Work Text:
All her life, she had been compared to Lyanna Stark. Mostly by Uncle Benjen (who was always away at Moat Cailin with his wife and sons), by lords who didn't truly know her, by singers and even her "aunt" herself. It was as if, to these people, she was not her own person but instead just another version of Lyanna.
Her mother, her father, her siblings... they all treated her like she was her own person. Even little baby Eddara, her mother and father's last child, treated her like her own big sister - not as a replica, or a person whose identity was only based on a relative.
They treated her as the woman, the daughter and the sister she was. Although her masculine mannerisms had infuriated her mother, she had accepted it and adored her. Although she had a fiery nature, she listened, she cared and she loved. Although she may have caused her father's few first gray hairs, he always softened at her. Despite his stony exterior, he adored his family and others close to him.
Her "aunt"... she had never met Lyanna. Maybe as a child, but Lady Lyanna had stayed in King's Landing for most of Arya's life. It was Cousin Jon who was sent to Winterfell by his kingly father - as the king had feared that Lyanna would try and force him to declare Jon his heir.
Jon never spoke much of his parents - not to her, to her siblings, or her parents. Instead he spoke of Queen Elia, in which despite his birth, she treated him as a nephew. Of his siblings, Aegon, Rhaenys and Daenerys - who treated Jon as a human rather than a danger or blaming him for his parent's idiotic actions.
Although Lady Lyanna considered herself a queen, in reality she was at best a mistress and at worst one of the king's regrets. The two argued more than they were ever seen as a united front or the love match they (supposedly) were. Personally, she thought they were a lust match.
For all Lady Lyanna bragged about herself being better than other women, and even some men - she was known to be haughty towards the actual royal women. She never campaigned much for commonborn women or of highborn ladies, it seemed like she only cared for herself. She only cared about the benefits for her, and not for other women.
She had tried forcing the king's eldest legitimate children in marriage to Robb, Sansa and even herself. Rhaenys had outright refused, "why must I be tied to the paramour in every aspect of my life? If the two of you could run away together and shirk your duties, you have no right to tell me who I can and cannot marry!". Aegon had been more diplomatic, complimenting the two sisters, but he had fallen in love with Brienne of Tarth. The most mismatched and unlikely couple, but their love was a true one. Rhaenys had chosen the son of Baelor Hightower, Aemon, as her husband. As the eldest grandson, he would one day be the lord - although many such as Mace Tyrell muttered in anger.
Sansa's heart may have been broken, but, she herself had fallen in love with Edric Dayne not long after. The two made a beautiful couple, both tall and fair. Whereas Arya, and Gendry, were of differing heights and more like the moon than the sun. Arya had never been offended on being rejected by Aegon, the two were like siblings - she couldn't imagine herself ever being with him, or anyone BUT Gendry.
It came to as a shock to everyone that Arya and Gendry had fallen for one another - nobody was as delighted as Robert. Robert remained close with her father, despite her aunt, and loudly declared that "finally, our families will be united! Ned's daughter and my son and heir!". Gendry's mother, Janna Tyrell, evened Robert out. Although Robert may have whored around, there was never any rumours of bastards - infact, he seemed to adore his wife. It was ironic, then, that Lyanna ran away from Robert only for him to change his ways. If anything, Rhaegar turned out to be the worse partner...
It was after her wedding, that she met Lyanna. She had spotted her sitting close to the king, looking sour and glaring at everyone. Elia looked like a sunbeam, looking genuinely happy for Arya and Gendry, even congratulating them and dancing with Robert. Lyanna kept her distance, sulking in the corner and turning all the offers of dances and conversation down immediately.
Arya had NEVER expected this. All the... stories, of Lyanna's supposed kindness, beauty...
Lyanna had approached her the next day, still looking as sour and unkind as ever. It reminded her of her aunt Lysa, although Lysa at the very least doted on her son and somewhat cared for her family. Lyanna only doted on her son when it suited her, like when she tried to declare him trueborn and to set him apart from his siblings (although it never really worked, although Rhaenys had usually kept her distance - as she was the one who remembered everything that happened during the rebellion). It was said Lyanna was bitter that Queen Elia had been the one to have another daughter, Daenerys, and that Elia's proven fertility was the reason she could not marry Rhaegar. Lyanna had no more living children after Jon, not even any rumoured pregnancies.
"Niece," Lyanna said with a sniff, looking her up and down.
"Aunt Lyanna, it's nice to see you," Arya replied, a small smile on her face.
Lyanna nodded, before asking, "I hope the brute wasn't too rough with you? Hopefully he doesn't take after his father in that way, too".
Arya raised an eyebrow, resisting the urge to reach over and shake Lyanna. Even now, she showed no remorse for how she had treated her goodfather, nevermind admitting that he had changed! "My goodfather is very kind, especially to his wife and daughters. Although he may be rough, he apologizes for it and we may move on from it quickly. I am grateful that Gendry learned humility from his mother, and learned from the past mistakes of his father," she replied in an even tone.
Lyanna's face twisted at that, although she said nothing more on that matter. Silence settled in the room for a few moments, before she spoke up.
"You're not at all what I expected. I expected someone more like me, not YOU. I guess that's Ned's fault for marrying the southron fish," Lyanna remarked with a grimace.
Arya felt fury rise up in her chest - how dare this excuse of a woman insult her mother! "Aye, and from what I recall, you had a northern mother who loved and doted upon you, yet you turned out like... this".
Lyanna glared at her, raising her voice, "like what, niece?"
Arya slammed her palms onto the table, standing up as she shot a glare back at Lyanna who flinched back. "You are no aunt of mine. Ever since my birth, I've been compared to you. Everything I ever did, all I heard was people constantly praising you. I was never my own person, except to my true family! That includes Elia, Dany, Egg, Jon and Rhae - not YOU! To everyone else, I was always "Lyanna this, Lyanna that!" I idolized you for so long, only for you to be like this? An absolute disappointment! You claim to want to better life for other women, yet you shun away both common and noble women. You have constantly turned your back on them - oh, yes, I know it was you who said Annara Farring must marry a man old enough to be her grandfather!" Arya exclaimed.
She continued on, "You only care for yourself. As far as I'm concerned, Elia Martell is my aunt. Not you. Never you. Robert Baratheon is lucky he never married a shrew like yourself, Lady Stark. Rather than projecting onto myself and Gendry, you should accept you and Rhaegar are to blame - not grandfather, not Elia, not Uncle Brandon."
Before Lyanna could stutter out a response, Gendry looked into the room, his arm extended. "My lady, is everything okay? There's a feast to be held, my father and Queen Elia are asking for you to grace them with your presence!" he retorted with a grin, his deep blue eyes shining with amusement.
"Yes, I'm done here. Lady Stark, it was nice talking to you", Arya quiped sarcastically, nodding her head to her stunned "aunt".
As the two walked away to the hall, Lyanna could only sit there as she forced her hands into fists, scrunching at her dress. She wondered, when did things go so wrong? I only wanted true love... I only wanted a choice! Other women aren't like me, there will never be another me - they don't deserve the same choices, it's their fault for accepting their fates, she thought - still managing to blame others.