rowena’s time with the arryns had yet to reach the majority of her life. nearly twenty when she’d married the lord of the vale, the decade and a half that she’d spent as the ruling lady were the happiest of her life. she was never a sullen girl but there was a different way of life that she’d found in the vale, one that allowed her to pursue her happiness to its fullest extent, that reminded her in gentle waves or all at once that there was no place like her this home she’d made for herself.
her children loved jayce, in the way that most little children idolized knights. elyas would tell her stories that he had heard of the knight’s best tourney performances and oswin’s little chimes in here and there. it was an endearing sight and jayce, if for nothing else, had the lady arryn’s admiration for his ability to capture hearts, no matter how small. as jayce began to approach, rowena smiled warmly.
❛ ser templeton, it’s a pleasure to see you again. ❜ she knew she liked him. it was refreshing to not be reminded of her duties as hand. this would be the first time in years that rowena would see her husband and she was satisfied with lady arryn here. besides, who could know what plots might be stirring in the shadows in conjunction with her own. competition is costly when kingdoms are at stake. ❛ your lord has yet to arrive to give his blessings, though i have confidence that he would not mind. ❜
Jayce adored his mother, though his relationship with his father was cordial. However, he had been the only child of an only child, a small, insular family that didn’t quite soak up all the love he had to give. And so, he had given that love to the Arryns. They may as well be family to Jayce, especially the children. He adored them, and took a fierce sense of pride that, of the Knights of the Vale, he was their favourite. He was used to popularity wherever he went, but it meant more from those he admired so.
“The pleasure is honestly mine,” he said, earnest in his sincerity. “Tell me, did you bring the children? My pockets are starting to feel heavy with all the gifts I’ve yet to give them.” It was almost a tradition now. For everywhere he had been in Westeros, he had brought home something for her children, usually accompanied with a daring story of how he had acquired it. He usually didn’t have to invent them, either. Jayce had always attracted adventure.
A laugh escaped him, a booming sound that echoed even through the noise of the crowd, and he held out his hand. “You honour me, Lady Arryn,” he said, waiting patiently for her to take it so he could help her up. “I will keep you company until he arrives, and in the meantime, we can show everybody why The Vale is the best of all the kingdoms.”
