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Hi everyone thanks for the lovely reviews on the last chapter you guys keep me from getting writers block and you rock! I hope you enjoy this chapter as Arthur was very hard to write to my surprise. Anyway enjoy and please if you have time review!
Harrenhal
Arthur
Arthur hated this damned castle.
He had mistrusted the place since the moment he first laid eyes on its monstrous walls. He had heard the tales of the castle, of how it was supposedly cursed and that bad things happened to the people who dwelt within the walls of Harenhal for too long. After the tourneys events he was inclined to believe them.
The King's party had only been in Harrenhal for ten days and already everything had went to hell. King Aerys was acting madder than usual which Arthur had not even thought possible and Prince Rhaegar had apparently taken leave of his wits.
"Oh what a time to be alive." The voice in Arthur's cynical head said dryly.
As he walked down the hall towards Princess Elia's chambers his armour rattling loudly in the abandoned hallway, Arthur couldn't help but think that it had been a mistake to let her go off on her own.
At the time he thought it had been a good idea. She was clearly grief stricken and she needed time alone to think. That and the fact Arthur could never deny his Elia anything, he had let her go.
Before she had went however Elia had given him a kiss on the cheek, a token of thanks they used to do when they were young children in the lands of Dorne. It had been so long …. Arthur shook himself out of his thoughts.
He couldn't think of her that way, not now not ever! Those days were long gone and Elia was now Prince Rhaegar's wife. Not only was he betraying his friend with these thoughts he was also thinking of treason!
"Remember what happened to Ser Terrence Toyne?" The voice in his head spoke again.
No Arthur did not fancy being executed thank you very much, just because he couldn't keep it in his breeches around Elia. If Prince Rhaegar didn't kill him he was sure King Aerys would and he didn't plan on being burned alive anytime soon.
As he came to a stop outside the solar he last saw Elia in he took a deep breath and hammered a mailed fist on the door. After a moment of no answer he decided to enter the chambers and make sure she was well.
She wasn't there. The solar was as empty as it had been a few hours ago when Arthur had last spoken with the princess. As he looked around to make sure there was definitely no sign of life he started to panic.
Where could she be? Arthur thought to himself as he ran a frustrated hand through his fair hair. Elia had told him she would be back in a hour or two at the most. Now four hours had past and there was no sign of her.
Arthur's sword hand twitched towards dawn at his hip. Something wasn't right, Elia would have been back by now. It wasn't like her to run away from her problems and she was not one for wandering for long.
Rushing out of the solar he nearly ripped the door of it's hinges in his haste to find Elia. She had said she was going to the Godswood so that is where he would start his search.
Running down the hallway Arthur could not help but think the worst. What if something had happened to her? He couldn't bear it if anything was to happen to Elia. Everything he did, everything he had ever done had been for Elia.
He would never forgive himself.
As Arthur exited the castle he thanked the Gods that he had not encountered any of his sworn brothers on his way out. The last thing he needed was his lord commanders questions or the suspicious look he knew would be in Ser Barristan's eyes.
Also if Lewyn Martell found out that he had let his beloved niece walk outside on her own he would surely be thrown off the nearest wall. Never mind what Oberyn would do, fuck! Oberyn!
All this time Arthur had been worrying about what his prince would do to him that he had forgotten all about Elia's brother.
The Red Viper of Dorne was young but deadly and Arthur was no coward but he knew a threat when he saw one. Oberyn Martell would tear apart the world if anything happened to his sweet sister.
Arthur was a dead man.
As walked past the ruins towards the Godswood he couldn't help but shiver. There was a slight wind that sent his snow White cloak about his shoulders and blew his fair hair into his violet eyes.
"Elia" he shouted into the dark night.
No answer.
Just as Arthur was about to turn away and head back to castle, he caught sight of something on the ground ahead of him.
His sword hand twitched towards Dawn for the second time that night. Slowly he walked towards the object, as he got closer he started make out the color of it.
