Wife of the Wolf, Husband of the Sun

Chapter Forty-Four.

The Red Keep loomed over King's Landing from atop Aegon's High Hill, a bloated red spider with seven legs. The sight of it rising in the horizon had filled with Rhaegar with a cold dread that had settled heavily in his gut. He had not wanted to come back here, not until the time was right and he would see his father being escorted off in chains to some dismal little Septry, the one on the Quiet Isle was the most well known to the nobility of Westeros, it was not a fit place for a king but it would keep him out of harm's way.

Actually, now he thought of it the most well known septry would be the one in Oldtown but placing his father in Oldtown, near that many people of influence did not seem to be the wisest course of action to him. The wisest course would simply be to take his father's head off but he couldn't see himself being able to do that, he had no delusions about what his father was. He was not going to simply wake up one day and find that all his father's wits had returned to him in the night.

And yet the memory of the man his father had been made him still his hand, it made him hesitate. He had loved him once, he had loved him more than he had ever done his mother in fact. After he had reached a certain age he had to leave the nursery and though he had still spent most of his time with his nose buried in a book, to the point that it had been something of a joke to say that his mother must have swallowed books and a candle when she had been carrying him so that he could read even when he was in her, he had to spend more and more time with his father.

At first it hadn't been much of anything, when the throne room was empty his father would carry him and set him on his knee as he sat on the throne and told him stories of all the kings who sat on the throne before him and that one day he would sit it as well. He remembered being terrified of the throne, it was so large and he used to have terrible dreams that it would come to life and swallow him whole, the blades jutting out of it had always looked like teeth.

His father had also taken him riding through the city and out in the kingswood and alongside the river, he remembered how much he had looked forward to those rides the most as he saw it as another opportunity to learn, he could learn the names of all the plants that he saw and each time he saw an animal that he hadn't seen before. Every morning he had begged his father to take him on one, he couldn't spar with the other boys so aside from reading they were the best parts of his day.

But back then his Father was not completely mad and he attended his small council meetings, Lord Tywin had still been the hand back then and the two of them had still been friends. They had both been capable of so much, his father had such ideas. He wanted to build a second Wall in the North and give the lands to the Starks, he wanted to make Dorne bloom into a giant garden by carrying water to it through a underground cannel.

Rhaegar had seen him make that promise to the Princess of Dorne himself, that had been the day that he had meet Elia. His father had always been fond of making grand proclamations and yet he had never followed through with any of them, in a way that was probably for the best as if his father had even attempted to do half of what he had promised to do then it would have cost the realm a great deal of gold and it wouldn't get done anyway.

His father had invited him to sit on the small council, so that he might knew what it was to rule someday. He had looked forward to those as well because he grown so interested in the ruling of the realm. Some of the bolder boys in the Red Keep still teased him for not having any interest in weapons but he didn't care about what any of them thought, he was the crown prince and it didn't matter what any of them thought and he was happy with the way he was, his life had been perfect.

And then he read that damned book, the prophecy that he held in it's books and everything change and he needed to become a warrior. Old Ser Willem Darry had always been kind and patient with him as he had not been used to a sword or a mace and a lance and Rhaegar was certain that the only reason he was as good as he was because of that old kind night who still served to this day as the Master of Arms for the Red Keep.

It would be good to see him again, it would be one of the few good things about coming back to the city. Seeing his mother and Viserys and Jon as well, he had missed all of them more than any words could say. He hoped that they were all still safe, he could not risk any contact with any of them less his father thought that he was plotting something with them, they wouldn't be safe.

They weren't safe now, his father could kill any of them at any moment for any reason and the court of King Aerys made it clear that they would do nothing to stand in his way, for fear of being the ones next to be burned for nothing. If they would do something for the High Septon of the Faith then he doubted they would do anything for his brother or for his mother or for Jon.

A part of him wondered if what had happened to his father had been his fault, at least in part. His father had begun to slip away from them soon after he had started to train, he had started to mutter under his breath and then he started to speak to people that weren't there. Then he began to grew jealous and paranoid of Lord Tywin, a way to gain the King's favour was to insult and to make mock of the Lord of House Lannister. As more and more time passed Lord Tywin grew tired of the insults and when his father had rejected his first attempt to have him wed to Cersei and had called him a servant that Lord Tywin resigned his handship.

A part of him had hoped that when his betrothal to Elia was called off and he was betrothed to Cersei instead that his father might have been coming back to himself and that he was trying to make amends for his previous actions. But no, his father had still seemed to be as mad as ever and he made no attempt to invite Lord Tywin to court to be granted a new position. His father was lost.

Duskendale had landed the heaviest blow on his father and made sure there was no hope of him ever being returned but he had been lost long before any of that mess had occurred.

A wave hit the ship and a small spray of water struck him in the face, he spluttered at the taste of salt on his tongue and brought up his to rub the water out of his eyes. It was for the best that had happened, he didn't want to think about this anymore. Once he got in the city and up to the keep he would have a great deal already to think on and to deal with.

