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Chapter Text

The tourney for Aegon's eighteenth nameday garnered the attention of the whole realm. The knowledge that Aegon was still unattached also made this tourney an opportunity for many ambitious families. If Aegon won and crowned one of their daughters as Queen of Love and Beauty, it would be the first step in securing the palce of the next Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.

Elia gripped her chair's arm tightly to keep herself from rubbing her forehead. She was starting to see some sense in the brother to sister marriages the Targaryens practiced. It was still disgusting to her but it also kept some level of distance between vultures and the royal heirs. It also kept the influence of noble families had gained in the court, in check.

"Do you think anyone caught his eye?" Rhaegar whispered to him. 

"Shireen Baratheon seems to be the only one he is remotely interested in." Elia said. Personally she had no problem with such a match. Her father Stannis Baratheon, the Lord Paramount of Stormlands, was a harsh man of justice and duty. He wasn't power hungry or ambitious like Tyrells and Lannisters. She would rather ally themselves with him but the fact that Baratheons rose up against House Targaryen during the rebellion could raise the ire of the loyalist families.

Especially if they weren't awarded royal marriages.

Elia's eyes found the fair Rose of Highgarden. She was sitting among her brothers Garlan and Willas and seemed to be nervous. She was probably afraid all the time she had spent at court, trying to charm her son had been futile.

Aegon refused to have a lady's favor at the beginning of the Tourney, whether it was because he wanted his intentions to remain hidden or because choosing Shireen could spark tensions, she wasn't sure. But she enjoyed the disappointed look on Mace Tyrell's face. The man made a show of loyalty during the rebellion but that was it, a show. He had needlessly starved out Storm's End and if Rhaegar hadn't made peace with rebels, Elia was sure he would have gone on for longer. 

Now he had the audacity to expect his daughter to be Queen. That was enough to make her seethe with anger.

Though Elia wouldn't lie, Tyrells didn't anger her as much as Lannisters. She hadn't forgotten how Tywin Lannister paraded Cersei in court after Rhaegar's coronation, hoping her husband would set her and their children aside in favor of his daughter.

***

"I will have Cersei Lannister wed to Lord Baratheon." Rhaegar informed her one day. It was a few weeks after Jonothar Darry brought his mother's bones along with his brother and newborn sister from Dragonstone. Rhaegar had been heartbroken and Tywin's subtle attempts to gain power was trying his patience. 

"Why?" she asked. While it wasn't what Tywin desired, having his daughter become the wife of a Lord Paramount was no small reward either.

"Tywin didn't choose a side during the rebellion. His forces didn't fight against anyone. This doesn't make him popular but the tensions between Westerlands and other kingdoms aren't high because of that decision. He is the key to binding loyalists and rebels." Rhaegar explained. "And I want that girl gone from the court. She might harm you to gain your place." 

Elia nodded. She remembered Cersei from the days she had been her lady-in-waiting. She was vindictive and didn't hide how much she hated Elia for stealing what she believed to be her place.

"And Jaime? Will you release him from the Kingsguard?" she asked.

"After he saved the King's Landing, he deserves a reward. And he was here as a hostage, not as a real Kingsguard. But he will wed a woman of my choosing."

"Who do you have in mind?" she asked.

"I haven't decided yet. But considering Cersei will wed into Stormlands, a lady from a loyalist family would be ideal." he answered.

Elia nodded and thought of unwed maidens from Dorne, Reach and Crownlands. She doubted Tywin Lannister would agree to have a Dornish lady as his good daughter after she, a Dornishwoman, took the crown he coveted for his daughter. Crownlands were staunchly loyal the Targaryens but despite their devotion, Elia didn't feel comfortable giving Tywin influence so near her and her children. That left Reach. Tyrells were out of question. Having one of their own daughters become the future Lady of Casterly Rock would encourage their ambitions.

Then she remembered the man she had been enarmoured with before her betrothal to Rhaegar. Baelor Hightower. He had many sisters, one of whom was wed to Mace Tyrell.

Leyton Hightower was more reliable compared to the Tyrells and despite their blood relation to them, Hightowers had their own ambitions. A marriage pact between Hightowers and Lannisters could keep their moves in check a little bit.

"What about Lynesse Hightower?" she offered.

***

Elia turned to look at the Lannisters. Jaime and his wife were sitting next to his father along with their children. Myrcella and Tommen. Elia knew Myrcella well, the same way she knew Margaery. Tyrells had sent Margaery as a handmaiden to Rhaenys and Myrcella joined Daenerys's household a few years later.

Margaery had been trained, probably by her grandmother the infamous Queen of Thorns, to play the game. Elia could decipher that right away. She almost sent Rhaenys to Dorne to keep the girl away from her son but later decided against it. Aegon would be king one day and he would have to deal with women like Margaery Tyrell very often. And Elia was wary of a plot the Tyrells could cook to bring Rhaenys and by extension Margaery back to court if she sent her away. 

The court was filled with enough games, the last thing Elia wanted was more of it. 

Unlike Margaery, Myrcella was a more innocent soul. She wasn't trying to seduce Aegon, which surprised her. She was genuine in her desire to befriend Daenerys and seemed oblivious to the power plays her grandfather was involved in. Over time, Elia saw that Myrcella was a smart, quick witted and polite girl. Just like Margaery but unlike her, Myrcella wasn't pretending to be polite or good natured. She inherited her grandfather's intelligence but none of his nature.

If she had to choose between the two girls, Myrcella would be her choice. However, wedding Aegon to her meant giving Tywin a power base in her court. If the Old Lion died, there would be no problems as Jaime was nothing like his father. Unfortunately, he was still strong.

'But then, is Queen of Thorns a better option?' she mused. 

Tywin was brutal but at least there was no denying he had claws. Roses, on the other hand, hid thorns beneath. Satisfying their ambitions could prove to be just as dangerous as allying themselves with Lannisters. 

"It doesn't have to be the daughter of a Lord Paramount." Rhaegar had told Aegon one day as maidens kept showering him with unwanted affection and compliments. 

'But Rhaenys and Daenerys would have to wed the heir of one.' Elia thought. A princess was expected to wed to bring alliances and the only acceptable marraige for them was that. 

