"The Lady of Rivers and Storms
" is a A Song of Ice and Fire fanfic where Lysa Tully marries Stannis Baratheon instead of Jon Arryn.
Tropes that appear in this fanfic:
- Adaptational Name Change: Edric Storm, Robert's only recognized bastard, is named Lyonel instead.
- Adaptational Personality Change: Lysa never had to marry an old man who couldn't respect her since she gave her maidenhood to someone very unsuitable, instead being paired with a man in her age range who's kind to her in his fashion. She also got to have healthy babies in spite of a few miscarriages, so she's not the Psychopathic Womanchild her canon self was.
- Adaptation Relationship Overhaul:
- Robert Arryn is now the son of Elbert Arryn and Rhea Royce rather than Jon Arryn and Lysa Tully.
- Robert Baratheon's only acknowledged bastard Lyonel Storm is now the offspring of Melessa Estermont.
- Arranged Marriage: Alongside the marriage to Ned and Catelyn, Lysa is betrothed to Stannis Baratheon.
- Ascended Extra: Lysa is the central character, but Edmure, Stannis, Renly and the Blackfish get POVs.
- Big Brother Instinct: Inverted since Edmure is The Baby of the Bunch. When he gets to see Lysa after the Greyjoy Rebellion, he immediately asks her if her husband is good to her, ready to defend her if not.
- Birds of a Feather: When he finally gets to meet his bride, Stannis feels pleased by the seriousness Lysa puts in her duties as Lady of a Great House. On her side, she ends up adopting his Brutal Honesty. Lysa also likes the fact that he's grim at the best of times; that way, she knows what to expect when he's angry.
- Born During a Storm: Lysa gives birth to her first child in a thunderstorm.
- Broken Pedestal: Even Happily Married with kids, Lysa still had a fondness for Petyr... Until she learned how he was gloating he took her maidenhood, and Cat's too.
- Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: Lysa's courtesies noticeably contrast with Stannis being harsh to the point of rudeness.
- Convenient Miscarriage: The plot kicks off with one of these when Lysa miscarries the child she conceived with Petyr Baelish before anyone found out and Hoster forced her to abort it.
- Cool Big Sis: Lysa for Edmure because she actually tells him advice on how to rule when their father or Catelyn won't tell him anything.
- Dead Guy Junior: All of Lysa and Stannis' children are named for a deceased family member.
- Celia is named for Lysa's great-aunt, who was almost a princess (Celia Tully had been betrothed to Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen before he eloped with his sister Shaera).
- Her son Steffon and daughter Cassana are named for Stannis (and Robert and Renly's) parents.
- Minisa is named for Lysa's mother Minisa Whent.
- Evil Aunt: Cersei has a tendency to bully and undermine Stannis and Lysa's children.
- Family Relationship Switcheroo: Robert sired a few bastards on Dragonstone that Renly is pretending are his bastards.
- For Want Of A Nail:
- Since Lysa miscarried Petyr's child, her father didn't trick her into drinking an abortifacient.
- As Elbert Arryn survived to have kids of his own, Jon Arryn had no need for a wife and suggested Stannis Baratheon as a groom instead.
- Stannis and Renly's lordships are swapped because Hoster Tully wouldn't stand for anything less than his daughter becoming a Lady Paramount.
- The Blackfish went to Storm's End since Lysa didn't marry into the Vale. He would have gone to Winterfell because Catelyn's in an unfamiliar land, but a) the North has no knights, and b) he dislikes Jon Snow just as much as Catelyn does because of the stain on her honor.
- Lysa and Stannis together manage to have much more children, all of them healthy.
- Friend to All Children: Due to her miscarriage, Lysa can't bring herself to hate a kid — even Jon Snow who "dishonors" Cat by his mere existence. It made her a great foster mother to Renly and the wards sent to Storm's End.
- The Ghost: Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish. Lysa vouches for him, but he never actually appears.
- The Glorious War of Sisterly Rivalry: Catelyn didn't mean to, but she gave a huge inferiority complex to Lysa by being so perfect, so much that Lysa actually was happy to go at Storm's End since she would be "the first Tully girl" there. Even years later, Lysa feels quite smug about bearing four Baratheon-looking children, as she "bested" Cat whose kids are mainly from the Tully look.
- Heir Club for Men: Played with. While Steffon is Stannis's heir, Lysa makes sure Celia is taught everything about running a castle and kingdom, everything except war.
- Hide the Evidence: When Lysa miscarried, she took the bloodstained bedsheets and threw them in the river.
- Hide Your Lesbians: Sarra Blackwood and Minisa Bracken are implied to be in love with each other, but Lysa lacks the context to fully understand their relationship as more than friendship.
- In Spite of a Nail: Littlefinger is able to climb the social ladder up to becoming Master of Coin as in canon, he just takes a different route as the advisor to Rhea Arryn.
- Internal Reveal: In Chapter 9, Lysa reveals the nature of her relationship with Petyr and her resentment of her father and sister.
- Kissing Cousins:
- Robert sired a bastard on his cousin Melessa Estermont.
- Cersei wanted Joffrey to marry one of his Lannister cousins, but Robert put his foot down on that.
