EXCHANGED MISSIVES

The red comet left the sky bleeding, same as the way men bleed in their sword fights, when Ashara peeped through the tall wooden framed window from the Princess' chambers in the Meagor's Holdfast. The Maester Hake in Starfall, often fed her head with the tales of a bleeding star, which closely associated with the sigil of her house — the falling star... from which the pale white sword was made, called Dawn.

When she was just a girl, once she sneaked up her big brother's chamber, at night, and held that polished simmering sword in hand, which gave tremendous power to kill anyone who could cross by. Even for a girl who had no idea of how to swing a blade, it gave maddening power to begin with. But that night was a disaster, when the blade left deep cut to her palms, kissing its way till the bones, when her curiosity dragged her to test the sharpness of the blade.

The blade was too sharp and had cut everything it touched except its scabbard. Arthur happened to find her bleeding hand in the same red as the sky now was bleeding with, and he took her to the Maester. To the same Maester who said the tale of the bleeding star. "A Prince would be born when the star bleeds, to save the Seven Kingdoms from a certain end."

Ashara's heart bled the same red now, when she wondered if the Princess was making that Prince who was promised, in her marriage bed with the handsome most man. She knew this was a pettiness that lacked all sense of morale, considering they both were married before the Seven. But the Prince never loved the Princess Elia like she had loved. Rhaegar didn't sit by the Princess's bed, holding her hand and comforting her heart every hour when death was dangling after Rhaenys's harsh trial of arrival. He gave up holding to any hope that his wife would live to see the world when Ashara fed and bathed that beautiful woman, nursing her back to life.

She had neither equity nor privilege to make demands from either of them who she was supposed to serve, but her heart ached still.

"If the stars could burn like the sun, then I will be burned by your anger, Ashara" The Princess spoke from her behind but Ashara was determined to not show her face which was drenched with tears.

"What is a star before the glorious sun, my Princess? After all, I am just one of the thousands in the sky..."

Elia laughed, hugging Ashara from behind, with a light-hearted chuckle as an ending note. "You are not one among the thousands, my love. You are the bleeding star, making men to write songs and forebode the future." Elia's lips tasted her bare shoulder, and it slowly wandered to Ashara's earlobe where a whisper emerged as soft as the tulips that often grew near the river of Torrentine. "The common tongue hasn't got enough words to praise the beauty of this bleeding star." Ashara worries were momentarily dissolved into thin air, when Elia's teeth scraped her ear and a bite followed with a tug at the thin sleek red cotton gown from the frail fingers of the sun-kissed woman.

When desire took control of her body, Ashara let out a moan, leaning on Elia's chest, as the Princess's fingers played with the dark brown nipples that was in need of the Princess's touch. But the fresh wound of betrayal still festered in her head, and Ashara pushed away Elia's hand in a sudden movement while adjusting her dress. "Did the Prince not satisfy your tasty cunt, Princess? Or do I look like a bed-warmer to satiate your hunger?"

"You wound me, my love." Elia warmly answered with no remorse or anger. "If it gives you any consolation, Rhaegar refused to lay with me. So, that is there."

A part of Ashara's head jumped in happiness in having the sun-kissed beauty all for herself instead of sharing with the man the whole Seven Kingdoms dreamed of desiring in bed. But her curiosity got the best of her. "Why?"

"He said he doesn't want to anger you by taking me to his bed."

Ashara paced all around the chamber with a smile in feeling relieved and successful. At least the Prince had some sense in his head. "That's good. Right? It will be you and me, forever then." She ran to Elia and held her cheeks, offering a kiss that held all the passion of her heart. But when she parted, Elia simply shook her head. "What are you worrying about, Elia?"

"I wish things are as simple as that, Ashara. Rhaegar is a kind and gentle man that we both should thank the Seven. If only Rhaegar was not a Prince and heir of this damned Seven Kingdoms, then I will sleep peacefully in this bed, cuddling you and making you whisper my name every single time you come for me. Alas, my mother's vanity bound me to the Prince, now I don't see a way to protect Rhaenys or myself, Ashara."