She remembered Rhaegar's attempt to betroth Rhaenys to Lord Stark's heir. It had been an attempt to smooth the relations between the North and the Iron Throne, as well as a desire to fulfill the Pact of Ice and Fire.

They recieved a polite rejection letter. Lord Stark informed them that his heir had already been betrothed to Wylla Manderly and that House Stark wouldn't break its word. Oberyn raged at what he perceived as an insult to Rhaenys but was secretly glad that she wasn't leaving for North.

"Maybe instead of involving yourself in my children's love lives, you should do something about yours Oberyn." she had said. She loved her brother, Oberyn was her closest companion. But she couldn't deny his actions always put her and Doran in tight spots. They were left to clean up his mess, sometimes at the expense of their own children while Oberyn lived to his heart's desire.

Quentyn's fostering at Yronwoods and Arianne's betrothal to his son were their attempts to heal their relations with one of the strongest houses in Dorne. Granted, Doran played a part in the animosity between their houses by breaking the betrothal contract between him and Clarisse Yronwood by marrying Mellario but compared to killing their lord, that was left in shadows.

She had been incensed after the war when she learnt the direty of the situation. When she had learnt Doran ahd been sending only ten thousand men, she had assumed the number had been low because it was what he could summon in a hurry. She learnt after the coronation that Yronwoods and every other House they had offended by either Oberyn sleeping with their daughters or in some other way had refused to send men to their aid.

"Do you understand how close we were to ruin?" she had demanded. "If I and my children were hostages of Aerys, Rhaegar wouldn't have been able to call for a parley without endangering us and had no choice but to fight. He could have lost, he could have died. Tell me Doran, what would happen to us then? What happens to the heirs of fallen dynasties?" 

Thankfully Doran was taking steps to recover the power and respect House Martell lost. He had given a strict warning to Oberyn. "Either start behaving like a Prince of Dorne and do your duties or continue this lifestyle without being a Martell." 

Oberyn was attached to his freedom but he was more attached to the comforts that came with being a Prince. Doran allowed his daughters to continue living at Sunspear and told Oberyn if his wife gave her consent, he would be allowed to have Ellaria as his paramour. But that was it.

Doran arranged a marriage between him and Moriah Allyrion. She had been one of the people Oberyn had laid with when she had been fostering with them. They were one of the most powerful families in Dorne and also had a connection to Yronwoods to Ynys Yronwood, her nephew's betrothed. Oberyn's marriage to her would help counter the Yronwood influence. 

One of the key reasons for the strong Yronwood influence was marriage and House Martell needed to turn the tides somehow. Thankfully they were successful. 

"What about Rhaenys?" Rhaegar asked suddenly, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"She is interested in Willas Tyrell." Elia answered. It was a match she favoured. It would bind the Tyrells and Reach to them without giving them too much influence and Willas was an upstanding young man. Oberyn had nothing bad to say about him and considering his ability to talk ill of anyone, that alone was a high praise.

"That explains why Lady Margaery seems upset. She knows we won't wed two heirs into one house." 

"Have you considered anyone for Daenerys?" she asked. Her good-sister had flowered and she had her own admirers thanks to her Valyrian beauty. 

"I am thinking of House Velaryon. They are amoung our unconditional allies and deserve a reward." he said.

"And you want to keep Daenerys close." Elia commented. It was no surprise. Rhaella's death had been a devastating blow to Rhaegar and Daenerys, her mother's image, was like a ghost that hunted Rhaegar. He was loath to let her out of his sight. Her husband believed he was failing his mother all over again for whatever pain Daenerys would have to endure. 

"Have you talked with Lord Stark about the discounted price for ice?" he changed the topic.

"I will, once the tourney is over." Elia answered.

Doran's request to Elia was covered with manipulation. After Ned Stark refused to lower the prices for a marriage alliance, Doran turned to her, hoping with her position as Queen, Lord Stark would have no choice but to accept.

Elia still wondered where Ned Stark got the idea. Was it the work of his wife? Or his sister? That seemed more likely. Lyanna Stark spent moons in Dorne's deserts, probably wishing for anything cold while enduring the heat.

She took a sip from her wine, cooled by ice cubes and sighed in relief. She understood why Doran was desperate for a discount. Dorne, being as hot as it was and with its scarce water, benefitted greatly from ice trade. For most kingdoms, it was a means to keep fruit and vegetables fresh longer and used by maesters to quell pain. If Ned Stark cut them off, they would suffer but not as greatly as Dorne. 

So it was unfortunate for them that House Stark refused to let go of the past and build better relations with them.

Aerys's death meant the blood was answered with blood and thus the feud had been satisfied. Rhaegar also had compensated them with 500.000 gold dragons for Brandon and Rickard Stark's deaths, an additional 100.000 for Aerys's demand for Lyanna Stark's head and the damage done to her reputation and gave the New Gift back to North as he had promised to so at the Tourney at Harrenhal.

For House Targaryen, it mostly did the trick. While North didn't forgive or forget, they bent the knee and Ned Stark built positive relations with the Iron Throne. This goodwill didn't extend to House Martell though. North didn't forget the slander Lyanna Stark had endured after the tourney at Harrenhal and rebuffed Doran's every attempt to heal the rift. Then again, the fault didn't entirely lie with their stubbornness considering some people in Dorne, which included Oberyn, blamed Lyanna Stark for the rebellion and continued to slander her.

"If House Martell has the right to feel slighted and take action accordingly, so does House Stark." Ned Stark had said once, years prior when he had recieved the royal court in Winterfell and she had opened the topic.

'North remembers.' Elia thought. 'If only they would see that unity would serve better than division.'

North had a single bond with the South and that was Ned Stark's marriage to Rhea Royce. 

A bond that struggled against war and alliances between other houses and persisted. During the Rebellion, to gain the soldiers of Riverlands Ned Stark had taken his brother's place and wed Catelyn Tully while Jon Arryn had married Lysa Tully. Hoster Tully, upon fulfilling his plans, raised his banners for the rebellion. 

However, he couldn't enjoy the fruit of either union. Catelyn Stark had immediately fallen pregnant. Unfortunately, the birth hadn't been easy. The child was positioned wrong and poor woman bled out to deliver her baby, who didn't live long. 

