Chapter 3
Lyanna was frozen in her place, with widened eyes, and holding her side, as the young Dragon Prince was looking at her with those beautiful purple eyes, and that were indigo in a different light, considering the fact that when last nigh their gaze meet they were the later.
"You are the Knight of the laughing tree?" he asked, but she didn't respond. Lyanna didn't know what will happen if she tells him who she is, and considering the fact that the king, his father, wants the Knight of the laughing tree dead, she wasn't taking that risk.
Turning to those who accompany him, the young Prince said, "Ser Arthur, Ser Oswalt, please give me a moment alone with the lady," but never looking away from her, and that made her look down. She heard one of the two Kingsguard objects in a quiet voice, but the prince shouted them down with a look, and they left. Now it was only him and her there. Near the heart tree of the Godswood, and with her heart that was beating fast.
"Who are you my lady?" He asked, sheathing the sword back, and approaching her, but Lyanna didn't responded again. "You, know my lady, the King sent me to find the Knight of the laughing Tree, and bring him back the head."
"Then her is your answer to why I don't tell you my name," she said, tightening the grip on her dagger but at the same time squeezing her teeth because of the pain she was feeling at her side.
"You are wounded, my lady. Let me inspect it."
"So, you can take my dagger and arrest me?" she replied pointing the weapon at him. The prince on the other hand, smiled, looking down, "I'm not going to arrest you, my lady, and I'm not even going to hurt you. I just want to look at your wound."
She looked at him for a moment, pondering what to do, but in the end, she nodded, and sighing, sat on the ground, with the back resting against the tree, releasing a groan of pain. The prince knelt too, next to her immediately, and move his hands to the laces of the breastplate, but she immediately pushed him away.
"If I wanted to do what you are thinking right now, my lady, I would have already done it long time ago," said the prince, chuckling, and she allowed to help her get out of the armour, but making her yelp at every movement. She saw him smirk, and that made her very angry. "There is nothing funny, prince."
"You fought three knights that were bigger than you, knowing perfectly that you may get injured, but now that you are, you complain."
"Well, you would complain too if you were hurt!" She snapped, and without even using his title. Lyanna tended immediately at seeing him serious, but when she wanted to ask forgiveness, the prince burst out in laughs and that made her laugh too.
"Now, my lady, I would ask you to rise your tunic so I can see it," the prince said, and she became red, looking down. Taking a long breath, she peeled the hem of her tunic up just enough to reveal where the lance had connected with her body. Her ribs were stained a myriad of colours: yellow, blue, brown, and purple. The bruise from the impact was an angry, massive thing, spanning over the expanse from her ribs to her hip.
The prince prodded the ridges of her ribcage gently inspecting the wound, and she could feel his warm hands against her sweeten skin. "Nothing seems to be broken," he told her, looking up. His face was mere inches from her, and she gulped, glancing between his eyes and his lips, before doing something that she never expected she would do. She kissed the prince without even knowing.
Realizing what she has done, Lyanna pulled immediately away, with widened eyes, and feeling her heart start to beat fast, even faster than before. "I'm sorry. I don't know what got in me."
"No. Don't be. You have done nothing wrong, my lad-"
"Lyanna," she cut him before finishing, but never looking up. Her cheeks were hot and red for sure, the heart was beating fast and her mind confused. She couldn't believe that had the courage to kiss the prince. And even without his consent.
"Lady Lyanna stark?" he gasped her name, leaning back, with widened eyes, and therefore giving her the possibility to push her shirt back down.
Now the situation between them was very uncomfortable, as silence dropped over them, with the only thing that was breaking it was the rustling of the leaves, caused by the winds that were blowing from the North.
Clearing his throat, the prince said, "Come, my lady. The sun is getting down and you need to go back to your chambers and get some rest," and helping her up, making her yelp. Pulling one arm over his neck and placing one of his on her waist, the prince called for his Kingsguard, "Arthur. Oswell. Come."
Lyanna in the meantime was gripping her shield, and looking around, asked, "Where is my horse?"
"He run away, my lady," replied the prince before turning his attention back to the Kingsguard, "Hide the armour and don't speak a word about what happened her."
