Hey everyone :). Basically I had an idea about writing a Robert's Rebellion fic with each chapter from a different character's perspective. I enjoyed starting to write it so I will definitely carry on. If you have any requests for a POV, feel free to leave them in the review section and I'll start writing the characters you want. Hope you enjoy.
"Father, Smith, Warrior, Mother, Maiden, Crone, Stranger. I am his and he is mine. From this day, until the end of my days." Rhaegar bent down to kiss her and it was done. She was now officially his wife.
Rhaegar was handsome, that was clear to everyone. His long, silver hair and purple eyes gave him a look that no other man she had ever met. Lyanna had never been one to be swept off her feet just by looking at a man; if she had, she would probably be content with marrying Robert, as only a foolish girl would deny that Robert was handsome. But Rhaegar was so much more than her original betrothed.
She felt a deeper connection to Rhaegar, one that she would never feel with Robert. Rhaegar truly understood her in a way that no one ever had, not even her brothers. He knew that she was not destined to be content as the lady of a castle, treated as a broodmare. Her life as Rhaegar's wife would not only give her a husband who respected her and didn't whore around, but would also give her a life she wanted, to be loved for who she is.
Part of her knows there will be repercussions for what they have done. Dorne won't be happy, her father certainly won't be either, and Rhaegar said his father will likely despise him even more than he does now. But she loved this man, and would happily face the whispers of the people, people who didn't truly know their story.
She wasn't even aware how long she had been crying, but it felt like hours and the tears wouldn't stop. A haze formed in front of her eyes, her vision blurred due to her crying. It had taken a few minutes for the news to settle in, she thought it couldn't be true, that her husband was playing a bad jape on her, but the look of guilt in his eye confirmed it and she dropped to the floor in agony. Brandon…father.
She had remained on the floor since then, arms curled around herself. Rhaegar had moved to comfort her but she told him to leave her alone, wanting no comfort from anyone. It's my fault. They're dead because of me. Aerys may have passed the sentence but I practically lit the fire, it was me who pulled on the rope.
The manner of their deaths were horrific. Lyanna tried to picture her strong, noble father screaming for help, but she couldn't picture it. And Brandon begging for his father's life didn't seem right. Brandon had always been so confident, so sure of himself. It doesn't seem right that his last moments were him crying out, begging…that wasn't the Brandon she knew.
Ned and Benjen would be in danger too. She knew that her father and brother's deaths would lead to war and a war with the Starks as rebels means her brothers would be at risk more than most other people. She suspected that Benjen would remain at home while Ned fought. Ned was older than her but he was still young, still a boy in many ways, and she knew he would be fighting.
She would pray night and day for her two brothers and would forever regret the decision she made had put them in danger. She had never meant for that to happen, and it made her guilt all the worse knowing that by the end of the war, her entire family could be dead because of her.
"You're leaving." Lyanna's words were a statement, not a question. She knew her husband was going to join the war, to defend his family. And to fight against mine, Lyanna thought darkly.
"Yes. But I will return to you. To our Visenya or Aemon." He placed his hand on her belly as he spoke and Lyanna braced herself for the painful goodbye, knowing she may never see him again once he leaves this tower.
She knew Rhaegar wanted a girl, a Visenya for his Rhaenys and Aegon, but Lyanna secretly hoped for a boy.
In truth, her pregnancy had complicated things a bit. She wanted nothing more for her brother Ned to survive, for him and Benjen to live long, happy lives. She had heard that Ned's own wife was pregnant as well. She wanted her brother to know his own child. But she also knew that if Ned won, then Robert would want to kill her babe. Does it make me a terrible person that I can't choose sides? I either lose my brothers or I lose my child.
Lyanna felt guilty over her decision to run away with Rhaegar when the news of her father and Brandon reached her and the thought of Ned fighting in a war made it far worse. She had no news of him, and she liked to believe that was good news. Her decisions had also put her unborn niece and nephew in danger, and she was ashamed at that. Ned would never put her child in danger, yet she had done that to his.
Mayhaps she was being silly, blaming herself for all of it. It was after all not only her who had run away, her husband was part of this as well. And it was Aerys who had murdered her father and Brandon. As much as she felt remorse about her decisions, she couldn't truly regret them. She wishes that her father and Brandon were still alive, but if she hadn't run away with Rhaegar, she would not have her child. Call her selfish, but her child was now her life. She was a wolf, and wolves protected their pups above anyone else.
"Where will you go?" She asked her husband, curious about where the war would take him.
"The Trident. We have gotten word that Robert and your brother are heading there. They have a large army. Baratheon, Stark, Tully and Arryn will be hard to defeat. Our plan is to try and cut the leaders from the men." Lyanna's eyes opened wide at his words, knowing what he meant they would do.