Ashara poured fine dornish vintage to the goblets while listening to the Princess's let out her frustration. "You were unbothered about the world in Dragonstone but now in King's Landing... you are worried to bones. I think it is the reek of this city that puts you one nerves."

"No... It is not the rotting city that puts me on nerves, but the rotting man who is sitting on that cursed chair. Look, Ashara... I love your careless spirit, but open your eyes to see what the man is capable of. He refused to attend the grandiose wedding, and I heard he hasn't left the Red Keep in years. I came here to let the realm know Rhaenys's place as Princess, but he refused to touch my girl." Elia fumed, swallowing several gulps of the wine.

"As long as you are the wife of Rhaegar — the crown Prince, I don't see any reason for you to worry. And your husband moons over Rhaenys like he is going to announce her as his heir." Ashara simply discarded Elia's fretting fears.

"That is the problem. This is not Dorne to let a woman inherit before a man and Aerys will be glad to remove me and my daughter when he learns about my health condition." When Elia ended with shivering hands, Ashara carefully let her sit on the cushioned couch, comforting her tender muscles in her arm, that was twitching in agony.

"Don't stress over this matter more than what it deserves, Princess." Ashara assured with a gentle smile and caught the Princess's lips with more fervor in the light of learning the news that she was spreading her legs only for Ashara. "Since when a Dornish woman cared about cocks... We will make Rhaenys be the heir to the throne when Rhaegar ascends." Ashara's hand traced the slender thighs of the Princess, rubbing it in the process, making Elia arch her back. But they were soon disturbed when chaotic arguments behind the locked door was heard and Elia adjusted herself before the door swung open and entered a blonde-headed girl.

"My lady... This is the Princess's chamber, not the Prince's and you are not supposed to-" Ser Oswell's arguing tone could be heard from within, while the blonde head, who stomped her leg in stubbornness entered gathering the ballooned skirt in her hands.

"I am the daughter of the hand of the King and I will check it by myself. And I don't have to listen to the likes of you, a mere Kingsguard..." The girl screamed and barged in the privacy of the Princess, who was as stunned as Ashara to see the scene unfold before her eyes. The blonde-head searched the whole chamber even without leaving the balcony that was facing the sea, when she finally approached Elia.

"May I help you?" Elia asked in kindness.

"You... helping me?" Cersei folded her hands across her chest where the clothes were forgotten to cover any modesty while revealing half her breasts. Even Ashara found it odd, knowing this was uncommon taste even to the Dornish. "You always need a servant to help you. Then how come you can offer to help me?"

Ashara lost her cool, the moment that bitch uttered a word against Elia, but the Princess warned through her eyes to not let out a word.

"I see, my lady. Then for whatever reason have you entered my chamber?" Elia enquired.

"I assumed the Prince would be here sharing the bed with you, but I guess it is very clear that he doesn't want to spend his precious time with a flat-chested woman." Cersei replied sarcastically, letting her eyes skim over Elia's body with a frown.

"Mind your words, girl. Do you know with whom you are speaking to? She is the Princess of Dorne and a royalty by marriage. Do you need to be taught a lesson of how to behave in front of royalty?" Ashara stepped in with so much control to not pull out those golden tresses that was tempting to be ripped away.

"I don't even bother to speak with the likes of servants as you." Cersei disregarded Ashara with a wave of hand and moved towards Elia. "I have been asked by my father to give a visit to the Prince, occasionally, and I heard that your last child birth was so tough... that it almost killed you. So, it will be in the best interest for both of us if you don't let the Prince visit your chamber." The smirk on that stupid blonde-head's face was irritating. "Oh... I forgot. I apologize. Once Rhaegar sees how I have grown up to be, he will never have a need to visit your chamber. Still, considering we both will be his wives in the future, we must be in good-terms, Princess Elia." With such a boosting confidence, Lady Cersei shook Elia's hand and left the chamber with the flock of hens she arrived with.

