Who: Kaelyn, ? When: Day 53 Where: The Great Hall Rating: PG Status: Open to all comers
Crawling under a rock. That would have been a very preferable way to manage things, Kaelyn reflected. She'd relied on the stewards for the last round of feasts but this... with letting so many of the servants go, it meant the others had not had years upon years to hone the art of preparing this sort of event. And on such short notice... What had the Council been thinking?
The entire hall was swarming with servants and lords and half of them seemed to need some question answered. She felt as if she were the one being put to the question. Gods be good and she'd thought managing Winterfell was difficult.
And where to put the ambassador's mistress? Kaelyn's stomach turned just thinking of it. Put her at the high table and all the ladies of the Great Houses would be offended, put her below the salt and Sandro li Saverio might add it to the list of insults their house had supposedly done his kin. Why had he even brought a mistress? This was not Lys no more than it was his neice's court. Nor was it Princess Elia's. Polonius had her aright- there was a spoiled child. Perhaps this would teach her consequences. Kaelyn did not want the girl's head... though it would solve a number of problems. At least let it teach her her place, Kaelyn thought. Aye, and Hester as well. Spoiled, selfish little girls playing at being--
"Milady, it's Princess Genna--" Septa Marien's eyes were wide and the poor lady was wringing her hands.
Speaking of. Kaelyn closed her eyes and fought back a sigh. Always, always Genna. "Yes?"
"She's... I can't find her. I swear, Your Grace, I only turned away for a moment. The Princess Gwyn was waking and I needed to--"
"It's all right, Septa. I need to speak with William- we've got to see about getting the girls their own households or... something." Guilt stabbed at her. It was wrong to be even half relieved that her second-born would soon be away in Dorne- before Gwyn was fully well and they could scheme together. It was hard enough keeping one of them out of trouble. Gods forgive me, I don't know any better way. It hadn't been so bad in Winterfell- there'd been people to trust, who would watch for the girls and keep them safe. And they'd been a bit more immune to the twins' big gray eyes. Here... She put a protective hand to her stomach. "Just... Just go to the White Tower. Have the Kingsguard look and set a couple of our men-at-arms to it... Not the gold cloaks." They had a bad history with Starks. "And not Ser Prosperyn."
The septa curtsied and hurried off lest Kaelyn decide it was her fault. Kaelyn shook her head. She knew better. She didn't even venture out with Genna anymore since it only led to the child disappearing and coming back hours later either dragged along by Ser Jonath or the Lord Commander, though once or twice it had been some lordling or another. Just watching Genna literally charm candy and presents from lords and ladies alike was enough to convince Kaelyn that the gods were having some sort of jest. Too bold, too forward, too much and Kaelyn wasn't sure any longer whether to curb them or let them go. They were princesses now- not the daughter of some lesser lord but princesses. As they liked to remind the world. At great length. And already she saw their futures- any time she looked at Princess Elia or Hester... but there were other princesses. The first Princess Elia, Princess Sansa, Princess Arya...
"Your Highness, would you choose the blue for the tables or the gray....?"
"I think... " The sight of a familiar face sent Kaelyn near reeling in delight to drop that line of thought. Anything to get a moment's respite. "Gray. Gray will do nicely." She waved the man away. "Good morn," she said politely.