The parchment was as gray as the goat that had been murdered some ages ago for a meal, his coat transformed and sliced so that there might be paper. There was something beautiful as the pale shade. The blank page stared up at the dark-haired lady almost tauntingly as if it could read her thoughts. It was like the spirit of the very creature that had died to fill their bellies and document their thoughts and plans was judging her for even thinking of utilizing it for such a purpose. Her ink sat idle for a long moment before she found herself reaching to compose the letter in long, feminine strokes.
She wrote before decisively scratching it out. Such regard could not be merited in this situation. She had to think further, choose her words more carefully. If she was going to compose such a letter it had to be written with due caution and she had to make it clear where she stood on this. Jeyne Poole might have been born a steward’s daughter but she was a Lady now and she was not as foolish as people might have thought her to be. This correspondence might not be wise but it was something that needed to be done.
To Aegon of Ever Changing Titles,
I have tried to wrap my head around writing to you for several weeks. When we last spoke we did not leave on the best of terms and I cannot say that I am sorry for my offense. I thought that you should know that this is in no shape an apology. I spent far too many years cowering at a man's feet apologizing for silly things and you will not break me. I will never apologize unless it is merited. Seeing as you were the one to hurt my feelings, that task lies on you and you alone. I, however, do have a few things that I would like to say to you and seeing as you have no given me a chance this letter should express them in a satisfactory manner.
I do not fancy myself as important enough for you to apologize. I have accepted the fact that the only people who you care to impress are those sycophants willing to cling to your every word in hopes that should you should succeed in you conquest your favor will shine down on them. I will never be one of those people. My late father believed that it was far more honorable to be praised and die for loyalty than to succeed to an old age because of how far you were willing to go to please someone. I like to believe that he would have been proud of me for not becoming something I am not to please you. If that should lead me to my death, I have more than have accepted that.
I would have liked to though.
I feel as though you, like many before you, have managed to put me into some category of your brain that sees me as a lesser Lady because I was not born a Stark, Baratheon or other highly respected name. I do not discredit them or the power their houses have. When you spoke of me ‘allowing me to select from amongst your men’ it seemed to lack accounting for the fact that I might wish more for myself. Unlike you, I have been married and let it be known that it is not always everything people make it out to be. It taught me a very valuable lesson about the greed and depravity of men though. There are very few men that are above reproach. The majority of men below my station would seek to use my titles and money to meet achieve their own ends. The systems upon which we exist would allow them.
Let’s be perfectly clear that the Dreadfort and its people are not and will never be go back to the way it was. I suppose I should thank you for making me nettled enough that I actually began to put time into removing the darkness that seemed to blanket these walls. I have worked myself to exhaustion to bring in the light and no one is going to snuff it out; Not you or any other ruler in this realm. I will not live in fear of the man who attempted to destroy me and I certainly will not live in fear of whatever your leadership might bring should you succeed.
I would be lying if I said that rumors of your further journeys had not reached my ears. I know that you seek to further your campaign. I have no doubt there are many men and women who will bow at your feet or seek your company while also looking out for themselves should you lose. I do not aim to predict whether you will win or lose. What I know is that your throne will not be worth the bloodshed it will take to reclaim it.
I hope that you think long and hard about your actions and more than that your words. I hope that you learn to be careful about who you trust.
There was probably something she forgot.Perhaps, she ought to have throw it into the fire. She closed the letter carefully with her seal and dispatched it with attached to the leg of a raven.If it would reach him,she would never know. If he would care for anything she had to say,she did not know. At least she could say she said something.
