Chapter Text
House Eilszynge, a House that lorded over the lands south of Dorne. Past the desert was fertile farmland, large, intimidating gray mountains that climbed all the way to the clouds. They’re House was not as old as the others in Westeros, but they had climbed power so rapidly in the past 100-or-so years, that sometimes it was difficult to believe that they hadn’t always been there. Watching over the mountains, their grand keep pressed against the rocks, impenetrable from attacks.
At the foot of, contained by the mountain range, surrounded by the capital of Ridellon, Everdale, the Silver Keep housed generations of Eilszynges, keeping the battle-hungry House from storm or siege.
And battle hungry they were, even if most of Westeros had already forgotten how they had come to claim Ridellon for themselves. Even if the Targaryens had arrived thirty years too late to truly see what Eilszynge’s founder had wrought.
“Lili!” Zasali put down her quill, the door to her solar bursting open. Her honeyed eyes met her mothers blue ones, and then she looked down, to her younger brother tugging on her skirts. Zasali picked Kainar up easily, placing him on her lap, smiling down at him.
“Why hello, sunspot,” She cooed. “What’s got you so riled up?” Kainar buried his face in her arms.
“There is much to discuss, darling.” Thalia Eilszynge held up a scroll, and Zasali held in a curse. The seal was broken, but she could recognize it anywhere.
A three-headed dragon.
No wonder Kainar was clinging on to her so tightly. Everytime they got a letter like that, someone had to leave Ridellon, and who knew how long that time away would last. Kainar wouldn’t be old enough to experience it, a boy of three years, but no doubt her family’s expressions were enough for his nerves to be shaken. Her brother was an intuitive child.
“...What do they want this time.” Zasali’s voice was annoyed, and she bounced Kainar on her knee to distract herself, and to distract him.
Her mother, Ancestors bless her mother, grimaced, and threw the scroll to her. Zasali caught it. Her mother was a good shot.
Zasali read through it, her eyes lingering on some parts. It was a rather short letter, and she looked back up to her mother.
“Let’s just burn it.” She suggested.
“Burn it! Burn it!” Kainar agreed vehemently. Zasali laughed, and Thalia groaned.
“I wish we could, dear, but they sent a messenger this time, not a raven.” The Lady Eilszynge instead picked up the scroll, folding it. “Zasali, hand me your brother.”
Zasali did as she was bid, and Thalia Eilszynge handed Kainar off to a guard before closing the door to Zasali’s solar.
Everything seemed to quiet.
It was just Zasali and her mother. She was nearly a spitting image of the Lady Eilszynge, with her hair golden, falling in waves down to her ankles, as was Eilszynge custom. However, Zasali had the blood of the founder, and it ran thick, clear in the way that her eyes were too easy to get lost in, her voice too easy to be ensnared by. She looked just like her mother, but softer. Different, in a way most could not even place.
“...We’re sending you to King’s Landing.” Thalia spoke to her daughter, her voice, once sharp and thick with northern roots, was softer now.
“I will not participate in their overgrown family feud.” Zasali told her mother, turning back to organize the papers on her desk.
“Nor do I expect you to.” Thalia reached for her daughter, her calloused hand touching Zasali’s fair cheek. “My dearest daughter, blood of my blood, I would not have you hurt by the foolishness of royalty.”
It is not royalty that is foolish. Zasali thought. Not all royalty must be foolish.
She didn’t convey her thoughts to her mother.
“Darling, and listen to me closely, darling:” Her mother held Zasali’s hands, making hard eye contact with her.
“...This is to do with the scroll, yes?”
“What.” Thalia’s sharp features were impassive as she stared her daughter down. “What else would it be about?”
“The scroll, of course.” Zasali quickly backtracked. Perhaps it was some sort of curse, the way her wit was so slow in front of her mother.
Thalia’s eyes narrowed. “We will discuss whatever you did at a later date.”
Zasali was finding this trip to King’s Landing to come at a rather opportune time.
“For now, Zasali, you must promise me that you will behave yourself.” Thalia told her firmly. “I will not have you meddling with the politics there, alright?”
“I won’t meddle in their politics.” Zasali confirmed. Thalia kissed her forehead.
“I’m proud of you sweetheart, but I know you.” Zasali took offense to that. “So I’m sending your aunt with you.” Zasali had two aunts, on her fathers side; Amaia and Ilruil II. Aunt Amaia would be busy with her husband, her children, and her duties, so that meant Ilruil would be chaperoning her.
Oh. Great.
The Spymaster as a chaperone.
“Must you?” Zasali groaned.
“If I didn’t, then who knows what you would do to the local nobility.” Terrorize them. “Or if you might bring home another stray.” Havain wasn’t a stray. “She’s just going to be looking out for you, darling. So get your act together.”
Zasali laughed when her mother pinched her cheek. She loved her aunt, truly, it was just going to be a lot harder to sneak around with her direct supervision. In Everdale and the Silver Keep, Zasali wasn’t so strictly watched.
“You’ll leave in a weeks time, dear.” Thalia grimaced as she spoke. “The journey to King’s Landing is a long one, and you are not taking Havain. The amount of questions we’d have to answer.”
“I love you too, mother.” Zasali kissed her mothers cheek. “I’ll begin my preparations.” She picked up a stack of documents, sweeping out of her solar.
“Darling?”
“Zasali!” Just keep walking…
“Zasali, you are not taking Havain!”