At hearing that, Lyanna looked up at the prince asking, "what do you mean by heading?" and at the same time squeezing the shield to her belly.
"The king wants your head, my lady. So, to protect you, we need to hide the profs. You will need to give me the shield as a proof and I will tell him that I didn't found the knight."
Lyanna looked at her shield, for a moment not wanting to part from it. She got quite attached to this precious object that is a proof of her participating in the joust and knocking the lords, not only a dream.
Placing the hand under her chin and lifting it up, the prince said looking her in the eyes, "When my father will leave for King's Landing and the tourney is over, I will make sure that the shield is returned back to you."
"Truly?" she asked with, feeling tears in her eyes at seeing him nod. And so, giving one last look to the shield, with the painting of a white Weirwood with a laughing red face, Lyanna give it. To the prince as they started to move towards the horse.
"With whom I will ride?" she asked, since her horse run away.
"With me," the prince replied, and her heart almost stopped. She has never ridded with someone else on a horse, much less with a prince of horse Targaryen.
His horse, a tall and big war stallion, with black mane, bend down, and the prince without little effort lift her up, placing her on the horse back, before climbing behind her and wrapping his hands around her middle. Lyanna instinctively leaned back against his broad chest and feeling a certain security in that position.
They were ridding for few moments, but Lyanna already felt uncomfortable in the situation. It wasn't really the situation itself that made her uncomfortable, but rather the man that was behind her. She had dreamed a lot of riding on a horse with her sweet king Daeron, but that were only dreams, she never expected that one day she was going to ride on the Dragon prince's horse and with him behind her.
"What is it my lady?" he asked bringing her back from the dreams.
"Lyanna. I told you that you can call me Lyanna."
"I doubt that it would be appropriate considering the fact, you are daughter of a Warden of the North and above all a woman already promised."
"So, you know?" she asked, glancing behind, and their lips were dangerously close
"Yes. Robert told me when we returned from the war. He said that everything is already planned and-
"Nothing is planned until I agree!" Lyanna snapped, cutting him off, turning her gaze back forward and heard the prince chuckle behind her, which unnerved her.
"You are a true daughter of the North, my lady. Wild and defying."
"Call me lady again and I may stick that pretty sword you care at your hips into your pretty skull."
"Oh, so you think I'm pretty?"
"I said that the sword is," she replied immediately, but heard him whisper anyway, "I thought you said that you are going to stick sword in my pretty skull."
"You heard wrong," she lied looking down, however knowing perfectly that he had a grin on his face.
After had given the shield and the news regarding the knight of the laughing tree to his father, who burst in a rage, Rhaegar left the great hall under the screams and shouts of the king, cursing the mystery knight for challenging him.
But now, leaving the matter with his father behind, there was something else that weighs on his heart, and there was only one person that could help him on this.
Knocking at his mother's, Rhaegar enter inside not expected to find her in the company of Tywin Lannister's daughter.
She immediately got up from her seat, and smiling she made a curtsey to great him, "Prince Rhaegar."
"Lady Cersei," he said, kissing her hand, "You are as enchanting as ever."
"Thank you, my prince," she replied and Rhaegar could see the glimpsing of blushing on her cheek.
"May I have a moment alone with my mother, please?" Asked Rhaegar, and the young lady left the room.
"She is a beautiful girl, is she?" … his mother "Yes she is," but not as beautiful as a certain northern lady, he wanted to say.
"I suppose you are here to speak about the knight of the laughing tree," she said looking at him, as he moved to the table to fill himself a goblet of wine.
"Yes. But also, about something that weighs on my heart," Rhaegar replied, taking a sip, before sitting next to her, and staying in silence for a moment. What he loved about his mother was that she never insisted when he come to ask advice or talk. He may stay in silence for a long time pondering the words, but she won't insist. She would let him take his time.
Taking a breath, he went straight to the point, "I think I fell in love with a girl. And I don't know what to do, because she is promised to someone else. Someone that I consider a brother in arms."
"Lyanna Stark?" she asked leaning back against the couch, and he nodded, leaning back against the couch too and looking up. "So, she was the knight of the Laughing tree. Now I understand why I couldn't find her."