The news had reached Ned Stark while he still had been in King's Landing. Elia had wanted to give the poor man some peace to grieve. He had lost his brother, father, his new wife and child so close to each other. His sister's return was a blessing but nothing could soothe the pain the Starks had felt. 

Unfortunately, ever the ambitious Doran had crossed the line. He had recommended Ashara for Lord Stark. A part of Elia wanted to rip Doran to pieces. There was something called decency, asking a man who had just lost his wife and child to marry so soon was cruel and improper.

Ned had politely rejected the offer but Doran hadn't given up. He had asked Rhaegar to command the marriage to take place.

"It would bind North to Dorne and by extension to the throne. An alliance to keep them loyal." he had reasoned. But Rhaegar had refused, to her relief.

Doran couldn't see the danger in his plan. On paper it was perfect, in reality it was a disaster. Ashara had been a dishonored woman, recommending her as the Lady of Winterfell would insult North. The relations had already been strained, there had been no need to make it worse. Not to mention, Dorne and North had fought on opposite sides. It was too early for such a union, the wounds of the war ran deep. Northerners would never accept a Dornishwoman as Lady Stark. They could have tried to harm Ashara as well. 

When there was no obstacle left, the marriage between Ned Stark and Rhea Royce took place. The new Lady Stark surprised South and pleased North when she converted to the Old Gods. 

It was obvious North preferred  this marriage to Ned Stark's marriage to Lady Catelyn. Unlike Tullys, House Royce was the blood of the First Men and while they worshipped the Seven, they weren't devout, as evidenced by Lady Rhea's easy conversion. Vale also had been their allies from the beginning during the war.

Lady Rhea had recieved instant praise after she had announced her pregnancy. It had been a few moons since the marriage and North had needed an heir. The new Lady Stark had surprised everyone by giving birth to twin boys.

"She had secured the succession of Winterfell in one go." she had commented. The eldest had been named Jon, after Lord Arryn. Elia had expected the younger one to be named after Robert Baratheon, only to hear his name was Cregan.

It had shocked her at first but it had made sense. Naming him after Robert Baratheon wouldn't be a good idea. Not at that time.

Robert Baratheon hadn't died in battle. After Lyanna Stark had come from Dorne and revealed she had left with Rhaegar of her own free will to escape from Aerys, Robert Baratheon realized his part in the rebellion was partially a lie. Then, the Stormlords questioned if Lyanna Stark still had been pure or not and many had declared they wouldn't accept her as Lady Baratheon after two scandals involving Rhaegar. 

Rhaegar broke the contract after hearing their complaints and promised Robert another match in compensation. Unfortunately, Robert's obsession with Lyanna Stark had been strong and he had tried to attack Rhaegar, only to be cut down by Ser Barristan Selmy. 

Robert hadn't left the best impression on nobles of Westeros and Elia had a feeling no one would be naming their sons 'Robert' anytime soon. 

Elia had been afraid that his death would drive a wedge between the throne and Stormlands but Stannis Baratheon had admitted that his brother had been the one to blame and not seeked retribution. He had accepted the marriage pact Rhaegar had arranged with Cersei Lannister and done his duty without complaint.

'If only it hadn't ended the way it had.' Elia thought.

"Prince Aegon of House Targaryen wins this round." Elia had heard and focused her attention on the tourney. 

There were only two more rounds left. Then the winner would crown a Queen of Love and Beauty. Even years later, the title was enough to remind her the humiliation she had suffered. She saw Lyanna Stark from the corner of her eye. She was sitting next to her husband and two daughters. Her son was still in the competition and would fight against her son.

In a way, it seemed like history was repeating itself. Lyanna Stark's blood against hers. 

Years before, her husband had chosen to honor Lyanna's courage and humilated her, his wife in the process. She wondered what would happen today.

Chapter Text

Lyanna hated the South, especially the King's Landing. That was the place where her father had burnt as her oldest brother had been strangled to death while trying to save him. 

She looked around and wondered how many of these laughing nobles had been present when it had happened. She wanted to know how they could have watched such an atrocity being committed in front of them and stayed silent. 

Her eyes found the Lannister banners and the heir of the Casterly Rock. Her heart softened at that.

Jaime Lannister.

Many called him Kingslayer, oathbreaker still despite the reveal of Aerys's plan with wildfire, how he had been about to burn down the King's Landing after hearing Rhaegar had made peace with rebels.

Jaime Lannister did what should have been done years prior. Someone should have stabbed Aerys, or poisoned him or arranged some accident no one would question. But he was king and an ugly chair he sat on and a fancy crown on his head meant he needed to be protected no matter what.

'I wonder how many of you would demand Jaime Lannister be executed or banished if it had been your family members Aerys had murdered.' Lyanna thought darkly.

The South didn't see anything wrong with what had been done to savage Northerners. 'Most of South,' she corrected in her head. Jon Arryn did and as much as she disliked him, as did Robert Baratheon. 

Lyanna would forever be grateful to them for riding with her brother, to Jon Arryn for choosing Ned over his oath to Aerys and Robert for looking out for her brother on the battlefield.

The first round started and Lyanna rolled her eyes at the ridiculous spectacle. The fact that her son had chosen to participate didn't change her opinion and she genuinely didn't understand why her husband would allow it. Still, no matter her distaste she wasn't going to spoil her son's moment. She would support him, congratulate him if he won and comfort him if he lost. 

Her dislike for Southern pageantry, especially tourneys weren't more powerful than her love for her son. Still, she prayed to the Old Gods it would end soon.

Everything reminded her of that tourney, the one that had started everything. That was when she had met Rhaegar, when she had been crowned Queen of Love and Beauty and gained the ire of half the realm and envy of the other. She had seen Aerys for the first time at the Harrenhal. Back then she had been terrified, for herself. Afraid that he would learn she was the knight and that he would burn her.

'He was going to.' she thought, remembering how Rhaegar came to her in the middle of the night. Paralyzed by fear when she had heard the price on her head, she had accepted Rhaegar's offer to take her to safety. She had believed all would be okay, that her note to Brandon would be enough.

It hadn't been.

