Diana dreamed every night as they rode towards her ancestral home. One night, she saw a dragon with a mane of fire striking down another dragon with it's claws. The next she saw a great storm throwing itself against Dragonstone, and men whispering of the gods' wrath upon them. Then there was the direwolf, howling in pain as it whelped in the sand, a spark of magic in the air, as the gods themselves seemed to whisper, 'King's blood'. Every night it was something different, something even more cryptic than the last.
Oh, how she wished to just go home to Casterly Rock, to have her husband and children safe and secure. The Maester had warned her when the twins were born, with her age and the stress of Visenya and Aemon's entrance, they would be the last children she would have. With five children of her own, Diana knew that information should not have stung as much as it did. She was due for grandchildren within the next few years, she knew, but the thought of her children having children made her feel so old. Oh gods, and what would she tell Alysanne? Her husband had run off with her brother's betrothed, and she may be a widow soon, if not a sister wife?
"Stag for your thoughts?" Rickard offered, breaking her out of her thoughts as they rode out that morning, they were due to reach the Red Keep today.
"What am I going to tell my daughter?" Diana flatly asked him. "She has dreamed of being a Silver Queen since she was a little girl, she thinks Rhaegar hung the moon!"
"That he is a kidnapping bastard who took my daughter!" Rickard snarled, and Diana realized that despite the alliance kindled over the years of letters, fostering and betrothal, the Northern man would still looked at her as a Targaryen, family to the enemy.
"Of course, my lord." She replied stiffly, and kicked her mount forward. Diana wished to lead the group as the entered the Keep, and she watched from the corner of her eye as Tywin Surefoot glared down any Northern men who attempted to pass them. She slipped her nondominant hand into her saddlebag, the rough scales of her egg giving her a boost of confidence. With her strange dreams, it had become a habit for her to keep it on her person.
When the gates opened, Diana found her brother and sister awaiting her, dressed in full regality and standing above them on a balcony. As she rode closer, she was surprised to see her protectively holding Viserys's hand with one of her own, the other clutching the slight swell of her pregnant belly. Alysanne stood as far from the king as she could, but Ser Oswell Whent stared her down. It seemed he was spiteful of the Lannisters, for taking his family's seat as he would have been heir had it not been for the vows he took when he was far down the line of succession.
"Brother." Diana greeted with forced warmness, "I have brought Lord Stark to discuss an urgent matter."
Aerys only spat at them, "I am your king before I am your brother, and there is no matter so important that a servant would enter under such heavy guard."
Rickard bristled at the insult, "My king, your son has taken my daughter against her will, as Protector of the realm, it is your duty to order my daughter's safe return."
"You dare command a king?" Aerys yelled, and the Kingsguard around the royal family seemed to close ranks. "My son is the crown prince, how dare you seek to belittle him with an order!"
"Your grace." Diana said between gritted teeth, "Lord Stark is worried for his daughter, as I am worried for my nephew. I beg of you, send a raven asking Prince Rhaegar to return to King's Landing so he may defend himself in person."
"He has no need to defend himself, for he has done the Starks an honor!" Aerys grinned maliciously then, "A Stark and a Lannister shall serve as Queen Consorts one day."
The color drained from her face, he knew. Aerys knew of Rhaegar's foolish plan, and he supported it. "My daughter is no Dragon's whore!" Rickard snapped, and Diana cursed her foolishness. She knew that Brandon had a temper, that was why she left him behind, but she never thought as to where he got it from. "I demand that my daughter be returned to me unharmed, or I shall give justice to the Prince myself!"
Diana had not seen her brother so angry since she told him of her dream of sitting on the Iron Throne as a child, he was as purple in the face as his eyes. "Treason!" The word slapped through the air, and suddenly no one moved. "Seize them!"
Everything happened in a breath, Lannister soldiers surrounding her as the Stark soldiers moved to protect their liege lord, all while the golden cloaks of the city watch and the personal shields of Targaryen descended upon them. They had rode into a trap, Aerys had been warned of the ire of the lions and the wolves from his son.
They were surrounded, and the loss of life would haunt her. "Yield!" She shouted, but no one seemed to hear her. "We shall surrender peacefully, under the premise that we receive guest rights and rooms befitting our rank."
Aerys stared down at his sister, before lifting his hand in the air. "Take my sister to the maidenvault." A chill went down her spine as the swords of Lannister and Stark fell to the ground. "And take the wolf to the Black Cells." His fist fell down, before the Starks had a chance to redraw their weapons, Lord Rickard was held with a blade to his throat to ensure cooperation.
A King's guard broke through the crowd to take Diana to her chambers, and she noted it was Ser Lewyn Martell. His copper skin made the milky white armour sheen as he walked to her, his hands gripping her waist as he helped her dismount. It was a show of power, anyone with half a brain knew how Diana loved horseback riding, and could dismount just fine on her own. Diana grabbed her saddlebag before she was escorted off, and knight eyed it warily. "Do you wish to go through my small clothes and silks, Ser Martell?" She asked snidely, and he looked away.
The heat emitting from her dragon egg surprised her, she could feel the warmth though the cloth. Tywin attempted to follow her, but was kept back by gold cloaks. "I am the personal sworn shield to Lady Lannister, I demand to accompany her!"
"Has no one figured out that demanding something does not work?" A guard japed, his sword handle crashing down on Tywin's head, causing him to crumple into the ground. Diana winced, and stifled a cry at the sight of her closest companion harmed.
"Come, Princess." Ser Lewyn commanded, and the use of her maiden title made her frown.
"I am Lady Lannister, as I have been for many years." Diana bit back. In her youth, she liked to think she was still a princess, despite her marriage, but quickly found how much more apt it was to be the Lady of the West, and not a princess set to inherit nothing.
The Dornishman only gave her a look that said, 'we will see.' He led her to a set of chambers in the center of the Maidenvault, and her eyes widened when she saw her sister being escorted to the chambers next to her's. Rhaella looked as though she had not slept in days, her pale throat had fingerprint shaped bruises and her skin was pale. "You've dreamed of this for years, haven't you sister?" The Queen asked softly, "The fall of the Dragon, all thanks to a prophecy the world is so desperate to fulfill."
"I've dreamed of many things, but nothing this horrible." Diana replied darkly, "I suppose the gods are much crueler in real life." When she entered the rooms she was assigned, the black and red overwhelmed her. Every wall had a Targaryen banner, the pitch curtains snarled at her with the crimson beasts, and she felt so small. 'You have lived as a lion too long.' The gods were cruel indeed.
A/N:
In case you can't tell, I suck at writing battle scenes. Next chapter is Tywin's reaction to all this!
