Chapter VI
A/N: Sometimes this story can be a real pita. I love it, but it is incredibly problematic at times. Unlike my prior GoT story, I will finish this one. Takes place roughly 3 months after Robert and Runa's wedding. There will be two chapters for the coronation and the tournament afterwards. Thank you, SAL Stratton for your help. Looking forward to seeing what you all think. SSD
If Rhaegar thinks that he has been discreet, he's got a lot to learn. It's incredibly obvious, Lord Varys, Master of Whispers on the small council thought as he observed the corpse of Aerys II Targaryen splayed on the Iron Throne, with a stab wound in his chest, apparently from an assassin's blade.
The entire Red Keep was in lockdown while the Kingsguard along with the Goldcloaks searched the area, including the secret passages. All were trying to find the supposed assassin.
Many people had the motive, means, and opportunity to kill Aerys. But only one was in the area of the Red Keep at the time: Rhaegar himself.
Varys was unsure as to whether the so-called Silver Prince had done the deed himself or had someone else do it on his orders. If he had to guess (his little birds were fast at work figuring it out for sure) the Lord of Griffin's Roost had likely done the deed, since he was the current Hand of the King.
Most would ignore that Rhaegar had ordered such a thing. To many, he was the shining hope for the realm after the reign of his father. Varys himself used to be in that number. Until he read the lost letter Lyanna Stark had sent to her "Silver Prince" that Princess Elia had burnt after reading.
It had spoken of prophecy, the remaking of the three heads of the dragon, and magic. Prophecies had only brought trouble for the Targaryen dynasty in the last century.
Lyanna Stark had also betrayed her cousin Runa, the new Lady of Storm's End, as a greenseer and warg. He was glad that the letter had been burnt, for messing around with magic only caused trouble.
He was on his way to meeting with Elia, using an already searched secret passage to get to her rooms unnoticed. Queen Rhaella would be there as well.
Shortly before arrival, a little bird of his gave him a note. It seemed that his suspicion was true: Jon Connington had done the deed on Rhaegar's orders. The new king was also still focused on the prophecy, now with Runa Baratheon, formerly Stark in his focus.
Once he entered the room, Varys murmured, "It seems that the Lord of Griffin's Roost is willing to do anything for Rhaegar. He is the one who assassinated Aerys, on Rhaegar's orders."
"Not too surprising. What is his reward?" Elia queried from where she was sitting. Ser Lewyn was standing guard.
"He gets to remain Hand of the King, and Rhaegar will start actively looking for excuses to deprive House Baratheon of being Lords Paramount of the Stormlands," Varys replied as he took a sip of Dornish red.
"That will not go over well. Like the North, the Stormlands can only be ruled by a Baratheon. Did you hear about the ruckus he caused at Robert Baratheon's wedding to Runa Stark?" Rhaella asked.
"Yes. He made a rather large fool of himself. He alienated most of the rest of his fellow Stormlords and several Northern families as well," Varys replied.
"Is Rhaegar still focused on the prophecy," Elia asked.
"He is. Now he wants to use Runa Baratheon for the prophecy in the place of her cousin," Varys said, whilst looking around the room before continuing, "Little does he know, he will find her to be unsuitable in a short time."
"How so?" Rhaella asked.
"Baratheon's are known to be fast workers."
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Her stomach kept twisting and turning, and Runa was forced to alternate between clamping a hand over her mouth in a futile attempt at keeping her food down, and pressing it against her clammy forehead.
Ros, who was becoming more and more concerned as the days passed, had offered to fetch Maester Cressen, but Runa truly didn't wish to bother the man needlessly.
It was just a fever, one that would soon pass, but she prayed it would hurry along.
"Perhaps I could fetch some ginger from the kitchen for you to chew on?" Ros suggested, eyeing her charge from across the lady's chambers. Run had spent another day inside and her husband was starting to ask questions. Ros had many of her own. "My mother swears by it. It is supposed to ease sickness of the stomach."
Runa shook her hand, taking slow, even to abate her nausea.
