It was one of the Holy Days, the Mother's day, everyone was gathered in the septs all across Westeros. In the Sept of Baelor, Rhaella Targaryen knelt beside her husband Aerys, tears were making their way silently down her cheeks. Just the year before she had lost her daughter, Shaena, her little girl had been beautiful but still and silent as she entered the world. Rhaella wanted to know why she couldn't keep her children; she had been three-and-ten when her father had insisted on her marrying her brother Aerys. At just four-and-ten she had had her first child: Rhaegar, her light, her Silver Prince. Ten years they had been married and not even one of her pregnancies had produced a living heir after her son.
She closed her eyes and prayed even harder as they sang to the mother, her hymn was beautiful:
Gentle Mother, font of mercy,
save our sons from war, we pray,
stay the swords and stay the arrows,
let them know a better day.
Gentle Mother, strength of women,
help our daughters through this fray,
soothe the wrath and tame the fury,
teach us all a kinder way.
Suddenly the earth shook, people gasped and some screamed as the big window behind the statue of the mother exploded and something landed on the floor. Rhaella climbed to her feet, she noticed the small bundle of cloth on the ground. But no one could have thrown it, she saw her son Rhaegar he neared the bundle curious. Rhaella hastened after him, wary of what could be in the bundle.
Rhaegar was eight and very curious, he poked the bundle and to the astonishment of all the people gathered a small head turned to look at Rhaegar. Rhaella gasped, the child had green eyes they were slit like a dragon's eye, and the child had silvery-gold hair.
"Hello!" Rhaegar said with a smile.
The little one looked at him and giggled, it was the sweetest sound Rhaella had heard in a long time. "'lo." The child mumbled shyly.
Rhaella kneeled beside Rhaegar, not even noticing the glass cutting her dress or her knees, "Hello Little one, where did you come from?"
The child tilted his head and hummed, "Mother!"
Rhaella froze, "It's a sign!" the Septon exclaimed, "The child came here, it is the Mother's will."
"Mother," the child turned and looked at the statue, causing the cloth he had been buried in to fall down. The child's back was full of scars, but the most shocking thing was the dragon wings curled around the child from his shoulders.
Rhaella grabbed the child before he could take a step onto the glass, "Careful little one, you wouldn't want to cut yourself would you?"
The child shook his head cutely.
"What's your name?" Rhaella questioned, touching the wings softly. They were leathery, rough and smooth at the same time, warm and cold as well.
"Haeron!" the child chirped.
"Haeron? Like the bird." The child nodded, "Do you have a lastname?"
The child wrinkled his nose and nodded, "Haeron… Rose… Targ – Targa –" the child tried.
"Targaryen?" Rhaegar asked with a smile.
Haeron nodded, "Yes that."
Rhaella began crying, the Mother had sent her a child just as she had asked. The child was strange with strange eyes and wings but now Haeron was her's. She let the cloth fall and noticed for the first time that Haeron was a girl, a little girl to fill her heart with joy and comfort.
"How old are you?" Rhaegar asked.
"Four almost five, how old are you?"
"Nine I will be ten next year," Rhaegar mimicked the answer Haeron had given, "Do you like playing?"
Haeron tilted her head endearingly, "I don't know, I have never played anything."
The Septon had been discussing something with Aerys, Aerys finally nodded and made his way over to them. He looked at her, "Her name is weird. Give her a proper Targaryen name and then we can take her home."
Rhaella wasn't proud of the fact that she had been scared of what her husband would say to Haeron, but it seemed like he was willing to accept her for the time being. "Would you like a proper Targaryen name?"
Haeron wrinkled her nose again, "My name is good."
"Yes, but when a mother and father get a new child they name them," Rhaella placated the girl, "How about we call you Rhaenyra Haeron Rose Targaryen, daughter of Aerys and Rhaella Targaryen?"
"I suppose," the newly named Rhaenyra pouted, "But only if you call me Rhae."
"I like that," Rhaella said she looked at Aerys who nodded, "Rhae it is, now let's go home."
The small family made their way out of the Sept and into the Red Keep, Rhaegar led the way and they hurried towards the family wing where a new room was being prepared and made ready. Dresses were already in the works and the seamstress was waiting to take Rhae's measurements, they entered Rhae's new room and Rhae looked at everything wide-eyed.
"This is your room; Rhaegar's room is just across the hall. Your father and I are down at the end of the hall."
Rhae nodded, the seamstress tutted at the measurement she took, "She is much too skinny, we need to make the dresses so she has room to grow."
"I trust your skills on this Mistress Grayme," Rhaella said with a smile, "Just make sure she can wear them, those wings can be a problem."
"My wings?" Rhae turned, her big eyes questioning.
"Yes, we must make sure they have room to fit in your dress." Mistress Grayme explained to the small girl.
Rhae shook her head, "No, they can go."
"Go?" Rhaella asked. Rhae nodded and then in the blink of an eye her wings were gone, "How?" Rhaella asked.
"I tell them to go and they go," Rhae shrugged.
"Well I suppose that is easier but you better make some dresses for her with space for the wings, just in case," Rhaella commented and ordered gently.
