Omake: Ladies in Waiting Rumor Mill
Myranda Ryswell stretched her fingers, the palm feeling oddly sore. Writing so many letters last night has taken its toll it seems.
First she had one to write her family about the news of the successful birth of Alicent and Rhaenyra, then she had to write one to Alicent about the incoming rumors about their children, King Landing situation, the Martells and certain key people she asked Myranda to keep an eye on. Besides that she had to write a last letter to maternal grandmother's family because apparently Alicent needed a Weirwood Arrow and for experiment sake her friend asked if she could gather Weirwood Arrows from trees of different ages and locations so she could test their potency.
Myranda loved her friends but Alicent was close to reminding her of grandmother Arleyne which wasn't exactly a good thing because granny Arleyne was a wood witch or it would be a mountain witch? Did Alicent count as a tower witch ?
Nevertheless she loved them both, witch talk or not, so she sent more letters to other Northern Houses under the guise of asking Weirwood branches to bless Prince Lucien children.
The things she did for friendship.
Still it was a better deal than Lorena, who had taken to praying at sunrise for protection of the newborns. The girl was currently only being outmatched in piety by Rhyelle who had made a promise under the Mother name to fast each morning until both babies completed a year.
Myranda had taken a hare and slit its throat in the Godswood and called it a day.
She had no idea what Galena had done to bless the children, except for sneaking out at night with two dolls and silver chains, returning absolutely drenched in saltwater with no doll or chain in sight.
Understandable, she didn't question it further.
So Myranda strolled across The Red Keep, walking a familiar path towards the Queen Solar… It was strange how much time had passed since Queen Aemma's final rest, she could remember all those years ago being summoned to the room when she helped Rhaenyra the previous night.
She missed Lady Rhae too, in the beginning when the Lady of Runestone wasn't so ill they would often ride together with Jocelyn, while Prince Daemon, ever protective, would keep watch on his wife accompanying them from behind. Lady Rhae would often tell them stories about growing in the Vale, First Man stories about the Kings of the Runic Crown and most of all of her daughters' progress and daily life.
An ache surged on her chest, a pang of regret. It has been how long since she last heard about the twins? Perhaps she would have to ask Rhyelle about them, failing that ask Minisa who in turn could know via her exchange of letters with Little Jeyne.
Myranda opened the door to the Solar and as she expected a familiar sight greeted her, yet sometimes it also felt a bit too new without the Queen's presence.
Vanessa is always working on a ledger, quill dripping in the ink pot every few moments and rapidly writing something although the girl seemed to be more tired than usual, her hair a bit more messy and the sleeves of her dress with a few ink drops.
Was something going on?
Sneaking close to the red haired girl, Myranda took a peek of what seemed to be a guest list? She came more closer to ta-
"Ah!"
A hand suddenly slapped her face, making her take a step back.
" What do you think you are doing?!" Vanessa had finally noticed the other girl, giving Myranda a surprised look.
"You hit me!"
"It was you who sneaked upon me!"
Sensing her defeat, Myranda deflected the issue at hand "I just wanted to see what you were working so seriously".
"You could have just asked me…" Sighing Vanessa, placed a hand on the forehead. " I didn't even want to hit you anyway, I thought it was an annoying fly from before… "
" What did you say?! Did you just mistake me for a fly?"
" As I was saying, King Viserys intends to hold a Tourney in celebration for the birth of his first grandson and his brother's victory in the Stepstones" at this pause a page of what seemed to be a guest list was shoved in Myranda face " Lord Beesbury is doing most of the planning but he still needs help with the most fine details like the Feast planning and seating arrangements."
" I see.."
It made sense, Myranda thought, especially since the rumors at the Prince Baelon health. While people didn't outright say it, many were worried given Queen Aemma's childbirth story that the young heir would die before even being one year old. Which in turn left the question of who would be the heir since Rhaenyra unconventional marriage made some of the most pious nobles squirm and the fact she was a woman made her a less popular choice than a male... The next choice would have been Daemon as he was currently windowed and only had daughters made some of the most ambitious see a path to the throne should the Crown Prince die.
As if someone could ever replace Lady Royce in the Prince Daemon heart, Myranda snorted.
Of course the list of potential heirs should Baelon meet the Stranger went on and on… Almost like a Flint family gathering. Everyone and their mother wanted a say about who would be King and Queen.
Thus the reasons for the Tourney, it would be a chance for most of the Realm to see the Baby Prince in good health and House Targaryen strength with their most recent victory even if the War on the Stepstones wasn't sponsored by the Crown and see who would be chosen to be the new Lord of the Stepstones.
Also some of the Great Houses wanted to test the waters if the King wanted to arrange a marriage between his son and Prince Lucien daughter by Alicent, by what Myranda heard some of the courtiers are already making veiled insults at Lord Otto calling the man too ambitious and overstepping his boundaries as a Hand.
Of course the rumors were in turn countered by another one saying that the young children of Rhaenyra and Alicent would marry each other according to Targaryen practices…
"Here is an template letter, you can start to write the invitations for the Northern Houses since you are most familiar with them"
Myranda blinked, being shoved more paper and quills in her arms by Vanessa.
"Wait! First you hit my face and now want me to work?"
"Everyone will be working for the Tourney, if you don't want to help me write the invitations then perhaps helping Lady Rhyelle in the charity kitchens might be more to your taste my Lady?"
Dragging her feet, Myranda took a chair and started to write the letters in defeat. Her hands will not rest today it seems.
And so she started to write, and write… All she could hear was the sound of the quill moving across the paper.
…
…
"Hey Vanessa…"
"Hmmm…"
" Did you hear that Lady Laena will be marrying Prince Lucien next?"
"Hmm."
" Yet her brother Lord Laenor, her elder, is still unmarried… One might wonder what Lord Corlys is planning with all of the rumors.."
"This would be between Lord Corlys and his son Myranda."
…
"They say Prince Lucien unleashed a horde of thousands of Ghosts in Slaver Bay…"
" Hmm…"
…
" I heard that in the Stepstones Prince Lucien found a strange foreign sauce and became bewitched by it"
" I will take note to send some as a gift for when his Keep is finished then."
…
Myranda eye twitched, Vanessa's composure when doing work almost rivaled Rhyelle and Caliadne work ethics, at this rate she would really be stuck here writing for hours! She had to escape somehow! Her hand's survival depended on it!
" If you are really that bored, you can help Minisa with hiring artists. Last time I heard she was tasked by the King to find a -"
"Yes! I shall help Minisa thank you, goodbye~!"
" Don't run in the halls!"
With that Myranda took her leave, running for freedom remembering the Queen once scolding her of the same thing.
Some things never change.
Notes: So here we have 1.2k of slice of life I guess? Some tibits here is that Myranda Maternal Granny is a Flint of the Mountains, Vanessa and the others tibit of how they are helping to fill the void in the Queen duties, Rhyelle took over the charities, Minisa with the art events and patronage and Vanessa helped with more admistrative duties and the rest gave support to the three of them. We hear some rumours and some banter, Dialogue isnt my fort as you can see. Hope you enjoyed it!
Edit: Also I have no ideia if Viserys would throw a tourney but I think he would celebrate the birth of his first grandson with a big feast at least.