Hello again! Here is the fourth chapter of this story! For this one, we'll have a Targaryen POV and a Dayne POV!
Rhaegar Targaryen, The first day of the melee at Harrenhall
He was sitting on the sand of a small beach in the God's Eye, thinking of many things. First, of Lyanna Stark, who he had found himself spending more and more time with. The day after the feast, they had spent two hours gallivanting around the tents, simply talking and teasing each other, and the northern girl had asked him if they could meet here and today, again. Then his father and his mother. Only yesterday, he had found his little brother Viserys sleeping on his bed and he couldn't help but laugh at the memory.
"Vys, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in your tent?" He asked as he slowly lifted his little brother from his bed.
"I should but I can't Rhaegar! Mother and father keep making awful noises at night!" His brother protested, lifting his arms in the air.
"Awful noises? What kind of awful noises?" He settled beside his brother, who wrinkled his nose as he started to explain.
"Mother starts to laugh, then starts mewling like Meraxes when he's happy and then she screams like lady Elinor used to do! Father is silent for most of it but then he starts screaming bad words and then they both shut up! I can't sleep there!" Viserys complained while Rhaegar started to connect the dots. Mewling like Meraxes, Viserys cat who had some supernaturally high mewl, father screaming curses and mother screaming like lady Elinor Velaryon, Monford's Velaryon's wife who was a screamer when it came to marital affairs. AHHHH. He started laughing to the confusion of his brother.
"Why are you laughing! Can't you see this is serious, big brother? Mother is screaming and father is cursing! What if some kind of demon is hurting them at night?! Uhm?!" Viserys said while hitting him in the shoulder.
"Little brother, I assure you that what mother and father are doing is not something painful. You can sleep here for a few nights. Now, make some space for me."
Just the memory made him laugh. He remembered the looks his father threw his mother during the day, how he saw his mother sitting on his father's lap when father was writing some letters. His parents were much closer now, and he was happy for them.
"Why are you laughing?" He looked up and saw the face of Lyanna Stark, who had her hair freely cascading down her shoulders and back, wearing a tunic to big for her and breeches.
"It's nothing, my lady. Now, I've got something for us to do today." He said, getting to his feet while dusting the sand off his legs.
"Oh, and what is it?" She said, placing her hands on her hips.
"We're going riding around the God's Eye, lady Centaur. Didn't you say you were the fastest rider in the North, my lady?" He said as he headed to get Dusk, his dark war horse who had been eating some grass further up.
"Not in the North. In the whole Seven Kingdoms and beyond, your grace, and Winter is the fastest horse to have ever lived!" Lyanna Stark said proudly as she jumped up on her horse, him following up on Dusk.
"I highly doubt that. Dusk is the toughest and the most vicious stallion south of the Land's of Winter."
"Oh? Are you willing to prove that, my prince?" The Stark girl turned her head, smirking.
"You don't believe me? Fine. How?" He asked, patting Dusk's head.
"How about a little race? Three, Two, One!" She shouted merrily as she stormed off, leaving him confused.
"Hey, wait! Fuck." He kicked Dusk's sides who quickly followed after Winter and Lyanna.
They raced for a long while, Dusk eventually catching Winter and surpassing it and he cheered as they stopped.
"Fuck! Where did you get that horse?!" The not so lady Lyanna dismounted her horse and rushed to him, a frown on her face.
"It's a Valyrian Purebred, it's only found in Dragonstone or in the Driftmark these days, they're the fastest horses in the world, the strongest as well," He gestured to his horse, who was coal black in colour, with eyes of a haunting purple colour, "Also, Fuck? Very un-ladylike, Lady Stark."
Lyanna snorted, responding with an "I'm not a lady." By this, the prince was intrigued.
"What do you mean?" He asked as he sat in a fallen tree trunk, Lyanna sitting next to him.
"I don't like and don't feel like a lady. I don't have those dreams that other women have, I just want to stay in Winterfell, ride Winter forever and ever, watch Ned and Bran have kids, be a good aunt to their children. That's it, basically." She sighed, turning to him.
"Oh." Was all that he managed to say. The idea of asking Lord Stark for Lyanna's hand was building up in his head, she would have been a good person to birth the three heads of the dragon, and was certainly a lovable person.
"What do you mean, -Oh-?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Forget it. So, you don't want to marry anybody, my lady?" He asked, maybe he still had a chance.
"That's a tough question. I know I'll have to marry eventually, father says I have to contribute to the North and House Stark. He's still deciding who do I have to marry, although Ned told my father that your Baratheon cousin wants my hand," she wrinkled her nose and scowled, clearly not approving of her perhaps future bridegroom, "Robert, I mean, not the one with you, Stannis or whatever his name is."
"I know, Stannis is already interested in another woman." She turned to him, clearly curious. "You're a gossiper, my lady, I see." He said, amused.
She folded her arms and pouted. "I don't gossip. And I already told you im not a lady, your grace."
"What should I call you then?" He asked as he got to his feet.