As Rhae grew so did the rumors surrounding her, she was hailed for being gifted to the Targaryen's from the Gods. Her strange eyes were still slitted like a dragon's and she was still able to call forth her wings on a whim. People believed that she was a dragon taking human form, that she was a blessing to be revered and feared.
Rhae herself was uncaring of the rumors, she played with the servant kids who lived in the Keep. She scared the guards and loved the Kingsguard as if they were family. Only the Targaryen's and the Kingsguard knew of her strange powers, she had magic and the gift of foresight which some Targaryen's had had in the past. The most noteworthy was, of course, Daenys the Dreamer, who had a vision of the Doom of Valyria and thusly saved the Targaryen's from their fiery end.
When Rhaegar was 18 and she was 14, Aerys wanted to go to Duskendale to bring the traitorous Lord Darklyn to heel. Lord Denys Darklyn wanted independence from the crown and that was something that Aerys couldn't accept.
"Father please!" Rhae begged, "If you go it will be terrible, you will be tortured and possibly killed!"
Aerys turned, "I'm strong, my daughter. I will return triumphant and you will see me as a victor."
"But Father…" she protested weakly.
"I want your blessing Daughter; will you give it to me?" Aerys kneeled before her.
She sighed, her wings ripped their way out of her dress, "I bless you, Father, with all the might of the Targaryen from before and all the Dragons who obeyed them." She kissed his cheeks.
"Thank you Daughter, everything will be fine." Aerys turned towards his wife and sister, "Wife," He bowed his head.
"Husband," Rhaella curtsied deeply, she had protested in private marks from Aerys' temper were not visible but Rhae knew they were there. "Return safely, we will be waiting for your triumphant return."
"My son," Aerys nodded to Rhaegar, Rhaegar just bowed not saying anything. Aerys turned to the wetnurse holding their barely one name day old brother Viserys, "Grow strong my son." Aerys whispered and kissed Viserys.
Aerys mounted his horse, Ser Gwayne Gaunt bowed to the royals and was stopped just as he had mounted his horse, "Please Ser Gwayne," Rhae looked at him pleadingly, "If you enter Duskendale you will die, try to dissuade the King from this."
"I can't," Ser Gwayne said softly his dark-blue eyes begged her to understand, "Bless you, Princess."
"May the Seven watch over you," she whispered and returned to her family, they watched as the force led by Aerys and Ser Gwayne rode away. "They will never return…"
"Sister,"
"No Rhaegar," she turned and looked at him, "You must prepare for the worst, Lord Darklyn will not let them in without it being a trap. Our Father has just walked towards his death."
Rhaegar swallowed, "Are you sure?"
"Yes," Rhae's eyes grew distant as events played in another vision, "When the time comes we must decide what will be best for the realm. To let Aerys die or to let him live."
Rhaegar nodded seriously, "Come Sister lets go talk." They walked in silence towards Rhaegar's Solar where they would be able to talk in privacy. They sat together and Rhaegar poured sweet wine into two cups.
"Thank you," Rhae smiled as she took the cup offered to her.
"What will happen if our father is saved?" Rhaegar never beat around the bush if he could get straight to the truth.
Rhae sighed, "If Aerys is saved… he will return changed, mad… he will be called the mad King. Through his actions and yours," she looked directly at him, "there will be a rebellion and the Targaryen dynasty will fall."
"If we don't rescue him?" Rhaegar shivered it was a bleak future she predicted for their house.
"Then Aerys will die, leading to the noble Lords of Westeros to rise up against Lord Darklyn… they will put you on the throne and then they will expect you to marry." She sighed.
"Marry you of course," He teased.
"No," she shook her head, "I will not be the one they chose."
"Tell me who…"
"I can't," she shook her head; "I can't tell you that if I do things will change. When I come to you with advice I want you to promise me that you will be understanding and do what I ask of you."
"Of course," He promised readily, "I will always heed your visions."
She smiled relieved, "Good."
When the news came they closed their eyes, King Aerys was captured by Lord Darklyn, Ser Gwayne and many of the guards were dead. Rhae frowned and tears gathered in her eyes, she remembered how Ser Gwayne had sung songs with her and taught her how to dance. She looked at the messenger who brought the message and then she looked at Lord Tywin Lannister, the Hand of the King, Lord Tywin looked like he had eaten something sour.
"Thank you for your message," Tywin said imperiously. Rhae nudged Rhaegar who looked at her pointedly she looked at the Iron Throne.
"Yes," Rhaegar cleared his throat, "Thank you indeed, my Lords, of the Small Council and Lord Tywin will you please follow me so we can discuss our options." Tywin glared at Rhaegar but nodded his head, Rhaegar turned and held out a hand, Rhae grasped it firmly and followed him to the room where the Small Council gathered.
"What is the girl doing here?" Maester Pycelle asked.
"My sister is welcomed here by me, Pycelle. That should be explanation enough, my father is held hostage and we need to decide how to respond." Rhaegar snarled.
"Very well Prince Rhaegar," Tywin drawled making Rhae want to punch him senseless, "What is your plan?"
