It was as if her nightmare was coming to life, Lyanna thought, as she watched her husband walking three steps behind the king. Don't be silly, she chastised herself, they are only going to see a painting. And yet she could not shake the feeling that something more was going on, that the king had something else in mind for her husband.
The tension at the table had not escaped her notice. At first she had assumed that the unholy mess that had been herself, Prince Rhaegar and Princess Elia was the cause, but as the feast went on, she detected an undercurrent of something else too. Rhaegar's words to her about his father, whispered to her once upon a time, wandered through her mind, even as she struggled to banish any thought of him at all.
"He thinks I want his throne right now, that I wish to set him aside, that I am plotting with various lords to set him aside and steal his throne," Rhaegar had told Lyanna, in a moment of absolute despair. He had shared his fears and his vulnerabilities with her, in a way that Stannis never had.
And perhaps never will. He is who he is, she told herself. My husband. And her worries about what the king had in mind for Stannis at the moment was deeper than her worries about what Stannis might not be willing to share with her.
She had been conversing with Oberyn Martell, but still half-listening to the king's harsh words. Lyanna had been surprised at Oberyn's attention to her, but the shameful truth was, part of her was relieved that Oberyn's anger did not seem to extend to her, had seemed to be directed merely at Rhaegar. It was a while before she began to wonder why that was the case. Did Oberyn Martell not know that she was the woman Rhaegar had crowned as queen of love and beauty over his own wife? Over Oberyn's sister? She had enjoyed their conversation; Oberyn Martell turned out to be very knowledgeable about horses. And he had traveled far and wide, not just all over the Seven Kingdoms, but in the Free Cities as well.
Lyanna had noticed both Stannis and Rhaegar watching her talking to Oberyn Martell, Stannis' expression merely curious, but Rhaegar's sad. Don't look at me, Lyanna wanted to tell him. And why are you looking so sad, when my husband is not?
"I didn't know the king is so close to Lord Stannis," Oberyn Martell's voice broke Lyanna's reverie.
"My husband's late father was His Grace's cousin," Lyanna replied.
"Did Lord Stannis grow up in King's Landing then, after his parents' death? Was he and Prince Rhaegar playmates? Were they close?" The insistent barrage of questions from Oberyn Martell was making Lyanna uncomfortable.
"No, he stayed at Storm's End with his younger brother Renly. His older brother Robert was fostered with Lord Arryn at the Eyrie."
"Oh, I thought Lord Stannis and Prince Rhaegar had a close relationship." There was something strange about the way Oberyn had said those words. Lyanna did not know how to respond. She was saved from having to do so by Lord Varys.
"It is very good of you to crown your good sister as queen of love and beauty, Prince Oberyn," Varys spoke for the first time since the king left the feast.
"No one deserves the honor more," Oberyn replied.
"Lady Lyanna was crowned queen of love and beauty at the tourney in Harrenhal, did you know that?" Varys asked, the question obviously directed to the only person at the table not present at Harrenhal.
"Yes, I did know," Oberyn replied evenly. "But not by her own brother."
"I'm sure Prince Rhaegar was only honoring his dear cousin, Lord Robert Baratheon. Since Lord Robert did not win and could not crown his own betrothed," Varys said, smiling broadly.
Oberyn Martell laughed, a harsh, bitter laugh that shocked Lyanna.
"What do you find so funny, dear brother?" Princess Elia asked.
"Nothing. I was just thinking of the spider and the viper," Oberyn replied.
"Which would win in a fight, do you mean?" His sister queried again.
"No, whether they can become allies."
"But can you trust the spider? That's the real question," Rhaegar suddenly spoke.
"Well, the enemy of your enemy is your friend, I have heard it said," Oberyn replied, his eyes staring daggers at Rhaegar. He looked like he was about to say more, but Princess Elia interrupted. "I'm sure our conversation has grown very tedious for Lady Lyanna."
Lyanna shook her head. "No, not at all. You were magnificent during the joust, Prince Oberyn, especially during the match with Ser Jaime."
"Ahh, that boy. The boy Kingsguard, I have heard him called. He defeated your own brother, did he not?"
"Yes, Benjen lost to him in the first round," Lyanna replied.
"A callow boy. A fair enough fighter, but very impatient. Jaime Lannister, that is, not your brother, of course, Lady Lyanna. Not a match for me at all."
"It does not do to brag, Oberyn," Princess Elia gently chastised her brother.