And so Rhaegar turned and began to make his way back to his cabin where his wife would be waiting for him. as soon as he was below deck he was greeted by Ser Oswell Whent who greeted him with a solemn nod and followed him as he continued on to the cabin. Ser Harlan Grandison and Ser Lewyn Martell were both standing guard outside of the door. At the moment he stood in front of the door another wave hit the ship, not a strong one as they were too close to the dock but strong enough to shift the floor underneath them and that was all it took for Ser Harlan to lose his balance.

Rhaeger had to bite his lip to not let out a cry of pain when Ser Harlan's armoured shoulder bashed into his arm, said arm screamed in protest when it came up to stop the man from falling to the floor. Ser Lewyn had a look of concern and pity on his face when he looked at the knight and Ser Oswell was frowning heavily while the eldest knight blinked heavily down at the floor before he turned to look at Rhaegar.

"I...I am so sorry my prince, the wave caught me by surprise. I lost my balance." The words were slow and filled with confusion, as if Ser Harlan did not even understand what he was saying or why he was saying it. Rhaegar offered the man a gentle smiled despite the fact that pain his arm made him want to cry.

"It's alright Ser Harlan, nothing to be concerned about at all. Such things do happen on a ship after all. You seem tired, perhaps when we get back to the Red Keep you should go and lie down?" He suggested as gently as he could and for a moment Rhaegar thought he had said the wrong thing as the old knight's eyes seemed to grow wet but that only lasted for a moment as soon the haziness in them returned.

"That is very generous of you Prince Aerys but I am sure that your father will have a task for me." He spoke with a polite smile and for a moment Rhaegar thought that he was going to be sick. Ser Lewyn placed his hand on the older man's shoulder and tried gently to correct him but Ser Harlan looked at his sworn brother like he had never seen him before and ordered him to tell him why he was wearing a white cloak and where Ser Rickard was as they had been guarding the door of Queen Shaera's bedchamber.

Ser Oswell stepped forward and opened the door to the bedchamber and Rhaegar stepped inside as both white cloaks attempted to calm their brother, Rhaegar shut the door and leaned his entire weight against and rubbed at his face. This had been happening more and more as of late, the old man didn't know where he was half of the time and talked to people that were long since dead and most of the days at Dragonstone Rhaegar had made sure that he was left to sleep as long as he would and food was always brought to him, he only two kingsguards on Dragonestone in practice.

The man deserved better than this, he had been a part of the kingsguard serving at the end of his grandfather's reign and all of his father's reign up to now, he should have been released from his vows and allowed to return to Grandview in the Stormlands, he should be allowed to die surrounded by those who loved him and not be allowed to worry for anything.

But Kingsguards served for life and Ser Harlan would spend his last days in a cell like all the rest of them did, unless he happened to call his father by the wrong name and then his life might end by being burned alive instead, it had happened before and his father had taken no offense but as his madness grew so did his anger and his madness seemed to grow everyday so he could not say what would happen if the old knight did it again. The whole world seemed so very unfair in that moment but then he realised the foolishness of that thought, the world was always unfair.

He stepped over to the large bed that was set up in the cabin and he brought up his hand to pull the silk drapes that surrounded the bed apart and gazed down with a smile at his wife. Cersei Lannister was just as beautiful asleep as she was awake, in fact he found her to be almost more so as there was no trace of the anger or cruelty that he knew that his wife possessed present in her at the moment.

He knelt next to the bed and pressed a kiss to her forehead, rousing her from her sleep. She caught his lips and they kissed deeply before she pulled away and smiled up at him happily. "I used to have dreams about you kissing me you know? Every night when I was a silly girl whose father told her that she would be a queen one day, I would always wish the day away so that I could sleep and then I would dream of you."

"Did you indeed, well then tell me my sweet wife. He asked with a smirk of his own and he pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose before pecking her lips. "Now that you've been able to kiss the real thing, how do I measure up to the dream version of myself." He asked as his fingers came up to play with one of her loose golden curls.

Cersei giggled and cupped his chin. "Well, there are some instances where you will not be able to measure up of my dreams of you, I do not think that you can take me flying on a dragon after all. Nor do I think that we shall ever climb the wall and find an ice dragon but when it comes to the matter of kisses. You are vastly superior."

"An excellent answer." Rhaegar said with a smirk as he joined their lips together once again and this time shared a deep and passionate one that neither of them seemed willing to break. He reached down to cup her belly, there was not much to be felt as her pregnancy was not that advanced but he could feel a slight swelling there already and he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride, not only because he knew that the prophecy was already on the way to being complete but also because he knew it was him that had placed the seed there. Aegon reborn.

