Wife of the Wolf, Husband of the Sun

Chapter Fifty-Six

Rhaegar traced the drawing of Riverrun on the map with his finger, his mind lost to his thoughts. It wasn't all that far away when you actually thought about it, if he had a strong and fast horse, wore light armour and kept the stops he would need to make to a bare minimum then he could be at the castle in around twenty days, maybe even slightly less if he rode at night as well.

He didn't know how large a distance it was between Riverrun and Winterfell, the Neck was a dense bog that by itself could take days to pass through simply by following the causeway. There were quicker routes but they could only be followed by foot and only the Crannogmen knew of them. One wrong step and you would find yourself breathing mud, and the Crannogmen were well known to not be friendly to southerners.

Which meant that Lord Hoster would have no other choice but to take the causeway if he and the men he had taken with him were to reach the North. Two hundred men, if the word his father had received from Lord Walder was accurate, was not a small host by any means but not enough to truly threaten a great seat such as Winterfell, if that truly was Lord Hoster's intention.

When news of the host moving through the Riverlands had reached them, his Father had been both furious and terrified, he had been shrieking in the small council about treachery and bare faced, naked villainy and how he would have both Lord Hoster and Lord Rickard flogged naked through the streets before skinning them in front of the Red Keep before finally giving them over to the Pyromancers to let them both be bathed in green flames.

That rage, the Dragon within, had consumed his Father and for a moment Rhaegar had been terrified what his Father would do, but then the Spider had descended down from his web and whispered soothing secrets into the King's ear and all so suddenly his mood had brightened, as though nothing had ever been wrong in the first place.

The Spider had always been a problem, but there was naught that Rhaegar could do about him at the moment. He was good at what he did, none could deny that but he was clearly on his Father's side. Whatever he had told him to calm him so, Rhaegar had no idea what it was and when he asked Varys, his Father ordered him to hold his tongue or he would lose it.

Rhaegar had no hint as to what Lord Hoster's intentions were, but if he had gone to pledge his strength to Winterfell then all was lost. Any chance of winning Winterfell and Riverrun to his side, to place him on the throne, was lost. His life more than likely along with it, by themselves the North and the Riverlands weren't enough to dispose them but he doubted that it would just be them who stood against them.

His finger drifted south and south and south again and he traced it around the shape of Dorne, if he closed his eyes he could almost hear the vipers hissing in their rage. What his Father had done had been unforgivable and beyond insulting, Prince Doran would not forgive nor forget it and Prince Oberyn would want bloody vengeance if he hadn't misjudged the sort of man he was.

The wolves were at there front and the vipers were at there back, war would tear the realm apart and as it was taking shape now, Rhaegar could think of no way how to stop it. He wasn't entirely sure who would be fighting for who in the end, but the kingdoms would be against one another. That he knew well enough, and it would make them weaker to face what was going to come.

It was so frustrating, that none of them could understand. That none of them could see it and if he tried to make them, then they would all think that he was mad, as mad as his Father was. The gods had set on to him a terrible burden, perhaps not to be the prince that was promised himself but to ensure that the prince would come and he would have his sisters at either side of him.

Rhaegar heaved another sigh and then stepped away from the map before turning and walking over to the shelves which held a collection of dusty old tomes and scrolls held securely in copper tubes. He picked up one of the tubes and carried it over to the table, he placed it gently down and moved the cheese and the grapes he had been eating earlier to another surface before he unscrewed the lid and retrieved the most precious scroll from inside, the one that had changed his life.

He knew the words by now as he knew the back of his hand, how many nights had he stayed up to ready the same letters over and over again by the light of a candle, of dozens of candles in point of fact. There had been plenty of nights when he had simply forgotten to sleep and turned up to his training sessions with Ser Willem Darry, rubbing at his eyes and yawning. But he had never missed a one, no matter how tired he grew or indeed how much he hated them.

And even when he had realised that the prince was not going to be him, he still trained. There would be wars he needed to fight and his son would need to be trained to be the strongest warrior that he could be and thus that duty would fall on to Rhaegar himself. His son would need to be Aegon come again, to unite all Seven Kingdoms to fight off the coming darkness.

But Aegon had not united the Seven Kingdoms willingly, nor to fight off anything. Aegon had seen the Kingdoms, separate and strong but also weak in their isolation from one another, and had wanted. He had dragons as well, thus took them. There were no more dragons, they had died in this city, falling sick and growing stunted.

