Chapter Five

A/N: Thank you to Guest, timijaf, magnus374, Sithlord king and ComingAndGoingByBubble for reviewing.

Lord Tywin had laid on yet another plentiful feast, but Rhaegar had ducked away as quickly as possible, leaving yet another empty seat on the head table. Lady Cersei had not attended the banquet, nor had she taken her place in the stands. Her father had dismissed the prince's concerns, claiming she had caught a mild chill, but imagining that the man would downplay even a deathbed illness at such a time, Rhaegar decided to see for himself.

When the prince reached Cersei's chamber door, he found two Lannister guards posted outside. It was not a surprise, to be true. The castle was filled with strangers and Lord Tywin would want to protect his only daughter. The soldiers stood a touch straighter as he came into sight, one asking in a stutter if he would wish to be announced, but Rhaegar waved off the ceremonies. He had not come here as a prince, much as he hated to acknowledge his role as Cersei's intended.

At first glance, the bed appeared to be empty, its occupant having curled herself into so tight a ball she almost seemed to disappear. It was strange to see that of Cersei Lannister, who usually spent great effort making herself look as grand as possible, a princess in the making; now, she looked like a frightened child.

"Lady Cersei." he whispered, not wanting to startle her. The girl scarcely moved, seeming almost as if she were asleep. However, the prince had not yet turned around before she sat up in bed, pulling the sheets up to her chin in an effort to defend her modesty. The irony was not lost on the prince as he approached her. "I did not mean to startle you. But you missed the festivities today and I wanted to make sure that you were alright."

"You're very kind, my prince." Cersei acknowledged, her usual charm diluted by the sad, drab tone of voice. She was seemed like a ghost of herself. Rhaegar could not stand it any longer.

"Forgive me, my lady, but there is no need to pretend." he told her, his voice a little more tentative than it ought to have been. True, he wanted her to heed his advice, but he did not want to risk offence either. He would be no good to her if she sent him away.

"I'm sorry, my lord…" Cersei trailed off, unsure how to continue. Rhaegar was about to intercede, to reassure her, when she spoke again. "I suppose I'm so used to people asking me to pretend, it's rather shocking when someone asks me not to."

Rhaegar could do nothing but nod. For someone so young to be so insightful, he did not know quite how to react. On one hand, it was blissfully different, to have a lady willing to speak so honestly, but the life experience required to come to such a verdict. No child should have had to endure such things.

"Well, I swear that you'll never have to pretend for me." the young man promised, eventually able to find his words. Cersei smiled weakly, blinking the shock from her eyes.

"I am grateful for that, my prince." Cersei assured him, her voice falling a little flat. "But I don't imagine it will matter much. Once you leave here, we may not see each other for years, and even then I would be one in a crowd of hundreds of nobles."

Rhaegar's eyes fell to the bedspread he sat upon, his heart beating heavily in his chest. However much he had prayed for a solution, one had not presented himself; instead he was faced with the perfect opportunity to unload his own burden, release the weight pressing itself upon his shoulders.

But glancing up into her emerald eyes, innocence glimmering in them, he found himself unable to speak a word.

"I will be back in the stands on the morrow." the girl assured him, her walls constructed once more. Her mother had taught her, when she was young, that a smile was a woman's greatest weapon and courtesy her armour. Those lessons aside, Lady Joanna had always been an honest, trusting woman. And now she was dead.

"You should not be venturing outside before you are well." the prince pointed out. Cersei blinked a few times in response, before the statement settled in her mind. It was almost as if she had forgotten her own illness.

"I'm afraid I have missed too much of the contest already, my prince." Cersei reasoned. There was an element of finality to her voice that was eerily similar to her father, the man Rhaegar imagined to have given such an instruction. "It would not do for me to be absent another day."

"Well, I will keep a look out for you." Rhaegar promised, hoping to cheer her slightly. "I would even like to wear your favour, if you would allow me."

The dazzling smile that met the request was just what the prince had expected, recognising the way the girl had behaved around him since his arrival at the Rock. He had caught a glimpse of her sour expression as a servant had escorted her from the tourney grounds, just when he was entering the lists. However, when he looked for that beautiful sparkle of life that seemed to illuminate her eyes when she was happy, he found nothing but glass looking back at him.

'I did not make her happy at all.' Rhaegar thought, trying to conceal his disappointment, the way she had done her sadness. 'She's pretending again, the same way all the noble ladies do.'

Rhaegar considered pressing further, to discover the emotions that truly lay behind her eyes. But he did not, instead retiring to his chambers, already composing a letter in his mind long before he reached the parchment. The young man had always debated against those who believed a prince's life was a free one. He was as much a slave as those on the coast of Slaver's Bay, the captured Wildlings south of the Wall, the Unsullied training far across the Narrow Sea. His life was forfeit to the Seven Kingdoms, just as his ancestors' had been for close to three centuries. A prince had scarcely any control over his own destiny, but at least he could use the little influence he did have.

Even if he could not control his destiny, he could return the sparkle to a young girl's eyes, for just a small while longer.

A/N: I know this chapter is a little bit strange, because something's clearly up with Cersei and Rhaegar's scheming as well, but it will all come into focus, honestly. Please review!