Her brother had never found her note and Brandon believed her to be kidnapped. He had stormed the Red Keep and demanded Rhaegar's head. Then, everything had gone downhill. Her father had been summoned to King's Landing, he had demanded trial by combat then...

She didn't want to think of it, didn't want to think of that farce of a trial that had claimed their lives. 

She remembered the pain she had felt when Ashara Dayne's messenger had reached out to them and informed of the situation at the Tower of Joy. She remembered it, because that pain had never lessened. It was always there, in her heart. Wanting to be let out, to exact revenge but it was impossible as there was no one left to take revenge on. 

Aerys, the murderer was dead.

The pyromancers in his service had been punished.

Varys, the man who had ousted her as the Knight of the Laughing Tree, had been executed.

Aerys's bootlickers had been banished to the Wall.

There was no one she could take her anger out on. 

Her wolf blood was threatening to take over as a result, but she reined it in. She had to. The last time she had allowed it to take over, she had said unforgivable things to her father and Brandon. Part of the reason she hadn't been able to move on was that. The fact that they had died thinking she hated them. 

She had fallen to depression after hearing the news. She had cried for days in that tower, refused food and water. She remembered Whent forcing some down her throat so she wouldn't die.

Then, by some miracle the situation didn't get worse.

When the news reached that Rhaegar deposed his father, that he kept his word and parleyed with her brother and his allies, Lyanna felt alive again for the first time in moons. Arthur had taken her to Starfall so that she could clean herself and put on some fresh clothes. 

They didn't tell her much, aside from the fact her brother was in the Red Keep and they were ordered to escort her there so that he could see she was fine. 

The Red Keep...

Lyanna wanted to see Ned again, more than anything but the idea of stepping foot in the place where her father and brother had been brutally murdered wasn't something she wished to do.

Still, she didn't object and allowed Dayne and Whent to take her to King's Landing. The King's Landing hadn't been what she had imagined. First of all, it had been stinking. How anyone could stand to breathe that air was beyond her. Today it was better, it seemed like Elia Martell donated enough gold to have sewers built. 

Some things remained the same though.

The Red Keep was as imposing as it had been years prior. Lyanna had hated it then. She had hated what it had brought, the stares she had gotten, the whispers that had followed. Everyone had had their own opinions about her disappearance.

Some said she had been kidnapped by some bandits and rescued by Rhaegar like it was told in songs. It was close enough to the truth, still being depicted as a helpless maiden grated on her nerves.

Some said Martells had her kidnapped and imprisoned so that they could punish her for the humiliation their princess had suffered. She couldn't blame people for coming up with that. Being hidden in a kingdom whose people hated her didn't scream safety.

Some said she had eloped with Rhaegar and he had been abandoning his family for her. That was the most stupid one she had heard. If Rhaear had had such plans, why would he have hidden her in his wife's homeland?

Unfortunately the last one, the least likely scenario was the one that people decided to accept as the true story. It didn't matter what she, Rhaegar or Elia Martell had said. People would always believe what they wanted to. She had no idea how she was going to endure South with people whispering such lies behind her back. She wanted to go home, back to North, to Winterfell more than ever. Unfortunately the marriage pact between her and Robert had to be fulfilled. The penalty for violating it wasn't cheap.

There was only one person who could end the contract without suffering the penalty and to her surprise, he did it.

Maybe Rhaegar saw her struggle and pitied her or didn't want the kingdoms who had rebelled closely aligned, she wasn't sure but he ordered the contract to be terminated. It didn't surprise her to see that Robert didn't take it well but she didn't expect him to try to attack Rhaegar, the King of the Seven Kingdoms, in his throne room. 

Everyone had been shocked into stillness, not the Kingsguard though. He was cut down by Barristan Selmy before he could do anything. Nobles immediately started whispering while she and Ned were escorted to the chambers prepared for them. 

Once the door was shut and their privacy was ensured, she allowed Ned to hug her. The two grieved for everyone they lost. 

Their father.

Brandon.

Ned's wife Catelyn.

Their dead babe.

'What have we done?' Lyanna thought. 'What sin have we committed to deserve these losses?' 

Both were eager to return home, to Winterfell but they couldn't skip the coronation. Thankfully it came and went quickly, Ned swore fealty to Rhaegar and they made way for Winterfell without bothering to stay for the Small Council appointment announcements.

After a moon, when the decency permitted it, Ned wed Rhea in Winterfell's Godswood with Northern and Vale lords in attendance. 

Ned had also asked her beforehand to see if there was anyone she was interested in. She had been surprised at the leeway he had given her before explaining himself.

"When I wed Lady Catelyn, I didn't know her beyond she was supposed to Brandon's wife. I didn't hate her, like you did Robert but she was a stranger to me. Still, I wed her because it was my duty. Then, I understood how you felt about your marriage, about being chained to a stranger you didn't know or like because you were ordered to." Ned said. 

Lyanna didn't interrupt. She couldn't believe she was hearing those words. When she had arrived at the Red Keep, she had been sure she would be married off to Robert Baratheon immediately, with Ned's consent. 

"You are the only Stark woman of this generation. Despite the damage rumors might have caused to your reputation," he said with an apologetic look on his face. "you are still be expected to marry but I won't disregard your opinion. If you find an acceptable match, I will let you marry that man." Unfortunately, such a match didn't seem to exist in North. All Lords had heirs so they didn't need a wife or they were already wed. It was to be expected. Her father had rejected the Northern offers for her hand and the houses couldn't wait to see if he would change his mind. 

Benjen seemed to have better luck than she did. He was quite interested in Jonelle Cerwyn and spent almost the entire wedding talking with her. Lord Cerwyn seemed to have noticed this as well, as he proposed a marriage. After Benjen's future was settled, Ned asked her if she found anyone acceptable. There wasn't any and she was sure Ned realized it during his wedding but even if that wasn't the case, she would want to wait for a few moons before marriage.

"I don't want any questions about my children's paternity. Let's wait a few moons and prove to the continent that I won't pop out Backfyres." she said. She also hoped that would give her time to find an acceptable match. Still, it was unlikely she would find one in North this late.

Maybe Blackwoods? Catelyn and her child's deaths severed the direct link between North and Riverlands. They weren't Lord Paramounts but they still had a strong military presence and vast fertile lands that would benefit North during a long winter. 