He sometimes wondered if he was chasing a fool's errand, the prophecy could be wrong, mistranslated, a story. He could be mad, just less violently so than his Father. It was in the blood, and no matter which side the coin landed, the other side was always there.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't hear the first round of knocks on his door, whoever stood on the other side of it had to called out to him in order to get his attention along with knocking. Rhaegar quickly placed the scroll back in the tube, fixed the lid back on and carried it back over to the shelf before making his way over to the door and opening it.

On the other side was a herald, his face was pale and his chest was heaving clearly from having to run so fast from wherever he had come from. "My prince, please pardon the interruption but I've come to bring word that the Princess Cersei has gone into labour, your mother is attending to her now with several midwives as well as Grand Maester Pycelle. The King has been informed as well of course and the Grand Maester would like you to know that he does not believe that it will be long before the child is born."

And there it was, the time had come at last as it was always going to. He said nothing and simply gave the herald a silent nod before he turned and walked back inside his chambers, his mind racing as he tried to fit it all into his head. If the prophecy was right, and it was because it had to be, then he would have a daughter this night. The prince would be the next to come, first Rhaenys, then Aegon and then finally Visenya.

It was how it had to be, and naught could be done to change it. Not now, perhaps not ever. The prophecy had given him purpose, and he would see that purpose fulfilled. So it was written and so it would be.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of the Herald clearing his through, Rhaegar turned and saw that his door had not been closed and the Herald was still there. "Forgive me my prince, but the Queen wished for me to inform you that the Princess Cersei seemed quite distressed and that she was asking for you to come to her, if you would."

Rhaegar couldn't hide his frown as he considered the herald's words, traditionally the husband would wait outside of the birthing chamber and when it came to a prince, he would have to wait until he was summoned to know that he had become a Father. But the thought of Cersei going through it without him, and the fact that this was enough to distress his strong willed wife, who was as much a lioness as only a Lannister could be.

But he had his princely duties of his own to attend too, things that had to be done and his trials had to be his own to face as Cersei had to face her owns. "I think not, you will be kind enough to bring me word when the child is born I trust?" The herald nodded, wise enough to not show any approval or disapproval either way. "Has word been sent to the king?"

"Yes my prince, his Grace the King commanded us to bring word to him first when the Princess Cersei began to give birth." Rhaegar frowned, he wasn't surprised but it did irritate him a bit. He wasn't sure why his Father would order such a thing in the first place, other than simply to irritate him. His Father was ever worried about treason, and yet he did little to gain people's love and loyalty.

"I see, thank you. As I said, please come and inform me when the child is born." The herald nodded and left the room and Rhaegar was left on his own once again, it was nothing he wasn't used to. He had always been alone, no one had ever been able to truly reach him aside from his mother. He had always been separate, he had known what the future held and if he got to close to someone and the fates determined that they die, then it would be easier not to known them. Not to mourn them.

Death was a constant companion, a shadow that had been following him since the day he was born when he was born in the cinders of Summerhall. Death would be waiting for the three heads of the Dragon as well. It was the only way that it could end, heroes did not get to live in the light and see the world that they had worn. Heroes were born to die.

He needed to get out, he needed some air. Any other man would be thrilled to know that in so short a time he would be a Father. But Rhaegar was never like most men, it had ever been a blessing and a curse in equal measure. He turned on his feet and made his way back over to his desk and retrieved a small bit of parchment paper from within the desk, dipped his quill into the ink pot and wrote a single sentence on top of the parchment and then left his solar.

There was a single alcove in the Red Keep that looked no different to any of the others, the only thing that made it different was a single loose stone and only a few people who all knew one another knew that it was there. Once Rhaegar was certain that no one was there to see him, he quickly removed the stone, placed the parchment inside of it and then replaced the stone.

From there, Rhaegar went to the godswood. Their was no great weirwood tree, but there were a great oak which served as the heart tree in the centre of an acre of elm, black cottonwood and alder trees. He had never liked it here, there was always a sense that something was watching him even though he knew that it was only the crows.

But there were no walls here, no tight gaps or alcoves where someone could hide and overhear something that they shouldn't. Birds rested on the branches, spiders threaded their webs but all of the birds big and little had feathers and all of the spiders had eight legs. If there was any place that was beyond the reach of Varys's web, then it was here. Or at the very least, that was what he had to hope or else all was lost and every little insult that his Father was throwing him was not simply cruelty born out of madness, or they were simply spices to the pot for when his Father called for his head.

The sound of footfalls and branches snapping and dead leaves being crushed under foot drew his attention and when he turned, he saw a man dressed all in brown. A brown wool shirt, brown trousers of roughspun and brown boots with a brown cloak with a hood that covered his face. The man strode forward and feel to his knees at the side of Rhaegar, gazing up into the face of the heart tree. "You asked for me, my prince?" The man asked as he pulled his hood back, revealing tan skin, violet eyes and black hair.