Sadly as he reached down he used the arm that Ser Garlan had fallen into and he let out a cry of pain and fell away from Cersei, he landed on his behind and held his arm close to his chest. He hoped that it wasn't broken, not just for his sake but for Ser Garlan's as well. Cersei sat up bed with her eyes wide as she stared down at him in alarm. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"I am alright my love, I promise you." Rhaegar said with a smile despite the pain in his arm, he could move it well enough it simply hurt to do so. His wife did not look convinced to say the very least and Rhaegar let out a sigh. "A wave hit the ship a few moments ago, not a large one as we are coming into the dock, but it was enough for Ser Harlan to lose his balance and he sort of fell into my arm and he was wearing his armour so it hurt my but I swear to you that I am fine, I shall have the Grand Maester look at it once we arrive in the Red Keep."

His wife did not look please at his explantion and her lips had been pressed together into a thin line. "That old man? Why did your father chose to send him with us. from what I have seen I doubt that he would be much use if either of us were to actually be attacked by anyone. And now he is the cause of you being injured? He is useless and a danger to both of us."

Rhaegar could not stop the heavy frown from forming on his face at his wife's words, he would not deny that she had something of a point but she put it far more harshly than he ever would. "We are all going to grow old my love, it is not Ser Garlan's fault. He simply lost his balance and fell into me, you could just as easily blame the waves or the ship's captain or the armourer who forged his armour for hurting me."

His wife seemed to sense his displeasure at her words and she granted him an apologetic smile. "I am sorry my love, of course you are right. I am simply concerned for you and for Ser Garlan himself. What if he had fallen to the floor and broken a hip? Men his age do not tend to survive them. And what if it had been me, I am much softer than you and I might have lost the babe. Something has to be done."

She was making much more sense than he cared to admit but he knew that she was right, it would be for the best if there was a slot open in the kingsguard. Ser Harlan could spend his last days in peace and if there was a new knight in the Kingsguard than he might have a potential ally. Ser Harlan might not agree with what his father was doing but Rhaegar couldn't risk that he wouldn't let something slip.

For half a moment he wondered if that was why his father had sent the old knight with him as an unwitting spy, if he heard something that could incriminate him and with the mists of time clouding his mind let it slip then it would be the end of all Rhaegar had planned. "No, I imagine that you are right. He's an old man and dear to me but he is not fit for serving in the kingsguard any longer, I will speak to father about him."

He was not going to speak to his father about him, kingsguards were only meant to be released from their vows by death and knowing how far his father had fallen no doubt he would hasten his end. Something had to be done but he wasn't going to do anything that would lead the dear old man who Rhaegar had known his entire life to a painful end.

"We should start to get ready to disembark, I imagine we will dock any moment now." Rhaegar said as he stood up and used his uninjured arm to help Cersei stand up from the bed, he poked his head out of the door and asked Ser Oswell to go and find Cersei's maids and ladies, all of them were sharing a single cabin, and then and pulled his head back inside to wait for his wife to appear.

As soon as her ladies and maids arrived Rhaegar kissed Cersei and left the cabin to make his way back up to the deck. they were already in the harbour proper and each moment that passed the dock grew closer and closer and Rhaegar could see that there were several figures standing on the dock, waiting for them to arrive.

As the boat docked and Cersei and her ladies came up on the deck Rhaegar could see that the figures on the dock were his mother, his brother, his mother's ladies and a figure in the shining white armour of the Kingsguard, who it was he could not say as he was currently wearing his helm and was still far away. He took Cersei's hand and began to lead her slowly down the gangway and towards the party that stood to welcome them.

His mother was dressed in a gown of white and purple with a green sash around her waist and sleeves of pink Myrish lace and at the sight of him she smiled brightly, when he was a boy he had always thought that his mother's smile could outshine the sun and that she had been the Mother that all the septons and septas were always speaking off. He knew better now but that did not change the fact that mere sight of her and her smile caused him to smile himself.

His little brother was holding on to her hand and was rocking back and forth until he spotted Rhaegar and with a cry of joy broke free of their mother's hold ran toward him, throwing his arms around his legs. He looked down at Viserys and Rhaegar saw that his brother's violet eyes were overflowing with tears. "Never leave again!" His brother commanded with all the strength that a boy who had not yet seen his fifth name day could muster up.

Rhaegar knelt down to press a kiss on top of his brother's head and took hold of his shoulders to gently pull him away so he could look into his eyes. "I promise you, I won't leave again unless I have no other choice." He meant it, he wasn't going to leave either of them to suffer his father's mercies alone anymore but sadly he knew that time would come when he wouldn't have any other choice but to leave them, if he wanted to save them then he would have to leave them at some point.

Their mother approached them and gently took Viserys's hand to pull him away and then wrapped her arms around Rhaegar, she was putting pressure on to his injured arm but he found that at least for the moment he did not care about it, she had always hide her hurts from him to protect him and he could do the same for her, at least this once. "I've missed you Mother."

"And I you." His mother whimpered before she pulled back, a smile on her face even though her eyes were wet. "You've been gone far too long, though in some ways if might be for the better." With those words the Queen turned her attention to Cersei and she glanced down at her belly, unless you knew you would not be able to tell that she was carrying but Rhaegar had sent word ahead and his mother's smile grew wider as tears finally slipped from her eyes. "I am glad to see you my dear, might I?"