"Tell me, I did not just hear to that shit blonde-head speak that way." Ashara was stuck unable to contemplate what she just heard.

"You never hear what I speak, Ashara. This... this is what I exactly fear about. I know Rhaegar very well to know that he is passionate in anything he does. If Cersei ever finds her way into Rhaegar's bed, either through marriage or not, Tywin Lannister will kill my child and me to secure his daughter's place as the Queen. My mother did enough damage to slight the man and he will never forget that." Elia lost control when she threw the goblet to the wall in front.

"If this is all about having a male heir, then you must go to his bed..."

"Its too late. He really will not take me in." Elia worried her lips. "But I have another plan."

"What is it? Tell me... How to escape any of this?" Ashara asked.

"Let Rhaegar marry a woman who is not Cersei. We should find a girl who knows kindness to love my Rhaenys and Rhaegar too. My obvious choice is to let you marry Rhaegar, so everything will be easy. But he lived in one loveless marriage with me that I want to give him a chance for another one. We just need to choose the right woman." Elia decided.

"And how will you do that? Its not like everyone will be like Cersei to reveal their motivation so straight."

"We will know..." Elia promised.


Rhaegar stood in the Round Room of the white sword tower and flipped through the pages of the white book, skimming over the details of deeds and greatness of men who resided in this very place. Something about this elite force of white cloak never gave peace to his heart, knowing how they all were nothing but guards to all the evilness his father was composed of.

"Has my friend come to rescue me to Dragonstone?" Arthur enquired as he approached and looked over the page which Rhaegar was reading about the recent deed his friend was submitted to in the Kingswood.

"Do you see me wearing a white cloak, my friend? Rescuing a knight from his duty is not what I am entitled to, as a Prince. And it seems you have added another feather to your white crown in your last act with the smiling knight. My father will be glad to have your sword sworn in all mightiness." Rhaegar teased with a nasty taste, but Arthur simply shook his head.

"My loyalty is to no one other than you. You have my words on it." Arthur assured. Rhaegar felt great for that. Loyalty in the men he believed was the only factor that made him hope for overthrowing his father. A boy with golden hair emerged from the stairs of the tower with a long face and sullen tight lips. It should be Tywin's heir and son, Jaime Lannister, who was recently knighted by Arthur himself.

"Ser Arthur!" Jaime called. "Thanks for showing me around. I will strive for greatness just like you." The boy repeated with pride, and only a while later he observed Rhaegar's presence. "My Prince... Sorry, I didn't notice."

"Ser Jaime, come to the tower on the morrow. There are things you must know before you consider on doing this. Will you?" Arthur questioned and Jaime nodded his head before taking his leave with no excitement in his face. Once the Lannister boy left, Arthur chimed in the details. "I don't know what got into him. After I knighted him, all the way till he reached King's Landing, he spoke about a girl he loved and how he was going to marry her soon. Now, he is enquiring about joining the white force."

The distress in hearing that Tywin Lannister's heir was joining the Kingsguard was alarming for Rhaegar to enquire more. But he left it there, unable to find a reason in his head for the boy to do it, and took Arthur to the garden where his mother was waiting for both of them. The moment the Queen Rhaella saw them approaching, she gave a smile and opened her arms to welcome them both into her embrace.

"Can I hold both of you forever in my arms and never let go?" His mother mused, but Rhaegar shrugged away from her, unable to get embarrassed any more in front of the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Gerold Hightower. "And my son has grown up so much now that he doesn't even want to be in his mother's arm." She chided.

"Let him go, my Queen. You always have a replacement for him, in me. We almost have the same eyes and hair." Arthur proudly warmed up to his mother, earning a scowl from Rhaegar.

