The first time he heard her name come out of Rhaegar's mouth he was shocked. They had been headed north for some time before Rhaegar finally told him where they were going.
"To get Lyanna Stark." He had said it with an ease and determination that didn't sit right with Arthur. He started to slow his pace, whatever conversation that was about to happen needed his full attention. He knew when the prince elected not to take the Kingsroad that they were doing something he wanted no one to know about.
"If I may ask, what business do you have with Lyanna Stark?" They had spoken little of the girl since they happened upon her in the woods. She had only been brought up once after the prince had crowned her the queen of love and beauty. Arthur had thought it was a mistake and had even told the prince so. Rhaegar had little to say in return. The girl had not been brought up since.
"She had expressed a desire to be rid of her betrothal to Robert Baratheon. It seems the stars have aligned." he spoke with a nonchalance that grated on Arthur's nerves. He seemed to know more of the girl than one would learn in the span of one conversation.
"Meaning what, exactly?" Arthur knew little of the betrothals of the high lords, but he knew the northern lord would take offense to the prince butting into the affairs of his only daughter. It took Arthur a moment to notice the prince had come to a complete stop. When he turned back toward the prince, he noticed a strange look on his face. One he had not seen in a while. It brought forth a feeling of dread.
"I trust you like no other, Arthur. You have been like a brother to me. What I'm about to tell you must stay between us until the right time comes." Arthur frowned before making his way closer. "There is prophecy, and Lady Lyanna is about to play an integral part."
As Rhaegar continued, Arthur tried to keep up with his ramblings. The prince was a smart man, but for some reason he believed in some age old prophecy? After they picked up their pace and continued on the trail, Arthur was left thinking of comets and red swords and a dragon with three heads.
The first time he touched her, she was covered head to toe in mud. It had been raining for days. The trio had gotten separated in the unfamiliar woods. When he stumbled upon her, she was without a horse, panting, and leaning against a tree for support. The rain was pounding down so hard she didn't even hear him approach. He slowed as much as possible, his own horse jittery from the uneven ground. He let out a low whistle and thrust his arm out ready for her to grab ahold. She turned quickly, finally taking notice. As their arms locked, he quickly pulled her up, grunting as she harshly landed against his back. Her arms quickly wrapped around his middle. He could feel her teeth chattering as she leaned her head on his shoulder. He knew they needed to find some kind of shelter soon. She clutched him so tight, he could feel her whole body shake. He could only pray that Rhaegar too would find some place to wait out the storm. They had a plan. The prince would know where to meet up with them.
By some miracle, they found an old hunting shack. She huddled close to him as he tied the leads to the barely there stable. He grabbed her close as he marched his way through the thick mud and heavy rain. He thanked whichever gods were looking down at him. The shack was mostly dry with a few leaks here or there. He was ready to get on his knees and pray when he saw the dry logs leaning against the hearth. He was quick to strip down to his trousers before getting to work on starting the fire. With the fire lit he was finally able to take in his surroundings. As he surveyed the room he found nothing of use was left behind except for a few ratty old blankets covering the rickety chairs. His gaze eventually landed back on the Stark girl. She was still standing by the door, still soaked head to toe, and still shaking. He let out a frustrated sigh as he walked over to the chairs and grabbed a blanket.
"You need to get out of your wet clothes. This little adventure will all be for nothing if you die before we even make it to King's Landing." He tried to keep the annoyance out of his voice, but ever since the prince had told him of the prophecy he had been on edge. He mostly couldn't believe the prince would do such a thing. All for some supposed prophecy. And this girl. She had seemed so honorable at Harrenhal. She had earned his respect when she stood tall in front of Rhaegar ready to face the king, all for defending one of her father's men. As they had gotten closer to Winterfell he had hoped the prince had got it wrong. He hoped the Stark girl wasn't in on his plans. But there she was, in the dead of night, a few miles away from her ancestral home. She had led them through the Wolfwood and past the Barrowlands. Now they were stuck in The Neck because of that damned storm. They would need to make it to the Cape of Eagles quickly before they were found. He was pulled out of his thoughts when noticed the girl sending him a confused glare as he made his way back to her.