It was worth consideration but she needed to see if there was anyone else acceptable.

A few weeks later, a proposal came for her but not a direct one. It was from King Rhaegar, offering her to arrange a match with her and Baelor Hightower. The letter made her seethe in anger. She knew who Baelor Hightower was. A man who was considered for Elia Martell before Aerys offered Rhaegar. A man who was still in love with the Queen according to the rumors.

"I will not have his wife's leavings." she spat. "Nor will I cow to a family sucking at the teat of the Faith." She ripped the letter. Ned's reasons for refusing the Hightower match had less to do with pride and more with her safety though. It would trap her in Reach, a kingdom filled with Targaryen loyalists. "I don't trust them to treat you well after the war." he had said.  

Afterwards she had been distracted by Rhea's pregnancy and her marriage took a backseat in the discussions. Or it would have if Southerners left them alone. Not long after Ned rejected Rhaegar's proposal, Doran Martell wrote, offering his brother for her. Lyanna wondered if he was mad. Dornish still slandered her mercilessly. Why would she wed into their kingdom? She would probably be posioned after a few moons of marriage. 

Still the proposal ended up being beneficial in a way as it reminded Lyanna of the unbearable days in Dorne, how the heat threatened to overwhelm her. She remembered how desperate she had been for a piece of her home, some coldness to keep herself sane under Dornish climate.

That was when it hit her. Maybe that was what Torrhen Stark had thought as well. 

She went through Ned's solar and found her ancestor's notes, which she, Ned, Ben and Rhea had been analyzing to see if there was anything that would benefit them. The last King in the North had written down some ideas he had planned to bring to life, projects that had been cancelled because of the Conquest. Some of them were a bit extreme and required significant funding and some had already been brought to life. Among the ideas with potential that had been put on hold, she remembered seeing something about ice. 

When she shared the idea with Ned, the idea of selling ice, he didn't look convinced but Rhea supported her, saying that a kingdom like Dorne would appreciate whatever respite from heat it could get. She also offered to take some ice with her to the Vale and experiment along with Benjen. Lyanna didn't know what she was expecting but definitely not what her brother and good-sister revealed. It seemed like they had been sitting on a tressure this entire time and never even known it. The rest of the process was more about getting the support of Northern lords and advertising. It was a long but profitable process. The ice trade quickly became very popular. Lyanna would never forget the shock she felt when she saw the treasury filled with more gold than she had ever seen before. The North had already been hugely compensated for their losses and with the ice trade, they would have a stable income, even during winter as Southernmost kingdoms didn't experience much winter.

For the next few moons, Lyanna never thought of marriage again. She spent her time advising Ned and helping Rhea with her duties as her pregnancy was progressing harder than anticipated. Then the birth came and it was revealed why Rhea was bigger than she should have been and had harder time than anyone had expected. She was carrying not one but two children. Two boys.

Her nephews.

The atmosphere in Winterfell was more joyful than it had been in quite some time. The shadows of the rebellion and the deaths that had given birth to war had been lingering in halls. Now there was hope, in the form of a new generation of Starks.

Gifts from various Northern and Vale lords along with a letter from the capital conveying their good wishes arrived. It was among the chaos of the happiness that she found out about a certain proposal from a Northern lord.

"Are you serious?" she asked Ned after reading the letter. Once upon a time, finding a Northern match would have made her weep with joy but not this time. At that moment, it made her recoil.

"It was after his marriage was annulled. As you know, Bethany Ryswell suffered several miscarriages and the last one rendered barren and Lord Bolton set his wife aside." It was cruel but necessary. Roose Bolton didn't have any brothers or cousins who could be named his heir. There was probably someone distant relatives around they could find if they tried but the connection would be so distant that they could hardly be considered Boltons.

"He asked for my hand?" He was trading a Ryswell for a Stark. Quite ambitious. 

"I didn't accept it. I was waiting for Rhea to give birth and to make sure our children weren't prone to... 'illnesses'." Ned said. Lyanna understood the hidden meaning. If Lyanna was going to wed into House Bolton, their ancient rivals, then Ned needed to have a secure succession. 

"Don't you remember what father always said about Boltons?" she asked quietly.

"Be wary of Boltons, always keep an eye on them. Use them for your needs, they were left alive because they were useful but never trust them. Use them but never trust them." Ned said, quoting their father's warning. That was the lesson ingrained into every Stark child, regardless of their gender, place in the succession or even legitimacy. "I am aware of the risk. But I can't disregard the advantages either. House Bolton is the only great house we have never married into. A union between you and Lord Bolton can unify North in a way that has never happened before."

"But we will also be giving them a claim to Winterfell." Lyanna said. This happened whenever a Stark daughter married into another house but Boltons weren't just another house.

"I haven't accepted Lyanna and unless you give your consent, I won't. There is still House Blackwood as an option but we are running out of time. Neither House will wait forever. And the more time you wait, the less likely that you will find a match." Ned said, his tone kind but stern. He was talking both as her brother and as Lord Winterfell, a balance that was hard to maintain.

Lyanna was aware that she was running out of time. It had been a little more than two and half years since the rebellion and her hand became available. She wished she hadn't allowed her marriage prospects to take the backseat in discussions. If this went on like this, she would lose whatever chance she had. The child she had been would erupt into a joyous and victorious laughter but the woman she had become had different feelings. Lyanna didn't want to be seen as the sister of Lord Stark. She wanted to have a place in the world, a family, children. The only way for a woman to obtain such things was marriage. 

"It's not as risky as you might think." Lyanna said, attracting Ned's attention again. House Stark wasn't friendless and the ice trade was a boon to both North and Ned's popularity in the kingdom. "But I want to meet him before I make a decision."

Ned nodded. "I will summon him to Winterfell to discuss some matters about Whitehills and Forresters. You will have your chance then."

And she did. Lyanna wasn't sure what he had been expecting. She had never seen Roose Bolton up close before. He didn't have a handsome face, he had a pale skin, short dark hair, icy and empty eyes. His face was expressionless. He greeted her and Ned respectfully and her brother invited Lord Bolton to his solar to discuss whatever political trouble was stirring between Forresters and Whitehills.

