Disclaimer: I make no money from the writing of this fiction and own no part of the Game of Thrones franchise.

Author's Note: Sorry it has been so long since I have updated. I had written chapter three on my old computer and lost it all when the computer broke. It was discouraging, but I have finally decided to rewrite it, hopefully better than before, due to encouraging reviews. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter Three

The sun was well on its way, descending toward the west, as Rhaegar Targaryen was declared the winner of the joust. He had ridden well all day, defeating his various opponents as all the noble families looked on. His father, King Aerys, held his head high, proud of his son in the eyes of the realm. As Rhaegar took off his helm, he bowed his head to his father and found the eyes of his wife, Elia. She smiled slightly at him and her shoulders fell as she sighed and cast down her eyes. She knew what was to come next. She had discussed it with the prince last night. He had done exactly as he said he would. He had won the tourney. And now he would continue with his plan and she was helpless to stop it. Furthermore, she had assured him she would not interfere. He promised her that she would always be a princess and her son would be the heir of the kingdom and that would have to be enough. She could no longer lay with him as husband and wife The maesters assured her that one more pregnancy would end her fragile life. She knew her husband was young and virile and not ready to give up intimacy. Nor was he the type to keep mistresses. She knew the day would come when he would give his heart to another. She just didn't expect him to do it so publicly. But Rhaegar never did anything half way. She looked furtively about, knowing that all eyes would be turned to her very shortly.

Rhaegar rode a victory lap around the arena while the crowds cheered, glancing at the Stark family as they sat together and noticing Lyanna avoiding his gaze, a slight blush on her cheeks. He grinned to himself and directed his horse to his servant standing near the gates. He lowered his lance and his servant placed a wreath of rare blue winter roses on the end of it. Turning his horse about, he made his way into the arena again as the crowd threw flowers up and over him in congratulations. Taking a deep breath, he held it, as he passed by the place where his wife was sitting. The chattering and the cheers quickly died as he passed her by. Heads began to turn toward Elia, wondering if her husband knew where she was sitting.

Lyanna had her hands clasped on her lap, squeezing them as tight as her nerves were beginning to squeeze. What was the prince doing? And then she met his eyes, violet eyes that were staring directly at her, and her heart began pounding in fear. What was he doing? He couldn't be heading to her, could he? She bent her face, staring at her hands, wanting to disappear.

And then the tip of a lance came into view and a crown of blue winter roses slid onto her lap. She stared at them a moment, and then slowly lifted her face, meeting Price Rhaegar's proud gaze with a look of astonishment. Was this really happening?

The crowd was silent and almost every eye was on her. She quickly darted a look at Robert sitting to her right. He sat stiff and his face was red. She knew he was containing his anger, just barely. Then she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and her mother's voice in her ear. "Lyanna, you must put it on. You have been crowned the Queen of Love and Beauty." Lyanna touched the soft petals a moment and then lifted them to her head. Rhaegar smiled softly at her and nodded once before turning his horse back to the gates. Then the whispers and gossip began as everyone prepared to leave the arena. Her father stood and said, "Come, let us depart."

The Starks and the Baratheons filed out of the stands, silent and troubled. Robert had taken Lyanna's arm and held it a bit too rough for her liking. Lyanna could sense his anger and knew he was holding himself back with great effort until the two families were away from the rest of the nobility. When they were out of earshot, the tirade began.

"How dare he make a spectacle of Lyanna!" Robert roared.

"Maybe he thought she was prettier than his wife," young Benjen said.

Stannis Baratheon shook his head. "It was a public insult to his wife. Not honorable at all."

"No, it was not honorable," Lord Stark agreed. "Whatever private problems he may be having in his marriage, it was in poor taste to make my daughter a part of it. I will not have our name dragged into a scandal. We will not attend the feast in his honor tonight."

"Neither will we," Lord Baratheon agreed.

Lady Stark shook her head. "Please my Lords, we must not be hasty. The King is of an unpredictable nature and may not take our absence well. Will we go to war over a crown of roses?"