"Yes, thank you for coming Arthur." If there was anyone in the Red Keep that he trusted more than his Mother or Jon Connington, then it was Arthur Dayne. They had been friends for a long time and it was Arthur who had truly been the one to help him see how far his Father had actually fallen. "What news do you have of my Father this night?"

"Much the same as most other nights, he mutters to himself, talks to someone who is not there and whispers of treason and villainy, whatever magic words that the eunuch whispered into his ear would seem to have worn off." Arthur turned to look at him. "I know you won't listen to me my friend, but I still have to try. I know Jon already has, you are running out of time and whatever has happened between Lord Hoster and Lord Rickard is simply making it worse. It feels as though I am stuck in a room with pots of wildfire with a lit touch, I am waiting for the flames to consume me I simply do not know when they will come."

"I am simply waiting for the right moment-

"The right moment might have already come and gone, the right moment was when Elia was humiliated by your father and you would call on the North and Dorne to fight for you, the right moment was when the High Septon was burned by all the lords and ladies of court and you would call on all the most pious lords to your banner, the right moment was when you married the Lannister girl and would have all the strength of Casterly Rock behind you."

Rhaegar sighed and bent his head, his silver hair falling all around his face like a veil. It had been growing so long as of late, he had been neglecting his barber but his wife had said she liked it and thus he had seen no reason to have it cut as of yet. "If I rise up in rebellion, then war will come and thousands upon thousands will did. Perhaps more, numbers that turn my knees to jelly as I try and comprehend them."

"War will come, it's already coming. Lord Tywin sees that as well, why do you think he sent his son, his brother and his sister to Riverrun? To sample Lord Hoster's fresh trout pie? Lord Tywin's keeping all his options open, a man like him...the death of his daughter will surely be regrettable, but do you think he wouldn't sacrifice her in an instant if it meant keep his family surviving? I don't."

He knew that Arthur was right, if he lost Lord Tywin then he lost the only true ally he had at the moment who could be of any actual threat to his father and he could not let that happen. If they all rallied together with the intent to kill all of them, to put someone else on the throne then all would be lost. It had to be him, he had to rule. Not out of want for the ugly old iron chair, but out of duty, out of destiny. It must be him to rule, it had to be him.

And yet for all of that, he could not find it in him to take the final step, to plunge himself off of the cliff, to give himself to destiny and see if he could grow wings and open his eyes. "He's my father, Arthur. My king, I am sworn to obey him in all the things that I do. I loved him once, I adored him. I worshiped the ground he walked on and I wanted to be him. How can I fight him?"

Arthur's eyes did not soften, his mouth did not become any less firm. When he spoke, he spoke with simple, honest truth. Rhaegar had come to expect nothing more from him after all of this time. "He's your father, he is also a monster. He is the king, he is also a madman. You are sworn to obey him, I am sworn to that and more. I am sworn to keep his secrets, protect his life and give mine for his if I need too. We commit treason simply be speaking of this, your father has every right to call for our heads. If you simply mean to keep talking, tell me so and we shall leave this here."

Rhaegar let out another sigh and brought his hand up to rub at his eyes for a moment before he gave a heavy, slow nod. "You are right, the time is coming I promise you Arthur. It won't be long now I swear to you, but all has to be prepared before I do anything else. Just please, just wait a bit longer. Do not abandoned me my friend, I can not do this without you."

Arthur stared at him for a long moment, but he eventually gave him a nod of his own. Rhaegar let out another sigh, this one of relief and gratitude. "Thank you Arthur, truly. Has my Father spoken about filling the spot in the kingsguard, has he any ideas as to who it will be?"

"None as of yet, Lord Command Hightower is writing up a list of suitable recommendations but even then, the king might just appoint a Pyromancer to fill the spot." It would certainly not surprise him at all, to say the very least. How much longer would it be till even the sycophants his father had already surrended himself with no longer pleased him and the alchemists were in every corner of the Red Keep? It was a thought that oft kept him awake at night.

There were a few other matters to discuss, but they seemed to fly past. Arthur left the godswood first, Rhaegar closed his eyes and counted to one hundred and then got to his feet and started to make his way back to his solar.

Once he had made it back, the herald came running up to him, panting for his breath. "My prince, forgive me." The herald spoke as he tried to catch his breath. Once he had done so, he looked up at Rhaegar. "The Princess Cersei has given birth my prince, you are the Father to a daughter."

