Lyanna Stark
Winterfell, North, Year 281 AC
"COME ON LYA!" Barked Brandon from the other side of the door to her room.
"Wait a bloody minute stupid!" she hissed angrily. Seriously why was he so annoying at times? She needed time to put her gowns and dresses in her bags, she didn't want to wear most of them, but father insisted her to. And she wasn't as filthy as her brothers who always wore the same grey doublets.
"LYA!" Brandon barked yet again and she was fuming already. Luckily she finished her job not too long after, so she could finally exit the room.
Outside she found Brandon hitting the wall with his head, without much strength of course. "I'm here." she said.
"Thank the Gods!" he proclaimed and she was able to see his forehead red. "Sometimes I do wonder if aren't a lady that you despise so much…"
"A proper lady wouldn't call you stupid." she countered. "And of course wouldn't slap you if keep being stupid."
"Fine…" he said rolling his eyes. "As you say."
"Where is Ned?" she questioned now seeing that her brother wasn't there yelling at her.
"I think he is having problems with Brooding," Brandon informed. "Seems his horse has gone mad."
"Why?"
"You tell me, I don't know." Said Brandon plainly.
"I believe we should go help him then." she suggested.
"Alright, let's go help that Dumb Wolf."
As they reached the stables, she saw Ned with Hullen, his son Harwin and Walder all trying their best to calm the horse.
"Damn horse don't really want to leave!" Exclaimed Hullen while holding Brooding's reins. "I never seen a horse this agitated before."
"I never saw him with any trace of agitation before…" Ned confessed. "I don't know what happened to him."
"Hodor, Hodor!" Said Walder while helping them with the horse.
Lyanna still wondered what happened to her friend…she remembered when she was younger and Walder always talked and played normally with them…until one day, he couldn't say anything else besides Hodor and also lost his wits.
"I gave Ned the calmest of horses," Brandon said. "Now he looks even more agitated than mine or Lya's…"
"Trying petting his torso Ned," she suggested. "You are his rider so he might calm down a bit…"
"I will try." Ned said as he extended his hand to Brooding's torso, very slowly of course and with as much care as he could.
She was very worried, an agitated horse is a very dangerous animal…Luckily, Brooding seemed to calm down a little after Ned managed to pet his torso, so she was of course relieved.
Ned jumped to Brooding's back and began riding it for a bit around the courtyard.
"Damn horse finally calmed down." Stated Hullen with a smile.
"Aye." Brandon nodded. "Let's hope it doesn't happen again."
"That'd be nice." Agreed Hullen. "I believe milord's father's waiting for ya all, better not make him wait long."
"Come on, let's grab our horses!" she pleaded. "I want to ride Winterstorm fast!"
"Now it isn't just Ned's horse who went crazy…ouch!" she slapped the smirk out of him.
"You stupid!"
Ned returned from his little ride with Brooding as calm as usual and the servants helped them pack from their long journey to Riverrun and in Ned's case to the Eyrie. Already on the horses, they rode to the east gate to meet their father.
"My children," he called with a shy smile. "Are you all ready to go?"
She noticed that Bran wasn't even looking at their father and she sort of felt bad…
"We are father," Ned replied with the very same shy smile. "Hopefully it won't be an unpleasant journey."
"I believe we all hope that," Father assured. "I guess…I guess I will see you all at Brandon's marriage."
"Aye." Nodded Ned.
Neither her nor Brandon said a thing which made her father look at them with sad eyes…She was mad at him for hiding things from them, especially to her but…she loved her father…
"See you at Riverrun father," she said with a nod. "Hopefully your trip won't be unpleasant either."
Father's smile returned. "Yes…let us hope so sweet Lyanna…" he glanced Brandon once more in hopes of some words…it seemed like they weren't coming…She and Ned looked at their older brother too, which made him glance them.
"See you later." Brandon scoffed as he commanded his horse to move. Gods damn you Brandon Stark!