Lyanna glanced at the concerned faces around her before meeting her brother Brandon's accusing gaze. She knew he was thinking that she had brought this trouble down on her family by encouraging the prince last night. She was frightened that he would tell of her walk with Rhaegar, but he broke eye contact and looked away. She knew then he would keep her secret – for now anyway.

Lyanna sighed and said, "I will stay in tonight. Tell them I am unwell. The rest of you should go and represent our families. Mother is right. Aerys will take your absences as an insult. I would not have such trouble come upon us all." She searched her father's troubled face. "Please, father, it is merely a ring of roses. The tourney will be ending soon and we will all be leaving for Brandon's wedding at Riverrun. Let us look forward to the happy days ahead."

Robert took her hand, "I shall stay with you and keep you company. I have no wish to celebrate that cur's victory."

"No, you must go too. Rhaegar shall be king some day and I would not have us out of favor. You must show no ill will, Robert. Try to see it as a compliment," she quickly replied, not wanting to spend the evening alone with him. Robert still looked unhappy.

"I agree that you truly are the Queen of Love and Beauty, but you are MY Queen of Love and Beauty," he stated, clasping her hand tighter.

"And we shall live happily at Storm's End, far from the Red Keep. So, there is nothing to concern ourselves with," she added, making Robert feel more at ease.

"Very well," Lord Stark reluctantly agreed. "We shall make our appearances. Lyanna will stay in her rooms." Lady Stark appeared relived at this decision.

"I will send some guards to protect your room," Robert decided.

"We have guards," Brandon replied.

"I will send more," Robert said.

OOOOOOO

Lyanna dined in her room, her wreath of blue winter roses sat on the table above her plate. She knew she should get rid of them, but who would know if she admired them a little longer? They were her favorite flower after all. Had he known that? She did recall him saying to her that he sent a man to learn all he could about her. Was this his plan all along then?

She couldn't help but feel bad for Princess Elia. What would Rhaegar say to her after such an insult? Did Elia go to the celebration feast? Did they argue? Did she think Lyanna had seduced her husband? All these thoughts made Lyanna want to get on her horse and ride away from here, ride away and never stop. Why did he do this to her?

But there were other feelings involved. If she could push the thought of Elia out of her mind, she couldn't help but feel flattered by the attentions of the prince. Did he truly think her a great beauty, enough to slight his own wife? She turned her head and looked at her reflection in the mirror on her dressing table. Could she be?

She shook her head and went back to her meal. "Don't be a stupid girl," she muttered to herself. She had never been a simpering fool, looking for admirers. The prince may admire her, but that's all that would ever come of it. It would be a story to tell her grandchildren someday.

OOOOOOO

The celebration feast had started and Rhaegar had noticed Lyanna's absence the moment her family entered the hall. The Starks and Baratheons were outwardly courteous, but he could sense their ire beneath the surface. In fact, everyone seemed more subdued than the night before. Perhaps he shouldn't have made his feelings so public today, but giving Lyanna the crown wasn't for their benefit. If he had it his way, they would have all disappeared and only Lyanna would be in the stands. It wasn't that he thought her the most beautiful woman there, but that he wanted to honor her. She had secretly won the joust the day before, defending the honor of a friend, and had nothing to show for it. Rhaegar felt she deserved to be honored for all that she was.

Elia knew of his plan to crown Lyanna if he had won. He had told her the night before so she could be prepared. She had asked him if he had further intentions with Lyanna Stark, and he replied that he did not know. But Elia looked at him as if she did know. "You will set me aside," she stated.

He had picked up her hand and held it to his cheek. "You are a good mother to our children, and a good friend to me. You will always be a princess and our son will always be the heir."

"But?" she prompted. "You can no longer lay with me as husband and wife. I'm sorry. I know you wanted three children as you stated on our wedding night."

"Do not be sorry. You have given me two beautiful children. I would not risk them growing up with no mother because I demanded that you give me one more child. I would not do that to you or them." He put down her hand and walked to the window, looking forlorn. "The dragon has three heads."

