"I'll be back." I hated this, every part of it I loathed. My brother was leaving me to go North, to Winterfell. It would take him a month to reach the place, and another to get back. Two months, at the least.

It would be the first time I'd be without my brother for so long. It would be the first time I'd be alone for so long. "Let me go with you." I quietly begged, something I did too often it felt like – even if I'd only said the word please once.

"I'll be back." He reinforced; his answer clear. I'm to remain here. "Ser Keegan Cain will never leave your side." When I remained silent, I knew the disappointed sigh he released all too well. His arms wrapped around me one last time before he mounted upon his horse.

"I'll see you sooner than you think." A lie, a comforting lie. That was the difference between me and him, I'd prefer hard truths while he always wanted softening lies.

One by one Rhaegar and his men made their way out of the capital. For the first time in years, I felt stuck, I felt pitiful. I didn't know why, not that I'm sure if knowing the reason would change anything.

The knight standing behind me made me want to laugh. I had never seen him before, and my brother left me to a stranger. "I take it you are Ser Keegan."

"Yes, my princess." His voice was raspy, as if he didn't talk much or mayhaps he hadn't had a drink in a while.

"You're dismissed." I kept my voice calm, if you wavered for a second – they would not respect your command. Something I had learned at a very young age.

"It was ordered for you to be protected at all times by the prince, my princess." My brother, the protector. Yet he should know, I hate having looming shadows. A fact I'm sure he considered but did not care for. "Did he specifically ask you, by name, to protect me?"

"No, my princess." I smiled kindly, "Then appoint someone else. Someone younger." Someone more careless. I didn't care about age in the slightest, but if I wanted to get out of guard's eyes – it helps having a careless young guard as a bodyguard.

I didn't wait for an answer before making my way back into the palace. I knew that he would follow orders, and I didn't even get fully back inside the palace before a handmaiden stopped me.

"Your father requests your presence." My father, the king. Besides my brother he was the first person to give me anything I desired. I was his only daughter, but I doubt that that would remain for long. My mother had given birth to my younger brother not too long ago and was already pregnant with another.

The halls were achingly silent, despite the maidens, guards, and servants. It seemed as if every step I took echoed, no matter how small the step.

Two kingsguard stood outside my father's chambers, one was Ser Barristan Selmy, a knight that was there during my own birth, and the other was Ser Jaime Lannister. We had met briefly during the welcoming party my father decided to throw in his name.

Really my father simply wanted to rub it in Lord Tywin Lannister's face that his son chose him. A petty man our king.

The two knights bowed respectfully before opening the door.

The king, my father, sat at his desk – his face solemn. Everyone knew my father as the king that laughed too often. Yet I saw him entirely differently, yes, my father laughed, but more often than not behind closed doors he was a very serious man.

"Father." I calmly greeted, waiting for him to acknowledge me. His Valyrian purple eyes meet my own. "Tala." ︎︎Daughter. He greeted me.

As much as my father was serious, he was also paranoid. In our private conversations never once did not he speak Valyrian.

"Ao called bē issa."You called upon me. It was strange he wished to speak to me, not too long after my brother's departure. Meaning Rhaegar would not like where this conversation would lead to. "Aōha lēkia jāhor sagon marrying Elia Martell."︎︎ Your brother will be marrying Elia Martell.

It was expected, still I did not like the idea of my brother leaving me alone. Even if he did live in Kings Landing, he would be much too busy with his own family – leaving his old behind. Leaving me behind. I wanted to protest, but an alliance with Dorne was much needed. After all, Dorne was the only place not conquered by dragons, their army was strong.

"Ao aōla iksos sir required naejot find nykeā valzȳrys." ︎︎You yourself is now required to find a husband. A sad, and worrisome truth. One I did not want to accept. Not only would my brother find a new family, but I will be shipped off, like some trophy.

"Iksos Rhaegar daor enough syt ao? Ao jaelagon naejot jikagon issa pryjagon sīr adhirikydho?" ︎︎Is Rhaegar not enough for you? You wish to send me off so quickly? My chest felt heavy; the very last thing I wanted was to leave my family. Family is all a person has, and he wished for me to forget about it?

"Nyke kostagon mērī ōregon pryjagon aōha ondos syt sīr bōsa, issa riñnykeā." ︎︎I can only hold off your hand for so long, my child. My father raised himself from his seat at the table, making his way over to me. His strong hand wrapped themself around me, comforting me.