Any other man might have broken down in tears of joy, shouted out his delight or even cursed the gods for his misfortune for not granting him a son. But not Rhaegar, no, Rhaegar simply smiled at the news. He had already known, he had always known. Fate was like a river, and they were always following it's path. He nodded and dismissed the herald as he made his way to the birthing chamber.

Grand Maester Pycelle was speaking intently with one of the midwives before he noticed that Rhaegar was there, he dismissed the midwife with a sharp word and the woman left the room carrying a chamber pot. "Congratulations are in order, my Prince. The child was born healthy, screaming at the top of her lungs and Princess Cersei suffered through her task admirably. She is resting now, uh, my prince? Forgive me for perhaps speaking out of turn, but when the Princess was told to give the babe to the wet nurse, she screamed at her to go away and has been nursing the child herself. If you did not know my Prince, nursing a child makes it more difficult for the seed to be planted."

He did in fact know that, and it made him frown ever so slightly. He needed to have the three heads as soon as possible after all but at the same time, there would surely need to be some years between them? He couldn't push Cersei too much after all. He cleared his throat. "I see Grand Maester, I will speak to my wife and make sure she understands her duty. But even so, I think tonight shouldn't be much of a problem."

The Grand Maester bobbed his head and then departed, making mention of himself feeling weary. Rhaegar moved towards the door and opened it, waking inside the chamber.

Cersei looked paler than normal, and tired as well, but that could only be expected after her trial. In her arms was held a small bundle, his wife held it like it was the most precious thing in the world which to be sure, it was. Cersei glanced up from looking down at the bundle, and her joyful yet tired smile was replaced with a frown as she looked back down at the babe and muttered. "I asked you to come to me, I wanted you with me."

"I could not be, it was not my place and you did you duty perfectly." Rhaegar spoke softly as he walked forward and sat on the side of the bed, his hand coming up to cup Cersei's cheek. At the touch, his wife's resistance fell away and she relaxed into the touch. He glanced back down at the babe and smiled slightly once again at the sight of her.

She was a little thing, but not so little to be of concern. Her noise was dainty and her cheeks were chubby, and atop her head were a few wisps of golden hair. "She's beautiful, thank you my love."

"Then...you are pleased then?" Cersei spoke, perhaps for the first time that he had known her she sounded as though she was unsure. She shifted under the covers of the bed and adjusted the babe so she was holding her closer to her chest. "You do not mind that she is a girl?"

"Of course I do not, she is my daughter and I love her." He would be more displeased if she had not been a girl. She had to be a girl, she had to be Rhaenys, she must be Rhaenys.

His wife smiled, brighter than the sun. "I thought that we might call her Myrcella, or perhaps Joanna for my mother or even Genna for my aunt. Jenye, for my Father's mother."

"She will be Rhaenys, that will be her name." He made sure that when he spoke, there was just a note of firmness in it. Cersei needed to know that he would not be moved when it came to that. Cersei frowned slightly but said nothing else.

The door to the chamber opened, and his Mother strode in with Viserys clinging to her hand. "I pray you will not mind us, but Viserys wished to see the new babe. But if you are too tired my dear, we would understand completely."

"No, your Grace. Please come in." Cersei spoke and once he heard that he was not being sent away, Viserys broke free from his mother and ran over to the bed and rapidly climbed on top of it despite their Mother giving him a warning about being careful not to fall.

Viserys stared down at the babe for a few moments before he pouted and let out a groan, the same sort that Rhaegar was used to hearing when his little brother had been told that yes, he did need to eat all of his carrots before he could have his pudding. "She's not a dragon."

"Viserys!" His mother cried and Viserys flinched, not used to being talked to so harshly by their Mother.

"Do not be so harsh on the boy Rhaella, he might be right." The voice sent a shiver down his spine and when Rhaegar turned his head and saw his father standing in the doorway, Ser Lewyn and Ser Barristan standing behind him like spectres in the white armour. "In the end, babes can be wiser than all of us."

The King walked through the room, each step he took towards the bedside seemed to take an eternity. He stood at the side of it and then stared down at the babe before he smirked cruelly, his eyes were dark. "She smells like a lion."

And just like that, he was gone with his mother and Viserys following after him when the King commanded them to follow him. Cersei said nothing as she continued to stare straight forward, holding the babe somehow even closer. Rhaegar found her hand and held it.

Yes, it wouldn't be long now.

End of Chapter Fifty-Six

Another chapter done and dusted and Cersei finally gave birth, some people asked if the change to the prophecy I mentioned meant that Cersei wouldn't bear any living children. Well, this chapter clearly puts that theory to bed.

Anyway, as always I hope that everyone enjoyed this chapter, and you would consider leaving a follow, a favourite and a review.

With much love,

DiscordantSymphony