Rhaegar looked at Rhae who smiled, trusting her brother to fix this, "Lord Darklyn wants to get a great response, he craves the drama to gain his charter. Let's not give him what he wants."
"How do we do that?" Tywin asked.
"We simply don't respond, I expect you Lord Tywin to continue being one of the best Hand's we have ever had. Continue as if nothing was wrong." They looked doubting, "While we appear to be doing nothing we will send out ravens, to Winterfell, the Eyrie, Highgarden, Casterly rock and to Sunspear to Prince Doran. We will request aid and men, and when we are ready we will attack with all the might of Westeros and Lord Darklyn will pay for every bruise and pain inflicted on my father!"
The council looked impressed, "Very well, we will do as you ask Prince Rhaegar. You will be expected to lead the army." Lord Tywin said with grudging respect in his voice.
"I will lead them," Rhaegar promised solemnly, "I will be ready when you tell me." With the meeting ended they all walked out of the room.
Rhaegar almost collapsed when they closed the door to his solar, "I did it."
"You did, it was wonderful Rhaegar!" she hugged him, "You showed them that the Targaryen strength is still present in you."
"I was unsure, our father will die… I'm not sure I like this plan."
"But this way many hardships will be prevented." She assured him.
"I trust you with this even if I hate what we have to do."
"I know, and I'm sorry that it's fallen on your shoulders."
"Tell me something Rhae…"
"What?"
"A story." Rhaegar smiled, "Something to distract me."
She nodded seriously, "Once there was a small girl, she was not a normal girl, no, she had magic. Her family didn't like her and they detested having her in their house, so the only place they gave her as a room was a cupboard under the stairs. Their own son had two rooms, one with his bed and the other for his toys…" she told him the story of her own life, her former life.
Death had given her a choice when she had died in childbirth and she had chosen to live, to go on to a world where she would gain a family and a new life. Rhaegar listened and slowly his eyes closed, she would never marry Rhaegar and she hated the visions Death had given her. Who wanted to see the future? To see their entire family slaughtered, to see her niece and nephew killed as a toddler and a baby, who in their right mind wanted that curse?
She closed her eyes and remembered her former life, her friends Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna. Her beloved Seth, who had been an American wizard traveling through England looking at the sights. He had bumped into Hecate as she had been called, and when their eyes met she just knew. He was the one for her.
Together they had explored the world, Seth had loved her deeply and when they had gone to see his parents he had asked her to marry him. Just a day later they had been married, neither of them wanted to wait any longer. It had been the greatest year of her life, she had been so content with her life. Then her pregnancy had taken them quite by surprise, she had been proclaimed as infertile because of a spell that had hit her during the war.
Seth had been there every step of the way, they had celebrated every single kick and movement against her stomach. Then as she was seven months along, Seth had been ambushed by some wizards who thought they could bring back Voldemort. Seth had apparated home and he died in her arms, his last words were of his love for her and his regret at not seeing their child grow.
She had sat there holding him close until Hermione had floo'ed her, as she hadn't turned up for work. Hermione had rushed to her side and gently coached her to let Seth go, but by then it had been too late. Her labor had begun too early from the stress from the loss of her love and from the anguish she felt, Hermione rushed her to St. Mungos and stayed by her side as she fought through the pains. She had seen her son just once before her eyes had fluttered closed, her last word had been her son's name, Orion.
The next thing she remembered was Death standing in front of her, he was shaking his head, "I'm dead aren't I?"
"Yes, Mistress." Death answered.
"What happens now?"
"Now you need to decide," Death showed her three trains, "The red one will lead you back to before all this happened, it will give you a chance to change everything."
She shook her head, "No thank you, I could mess things up even more than they already were."
"The blue one leads to the afterlife." She shrugged as he looked at her, "The green one leads to another world, a world which you could change with your skills and strength."
"What is the world?"
"It's a world which has lost its magic, a world starving for magic. You are needed there, and I will give you a family and skills to help you."
"What skills?"
Death nodded, "This," he conjured a mirror and she gasped at the wings on her back and her reptile looking eyes, "And you will be a seer, good luck."
"I haven't chosen anything yet!" she protested feebly but in her heart, she knew she had chosen her destiny, she would take the green train. She would try to help her new world.
The other trains pulled away from the station and Death wrapped her up in a big blanket, "Good luck Mistress."
The next thing she saw was the silver-haired Rhaegar, her brother.
The response was overwhelming, to say the least; all over Westeros, the Lords pledged themselves and their men to rescue King Aerys from his captivity. Rhaegar prepared himself; he had his armor on and was checking his horse when he noticed Rhae walk out towards him. She was dressed in a blood-red dress, the bodice of her dress was covered in chain mail so she was protected. Her hair was in an intricate braid on her head she wore a circlet made of silver with a single ruby in the middle above her forehead. She was pulling leather gloves on they had a design like scales with small steel scales.
"What do you think you are doing?" Rhaegar asked amused.
"I'm going with you, of course."
"Of course," Rhaegar shook his head, "Why?"