Once they were done, Lord Bolton seeked her out in the Godswood.

"Lady Lyanna, a pleasure to see you again." he greeted her. 

Lyanna tried to remember where they had seen each other before. Lord Bolton seemed to have sensed her confusion and elaborated. "It was during Lord Stark's wedding and the funerals of Lord Rickard and Lord Brandon, my lady. It is understandable that you don't remember. We didn't interact beyond exchanging pleasantries."

"Still, my apologies my lord. I heard from my brother that you made a proposal for my hand." She said.

"Straight to the point, my lady?" he said but while his words were phrased as a question, it was obvious he wasn't asking one.

"I have endured enough word games in the South, my lord. I have no desire to endure more in the North." Lyanna said. Most Northerners didn't have much love for South or their games and after what Aerys had done to her father and brother, the relation between North and South worsened. Though she doubted Roose Bolton grieved for their deaths.

Still, decency and appearances demanded some show, hence his appearance at their funeral.

"Understandable my lady." he said and let a moment pass. If it was anyone else, Lyanna would think they needed a moment to think about what to say but not Roose Bolton. It seemed like he was assessing her with his eyes to see if she was really a prize despite the rumors.

"I did make an offer." He continued. "It was a few moons ago. Lord Stark didn't give a definitive answer in the mean time and I assume you weren't told until recently either, my lady."

Lyanna was caught off guard. She knew that some time had passed since this proposal, but not that long. 

"Our families don't have the best history, Lord Bolton. Our houses clashed often in the past due to our ambitions. My brother wanted to be cautious after what happened to my father and brother." It was offensive to blatantly say that they didn't trust him but the entire North was wary of Boltons, which they were aware. The only reason their house survived was because her ancestors spared them. 

Instead of being offended though, Roose Bolton seemed amused for a second at her bluntness. "No, we don't but we are no longer enemies either. And after the recent events, the South deserves that distrust more than I do."

'He has a point.' Lyanna thought. 

"Tell me my lady, do my ambitions unnerve you so much? If you wish to wed a man without any, I fear you will die a maid." he said, there was some amusement to his tone but his face remained as passive as ever. "Every man has ambitions. My house is hardly the only one in the North. Your lord father had Southern ambitions, as you well know. Lord Ryswell wanted to see his daughters wed to our families to increase his house's influence. He initially succeeded when Lady Bethany and I wed. He failed with Lady Dustin though. I daresay Lady Dustin wasn't exactly innocent in her tryst with Lord Brandon." 

She definitely wasn't. Lyanna had no illusions about Lord Ryswell's or Barbrey Dustin's ambitions. 

"Lord Karstark recently had a daughter. He won't wait long before offering a match between Lord Stark's heir and her. Lord Manderly has a another granddaughter who is named Wylla. Quite close to Lord Jon's age." he said and allowed her a moment to see the connection. Not that she needed it. "Their ambition is to have their blood as the next Lady Stark whereas mine is to put our past fully behind us. I believe the necessary trust can be woven between our houses by marriage."

'To have me as Lady Bolton is an ambition that will give you a claim for our ancestral seat.' Lyanna thought. It wasn't remotely the same. Still, Lyanna had to admire Roose Bolton's efforts in his manipulation.

"If this was hundreds of years ago, you would be correct to be wary my lady." She wasn't right to be wary now? A Stark could never trust a Bolton blindly. She knew this and so did he, obviously, hence his effort to lower her guard.

"If the Red Kings of the Old, my ancestors had a Stark bride, they would use her blood to cement their place as the rulers of the North. But I am not my ancestors and my ambitions don't make me stupid or blind. If I harmed you, Lord Stark would bring down the might of North down on me and my house. If I harm him or his sons, I will make an enemy of the Vale. I also doubt King Rhaegar will sit back and watch. Not when his interference and role in bringing me to justice in this hypothetical situation would earn him some love in the North."

He made excellent points, which she and Ned had already considered. He was doing well in lulling her into a sense of security but it wasn't a false one. Roose Bolton wasn't a man to gamble away his power when the odds were stacked against him.

'A unified North.' She thought. A marriage with the man in front of her could provide that. It was risky but there was no reward without risks.

She also didn't have any illusions about having love in her marriage. Roose Bolton was a cold and pragmatic man with little feelings. He sought her hand for the power it would bring his house and she was considering his offer for the good of the North. She would never be able to trust him, not fully. And he wouldn't be afforded the luxury of a loyal wife either. Her loyalties would always remain with House Stark.

'A marriage like a cold war.' she thought. 

Blackwoods were a more secure option for her but Lyanna knew a Southern marriage -despite the lack of options in the North- wouldn't be well recieved. Northern lords, all of them answered her brother's call when he rallied them for the rebellion. The reason they were so loyal to her house was because House Stark was loyal to them and rewarded them for their sacrifices. 

House Bolton never recieved such recognition despite being the second most powerful house in the North. 

'Maybe wedding me is his first step to make it the most powerful one, even without the titles.' Lyanna thought. There were instances in Westeros, since the Conquest, when a vassal had been more powerful than his lieges. And she could be the tool for such a goal.

And yet, an obstacle at the same time.

While the Lord of the House did have a part in the education of his sons, especially the heir, it was the mother, the lady of the House that had the most influence over them at the end.  

A voice that sounded like her father whispered in her head. 'The next Lord Bolton raised by a Stark, having a Stark mother is a unique opportunity. Our most powerful and yet least trustworthy vassals can be turned into reliable allies.' 

'A husband you can never truly trust, a marriage like a cold war.' Another voice reminded her. It was Benjen's, the third born son with the least amount of responsibilities, the brother she was closest to. 

'I won't find happiness.' Lyanna thought. It wasn't surprising news, people in her position rarely did. Ned and Rhea's marriage was an exception. They managed to put duty and love in the same basket. She didn't have that chance. But she could be content. The children she would bear could absorb all the love she could give in place of her husband. Her desire to be important, to be relevant could be satisfied by shaping the next generation of House Bolton. It wasn't exactly what she had dreamed of when she had been a little girl. She wouldn't get to be a warrior like she had hoped before her mother's death but she would achieve something.

Eventually she accepted.