"Yes. But then lady Cersei came, and so I stayed to speak with her."
"Tywin Lannister will be a happy man now, knowing that his daughter will soon join the royals," Rhaegar blurted, but the only woman of which he was thinking was Lyanna Stark.
"What made you fall in love with her? Certainly not her beauty, since I'm sure, there are far more pretty ladies present here than Lyanna Stark."
"Her spirit. Her wildness. Her being a defying of the rules that the society placed on her. Her good heart in defending the weak and in taking arms to avenge them, and teach a lesson to those who wronged, without asking something in exchange." He could go all day, listing all the qualities that made him fall in love with her, a girl that he barely really knows but that already won his heart.
"Are you really in love with her so much?"
"Yes. But it doesn't matter. She is going to marry Robert in a month from now and I'm going to marry whoever father had choose. Cersei Lannister for sure."
"Doubt it. But now I will ask it one thing and you need to think carefully," his mother said, leaning more towards him, and Rhaegar looked at her attentively. "How much this girl matter to you? Because if I go to your father and suggest him this matter, there will be consequences. Serious consequences."
"He will never agree to this anyway, so I don't think is important."
"Rhaegar. If you are in love with her, I promise you that your father will agree."
Rhaegar was stunned by her words and didn't know what to say. How to react.
"So?" she asked, waiting for his reply
"Yes. For me she is but I don't know if the same goes for her," he replied looking at his mother, before shaking his head. "Anyway, I doubt it's important. Father already choose my future bride and no one else can change his mind."
"I can try. But if that happen you need to promise me that you are going to respect her," his mother said getting up, and he nodded. After kissing his forehead she left the room, and Rhaegar, sighing left it too.
Lyanna was sitting on the bed with the book of the Four Kings, reading again about her Daeron.
The sun was already done and in a few moments the feast will start, and instead of getting ready for the feast she was daydreaming of her prince. However, the face that she was picturing right now wasn't the one of her Daeron but of another prince. Handsome, strong, and melancholic.
Suddenly, as she was looking outside, Lyanna heard a knock and getting down from the bed and adjusted the dress, she granted the enter inside.
When the door opened, she never expected him to be the one on the other side, and if she could be honest, she was a little scared in being alone with him in a room knowing his reputation as a whoremonger, and above all, there was still the fresh image of him groping that servant girl.
Lyanna was without words for a moment, as she was looking at hm. Now, as a sober man, and without the wildness and roughness of the drunk warrior that he had the knight before, Robert Baratheon was a charming man. Tall and imposing, white a muscular built like a bear. The Knightly tunic itself was stretched tight enough to highlight the muscles and heavyset shoulders of the stag. Now she understood what every woman saw in him, and why they wanted him. But not her. Despite his muscles, his warrior charm, Lyanna didn't like him. He was far from the graceful Rhaegar.
Remembering that he was waiting for her to say something, Lyanna, greeted her future husband, Robert of House Baratheon with a curtsey, "Lord Baratheon."
"Finally, we meet, my sweet Lyanna, and I must say that songs do not make you justice," the young Stag said, approaching her, with a green on his face. "And your brother understated your beauty. If I can be honest, my sweet Lyanna, the only things that Ned prised of you was the wild spirit of the north and a cold beauty."
Of course, he said that, Lyanna wanted to say. Even if Ned was in the Vale, he was the one that know her the best, and that put a sword in her hand the first time. But this situation let him down in her eyes. She had never expected this from him. Clearing her throat, she replied, trying to be as polite as possible, since he was an important Lord, "I doubt that my brother would want to praise my features in that way, considering the fact that he know there are more important traits of mine than the beauty."
The Lord of Storm's End burst up in a long laugh, throwing his head back, "Yes, old Ned is shy as a maiden, and he doesn't appreciate the beauty of a woman's body like me, but nevertheless, I love that cold head more than my own brothers."
"May I ask the reason, Lord Baratheon? Obviously if -"
"Call me Robert. And yes, you make ask whatever you want. I'm an open book," the Lord said, heading towards the table to see what there was in the jug. "One is emotionless like a fish and colder than the winds of Winters; the other is more scared and weaker than a little Girl. At the age of four I was already swinging my hammer around the castle and starting to beat the shit out of my opponents."
