"My lord, I would like to speak with you."
Lord Clegane stared at Lady Taliya Lannister, her red lion's dress flowing around her hips as she stood in the great hall. The sun shined behind her, making her green eyes almost glow.
"My lady, what can I help you with?"
"Your daughter told me of your heir," Taliya said, as Lord Clegane peered beyond the lady over to the small hill beyond the boundary line of the keep. Ser Kevan was the only man with Taliya, the other Lannister guards were out at the boundary line and Cynthea was riding in front of Taliya, in the same saddle. "Gregor?"
Lord Clegane watched as Taliya dismounted, landing on the ground with a light thump. Cynthea stayed in the saddle, with her dog at the horse's feet."What of Gregor?"
"He… shall we say is an unpleasant boy," Taliya remarked, her green eyes nearly glowing with intent. "What really happened to Sandor's face?"
Lord Clegane shivered at the steel in her voice. Taliya really did sound like her father, Lord Tywin Lannister. "His bedding caught aflame, my lady. It happened a few days before you arrived here the first time."
Taliya narrowed her eyes, dropping her hand to her waist. "Cynthea says otherwise."
Lord Clegane sighed. "We would have preferred that Cynthea kept it quiet."
"Your daughter said that Gregor killed her mother, as well," Taliya said, her eyes narrowed dangerously. Her lips were tightly pursed in quiet anger but there was no other visible anger in her. "If you don't mind, we would like to foster Sandor. Protective custody, if you will. Seven is not too old nor too young of an age to start fostering."
"Sandor!"
Lord Clegane heard Sandor's tentative, timid footsteps before he saw his second son. "My lady, if you would keep it quiet…"
"I would keep an eye on Gregor," Taliya spoke, before kneeling down as Sandor ran over. Cynthea's brother stopped a foot away from Taliya, his grey eyes wide with apprehension.
"Father?"
"Lady Taliya would like to foster you at Casterly Rock," Lord Clegane said, glancing down at his second son and keeping an eye out for Gregor. "The Rock has a good master at arms and he would teach you."
Sandor blinked, stared at Taliya. "I could go with you?"
"Your sister is going to be my lady mother's cupbearer. Ser Broom, our master at arms, will be delighted to teach another boy," Taliya offered, studying Sandor's face. The burned half was still bright red, inflamed. "Your burn… I could give you something to ease the pain."
"My bedding caught afire, my lady," Sandor said gruffly.
"Your sister was worried," Taliya responded. "You and your sister will get to see Casterly Rock."
Sandor stared at her then nodded. "My brother…"
"Won't be coming with us," Taliya stated, crossing her arms.
Cersei stared up at the palace of Sunspear, her temporary Lannister guards flanking her. The young Princess Elia stood in front of the palace, the sun shining behind her. Princess Elia smiled when Cersei rode towards them, dismounting a few feet from the Dornish young woman.
"Cersei," Elia said, coming forwards to greet her. "I have been looking forward to your stay."
"I haven't," Cersei muttered before she was within hearing range of the princess. She already missed Jaime and had figured out that their sister, Taliya, had been the one to tattle on them. She grimaced as Elia stopped before her. She would find some way to get back at Taliya for separating her and Jaime. They were the golden twins. No one would separate them.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Princess Elia," Cersei spoke, glancing over to the palace. She was here to act as the prince's cupbearer until both she and Prince Oberyn were old enough to marry and for her, old enough for her to flower. It didn't mean she had to enjoy this. The Dornish were weird people, people that had withstood the Targaryens. People who were laughed at in court.
"Would you like me to show you around? Sunspear is a large place," Elia offered, holding out her hand to Cersei. "You can meet my brothers later. Doran is just seeing to his newly born daughter right now."
"Very well."
Elia watched as Cersei stared at the practice field, where Oberyn was teaching his bastard daughter how to wield a spear. Obara Sand was watching her father with intent black eyes, her shoulders still and her legs firm in the sand. Obara was all of six years old and had just been retrieved by her mother.
"He's already gotten himself a bastard?" Cersei muttered, her eyes still fixed on the spear in Obara's hand.
Elia nodded, watching as Oberyn twirled his own spear. "He is ten and seven. Cersei, would you like to learn how to wield a sword or spear?"
"What? What gave you that idea? Women can't…"
"You're in Dorne. Oberyn would teach you if you wanted. You should get to know Obara too."
Cersei wrinkled her nose at the notion of thinking a bastard her daughter. She was in Dorne though and… "Oberyn would teach me?"
Elia dipped her head in a nod, her lips twitching up into a small grin. "There is no rule against women learning weapon work in Dorne. My friend, Ashara Dayne, knows how to wield a dagger."
Two weeks later, Taliya arrived at Summerhall, along with Sandor and Cynthea Clegane. She had sent her uncle off, back to Casterly Rock, so she was alone but with the kids. Marwyn had even taken off to the Rock, offering to be her advisor in the higher mysteries, and a friend. Taliya had agreed easily enough, for Maester Creylen probably wouldn't know a thing about dragons.
Sandor had brought along his pony and Cynthea had ridden in front of her brother, with Leo running alongside the pony. It was a cloudy afternoon but it was still summer. The Citadel had just sent out white ravens right before their group had left, ravens to announce the coming of autumn. It was 277 years after Aegon had conquered Westeros and a hundred years since dragons had died off.
Cynthea had insisted on coming with her, saying that Taliya needed someone to look after her. Taliya had looked at the girl then sighed. Cynthea was only six but she had become Taliya's assistant and possibly lady in waiting to the future queen. Sandor was just humoring his sister and had the same idea.