"Just call me Lyanna. What should I call you?" Lyanna asked as she got to his feet, brushing away the locks of her hair.
"Just call me Rhaegar. So, are we friends, oh wild she-wolf of the north?" She smirked and nodded.
"Aye, we are, singing dragon of the South." They both laughed and went to their horses, returning to the camp quickly.
They kept talking and laughing, both dismounting their horses as they reached the northern tents, he escorted her to the Stark tent, giving her his arm as he passed amidst the northerners, who nodded and sometimes bowed in their direction.
"Well, here we are, Lyanna. I hope you enjoyed my company as much as I enjoyed yours." He took her hand and kissing her knuckles, thinking it would infuriate her. Lyanna smiled widely in response, showing off her bright, white teeth.
"I did, Rhaegar. Also, can I see you again tomorrow? I have something really important to ask you since we're friends, you know."
"Alright. I'll be spending some time with my little brother tomorrow morning, meet me by the royal tents."
She nodded and once again leaned up on her toes, giving him a much fuller and longer kiss on the cheek. "See you tomorrow, dragon prince." She smirked as she looked up at him.
"See you tomorrow, she-wolf of the North."
Ashara Dayne
Ashara was waiting outside the Stark tent for Eddard Stark, or Ned, as he preferred to be called. After they danced at the night of the feast, they planned to meet again, but Ashara had been to busy being a lady-in-waiting to the queen, who was the one taking care of and sponsoring the events before the melee and the tourney. Suddenly, a woman she recognized as Eddard's sister walked out, not even seeing her as she went to her horse, who had its reigns attached to a pole. She turned to a soldier, with plain, grey armour with a small Direwolf carved into the breastplate.
"Garen, did you give Winter her apples?"
"Yes, my lady, I've fed her three apples since you returned with the crown prince." The man straightened his back and stated.
"Alright, you're dismissed Garen, thank you." The woman sighed, leading the horse to make-shift stables near the tent.
Wait, Ned's sister spent time with Rhaegar? Interesting.
"Uh, I'm sorry my lady, I didn't notice you. Do you need anything?" The Stark woman interrupted her thoughts, standing near the entrance of the tent.
"I'm waiting for Lord Eddard, lady... Lyanna, I presume?" She asked, faking uncertainty. Ned explained to her all about his family during the ball.
"Just Lyanna will do," The Stark girl smirked, "So, you're here to see Ned?"
"I am. I did promise him we would meet today." Ashara smiled, looking at Lyanna who got very serious all of a sudden.
"My brother is a kind person, with perhaps the best heart in the world. You would do well not to play with his feelings, my lady." The Stark girl barked, eying her up and down.
"I don't plan to. Ned was very kind and interesting during the ball, I am just returning him the favour." She explained, and after a great moment of silence, Lyanna finally eased up and roared in the direction of the tent.
"NEDD!"
Some curses and grunts were heard from inside the tent, the voice of a young teen the most noticeable one "For fuck's sakes Lya, I'm trying to sleep!" He shouted from inside the tent.
"Fuck you, Benjen, I told you not to go with Brandon to the tavern!" The Stark girl howled, laughing afterwards. Ned suddenly appeared at the entrance of the tent, with his hair all wet and a brown doublet, having dressed clearly in a hurry.
"What is it, Lya?" Eddard stared at his sister, not noticing her.
"Ned, look to your left." Lyanna said amused, both Stark siblings turning to her, Ned with an expression of clear surprise and Lyanna with a smirk that screamed mischief.
"Lady Ashara... Yo-You actually came." He muttered, jaw falling.
"Of course, I did say I'd find some time for you, Eddard, didn't I?" She explained with a smile, moving closer to him.
"Yo-You did..."
"Wait, you didn't believe I'd come? I am extremely disappointed, Eddard Stark, not believing the word of a lady!", she contained a smile while faking being hurt, absolutely enjoying teasing the young man.
"No... I-It's not that, I swear!" He moved closer to her, babbling desperately while trying to explain himself, Lyanna came from behind him, laughing. "She's just teasing you, Ned! Come on, go go, before Bran sees you!" The Stark sister pushed her brother, making him almost trip on top of her.
She offered him her arm, smirking proudly. "Shall we go, Eddard?" He blushed and nodded, taking her arm. Soon, they were walking away from the Northern section and to the God's Eye.
"So, how about you tell me more about your family?" She decided to help him out of his usual silence, knowing he was too shy to ask her anything.
"Uh-Uh. Well, you already met Lya, and you already know about Bran and Benjen. My father rules the North, and everybody rules and respects him. He inherited it from my grandfather, Edwyle Stark. He's kind of harsh but he's a good man." He said, calmer now.
"Uhm. What about your mother?" She asked, curious about why he didn't mention his mother.
"My mother died giving birth to Benjen." He said quietly, and she gasped, immediately regretting it.
"I'm sorry, Eddard, I didn't know." She explained herself, but he chuckled and shook his head.
"It doesn't matter. I like to remember my mother, she was a good woman with the kindest and the second most beautiful smile in the world."