"Because I will stand with you like Visenya and Rhaenys stood by their brother. I will not lose you, besides you promised to heed my warnings. How will you do that if you are so far away from me?"
"It could get ugly," Rhaegar warned.
Rhae scoffed, "I'm a woman, we are stronger than we look, you men think that all women are delicate flowers. I know how to fight, I'm strong and capable. Trust me."
Their eyes met, Rhaegar sighed, "I do trust you, then mount up Rhaenyra Targaryen."
She wrinkled her nose at her full name but did as he asked, she mounted her black horse Sirius. She had named it after her godfather because he was black as night except for a single starburst between his eyes. Named after a star and her godfather had seemed suitable, she mounted and waited for her brother's signal. Their mother stood waiting for them to go, they would take Ser Barristan Selmy, Ser Arthur Dayne, and Prince Lewyn Martell as their personal guard.
"Let's go!" Rhaegar commanded, Rhae rode up so she was beside her brother.
They didn't know that when they appeared before the people dressed for war, the people saw them as Aegon reborn and Rhaenys reborn. They led the army as the leaders, as their forefathers had done before them on dragons.
Even the army couldn't deny how they looked like the true image of the Targaryen dynasty, it comforted the Lords and it comforted the lowborn to know true Targaryen heirs were waiting to take over after Aerys.
To be a see,r is to be understand that nothing is written in stone Rhae had learned, Ser Barristan climbed the walls of Duskendale. He freed King Aerys and escaped. It was something Rhae had not seen, she had rushed to greet her father along with Rhaegar.
"My daughter," Aerys was not the same, she almost cringed at the darkness surrounding her father now, "What are you doing here? In a camp surrounded by men?"
She knelt before him, "My King, my Lord, my Father. I rode with Rhaegar to free you, to get you home where you belong. To the Red Keep in King's Landing."
Aerys lips curled, "You are to return immediately! You and your brother have done enough! And when I see you next we will talk about marriage, you are much too wild."
She blinked furiously trying to stop the tears that were clouding her vision, "As you wish it, so will it be my King." She said shakily.
"Ser Barristan, I want to thank you for your boldness. Prince Duncan was right, Barristan the Bold indeed." It was the last thing she heard before she made her way to her horse, Rhaegar followed her silently.
"He didn't even address me, almost like he didn't see me." Rhaegar mused.
Rhae mounted her horse, "He didn't, something dark has taken root in him. We will all lose our way, Aerys will make sure of it. he is no longer the father we knew."
"Rhae! Wait!" Rhaegar scrambled onto his horse, "We can help him… can't we?"
She shook her head, "No, I fear what will happen now. But know this brother," she looked at him seriously, "If he forces us to marry, I will kill myself on our wedding night."
Rhaegar looked shocked, "Am I really that bad?"
"It's not you Rhaegar," she was frustrated and tugged her braid harshly, "If we marry we make even more…" she gestured, "we risk more miscarriages, more stillborn and more strange children."
"How?"
She wanted to hit something, how do you explain DNA to someone who has no idea what that is, "Look at our family tree," she made a gesture to indicate it, "Our forefather Aenys I married outside our family he got six children, while Aegon I and Visenya only got one. Maekar I and Dyanna Dayne got five children and even our Great-grandfather Aegon V got five children with a bride from another family. Every single time we marry too closely we are not as numerous or as normal as possible. Aegon V saw that he wanted his children to marry outside the family but instead, Jaehaerys married his sister Shaera and they had only two children: Aerys and Rhaella and they have also only two children."
"So we need new blood in the family?"
"Yes!" he understood it, thank all the Gods.
"But you are not my sister by blood," Rhaegar stated.
She groaned, "Rhaegar! I'm your sister! Do you know how revolting it is to think of you even touching me in a romantic way?" Rhaegar thought about it then he made a face of disgust, she laughed, "That is why we can't marry."
"Yeah no, that would just be…" he shuddered in revolt, "No lets never think of that again."
"But if father has his way, we will be married." She sighed, "He will want it for us, and we will be caught."
Rhaegar nodded, "The only way is for you to be betrothed to a match that would help our standing in Westeros…"
She nodded, she had known as much herself. "But what match would do that?"
"We have until father returns to think on it, together we are bound to come up with a solution."
"I hope, or it will kill me."
They rode in silence, Ser Arthur had followed them and had kept silent. He wondered but he also knew it wasn't his place to speak. He made his decision and nodded, "My Princess, my Prince…"
They both turned in their saddles and waited for him to speak, "Yes Ser Arthur?"
"Dorne could be a good choice," Ser Arthur said, "Doran has a brother and a sister, Princess Rhaenyra could be betrothed to Prince Oberyn and they could bind Dorne closer to Westeros."
Rhaegar nodded, "It is a possibility… we will think about it, thank you, my friend."
Arthur bowed his head with a smile, but he noticed the Princess looking anything but pleased at the suggestion.
They arrived at the capital with no delays, Rhaella was there to greet them, "I heard the news!"
"Mother," they both said and embraced her.
