A/N: Thank you all for your support!
They found the guilty pair at Bitterbridge, traveling the Roseroad toward King's Landing. They were casually strolling around the market square arm in arm. They were laughing. Daeron would lean toward Lyanna and whisper into her ear. She would laugh and then turn to kiss him full on the lips. They seemed so blissfully smitten with one another that they failed to notice their brothers watching them.
Rhaegar laid a restraining hand upon Brandon when they caught sight of Daeron and Lyanna. The heir of Winterfell had already laid one hand upon the hilt of his sword. "Need I remind you that it is death to raise a sword to a Targaryen Prince? Even one who seems to be quite enamored by your sister?"
"No, my prince," Brandon gritted through his teeth. "Yet if he dishonored Lyanna..."
"Then my family will make a restitution," the Prince of Dragonstone interrupted. "He is far from the first prince or king to make a rash decision regarding a woman. Or the first lord." At his last words, he gave Brandon a withering look.
"I..."
"Have quite the reputation for romancing young women, or so my councilors have oft informed me. Tell me, Lord Brandon, how many families has your father needed to pay to cover your indiscretions?"
The young man had the decency to look somewhat ashamed. His reply was terse. "Not many."
"Then you should rest assured that whatever it will take to appease your father regarding your sister, it will be done. Just as your father has done for your own indiscretions."
He gave the prince a curt nod of the head and stared toward where their brother and sister were strolling. They watched, waiting until Daeron, Lyanna, or one of their guards took notice of Rhaegar, Brandon, and their guards. Ser Jaime Lannister was the first to see Prince Rhaegar. Though at several paces away, his warning words of, "Your Grace", were heard clearly.
Ser Jaime fell to one knee before Rhaegar as the eldest Prince and his men approached. The younger prince paled in shock before he and the rest of his men bent their knees before the Prince of Dragonstone. Lyanna Stark did not gaze upon them with shock or fear. Instead she glared at her brother before she curtsied politely before Prince Rhaegar.
"Dearest brother, you have worried many people by your disappearance, and yet we find you here without a care in the world." Rhaegar motioned for the kneeling men to rise, which they did with some trepidation. Daeron had the decency to appear contrite, though whether or not his contrition was genuine was anyone's guess.
"I apologize for my impropriety, dear brother, and for any worry which I have caused our family."
Brandon stepped closer, his fists curled. "Impropriety? You took my sister away from her escort! Without a word or trace, you stole my sister!"
"You cannot steal a person who wishes to be taken," Lyanna hissed.
Daeron stepped to Lyanna's side and took her hand in his own. "I apologize for upsetting you, Lord Brandon. I did not steal Lyanna away, I married her."
Rhaegar placed a firm hand upon Brandon's shoulder before the northman could respond. "Lord Brandon rode with great haste to King's Landing in order to seek out his sister. He had heard a rumor that I was responsible for her disappearance. Naturally, we were all troubled by such a pronouncement." Lyanna finally had gained the decency to appear ashamed. "It is gratifying to find both of you alive and in good spirits. It is also good to hear that you have not mistreated Lady Lyanna and have instead married her. When were you planning on informing our parents and her father of your actions?"
Daeron bowed his head. "We were on our way back to King's Landing at present."
"After two months without a word to our dear mother about your whereabouts? She will doubtless be sick with worry about you."
Lyanna's ever prideful face finally fell, and she too lowered her head in shame. "I am truly sorry for all the trouble we have caused, my prince. I came to love your brother at the tournament last year, and wished to marry him above any other man who lives."
The lovers glanced at one another with genuine affection. It was Daeron who continued to speak for the pair. "And I loved her more than any woman who lives. We knew that we could only be together if we were wed in secret. I will pay her bride price to Lord Stark and make whatever restitution that Lord Baratheon deems appropriate for the breaking of their betrothal. I will also apologize profusely to mother and father upon my return home."
Rhaegar raised a silver brow at his brother's words. A payment from Prince Daeron's stipend to the Lords of the North and Stormlands would go a long way to repairing whatever damage the young prince had caused. Their mother would be relieved the moment they returned to the capital. Their father... King Aerys would complain about Lyanna, of that Rhaegar had no doubts. The King had complained that Elia was not as attractive as Princess Shaena had been upon more than one occasion. He had complained that Princess Rhaenys "smelled Dornish", no doubt he would say the same of Prince Aemon. Their father had often complained that there were no daughters for his sons to wed. There were bastard sisters and likely bastard brothers, though only two of the King's many mistresses had come forward saying that they had birthed a child of the King. Saera and Gael Rivers were ten and five respectively. The girls lived within the Red Keep, as their mothers were both dead. However, they were kept in private rooms apart from Queen Rhaella's children. They were lovely young girls, Saera had light brown hair and Gael had silver-blonde hair, they both possessed large violet eyes.
"I suppose that would be an acceptable solution. You will join with us for the journey back to King's Landing." The younger prince grudgingly agreed, for truly he had no choice in the matter of returning to King's Landing with his brother.
Rhaegar then turned to Lady Lyanna with a gentle smile. "Welcome to the family, Princess Lyanna."
She favored him with a brilliant smile. "Thank you, Prince Rhaegar. It is an honor to be a part of your House."
He acknowledged her sentiment with a polite bow of his head. He then proceeded to clap Brandon upon the shoulder. "It appears that we are brothers by marriage now. You should count House Stark to be fortunate as so few Houses have married into my own."
Brandon's incessant glare toward his sister faded into a bitter smirk. "That is because House Targaryen marries to itself so often. Does our new status as good-brothers mean that I will not be killed for drawing my sword at you?"
The humor in Brandon's voice did not amuse Rhaegar, or any of their companions. "I would not test your luck."
A short time later, they made their way to the castle. They imposed themselves upon the hospitality of Lord Caswell for their mid-day meal. The Lord of Bitterbridge feasted them well, and ensured that their horses were fed, watered, and groomed. They remained at the castle for the night, as their hosts insisted upon sharing their hospitality with the two eldest Targaryen Princes and two of Lord Rickard Stark's children, not to mention Lord Tywin Lannister's eldest son. They left early the following morning for King's Landing.
Brandon was succeeding at getting under Lyanna's skin. She was trying her hardest to be polite toward him while they travelled, but his continuous self-righteous attitude was grating. Who was he to be angry with her?
You delayed my wedding, he had said. To which she had laughed at him. Since when did his impending marriage matter? He had bedded Barbrey Ryswell, now Dustin, after Brandon and Catelyn Tully had been betrothed. He was known to bed a different girl at every tourney he attended. It made one wonder how many bastards he might have fathered throughout Westeros.
Who was he to lecture her about propriety? Or about what was good for their family? She had wed Stark to Targaryen, a better match could not have been asked for, unless it had been Rhaegar whom she married. Brandon could match Robert Baratheon for how many women they had taken into their beds. Was it any wonder that she had never wanted to wed Lord Baratheon? She did not believe either of them were likely to change their behaviors. Perhaps Lady Catelyn could tame her wandering brother, but Lyanna had her doubts.
She wished for a sword to fight with, but she satisfied herself with riding hard at varying times. She would be chased after by Daeron, or one of their many guards, but she found the pursuit to be enjoyable. She believed that there were few better things in life than riding. However, riding to be introduced to King Aerys and Queen Rhaella, was something that churned her stomach.
What would they think of her marriage to Prince Daeron? What would her father and brothers think of the match?
She had no idea what sort of a life she would have within the walls of the Red Keep.