"No, I will be alright. It'll pass."
"You have been like this for a couple of weeks now, Runa, and it's about time that we did something about it."
Ros was right.
Runa had been experiencing the same sickness, vomiting, light-headedness and back aches for more than a couple of weeks. It had interfered with her getting to know those that worked in and around the castle. She liked to try to do that, even though most of the time she was awkward around people she didn't know.
But, as she thought more on it, there was something she had missed this month...and the last...and the month before that.
Her moon blood.
She hadn't bled in three months, not since before her wedding.
Runa's eyes widened, quickly darting towards her handmaiden and dearest friend, but Ros had distracted herself with organising the new dresses Robert had purchased for her.
She couldn't be...not this soon, surely?
Three times the young wife counted back the days in her head, and three times she reached the same conclusion.
Her child. Hers and Robert's.
She was torn between being joyful, apprehensive or simply impressed that her apparently virile husband had managed to put a babe in her belly so quickly.
Runa scolded herself, wordlessly.
She'd have to go to Maester Cressen for confirmation before she got her, or anyone else's, hopes up, but part of her was certain.
Runa Baratheon carried her first child.
###
Travelling by sea to King's Landing from Storm's End was far easier than travelling by land, even when Shipbreaker Bay was taken into account. It had taken three weeks to get everything together for the voyage. Runa had sworn that the next time it would be shorter.
It would also be easier for them to leave when the festivities were over.
Robert did not want to spend any more time in the capitol city than he absolutely had to. Outside of official events, he had no desire to spend time with his royal cousin.
Contrary to popular belief, he wasn't stupid when it came to politics, even if he had no patience for them. Robert had been able to tell what Ned wasn't saying when he told him about Lyanna's demise: Rhaegar had been involved in some way.
Now that Rhaegar was going to be king, he was even more untouchable. The only way Robert could get at him would be in the tournament and unhorsing him, which would not be an easy feat.
He was brought from his musings by the sound of retching. Both his new wife Runa and her companion Ros did not agree with sea travel, they'd been keeping to their cabins for most of the voyage, only coming out at the absolute calmest of times.
It seemed that Lady Ros had finally found her sea legs. His wife was not so lucky.
"Runa, my lady. I'm sure you'll get your sea legs eventually. It even took me a while to get mine," Robert hoped that it would bring her some comfort.
This made his wife chuckle a little before remarking, "Thank you husband. I am also somewhat nervous about being in the Capitol for the first time. I have a… bad feeling that something might happen, that would not be good for the Starks or the Baratheons."
"No one in the Capitol would harm you. You are kin to the royal family by marriage. Who would want to tempt the wrath of the Targaryens? Or me? The House words "Ours is the Fury" has been put into practice many times over the years," Robert tried to make her smile.
"Who indeed?" she murmured with a faraway look in her eyes. In the short time since their marriage, Robert noticed that she got those a lot.
Breaking the silence, Runa then asked, "I think that I would like to try and eat something. Is there any bread?"
###
It had taken over a month, but all of the Lords Paramount had finally arrived, with the Starks being last. They'd sailed into Blackwater Bay with three of their newest ships, ostensibly for their new trade fleet, something his father had agreed to oddly.
Rhaegar was surprised that the Starks had even shown up, given that they saw his actions as attempted kidnap and accessory to suicide instead of his attempting to rescue Lady Lyanna from her unwanted marriage.
He still needed his Visenya. The three heads of the dragon were needed to prevent the end of the world.
And the Visenya had to come from ice. Which meant she had to be of the North from her mother. And since Lyanna had been forced to take her own life, there was only one suitable woman left: Her cousin Runa, the new Lady Baratheon.
Rhaegar knew next to nothing about the only remaining woman with Stark blood in her veins. And it seemed, most of the North knew little of her as well. She had been sick as a child, and had only become healthy in recent years.
Lyanna had not liked her for some reason, she had said as much in her letters. Rhaegar had been hoping to find one last letter from her that explained her reasons when he returned to King's Landing, to no avail.