Ned and Lyanna glanced their father, but he said nothing, he had disappointment in his face...maybe...maybe he knew they knew he was hiding things from them?
"Safe trip my children." Father repeated again.
"Thank you father." Ned and she replied as they commanded their horses to follow Brandon. They caught up with Brandon outside, giving the order for the escort to move.
"Seriously Brandon did you had to be a douche?" Ned asked.
"You want me to give him a kiss in the cheeks and I love you father?" Brandon retorted.
"No but…"
"I'm pissed at him Ned." Barked Brandon. "He still hasn't told us anything!"
"I know but he is still your father!" Ned countered.
"So what?"
"You are supposed to respect him a little better."
"He clearly doesn't respect me, so why should I?"
"Gods!" she hissed at both. "Will you two shut up, please? I'm not in a mood to have you, two ladies, screaming at each other!"
They both looked at her with serious looks for a while but she wouldn't falter against them. Brandon finally sighed as he got calmer. "Lya is right, let's just enjoy the trip."
"Fine…" Ned agreed despite not being so happy."
"Shall we do a little race?" she inquired in hopes that a race would make them forget the discussion. "I want my rematch…"
That last line seemed to make Brandon's smirk return… "I did tell Ned and Ben I was the best rider…they wouldn't listen…"
"Don't make it a big deal, Brandon Stark." she began with an authoritative stance. "You just won once."
"Oh sister of mine, I'm a bloody centaur," he commented. "I will win again."
"As if…"
"Fine, let's race!" Brandon proclaimed. "Three, two, one, RIDE!"
"Wait, what?" she said confused before registering what just happened. "CHEATER!" she hissed.
"EAT MY DUST!" Brandon shouted way ahead of them.
"WAIT FOR ME STUPID!" she screamed and Ned seemed to say something but she didn't listen, she had to beat Brandon.
Ashara Dayne
Dragonstone, Narrow Sea, Year 281 AC
It was night...past dinner time and the grim castle of Dragonstone was startled, Elia's waters broke a while earlier and her contractions began, she was giving birth that very day.
While Jasline and Nysah were already with Elia in her room, Ashara and Ynys were soothing Rhaenys into sleep. Both of them were worried about their friend but seeing that Rhaenys slept was the most important thing in that moment for both.
The problem was…that Rhaenys was having a tantrum that night, she didn't seem too inclined into sleeping at all…she was being naughty…
"Come on little Princess." Called Ynys with a worried face. "You ought to sleep!"
"No!" Retorted the girl with a bossy face. "No, no!"
"What do we do Ash?" Asked Ynys.
Ashara didn't really know what to do…she wasn't a mother nor did she remember hers…she made her best effort to recollect what her mother did for her to sleep when younger, without much luck…until she thought of something...
"Okay, little dragoness…" Ashara said, getting the little girl's attention. "We will make it like this, you lay down and I will tell you a beautiful story, how does it sound?"
"Towie, towie!" It seemed little Rhaenys was excited for a story…
"Okay, then a story my little Princess will hear." Ashara cooed.
Once upon a time, there was a girl, she was told from a very young age that she had been blessed by the Seven because of her beauty. She lived with her parents and two brothers in a castle at the mouth of a big river where she used to swim often.
She was very close to her mother but not with her father who was distant to her. One horrible day, she gained a sister but lost her mother. Her father didn't wish to raise her and so the girl was sent away to another castle to be raised among other children of her age.
There, she was lonely, no one wanted to play with her and so the girl was so sad that she cried for her mother and family to save her...yet they didn't come for her...
Luckily, a kind soul met her not long after, the friend that girl so desperately needed. The kind soul showed the girl so many wonderful things and introduced her to new friends…the girl was never lonely again.
But the girl grew up and fond of the boys…she wanted to find her Prince…but the boys she looked for were not Princes, or no they weren't. They wanted her beauty and not her…The girl lost hope of finding her Prince…
One day, the girl and the kind soul went into a big tourney. Said tourney had a big feast in the night, the girl danced with many boys that night before seating next to the kind soul for a rest.