"King's Landing?" she said with a mix of confusion and apprehension. She took a step back as he made to hand her the blanket. He stopped midway when he noticed the sincerity of her confusion.
"Yes," he hesitated and quirked a brow at her, "Where else would the prince take a second wife?" She stumbled back, hitting the door with a loud thud. Her eyes went wide and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. She started to shake her head and mutter to herself.
It took a minute for Arthur to catch on.
The prince hadn't told her what he wanted her for. She had agreed to something else. Not going to the capitol with him. Not becoming his wife. Not birthing his child. As his own confusion started to ebb away, he noticed the scared look on her face. She was still shaking. From the cold or the shock, he wasn't sure. He turned around and thrust the blanket behind him.
"At least take off your top layers. We're set to be here for a bit. We will continue this conversation when we are both dry and warm." After a few moments she took the blanket from him, wrapped it around her, and walked past him to sit in front of the hearth. He didn't know what to say to her, so he took his time setting her wet clothes next to his and grabbing a blanket for himself before he finally took a seat next to her.
A sigh escaped him before he turned his head to hers. Her eyes met his and he was struck for a moment. Earlier, they had been like the dark storm clouds above them. They swirled with emotion, ready to unleash a downpour at any second. But now they were hard like steel, ready to storm into battle.
"Let's talk."
The first time he called her Lyanna, they had already been at the tower for two moons. Prince Rhaegar had been called back to King's Landing two weeks past and he had taken Ser Whent with him. Lady Stark had been rather relieved at that news. But what little relief she had gained quickly had vanished when the two handmaids had shown up. Arthur knew the prince didn't suspect him of anything, that the women were for the lady's comfort, a form of companionship. But the lady had thought otherwise and was very outwardly suspicious of the women. She had taken to waking up before dawn and sneaking down the old stone steps. She would wait for him, so their conversations would be in private.
He hadn't been able to sleep the night the raven from the prince arrived. He had been rather agitated when he first heard the rapid tap at the window. It quickly vanished as he read the contents of the letter. The reason for the prince's return home had been because of the northern lords who took to the capitol demanding the return of their daughter and sister and lady. He wrote of the horrific deaths the men were given for their so-called treason. The letter went on to speak of the prince's return to the tower. He had also asked Arthur to keep the news of her father and brother's demise from the lady. And in the last line he spoke again of that damned three headed dragon. Arthur struggled to keep control of his rage. After their conversation in the cabin, Arthur started to see the prince in a different light. The prince had used her desperation against her. He had taken her desire to travel the world and be rid of her betrothal and used it to manipulate her into running away. She didn't know he would be leading her into his bed. When she had told him of their secret letters and what she had written to the prince, he had felt severely lacking in his duties as a knight.
Since then he had done his best to protect the lady. But now he had to tell her two of the most important people in her life had been murdered. And it had been because of the prince's manipulation, Arthur's willingness, and her foolishness in trusting them. He had to tell her at their pre dawn talk. It was the only time they were alone. Many of the early morning talks with the northern lady consisted of tales of her and her brothers, so he knew the news would most definitely break her.
He burned the letter before making his way down the steps. She did not need to see the words the prince wrote of her family. He didn't want her to read what the prince had planned for her either. If he could make the timing work she would be long gone by then anyway.
He had already been seated for quite some time when he heard her making her way down the steps. He didn't know what he was going to say. He had been quite young himself when his own parents had died and they hadn't been close. And he knew no words would ever console him if something ever happened to his sisters.
She took her seat next to him and he took one last look at her before he changed her life forever. And she looked breathtaking.
Had he ever thought that of her before?
Her hair was still in braids from the day before, but a few strands had fallen loose. He had to keep himself from brushing them back. He heard her taking in a big breath as she did every morning. He had asked her about it once. She had told him that crisp morning air reminded her of Winterfell, and sometimes she needed that little piece of home. He had thought she was upset with him the first few times she did it. She had laughed when he told her so.
When had she become so comfortable around him?