Orange.
Wasn't the dress Elia was wearing orange? Rushing forwards Arthur grabbed the piece of cloth off the dirty ground. When he touched it he noticed immediately that it was wet. What the …..
Blood.
Arthur felt bile rise in his throat and he almost vomited. But as he managed to calm himself he noticed there was something in the piece of cloth. As he pulled out a piece of parchment he had to walk towards the nearest torch on a castle wall to get a closer look at it.
"Ours is the fury!"
Out of nowhere a memory from the tourney came to Arthur.
After the tourney all the great lords, ladies, knights and anyone of import had evacuated to the nearest tents to drink their fill in wine and gossip about the days events.
Arthur himself was one of these people, keeping a wary eye on the crowd as prince Rhaegar may have retired to his chambers but princess Elia had decided to stay and face everyone's curious eyes.
She was never just in one place and he saw her speaking with many lords and ladies that night. Most men Arthur noticed were not drawn to Elia but to his sister Ashara which didn't surprise him as he knew his sister was beautiful.
But despite that he knew Elia was also as beautiful as his sister if not more. She just didn't flaunt it as much as Ashara did.
Arthur's eyes narrowed when he saw a handsome man with Dark hair and laughing Grey eyes approach the princess and ask her to dance.
He had already seen that one dance with his sister and he knew all about Brandon Stark's reputation. Well just as long as he kept his wolf paws where Arthur could see them then there would be no trouble.
"That one is as fickle as his sister in case you hadn't noticed" a deep voice said behind him.
Turning Arthur's face soured. Oh joy, a drunk Robert Baratheon. Why were the Gods trying to punish him so?
"It's not like you to insult your betrothed in such a manner Baratheon. Should you not be vexing her with you drunken presence?" Arthur retorted already tired of this conversation.
"Ah my betrothed! The lovely Lyanna. Unfortunately for me she seems to have different tastes." The cup in Robert's massive hand broke suddenly spilling its contents over not only Robert's handsome doublet but Arthur's armour.
Arthur hissed in frustration. God's be good could nothing go right in his life? The love of his life was stuck with a man who didn't appreciate her and now he had an druken lecher to deal with.
Laughing hysterically Robert could barely speak "I am sorry! I would hate for anything to stain your pretty White cloak!"
Growling Arthur said through clenched teeth "Don't you have some poor girl somewhere to bother?"
As Robert regained control of himself and stopped his cackling he looked past Arthur towards the dance floor. A hungry look came over the young lords face and his eyes darkened.
Arthur turned to see what the fool was looking at and his own eyes nearly popped out of his head. Elia was whirling around the dance floor with Brandon Stark and every eye in the pavillion was on her.
Elia by herself was a beautiful sight but Elia dancing ….. there was no word to describe it. Arthur felt a tightening in his breeches and cursed. This was the last thing he needed.
Turning back to Robert he assessed the Storm lord. Robert's eyes had never left Elia and his mouth was half open.
Arthur narrowed his eyes and cooly said "It seems like your betrothed is not the only one with other …. tastes."
That wiped the stupid look of the oafs face.
Robert looked down at Arthur like he would at a bug he was about to crush and said in a low voice "It's true I've always had a taste for Dornish ….. wine. I think I'll have a drink in the near future. Thank you Ser Arthur for reminding me of my tastes."
With one long last dark look at Elia the Storm Lord walked off in the opposite direction. Arthur had never wanted to kill a man as much as he did in that moment. Hopefully the fool would have the sense to stay out of his and Elia's way.
Coming back from his memory Arthur finally understood. That bastard had took Elia for revenge against Rhaegar and gods only knew what the storm lords intentions were.
His prince was going to kill Arthur when he found out that he was supposed to be guarding Elia tonight. But despite his fears Arthur knew he had to go to Rhaegar at once! If he left it any longer they might never see Elia again.