Lyanna felt like a prey at her wedding when the cloak of House Stark was replaced with that of House Bolton's. The weight of her decision finally dawned on her, but she refused to show fear or insecurity. She was born a Stark of Winterfell and it would take more than a flayed man to spook her.

The marriage was more formal than she had anticipated. She and Roose didn't share a bed unless they were trying for an heir and her husband allowed her to do whatever she wished during her free time so long as she fulfilled her duties as Lady Bolton and didn't cause any scandals.

Five moons after the marriage, she was pregnant. Her husband seemed satisfied but not happy. Lyanna wondered if he could feel anything. She later saw something in his eyes when their son, Domeric was born. It wasn't love, no. Maybe fondness or contentment? That was more likely. Their marriage became more intimate after his birth. Roose also sought to discuss political matters with her and listened to her counsel. Those times felt more like a test than anything else. A way for him to see what she could offer beyond her womb but she could see he was seriously considering her opinions as well.

Three years later, she was pregnant again. It wasn't planned. Roose was satisfied with one child and they weren't trying for a spare. So in a way it was blessing that the child turned out to be a girl, whom they named Sybelle. A year after her, she had another girl, Gilliane. 

They stopped sharing a bed after her birth. They had an heir and two daughters for alliances, a line of thinking that irked Lyanna but she didn't say anything. Instead she focused on educating her children. Roose surprised her though, by sending Domeric to foster at Karstarks, where her nephew Jon was sent. Later, when Domeric was thirteen, he was sent to Vale, to squire for Lord Redfort. 

Both moves made sense. The first one ensured a close relationship with not just Jon, the heir of Winterfell but also the Karstarks, one of the most powerful families in the North. The second one gave Roose his own alliances in the Vale, a kingdom House Stark was deeply connected with due to Ned's fostering and marriage.

And yet, for some reason Roose never taught Domeric or their daughters crueller practices of House Bolton. It could have been because he feared she would inform Ned but Dreadfort had some chambers she had never been allowed inside and dungeons as well. Roose had the means to teach Domeric but chose not to. A decision that confused her but one that she was grateful for. 

Years had passed and their lives had been relatively peaceful, maybe even happy. Her husband respected her enough to stay faithful, recognized her intelligence and sought her advice. Their children also created a bond and an understanding between them. 

The invitation for the tourney organized in honor of the Crown Prince disturbed the peace though. The last thing Lyanna wanted was to go South again. For another tourney at that. There were still people who called her, Rhaegar's mistress or whore in the South and murders of her kin still made her blood boil with rage and hatred. 

Roose wouldn't budge on his decision to go though. In his eyes, this was an opportunity. For her, it was a nightmare. He allowed her to stay behind if she wished but their children were going and Domeric was planning on competing. Her son was a centaur, like her and Lyanna had no intention of missing his triumph over Southern snobs.

She wasn't disappointed. Domeric had beaten all of his adversaries so far and he would compete against Prince Aegon now. A Southern knight might have allowed the prince to win but Domeric wouldn't make Aegon Targaryen's job easy. She watched as their lances clashed. She couldn't deny the Crown Prince was talented. It seemed like the Southern boys weren't holding back after all. He wasn't a match for her boy, though. 

She was proven right eventually when Domeric defeated the Prince and won the tournament. The entire crowd was silent. 'They probably didn't expect a savage Northerner to defeat their Golden Crown Prince.' she thought. A moment later, people finally remembered they were supposed to applaud when Sansa began cheering for her cousin. 

Domeric was awarded a laurel of Evening Stars, a type of flower native to the Reach. 'Arranged by Mace Tyrell probably.' She thought. 'With the hope that the Prince Aegon would win and crown his daughter.'

If it was Aegon who won, the entire realm would have an idea about the next Queen of the Seven Kingdoms upon his crowning of a lady. Domeric's victory didn't promise an answer to a mystery like that so not many cared but she could see lords and ladies were still curious. 

She was snapped out of her thoughts when Domeric laid the laurel on her lap. She looked at him, surprised but happy at the same time. She put the crown of flowers on her head as Domeric declared her the Queen of Love and Beauty.

The crowd was silent again, no doubt because they remembered the last tourney that she had been crowned. That had been scandalous but this was acceptable. There was nothing wrong with a son crowning his mother after all.

A man started applauding and the rest of followed suit. Lyanna saw who interrupted the tense silence from the corner of her eye.

It was the King.

'Years ago, your crowned me and shamed me.' she thought. 'Today, my son crowned me and honored me.' 

Chapter Text

Rhaegar Targaryen started applauding when Domeric Bolton crowned his mother Queen of Love and Beauty. The silence had reminded him so much of the mistake he had made that day that he couldn't let it linger.

He had unhorsed Ser Barristan and won, however instead of crowning the mother who had raised him to be a good man or the wife whom he had promised to cherish and honor or the little girl he had loved more than life itself, he had chosen to crown his own cousin's betrothed. 

It wasn't what the whispers had said. There had been nothing romantic betwen them. He had been impressed with her courage and integrity. He had never seen a lady of a great house going to such lengths to protect a bannerman of her house. Not in the South. He had understood that such devotion was the reason Starks commanded lasting and true loyalty from their bannermen. They weren't like Tywin Lannister, who ruled with fear or Mace Tyrell, who kept his men bound to his house through marriage. 

He had toyed with idea of what would have happened if she had been able to stay in the tourney and won it. He had wondered how the realm would have reacted when Lyanna revealed she had been the knight. He knew it was unlikely. While the Lady of Winterfell had been an excellent rider, more experienced knights had been participating. Still he had believed she had deserved to win. Not for having the skill, but for her courage and morals. Thus, he had made a collosal mistake while trying to do something nice for her. Looking back, he had no idea what he had been thinking. He should have known the realm wouldn't react well. 

He remembered the shame he had felt when Dorne had responded with slurs and insults. Not towards him, no. While he had been the one responsible, the Martells and their allies knew better than to insult the crown prince, especially when his wife -their princess- still hadn't given him a son to secure her place. 

Lyanna Stark had become the target of their ire. A part of Rhaegar had wanted to reveal the truth but his father's shadow and the threat he had posed had stopped him. He couldn't clean her name, only to sentence her to death. Instead he focused on deposing his father, hoping that with Elia as Queen, Dorne would be placated. 