"I am only telling the truth as I see it. Now Jon Connington, he is more of an equal match for me. And he was very determined to win. I wonder who he was planning to crown as his queen of love and beauty." Oberyn looked amused at the thought. "Do you know?" He directed the question to his brother-in-law.
"No doubt there is a woman Jon wishes to honor," Rhaegar replied.
Varys insinuated himself in the conversation. "You and Lord Connington are such close friends, my prince. You must have some inkling as to the identity of this … woman."
Varys calling him 'my prince' must have annoyed Rhaegar. He replied in a stiff tone, "No, I do not."
They were silent after that. It was an awkward silence, but Lyanna welcomed it nonetheless. The silence was finally broken when Stannis arrived back at the table. Lyanna could not hide her relief at the sight of her husband.
Her husband, however, was looking troubled. Very, very troubled.
"His Grace the king wishes to see you in his bedchamber, Lord Varys," Stannis spoke.
Varys took his leave, smiling as he walked away. "I have been summoned."
"Whose words do you think your father pays more attention to? Yours, or Varys?" Oberyn was asking Rhaegar, staring at him intently. Rhaegar returned his gaze, but did not reply to the question.
"I wonder if I could speak to you alone, Prince Rhaegar?" It was Stannis' voice again speaking. Lyanna's heart skipped a beat. She panicked, all manners of conflicting thoughts and emotions running through her. But she did not dare look at her husband at that moment. Or at Rhaegar.
"Now what is so secretive that you cannot say it here, Lord Stannis? In front of your own wife, and the prince's own wife?" Oberyn Martell asked.
"Oberyn." It was a warning, from Princess Elia to her brother.
"Let's take a walk," Rhaegar said to Stannis. The table was silent again after Rhaegar and Stannis left, the three of them concentrating on their food.
"My sister has grown weary of my company tonight," Oberyn finally broke the silence.
"Only because you seem determined to pick a fight with everyone tonight," Princess Elia replied.
"You wound me, dear sister. My intentions are entirely noble and not self-serving, I assure you."
"I do not need you to fight my battles, Oberyn," Elia said softly. "And you are not the one who will have to make a life here, after this. You will leave and go back to Dorne. Or to your travel. I will still be here, with my children."
"Understood. Well, I will leave you and Lady Lyanna to converse. I'm going to seek out Lord Connington to congratulate him on a hard-fought match."
"Be gentle. He is Rhaegar's dearest friend."
"I am always gentle, dearest Elia," Oberyn replied, with a mock wounded look on his face. His sister kissed him gently on his brow as he was leaving the table.
"Perhaps you would like to move closer, Lady Lyanna, so it is easier for us to talk?" Princess Elia said.
Lyanna moved to the seat occupied by Rhaegar previously, next to Princess Elia. She opened her mouth to ask a question. "Is the queen -"
Princess Elia spoke at the same time. "My brother -"
They both fell silent. "You first, Lady Lyanna." Lyanna hesitated. "I insist," Elia said.
"I was wondering if the queen is unwell."
"No, the day has tired her out, that is all. It was a long match between my brother and Lord Connington. I was going to apologize for my brother's behavior. Oberyn is very dear to me, but he can be very impetuous."
Why should she apologize to Lyanna? Her brother had not said anything against Lyanna. But she could not ask the princess that. "There is nothing to apologize for, Your Grace. I had a delightful time conversing with Prince Oberyn. He is very knowledgeable about horses, and a great many things besides. And ... very charming."
"Yes, he has that effect on many women," Elia said dryly. Lyanna wondered suddenly if they were still talking about Oberyn Martell.
"Is it strange?" Elia asked suddenly.
"What is, Your Grace?" The two of them talking, but not really saying what was in both their minds? Ignoring the elephant in the room?
"Being married to Lord Stannis, when you were betrothed to his late brother?"
Lyanna did not reply immediately, and the princess apologized. "Forgive me, I should not intrude on something so … personal."
"No, please, it's fine. I was just thinking about the question. It is strange, I suppose. But then again, I did not know Robert all that well before the betrothal either. Stannis and I, we are still getting to know each other."
Elia nodded. "That is the way for most marriages, I'm afraid. Understanding comes later. Perhaps even love, if you're lucky."
"I heard that … that …" Lyanna hesitated.
"Go on," Elia was encouraging her.
"I heard that the Prince of Dorne married for love."
"Yes, my brother Doran did marry for love. Not for politics, or alliance, or family. But it has not been a happy marriage. These things are hard to predict. Love is not always enough."
"Yes, I know," Lyanna replied softly.
"Then that is how we shall leave it. Nothing more needs to be said on the matter," Elia said firmly.