"Of course Goodmother, you do me an honour." His wife said with a smile of his own as she stood proudly next to him, dressed in black and red with a dragon and a lion stitched on to the shoulders of her dress. Rhaella stepped forward and placed her hand on the subtle swelling there and a pleased hum escaped her mouth as her smile grew ever wider and a light that Rhaegar had not seen in far too long was now burning behind her eyes.

"If you have any questions then you simply must not hesitate to ask me, pregnancy is a terrifying time for any woman and men are useless when it comes to this matter, even the wisest of them." She said with an amused chuckle and her words caused a smirk to appear on Cersei's face. "I hope that you will not mind but I've taken the liberty of assuming that I will be helping you when your time is near, I hope that you will allow me to do so as your mother is gone and Joanna was like a sister to me, it would mean a great deal to me if I could attend."

"Of course you simply must goodmother, I can think of no one I would rather have attending me as I bring this little prince or princess into the world." Cersei spoke gently as she brought down her hand to rub at her belly and Rhaella nodded, satisfied before she turned to face the kingsguard who had stood watching like a silent statue.

"Ser Barristan, we shall be returning to the Red Keep now." The armoured knight bent his head and his mother reached down to take Viserys's hand. "Princess Cersei, I would very much enjoy it if you and your ladies would come and take tea with me in the maidenvault. Rhaegar, I know that you've only just arrived but I am afraid that you must go and speak with your father, he made it clear to me that you were to attend him as soon as you arrived."

Rhaegar could not stop his frown from showing even if he wanted too, he wasn't surprised by any measure but he had been foolish enough to hope that perhaps his father had only called them back to the capital so he could have them both close when his first grandchild was born. "I will always serve at the pleasure of our king Mother, where he is may I ask? I half expected him to be waiting for us at the dock himself."

A shadow seemed to fall over the dock when he asked his question, his mother's ladies glanced among themselves, Viserys tightened his hold on their mother's hand while Ser Barristan in his armour tensed and a frown replaced the smile on his mother's face and the joy that had been in her eyes was replaced with something else. "His grace is sitting in judgement in the Throne Room. You need to speak with him and...watch your tongue my son, things have...happened, in your absence."

Rhaegar's frown deepened, a septon had once told him that the gods would send them signs of the future and he had always believed it as someone who knew the future must have written that prophecy in the book that he had read. What sort of sign was it that the day that he had arrived that his father had decided to burn someone. "I'm aware Mother. Trust me I know a great deal of what has already happened, I will go and speak with father as soon as we arrive at the Keep."

Rhaella nodded and turned to lead her ladies and her younger son to the royal wheelhouse his wife and her ladies followed after them and the dockworkers came forward to help the crew of the ship with bringing the cargo out. Rhaegar turned when he heard the sound of armoured feet approached and when he looked over his shoulder he saw Ser Lewyn, Ser Oswell and Ser Harlan approaching.

As soon as the wheelhouse began it's slow creaking journey through the streets of King's Landing a horse was brought over for Rhaeger which he quickly climbed on top off, despite the fact that his arm did not thank him for the hasty climb, and he began to ride after the wheelhouse, Ser Lewyn and Ser Oswell were riding abreast of him and Ser Barristan and Ser Harlan were riding behind them.

As they rode through the streets Rhaegar allowed himself to gaze at the people who came to watch the small royal party make their ascent, men wearing nothing but tatters and some wearing even less than that, woman who were holding their squalling babes close to their chests to try and give them some comfort for their fevers or their chills or their empty bellies.

He spied a little girl with red hair and a face stained with soot and dirt and other things that he did not want to dwell on, in her hands was clutched a pigeon and for half a moment he thought that maybe she was keeping it for a pet but when he looked closer he noticed that the bird was not moving and she was holding on to it so tightly for fear of someone taking it from her that it left no doubts in his mind for what purpose the girl was holding on to it for.

How was it that the capital of the Seven Kingdoms could not even keep it's own people feed? It did not seem possible in his mind as when he was a child he could not remember a time when he had ever gone to bed happy, he had always been spoiled for choice when it came to food with his lunches being more than what most would be able to afford in their entire lives.

He had promised himself that when he was king things would be better than they were now, he would put forth laws that would make sure that the lowerborn would get more food that they needed, he would ensure that the city was cleaned as many had mentioned how the smell of waste could be smelt miles and miles away from the walls themselves.

All he had to do was get his father out of the way first, care was needed more than anything else at the moment. Varys had proven himself to be just as competent a spymaster as his reputation had suggested and he was always willing to whisper into his king's ear. Rhaegar could only imagine that up to this point it had been sheer luck that the Spider had not since discovered that he had been plotting with Lord Tywin.

But he was not willing to push that luck, as much as he might wish too he had not yet made any attempt to reach out to the other High Lords of the realm, other than the letters that he given to Elia but he did not knew the fate of those, partly because he didn't think that the luck would be able to hold out if he reached out to more of them and partly because he couldn't be sure that they would actually rise for him.