"Your father is alive and he wants to celebrate a marriage soon." She smiled, "I'm so happy…"
"Mother…" Rhae hesitated, their mother had so little to smile about these days. Viserys, their little brother, had been taken from her due to the fear Aerys had for his health. As if Rhaella would poison her own son, it was unthinkable but at all times a member of the Kingsguard followed the little child around.
"What is it?" Rhaella asked worried about her children's strange mood.
"Let's go talk," Rhaegar said, "They wanted to keep away from prying eyes and the gossipmongers.
Rhaella closed the door to her rooms with a firm push, she locked it and then she led them to her solar. "We can talk in peace here, what is wrong?"
"Mother, Father wants us to marry… each other right?" Rhaegar said softly.
Rhaella looked from Rhae to Rhaegar and nodded, "I would assume so… to keep the Valyrian look pure."
Rhae swallowed, "I would rather die…"
"Rhae–"
"No Mother! I can't, I just can't marry Rhaegar, I love him like a brother but I will never let him touch me like a husband should touch his wife." She shivered as visions crowded her mind and Rhaegar cringed as he thought about it, "It would destroy me, please Mother you have to help find someone else…" she begged.
Rhaella tapped her lips with the fingers of one hand as she thought about it, it was something she often did when she was dealing with problems. "Your father only want what's best for you both, but…" she held her delicate hand up to stop their protests, "There is perhaps a way out of it."
"How?" Rhaegar asked eagerly as he scooted forward on his chair.
"We could propose marriage with," she paused as if unsure of her solution but then she forged on, "the North."
"The North?" Rhae and Rhaegar echoed, both equally confused.
Rhaella nodded, "The North has long been pulling away from the South, your father and I find ourselves less and less welcomed there. But if we were to marry one of you with say… A Stark child, then we would bind the North to us more securely."
Rhae licked her suddenly dry lips, "Stark… it would have to be me, Rhaegar would never be allowed to marry a wolf…"
Rhaella nodded sagely, "You are right daughter, Aerys would never allow that. So while I will convince him of this I want the two of you to do nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Yes nothing, if you protest too much he will think this is a way for you both to cheat him or the Seven forbid to remove him from his throne. He has a furious temper, just humor me and don't speak of it." Rhaella winced as she thought about the ways Aerys could react towards her if she couldn't formulate it the right way.
"Thank you Mother," Rhae said as she hugged her mother close.
"Yes, thank you," Rhaegar mumbled.
It took almost two moons after Aerys came home for something to happen, Rhae was called to the throne room to stand before the Iron Throne and answer her father's questions.
"Father," she curtsied.
"Daughter," Aerys looked down on her bowed head, "Tell me your plans."
"Plans Father?" she looked up, she frowned as she noticed his almost unkempt state. He was growing a beard, his nails were long, his eyes seemed wild and he kept fidgeting on the throne. "I don't know what you mean…"
Aerys sneered, "Your plans for your life!"
"My life…" she hummed, "I don't have any. I hope my King and Father find me a suitable husband and that I will be happy. That I will ever do my house proud."
"Pretty words…" Aerys hissed as he cut his hand on one of the sharp edges.
"Father? Are you all right?"
He glared at her with such malice that she almost took a step back, but she held her ground. "Pretty words can be deceiving…"
"Yes Father, they can be deceiving. I cannot prove to you my sincerity, nor can I say anything else in my defense. I trust you to judge my sincerity and come to the right decision." She held her head high as a proper Targaryen should.
"I'm considering marriage for you…" he looked at her waiting for her reaction.
She nodded regally, "I see…"
His eyes narrowed, "There are two I would consider, one I trust and the other… not so much."
"I will wait anxiously for your decision and learn who my future husband will be." She curtsied.
With a wave of his hand, he dismissed her; she breathed calmly and walked with every inch of elegance and poise she could muster. She walked calmly to her room and when the door closed behind her she collapsed to her knees. The father she knew was gone, in his place was a man who thought her capable of treason and in some dark corner of his mind hated her. His eyes were wild and paranoid where before they had often been calm, serious and when his temper flared furiously. She shivered at how close she had come to offend him and then possibly losing her life.
"Sister?" A quiet knock disturbed her musings.
She stood up on shaky legs and opened the door; Rhaegar took one look at her before he entered her room, closed and locked the door. He gathered her into his arms and hugged her close, "Arthur said you might need me right now…"
"He was there?" she asked as a sob worked its way out of her throat.
"He was," Rhaegar shushed her and steered them towards a settee where they could sit together, "He told me you looked like a Queen when our father questioned you. He said you answered with strength and conviction. What did he say?"
"He accused me of being a traitor and a liar… not openly of course but if you read between the lines, it's definitely there." She sobbed, "He is not the father I know, he looked at me with madness and hatred."
Rhaegar rocked her gently; he was just as lost as her. He understood even less of what kind of man their father had become; Lord Darklyn had unlocked something dark and sinister in Aerys' soul that could not be hidden anymore. "We just have to weather the storm."
"What if this is the one storm we cannot weather? What if he…" she couldn't finish the sentence.
"It will never happen, I promise you," he raised her head with his hands, their eyes met and his voice lowered to a whisper, "If he even tries I will rise against him, I will remove him from the Iron Throne. I will become King in his stead if he tries anything."