"Lentor iksos ry ao kostagon pāsagon. Everyone qilōni isn't lentor iksos nykeā qrinuntys naejot īlva; ao remember bona tubis ȳdra daor ao?"︎︎Family is all you can trust. Everyone who isn't family is an enemy to us; you remember that day don't you?

How could I forget? It haunted my dreams."Se yet ao nykeēdrosa issi sending issa qrīdrughagon."︎︎ And yet you still are sending me away.

"Ao issi se mērī mēre nyke kostagon pāsagon, daor aōha brothers, nor aōha muñnykeā. Ao issa tala issi se mērī mēre qilōni knows skorkydoso olvie danger māzigon rūsīr se targārien brōzi."

︎︎You are the only one I can trust, not your brothers, nor your mother. You, my daughter, are the only one who knows how much danger comes with the Targaryen name.

Those words echoed in my mind; he was right. I did know how much blood, and ruin came with our family name.

"It is still early and not needed at the moment." My father said, switching from our mother tongue. "I just need you to prepare for what is to come." Prepare, no preparation is ever enough to part from your family.

By the time I walked back out of my father's room I had never felt so alone. I felt wronged, as if I drew the short end of life simply because that is my fate.

Ser Barristan, and Ser Jaime still stood outside the door, but this time accompanied by another kingsguard. Younger than Selmy, yet older than Lannister. "What is your name, Ser?" Even my voice felt hollow, even if it didn't waver, even if I kept the same unmoved tone, my voice had felt empty.

Is this the fate of a woman, to speak but go unheard. Their wants and desires; nothing more than a comedic way to fill silence. No matter how much I wanted to scream, I was more than positive it would go ignored – as a woman often is. Now even my brother wasn't here to listen to me.

"Ser Cyrus Drakos, my princess." He bowed, quickly and gracefully. I had originally wanted to go out into the woods, yet now it seemed as if my day had been ruined at the reminder I would be shipped away.

"Ser Barristan, Ser Jaime, I bid you both a good day." Hopefully I wouldn't be in their presence for the remainder of the day, or more accurately my fathers.

Ser Cyrus followed me quietly down the halls of my home. "I shall go into town, is that going to be a problem, Ser?" Every step I took I made sure was elegant. My posture straight, my strides strong and steady, while my head never looked anywhere but ahead. "No, my princess, but perhaps we should gather more men."

I knew he would make the suggestion, but I also knew just the right way to make a knight tick. "Are you saying you alone are not capable of protecting me?" Immediately Ser Cyrus had started to retreat his words, "no, my princess, I simply–"

"If you are capable, then act like it." I interrupted, it was rude and abrupt, and I didn't care. The knight only silently nodded his head and kept five paces behind me as I made my way through the streets of Kings Landing.

The city of Kings Landing had the population of half a million. Some say that the closer you are to the royal family, the more fortune you gain – that was a lie. People who believe it are gullible people who truly believe that the gods will be forever gracious to them.

"Ser Cyrus, do you have a family?" I asked the knight escorting me as I watched two small children run around, not a care in the world. No doubt they were struggling, based on their clothes, and yet they were happy. They didn't have a single worry, blind ignorance, as much a blessing as a curse.

"Yes, your highness." Citizens were no doubt staring at me and failing miserably at concealing it. Not only did I have a high-quality cloak on, but the knight in armor was like a beacon in a stormy night. "Tell me about them." It was a personal question, but he didn't have a choice in answering it.

It was a fact I used to feel guilty about, but now I use my title to my advantage. Why wouldn't I?

"My sister, Isleen, is just three and ten. She has a fiery spirit much like our mother, my princess." I quietly listened to him explain each of his siblings, while also explaining the kind of household he comes from. A loving one.

Slowly the streets got more and more packed, and his five paces behind me turned to six, seven, eight, and before the knight knew it or I for that matter we were separated.

While originally, I had wanted to split apart and be on my own, I didn't want it to be during the busiest point of the day. After all, not everyone in Kings Landing is entirely happy with my family. I tugged the cloak thigher to me, and had two decisions to make.

I could stay, see the struggle of my people, or leave now and have made a pointless trip. There wasn't a single sign of a white cloak. The markets were becoming more and more busy, each stall finally opened up.

