JAEHAERYS

Castle Celtigar suddenly emerged like a fishing seagull from the melting mist of the Blackwater Bay, its black stone clear against the pale sky. By midday, spring was finally showing its colours, even on the rocky islet. Small sprouts plunged between the pebbles of the long beach and white daisy-buds grew in the castle's courtyard. It was a meagre spectacle, yet Lord Jaehaerys, approaching the dusk of his life, did what he could to enjoy the little pleasures he was allowed. He breathed in, smiling, and took a walk on the beach, enjoying the rays of sun making their way through the soft grey clouds, though his leg were made rusty by the years.

As he walked the beach, his hand clutching his stump arm behind his back, he was not surprised to see his two youngest, Laenor and Laena, outside the castle walls, enjoying the day as well as they could. They were taking turns with a longbow, trying to shoot into the bull's eye. Behind them a few servants were setting up a picnic, serving crab, lobster, fresh fruit, sweet milk and ruby red wine. Every now and then One of the two would hit the center of the target clapping and giggling. Lord Celtigar smiled, shaking his head. Those two never saw a real battle, and I pray they never do. They were young, it's true, and they lived a very sheltered life at Claw Isle: it was time they experienced what lied beyond that stony isle. It seemed like a heartbeat before to Jaehaerys, yet his two babes had become a young and strong man grown, and a comely young lady, both eager for excitement and life and living so close, yet so far from it. King's landing lied only a day of travel away but Claw Isle remained quiet and still, bathing in the mist, its days long and its nights even longer: no place for his two children... Nyssa would never let them go, he thought, at least... not alone. Their Eldest child, Aelys had been asking Nyssa to visit the Rosby Manse in Kings Landing for a long time now, she surely wouldn't mind having her two youngest siblings as well. It definitely was time. Smiling at his children, playing in the distance, he turned back and returned home. He'd have to talk to his wife about it.