Chapter 3
Lyanna sat waiting for her mother to speak up, her lady mother was a formidable woman with a soul of iron or rather valyrian steel. It had been sometime since she had been summoned for an audience with her mother and her mother had been busy perfecting the embroidery on her newest project, a rather pale yellow dress it looked like.
"I seem to have to come to an understanding that you are unhappy about lord Roberts intentions for you." her mother was not someone who would beat around the bush.
"What might that intentions be mother", said Lyanna a little too sharply.
"You know very well my dearest what his intentions are", her mother looked up from her needlework.
"What are yours and fathers intentions mother?", she asked with contempt.
"Lord Robert is the lord paramount of the storm lands, one of the constituent regions of the seven kingdoms, he has shown an interest in marrying you, you should be happy and proud about it", her mother informed.
"my baby girl, there comes a time in a woman's life when she is forced to face dire situations like these, he is a good looking man ,you both make good together, he will treat you well my darling", she said more softly this time.
"What about love mother", she asked her mother with tears shinning in her eyes.
"love is but a frivolous emotion exaggerated by stories old nan tells you, my sweet you will grow to love him with time, as it took me when I married your father, a barbarian", she said with a laugh.
"A lady knows her duties to her family same as a son, sons fight wars and are knighted and daughters clean the wounds of her brothers and husbands when they return from war, it is known, a lady is the true pillar on which stands the household and realm.", her mother side with pride.
"I was from the south, but I learned to love the ice and stone in winterfell, I made this kingdom mine, and I belong to it now, you will do the same as you are my daughter. Embrace the challenges and you will never know when you overcame them." She said resting one hand on hers.
"Mother, haven't you heard whispers about Lord Robert", she asked timidly, hoping her mother hadn't and she could get out of this arrangement by telling her the truth about him.
"A man does what he needs to, men are savage creatures my love, their needs are different than ours, you will learn to ignore these whispers as it wouldn't harm you in anyway." She said, not meeting her eye and getting back to her needle work.
"Once you are married, the children you bore him will be your life and blood, it wouldn't matter to you what your husband does, a child changes everything for a woman." She added.
"As you wish mother", said Lyanna quietly. It was not point arguing with her mother anymore, her father had set his mind to give her to Robert and so he would, it was him who would have asked mother to council her she knew.
"You will be marrying him after you have bled my child, there is still time", her mother reassured.
All Lyanna could do was sigh.
Lyanna made her way to the stables, she need to go riding as it would help her get her mind off things.
She galloped towards the godswood with her guards tailing behind her and as usual she rode faster than them, her mare Bluewing flew across the forest leaving behind any chances of her guards finding her. They were used to Lyanna antics and knew well to keep the distance. she took the long route to an another heart tree and found herself sitting underneath it , looking at the happy face, which looked more like a frown to the others but she knew the face was laughing.
"I wonder who carved you", she asked it.
"You know princess the tree won't talk back", came a voice from the thick forest.
"Is your grace following me", asked Lyanna boldly.
"my horse here followed your mare, you can't blame me" he emerged from the thicket, wearing opulent riding robes of red velvet and wolf fur, his hair flowing freely behind him shining in the afternoon son.
"Only a coward blames his deeds on his steed", she mocked.
"I think you have forgotten whom you are talking to princess"
"Oh no, I haven't my prince", she said looking him in the eye. "I was merely stating the truth, why must a prince be afraid of doing what he desires", she challenged.
"I can assure you it was my horse, don't get any ideas", he said as he tied his silver steed to a nearby tree. The horse was least interested in the mare and went on about grazing.
Lyanna frowned, why was the price so confusing, she was sure he had followed her but now he refused to acknowledge that he did.
"I would like to pray in peace, if your grace permits", she said severely.
"I have never been spoken to like that, except by my mother maybe", he told her.
"Then your grace hasn't met many strong women in his life", she retorted.
"I have met my share of women, my lady", he said with a smirk. "But none so feisty like you", he remarked.
Lyanna blushed a little but refused to bend. She walked towards him in short strides, fear and anticipation clutching her heart, thinking about what she was about to say. "My prince, why are you playing with me", she asked, her voice a little more than a whisper.
"This is no game Lyanna", he countered.
"Desire is a game, your grace, either you give up or you give in", she said softly.
"Giving up isn't an option for a dragon", he said as he pulled her closer, holding her waist tightly with both hands.