Lyanna didn't replied, but inside her head she pities them for having such a brother. At least, in all his flaws Brandon loved his brothers and her dearly and would never say such things.
"Tomorrow it will be my turn to compete in the joust, my dear Lyanna," he said, interrupting her thoughts. "And I'm going to win this damn thing for you, because the Queen of Love and Beauty deserves to be someone as breath-taking as yourself." Lyanna wanted to argue regarding this part, but before she could do that, Robert grabbed her hand, bringing it up to his mouth and kissing it. His breath wafted onto her and only now she could smell the wine. It seems she misjudged him. "Permit me to wear your favour?"
She was taken aback by that, not expecting for him to ask this, but neverless, to be polite, she, swallowing replied, smiling, "I can find no reason to not offer my favour to a man after my hand."
The answer made him grin, and without a warning, he placed a hand on her waist, pulling her towards him, therefore making her collide with his wide chest. Then, he placed the other on the back of her head and crashing his lips with hers. Lyanna widened her eyes at that, sealing her lips, to not grant him access, and start to push him away by the chest, but he was squeezing her too tightly. However, as he was groping her, and moving towards the bed, Lyanna managed to scratch his face, making him pull away, and after giving him a slap, she kick him between the legs.
The Lord of the Storm's End fell to the floor groaning and holding himself, as she screamed in tears, "How dare you kiss me without my permission! I'm not some whore that you can grope without consent!"
"We are going…to marry in a month…." The lords replied groaning and slowly getting up. "Now or then hat does it matter."
"I will never marry you Robert of House Baratheon! Now out of my room before I slit your throat!"
The lord, offended by her words, left the chambers slamming the door behind him, as she went to lock it immediately, and leaning over it crying silently.
She didn't want to marry this beast of a men. She will need to speak with her father and and change his mind on it
When Rhaella reached the room that hundreds of years ago belonged to Prince Rhaena Targaryen, and that now was Aerys hidden place. At the door, there were five Dragonkeepers guard and Ser Barristan.
Opening the door, she saw the king showing something to the Lord Commander, however folding it immediately after seeing her.
"Wait outside Hightower," the king said, sitting on the chair, and once they were alone, he asked her as she field two goblets of wine, "What do you want?"
"I'm here to talk about our son," she replied, offering him one of the goblets, after taking a sip.
"And what do we have to talk about?" he asked placing the goblet aside, without even drinking.
Rhaella tried to find the perfect words that may not anger him and put Rhaegar in danger, but there weren't different words that she could use. "Rhaegar feel in love with a girl and-"
"I don't care. He will marry the one I choose," he said, taking a sip this time and turning the other side.
Rhaella taking a breath moved in front of him, and leaning on the table, said, "What are you going to do with The Starks?"
"Kill them, of course. The Stark, the Tully, the Arryn and Robert Baratheon. They are traitors plotting against me. They want to put the Stag on the Throne."
"So you want to start a war with four Kingdoms at the same time?" she asked crossing her arms.
"Yes. Do you have a better suggestion?"
"Do you want my advice?"
"Well, since you opened your mouth not to suck my cock, I beat you had something important to say," he replied with a bored expression.
"Send them to the wall, but spare the Stark girl, Aerys," she said, taking his hand. She knew it was dangerous demanding from Aerys, but she needs to do this.
"So, it's Lyanna Stark the girl he is in love with," he murmured to himself with the gaze lost in the void.
"Aerys?"
"Pull down your dress," he replied, still with the gaze lost in the void, and only the gods know what. Rhaella didn't obeyed, but instead, asked, with a firmer tone, "Aerys. The North is big as the other six put together. If you make her marry Rhaegar, they would be more loyal and-"
"I told you to pull down your dress," he said, with sealed teeth.
"Aerys-"
"Do it!" he shouted making her jerk. Taking a long breath, Rhaella started to open her dress, letting it fall down her slender. And then the other two remaining all naked in front of him.
They were in silence for long time and Rhaella started to feel the cold air of the evening came through the open windows, making her skin shudder, as goosebumps appeared for sure on her body.