"That is true, but you are not Rhaegar's replacement. You are one more son to me, Arthur. I was praying to the warrior to protect you with all his might, when you left to the Kingswood in search of the smiling knight, to send you in one piece." His mother's voice quivered as she patted on Arthur's head. The immediate flinch in Arthur's face was evident that his friend was wondering about the failure in protecting the Queen from King, while the radiant lady was praying for his safety. Rhaegar wanted to run away from the ugly truth of growing up to be a useless son who failed in even protecting his mother, and something so dis pleasant started swimming in his head.

"Mother..." His voice strained as he placed her soft palms into his. "I am so sorry. Had I been a better man..."

"This is far beyond your control, Rhaegar. You both should stop worrying about the inevitable and pursue with passion where changes could be made." Queen Rhaella walked past the Kingsguard and took them towards the Godswood where no guards or extra ears were there to hear them, yet the Lord Commander's presence tensed his muscles. "Oh, I bleed like Queen Rhaena bled with Maegor. But unlike her, we are not surrounded with King Jaeherys or the good Queen Alysanne. Are we? We are the last of the dragons, Rhaegar, and when the hounds smell the rivalry, each will try to pick a bone from us."

"Mother, I think it is best to have this conversation some other time." Rhaegar warned, looking back at Ser Gerold, who gave nothing away in his face, but Queen Rhaella shook her head with a mild laugh.

"Gerold is on our side, as long as we don't openly ask him to carve out your father's heart. Most of the Kingsguards are. Ser Gerold, Ser Arthur, Ser Oswell, Prince Lewyn, will be in our support if they will not be put directly against their oaths. The only trouble is Ser Barristen and Ser Jonothor. Their loyalty is dis wavering that it haunts me if you should climb that chair, with their blood in your sword."

His mother's blunt words made no impact on either of the white cloaks who were surrounding her, but Rhaegar was feeling more aware of Ser Gerold's influence in his mother's smile. He should be a better son and find peace in knowing his mother had someone to confide in. But he wanted to be sure of Ser Gerold's intention.

"And why should you trust him, when he hasn't done any kindness?" Rhaegar questions sharply pointed towards Ser Gerold, who sighed and whispered something to his mother's ear.

"He has done more than any man would put his family at risk. I was meaning to speak with you about this, ever since your marriage but with Elia and the complications with Rhaenys' birth made me to give time to fix your life." Rhaegar's face must have gave away how he felt about his married life that his mother instantly caught up and sighed with exasperation. "If Aerys had given me a chance, I would have..."

"This is not the time, Mother." He warned, not interested in wallowing in self-pity.

"Fine... Ser Gerold had his nephew sent to Winterfell, to serve as a Maester. And he has been doing a great work in doing what we are bidding him to. And, if you can convince the North to back your claim, more than half the Seven Kingdoms will be in your support." His mother finished shocking both Arthur and himself.

"My Queen... I am sorry to ask you this, but why do you think Lord Rickard Stark will back Rhaegar's claim?" Arthur asked in a startling voice.

"Because he has vengeance against your father. Have I said about the time, when Lord Rickard visited the capital to meet your father?" Rhaegar had no idea of such an incident. "It was when your father had no raging madness like now and promised to build another wall to prevent the wildlings crossing. But you know your father and his fickle mindedness..." His mother paused and stared at his purple orbs for a while. "That tale is for another time, my son. All you have to know is the Measter from Winterfell is helping Lord Rickard to tie up with other houses in the South, to form a strong alliance and the Lord has to choose you."

"Your confidence in that northern man, bedazzles me, mother. But I still don't know why he will choose me." Rhaegar pressed his question.

"The North has no interest in the crown or the South for them to have greater ambitions. And for centuries, their support in choosing the King always made a difference. When you call for a council to overthrow your father, you can count on all the votes through Lord Rickard. Do you remember Lord Cregan's loyalty for the blacks, during the dance of the dragons?"

Rhaegar somehow was not convinced with this plan, and he almost felt everything to be a trap. We don't have dragons for any lords to bend their knees, Mother; he thought.