"Second? Who's first? Some girl from the Vale?" She asked, bitterly. For some reason she felt hurt, hearing him say he had a favourite smile.
"It's... It's yours, Ashara." She was stunned, tightening her grip around his arm.
"Mine? Oh my... I've heard many compliments, but you're the first to compliment my smile." She smiled widely, making sure to show off all her teeth.
"I like your nose too." He said, very, very shyly.
"My nose?" She wrinkled her nose, giggling afterwards.
"Ye-Yeah."
"Alright, enough of making me blush, Eddard Stark. Finish what you were saying about your mother."
"Well, she was sweet and was the only person capable of making my father smile properly. He grew harsher and bitter after her death, and he still places flowers on her tomb to this day. She had brown hair like us, but she had sea blue eyes, which she inherited from my grandmother, who was a flint." He explained, making gestures with his hands for some reason.
"Blue eyes..." She moved closer to his face, staring at his eyes, purple on grey. "I prefer yours."
"Thank you." He reddened like a tomato. "She used to call me my Dearest Ned, called Bran her Wild Thing and Lya her Winter Rose."
"Dearest Ned..?" She teased, smirking.
"Ye-Yeah.."
"Can I call you my Dearest Ned?" She asked, blinking through her eyelashes on purpose.
"Uhm..." He looked at her, fidgeting like a bucket of ice had been dropped on him, "I suppose... But you have to let me call you something too." He said, stopping.
"Uhm? What would you call me?" She asked, raising a brow and placing her hands on her hips, making an incredulous face.
"Uhm... Sweetest Ash?" He said with the most awkward smile he could manage. She chuckled seeing his face, moved by how cute and sweet he looked.
"I can deal with that... Dearest Ned." She smiled warmly, something she did rarely but every time she looked at him she wanted to warm him up with her smiles.
"So, tell me about your stay in the Vale!" She asked, and he immediately started to explain everything, and she, for once, listened to everything a man had to say.
...
So... Wait... You're friends with Robert Baratheon?!" She asked, curious as to how someone to serious and sweet as Ned could be friends with the Baratheon heir.
He laughed, "I know, right? We're very different, but still, he's my best friend. I also have others, there's Howland, he's spending his time at the tourney with us, then there's Denys, Willam, Jon. Even Elbert Arryn, although he spends a lot of time in the capital. All men braver and more confident than me." He ended with a sigh.
"Why do feel that way? Not being confident, I mean." She asked, placing a hand in his arm and turning his face in her direction.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be talking about this."
"Oh, come on. I want to hear, and we're friends, right? You can tell me." She said, beaming a smile to give him more confidence.
"Well, I'm a second son, and I don't know what I will really do with my life. Plus, father wants allies in the South, you know, to help the North and help him make it better. He keeps saying we're part of the Seven Kingdoms and that we should stop acting like we aren't. That's why he's waiting to marry Lyanna to a southern Lord and is marrying Brandon to Catelyn Tully next year." He murmured "I'm sure he will try to marry to some southern lady as well."
Ashara felt his change of mood and quickly tried to lift it "Ned, I don't know what your future will be, but I'm sure any woman, southern or northern would love to marry a man like you. Hell, I'd love to marry a man like you." The last words escaped her lips and she blushed immediately and so did he. In her head, she questioned herself what would married life be. She was sure the queen, who she was as a second mother wouldn't mind keeping her forever, but her own father had plans for her to marry someone. Would marriage to a person different from Ned be so bad?
"Yo-You would?" He asked shyly, his hands finding a way to hers.
"I mean that... Whichever woman your father marries you to... She will be very lucky." She said, blushing as if she was still a maiden, which she surely wasn't.
"Would you like to marry me, Ashara?" He said the words confidently, and she blushed like a tomato. This dumb wolf, teasing and tricking her when she was the one supposed to do it, playing with her feelings like this.
"I-I... I guess I would. Yeah." She barked the words, trying hard to hide her feelings. She was swooning over this... dumb.. extremely handsome and kind northern man and her heart was racing in her chest, all the while Eddard Stark, Gods curse him, was placing his hands on her hips and bringing his face closer to hers.
Would kissing Eddard Stark be bad? She, who had kissed and fucked so many men before, actually feeling something for one of them now, would it be good or bad to kiss him? Such an honourable, kind and genuine man as Ned Stark? It wouldn't, right?
"Ashara, come on, dear!" She heard the Queen's voice, and let her eyes wander around, discovering she was near the crownland, and so, royal tents.
Ned sighed and placed a kiss on her hand, muttering "I'm sorry."
"Can I see you again?!" She ignored his apologies and almost jumped at him like an excited puppy, for some reason wanting to spend more time with Eddard Stark.
"O-Of course! During the first day of the tourney?" He asked, straightening his back and looking at her shining grey eyes.
"Alright, I have to go now, I-I will see you in two days!"
And with that, she went to the queen, her heart racing in her chest.
There! The romance between Ashara and Ned starts, and Lyanna and Rhaegar start to open up to one another!