"Hush Rhaegar," she whispered firmly, "Don't speak like that, its treason."
He nodded, "I wonder if mother asked him, or if it's his own idea. Can you See anything?"
She sighed, "No, my own future has always been clouded."
"What about mine?"
She closed her eyes, images appeared before her. But not a vision just memories, "Nothing I can See right now."
"It's fine," he shrugged.
"Well, I would have liked it if I could force the visions out when I wanted them but instead they can overwhelm me at the most inopportune moments."
Rhaegar nodded, "I know it frustrates you, but perhaps it's for the best. This way no one can try to force you to See anything."
Someone knocking on the door interrupted them; Rhaegar rose and unlocked the door while she did her best to wipe her face so no one could see that she had cried. "Mother?"
She turned and sure enough, Rhaella stood there waiting, "My son, daughter. Rhae, come with me, your father wishes for a word in private."
Rhae rose and brushed her dress down; she ran a comb through her curls and nodded to Rhaegar who nodded, "I'll be back soon, please wait for me?"
"Of course," Rhaegar promised.
They left Rhaegar in her room and made their way towards the King's chambers, "Daughter, speak carefully and precise. Your father has had a very trying day."
"I understand Mother," she answered softly, "Is this meeting about my future marriage?"
"Yes," Rhaella nodded, "The decision is his, I wonder what he chose."
"In any case, we will find out soon," they entered the right hallway, Rhaella knocked and they were welcomed by Aerys. Carefully they sat down and waited for Aerys to speak.
"Daughter," Aerys said, "On the subject of your future marriage…"
"Yes Father," she nodded.
"I have decided to marry you to the North," She breathed deeply, "Your future husband will be Eddard Stark."
She wanted to breathe out in relief but she just nodded, "As you wish father."
"The first son of Lord Stark is already betrothed and with a second son you will not be eligible to becoming a ruling Lady of this land." Aerys sneered, "And you will no longer have a hold over Rhaegar."
So Aerys wanted to erase her from people's mind by marrying her to the Stark boy, he wanted her far away and hidden from Westeros. She would not give him that, but she had no reason to show him that. She smiled, "It sounds like you have chosen a good husband for me, Father."
Aerys seemed pleased by her acceptance of his choice, "You will be sent north in a few weeks, and soon you will be married."
She wanted to frown; normally the eldest son would be married first. As far as she knew Brandon Stark was betrothed to Catelyn Tully, so she would be beneath Catelyn when she married Eddard. Could she even understand and learn to love the cold people of the North? She had never been North, she doubted she even knew someone from the North… but it was too late to wonder, she was to marry a Stark and she would do as ordered.
"I will go pack and make sure I will be suitably dressed for the cold climate. I will make you proud Father, Mother." She curtsied and left the room.
Her trek through the castle back to her room was in a blur; visions overwhelmed her… it showed a boy being born, his mother dying in pain. A young girl with silver hair being attacked by an assassin, Viserys, sweet little Viserys sobbing his heart out, a fire burning with men being burned alive on the fire Aerys was laughing in the background. She shivered and held onto the wall as she saw a small silver haired baby being smashed against the wall until it stopped crying.
She stumbled into her room, "Rhae!" Rhaegar's arms wrapped around her supporting her weight and she almost screamed as she saw Rhaella dead. "Rhae snap out of it! It's not real!"
She blinked, she was on her back on her bed, Rhaegar was sitting next to her worry shining in his indigo eyes. "Brother?" her voice was weak and she couldn't understand why.
"Sister, you were caught in a vision. You have been delirious the last three hours – what happened in the vision?"
"I–" she paused and remembered the awful things she saw; "I saw our mother's death."
Rhaegar covered his mouth in shock, "What?... I…" he didn't know what to say.
"I saw it and it killed me… things are in motion and now it will all begin. Brother, remember that promise you made?"
"That I would always heed your advice and follow your suggestions."
"Promise me you will keep it until you are King, swear on the lives of our brother and mother…" she stared at him waiting for his answer.
"I swear," Rhaegar nodded and cupped her face in his hands, "I swear on my life and the lives of Mother and Viserys, I will keep my promise until I become King."
She breathed out shakily and nodded, "Thank you, remember and uphold that promise and maybe just maybe we will get out of this alive."
"So what did father tell you?"
"He has decided to move me from your side, to place me far away and with a second son. I'm to marry Eddard Stark, the second son of Lord Rickard Stark, Warden of the North."
Rhaegar frowned, "So far away… it's offensive towards you, to marry you to a second son." He fumed.
"But that way he is securing you and Viserys, Eddard has no claim on anything but what his brother deign to give him, which means that when I marry him I will, in essence, become as far from a Queen as I can possibly be. It also makes you weaker; I fear what he will think of you when he already suspects me of being a traitor." She closed her eyes in pain at the thought of losing Rhaegar.
"At least he didn't marry you off to an old man…" Rhaegar tried to console her.