The Starks and the Martells had little reason to love his father it was true and that was why he had risked writing those letters but they had just as little reason to love him, they might simply decide to sit it out. House Arryn would be a powerful ally but Jon Arryn had been the foster father of Ned Stark and no doubt he would hold little love for any of his father and the same could be said for Robert Baratheon who was the younger Stark son's foster brother.

House Tully had bound themselves to the Starks by wedding their eldest daughter to the heir to Winterfell so no doubt on this issue that would stand together so that only left the Reach and The Iron Islands, House Tyrell he was not sure of as Mace Tyrell was a man who wanted power but he wasn't as cruel as most of them were but he didn't have reason to think that Rhaegar would give him any for supporting him over his father and as for the Iron Islands...well, Rhaegar was certain that he would do better with no allies than he would with them being the only ones at his back.

He knew that The North, the Reach, The Riverlands and Dorne were forming an alliance, indeed for what purpose he could not say. When his agents had pointed out how odd it seemed that all the ruling houses of these kingdoms, not Dorne at the time as he was betrothed to Elia then, were making these connections and slowly but surely surrounding the capital, he had thought that they might be attempting to other throw his father but that did not seem likely as well his father had begun his slow descent into the embrace of madness he was nowhere near as bad back then as he was now.

Perhaps they simply wanted to form an alliance that could act as a way of checking the King's power, perhaps they wanted the Seven Kingdoms to become Seven Kingdoms in practice as well as in name. It had been steel and blood and dragon fire that Aegon and his sisters had used to forge the realms into one when they had landed.

But now the dragons were all dead and the power of House Targaryen had been diminishing since the Dance of the Dragons when Rhaenerya Targaryen and her brother, another Aegon, fought one another for the throne. Almost every dragon that his family had possessed had died during the dance and the few that survived did not live for long after and while there had been attempts to birth more all of them had ended in failure, and in death as well.

One of those attempts had happened the night that he was born, the tragedy at Summerhall when his great-grandfather, another Aegon, had invited almost all of what remained of House Targaryen to Summerhall, a castle on the Dornish Marches. At the end of his days his great-grandfather had become obsessed with the idea of bringing dragons back into the world, his mother had once told him that he would spend days and nights locked in his chambers reading books about Old Valyria and Dragon breeding, all in the hope of finding a way to bring the great beasts back into the world.

He had thought that he had found a way to do so. He had found the last dragon eggs that were still in the family's possession and brought them to Summerhall, the Red Keep's septon at the time had been there to bless the gods in the name of all seven gods and also who had been there but pryomancers who swore that their substance was what was needed to bring the dragons back to life.

Needless to say it didn't work, the only survivors of that day were his mother and his father, his grandfather had not been there, and an old archmaester whose name Rhaegar could not remember at the moment. To this day Summerhall stood as a blasted ruin and when the flames had consumed it and their entire family Rhaegar had been born into the world.

He had been born amidst the salt of their tears and the smoke of the flames, it had been the reason that he had been so sure that he was to be the prince that was promised. Of course he knew now that he was wrong but it had been something that he knew his grandfather had clung too in the end of his days, he could remember the old man always calling him his promised prince.

But they had both been wrong, Rhaegar was not to be the prince. He had no sisters, his mother had born one but she had died within a year and the prince would need his sisters at his side for the great battle beyond the wall. The dragon needed three heads otherwise all was lost and while Rhaegar might not be the prince he would be the one to bring them forth.

He still went to Summerhall sometimes, he only ever went alone without the protection of the Kingsguard and would spend nights looking through ruined roof to see the stars shinning down on him. He could swear that sometimes he could here the stars whispering down at him, telling that the tragedy was worth it as all that death had brought him into the world and through him the prince would come.

He had composed some of his best work in Summerhall, the sadness of the place and the sheer wanton cruelty of destiny had inspired him.

Rhaegar had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed that they had arrived in front of the Red Keep until he heard someone shouting for the drawbridge to be lowered. The great bridge was lowered and the portcullis beyond the bridge was raised, the royal party rode across the lowered bridge which took them into the courtyard that separated the various keeps inside of the walls.

As his wife and mother and brother stepped out of the wheelhouse and began to make their way over to Maegor's Holdfast, the drawbridge was drawn up and it took a few moments longer than it should have for it to be lowered for him. As Rhaegar was walking over the bridge he found himself glancing down at the moat and the iron spikes that had been jabbed into the ground, he couldn't help but wonder if in the days to come if those spikes would soon see their use, his father was growing worse and with each action that he took he seemed to dig his own grave even deeper.

And he was digging their graves as he was doing it as well.

Rhaegar walked steadily through that walls of the holdfast, Ser Lewyn following him as Ser Barristan still had to guard his mother and his brother and thus had followed them into the Maidenvault while Ser Harlan and Ser Oswell had both gone to the White Tower. Well, in truth Ser Oswell had gone to the White Tower and he had taken his sworn brother with him as it was clear that the older man needed to lay down.