"Good morning, Ser Arthur." her voice was sleep soaked and she had a slight smirk as she rested her head on his shoulder. He let himself look for a moment longer. She looked content. He knew being in this place, she would never be happy. But sitting on the steps with him and breathing in that morning air, she looked at ease as if she longed for these moments.
"My lady," he paused. She was still smirking as she tilted her head up to his. She must have realized the depth of the news he was about to deliver. She quickly quirked a brow and there was the slightest downturn of her lips. "I'm afraid I've received news from the capitol." She frowned at that.
"I do not wish to hear of the prince," he could hear the venom that came with the title "or his return to this damned tower. So if that is all you wish to discuss, I think I will take my leave now." She was moving before Arthur knew what to say next. He wouldn't let Rhaegar tell her. He would twist it some way. She would be vulnerable. He thought he knew the prince, but now he couldn't be sure that he wouldn't take advantage of her in that state. She was already turning away when he grabbed her hand.
"Just listen for a minute," she whipped her head back. She had fury in her eyes. She interrupted him before he could go on. But she didn't pull away from his grasp.
"I do not care what he has to say in his pretty little letters. I do not care that he shall be returning soon. You can keep his fake words and empty promises to yourself." Her gaze was hard and empty as it fell on him. He found he did not like the sight. He hoped she never looked at him like that again. She made to walk away again, finally pulling her arm free. She had begun her ascent up the stairs, when he jumped to his feet.
"Lyanna." He called after her. She stopped at once. He had never called by just her chosen name. Not once. It was always my lady or Lady Stark to her face. She had bugged him incessantly about it after their chat in the woods and even more so after Rhaegar and Oswell had left. But still every morning she would call him 'Ser Arthur' with a smirk and he would always reply 'my lady'. There had been one slip. She had been teasing him relentlessly. When he had finally had enough, he had let out an exasperated 'Lady Lyanna'. She had gone quiet then too. He had chanced a glance at her and she was smiling. She then bumped her shoulder into his. As if they were friends, as if he was someone more than just her jailor.
Now there was a long moment of silence before she turned to him. And it was not a smile that graced her face. She looked apprehensive, like she finally understood Rhaegar returning was not the worst news she could get. His own face must have shown something too. Sympathy or pity, maybe. Whatever it was that she saw, it made her falter a little more. She took a slow step down and he met her the rest of the way.
"What is it, Arthur?" she asked in an unusually quiet voice. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. She deserved to know the truth but he could not find the words. "Just spit it out." she said with an edge of irritation. But he knew it was for show because as he looked down her hands were shaking. He quickly enveloped them in his before he could think better of it.
"It would seem that word reached your father and eldest brother that it was Prince Rhaegar who had taken you." She tensed at the mention of her father. She started to speak before he could continue.
"But how would they know it was him? I burned every letter he sent me. The only time I've ever been connected with the prince was at Harrenhal, and I explained that all to Brandon after he and Ned put up such a big fuss about it. And that was almost a year ago anyways." She searched his eyes as if he had the answer she was so desperately looking for. He could tell she was already starting to put it all together. In truth, he had wondered the same thing when he read the letter. She didn't seem like the sentimental type. A cloak with a wolf clasp was the only personal item she had brought with. He couldn't imagine her saving letters.
"I'm not sure. All I know is that they received word while in Riverrun and they soon assembled a group of about thirty men and they rode for the capitol." He saw the small spark of hope in her eye. It was quickly replaced with determination.
"We have to leave now. If we ride hard, we can make it before they do something truly stupid. Do you know when they left? Even taking the Kingsroad, it would take some time for thirty men to reach the capitol." She made to move past him as if she were going to leave right that second. For the second time that day he had to grab her and call her by her name.
"Lyanna," the name left his mouth full of desperation. He needed her to understand what he had said. To hear beyond the words coming out of his mouth. He couldn't bear to tell her that the brother who taught her how to ride, had ridden to the capitol in search of her only to wind up dead. And she must have, because the next words out of her mouth were soaked in such sadness, Arthur himself felt like he could cry.
"They've already done something stupid, haven't they?"