Lyanna was mesmerised, she was paralysed, her body felt limp against his and she felt heat pool between her legs, before she could understand what had happened he kissed her, lightly on her lips and then there was no stopping him, fire burned through her skin as she felt his lips part hers and before long she was kissing him back, her hands ended up in his hair pulling him closer as he sucked on her lower lips, his tongue teasing hers now and again, she would feel him harden between her legs and she wanted him to touch her there, she wanted to feel him in her. His hands roamed her body touching and accessing her, she felt him brush his finger against her nipples and she felt them peak underneath her corset a little painfully. It wasn't until she felt him tug at the fastening of her dress when she came to her sense.
"You must stop, you grace", she whimpered.
"Only if you promise to see me again tonight", he said, trying to catch his breath.
Lyanna could hear voices from within the forest, it was probably her guards who had caught up to her.
"I must go my prince", she said as she mounted her mare, "the old watch tower to the north", she said as she dashed away into the trees without looking back. She felt she couldn't face him anymore and the thought of meeting him at night got her pulse raising.
Her father's name day tourney was to be held the next morning and she knew it meant the end of all the celebrations which meant everyone would leave within the fortnight. The prince would leave sooner than most she knew. She had only one night to profess her love to the prince and hope that he would want her like she wanted him. She would tell him about her betrothal with Robert and ask him to do something about it. Surely if the prince wanted to marry her no one would be able to object, except maybe the Martells , they might rebel but surely the crown was strong enough to stop any rebellion that arose.
She spent rest of her day lamenting about what would happen if her father were to know of this, he would surely be disappointed in her, but she could explain that it couldn't be helped, it was love after all.
Lyanna dressed herself warmly, the night was exceptionally cold and she was sure it would snow by dawn, she wore the winter rose that had bloomed in her hair and smiled at herself in the mirror, reassuring herself that everything would be alright in the end, there was no need to be afraid, she was of the old folks, and they were the bravest men that ever lived.
She pulled at her hood and escaped through the back doors making sure no one had seen her, it was nearing midnight and she was positive everyone was already asleep. She reached the north tower and pried its door open with a small creak, there was no sign of her prince and there was only a small fire that burned through a tiny hand lamp in the corner, it didn't give off much light but illuminated the small area. She searched the circular room for any sign of the prince but there was none. The stairs leading to the top of the tower were in ruins and it had been years since she had last climbed them. She took to the stairs to reach the top and he wasn't there as well, saddened by the fact that maybe she was late and he had already left, she made her way down to the bottom, she lifted the lamp to find a small roll of parchment lying near the lamp. A single black ribbon was tied to it and there no sign of an official seal or anything. What she found written in the parchment shattered her into a million pieces. It read in beautiful script.
My winter rose,
I am sorry.
Hot knives pierced her soul as she realized how stupid she had been to think that the prince loved her. It had been a silly little game that he had played with her, kissing her and tasting her, he had made her feel special, like she meant something to him, which wasn't at all true. The Targaryens did as they pleased it was known and today he proved it. He had left her a little note, the only poof of her agony, she would keep it with herself forever, reminding herself of her heartbreak.
The rest of the events were a blur for Lyanna, she hardly ate or slept but she managed to attend each and every event for her father's 50th name day ceremony and feast. She managed to not look at the prince even once in the last days of his visit to Winterfell and he himself managed to avoid her at all costs. He took his princess along wherever he went, Lyanna knew her name now, and she was Elia martell of Dorne. They looked very much happy and in love. She heard Linda tell her one day as she was preparing her bed that they were expecting their first child. Lyanna burst into tears , her handmaiden helped her clean-up after her outbreak and put her into bed. Her brown eyes sad for her lady and friend.
The day the prince and his wife were departing Lyanna wore the black ribbon with the dried winter rose tied to her neck, a gift of love from the prince, she called it. Her love for him had blossomed and bloomed and now had withered up. As the prince sat on his steed ready to depart his eyes met hers for the last time and he didn't smile, he just looked at her neck and turned his horse around to depart. The only one who smiled at her as she left was the princess of Dorne. She waved at her from her carriage as she left. Leaving a cloud of dust behind her.
THIS PART OF THE STORY END WITH A NAÏVE AND INNOCENT LYANNA AT THE DAWN OF WOMANHOOD. THE NEXT PART WILL SHOW HER TO BE A BIT MORE MATURE. SHE WILL BE 16 WHEN WE MEET HER NEXT. IT'S A FANFICTION AND I AM GOING TO CHANGE THE TIME LINE A BIT. SHE WILL BE STRONGER AND WONT BEHAVE LIKE THE FANGIRL SHE ACTED LIKE IN THIS PART.
