Jaime and Lyanna stood on deck of the ship and watched as King's Landing grew smaller and smaller in the distance. They were each lost in their own thoughts.
Jaime kept thinking of his father's last words to him. Tywin had come to him while he'd been in that cell.
"You were too hasty, killing Aerys." Tywin had said. "But it's too late to regret that now. I will do what I can to get you out of this place. You are my son, I'll not leave you here to be executed or to rot."
In the end Tywin had been unable to do anything to sway Rhaegar. The newly crowned king was firm in his decision that Jaime would be punished but he was not angry or even furious. It seemed that Jaime's punishment was more about politics than about actual justice. After Tywin had come to him, Cersei had made her own visit. She had made all sorts of promises about escape, vengeance, love… and now he would likely never see her again, or Tyrion either. He knew that Cersei didn't have the means to help him escape, that leaving with Lyanna was the best option he had, but it didn't make him miss those he'd left behind any less.
Lyanna watched the Red Keep grow smaller and was thankful that she didn't have to sleep in there for another night. Rhaegar had not been cruel to her but he had not given her any choice in her future either. Everything about Rhaegar Targaryen had filled her with confusion. He was handsome and gallant and gentle just as he was stubborn and determined and reckless. He had seduced her, convinced her to come with him. How could she say no to that handsome smile? He was a prince and he had wanted her. She had been both flattered and intrigued by that. But when Brandon and her father were killed she had wanted to leave, she wanted to go home and stop anyone else from dying and Rhaegar wouldn't let her go. He had never raped her as the rumors claimed but he had manipulated her again and again. She had been slow to recognize it for what it was. At first she had thought that he truly loved her. Maybe in his own way he had. But when she had asked him if their love was truly worth all this death and war his answer had made the truth clear for the first time.
"The child that is inside you is the prince that was promised, the third head of the dragon. All that matters is keeping him safe." Rhaegar had said.
Those words had stung. It was then that she understood it had never been about her. It had been about the fulfillment of a prophecy. Rhaegar had been away in battle when the babe was born. Lyanna had given the child to Ned, made him promise to hide the babe. Then she had told Rhaegar that the baby had been stillborn. He had been devastated but he recovered enough to tell her that it wasn't too late, they would have other children. Lyanna didn't want to have other children. All she wanted even now was to go North to Winterfell and be with her son Jon Snow. Yet she knew she could never do that, if Rhaegar knew about Jon, he would raise him to be a king and to lead a war or conquer the world. She could not have that for her baby boy. She wouldn't allow it. The only thing she could do was leave Westeros and never see her family again. She found herself humming as they stood on the deck of the ship and watched the city fade away. She didn't keep the faith of the seven but the song was appropriate in any case.
Gentle mother font of mercy
Keep our sons from war we pray….