"So, a council then..." He agreed, but how to declare it without causing chaos in the capital was another question to him. "It should be done secretly, so all our heads prevail, yet every lord in the Seven Kingdoms should be invited so they can participate in the decision."

"You should call for a tourney somewhere far from capital." Arthur said after a long thought. "The King has refused to leave the Red Keep. So, a tourney will be the right chance to assemble everyone at the same place, without raising any question."

Rhaegar agreed with a nod, and they dispersed from the small meeting while he walked his mother to her chamber. The dragons don't ask for the opinions of lower men. The throne was his without doubt, and if killing his father would grant his ascension sooner, then there were many ways to do that too. But his father represented the unity of his family, and he had to climb the stairs of the throne without spilling his kin's blood. If anything, Rhaegar wanted to know the real reason for the North's involvement in this battle for power, and perhaps this council would give him a clear idea of it. Without any bloodshed, joining the hands with all the lords, the realm must remain united for the war that was about to come from the dangerous North and he was willing to explore at the risk of getting exposed to his father.

"You are not happy." His mother insisted in the secrecy of her solar. "I can see through you, Rhaegar."

"I was never a happy child to begin with, Mother. Don't fret over something that you have no control over."

Queen Rhaella shook her head, but Rhaegar could see how much of her health had been drained through all those miscarriages, and suddenly he felt like a child who held a new doll in hand, waiting for the arrival of his brother or sister behind the closed door of the birth-chamber. Before Viserys arrived, almost six of them had died and his heart broke every six times. Come to think of it, he realized there could be no woman in the whole world, as strong as his mother to do their duty, even after those many loses and a rapist husband.

"Every time I look at you, I see your great-grandsire, the late King Aegon Targaryen, the fifth of his name. And when you grew up, I begged for the Crone's wisdom to make you happy. I always wished to see you smile, Rhaegar and now I know I will never be able to see that." Her tears ached his heart. "I should have fought with Aerys to not let you marry Elia."

Rhaegar didn't want any information of their married life to be discussed. It was complicated even for him to worry about, and he wasn't sure what the future awaited for him. "Elia is fine enough to be a Queen, mother. You will soon appreciate that."

"Do you know her mother, Princess Loreza, was one of my handmaids, along with Joanna Lannister? Your father managed to take both of them to bed. And they both plotted so much to gain control through your father. Thick as theives. When I learned of their plots, I called them whores and sent away. Even after all that chaos, they secretly decided to unite as a single force against our family by fixing a marriage between their children. What I didn't expect was, the late Princess would scoop so low to sneak into your father's bedchamber to make her daughter the Queen."

Rhaegar was beyond appalled to hear that accusation, and he inwardly regretted for ever being born to the man he called Father. "Elia is not her mother and tell me you don't hold any grudges on her."

"I don't hold any love for your father, Rhaegar. And I was happier when he took his whores instead of me. I certainly forgave my old-friends when they passed away. When you grow old, you let go of even the bitter past, easily." Rhaella pulled a chair to seat herself. "Elia may not be her mother, but she is also not your wife, but in words. Is she?"

The Prince didn't want to go there. The humiliation was so hard to overcome even before his own mother. "We are not speaking about this."

His mother scrutinizingly examined him and he diverted the topic, enquiring about the North and this Maester who was spying for his mother. Interestingly, the information excited his curiosity.

"So, the Lord has two daughters and three sons. And one of the daughters own a wolf..." He enquired, unable to believe he was hearing about a wolf. His mother scuffed through so many letters from her desk and offered it to him.

"A direwolf, it seems. I have very little knowledge of that. If you go through these letters, you will know every detail of what is happening there."

When he deep dived into a few of the letters, forgetting his mother or the world around, she offered a cup of tea when the time froze while he read every word written. And he was fascinated with this girl called Allara Stark, who was possessing a wolf with her. Finally, when his mother placed a teacup before him and ruffled his hair, he rose his head to meet her eyes.

"Do you think I can speak with this Maester? I want to know about this girl."

