Chapter 2: last words

RECAP

'after six hours of fighting Rhaegar finally struck Robert down with his very hammer. However, rebellion came to an end when Lord Stark halted his forces after getting a raven from his sister that was delayed. Rhaegar was brutally injured. He was taken to Dragonstone. When maester Cressen saw his condition, he understood that there's nothing he could do to save him, but he tried his best to ease the pain.'

"Ser- Oswell" Rhaegar murmured, lying in his bed. He knew that he won't live long but He just wanted to see her, love of his life, 'his Lyanna' and his children one last time. Maester Cressen turned to him, bowed and then walked out of the room.

Not long after, Ser Oswell entered the room "Your grace." There was a dampness in his eyes. He had looked after Rhaegar from the day he was born, but he couldn't protect him in a real battle. Even though he knew there's nothing he could have done, but still it didn't help his contrite conscience.

"I want to see Aegon and Rhaenys," Rhaegar asked followed by a groan. He could feel pain in his limbs, gut, head, his whole body and if Maester hadn't given him milk of the poppy. He's sure he would have died of pain.

"Princess Rhaenys and Prince Viserys have left kings landing and will be here soon your grace." He barely managed to say. He felt like something struck his throat on the inside. The only thing he knew was that he doesn't have the nerve to tell him the truth. Rhaegar simply nodded, without thinking much, merely waiting to see his children."Anything else, your grace" Ser Oswell asked in a stiff tone which he was supposed to keep as kingsguard but at the end of the day he was also a man who loves and cares for others. When Rhaegar didn't say anything and closed his eyes, he took it as yes and left.

There was a tumult in the castle. Abruptly, the door opened, Rhaegar opened his eyes to find his best friend Arthur standing, he was holding something, But his nape aches too much to arch so he couldn't see what he was holding, but as he walked forward everything became more and more clear with a little gobbling sound of a babe.

Arthur walked to him but with an obscure stiffness in his eyes. He placed the child at his side. Rhaegar was faintly amused to see his son being so hushed while plainly gaping all around with his barely opened eyes. He wanted to hold his son. He tried lifting his left arm, but that was in vain. He tried lifting his other hand and sanguinely his right arm hadn't left him yet.

He looks at his child "He looks just like her" he couldn't help but smile at his child with his heart full of love."He sure looks like his mother, but not stubborn like her at all," Arthur said with a faint smile, Abruptly Rhaegar's mind clicked "Lyanna, where is she? How is she doing" he looks at his friend, waiting for an didn't reply, just lowered his head, not wanting to look into his eyes. He didn't know how to tell him about Lyanna and control his over heightened vehemences.

"Tell me where is she" Rhaegar was getting restless, he just wanted to hear that 'she is fine' but right somewhere in his mind, he knew….Nevertheless, he put that thought aside. 'maybe she stayed in Dorne, well it's not good to travel soon after pregnancy'. His own mind fighting for just one assurance that she is fine. "Tell me" Rhaegar shouted, tears coming down his face.

Finally, Arthur spoke churlishly "she is dead, she didn't survive the travail " Arthur didn't look in his eyes. He was trying his best not to scream, cry and kill. And the worst part of all of this was that it's not Rhaegar for whom he was melancholic instead, It was Rhaegar, whom he wanted to beat to a pulp. 'It was because of Rhaegar, she was at that despicable place. It was because of him, she is dead' same introspections trotting through his mind. He doesn't know who is right or what is right anymore. He could only reminisce her last words but not her.

Flashback (tower of joy, Dorne)

"You're going to be fine. You will be okay...u are okay "Arthur said looking at Lyanna lying in a pool of blood, barely retaining his stance as his knee wasn't helping him. He was trying hard not to look at the midwife or maid that would tell him otherwise, his knees hard on the ground beside the bed while holding her hand.

"Dayne I want to be brave," she says sobbing, tears all over her pale face."U are... shhh just breath." Arthur was just trying to disregard what he knows and what will happen. "No, I am not,….. I don't want to die "her voice shuddering at every single word."No, you are not going to die… water … water, bring her some water " he shouted, just trying to hold his tears at bay. He never wanted to see her like this.