He needed to speak to Lady Runa on the matter of becoming his mistress. It wasn't like his dear cousin would stay faithful in the long run. He was well aware that few women would say no to him.
Runa Baratheon would be no exception.
The rooms for the Baratheons were near to the royal quarters, given their blood relation to the Targaryens. After ascertaining that none of the Baratheons were in their quarters at the moment, Rhaegar went looking around the Red Keep. Ser Barristan was on duty at the moment. Arthur had the day off, which he was spending with his sister.
As he crossed by an entrance to the gardens, he heard Northern accented voices. Rhaegar stopped to snoop.
"It's nice that there is one place in this cesspit that doesn't stink. When we entered Blackwater Bay, I nearly started vomiting again," Lady Baratheon murmured.
"The South could use some advice from how the Manderly's run White Harbor. Not that they'd listen," her companion groused. She was Lady Rossalynd Umber, from the North.
"In their eyes, the South is superior in every way. Nothing for the "savage" North to improve on!" Lady Baratheon rolled her eyes at that statement.
At that moment, he entered the gardens with "Lady Baratheon. Lady Umber. I hope you are enjoying the gardens."
Both ladies dropped into curtsies. While they were not as smooth as ladies in the South, they were perfectly serviceable. When they came up again, Lady Baratheon replied, "We are, your Grace. It's nice to have some fresh air in the city."
"Lady Baratheon, I would speak to you in private. Perhaps Lady Umber could continue her stroll without you?" Rhaegar stated.
"Forgive me your Grace, but I promised Lord Stark that I would always keep Lady Runa safe. I can hardly do that if I am not by her side," Lady Umber replied, not moving.
"Whatever you have to say to me can be said in front of Rossalynd," Lady Baratheon replied with narrowed eyes.
He had to take what he could get. "You're very beautiful. I could almost get lost in your eyes."
"Dispense with the false flattery your Grace and just say what you came here to say. I'm not one of your southern maidens, swooning at the first knight to give them a kind word," Lady Baratheon stated, her companion snorting in amusement.
Before he could get another word in, she cut across with "I am not my cousin. I am not so easily fooled by honeyed words."
"You certainly are not. I would like for you to be my mistress," Rhaegar replied bluntly.
Both women were rendered speechless and were gaping.
"With all due respect your Grace, I have a duty to my husband," Lady Baratheon replied first.
"And you expect him to remain faithful to you," he asked.
"I have been taking every day as it comes at me your Grace. For the moment, my husband has been most faithful and attentive. Even if he wasn't, I would still decline your offer. May I have your leave your Grace?" Without even waiting for his permission, Ladies Runa and Rossalynd left the area.
How was he supposed to get his Visenya?
###
The coronation ceremony had been going on for several hours now. Aegon had been getting fussy in her arms as they waited for the part of the ceremony where he would be proclaimed Crown Prince. Elia was not being crowned with her husband, something that had angered both of her brothers.
Elia looked out over the crowd. She saw her brothers, uncle, her most trusted friend Ashara, and her brother Arthur. Arthur was now spying on Rhaegar for her and Dorne.
Her eyes then fell on the Baratheon contingent. They were closer to the front than most, given their blood connections to the Targaryens. Lady Runa looked nervous to be there, even though she was standing between her husband and her companion. Oberyn was already eying the redheaded companion with considerable interest. Whatever he did, Elia hoped he remained discreet.
Aegon sneezed as he was anointed with the holy oils of the 7. Soon he would be able to be put down for a nap.
As the procession made its way out of the Sept of Baelor, Elia thought of what Arthur had told her of what Rhaegar had offered Lady Runa, and her refusal of his offer to be his mistress.
I suppose I am lucky it is her that she asked. Cersei Lannister and/or Mina Tyrell would have agreed before my husband would be able to finish his sentence!
A/N 2: Looking forward to seeing what you all think. The feast and tourney will be in the next chapter, which should be a faster turnaround. Today is the feast day of Saint Maximillian Kolbe. SSD