The trial of Lysa and Littlefinger (in absentia) had concluded, and now it was time for the aftermath.
This included decisions regarding Young Lord Robin, the handling of The Gate of the Moon and The Eyrie, and the deployment of the Knights of the Vale.
Gendry encouraged Maester Colemon and others to speak freely. Beyond Lysa's fate, the more pressing concern was Robert's placement. This Child was the Lord of the Vale, a poor orphan who would soon be parentless. Robert's health had always been poor, so he needed proper care.
"My Lords, allow me to first discuss Lord Robert's physical condition, which I believe you are all aware of. While I am a Maester, I cannot cure congenital ailments; I can only alleviate them," Maester Colemon said with a pained expression. "Lord Robert is around six years old, but he is pitifully thin and much smaller than other children his age. I believe this is congenital. His face is sickly, and he occasionally trembles, showing symptoms of epilepsy. Even more terrifying is today's revelation: despite his young age, he has consumed a significant amount of sweetsleep, and the toxins can accumulate over time."
"Gods! The Gods granted Lord Arryn an heir, yet he is so frail," Lord Yohn and others lamented. The Young Lord's health was almost common knowledge, and all the Lords of the Vale were anxious. Many whispered that he was too weak and might not live to adulthood.
"The Child of a seventy or eighty-year-old man, and Lysa had a history of multiple miscarriages, now he's also consumed a lot of sweetsleep," Gendry remained silent, understanding the concerns of the Lords of the Vale. Being frail and sickly meant two things: first, this Child might not live long, and second, he could never become a Knight. An Arryn who could not become a Knight would be a laughingstock of the Vale, bringing shame to his ancestors.
Westeros had always been a civilization of war, a civilization of Knights. The allure of wielding swords and spears far surpassed that of earning copper coins and books; almost all regions revered fierce Knights.
Even House Arryn rose to power through the martial prowess of its ancestors. They were one of the few pure andals among the ancient royal families, rising during the andals' invasion, and were also the youngest (House Baratheon, traceable to the Durrandon family, also dates back to the Age of Heroes). The prowess of the Falcon Knights was straightforward, not exaggerated like the Lannister, Stark, or Durrandon family; it was purely due to war.
When Robar Royce II was about to reclaim the Vale, the andals united and chose a leader who was neither King, Prince, nor Lord: Artys Arryn. He was similar in age to King Robar, the best warrior among his peers, a champion in sword, Longspear, and meteor hammer duels, and a resourceful leader deeply beloved by his companions. He was born beneath the Giant's Lance, where falcons soared between the peaks.
"Based on my experience, we need to ensure the Young Lord maintains his nutritional intake, and he must be bled to remove toxins. Those necessary pain relievers are also poisonous, My Lords, please understand me. There are also the sweetsleep toxins from before; I fear this Child has ingested too much. Lysa did not understand pharmacology or side effects; the one who truly understood was Littlefinger. Furthermore, the Duke should play with children his age and see the sun, but the Lady, no, the criminal Lysa always prevented this, only allowing the Child to be with her, so he was always lonely," Colemon said.
"That's right, Lord Robert once played with my son and the sons of The Eyrie's steward, but Lysa drove them away, believing they were too rough with Young Lord Robin. As for the children of servants, she deemed them too lowly," Ser Vardis complained. "Look how she raised the Child, like a little doll, never leaving his side. Lord Arryn was worried even when he was alive."
"This is true. At this rate, what will become of him?" Ser Brynden also had a bitter expression. Removing Lysa was inevitable, but House Tully's reputation would be ruined from now on. "Catelyn suggested sending Robert to the North for a short companionship with the children of House Stark, but Lysa cursed her out. She never let this Child leave for a moment. Anyone who dared to steal this Child, Lysa would make them fly. Rickon is only three, but full of energy; House Stark's youngest son is several times this Child's size."
"Oh, and that Singer," Maester Colemon said carefully. "Although Lord Robert doesn't like the songs of that fool, music can also help the Young Lord sleep."
"Let him play music, but not sing. We have stripped him of his honor; we can also cut out his tongue," Ser Vardis suggested. The Lords naturally had no fondness for the foolish Singer and were now just making do with him as a servant.
"According to the Maester's suggestion, I believe this Child should receive proper protection," Bronze Yohn proposed. "Where he lives and who supervises him are the immediate difficulties we face. We must not bring shame upon Lord Jon; we must make this Child a Knight Lord Jon would be proud of."
Gendry felt that Bronze Yohn's words were nonsense. This Child had congenital deficiencies; adding a Knight's education would only hasten his demise.
"Indeed, with war reigniting and the Knights of the Vale deploying, we will be at loggerheads with the Lannister. So the Duke..." Baron Nestor said.
"Runestone?" Ser Brynden Blackfish suggested. "Lord Yohn is a prominent figure in the Vale whom we all admire, and House Royce has a tradition of guardianship over the heirs of House Arryn."
"Besides Runestone, the Young Lord can also rotate between other places like Redfort and Longbow Hall," Earl Old Hunter suggested. "But The Eyrie is probably not suitable; it's too cold and too high. I always feel there are still ghosts there."
------------------------
There are already 70+ chapters available on my Patreon!
The story will continue to update 1 chapter per day on Webnovel,
while early access chapters are posted on Patreon.
Maybe it's not worth it today but it could be later
[email protected]/Kazenova223
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"