"No, but he sealed my fate. My life is now tied to the Warden's of the North." She smiled weakly, "I will travel there in two weeks time, to meet Lord Rickard, Brandon, Benjen and Lyanna Stark. My betrothed is as far as I understand it in the Eyrie, where he is fostering with Lord Jon Arryn."
Rhaegar nodded, "I will go to the seamstress and ask her to buy some furs for you, the North is a cold and strange land."
She smiled, "Thank you Rhaegar, don't… don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I always am."
He nodded, stood up, bowed to kiss her forehead and left her room. She sighed, in her other life she was free to choose who to marry. She had loved and fought with all her strength but it had not been enough, would this marriage end in tragedy again? Or would it make her stronger than she had ever been? She closed her eyes and slowly she fell into a deep sleep where her visions haunted her.
The day dawned crisp and clear, Rhaenyra Targaryen and her procession of guards made their way towards Winterfell. They had traveled first by ship from King's Landing to White Harbor, and from there they had been on horseback with a wagon where all her belongings were stored. Now they neared Winterfell, she studied the town, it was said that in summer, Winter town would be almost deserted but in winter the town would be one of the largest settlements in the North.
Autumn was warned and the town had begun to grow with people again, most of them stopped and watched as the Targaryen banner was snapping in the wind, proclaiming that a Targaryen had arrived at their home. She nodded to people and waved to the children watching, perhaps doing that would help endear people to her.
Winterfell was a giant citadel, it was partially hidden in the cold mist but she was surprised by how much she liked the place already. Something about it reminded her of Hogwarts and Potter Manor, while the lands surrounding Winterfell resembled Scotland which made her smile.
In the courtyard people were gathered, the entire household. Lord Stark with his children was waiting for her. She dismounted gracefully, Lewyn Martell her only guard from the Kingsguard offered his hand to her. She placed her hand in his and together they walked to the Stark's waiting for them.
"Lord Stark," she curtsied, "Thank you for your kind letter."
She had not expected a letter of any kind but Lord Rickard had surprised her, he had written her a letter where he welcomed her to their family and told her a bit about Winterfell the land surrounding it and his family. It had helped settle her nerves a bit, she had felt more secure coming to the North after that letter.
"It was my pleasure," Rickard bowed back, "Welcome to Winterfell Princess Rhaenyra."
"Thank you, Lord Rickard."
"May I present my children," he clasped a hand on the eldest shoulder, "My son and heir Brandon," Brandon bowed with a wink, she pretended not to notice he was to be her future Lord, he was a year older than her and he was betrothed. Brandon had grey eyes and long dark brown hair, he seemed as wild as the land that surrounded them and she vowed to herself that she would have to watch him closely.
Rickard reached out a hand to his daughter, "My daughter Lyanna." Lyanna curtsied sweetly she was one-and-ten name-days old and surely she would be a beauty when she got older. She had brown hair that the Starks seemed to favor, grey eyes that glittered with a love for life and adventure. There was also a stubborn set to her, and Rhae guessed that she would have to spend plenty of time chasing after the girl.
Rickard looked to the last child, "And last my son Benjen," Benjen smiled shyly and hid his face by looking down so his brown hair covered his face. He was only nine, his eyes were blue and he carried many of the same features that his siblings wore.
"I'm pleased to meet all of you, thank you for your warm welcome." She curtsied deeply, "And this is my guard Prince Lewyn Martell of the Kingsguard."
"Welcome Prince Lewyn," Rickard clasped hands with Lewyn and then he turned to look at her, "We have arranged bread and salt for you and your companions." He smiled, "And a small feast once we have tasted the bread."
She smiled, they were led inside by the Stark's and she was of course seated on the right hand of Lord Stark. She ate the bread, it was a tradition she couldn't understand. Why would anyone eat bread and salt? And just that without anything else like butter, meat or perhaps even some oil. Anything else really, but no it was dry bread made drier by even more salt… traditions were crazy sometimes.
Soon after they were served venison and pork roasted to perfection, a salad made of roots and other winter vegetables, and roasted potatoes, all of it was served with a sauce that brought it all together. She liked the hardy meal, something like that was hardly ever served in the Red Keep. Once again she was reminded of her other life in Hogwarts, where hardy meals were served every day and she had loved eating them.
"I look forward to meeting my betrothed, Lord Stark. Is he arriving soon?" she asked gently.
"Please call me Rickard. Eddard will be here soon, you must have had a favorable wind since you arrived so soon. We hadn't expected you all nearly a week earlier." Rickard excused, "Or we would have had time to prepare a more suitable feast for you, Princess."
"Then you must call me Rhaenyra or Rhae, I understand, I hope Eddard will like me."
"I'm sure he will; he will be bringing his foster brother home with him, Robert Baratheon. A robust lad, with much strength hidden inside his young body."
She smiled, "I know Lord Steffon very well he and Lady Cassana are on their way fulfilling the King's wishes, as far as I know." She shrugged when he looked at her with surprise, "Court gossip…"
"I see, we don't have a lot of that here…" Rickard said with a small smile, "but hopefully you will like them both. Robert is likely you become a lifelong friend to our Ned."