"You don't have to do this, my lady," Sandor had muttered, as they had made camp that first night. Ser Kevan had said that he would stay with them for a few nights before riding back to check on his wife. Sandor had looked at the man questioningly, glancing between him and the Lady Taliya. Ser Kevan Lannister was apparently more than willing to leave his niece alone.
Taliya had sat down before him and had drawn something out of her pack. A container of something that looked and smelled like what Sandor thought that highborn ladies would smell like. Or what a potion from a maester might smell like.
"That burn of yours… This will ease it and help with the potential scarring," Taliya murmured, her green eyes looking him over. She definitely had gentler eyes than Sandor's brother did but he had seen her anger over his sister's bruises. "It looks infected too."
"Infected?"
"It itches, doesn't it?"
Sandor hesitantly nodded.
"That's the part that's healing," Taliya explained, reaching out a hand to gently touch the left side of his face, the side that Gregor had pushed down into the brazier. He flinched away from her and her eyes softened, withdrawing her hand. "This section though… Near your nose and eyes. That's not healing."
"You a maester?"
Taliya shook her head. "No. But I know my bruises. The maesters are a prejudiced bunch. They don't know what they're missing when they don't let women learn."
Cynthea giggled. "You said Queen Visenya and Queen Rhaenys were allowed in. How come you weren't?"
"I'm not a queen. And they had dragons," Taliya said, smiling a little. "Sandor, this won't hurt. I promise."
"She put that stuff on my neck, brother," Cynthea whispered, elbowing him in the side. "It doesn't hurt."
Sandor rolled his eyes, looking between the two women in front of him. His sister was only six but she knew what they had both gone through. Taliya Lannister. She had taken his sister away two weeks ago and hadn't harmed her. Cynthea had come become more outgoing and confident in the time that she had been away.
"Alright, lady."
Taliya nodded, reaching a hand in to the stuff and smearing it across the burn on his face. It tickled a little and cooled off his over warm skin but it didn't hurt. Sandor sighed quietly in relief and finally relaxed, away from his brother and free.
"I see someone up there," Cynthea exclaimed, pointing up at the ruins of Summerhall castle.
Taliya nodded, seeing the horse and rider and more specifically, the white cloak the rider was wearing. "That must be Ser Arthur, of the kingsguard. The Sword of the Morning."
Cynthea's eyes widened. Sandor didn't comment.
Taliya grinned and urged her horse forward up the road to what was once the entrance to Summerhall. The ruins were all around them, the soot blackened stone and the various burned skulls of the fire's victims.
"Lady Taliya and…" Ser Arthur Dayne trailed off, as they stopped before him.
"Cynthea Clegane and her brother, Sandor. They're both fostering with my family," Taliya spoke, stopping her horse and dismounting. Ser Arthur had tied his horse to a tree that had escaped the flames and Taliya did the same, going to help Sandor and Cynthea dismount afterwards. "Sandor, would you mind looking after the horses, Leo and your sister? I would like to talk with the prince."
Sandor nodded, peering up at Ser Arthur with wide eyes. The burn on his face had healed much during their trip to the ruins. It was almost gone, thanks to Taliya's burn cream.
"Prince Rhaegar also brought someone along," Ser Arthur said, gesturing to where the ruins were. Taliya could see two men in the deepest part of the ruined stone, one was obviously Rhaegar while the other… She didn't recognize the other man but she did recognize the Baratheon colors. "You can go right over, my lady."
"Thanks."
Taliya ambled through the ruins, flashes of memory winding through her mind. It reminded her of walking through the ruins of Godric's Hollow while she and Hermione were on the run in her last year. So many more people died here though. King Aegon the Fifth. Prince Duncan Targaryen. Ser Duncan the Tall, the lord commander of the kingsguard.
Prince Rhaegar had been born here, amidst flame and smoke. She couldn't even imagine Queen Rhaella's labor. She must have started to give birth while escaping the flames.
"Lady Taliya."
Rhaegar's words drew her out of her thoughts and she realized her feet had brought her to stand in front of the prince.
"Prince Rhaegar. It's good to see you," Taliya spoke, looking him over. He looked… haunted, lost, but also curious. The man beside Rhaegar had a frown on his face, his blue eyes narrowed in thought. Though… Taliya took a closer look at the man, seeing the flecks of gray in the man's eyes and the well looked after black hair. The man looked to be in his early twenties, mayhaps a brother of the current lord of Storm's End. "Who…"
Taliya rocked back on her heels, crossed her arms as flashes of her godfather appeared in her memory. Sirius almost looked… "Padfoot?"
The man froze, his eyes widening so much that she thought they would fall out. "Prongslet?"
Taliya smiled widely, dipping her head in a nod.
Sirius grinned and ran right over to her, catching her up in a big hug. Taliya wrapped her arms around her godfather, not even caring about the mail armor that he was currently wearing. "Sirius…"
"Figures. The woman Prince Rhaegar was talking about, the one that unhorsed him, was you," Sirius muttered, his voice muffled in her dress. "I'm not alone."
"You're not. We're not alone," Taliya murmured, her heart aching in the good way. She wasn't alone.
"You two know each other then."
Taliya pulled apart a little, seeing Rhaegar's eyes widen. She was grinning so hard that she half thought her mouth would freeze this way.
"We know each other," Taliya confirmed, drinking in the sight of her godfather. "You're a Baratheon."
"And you're a Lannister," Sirius said, wrinkling his nose. "You have Lord Tywin Lannister for a father. How'd you manage that?"
Taliya snorted. "He's not that bad. My mother, Joanna, talks sense into him."
Sirius laughed and they both turned to see Rhaegar, hearing him clear his throat.
"What exactly is going on, my lady?"
"It's a long story," Taliya grumbled, grinning widely.