She nodded. "The prophecy you once told me about. I remember." She picked up their infant son and held him. "I will not stand in your way, Rhaegar. Though, there are many others who will. She is betrothed to another."

He had nodded and left her alone then, wondering at her complacency over the whole issue. A normal wife would have yelled and screamed at her husband for such a revelation. But Elia seemed to accept that he would pursue another. But then again, when had Elia ever been normal? Her feelings for Rhaegar had never deepened past friendship during their years of marriage, which made him even more convinced that she had loved another before their arranged marriage.

Elia had not come to the feast tonight, though her fragile health was already well known. Still, people gossiped that it was because her husband had crowned another. But it wasn't Elia's absence that Rhaegar was concerned with. He had sent a man to delicately inquire as to the whereabouts of Lady Lyanna and he reported that the lady had stayed in her rooms tonight as she did not feel well. Rhaegar knew that was a lie and he felt compelled to know just how Lyanna was feeling. Was she angry at him? Did he embarrass her? The feast be damned. He had to find out.

OOOOOOO

"What have you gotten me into?" Sir Arthur Dayne hissed through the armor helmet. Prince Rhaegar had pulled him away from the feast and into the shops of the smithy. Various armors from various houses were strewn on a table, waiting for repair. The smiths were away, enjoying the feast for the working class on the far side of Harrenhal. The prince had sorted through the armor, selecting the pieces from Stark guards and soldiers.

"I must speak with her," Rhaegar replied, pulling on a Stark chest piece.

"You've lost your mind," Arthur frowned.

"That may be true," Rhaegar grinned.

"Just so you know, I will have to die for you when Lord Stark most assuredly tries to geld you. If you do not care for yourself, then at least think of me."

"Surely you could win against Lord Stark."

"Yes, but your lady love will not feel like accepting your kisses when I have cut her father in two."

"Stop your fretting. You need merely to pose as a Stark guard. All you have to do is stand there outside her door and warn me when her family returns from the feast."

They made their way to the Stark quarters in their disguises, finding two Baratheon guards standing outside a door. Rhaegar knew that it must be where Lyanna was. They greeted them in friendship, telling them that they were here to relieve them so that they may go and enjoy what was left of the feast. The Baratheon guards hesitated at first, but relented when the two Stark guards started talking about the different types of succulent foods and how they were disappearing fast.

As soon as the Baratheon guards had left, Rhaegar left Arthur standing guard while he quietly opened the door. A fire was burning in the hearth, casting a warm glow over the sleeping girl in the bed across the room. He closed the door behind him and walked slowly toward the bed, admiring her sleeping beauty. His eyes traveled down to her hand, which was holding one of the blue winter roses from the crown he had given her. He smiled to himself, feeling hopeful that she had been fond of his award after all.

Why couldn't he stop thinking about her? Ever since he had come upon her hiding her armor by the river, she had stolen every thought he had. It was an obsession he had only felt once before. That first obsession was when he discovered the prophecy. It had taken over his every thought and had guided his life in a whole new direction.

And now Lyanna was taking his thoughts, guiding him to say and do things he never thought he would. He could barely understand it.

Her eyes fluttered open, staring at him in the firelight for a moment. She sat up, holding the covers over her chest, looking startled. "What are you doing in my room? What has happened?"

Rhaegar took off the helmet, revealing his identity. Lyanna scrambled off the other side of the bed and stood, her sheet still held against her. "Forgive me, my lady. I did not mean to startle you."

"Prince Rhaegar? I… how… you are dressed like a guard."

"It was the only way I could think of. I wanted to speak to you and you were not at the feast. I heard you were unwell."

Lyanna looked past him at the door, wondering if her family were home yet.

"They are still at the feast," Rhaegar said, guessing her concerns.

She swallowed her nerves. "This is not proper, my Prince. I cannot have a man in my bedchamber."