"Ned? He's the leader of my house." She grabbed Rhaegar's arm, desperately. "Please, please do not hurt him. For the love you bear me, let my brother live." She was aware she was crying, and Rhaegar took her in his arms and kissed her forehead.
"This is war, Lya, it'll likely be me or him."
He left soon after that and Lyanna cried. She longed to see him again. She loved him, she did, but the thought of Ned dying so she could see Rhaegar again made her want to vomit. Her brother was a good man and didn't deserve to die in battle. Ned should die in seventy years, surrounded by children and grandchildren, not in the middle of a bloody battle.
That night, she found herself praying for her brother's victory more than her husband's. It felt like betrayal.
It had been weeks since Lyanna had heard any news. Rhaegar had left around two moons ago and since then, she had heard nothing. She hated being stuck in this tower, but this is where Rhaegar thought she was safest, and she couldn't exactly escape if she tried. The Kingsguard were good men, but they could not understand her frustration of being here.
Thinking of the Kingsguard, all three of them entered her room. Immediately she knew something was wrong. All three of them never entered her, usually one of them would wait outside, looking for any possible dangers.
"Is there something wrong." Lyanna, asked, her voice shaking. Ser Gerold gave her a sympathetic look and Lyanna assumed the worse. "Is it my brother? Is he…" The word dead would not come out. But Ser Gerold shook his head.
"Lord Stark is fine as far as we know, Princess. We are here about Prince Rhaegar."
"What? What about him?" Lyanna didn't need them to say. If Ned was alive, that surely meant that Rhaegar was dead.
"Princess, I am sorry but the Usurper struck him down on the Trident. He fought bravely, but nothing could be done." Lyanna felt the air leave her lungs. If Rhaegar was dead, Robert would surely win the war. Her mind immediately went to her child and the fate he would have. She looked back to Ser Gerold and noticed he still looked troubled.
"There's more?" She almost dreaded the answer.
"Yes, Princess. Tywin Lannister finally emerged from hiding and sacked King's Landing. Princess Elia was murdered, as were her children. And Ser Jaime Lannister killed the King." It was Ser Arthur who spoke up this time, his voice riddled with sadness as he recounted what happened to the Dornish Princess and her children.
Lyanna couldn't breathe, it was so much to take in. So many people dead in a war that could've been avoided if she and Rhaegar had done things differently.
Ser Oswell spoke this time, but Lyanna couldn't hear, she only made out that he said her child was now the rightful King. She was devastated, there were no other words.
"I swear to you, Princess. You and your child will be safe with us." Lyanna wished she could believe him, but with Rhaegar dead, she was certain she knew the fate of her child and she wept for days.
Lyanna was aware how loud she was screaming as she tried tirelessly to bring her child into the world. They can probably hear me at Winterfell, she thought as she pushed, screaming for her long-dead mother, and her father. She wanted nothing more than the comfort of her parents.
How did my mother do this four times? She felt this was too hard and she looked down at the blood and thought there was too much blood to be healthy.
"Why is there so much blood?"
"Blood is normal when birthing a child, Princess. You need to keep pushing." The midwife was a woman from Dorne whom Rhaegar had brought here to look over her. She was a lovely woman, who had made this whole ordeal much easier for Lyanna, but her words were not comforting now. Lyanna felt like she was dying. But she was strong, she would bring her child into the world safely.
What seemed like a world later, she heard the high pitch squeal of a baby.
"A boy, Princess. A healthy, beautiful baby boy."
Lyanna started crying, more than she ever had before. She looked at her son as he was being cleaned up. She only got a glimpse of him, but she saw dark hair and cried even more. Her beautiful baby looked like her, like her brothers.
The midwife handed her son to her, and Lyanna had never felt love like this before. Her son was the most important person in the world, and he was absolutely perfect to her.
"Aemon. My Aemon."
She was weak, but she held on for the sake of her son, her beautiful Aemon. She loved him more than she had ever loved anyone, and he was merely hours old. She could hear the fighting outside and worried that Robert had found them, that he would kill her precious boy.
Her babe was crying, small, silent cries, but she saw the tears. Perhaps he knows I am dying, she thought. She took a look at the blood surrounding her and knew she didn't have long left.
The door opened and she held her breath, worried that someone had come for Aemon, but she was shocked to see her brother at the door. It was truly Ned and he was here. Sweet, good, loving Ned. She placed her son in the arms of the one man she trusted above anyone, a man she knew would love Aemon. Promise me, Ned. Knowing that her son would forever be safe with his Uncle, Lyanna closed her eyes, and slipped away.