Work Text:
“Where is she now? Where are you hiding her?”
“Somewhere safe. Somewhere secret.”
“Somewhere you have been hiding with her this past year, while the war rages on? Would you have even returned if your father had not sent Arthur Dayne to look for you? It does not matter now. Even if you return her to her family, the war will not end. Not after your father murdered her father and her brother. A blood debt must always be paid. There is no escaping that.”
“I didn’t know. I didn’t know that my father would go so far.”
“You knew how unstable and dangerous he was, when you told me you might have to choose. Choose between your duty to your father, and your duty to your kingdom and your people. Was it too hard a choice to make? Was that why you chose to flee with the girl instead? To escape?”
“I was not escaping. I was making a choice.”
“Do you love her?”
“I need her.”
“Do you love her?”
“I love you. But I need her.”
“I wasn’t enough?”
“No, not for what I need to do.”
“And what is it that you need to do?”
“I need to do my duty to my kingdom, to my people. I need to do my duty as their prince.”
“To do that, you have to betray your wife, spirit away a betrothed girl, and start a war?”
“I wasn’t the one who started this war.”
“What did you think the Starks and Robert Baratheon were going to do? Smile and give you their blessing?”
“She came with me willingly. There was no force in it. They cannot say that I forced her.”
“She was fifteen! A naïve child falling for your sweet songs and your even sweeter promises. I was that girl once. I thought I was the luckiest woman in the world, to be wed to you.”
“Elia-“
“Did you tell her that you loved her? Did you tell her she was the only one? Did you lie to her as you lied to me, as you are lying to me still?”
“I told her what she needed to hear. She … she understands.”
“She knows nothing except your lies. I pity her. At least I can see you now for what you truly are. She might never have the chance. If you perish in this battle, she will mourn you as her lost love for the rest of her life, but we both know it would have all been a cruel deception.”
“If you could only see what I have seen. This is bigger than her. Bigger than us, bigger than myself. Bigger than my father and Robert Baratheon. I have a duty to my people. There is a greater battle coming, greater than Robert Baratheon’s rebellion. More is at stake, much, much more than his attempt to usurp the throne.”
“Robert Baratheon’s rebellion is the one that could kill us all. Not just you. Your children as well. Or have you forgotten them?”
“They will be safe here. As will you. Robert Baratheon will not live after the Trident. He will never enter King’s Landing, I promise you.”