"No one will ever know," he replied. "I merely wish to speak. Did I offend you today? If so, it was not my intention."

Lyanna did not know what to make of this. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute. Should she scream? "I…"

Rhaegar could see she was in distress and he looked about the room, noticing two chairs by the fire. Perhaps she would feel more at ease away from the bed. "Can we sit and talk?" he asked, tipping his head in the direction of the chairs. "Please, my Lady?" he pleaded.

She took a deep breath and wrapped the sheet tighter around her shoulders, nodding once. She walked away from the bed and he did the same on the far side of the room. She grabbed the back of the chair and moved it farther away from the other chair before she sat, causing the prince to smile to himself. "If they find you here…"

"I have my man standing outside the door. He will warn us long before they near the room," he assured her.

Lyanna studied him a moment and asked, "Why? Why did you pass your wife?"

Rhaegar turned his head toward the fire, staring at the flames. "Would it make you feel any better to know that she knew I would do so? To know that I had discussed this with her and she was expecting it?"

Lyanna's brows wrinkled in anger. "You used me to get back at your wife? You had an argument with her and threatened her with humiliation?"

Rhaegar was taken back. "Is that the kind of man you think I am?"

"It is what I am hearing from your own lips," she responded.

"Then you are hearing wrong." He moved to the edge of his seat, staring intently. "Lyanna," he shut his eyes a moment, as if willing himself to be brave. When he opened them again it was with such determination that Lyanna had to press herself further into her chair. "I have fallen in love with you and I had to let Elia know before she found out from someone else."

Lyanna sprung up from her chair, eyes wide. "You… love me?" she backed away. "You can't… you hardly know me."

He stood. "I feel like I do know you. My heart knows you. I can't stop thinking about you." His eyes shined with emotion. "It's as if I know that we belong together, that you are the one I've been waiting for my entire life."

She felt her eyes water at his confession. Never had she seen such raw emotion from anyone. It hurt and made her feel terribly sad. She shook her head, "I am betrothed."

"You don't want him," he replied, stepping forward.

The tears began to fall in earnest. "It is not for me to decide."

"But it is," he insisted. "We can be together. We can find a way." And now he was standing directly in front of her, his hands on her arms as she wept. "Lyanna, tell me you want me."

She lifted her wet eyes to his and pushed out of his embrace and strode toward the fire. "Stop this. It cannot be. I will not dishonor and shame my family by becoming your mistress."

"Mistress? You have it wrong, my lady. I would make you my wife."

She stared at him in disbelief. "You have a wife."

"I will set her aside. We never loved each other. I believe she loves another."

Lyanna shook her head. "Northern families do not accept such a thing. You are married until one person dies. Then they may remarry."

"Then you would marry your Robert, a man who drinks too much and has many different women? Is that what you want from life, my Lady?"

Fresh tears started falling from her eyes, "Please, my Prince, do not do this."

He stepped to her again, standing close. "Do what? Declare my love for you? Tell you that I want to devote my life to your happiness? I would make you my princess and your son a prince. Is that so terrible? Why should we not be happy? I know what a loveless marriage is like and I can't stand the thought of someone as brave and honorable as you never knowing the kiss of a man who truly loves you."

Her wide eyes flicked down to his lips at the word 'kiss' and he stepped forward, hardly able to stop himself at this seeming invitation. But she placed her hands on his chest, keeping his lips from contact with hers. He could see her inner struggle and took a step back. "I can't…" she whispered, her voice cracking.

A slight knock was heard on the door and Rhaegar knew his time was short. "I just need to know one thing, my Lady. If we were free from all encumbrances, all familial expectations, and we could stand here, just man and woman, would you kiss me?"

She stared at him and for a fleeting moment he could see her answer in her eyes and his heart leapt in his chest. Then she turned her face away and took a deep breath. "You must go."

He bowed his head and softly replied, "My lady," before donning his helm and slipping out the door.

OOOOOOO

A/N: Thank you for reading. Please take the time to review. They are real motivators.