Chapter 207: Jon Arryn's Personal Problem
King's Landing, Red Keep
POV of Jon Arryn
Once Robert dismissed the Small Council, Jon came back to his own solar in the Tower of the Hand and sat down to brood over a personal problem of his own.
Namely, his own son, Robin Arryn.
Despite everything he did, the boy's health had only deteriorated further and further in the past few years. And his wife's coddling of the boy was not helping matters either.
He could understand why she would be so attached to the boy.
She had only been able to give birth to him after three miscarriages, after all. And Lysa had not been… completely there even before they married.
He could understand that as well.
Being married to a 70-year-old man —old enough to be your grandfather —was not something girls dreamed of.
Lysa had dealt with many hardships in her life, which was why he always tried to be understanding and gentle with her.
But her coddling of the boy and excessive pampering were not helping the boy.
Robin needed to play with children of his own age. He needed to play, run, and laugh. Not sit in his mother's lap all day and suck on her tits like a newborn.
He wondered if he had been too lax in his duties as a husband and a father. If the reason why his heir was so weak was yet another mistake of his own.
The lack of a proper heir for the Vale was something that had plagued his sleep for many nights.
And now that Robert was going to the North…
He remembered that Ned had a son of the same age as his own boy. And a daughter of the same age as well. And getting away from his mother's coddling and excessive pampering will allow him to grow.
He wondered if sending his son to Ned for fostering would be a good choice.
It would build another generation of relations between Vale and the North. And if something came out of the friendship between his son and Ned's younger daughter…
After thinking about this matter for half an hour, he finally decided that sending his son to the North to be fostered would be a wise decision.
Jon was not a young man after all and would not live for much longer.
He hoped that Ned would be the father for his son that he himself could never be.
But the real problem wasn't sending Robin to the North with Robert. The real problem was explaining this to Lyra.
Furthermore, there was no way she could send Lyra with Robin; otherwise, Lyra would treat Robin there the same way she treats him here. And that would make sending Robin there pointless.
No, he had to send Robin there alone. Otherwise, the boy would never become a man.
He had no doubt he would be well cared for there. Ned was considered Jon's son, and he would treat Robin as his own. And Robin was Catelyn's nephew. So, Jon had no concerns about Robin's upbringing.
But he doubted Lyra would view the situation that way.
And when he shared his idea with his wife, Lyra, her reaction was exactly what Jon had envisioned.
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!" his wife screamed in his face. "I'LL NOT HAVE YOU SEND MY SWEET LITTLE ROBIN TO BE TORN APART BY THOSE SAVAGES."
"Ned is an honorable man." Jon explained gently, "He will treat our boy well and raise him to be a proper lord." He decided not to mention that her sister was also married to the people she was so intent on calling savages. And that the City of Lundenhold, which was said to be even more beautiful and advanced than King's Landing, was also in the North.
"NO. No, no, no. I'm not sending my poor little boy anywhere. He would not survive without me. I know. A mother knows." She said with a wild look in her eyes, "You're not sending my boy anywhere. YOU HEAR ME!!! YOU'RE NOT SENDING MY SON ANYWHERE! YOU'RE NOT TAKING MY CHILD FROM ME…"
"Enough." He said louder than he had ever done before. Perhaps it was the only reason his wife went silent in the first place. "Your excessive coddling of the boy is the reason why he's so weak in the first place. In the North, he'll be able to play with children his age and grow up in a proper household. I'm sending Robin to the North with Robert. And that's final."
With his piece said, he turned about and left.
"NO!!! DON'T! PLEASE. I BEG YOU. PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY CHILD FROM ME. JON PLEase…"
Her words faded as he closed the door and left the corridor.
He felt horrible about what he was doing. But it was necessary. She might be hurt right now, but she'll thank him for it later.
And even if she hated him for doing what he did for the rest of his life… Well, nothing would have changed there.
Jon felt he had little time left and needed an heir to take over the Vale. But Robin, in his current state, had no way of shouldering the weight of titles like Lord of the Eyrie, the Defender of the Vale, or the Warden of the East.
Jon was probably the biggest culprit in this. Up until now, he had been focusing on his duties as the King's Hand rather than worrying about the situation in Vale and the East.
And from now on, he didn't think there was anything about this situation he could do for Robin here, even if he wanted to.
That's why Robin needed to get away. And Ned was the perfect person for that. If nothing else, when his son Robin took over his duties after Jon's death, he would at least have someone like Ned to back him up.
And the mere name of Warden of the North was enough to make many who might have wanted to cause trouble for his son think twice.
Because, unlike many Lords, Ned truly valued his honor, and they knew that if anyone tried to play dirty with Robin, Ned would come after them to ensure justice.
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Next Chapters' Name:
Ch.208: Things That Must Be Done
Ch.209: Meeting with Lady Death