If his father complained about their absence that Rhaegar would deal with it but he didn't want Ser Harlan to be in his presence, at least not for the moment. If he said the wrong thing then the knight would either wind up getting himself burned or he would wind up getting Rhaegar burned and he couldn't have that.

It didn't take them long before finally they arrived in front of the great doors that lead into the throne room, a knot formed in his throat and he tried his best not to swallow around it. He reached and took hold of one of the great metal rings of the door and he pulled them away in shock when he realised that the normally cold metal was hot, not enough to actually burn his skin but enough to give him a shook due to not having expected it.

He took hold of the ring once again and slowly began to pull the large and heavy door open but as soon as it was open even a crack he regretted it as a wave of blistering heat carrying the smell of burning flesh struck him in the face, causing his eyes to water, his stomach to turn and a small series of violent coughs to erupt from his mouth.

He thought that he heard someone else coughing as well but when his senses returned to him he realised that it wasn't coughing, someone was laughing. It took him a moment longer to realise it was his father, the mad giggle that sounded like a cross between a child who has just been told that they could have all the apple cakes that they wanted and a man who had just been told the funniest jest in all the world could not be mistaken.

Rhaegar took a moment to wipe the tears from his eyes so he could properly see what was happening, though he imagined that he might have been happier not knowing as the sight in front of him made him want to empty his stomach on to the floor and only some strange strength that he did not know the source of kept him on his feet.

His father was sitting on top of the throne, his body shaking with the endings of his mirth and his eyes were bright with joy and cruelty in equal measure as he stared down at what amused him so, Ser Arthur Dayne and Ser Georld Hightower were both standing next to the throne, they were not wearing their helms but even so as they were dressed in their armour Rhaegar could not imagine how either of them could stand the heat, both men's eyes were blank of any emotion and it was clear to him that both men were looking without seeing.

It was the way that all men dealt with horror and crimes that they were powerless to prevent, to pretend that it simply was not happening right in front of them. How many times had the kingsguard stood in front of the door of his parents bedchamber and done nothing about it simply because they were sworn to protect the king and obey him in everything?

In that moment it was hard not to hate them, hate all of them.

Jon Connington was standing father away from the throne and while his mouth was set into a hard line in his eyes Rhaegar saw naught but horror and pain and the desire to do something but being able to do nothing. The look in his eyes lightened somewhat when he caught sight of Rhaegar but not all together by too much as the smell of flesh cooking still filled the air with it's smell.

The Spider stood watching silently, his face as a blank a mask as Rhaegar had ever seen but he had no sympathy for whatever horror the eunuch may or may not be feeling for how many of his whispers had lead men and women and children to the exact fate that Rhaegar was seeing happening right in front of him? The foul mockery of a man was just as responsible as his father was.

And in the centre of the throne room, surrounding a large wooden pyre where blackened bones were cruelly hanging from, three Pyromancers of the Alchemist Guild stood, trying to keep control of their green flames to make sure that it would not consumed all of the Red Keep. None of them seemed to notice or care about the burning remains and Rhaegar could see the light of the jade flames being reflected in their eyes.

The rest of the court was absent and Rhaegar did not know how to take that, it didn't matter if they were here or not as clearly their presence would be as much use to him as they were to the High Septon but he wouldn't deny that he would feel better if the noble lords and ladies were present, if nothing else so that there would be other witnesses to his father's madness.

Stepping forward and around the Pryomancers and the pyre in the middle of the room he approached the foot of the iron throne and quickly dropped into a kneel, ignoring the pain in his arm which burned with so sudden a movement. "Father, it is always good to see you again. I trust that you are well?" He spoke calmly, trying to ignore the cracking and the splintering sounds of the burning wood behind him.

"My son, it is good that you have returned to me. Your wife is carrying the future of our family line and in such troubled times such as these, where treason is openly and blatantly displayed for all in the realm to see and to be proud off. Well, in times like these our family must stick together." His father spoke well enough but Rhaegar could hear the hints of hysteria growing in his voice with each word that he spoke, all traces of his good mood, even if it had come at so steep a price, had now vanished.

"Treason? Father, I don't understand?"

"Varys. Explain to my son this outrage."

"Of course your grace." The Spider spoke in a tone of flattery as he stepped forward, as he got close Rhaegar could smell the scent of flowers which when mixed with the smell of flesh burning caused a sickly sweet smell that made him want to be sick. "My agents inside of the rock tell us that Lord Tywin Lannister has spat in the face of our king and his generosity, he has placed the Princess Elia on a ship and has sent her back North to be returned to her former husband."

In that moment Rhaegar was struck dumb and had no idea what to say, when his father had made that pronouncement he had honestly thought that he had taken all leave of any sort of reality and that the next day he would pronounce that he would wake the stone dragon on Dragonstone simply be tapping it's nose seven times, but while he had not said that it was clear that as for his pronouncement when it came to Elia and her husband he had been deadly serious.

He still remembered the sight of Elia breaking down and crying in the middle of the tent as her husband tried desperately to comfort her and her younger brother had shoot daggers at everyone he had looked at. Rhaegar had not forgiven his father for that action, though he supposed by this point that he should have just added it to the pile of things that he would never forgive his father for.