Getting up, he placed his hand on her sex, making her release a gasp at the sudden contact, and starting to move his hand up and down. She tried to resist the moans that dared to come out as he increased the speed of the strokes, and saying, "When I was held prisoner at Duskendale, a man and a woman came in my dreams, showing me the future."
He added another finger, and increased the thrusting of them, making Rhaella lean towards him, and grip his arms, as he continued to thrust, "They showed me a dragon black as coal, with menacing green eyes, flying over Westeros, burning down those who wronged us." Rhaella released a chocking moan as her coming was near, when he added another finger and squeezing the grip on her back neck, before whispering, "But the men who was riding the great beast, had long curly hairs, and white eyes, wearing a Targaryen armour."
Rhaella released a loud scream, as she came, panting, and heard him ask, "Do you know what it means?"
She nodded, even though the truth was far from that. She didn't know what he was talking about and she didn't even paid attention to it. Pushing her on the table without a warning, Aerys took of his robe, and after stroking the tip of his cock over her wet slit, entered fully inside her, making Rhaella ark her body, and release a loud scream.
"That is your response to what I will do," he said, grabbing her neck, and starting to give powerful and hard thrusts. "I want my dragon, sweet Rhaella," he added squeezing her neck and increasing the speed of his thrust. "And I will have it."
He went that way for a few more moments, before pulling out and spilling his seed all over her belly. Falling on the chair he said breathless, "We can get you pregnant and become fat like a cow as the war is about to break out."
She said nothing at his offensive comment, just lied there, panting. Since Rhaegar told her that she may have a daughter in the future, Rhaella had spent many moments in imagining what her little daughter may look and swearing to protect her from her husband.
Ned was walking through the hallway of Harrhenal, to go to his sister's room and ask answers regarding what happened with Robert, since his old friend had an unpleasant expression on his face when he saw him, but in his way, he stumbled upon a beautiful young lady, tall and slender, with long dark hair and haunting violet eyes, dressed in a violet silk gown and an amethyst necklace sparkled in her neck.
"Forgive me, my lady, I wasn't looking where I was going," Ned, said, apologising, and the girl, smiling, said shaking her head, "It's nothing." And for a moment ned got lost in her beautiful violet eyes. "You are Lord Stark second son, aren't you? The one that the men call the quiet wolf."
"Yes, my lady," replied Ned with a bow, and feeling his cheek get hot. The woman knows who he is but he doesn't. So, trying to suppress the beating fast of his heart he introduced himself "My name is Eddard Stark."
"A pleasure to meet you, Lord Eddard. My name is Ashara Dayne," she replied, without stopping smiling.
"The honour is all mine, my Lady," Ned replied, taking the girl's hand and giving a kiss.
"I would like to stay and talk with you some more, Lord Eddard, but Princess Elia is waiting for me," she said, and Ned stepped aside, letting the lady pass. "But I hope that we will still have a chance to talk in the future, my lord." Ned smiled, blushing, but didn't replied, as he saw her walk away, before resuming his walk too, towards his siter's room.
However, he didn't make too many steps, as he saw her coming in his way, with an angry look on her face and tearful eyes, and so he immediately rushed to her, asking with concern, "Lya, what happened?"
His sister on the other hands, wrapped her arms around him, burring her face in his tunic, and between sobs, "I don't want to marry him.
"What happened Lya?"
"He is a monster," she replied between sobs as Ned squeezed her tightly, trying to reassure her. His sister was crying, and Robert had his face scratched. That mean only one thing, and Ned feel a sudden wave of rage in himself.
"Lya did he force himself on you?" Ned asked, not wanting to believe that his old friend would do such a thing to his sister.
"He wanted, but I didn't allow it. He tried to kiss me and push me to the bed, But I hold my ground and kick him in the balls," she replied. The sobbing voice ringing through his body, and his heart was breaking for his sister's state. This was all his fault. HE though Robert was a good man, a honourable man, and that would treat her kindly, but it seems he was wrong, and he has to mend this "Go to your chambers Lya."
"But-"
"I will be the one to speak with father and change his mind. I promise."
With that, Ned left his sister there, rushing to find Robert. He needs to speak with him on this and demand his apologise.