The princess stood leaning against the crenellated black walls atop the Stone Drum Tower, sipping a cup of hot lemon water and watching the waves crash against the rocks down below. Her morning sickness was finally getting better, but the smell of sulfur in the air always made her dizzy. It did nothing to improve her mood.
She had followed Rhaegar to this damp wasteland on the assumption that their stay would only be temporary. But while the prince had returned to court frequently, she had been bedridden after her daughter's birth, unable to leave the high black walls of the castle.
Dragonstone was her prison, a dark place full of dark Valyrian magic. Even the wolf girl could sense it. She had seen it on Lyanna's face the moment the girl had set foot in her new home.
"We'll return to King's Landing once the dust has settled," Elia had reassured her. Though when exactly that would be she didn't know. Rhaegar stirred up more than just a little dust when he crowned her queen of love and beauty.
When she thought of the moment he had placed the blue winter roses in her lap, part of her wanted to scream and slap him. He had smirked when he'd caught a glimpse of her face at the tourney. It still turned her stomach thinking of how much he had enjoyed her public humiliation. Why, Rhaegar, why?
It was her who had first suggested bringing Lyanna into their marriage. She had known from the moment she had seen her defend her father's bannerman that she wanted to spend more time with this fierce Northern girl. Rhaegar had been reluctant at first but consented after he'd seen her in her armor riding against the other knights.
"Anything to get me away from Robert," Lyanna had said when the two of them had approached her. "I'll write to my family as soon as I'm safely in Dragonstone. They'll understand, and if they don't, they're not worth my time." With that, the matter was settled. Or so Elia had thought.
That was before Rhaegar had betrayed her. The public spectacle was one thing, but her husband – the man who had loved and worshiped her since he was a little boy – openly choosing another woman over her hurt more than she cared to admit to herself. Why, Rhaegar, why?
"Elia!" The wolf girl's wide smile was so contagious, it instantly lightened her mood.
"You're awake. How do you like your new home by daylight?"
Lyanna climbed on top of the thick castle wall, her eyes wandering over the strange creatures that formed parts of the castle, the smoky mountains towering above them, the misty seas below. "I like the ocean." She said with a shrug. "Can you swim in there?"
Elia laughed. "Best not. The currents are too powerful, they'd sweep you out to sea."
The wolf girl jumped down from the wall, landing securely on her feet like a cat. "Where's Rhaegar? I meant to speak to both of you last night, but I couldn't find you..."
You won't see him for a while. He has things to answer for. "He's busy sending ravens, trying to smooth things out with Robert and your father." She hated lying to the girl, but she wasn't sure Lyanna was ready to learn about this particular aspect of their marriage.
"If there's anything I can do to make things right..."
"There's nothing for you to make right. This wasn't your fault. You didn't know Rhaegar was planning to do this. I have no idea what got into him." But trust me, I will find out. Elia placed a kiss on the wolf girl's forehead. "I have to go take care of something," she said. "Please don't worry about Rhaegar anymore. I'm glad you're here with us."
She felt Lyanna's eyes on her as she crossed the stone roofed bridge and disappeared through the narrow entrance on the other side that led down into the dungeons - down to where her husband was waiting for her.
She had already gone to see him once and asked him why, why, why, but he had refused to answer her, so she had left him to think about his actions some more.
She slowly descended the stairs, feeling the air grow colder with every step she took. A final flight of stairs and she was at the lowest level. There was a soft groan from behind the closed door.
A smile crossed her face. Why, let's see if he's willing to talk now.
