Changing History
She's heard the stories since she was a child thanks to her uncle, and she thinks that changing a few key details that she might be able to save Prince Rheagar from dying at Robert Baratheon's blow at the Trident. Still some things are unchangeable. Her uncle Brandon and Aunt Lyanna still die, luckily the golden prince and her grandfather live.
A/N: I don't own ASoIaF G. R. R. Martin does, and the prophecy that I'm using has been extended by Makena lei in 'The Missing Prophecy' on AO3. It's her fic that gave me muse for this.
Chapter 1: Decisions made and History changed
Uncle Benjen never had the best resistance to alcohol, which was sad given that he was not only a Northerner, but a Stark as well. It was times like these that I, Sansa Stark, was able to get the best stories out of him; and usually they were about Aunt Lyanna, the one that stuck out in my mind though was what happened right before Robert's rebellion. I never realized that by letting my 'Uncle Rhaegar' live that he would hear Old Nan speak the prophecy of the ice princess and her dragon prince.
You see King Robert started a rebellion to get the woman that he loved, my aunt, back from, the clutches of the evil Prince Rhaegar. Lyanna was set to marry Robert Baratheon, my father's best friend. He loved her, she did not reciprocate those feelings; though I don't believe that he ever believed father or uncle on that front. Everything was fine till the tourney at the castle of Harrenhal.
The tourney is where Lyanna and Rhaegar supposedly met and fell in love, where he stole her from her bed during the final night of the tourney. This led to my Uncle Brandon, and some of his friends, to head south and demand Rhaegar release Lyanna. However, the two weren't at King's Landing, they had taken off to the Tower Joy in Dorne. The 'mad' king, Rhaegar's father, proceeded to arrest my uncle and his group. When Grandfather heard he went directly to the Red keep in hopes of getting Uncle Brandon his freedom. Upon reaching the capital my grandfather demanded a trial by battle in which he would be my uncles' champion; this would end up being the last time anyone would see my family members alive, well (for the most part in my uncle's case,) and breathing. Once entering the throne room once more my grandfather was set ablaze whilst still in his armor. My uncle who had been collared and attached to a restraining device and was forced to watch, his sword placed a foot out of his reach. Desperate to help grandfather he wound up choking himself on said collar.
Their deaths are what had my family joining the Baratheon's Rebellion, it also is why my parents were wed. Before this point, from what Uncle tells, father had found out where Aunt Lyanna was and had been planning to head directly to Tower Joy when he heard the news of his father and brothers' deaths. The idea of peace had been forced from his mind, he wanted penance for their deaths, and only the king's blood would do. For almost a full year Robert, my father, and their allies fought for a full year before the Battle of the Trident; this is the battle that ended not only the war but also the life of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen.
King Robert dealt the final blow; a single one to the chest. The impact Robert's war hammer scattering rubies splashing into the river, mixing eerily with the blood stained waters. Battle ending my father having the inclination of sacking King's Landing decided he wanted Arey's head for executing his family unjustly, and ensure the Iron Throne would be vacant for Robert's ascension. Seeing that the Lannisters had already sacked the keep for the 'usurper' he went to the throne room to see Jaime Lannister had decapitated the 'mad' king; I myself would later find that Jaime hated 'kingslayer' as moniker of broken vows, and that he hadn't the slightest inclination that, his father, Tywin Lannister would order the family he'd sworn to protect dead or that doing the right thing would cause himself so much grief. Reaching Tower joy only days later father found Lyanna lying in a bed bleeding profusely from childbirth. Aunt Lyanna died that day making my father promise that he would take care of my cousin Jon and raise him as one of my older brothers. We wouldn't learn of this event until years after father's death, and Dany taking the throne.
There has always been that nagging voice in my head that has always said that if I could somehow change the course of my family's lives; I could save them. Not everyone, but hopefully the ones whom mattered most. Mother, Bran, Jaime, Jon, Robb, and especially father. To do this I've got to change whom played the role of my mother, I love Catelyn dearly and shall remember her fondly; but I need to keep Cersei Lannister form marrying Rhaegar and becoming queen. The kingdom will be safer that way, saner. All I had had to do was enlist Brans help to contact four key people in their dreams.
Grandfather being the first, he (if I could persuade him) would marry my grandaunt Alyssa Tully. She'd been set to marry Littlrfinger's father before she died from a fever caught during winter all those years ago. This political move ensured the Tully connection be strong, and allow my father the Riverland troops when time came. House Tully's banner does sat 'Family, Duty, Honor', Hoster Tully would always put family first, and that included us Starks.
Then would be papa, dreams hinting at what and whom he was to become not only for himself, but also the North. Accepting that he would be, and have to start studying alongside Uncle Brandon for the role, the Lord of Winterfell. Playing events right would be tricky; if not careful father would remember everything from this timeline, and that could cause problems. Done correctly he'd remember nothing and marry Cersei and help change her, fit her into the role I needed her to play. I was also looking out for my family on this front as well. If Catelyn had understood the game she would have lived to see us thriving in Winterfell, but she hadn't. It's why Cersei Lannister was to play my mother this time, I needed to know the game earlier.
Following papa was the old lion himself, Tywin Lannister. He would be the one whom could make or break my plans. I can't tell him what to do obviously, he's a fully grown man and I can't stop him from ordering The Mountain from murdering Princess Elia and her children; but I could hopefully get him to agree to a marriage between papa and Cersei. Convincing him wouldn't be easy, the temptation of being the grandfather of the girl whom outsmarted and outplayed Petyr Baelish would be far too tempting. Then there was Cersei's madness, he'd not stand for it. Would he prefer Cersei wed Rhaegar? Yes, yes he would; yet with the evidence of Cersei's madness he'll undoubtedly accept, he'd not let there be another mad ruler. All fathers love their children, even if they never show it, and Tywin loved power just as much.
Last, yet most certainly not least, would be the golden prince himself: Rhaegar. Staying loyal to the memories of Aunt Lyanna and Princess Elia wouldn't be hard; the both of the dying would literally kill the man, he'd not likely remarry. Advising him on the battle of the Trident wasn't something I loosed forward too, but it needed to be done. Someone telling him to not get himself cornered by Robert was my only concern, without his death Jon would have a father of his own, and be legitimized one day becoming king, or I hoped. If Young Griff really was Aegon Targaryen then this was all for not, my prayers are that he isn't. Only Rheagar would be able to tell me upon seeing the image of the so called prince.
This is my plan, now all I have to do is follow through.