The kind soul had been watching a simple boy that had eyes only for the girl and the girl was curious for the boy.
When the feast was ending, the simple's boy's siblings came to the girl's side and begged for her to concede a dance with the simple boy. They feared that she would rebuke him, but she did not, she extended her hand to him for the last dance of the night. The simple boy was amazed and surprised by her act, and grabbed her hand with a big wonderful smile.
The dance they shared was the best dance she ever had in her life, the simple boy was so attentive to her, that she fell in love with him. It turned out that the simple boy was the Prince she was looking for, even when all hopes had died, she found him and never let go of him since then.
Months afterward, they married in his land, she became his as he became hers, they had wonderful children together and lived happily ever after, together.
The End.
After finishing the tale, she looked to the cradle and saw Rhaenys sleeping like the Maiden, with the utmost carefulness she picked the sheets and covered her little Princess for the night.
She called Ynys to leave and noticed that she was crying. What the…
They closed the door and made way to Elia's room, but Ashara had to make the question… "Ynys, why are you crying?"
"Oh Ash the story was beautiful…" Ynys replied. "I felt so much pity for the girl of the story…poor soul…"
Ashara was now wondering if Ynys knew that girl was Ashara… "It's…just a story Ynys…"
"I know Ash, but that's so bad!" The blonde said. "I hope no one has to endure such pain…" Seriously? Well…now she knew that Ynys did in fact not know that the girl was her…
They arrived at the door to Elia's room where Maester Yurden, the Maester of Dragonstone, was trying to kick Jasline and Nysah out of the room.
"Let them stay!" Elia shouted in pain. "By the Seven let them stay!"
"But My Princess…" The Maester tried to counter.
"I SAID LET THEM ALL STAY!"
No more protests were made by Maester Yurden afterward, better to not piss the future Queen of the Seven Kingdoms...
"Girls?" Elia called moaning, feeling the contractions heavily. "Girls!"
They approached Elia's side, Jasline, and Nysah on Elia's left while Ashara and Ynys were on the right, holding Elia's shaking and sweating hands. "We are here my friend." Ashara soothed.
"I'm going to die…" Elia muttered crying. "I'm going…"
"You are not!" Jasline countered. "You are strong Elia, you will live many more years."
"True to that." Agreed Ynys. "Come on friend, everything is going to be alright."
"I'm scared…" Elia confessed. "I'm…scared…"
"It's perfectly fine Elia," Ashara said while kissing Elia's hand. "Being afraid means we have room to be brave."
"It hurts so much…"
"But you will endure it." Ashara assured while she fixed as much as she could, Elia's messy hair.
"My Princess." Called the Maester. "You must begin to push the child out of your belly."
"Oh Gods…"
"Come on Elia, push." Commanded Jasline worried.
"Oh Gods…" Elia repeated as she began making the colossal effort, screaming a painful scream that hurt Ashara's ears and made her close her eyes in hopes to better cope with it.
"My Princess the head is almost out, push more, please." Begged the Maester.
Elia went on to pushing more while holding Ashara's and Jasline's hands with superhuman strength...Ashara seriously thought that Elia would break her fingers...
"A little bit more My Princess, it's almost done." Said the Maester.
"SEVEN HELLS!" Elia screamed as she gave it her all and after a little while, they began hearing baby's cries, Elia succeeded…Thank the Old Gods and the New!
"Congratulations, My Princess." The Maester said with a smile. "It's a healthy boy."
A boy! How wonderful! Ashara managed to glance the baby, he had silver-blond hair and indigo colored eyes like Rhaegar's, but a slightly tanned skin, he looked Valyrian enough in Ashara's eyes, maybe he would not smell Dornish to Aerys…
"A boy…" Elia murmured panting. "Thank the Gods…"
"OH GODS!" Ashara screamed loudly as she saw her best friend faint in front of her.