His father was waiting for an answer and so Rhaegar cleared his throat to speak. "Lord Tywin is bold and presumes far too much and has very little gratitude for all the many kindnesses and boons that you have presented him with, but perhaps we might see this as something of a blessing in disguise? Your decision was not well received by man and now that Princess Elia is returning to the North it might be that it will be forgotten."

He somehow doubted that, Elia had been with child and he doubted that she had followed his father's advice to cleanse it from her and he imagined by now that the babe would soon be ready to be born and while he had never know Elia to hold on to any grudges he had known her brother to do such a thing, the man was hot blooded and was likely to slip into the Red Keep and slit all their throats while they slept.

Prince Doran was a calmer man and was the more reasonable of the Martell brothers but he doubted that he would stand for the insult of what had happened to his sister but surprisingly enough all that had come from Dorne had been silence and no news had reached his ears that seemed to suggest the eldest viper was planning anything, but that did not mean anything at all.

The Starks were the wild factor in all of this, The North had always been cut off from the rest of the realm and thus little was known about the politics of that part of the realm. Clearly Lord Rickard had been trying to change that by sending one of his son's past the Neck to foster and betrothing his only daughter to a southron lord, Eddard Stark would clearly want his wife back and would no doubt be pushing his father to go to was but for all Rhaegar knew she was more then likely already back in the North and the Starks were manning Moat Calin to defend the causeway from any attacks from the south.

Sadly his words did not seem to calm his father, if anything they had only made him more worth and suddenly the heat from the still burning pyre felt all that more close to him as his father leaned forward. "A blessing in disguise? Is that how my son, the crown prince of the realm, the future king, thinks that treason should be answered? I fear for the realm if that is indeed the case you foolish boy."

"All around me are enemies, enemies who feel bold enough to shout their treason from one corner of the realm to the other. Enemies who don't bother with sharpening their blades in the dead of night, they are far too wiling to show all the blade that they have in the break of daylight. The wolves of the north and the snakes of the south have joined with one another, the Falcon circles overhead and the Stag waits for his moment to take my throne from me, I can feel it."

He gestured with his hand towards the pyre, though his long curled nails made it look like he was almost gesturing the still burning ruin to come forward. "This is the price of treason my son, a knight in service to my household. A blade in my own home, one that could stab me in the back as I sat in judgement of other traitors, a blade that could slit the throat of my own wife, a blade that could steal away our son in the night."

"When I had him brought before me to answer for his crimes, of course he demanded a trial by combat, I told him that was his right of course. He had sword on his belt already so I saw no reason to provide him with arms and armour. Of course, he was not so confident when I informed him that that champion of House Targaryen was wildfire. He died with little dignity, it pains me to say."

"And what was it this man in service to our family did that made you so certain that he was a traitor, Father?" Rhaegar said as a sudden anger filled him, strength coming with it. He stood even though once again his arm burned in protest at the movement. His father's eyes were suddenly filled with fear and out of the corner of his eye Rhaegar saw that Jon was inching towards him, perhaps to pull him away before he said something that he would regret.

"Did you even know him name father, can you remember it?"

"His name does not matter, the names of traitors are better left forgotten." His father spoke through he did not seem as strong as he done simply a few moments ago. "And as for his deeds that earned him this fate? He spoke against his king, he said that I was a mad man and a fool to deny the will of the gods. Should I allow such words to stand in my own home?"

"Is that the same crime for which you burned the High Septon for as well?" The words escaped his lips before he could stop them from leaving and suddenly the entire throne room seemed to turn cold and the now smouldering pyre broke apart and fell to the floor with a heavy crash. His father started at him with his eyes blown wide and his pupils reduced to nothing more then pinpricks in oceans of indigo, his body was shaking with a barely suppressed rage.

"I...I sent no word of my execution of the foolish old man to Dragonstone! How are you aware of it!" He shirked, banging his hand on one of the armrests of the throne, the blades there cutting deep into his hand, cutting the sleeve of his robe and drawing blood from his arm but his father didn't seem to notice. "Are you spying on me you wretched, traitorous little bastard! How dare you!?"

A cold knot of fear formed in his gut and behind him he could hear one of the pyromancers muttering that they might have to get more of the substance soon then they had expected. He wasn't going to show any fear, he would not. "You killed the gods representative on this world Father, such a thing can not be kept hidden. News reached Dragonstone within half a day and by now the entire realm must already know. Many powerful lords love the gods Father, many of them came to air their grievances to me on Dragonstone. You've made even more enemies for yourself with this action father."

"And now my son hosts lord who think treasonous thought and harbour hate for their king in their heart? Was I not kind enough to you, did I not love you? Did I not give you all that your heart asked for?" He extended his maimed hand from which tiny rubies dropped and fell to the floor below, a long pale finger was extended towards him as the hand itself shook. "I should...I should have you." A harsh cough began to rack his father as his eyes began to droop. "I should..."