"No,...Dayne" she tightens her grip on his hand.

"you there, get a maester now" Arthur shouts blindly just trying to deny the inevitable, but then, he hears her say, "Protect him, Dayne, please" she winks to a maid standing aside table. She brings a baby boy to him. He had same grey stark eyes just like her. He takes him into his arms and then looks at her. She was smiling but he couldn't do that, 'she is dying. I wanted her to live her life, to enjoy do whatever she wants. I wanted to stay by her side as her Queensguard always protecting her but no, no, no, I was supposed to protect her, no it's not supposed to end like this'.

"Promise me, Dayne," she says, almost begging him,"I promise I will,...I promise" he looked into her eyes and made an oath,albeit he couldn't protect her, but he will protect him. Suddenly, Lyanna pulls him close and whispers in his ear. " His name is Jon Targaryen" and with these words, she gives her last breath.

He helds her head over his shoulder. Knowing she is gone, forever he finally whispers in her ear" I love you" with Tears coming down his eyes, unable to hold them anymore. He looked at the child in his arm who has started crying, making him wonder if he also sensed that his mother is no more.

Flashback ends

Rhaegar was crying silently and looking at his son."She named him Jon Targaryen," Arthur says coldly, again not showing any emotion. "We fought for weeks over it. I wanted him to have a Targaryen name, but she wanted a northern one. Look like she finally did got what she wanted" Rhaegar eyes still wet, reminiscing Lyanna and moments they spent together in Dorne.

Abruptly, Arthur said in loud grunt voice," Did you really think she got what she wanted? " giving Rhaegar death glares. Rhaegar looked at him, confused but Rhaegar could swear he saw pure anger in his eyes. "Do you really think she wanted war…. or death of her brother and father" Arthur literally shouts at him. Rhaegar was surprised to see Arthur enraged and shouting for the first time in his life and to him, now.

"Do you think she wanted to leave her little child motherless "Arthur wasn't thinking before speaking it all just came out, 'He loved her, and she died in his arms. After getting a bit of his anger out, he just left the room, not wanting to look at him.

Rhaegar remained silent, still countering the shock. He has always been the calm one but never foolish. He understood everything, when he saw the hurt and anger on Arthur's face, Wondering 'Why he never saw it before' But then he just looked at his child and smiled with tears in his eyes.

"Brother" Rhaegar heard a voice. The door opened, he saw his brother standing, with an anxious look on his face. However, Before he could reply, Viserys eyes were already at Jon, "Viserys, meet Prince Jon Targaryen, your nephew" he said looking at his brother,

Viserys grinned at his brother,"Are you sure… he doesn't look like you" smiling, he moved forward and settled on edge of the bed looking at his stillborn nephew."But he is placid one just like me," Rhaegar said, with a smirk on his pale face. He looks at his brother "where is Rhaenys and Aegon, want to see them while I have time"

Viserys couldn't answer, he didn't know, where to begin, his own heart was breaking in million right there. But he tried to gather up all his strength to tell him the truth" when you were at Trident, Robert's assassins infiltrated the red keep and…" Rhaegar looks at him in distress "and"

"They murdered father, Elia, and- Aegon"

"Noooooooo, it can't be "he screamed. His whole world was on the grave,'his Lyanna, his mother, Elia, Aegon,'

" Get a hold of yourself brother" Viserys trying to solder his pain "least for Rhaenys " suddenly the door opened, and he saw Rhaenys running toward him "father," but he didn't know how to comfort his daughter when he himself is broken both in mind and body, but he tried to be strong for her. "Father," Rhaenys sat sobbingly next to him,"shhhhhhh, everything will be alright, sweety," he said trying to console his daughter, he looks at her, Rhaenys took more of her mother in looks, dark hair and dark eyes but had light sunny skin tone just like him.

