the four late husbands of the princess vaenyra targaryen
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀i. matthos tyrell
vaenyra was married to the lord of highgarden on the eighth day of the third moon in 117 ac. she was but sixteen years old, and her bridegroom was twenty. the princess took readily to life at highgarden, and in the years that followed spoke of that time with an uncommon fondness. lord matthos was kind and tender. he was observed to indulge his young wife's every fancy without complaint. he adorned her in silks finer than any worn at court, and each morning laid a fresh rose in her hands—one plucked by the lord himself from the gardens. such small devotions became the talk of the castle, and many noted the match a happy one. those closest to the couple, however, observed a quieter truth. though husband and wife were ever courteous and affectionate in one another's company, there was little of the passion so often celebrated in songs. the princess held lord matthos in high esteem and counted him among her dearest companions, but theirs was a union built upon mutual regard rather than great love. their contentment endured for but three years. vaenyra's husband was thrown from his courser whilst hunting. the maesters later judged that his skull had been shattered upon striking the ground, assuring the young widow that death had come swiftly, with little suffering.
the princess was wed to lord oswell frey, the lord of the crossing, in the latter moons of 121 ac. at court, much was made of the match, for many remarked upon lord oswell's uncommon handsomeness, a quality seldom attributed to the men of house frey. he was said to possess an easy charm and a ready smile, neither proved exclusive to his wife. vaenyra regarded the marriage as a useful alliance and was well aware of the strength the twins of house frey lent to the iron throne. yet lord oswell's open acknowledgement of the bastards he fathered, together with the various mistresses he kept even after the wedding, was judged by many to be an affront to his lady wife and the dignity of the crown. the princess was rumored to share that judgement, often sending letters to her sister at dragonstone during her time at the crossing. no children were born of the union. some declared this the will of the gods, whilst others, with greater malice than sense, suggested that the princess had little desire to bear lord oswell an heir. ten and three moons after their bedding, lord oswell frey fell grievously ill following a feast at the crossing. his belly cramped, his skin turned pale, and within three days he was dead. maester harmune blamed spoiled lamprey pie, though others whispered of tears of lys, the strangler, or another subtler poison. the princess did not grieve her lord husband long, and married again only six moons after the funeral.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀iii. edrick darklyn
lord edrick darklyn had already buried two wives before taking the princess vaenyra to wife. a pious and learned man, he was held in high esteem throughout the crownlands for his even temper. though not accounted as the fairest of the princess' husbands, many claimed he was her favourite, for seldom had she appeared so happy. he was near five-and-twenty years her elder, yet their difference in age seemed of little consequence. he came to cherish the princess deeply, though never with the possessiveness so often mistaken for devotion. a scholar by inclination, he occupied many quiet hours with histories, philosophy, and poetry, composing verses in praise of his lady wife's wit as often as her beauty. it was said that he admired her pride and keen mind no less than the silver-gold of her hair or the violet of her eyes. his children took to the princess lovingly. at tourneys, his eldest sons were known to name vaenyra their queen of love and beauty, while his youngest hid their faces in her skirts during feasts. though some at court questioned why no issue came of the marriage, lord edrick himself was said to have little desire for further heirs, having buried two wives in childbed and already possessing sons enough to succeed him. whether by his wish or the princess's, their union remained childless. during her years at dun fort, vaenyra was often seen beside her lord husband on the harbor of duskendale, where together they made frequent visits to the town's orphanage. the couple gained a reputation for charity, bringing food, clothing, books, and small gifts to the children in its care. in 126 ac, a fever that swept through duskendale, carrying off fishermen and merchants alike before reaching the castle. lord edrick succumbed to the sickness despite the efforts of three maesters. the noble lord fought valiantly for four days and on the fifth night followed his smallfolk loyally into death, and vaenyra was widowed a third time.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀iv. simon beesbury
perhaps the sweetest of vaenyra's husbands was lord simon beesbury, who had seen but nineteen namedays when they were wed in the eleventh moon of 128 ac. a second son with little expectation of inheritance, he possessed neither great ambition nor hunger for renown. he was gentle, good-humoured, and, earnest, and cared little for the burdens of lordship so long as he had the affections of those around him. young simon was said to have worshipped his wife. those who knew him claimed he believed the gods had smiled upon him the day he was promised to a daughter of house targaryen, for he had never expected such a fortune. the match had not originally been his, but his elder brother victor's; yet when victor died in a riding accident, the betrothal passed to simon. their marriage had scarcely begun when the stranger separated the couple. in the early moons of 129 ac, he rode at a tourney held at ashford meadow, where he fell beneath the lance of his opponent. some said the young lord had ridden more eagerly than wisely, for he had risen that morning with a single purpose: to win the favor of his lady wife and name princess vaenyra his queen of love and beauty. thus, before the year was done, the princess vaenyra targaryen was a widow once more.
theartofmadeline
izzy806
origamiaround
pixelskylines
ellievsbear
gracieabrams
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
amandla
