Hester smiled at that, finishing off the glass of wine. She imagined she'd have several children someday--none of this spacing them out the way her own lady mother had done. Left the The Eyrie cold and without the ring of life. She would much prefer it laughing and a warm place, as warm as marble and honor ever got.
She tilted her head as she considered Elia's assessment of her family. It was true, to some extent. Her father and mother had never been very fond of outsiders and, truth be told, Hester believed her mother had been daughter of the Royces. Everything was kept close in the Vale, whether she liked it or not.
"Vianna is my elder sister, but not the eldest. That distinction belongs to Arys, my brother. He should have been here by now, but I can imagine the fear of plague has kept many a lord away from King's Landing despite King William's decree."
She let her mouth fall into an unguarded smile. "As for being stern, I assure you, it's not all of us. I like to think I have a lovely sense of humor and Arys too. Vianna is nearly wicked through and though. It apparently is only in my parents and, as evidence as shown, in Kaelyn."