Chapter 4: The Flames

King's Landing

"So," Arya asked, "You do not want to be King?"

"No."

Aegon ran his fingers through the grass under his feet. He and Arya had left the castle in the dead of the night. He hadn't thought Arya was serious about horse riding, but he was provent wrong. And after three days of persisting, he finally had to comply. He didn't mind; he liked Arya.

They had raced for about half an hour, then decided to stop when Aegon insisted the horses needed to rest. Of course, Arya teased him about being too afraid to lose. He only scoffed in return. They had tied the horses to a tree and sat down near a pool. Arya was sitting clutching her knees to her chest, occasionally dipping her hands in the water.

"And why is that? I thought everyone wants to be King."

"I don't. It's too many responsibilities, and of course there's Jon. He was prophesised, or so Father says, and he turned out to be the more serious one as we grew up," Aegon winked. "He will be a good King, as I told Father. And after months of persuading, he finally consented."

"Your brother is a bit...," Arya mused, "boring. And he doesn't talk much."

Aegon laughed. "Jon is a good man. As I said, being the Crown Prince is too much responsibility, but one of us has to do it. I think he does it for me, and I love him all the more for it."

"Maybe that's why he doesn't laugh much as well." Arya bit her lip and added after a little while, in a whisper, "I'd like to hear him laugh."

Aegon raised a brow at Arya. "Would you now?"

She elbowed him hard.

"You have been paying attention to my brother then. It's alright, we both are used to such reactions from women."

"Oh, shut up. Your brother is betrothed to my sister. Have you no shame?"

Aegon shrugged.

"My sister was talking about you the other night," Arya said nonchalantly.

Aegon's eyes turned to her. "What of me?"

"Oh, just that you are very pretty," Arya grinned at him. "I think she likes you."

"Who's shameless now?"

"Oh, I don't care about shame. It is widely known."

They sat and talked for about an hour. Aegon pondered over what she'd said. Arya's sister was really beautiful, and he must admit he kept staring at her from time to time. They had found themselves alone once, but she had been too nervous to talk, and surprisingly, Aegon was too. She was though, to be married to be to his brother. It was unsignificant what she thought of him; only what she thought of his brother mattered.

They returned to the castle well after made their way to the stables quietly. The stableboy was sleeping and Arya shook him up. He took both of their horses and unsaddled them, after Aegon ordered him not to utter a word about it to anyone, and handed him a dragon.

"We should do that again sometime," Arya said as both of them entered the castle.

"I will not lose next time, Stark."

"You," she said, pointing at him, "will lose every-"

"What are you two doing at this hour?" Aegon turned and saw Connington glaring at them. Aegon sighed. Now his Father will know, and he'll have to explain everything. But before that...

"You go, I'll handle him," Aegon whispered to Arya, who hestitantly nodded. She bid him goodnight and was about to go when Connington's voice roared again.

"I was talking to both of you. You too, Lady Stark."

Arya frowned at the man and her mouth twitched. "Not your bloody problem where-"

"Arya," Aegon interrupted her. He held her shoulders and pleaded, "Please go to your room, I'll handle this." Arya meant to retort but then stopped herself, then throwing a mean glance at the other man, went on her way.

"Prince Aegon, this is very careless of you. What were you doing with the girl? And what was she wearing?"

"She was wearing breeches, Lord Connington," Aegon explained as if talking to a toddler. "And we went riding."

"At this hour?" Connington raised his brow suspiciously.

"Yes. At this hour." Aegon grew a little impatient but kept his calm. "I would like to go to my room, if you don't mind, My Lord. It is very late. Goodnight."

Connington still kept his piercing gaze intact. Aegon wasn't intimidated by it. He didn't like the man much, and he was the last person he wanted to spend time talking to at this hour.

"Goodnight, Prince Aegon," he said. Aegon left his presence as soon as he did.

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It was vivid. Both the armies, with banners soaring high in the wind, met each other in a battle cry. Steel clashed against steel, filling the air with sounds of metal and scent of blood and death. The three headed dragon as well as the stag fell down on the mud, as the men stampeded over them. As someone rushed to hold it up, another came from behind and crushed his skull with a warhammer. The same man continued killing everyone as they screamed. The men reduced in number, as the dead bodies started piling up. Suddenly, everyone stopped and glanced up. The sky turned white, and a moment later, snow started falling. It covered the blood, the bodies and the man looked hammer dropped from his hand, and he dropped to his knees on the ground, staring at the sky with an emptiness in his eyes. He stared into oblivion.

A sword rested on his shoulder, it's edge covered in man who held it pulled up the dragon banner with one hand and gave it to the hooded person to his side. The person took it, and his hood fell off. No, her. The woman had the direwolf on her chest. Her icy stare was fixed on the kneeling man, as the snowfall gradually lessened, until the only people left in the field was her, the kneeling man, and the one with the sword.

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A guard opened the door and bowed.

"What is it?" Rhaegar asked.

"The Priestess is here to see Your Grace."

Rhaegar shot a hard glance at the guard and nodded. Ned offered to leave but Rhaegar insisted he stayed. The King had told him about the prophecy. Although Ned was a little angry that Rhaegar was only betrothing his daughter and Jon because of some prophecy fortold by someone who was probably a fanatic, he didn't speak against it yet. There must be some reason the King was listening to this Priestess. The guard left and a moment later the woman entered. She was tall and graceful, Ned noticed. She threw a suspicious look at Ned, then looked at Rhaegar.