- Life Saving Misfortune: Elbert Arryn fell off his horse and broke his leg, but managed to avoid being executed by the Mad King and survived to have children of his own.
- Maiden Aunt: Celia Tully is revealed to have become one of these for Hoster and Brynden Tully. After Jaehaerys Targaryen son of Aegon V (later Jaehaerys II) married his sister Shaera, Lord Tully was unable to find another match for Celia and blamed her. It’s Lysa's greatest fear that she would become like Celia, unable to find a husband and be forced to live at Riverrun for the rest of her life.
- Morning Sickness: Lysa suffers badly from this while pregnant with her first child, and nobody except Marya Seaworth can help her because Maester Cressen never had to deal with anything like that because Lady Cassana never had any trouble while pregnant with Robert, Stannis, or Renly.
- "Near and Dear" Baby Naming: Elbert Arryn's children are named for Robert Baratheon, Jon Arryn and Cersei Lannister.
- Not Now, Kiddo: Edmure grumbles about being left out of his father's negotiations. By the time of Greyjoy's Rebellion, he outright resents being kept in the dark.
- Not So Above It All:
- Not What I Signed on For: Hoster Tully shouts that "It was never supposed to be rebellion!" while negotiating with Jon Arryn and Ned Stark. He signs on anyways.
- Obnoxious In-Laws:
- Lysa has no fondness for Cersei or Robert. Especially Cersei. She didn't like Brandon Stark and thinks Catelyn will be much happier with Ned instead.
- Zigzagged with Stannis; while he has his usual animosity with the Lannisters, his relationship with the Tullys is decidedly more cordial. Edmure even asks Stannis to knight him after the Greyjoy Rebellion.
- Old Retainer: Septa Mordane used to serve Riverrun, and continues her duties for Sansa and Arya when Catelyn goes to Winterfell.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Everyone takes notice when Stannis Baratheon and Jon Arryn are seen walking out of brothels. It's because they're investigating the appearance of Robert's bastards.
- Open Secret: It's a well-known fact that Grand Maester Pycelle is a Dirty Old Man, so Lysa had a midwife confirm her pregnancy.
- Opposites Attract: Where Stannis has No Social Skills, Lysa shows herself much more politically savvy due to her training to be a lady. She even points being married together is supposed to cover your spouse's weaknesses.
- Parental Substitute: Since Renly's birth mother died while he still was an infant, he quickly grows fond of his new sister-in-law, since she gives him the attention and affection he craves.
- Perfectly Arranged Marriage: Stannis and Lysa are unexpectedly well-suited to each other. Compare and contrast with Robert and Cersei.
- Real Fake Wedding: Because Hoster Tully is unwilling to be content with a mere betrothal, Lysa marries Stannis Baratheon with Elbert Arryn standing in for Stannis at Ned and Catelyn's wedding. They were supposed to be married in a double wedding with Robert and Lyanna, but Lyanna died and just one couple was married that day.
- Spared by the Adaptation: Elbert Arryn is of the "died later than in canon". Instead of being executed by King Aerys, he fell off his horse near Wayfarer's Rest, broke his leg, and got left behind. Since Elbert married a Royce and had some children of his own, Jon Arryn didn't marry Lysa. Elbert later dies of sickness, so his widow rules the Vale as regent.
- Strong Family Resemblance: Lysa is extremely proud of her four dark-haired children, since her father is denied a legacy through her and she managed to do what Catelyn couldn't.
- Tempting Fate: Sarra says that Cersei's place is insecure because she doesn't have a child yet. Not much later, Cersei is pregnant with Joffrey.
- Time Skip: Chapter 7 takes place about 10 years after Chapter 6.
- Tomboy: Arya Stark of course, but both Celia and Minisa Baratheon have a couple traits. Celia sometimes wears trousers to ride while Minisa likes climbing and wants her brother Steffon to teach her archery.
- Too Dumb to Live: Littlefinger tried to boast about his taking Lysa's maidenhood (and Catelyn's) at court... in which the Tullys are quite influent since Lysa married the King's brother. Needless to say, he quickly shut his trap after Stannis almost punched his face for slandering his lady wife.
- Trademark Favorite Drink: As in canon, Stannis refuses to consume anything else than salted or lemon water. Lysa also ends up liking the beverage, but she needs to sweeten it with sugar or add mint leaves.
- Tragic Stillbirth: Losing her would-be firstborn heavily impacted Lysa's personality, and she still grieves in secret even after years of a good marriage and birthing several healthy children.
- Would Hurt a Child: Lysa hit Edmure when he said that Petyr was stupid to challenge Brandon. She apologized for it later.
- You Are a Credit to Your Race: Rodrik Harlaw is the only Ironborn Jason Mallister has any respect for, and considered having him serve as a regent for Theon."He's the only one who's not a complete savage, though that says little enough of an Ironborn. But the vermin will rebel again and again over any leader that's not one of them."
- You Can't Go Home Again: Lysa is dead-set against setting foot in Riverrun again because of the conflict between her and her father.
- You Remind Me of X:
- Lysa thinks that Robert Baratheon reminds her of Brandon Stark. This is not a compliment.
- Lysa says that Arya's habit of making friends with lowborn people is something she observed in Edmure.
