To Anjo: Glad you enjoyed. Hope this second chapter wraps matters up satisfactorily. P.S. Thank you for telling me about other upload.
To Guest: Yes, I am an unfair monster. Maybe you could find your way to some other story this being the case.
"He stands in open revolt!" Aegon was wondering if the King had gone insane. He stared in disbelief at his sire, fingers clenching around the parchment which contained the man's response to the situation. "Does it not matter to you that he is a traitor, with a traitor's blood running through his veins?"
"Do not speak so of your brother." It was simply fascination, the power one slip of a woman could have on so mighty a man. Always protecting her and her get, his father was. Aegon clenched his teeth against the wave of wrath washing over him.
"Someone has to, else you'll turn a blind eye to his actions."
Jaehaera struggled against the bonds holding her wrists tied together. The rough rope cut into the thin skin of her wrists. She could feel the bite pressing into already open wounds and cried against the cloth blocking her from speech. Why were the gods so cruel? Surely she had done nothing to deserve such a fate.
From somewhere ahead the sound of steps rang in her ears. Voices, deep and rough, rose from the darkness. If only she were able to see. Frustration gnawed at her, mingling with ear and weariness. Again she attempted to loosen the grip of the ropes. There had to be something she could do.
"Your Majesty, you must eat." The attempt fell on mutinous ears. Lyanna had decided that she would not follow Rhaegar's orders for once. If he thought he could run roughshod over her he had a thing or two to learn. And she was more than glad to teach him.
"This is absurd, Your Majesty; if you starve yourself to death who shall look after Her Grace once she is returned." Again, she ignored the plea in favour of toying with a string of pearls. Rhaegar had made a gift if it to her after Jon's birth. The beads wrapped around her wrist, their cold kiss enough to give her shivers. He could not keep her imprisoned forever.
Jon rubbed his hands together, any hope of warding off the chill dying away as a gust of wind blew past them. He overlooked the camp from his own tent, eyeing the sea of men. Each and every one of them was engaged in some activity which doubtlessly would see their comfort come nightfall.
"You risk a great deal going against the wishes of a king such as yours." The words had him glancing over his shoulder. "You kneelers do not know how to reward gumption."
"There is a difference between going against a man's wishes and going against the man himself."
"The two are not so easily separated."
He combed his fingers through his hair, wondering not for the first time whether he had been right to do as he'd done. If only he had allowed himself to confer with his lady mother upon the matter. And yet, he knew she would have refused to see the wisdom of crushing the head of the snake when the chance presented itself instead of tiptoeing around the issue.
She'd argue he was too much of a blunt instrument, that sometimes one was best served by patience and careful planning. But would she have had any way of extricating Jaehaera from the dreaded marriage? Would she have had the power to keep it from happening?
Jon brush a hand over his face.
"You can stand with us, or you can run and bow before the dragon and hope he doesn't take your head," Brandon said, his voice muffled by the closeness between him and Ned. "But don't think I'll show you any mercy on the field of battle." He pulled away from his kin with a cold glare.
"You are mistaking Jon's intentions. His fight is not against his sire anymore than it is against his own house. Have you seen the banners your armies fly?"
"He may fight against whomever he desires. I have a bone to pick with the old dragon atop his throne and I mean to see matters through."
"Have a care." The warning was summarily dismissed.
"Have I not told you?" Arianne questioned, crossing her arms over her chest. "The wolves know only how to betray. They dug my poor aunt a grave and thought they could get away with it. And now they wish to bury you as well."
"Let them break their teeth upon the steel of my blade then." Aegon held his weapon up high, watching the light reflect off the metal. Jon would learn that the perils of setting himself against his older brother. He would crush the traitor beneath the heel of his booth.
"Could it be any different?" the woman questioned, the light smile painted upon her lips widening like a rose in full bloom. His Arianne was a smart woman, Aegon decided.
The chamber was well-lit, decorated in a style befitting the gently reared and noble. Jaehaera rubbed her sore wrists, looking warily about. For a brief moment she considered the possibility that she was dreaming but dismissed it upon feeling her flesh protest at the slightest of touches. One did not feel pain in dreams. Gingerly, she brought her legs over the edge of the bed, surprised to meet a soft carpet once she made the jump.
"Yer Grace, you have come to!" She jumped at the sound, coming face to face with a neatly dressed servant woman.
"Where am I?" she demanded. "And who are you?"
The woman bobbed her curtsy. "If it please you, Yer Grace, you are in the home of m'lord Lannister."
"I have been patient with you, but even I have my limits." In her customary stubbornness, his lady wife refused to acknowledge him. Rhaegar was aware he ought to have held her reins that much firmer, alas, he'd thought her behaviour charming once. "Either you begin acting in proper fashion or I shall treat you as you seem to wish I do."
Her lips pursed and she turned her head away. Rhaegar closed his eyes for but a moment, doing his best to stave his temper. "Very well, lady wife; I leave you in the care of the good septas. Let us hope you can be taught a lesson in decorum." Lyanna gave him a chilling glare.
"You will die." Jon held his brother's gaze. The words registered slowly, the genuine wrath beneath them even slower. "If not today then on the morrow. Or the day after. I will not rest until I hand you into the arms of the stranger."
"We all have our ambitions," he quipped with an ease he was not feeling. "While I can claim no such plans myself, I would rather we end this in the way of our forefathers. Let your best man fight against mine."
"I don't believe so. If you would have us battle then let your men follow you into the pits hell."