"I need to speak to you, Your Grace. There is something important I must tell you."

"Speak, then."

"Your Grace...," she looked at Ned.

"It is alright. Lord Stark will hear what you have to say."

"If you say so, Your Grace. I have seen another vision. It is...," she hesitated. "About Lord Stark's daughter."

Ned sat straight. "What about Sansa?"

"Not the older one, My Lord. The younger. Arya Stark."

"What about Arya?" Ned's voice was impatient.

"She was helping the Targaryens in the coming war. I've seen her face clearly. There is no doubt it is her."

"Nonsense!" Ned roared.

"My visions are never wrong, Your Grace," the woman spoke to Rhaegar. "She has a big part to play in the prophecy. I suggest Lord Stark let her stay in King's Landing with her sister. It is for the better-"

"This is nonsense, Your Grace! Arya is a girl. How can she be involved in a war?"

Ned waited for Rhaegar to reply who was in deep thought. The woman repeated her words. Ned wanted to put her in a cell and lock her up. He worshipped the Old Gods, and didn't believe her. The King dismissed the woman, and after she left, turned to Ned.

"I think she should stay, Ned."

"But, Your Grace, it's Arya! She would never stay. And most of all, she won't stay for such reasons."

"Then convince her. Sansa would like her company, and I think Arya will like it here too. You think the prophecy is a hoax, then you don't have to worry."

"I wil not put my daughter's life in danger, Your Grace." He added, "Why do you believe this woman?"

"I do not believe her. But I believe she has no reason to lie to me. Morever, she has no reason to lie about Arya. She must have said the truth."

"What is she getting in return for all of this?" Ned asked.

"Her life."

Ned sighed. Arya would never agree. He would have to tell Sansa first, so that she could help him in convincing her. Ned was still suspicious about this Priestess, but nothing would come of arguing against Rhaegar. He would have gladly convinced Arya to stay with her sister, but he was worried that this prophecy, fake or not, would hurt his daughters in some way, and he can't let that happen.

"Will she be safe, Your Grace?"

"I promise you, Ned. No harm would come upon your daughters. They will be safe and protected here." Rhaegar smiled and Ned nodded.

Arya was going to hate him, but he didn't have a choice. He only hoped Sansa would help him. He shouldn't have brought her here. If he only knew Rhaegar's true intentions in the matter: about the prophecy, he would never have agreed to the match. Sansa was a Lady, and knew her manners. But Arya, she would surely end up picking up a fight with every other person. She is young, what if she makes enemies? What if Sansa does? But it wouldn't matter for Sansa, because she would be married to the Prince. She will have power, Arya won't. His head grew heavy.

The South wasn't a place for the Northerners.

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She was leaning against a tree, her arms crossed under her chest. Jon made his way silently towards her, but she heard him and turned.

"What are you doing here?" She asked angrily.

"I was looking for you."

"You don't have to."

"You don't want to stay here, do you?"

"Isn't it evident?" Arya shot daggers at him with her eyes. Jon knew she wasn't angry at him. She was just angry because she wouldn't go back to her home.

"I know you will miss Winterfell, but I think you'll like it here. You should give it a chance."

"Really? No, I don't think so. You should go, Prince Jon. I do not want to talk right now."

"Lady Arya," Jon said casually. "King's Landing is not a bad place. I know you don't want to stay, but everyone insists you do. Even me." Arya turned to him and Jon noticed that her rage had subsided. Not entirely, but still. Her eyes met his and he let out a sigh of relief. She was actually considering this. He added, "I heard you and Aegon went riding, and I know you had fun. Think about it, it might actually be for the best. It's good to try new things sometimes. It'll be an adventure."

He eagerly waited for her reply, but none came. Jon threw a warm smile her way and turned to go when her voice stopped him.

"Wait."

He looked at her.

"Don't call me Lady. I hate the word, and if you keep on calling me that, I'll hate you too," she said. Jon grinned in spite of himself, as well as Arya. "And the next time Aegon and I go racing, you can come with us. Just don't tell anyone."

"Your secret's safe with me, My Lady."

Arya glared at him, but then started laughing and Jon joined her. This was the first time they had shared a laugh, and Jon wondered why they hadn't done this before.

He took in the way her eyes shone in the sunshine, the way her hair was pulled up, and a few strands fell down her neck in curls. A shiver ran down his spine. She is beautiful, he realised. But she doesn't know it.

His hand involuntarily went to her face and he moved a stray strand of hair from her face. Her laughter stopped and their eyes met, and Jon's fingertips caressed the side of her face. They stood like that for a moment, but the spell broke and she moved away from his touch.

"You should go," she suggested, averting her eyes away from him.

Jon nodded but she wasn't looking at him. He turned around and walked away, without saying anything. The feeling of her skin still lingered on his fingers.

At a distance he saw Sansa and his Mother talking, and it hit him hard. What was he doing? He was to be married to Sansa, and he couldn't stop thinking about her sister. Was it really for the best for her to stay?

Mayhaps for her, but not for him it seemed.

A/N: Game of Thrones broke the record for the most number of Emmy's! *happy dance* I am not that big a fan of the show, but yeah, anything remotely related to ASOIAF is dear to my heart.

To some readers who asked, yes, this story has a Jon/Arya pairing. This chapter probably made it obvious.

Leave a review please. I am a sucker for those. The next chapter will be up soon.

P.S. If you find some grammar or spelling mistakes, please inform me. I suck at proofreading. ;)