***Rhaenyra***
"Hello lady Catlyn, is that your name or is--it" Sansa spoke, then was cut off prematurely.
"No, your grace, it isn't. I had forgotten my true name long ago, so I wandered most of my life without one. When I made my way to these shores, that was when I met your brother the king, on one of his days out with his knights in King's Landing." Rhaenyra recounted the same story she fed the other heads of state, to Sansa.
"You lead a very hard life, lady Catlyn. I'm sorry you had to go through it. But while in King's Landing, or rather anywhere here in Westeros, you'll find that no one's life here is easy. But with that out of the way, I'm sure the other wardens of Westeros asked you, but forgive me for asking you the same question, but I have to as well. You say you heard from across the narrow sea that there was a young broken king and you wished to work under him or at least work as a maid. But now that my brother has taken a liking to you, I have to ask, do you wish to become his--Q"
"Forgive me for interrupting you before you could finish your question again, your grace. I do not wish to rule ag--I mean, I don't want to rule nor do I have any desire to sit on any throne. It looks like it would kill me if I even so much as thought of trying." Rhaenyra said, looking at Bran.
Sansa remained silent and only stared at Catlyn, studying her. "You sound genuine, lady Catlyn. So if you don't have aspirations to rule or even wish to be elevated to princess, what do you want? What do you think you're fit for here in Westeros?"
"Well you're grace, I am grateful to your brother, The King, for taking me into his service and will do whatever he needs me to do. I only wish to serve him. As for what I am fit for" Catlyn rubbed her belly.
Sansa reared her head back slightly and looked at Catlyn and questioningly over to her brother. "Bran, do you truly intend on marrying Lady Catlyn? She's a foreigner, a non-westerosi."
"Yes Sansa, she is to be my lady wife. She will inherit no lands, hold no titles, sit on any throne. As for our children, that matter is yet to be discussed with...between the both of us. I don't care where she was born."
Looking at both of them positioned so close together, Sansa couldn't help but see Jon and Daenerys in them. What was this feeling that was tugging at her from all sides? Is she truly sincere in what she wants, is she of Targaryen ancestry, she has all the physical markers of belonging to that once powerful dynasty. Or maybe, just maybe Bran wanted her for that one thing.
"Bran, forgive me for implying, but I know you're a young man and men have desires and Lady Catlyn is very beautiful and she is with your child, but could she be a--w"
"Would you prefer me to womanize and whore around like King Robert and Lord Tyrion, because I can if I wanted to."
"No Bran, don't even think about doing that. You're nothing like that fat drunk of a king. I suppose every man has a type and apparently in our family, the men love their women to be from far-off places. Robb, Jon, and now you."
"I could say the same for you. Jin Soza would make an excellent match for you sister." Bran replied.
Sansa's eyes widen, staring back at her brother in disbelief. "Bran I--I'd appreciate it if you would let private matters remain--Pr"
"His army and his culture is needed to bring tranquility and peace to The North. Lady Catlyn is a good woman with a kind heart. She is of no threat to anyone. I hope to have your approval as my sister."
"Let me just ask her one more question, Bran. Lady Catlyn, you said you might have Targaryen blood in you, but it looks like you have a lot of it. If your mother was one, then surely the blood was strong and continued through you. I only point it out because the last woman to look like you--"
"Burned the entire city down, well large portions of it. Your brother has told me about Daenerys Targaryen. Madness, carnage, slaughtering of the innocents, and burning of everyone. I can only imagine the pain that poor girl was going through to do that despite that King's Landing had completely surrendered to her. What her army did to the people of this city was reprehensible and she earned her death. But I couldn't do any of that, because I don't have a dragon, your grace"
Catlyn and Bran chuckled a little, making Sansa mad. "Do you think that's funny, after everything my brother told you about the Mad Queen Daenerys?"
"Sansa, she didn't mean to insult the dead. We laugh because Catlyn would be unable to do that even if she had a dragon, because she's a good woman deep down. Changing the subject matter, the wedding between me and Catlyn will be a private matter."
"Where will it take place, please just tell me that much at least."
"Dragonstone your grace" Catlyn replied.
"Dragonstone, Dragonstone? Isn't that the ancestral seat of power of The Targaryens, why on earth do you want to? You know what, this is your wedding. It's none of my business. You have my blessings, little brother. I have to get back to Winterfell, I have a lot of lords waiting for me."
Bran stood up and so did Sansa, he showed her to the door but before Sansa could leave, she hugged him. He held her gently close to him and allowed her to feel at ease with him. "Bran, I love you, so much. I pray and hope you know what you are doing." She kissed him on his cheek much to his approval.
"In seven months I will tell you, everything sister, I promise you, Sansa. Everything that happens till then will all make sense." Bran told her, smiling at her. "I love you, Sansa."
Sansa could only look at her brother, unsure of whether to smile in relief or wonder wildly what on earth he was talking about.
Catlyn watched Bran hug and kiss his sister and accompany her back to her carriage.
***Tyrion***
"Your father knew about the mines running dry, the whole House knew but yesterday as if by a miracle brought on by prayer, a wish, or by some other unknown power, House Lannister's mines are full of gold and silver. Two separate but close rivers of flowing gold and silver just spewed forth from deep beneath the earth. Judging by the direction and flow of the liquid metal, we deduced that both rivers are coming from the same source and are flowing in a back-and-forth shape, it's like a sideways number eight, my lord. It's a miracle, our house is now the most wealthiest in the entire realm once again."
"Yes you're right, I suppose good things are finally looking up for our house. What about the other precious resources, like gemstones"
"Im sure new sources of gemstones and metals will be discovered, but if they're not, the rivers of gold and silver should more than make up for them."
"Thank you for this information, please return and start collecting the precious metals and resume minting right away," Tyrion told him. The miner bowed and ran back.
Not long after, Maester Donald returned with seven mercenaries that followed behind him.