"Which girl? The wolf one?" His mother's inquisition began while observing the curiosity in him.

"Don't do that, Mother. I merely want to get to know her. She seems to be something abnormal, like me... for a start."

"The Maester handles the ravenry and you can send a missive to him, with this secret code in the end. He will know for sure, that this letter is not forged. Who will refuse a Prince's request?" With that, Rhaegar gathered all the letters and walked towards the door. But something ran in his mind and he turned back.

"Why do you trust this man?"

"The Maester is Gerold's own nephew. Actually, Gerold addresses him as his own son. There is another problem of fighting against the Citadel, and we learned that from this Maester."

Rhaegar had known about the Maesters plotting against the Targaryens, and perhaps he should enquire about that too. "No, mother. I didn't ask about the Maester. I meant Ser Gerold."

"You know the reason very well, why I trust him." She said with a smile like a young maid in new love. It was almost adorable.

"Do you really believe the North is in our hands?"

"Nothing is in our hands, son. But if they do anything to destroy us, then-"

"-Fire and Blood..." He ended without regret and exited the chamber reading all the letters and began to write down a missive to the Maester, enquiring mostly about the girl. What he didn't expect was a detailed response that he received within a few days, about this mystery girl and he would climb hills to know about this girl with mismatched eyes of grey and blue, who owned a dark direwolf with red scratches on its face that often came in his dreams. After all, he was a dragon, and he would pursue everything with determination, be it the Seven Kingdoms or a girl.


Allara finished the last page, with a beautiful art of green vines entangling each other, mimicking the sad song of the creepy vines losing its precious lily flower to a fair maid. The end was almost absurd considering how the vines soon fell in love with the fair maid and wished to replace the lily on her head to be always close with her. The bard must have been a loser to write such a silly song, but something about the vine was touching her heart.

"That is a lot of work to be in done merely within days, my lady." The Maester Walys stood with bulged eyes, appreciating her work but with a condescending look for straining herself.

"I am badly in need of that coin that you are going to give me, Measter. Of course, I will finish any of your work." She ignored his sympathy and took ten silver stags for copying the old song into fresh parchment with added decoration to entertain anyone who would read in the future.

The Maester went through the pages carefully and took note of her work. "This is a brilliant work. If you were in Citadel, the ArchMaesters would have used you left and right to replace all the bug eaten scrolls and might have probably ended your life there."

Allara gladly took that as a compliment with a smile. "That is an interesting way to go. I would love to be somewhere far from here. Even the prospect of Citadel excites me. With all those books..."

"Speaking about books... Haven't you been asking about The Magical Mystery Of Dragonbonds?" The Maester enquired, making her heart race.

"Do you have it? Will you lend it to me? I will certainly be-"

"No... I don't have it." Allara scoffed, unable to believe the man would lead her to only disappointment. "But I know someone who owns it and that person will be ready to send you the pages you require through a raven, if you ask for it."

"Who is it? A friend of yours from Citadel?" She started to draw out a parchment to write a missive of the chapters that might explain about the magical bond that made the dragons choose its raider.

"Yes... A friend of mine from Citadel." The Maester nodded.

"Can you tell me his name?"

"Just call him Lord Black... He likes that moniker." Suddenly, Allara let out a laugh, unable to believe the Maester was refusing to tell her the man's name. "Look, when we studied in Citadel, we often exchanged letters to secret comrades for moral support and for reasons of privacy, never once we used real names. You can consider this as one of such moments. Just mutual help to an unknown person who can be your comrade."

"That is so silly... yet fascinating." She answered composing the letter. "Then I shouldn't reveal my name either. My sobriquet will be Lady Gray." She wanted to enquire about the raven he would use for such help, but he soon informed how he trained one raven to send and receive missives to Citadel.

Within minutes of writing the missive she went in search of Benjen in the stables, who was ready, holding the reins of two beautiful red stallions in hand. Climbing with one push, by placing her foot on the stirrups, they started setting out of the castle with DarkWing by their side.