"Take the baby." The Maester commanded one of the wetnurses as he began inspecting Elia.
"Is it bad Maester?" Asked Ynys.
"Her pulse is very low…" The Maester murmured. "It might have been too much for her to endure…"
"Oh Gods…" They all exclaimed.
"Please My Ladies, get out." Commanded the Maester. "You all watched the birth now please give me space to work properly."
"We can't just leave now!" Yelled Jasline.
"Jas, let us go," Ashara asked as she picked Jasline's hand. "Let's leave the Maester to his work."
"But…"
"Come on Jas," Ynys said while picking the other hand. "The Maester needs space."
Jasline gave up struggling and exited with the rest of them. They were all outside worried pacing from the right to the left, chewing their nails, Ynys and Nysah were weeping already. It was frustrating to be outside and not being able to do anything…
"Maybe we should go pray for Elia…" Suggested Ynys.
"We should…" Nysah agreed. "For Elia…"
And to the Sept they went, to pray for Elia. Ashara prayed for the Mother to give strength to her friend so she could live many more years with her children. She hoped the Mother would hear her praying…
After praying, they returned to Elia's room and waited for an answer…
Finally, after almost another hour, the Maester emerged from the chambers, sighing and they ran as if predators hunting for meat and the poor man almost fell to the ground.
"How is she?" Asked Jasline.
"The Princess's heartbeat stabilized, but she is still very weak…" The Maester explained. "She is very lucky to be alive still…"
"Will she recover though?" Asked Nysah. "Please say she will…"
"She will but it will take a very long time." Confessed the Maester. "She will be bedridden for some three to four moons if not more…"
In the hallway, only sighs of relief were heard. Elia was to survive, she would be bedridden but at least she was to live and that made them all happy. They promptly entered the room that smelled of sweat and blood.
Elia was in her bed, sleeping and they took a seat next to her. Ashara was close to the window and from there she could see the dark blue sky turn to purple…it was the very beginning of dawn…in the sky she saw a red comet...she didn't know what to think of it...maybe something bad was coming...
Suddenly Elia's eyes slowly opened, waking Ashara from the mysterious sight. "Am I...dead?" Asked Elia with a broken voice. "Am I on one of the Seven Heavens?"
"Not yet, my friend." Assured Jasline with a big smile. "You are still on the living hell with the rest of us."
"And hopefully for many more years to come." Add Ashara, feeling tears in her eyes.
"Well…" Elia began. "At least…I got your attention now…"
"Oh so someone was indeed jealous of little Rhaenys…" Ynys commented with a smirk, just as the rest of them.
"Crap…" Murmured Elia, before smirking too. "Maybe I said too much…"
"You did." Said Ashara. "And you should know that our attention will always be with you, my friend," she added. "Just not exclusively…"
"I know, I know…" Elia chuckled in pain. "Thank you…for being here with me anyway…"
"And where would we be if not here with you?" Jasline questioned indignantly.
"I'm happy to be able to count with you all." Elia smiled.
"You can count with us, now and ever." Said Nysah and they all nodded in agreement.
"To our great friend Elia, mother of two beautiful children." Ynys called.
"To Elia!"
Rhaegar Targaryen
Dragonstone, Narrow Sea, Year 281 AC
Rhaegar felt as if was flying yet he couldn't see his body, only his eyes showed endless ice plains… a red comet flew in the sky near a curtain of colorful lights...he did not know where he was...only that it was night...
All of a sudden, everything became dark...endless darkness...he couldn't see anything...he was afraid…
A while later, he saw what seemed like eyes as blue as ice glowing in front of him, then another pair besides it and then another and another, soon he was completely surrounded…
As he thought it couldn't get worse...it got...whatever things they were they began moving in his direction...closer and closer and Rhaegar just wanted to wake up, but he couldn't...he thought he was going to die, they would kill him for sure...They were mere inches away from him, he was sure some were behind him so he turned quickly and...
He woke up...