"Father. I think that you should go and see the Grand Maester, you've hurt yourself and are loosing quiet a bit of blood. Go and have your wounds tended and then I shall take whatever punishment that you deem appropriate." He spoke gently and assumed the tone of a son who truly regretting all that he had done that had lead him to this point, it wasn't all that hard to pretend considering that it was near enough to the truth just for different reasons.

His father nodded his head heavily as his eyes gently began to shut as Ser Gerold climbed the steps of the throne and half carried his father down to the floor and lead him out of the room by the small side door that only the king may use. Arthur followed after them but he stopped to shot a glance at Rhaegar and as he left Rhaegar knew that they would be having a conversation about this later. The Spider slipped out as well, tutting as he went.

The Pyromancers scurried out of the throne room, leaving only blackened cinders and ashes as any evidence to the crime that had happened here. It wasn't much and it wasn't enough but he would find out the man's name and if he had any family in the city then Rhaegar would do all that he could to make sure that they were taken care off.

The sound of Jon's heavy footfalls drew Rhaegar's attention away from the remains, his friend was frowning deeply as he stared at the ashes for a moment before he turned his attention on to Rhaegar. "That could have gone much better, still, with any luck that hand of his might become corrupted and we won't have to worry about him for much longer."

"You shouldn't say such things, not about him. He made you his hand and the agents of the Spider pride themselves on being unnoticed, I know not how he can know half the things he does at times. I would almost say sorcery, I know that magic was once a mighty force in the world and perhaps it is becoming so again but at any rate I know no man who could muster such a force. Regardless, you must be careful. If he will burn High Septon then I do not think that you being my hand will do much to protect you."

"Well I don't want to be his hand, you fool. I want to be your hand, you made me agree to this." Rhaegar had indeed been the one to suggest to both his father and to Jon that he would be perfect for the empty role as Hand, Rhaegar knew that he could trust Jon without a shadow of a doubt, Jon loved him greatly and he would serve him well as a Hand and would never do anything to harm him. "So if I am in danger, my silver prince, I am afraid that it is rather your fault."

"You are not wrong my friend, you are not wrong at all. But for me, who needs you more than any other. Please, be safe and guard your tongue." The thoughts that had been plaguing him for months returned to him at the moment and he averted his gaze to look upon the Iron Throne, his duty and his destiny must always come first. Always.

"I promise to be careful if you take my advice right now." Rhaegar turned back to face Jon and found himself staring into blue eyes that were as bright as the sky. "Go back to Dragonestone and go now, take your wife and your mother and your brother and...and me and those who are loyal to you while your father can do nothing to stop you. Prepare yourself for a long siege and then send messages to every single corner of the realm, denounce your father and reveal all that you know him to be and put yourself forward as king."

"Lord Tywin is already an ally and it was your father and not you who split the Dornish woman apart from her savage husband, Dorne and The North have no reason to hate you and every reason to hate him. They might not rise for you at first but if the Riverlands or the Stormlands do then they will follow right behind them, no man with sense will stand behind a mad king."

"Some value loyalty more than they do sense, my father is the king and they are sworn to serve him. For some those vows matter a great deal and yet more will love the reward that will come for being loyal. If I do as you say and take all that is dear to me and flee with them and I die in rebellion then what will happen, Viserys will become heir and in time will be wed to the most powerful of his supporter's daughters? I can not risk it Jon, I can not."

Jon frowned heavily and shook his head before he began to stalk away from the iron throne and walked over to the doors of the throne room, stopping for a moment to look back at him. "And when will you risk Rhaegar? When? When dozens of more people have been burned until there is nothing left of them but ashes and cinders? Will you act when your father doesn't stop and he beats your mother to death or will you act when he takes your wife and burns her to death in act of vengeance against her father."

"The time to act is soon coming my friend, I pray to all the gods that you do not miss it." And with that Jon was gone, the doors to the throne room swinging for a moment but Ser Lewyn poked his head in and if Rhaegar was ready to leave but Rhaegar waved him off and told him that he was not ready to leave yet. The knight nodded dutifully and shut the door.

Rhaegar sat down in front of the steps of the iron throne and let the shadow of the great hulk consume him.

End of Chapter Forty-Four.

And there we go another chapter out of the way and I've said it before and I will say it again, I really like writing for Rhaegar as while I don't approve of any of his actions I find him to be such an interesting character to write. The same can be said with Cersei who is most of the time a terrible person but is such an interesting character to get inside off.

A quick thing, I know that Tywin did not renounce his handship at the tourney at Lannisport, in cannon he did it when Aerys named Jaime to the kingsguard but for the story's sake, like with Jon being the hand at the point, that's when Tywin resigned.

Our next chapter will be our brand new P.O.V character and I hope that someone will be able to guess it, my only clues are Rickard will appear in the chapter, they are a character we've seen before, I don't think that this character has ever truly had a P.O.V in fanfiction but correct me if I'm wrong after you read it and they are not a P.O.V. in the books.

Please review, favourite and follow if you enjoyed,

Love,

Doctorwhofan12345.