother, holding little Aemma on her knee. Alyn had somehow managed to get to the twin and Rhaegel and they were playing among themselves. "I never did think I would be so happy to have been wrong."

"And I never did think it would be so very amusing to be right," Aegon said. "I thought poor mother would have a heart attack when you ran away with Abelar."

"She is starting to get used to the idea," she laughed. "Abelar has given me the best gift I could have asked for."

"Well she should, Rhae. It's been years." Her brother looked at his wife. Visenya was sharing as lemon cake with Lysara and Lynor. Baela had fallen asleep on her lap.

ix. And her father and mother left for Essos. Visenya saw them off with all the composure she could summon, which was not an impressive amount, to be certain. Tears abounded. She had, however, long ago made peace with their wish.

Aegon and she, while not officially rulers of the realm, not until the rightful king had passed among the righteous, worked through the affairs of the realm and raised their children. They were happy. Hers was a life of sweet song and though she knew that not all had her luck, Visenya was content with her existence and she could never be induced to feel sorry for it.

So it was that the time passed, taking with it much and more, and the world continued on as it had ever done.

x. Her youth was playing before her eyes the day Gaemon strode into his father's hall, on his arm the young, sweet and shy Velena Targaryen, daughter of Viserys. She could see something of Aegon is their son and Velena was much as she had been. It was little wonder then that they would think to get away with such demands.

Aegon had put up a fight. Viserys had feigned insult. Velena had wept and Gaemon had sworn to run away with her if their wishes were not met. Robyn had laughed. And Visenya, Visenya had remembered days past when she herself had had her own great passion.

"Your Majesty, would it not be cruel to deny them?" she asked of her husband, siding with her son.

"Even you, Visenya?" Aegon questioned lightly.

"Even I. Let them be."