"Ned?"
"His nickname, all my sons have nicknames thanks to Lyanna. Brandon is Bran, Benjen is Ben and Eddard became Ned." Rickard explained.
"Oh, I see, well then its good that I have my own nickname so I will fit in."
Rickard laughed, "Oh I think you will fit in just fine."
After the meal she was led to a room where she would stay until her wedding night, it was sparsely decorated a big bed covered in furs, a fireplace to keep the cold at bay, two chairs and a small rug covered the floor between them. A window let in the moon rays and opposite the window was a single tapestry which covered the wall, it depicted King Aegon and King Torrhen Stark's surrender.
She had always loved that story, the way King Torrhen knew that he was beaten. That he couldn't go against the dragons and by bending a knee to Aegon he singlehandedly saved the thirty thousand men who had flocked to the Stark banner. It reminded her of her own sacrifice, without it her world would have fallen to Voldemort and that megalomaniac would have killed them all when the muggles found out about them which they would have for Voldemort wanted to be the ruler of all.
She noticed that whoever made the tapestry had used a silver thread for Aegon's hair and that Torrhen didn't look like a defeated man, he actually looked like a king even while kneeling before Aegon. Even more surprising was the way Aegon was portrayed, he looked kind almost forgiving as he stood there, his crown shining upon his head with his dark red cloak flaring out behind him.
Whoever had decorated this room knew what would please her, and had decorated it for her. She got ready for bed, the last days had taken its toll on her body. She changed into a thin chemise and braided her silver curls, she removed the necklace Rhaegar had handed her when she left King's Landing. It was their crest the three-headed dragon made in gold with a silver background, but behind it was the outline of a direwolf etched into the silver.
Showing both her old side and her new, Rhaegar had whispered "I promise," to her when he fastened it around her neck.
She had bit back her tears and had hugged him for a long while until Aerys huffed angrily, she had let Rhaegar go and had smiled, "Take care of Viserys, Mother, and Father they will need your support."
"I will," he brushed a lock of hair from her face, "We'll take care of ourselves, just stay strong and show them what a dragon can do."
She had nodded and walked up the gangplank, the ship had begun to move immediately and she looked back at her family. Rhaella was crying waving to her with a sad smile, Aerys had already turned his back and was on his way back to the Red Keep, and Rhaegar, her handsome brother was looking at her with eyes that promised death to anyone who would dare to lay a hand on her.
She sighed and got into bed, the room was chilly but it didn't matter to her. She made sure the furs covered her and soon she was dreaming.
A timid knock woke her a few hours later, she blinked in confusion, no one ever knocked on her door this early or late… she frowned what time was it anyway. The timid knocking pulled her out of her sleep-addled thinking again.
"Yes?"
The door opened just a bit, Benjen looked inside. "Hi…"
She smiled at his low voice and the shy glances he gave her, "Hello Benjen, what can I do for you?"
"Nightmare," she patted her bed, he hurried inside, closed the door and jumped below the covers beside her. She hugged him close, he shivered, "They chased me…"
"Who?"
"White Walkers…" he trembled, "They were chasing me… but I was older… they wanted to kill me…"
She frowned, it seemed almost as… as her own dreams at that age, before she knew how to handle them. Like a vision, but did the Stark's have anyone in their family with that kind of gift? Perhaps something in him knew she would understand him and would take care of him.
"Hush, no white walker can get you here. I am a dragon and dragons aren't scared about something like them. I will protect you, just sleep." Benjen yawned, "Just go to sleep Benjen."
"Ben…" He yawned again, "just Ben."
She smiled and they both snuggled down under the furs together, they fell asleep with no more bad dreams haunting either of them.
A woman's voice woke her up the next morning, "My Lord! My Lord! Little Benjen is gone! No one can find him!" she sounded close to panicking.
Rhae slid out of the bed and put on a robe, it was soft and warm, slowly so as not to wake little Ben she opened the door. Lord Rickard stood just outside interrogating the poor woman who looked absolutely devastated.
"My Lord?"
"Not now Princess – My son is gone and no one can find him." Rickard ran a hand through his hair.
"Look here, Lord Rickard." She held the door open so he could look inside, "He had a nightmare and came to talk to me last night. I guess we just fell asleep. I'm sorry if I did anything inappropriate."
"You didn't," Rickard breathed out in relief, "Thank the Gods he didn't get kidnapped or wandered off."
"Wandered off?"
Rickard shook his head, "Yes, after my dear Lyarra's death, he has had nightmares and sometimes he wanders the halls. We have a maid sleeping in his room to keep it from happening." He looked at the now sobbing woman, "But it obviously wasn't the right choice."
She smiled, "He is welcome to sleep in my room, I often have nightmares too."
Rickard hummed, "Perhaps he needs a woman's influence, if you could consent to have a second bed in case he wants to sleep in here," He nodded to himself, "I will still insist that he sleeps in his own room but if he has a nightmare then he can sleep in here."
"It sounds like a good plan."
I don't know if there will ever be more of this but for now, it will remain as it is... hopefully I will be able to write on it when my muse returns after her holiday... if she returns