"So, what adventure are we going to do today, sister?"

"Hmm... I earned ten silver stags today. Do you think it will be sufficient to taste the fine new Dornish vintages? Didn't Rale, the wine-seller, tell there will be new arrivals?"

Benjen slurped his tongue in excitement. With no one to question her whereabouts or her presence, Allara indulged in few merriments the world offered by earning few coins from the Maester.

"The last time when we tasted two goblets of wine, the old man charged us with twenty silver stags. With ten silver stags we will be able to taste only one goblet." Benjen answered, counting through his fingers.

"One goblet is enough. The last time we drank two goblets, we needed Lya's help to get up in the morning." She remembered how Lya poured a bucket of ice water on their heads to wake them up. There was no way she would endure that pain. Her eyes caught the attention of a glass shop that dazzled with ornaments. She instantly got down from her horse giving a sorry look at Benjen, her brother of twelve name days.

"Why do you keep checking out that ruby pendent, if you are not going to buy it?" Benjen chided, holding her hand to a stop.

"To make sure no one buys before it is sold off. And it costs fifty golden dragons, which is too costly for my pocket. Had father only paid me for my services..." She sighed, signalling Benjen to wait outside, while pushing the glass door to enter. The shop owner was a middle-aged man of foreign accent who gleamed at her presence and offered the same pendant to let her touch its shiny edge with small moonstones arranged in a neat pattern with her fingers. "Splendid, work..."

"Not splendid than you, my lady. I could gladly give you for free... if you accept my offer. I will decorate you with all jewels, I own." He raised his brows, making her giggle. Wealthy men of all standards were wooing her ever since her venture out to visit Wintertown begun and it was interestingly admirable, but she had no liking to anyone and so she simply let them flirt.

"I will consider it." She replied and exited that shop, to move on to the wine shop. But her little brother was bothered and by the way his long face was more sullen to look at, she stopped him. "Spill it out, brother."

"We should buy that pendent, sister. I will work in any of these shops to earn coins for you. It hurts me every time you stare at that piece of jewel."

Allara's heart swelled with love, unable to believe he would offer to do such a thing. Most of the times, she had ignored his existence, up until a few days before, when he came to her chamber and enquired if something was wrong with her. While everything was going down, and her mind was screwed up, she never thought it would be Benjen who might understand that she was hurting because of Jaime's refusal to take her hand and father's mistreatment of her.

Lya had said, "I always knew that boy was a bad seed. You shouldn't have let him take your heart. And father always took over your side. Be the least liked daughters, for once, sister."

She had screamed at Lya to never look at her face, but Benjen slept in Allara's chamber, consoling her through days, often taking her out for an adventure.

Allara swallowed her hurting throat. "Do you love me that much, brother?"

"Of course, I do. You have always been kind to me. Do you remember the time, you saved me from the old Maester when I couldn't solve the numbers? I will do anything to see you happy, sister." Benjen said proudly, straightening his chest.

"But, I can't let you do such works that is low for your status. You can't spend your time cutting woods, when you should be training to become a knight. Not everyone gets the opportunity and when you got one-"

"-I must make the best of it." Benjen finished for her. "I have a brilliant idea." He screeched. "The woods are reserved for our family hunting. Aren't they?" Benjen enquired with a curve along the corner of his lips.

She worried her lips, unable to choose if it was right for them do such an illegal thing. "Father's hunting party is almost always unsuccessful. Without Brandon accompanying them and my presence to track the animals, they often return empty-handed and buy the animals from market." She mused for a while. "With Brandon's help, we can sell the animals to the castle directly for a better price."

"Will Brandon help us?" Benjen questioned.

"He better be... What is the point of having him as our brother?" She stopped the horse to get down near the sweet cake corner, and took out those silver stags, offering one to the old lady. With seventy copper coins returned, she got four cakes that her brother loved the most, and they both tasted the sweet raspberry jam that was spread on top of the bread.