"They killed mother and Aeg" she clutched his arm, tears flowing down her cheeks, Rhaegar also wanted to cry and scream, 'but I can't do that, I have to be strong…. for her'. He held her tight with his right hand, not wanting to let go. Viserys was looking at both of them, feeling guilty for not being able to save his family in the hour of need.

After few moments, Rhaegar finally turns at his stillborn boy and pulls Rhaenys in front of him "look here, meet Jon, your baby Brother" he tells his daughter with a smile while swabbing her tears,"My brother?" she looks at her father perplexly,"Yes, he is your brother just like Aegon ...and you have to take care of him as big sister should," Rhaegar couldn't help but smile when Rhaenys touched Jon's face and Jon giggled at her. Seeing Jon made her reminisce memories of Aegon, and the way Jon giggled at her, it was just like Aegon is smiling at her.

Suddenly with a bang, the door opened and Ser Arthur Dayne stepped inside" your grace. Wet nurse is here for Prince Jon" still not looking at Rhaegar, but this time it wasn't the anger it was guilt. He does blame him for Lyanna, but he was his best friend, and he loved him.

Rhaegar just nodded. Arthur took Jon in his arms and walked out without saying another word or even looking at him, just trying to get away from there as soon as possible.

Viserys also sensed some distress between two of them, but choose to remain silent. However, he was pulled out of her thoughts by Rhaegar. "Remember one thing, Jon is your brother, you have to take care of him and stand beside each other no matter what, always and forever," Rhaegar tells his daughter, looking into her face, with an expecting firm look. "so go check, see if Jon is properly taken care of" he says, she looks at her father before giving him a warm hug. Not long after, Rhaenys gets of her father and walks out of the room possibly searching for Jon.

As Rhaenys walks out of room Rhaegar turns to Viserys, and asks him, "how's mother, is she fine"
"She couldn't make it through childbirth" Viserys answered with heavy eyes, still remembering the last time he saw his , Rhaegar was out of his mind he didn't know what to feel anymore, his family has been distorted while he's still lying on his deathbed, but then suddenly he looks at Viserys "what about the child," Rhaegar was looking expectingly at Viserys.

"We have a baby sister now brother. Mother named her Daenerys" finally Viserys said with a little smile on his lips. Rhaegar felt a relief in his heart knowing, at least his sister is fine.
Viserys was looking at his brother's condition when he heard him say, "I won't live long"
Viserys gulped, but he knew it's true.

"After my death, Jon will be crowned as my last living son, you will have to take care of him as well as Rhaenys and Daenerys, protect them. Many will try to get the advantage of this rebellion but there shouldn't be another war" he says looking at his brother, but he knew Viserys will do it without him asking.

Rhaegar points at the table, "Paper and ink on the table, write down what I say"
Viserys did as his brother asked, he picked paper and ink and sat on the edge of the bed waiting for Rhaegar's word as he understood it's not facile for him to talk in this state.

"In the name of Rhaegar of house Targaryen, first of his –whatever fill the titles, I hereby command Viserys of house Targaryen -titles—titles—to Serve as a lord regent and protector of the realm upon my death, to rule in my stead until my son Jon Targaryen comes of age…. Give it over here" he signals Viserys to give him the pen. He barely managed to sign the letter.

After signing the letter, he turns to Viserys once again. "upon my death, there will be chaos and seeing it as ladder many will try to grab power, but you shouldn't let that happen, help my son to become what he is meant to be, Brother" he said knowing full well that he won't fail him.

"I will, brother, I will do everything in my power to honor you" Viserys replied in a firm voice. 'He meant it. He will take care of everything'.

Rhaegar groans "I need something for pain, call the maester" Viserys nods and leaves the chamber, a minute later maester Cressen comes inside and gives him milk of the poppy, And well it works, without knowing when he closes his eyes never to open again. He finds his eternal peace.

well guyz this was second chapter, well i myself always liked idea of Arthur loving lyanna , so made it happen , tell me in reviews if u like it...(revised)