What a terrible nightmare...he was shaking and sweating...luckily it was just a dream...but it felt so real...
He glanced the dawning sky and saw the same red comet flying across the sky…so it was real…just as the prophecies said in the books…the great peril was coming…
I must fulfill the prophecy now more than ever…
Elia should have given birth by now...he thought...She would need a visit just as their new child, Aegon or Visenya…
After eating a small breakfast and calming down from his nightmare, Rhaegar made his way to Elia's room where the servants said she had given birth to a boy. The Prince that was promised...the savior of humankind...
He knocked on the door, he had brought his harp, this moment would be a song for the future he was sure... "Elia?" he called. "May I come in?"
It was Lady Ashara who opened the door. "Rhaegar…" she murmured as she let him in. He noticed dark circles below her haunting violet eyes just as the other ladies…they were in need of a good night of sleep…
Elia was laid in her bed, she had her hair very messy, she looked very pale and could hardly move, from what Rhaegar could see. The baby was next to her glancing him with eyes just like his... "Rhaegar…" she whispered with a very weak smile.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Bad…" she replied.
It certainly bothered him to see her like that, she was a dutiful wife, kind and smart and even if he wasn't in love with her, he appreciated her.
"I see…" he turned to the tired ladies. "May I have a moment with my wife please?"
"Of course." Lady Ashara said with a nod as they left the room, leaving him, Elia and the baby inside.
He picked the baby up from next to her. "It's a healthy boy." he commented with a smile as he glanced the Prince that was Promised."
"Yes…what will we name him?" Elia inquired.
"Aegon," he replied without hesitation. "What better name for a future King?"
Elia was glancing his harp that he placed at her feet to pick his son. "Are you going to write a song for him?" she asked.
"He has song," Rhaegar said. "He is the Prince that was Promised and he is the song of ice and fire."
"What do you mean by that?" Asked Elia confused.
"There must be one more though," he added, they needed Visenya so the prophecy could be fulfilled. "The dragon has three heads, Elia."
With that said, he picked his harp and took a seat near the window and began running his fingers lightly over the silvery strings.
"You want another baby?" Elia inquired after a little while of silence.
"We need another baby Elia," he answered. "Something terrible is coming and we need three dragons to fight it. It is said."
"Dragons are long dead…"
"They are, but they might return still," Rhaegar explained. "Do not worry about it now, you must rest."
"But Rhaegar…"
"Relax and rest, I will let your friends enter again." he assured.
"Okay…"
After the Dornishwomen returned inside once more, he was about to go back to his room, when he bumped into Maester Yurden.
"My Prince, my deepest apologies for hitting My Prince." Said the Maester worried.
"Worry not Maester, I'm not injured," Rhaegar assured with a shy smile. "How is Elia's condition by the way Maester?"
He looked weary at him, which made Rhaegar feel as if something was wrong... "The Princess is in her way to a full recovery." The Maester explained. "But…"
"What is the problem with my wife, Maester?"
"She can't have more children…"
"Pardon me?" he asked, not sure if heard it right.
"She is barren My Prince, the pregnancy left her unable to have more children." No...no...this can't be true...the Dragon...has three heads...the great danger...
"Thank you Maester…" he finally murmured, shaken by the news…
"Is everything alright My Prince?" Asked the Maester.
"Yes."
The Maester bowed in respect and knocked on the door to Elia's room while Rhaegar made his way to his.
The prophecy stated that the dragon has three heads…three heads had the dragon when he took the Seven Kingdoms...Aegon, Rhaenys and Visenya...the first two were alive but not the last one...what to do?
Things were more complicated then he thought...His father still seated on the throne...the great peril slowly approaching and now Elia was unable to have the Visenya...not good...not good at all...
I must apologize for taking so long into publishing this chapter, it was in need of last-minute polishing. Anyway...this chapter is a bit...dark...things are lurking far away...but that's for the far future too.
As always, thank you for sparing time reading and I hope everyone has a nice day.