Sirius tugged on the collar of his robe. It was quick to steal anything around muggles. He just hoped the noble he chose to rob wouldn't notice his perfectly brushed dress robes missing from its place. He brushed his long dark hair with his fingers even as they bounced back into place. Sirius knew the princess had morning walks around the castle. Sometimes with the prince, sometimes with her handmaid, but also at time on her own. Today was his lucky day. He spotted her among the gardens, sitting on a stone bench watching the flurry of birds nestling along the fountain.

She was as perfect as he first saw her in her glistening skin and brushed back, long hair. He fancied a casual stroll until she looked up at him and smiled just a little.

"G'day my lady." Sirius said in a gruffly, but thought twice on his tone.

"My lord," she replied with a light head nod. Sirius stopped a good calculated distance away, one hand in front as of him and the other at his back.

"Welcome to King's Landing." He said, friendlier this time.

"Thank you," Elia replied stiffly without looking away from him. Sirius glanced around awkwardly.

"Would you like to sit?" Elia asked motioning to the empty space next to her.

"That's very kind of you, my lady." Sirius asked cautiously, but also in relief. She nodded, and Sirius kept a safe space next to her.

"Do care to introduce yourself, my lord." Elia said, this time keeping her eyes on the birds. She spoke so casually that it was easy for Sirius to keep himself composed.

"Ah, of course. I am Sirius Black from…the House of..Black."

Elia shot him a curious look.

"Not— not of the Black." Sirius corrected, "but House Black."

"I've never heard of House Black."

"We aren't a very large house." Sirius swallowed, but remembered himself as he said, "but we are noble."

Elia smiled at him retuning his cordiality, quickening his breath and sending flutter in the pit of his stomach. It was a good morning for Sirius, and as it happens the first good morning for the princess too.

Bellatrix watched from the terrace of the queen's chambers. They were a long ways off, but close enough to identify what with Sirius and his mannerisms. This would be the day she needed the princess far away from Rhaegar, and preoccupied.

Begin with the end. The words of Amos that left her sleepless for many nights. Every forsaken day she saw Rhaegar with Elia only to meet him in the secrecy of his bedchambers made it harder to begin the end with. While it is true that they had not consummated their relationship, Bellatrix could no longer deny how earnest her affections for Rhaegar had become. How could she be so taken by a man so tender, but so powerful in all his ways. She was sure that not even a bogart could duplicate him to perfection. He was like the highest wizard in muggle form. Muggle. The struggle within her when she remembers what he is—a pure blooded Valyrian— whatever it is that meant… he always spoke so highly about their bloodline, yet in many ways it overwhelmed him so. Did that mean he wasn't equal to muggles? These thoughts plagued her, but it was too easy to forget when he held her, touched her, kissed her, and simply looked at her with his tantalizing, purple eyes. The only eyes that has ever truly cared to looked at her and see her.

But the truth was evident. She could not stay. Was it then such a crime to wish that it never had to end?

A hand brushed her arm, pulling her back to reality. She turned to find Rhaegar next to her and noticed they were alone.

"They've gone to feed Viserys." Rhaegar said and followed her gaze toward the gardens. "Is that your cousin?"

"Sirius, yes. Don't go ahead and cut his head off just yet."

Rhaegar chuckled. "It is in my best interest that he entertains the princess. As it is yours?" He stroked her arms gently.

Bellatrix received the joke with a chuckle, but dismissed it quickly with a heavy sigh.

"I know what bothers you." Rhaegar said. "It's only days away. You know, Targaryen kings have never taken to monogamy well. This wouldn't be much of a problem—"

"Rhaegar, you know why this is different." Bellatrix interjected. "I am not from this place, not from this time. Surely you remember that."

Rhaegar stared at her, taken aback by the intensity I her voice. "I was only going to say that I've never been like any of the Targaryen kings."

Bellatrix glared at him, confused and irked.

"I believe in loyalty, in the companionship of just one. I need not bother with another." Rhaegar said, glancing behind her to where Sirius and Elia sat, then back at Bellatrix, "you would be enough for me."

"Enough of this." Bellatrix pushed away from his hold moving away from the terrace. Her heart began to pound in her chest, of anger or of pain she wasn't sure anymore. Rhaegar followed her with his eyes.

"Rhaegar," she began with a trembling voice, "we must no longer do this. We must stop pretending that this is going to end well. It is getting too hard for me, you see? This whole—whatever this is between us...is rubbish."

"Rubbish." Rhaegar echoed with a nod. He understood her, and it pained her to see him take it so calmly.

"Does it not bother you? Am I the only one here that sees this for what it really is? Talk to me and tell me that you see this is pathetic. That we're both stupid for letting this go on."

"I don't disagree."

"Then what are we doing?" Bellatrix felt her eyes burn knowing this was it, the beginning.

"I do see the plight we've created, but I refuse to acknowledge the pain while we're already running out of time."

"You know I have to go home."

"I wish I did not, but I do. As to when, the wedding would be sooner I suppose. That is the deadline. Once I am wed, that is when I know this is over."

"So, what are we doing right now? What are you doing?"

"Might I ask you the same?" Rhaegar's eyes bore into her like pincers in a hearth. "Why do you permit me to see you alone every day? If you know this is to end, why do you act as though it isn't? If it bothers you so much the way that it does now, then do it to me now, Bellatrix. Go on and tell me that it is over." He stared at her patiently, ignoring the heaviness growing in his chest.

Bellatrix could find no words. She blinked back angry tears.

"The answer is the same for me. It pains me day by day, but I cannot find the strength in me to let you go now, right here. To tell you to stay away. To tell you that we can no longer be when you are this close, while you are so close.

I pray every day to the gods that the world would be just the way we want it to be. Me as your bridegroom and you my bride, but alas every day that I wake it is just the same as it is right now. A tragedy. My world has always been black and white until you. I have argued with myself countless times why must I love someone in such condition, but there are no answers. I have none. So again, might I ask, can't we just be this way until the end? We're so close, Bellatrix. Too close to walk away now."

Bellatrix's lips quivered, willing herself to stay strong despite the words of truth they both knew. He was right, every word.

"It's too hard." She said in a breath and broke down finally. Rhaegar caught her and held her strong, stroking her wild hair as she sobbed in his chest.

"When this is over, you will go home, you will be free, and you will live. It will be the same for me, but what will always persist is that I have been changed by a mysterious lady from a strange time. I will not forget you, Bellatrix Black."

"Hold me." Bellatrix cried as she clung to him.