"Gage doesn't add the raspberry jam." Benjen complained about their cook as they sat on a rock at the corner to savour the cake's taste.

"I am only good at tracking animals, brother. If it comes to shoot..."

"I will shoot, sister. I am a grown up man, now. Can't you see?" She chuckled, seeing Benjen's arms. "And even if I miss, DarkWing will always be there for us." He feathered her wolf's fur, who became quite close with her last brother, unlike with the rest.

"Aye... We both are all set to earn few coins."

When she returned to castle, Brandon was the first person she secretly conceded about their plan to sell animals to the castle and how he must help. Reluctantly, he agreed in exchange for the information that she accepted to share about the missing files on the miller's lands. But he warned how the coins won't be enough to make fifty golden dragons. That was when she made sure to list about the furs and leathers that could be sold or the scent that could be offered for a solid ten golden dragons to rich wine owners in Wintertown.

In a few days of enquiry, with a clear calculation, she came up with a plan to collect five musk deer, seven foxes for heavy furs. And if they managed to sell it, then that exotic ruby pendant would be hers. First of her own collection, from her own earning. It would be nice... but at the cost of killing a few animals. She mourned for a while, when the Maester knocked waiting outside her door.

"You got a response from Lord Black."

A scroll was offered to her hand. It didn't have any seal to discover that mysterious man's identity, but when she opened the scroll, she would have sworn that she found a rival to her own talent. With a handwriting as elegant and cursive, each section of the tale was studded with amusing information, with added colors to differentiate the important details. And she swore her secret comrade was a brilliant artist to explain the story with images of fire-breathing dragons drawn on the side. But her frown expanded, when at the end he wrote personally.

Not even the Gods of Old Valyria figured out the reason how a dragon chooses its rider. But it always is the dragon's choice, not what the rider wants.

"Is he for real? He could have just-" Allara stopped speaking when the Maester seemed to have already left from her chamber.

But she took a parchment to write another letter, out of pure curiosity.

Lord Black,

You have broken my tall wall of my unsatisfiable ego, by your brilliant art of storytelling. I will forever cherish this treasure in my secret vault. Perhaps several thousand years later, the Maesters might record this as some silly tale of dragons told to satisfy the fantasy of babes at breast. But why should you be cruel to write such seven long scrolls of how dragons get attached to human, if in the end you have to deduce a simple message that there are no solid reasons for a dragon to choose its rider?

Is it to taunt my pride?

If that will be your reason, then with assurance I can promise you that I have been deeply wounded by your word play. The old Gods and the new will not take any kindness in you for hurting a lady of a weak heart who never hurt even a rabbit during a hunt. At least, so far...

Come to think of it, I don't believe your deductions, unless proved. So, let us say, we compromise considering there are no dragons to test our statements.

-Lady Grey

With amusement still tumbling on her lips, she drew small sketches of black shaded outline of a man, being chided by a long-haired grey shaded girl. Once she went back to the Maester's turret, she placed that missive near his table and went on to worry about their fifty golden dragons that required immediate attention.


I hope to hear any reviews/inputs with an open heart. Please let me know if you are enjoying the story.

hanzrob2 : I have given Aly/Rhaegar's relatioship's beginning. Though they haven't met, they surely are going to have a lot of fun. My hard motivations are your comments and reviews. So, do let me know what you enjoyed in this chapter.

Hercules : Yeah. Our girl is growing balls. As for Brandon, I imagined him to be a man of his time. That's why he doesn't understand why his father shows respect to a woman (eventhough it is his grandmother) and although, I don't want to drag or put Aly and Brandon as Jamie/Cersei.2, they both are in seriously fucked up family. So, there is a reason why Brandon was skimming about Aly's naked figure. Its nothing more and stops there. They are imperfect but not sinners, yet. About the dragons... lol. I don't know what to say. I ll let you predict. And yes, Rhaegar wouldn't be happy if Ashara was Arthur. So, he cares less than Ashara doesn't have a cock.