The kids that were playing were rushed to their mothers, and smiths, seamstresses, and more food stalls were all starting to crowd. Each person wanting to get the finer things rather than the spare stock that was undoubtedly poor quality.

Each person my eyes landed on it was certain that they were underweight. My heart pitted those little children that I could easily see the ribs of.

Making my way to the food stall next, I knew the vendor immediately knew of my identity. "My princess," his bow was instant, and poorly executed – then again commoners didn't have classes on proper etiquette.

"No need for that." He was nervous, and rightfully so – if I was someone low born and theprincesscame up to me I'd be terrified. "Is this all the stock you have for the week?" I asked the man, who he himself looked hungry.

"Yes, my princess." Each vendor I went to after that had said the same thing. To me it didn't make sense as to why there was so little food for the people. Until I had realized that they were all too scared to ask for more. They didn't want to be greedy, yet everyone must be so in order to live in this world.

︎

Mid-day was slowly starting to fall in Kings Landing along with the market rush. I was more than positive that Ser Cyrus would've had a search party out looking for me, and would no doubt become in trouble with his commander. If I had deliberately separated from him perhaps I would've felt bad, yet while wanted the separation wasn't intended. Taking the back streets back to the castle was refreshing.

People didn't seem to stare as much, as they themselves were minding their own business. It was quite the delight, or it was.

My heart started to pick up, and I couldn't know why until I felt the rough grip of a hand. My blood burned, and I couldn't get the chance to let out the scream that ripped from the back of my throat.No.

THE COLD BREEZEpushed through the open window. Goosebumps crowding my skin, and I couldn't tell if it was from the harsh cold – or the pulsating fear pumping through me. The brutal unyielding grip on my mouth kept any screams I gave quiet.

"Shut your fucking mouth." His voice was sickening, and it made the tears falling from my eyes even worse. The stench of leather was all I could smell, he wore gloves – just as he wore a mask.

"You scream for help, and I'll cut out your tongue." In my little head, it was a threat I was sure he would keep.

He pulled his hand from my mouth, and I didn't scream, I didn't run, I said one word. "Please."

"Calm down." A breathless voice spoke, as I pushed myself away from the man. My screams swallowed by his hand, like all those years ago.

"Hey, hey!" his hand went from my arm to my shoulders, forcibly turning me to the person who had me currently in their possession. I didn't think twice before using my free hand and punching the person.

Their grip slightly loosened, but by the time I started to pull away they'd already tightened it again. "Look at me." He commanded, his voice no longer breathless, but more so demanding at his hand falling from my mouth and tightly grabbing my chin.

Valyrian purple meet emerald green, I had once seen those eyes before.

My breathing ever so slowly calmed, my chest still falling heavy as the rush of fear faded. I wasn't in that room, this wasn't the same man. This was Jaime Lannister. "That's it," unknowingly my breathing matched his own.

"It's just me, just Jaime." Just Jaime.

His hand left my face, along with my shoulder, and stepped back slightly when he noticed his princess breathing back to normal. "You gave Ser Cyrus quite the scare." I hadn't noticed the other knight in my panic, but even when I did I kept my eyes on the golden haired boy.

Golden hair, not silver, Jaime had broken through my fright, not Rheagar.

"I apologize for any trouble I have caused," I forced my voice to go back to that calm, collected tone. "I am even more so sorry if you sent many men away from their post to find me." I wasn't, was the honest truth. I couldn't care about anyone right now, but me and my survival.

I needed to get back home, and then I could find a way to get out of my own head.

"Word got to our commander. It was just you two out in the city, so he sent me to join you. No search party needed." Is that all that got back to the commander?

"Is that all you knew, that we were in the city?" I asked the knight, curiosity evident in my voice. If so, Ser Cyrus was even more so prideful than I originally thought. "Ah, Ser Cyrus was on his way to gather men to look for you, but I stopped him." The knight in question had been concerningly quiet – but I didn't care. No, my entire focus was on the Lannister, that seemed to be a little bit too cocky.

"Why?"

"I just knew I'd find you."

My breath caught for a moment, "Ser Cyrus, you're dismissed – I'd like to enjoy time alone with Ser Jaime." The other knight didn't even question and like a dog did as told.

"I'd like to remain on the back streets, Ser." His all too arrogant smile remained and simply followed me, only three paces behind. Not the proper five.

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒

𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐒:
Maela — 16
Rhaegar — 22
Jaime — 16