Then Varys ousted her. Rhaegar wanted to choke that damn eunuch with his bare hands. Why was he doing this? Delivering innocent people to burn at his father's whims? What purpose could he have had? 

Those had been questions to answer at another time. He had to stop his father. His father had killed nobles before but burning a woman who was the daughter of a lord paramount who was also betrothed to another one? It wouldn't just destroy his father, it would end their house. If he had been a braver man, he would have done what Jaime Lannister would do in the coming moons and ended the madness. His father had slaughtered so many, caused so much damage that there was no other option aside from killing him.

But he couldn't do it, couldn't make himself a kinslayer so he chose another way. He first went to the Dragonstone to warn Elia. His father would be suspicious of his absence and he needed her to be ready to escape to the Sunspear with the kids if the need ever arose. But he hadn't expcted Elia to offer a tower in Dorne to keep Lyanna hidden and safe. 

"No one would think of looking for Lady Lyanna in Dorne." she had said. She was right. Dorne didn't hide its hatred and if Lyanna Stark's location remained a secret, no one in Dorne would be able to harm her. He could also leave some guards with her to ensure greater protection as well. 

So he had first ridden to Riverrun then to the Tower of Joy. Lyanna's safety had been assured but her father and oldest brother had become his father's victims in her place. A rebellion had broken out, Vale, Stormlands and North waging war against Targaryen loyalists and winning most of the battles. He had to go out there. If they lost, Rhaegar knew his house would fall.

He asked Lyanna to write a note for her brother, hoping that this one would work in their favor unlike the one she had left in Riverrun. He wondered how Brandon Stark had come to the conclusion he had kidnapped and raped Lyanna. Something wasn't right. Even if Brandon Stark had never found the note, he wouldn't have reached such a conclusion without someone leading the way. 

Another mystery to solve.

He had gone back to Dragonstone. Elia had needed to leave with their children for safety. If the worst came to pass, not even the impenetrable Dragonstone would be safe. He had almost fainted because of fear when Gerold Hightower had come with his father's orders to take his family to the Red Keep. He understood what his father was doing. He was using his wife and children to keep him and Dorne in line. 

But his father underestimated the love Lewyn Martell had for Elia and their children. He had carved their way out and took them to Dorne. It was thanks to him that he had been able to call for a parley.

Once Ned Stark read the letter Lyanna had written, his expression softened. Rhaegar could see the relief in his eyes at the news that she was alright, that she hadn't been violated like the rumors had said.

"Lady Lyanna might be well, my Prince. But the kidnapping and rape allegation against you is not the only reason of this war." Jon Arryn said. He had no fear of him, Rhaegar could see it. He had already defied his father, a mad man. Why would he fear a sane one?

Rhaegar admired the man for his convictions, for his refusal to obey his father. The father that had murdered not just Brandon and Rickard Stark but also his nephew, Elbert Arryn. Ideally, a child wouldn't have to carry the sins of the parent but this wasn't a perfect world they were living in.

However, Rhaegar had nothing but hatred for his father.

His father who forced himself on his mother.

Who threatened to burn him, his own son multiple times.

Who rejected Rhaenys, saying that 'She smelled Dornish.'.

He wasn't a son figthing for his father. He was a prince fighting for the survival of his house, a father who wanted to protect his children, a husband who wanted to do right by his wife.

The lords before him wanted justice, he would give it to them, to the whole realm. "My father must face the consequences of his actions. He will be put on trial and he will be punished for every crime he committed." Rhaegar said. 

Ned Stark and Jon Arryn agreed and in return for pardoning their rebellion and compensating them for their losses, they declared for him. Robert was worryingly silent, Lyanna's letter shocked him to the point that while he was physically at the meeting, it seemed like he wasn't truly there. Instead Lord Estermount, his grandfather, spoke on his behalf and accepted the conditions. Hoster Tully didn't even take a moment to contemplate unlike Lord Stark and Lord Arryn. He immediately agreed.

A part of Rhaegar regretted agreeing to pardon every lord who rebelled. He didn't deny North, Vale or Stormlands had a just cause. His father's murders of one lord paramount, four heirs and the demand he made for Ned Stark and Robert Barartheon's heads broke the oaths of fealty between these three kingdoms and the Iron Throne. Hoster Tully, on the hand, saw an opportunity to gain power and took it. Aside from the death of Lord Mallister's son, what reason did Riverlands have to rise up? Hoster Tully didn't care for Jeffory Mallister enough to rebel. 

Unfortunately in his haste to gain the rebelling lords as allies, he made a promise and he wasn't going to let anyone call him an oathbreaker. There were other ways to punish Hoster Tully. First, he needed to depose his father. The loyalist army reluctantly united with the rebel forces and marched to secure the King's Landing. 

The gates had been shut when they arrived, as expected. So when they were opened unexpectedly, Rhaegar was wary. His father didn't trust him. If not for Lewyn Martell, he would have taken his family hostage to ensure his loyalty. So why would he open the gates? It didn't make sense. 

Then a guard showed up. "The King is dead, Long Live the King." he said and bent the knee. 

Rhaegar was shocked. His father was dead? How? He and the lords beside him -loyalist or rebel- shared the same look of astonishment. A few days ago, they had been figthing in Riverlands because of his father's madness now he was gone. The realm was free from him, it felt unreal.

Still, he needed to be cautious. He wouldn't believe his father's tyranny was over before seeing his dead body. 

See it, he did. But not in the way he had imagined. His father was on the ground with a hole in his chest and slit throat. Jaime Lannister, his father's last Kingsguard, was standing over him with a bloody sword. It looked like he couldn't believe what he had done. He didn't respond when his name was called. But it wasn't defiance, Jaime was in shock. Rhaegar didn't think he heard them.

A loyalist lord would have stabbed him if he hadn't intervened. Rhaegar couldn't allow anyone to kill Jaime. He needed to learn what happened, what finally pushed the young knight over the edge and convinced him committing Kingslaying was a better alternative.

So, Rhaegar ordered him confined to a room for the time being. He needed to take control of the kingdom before passing any judgement on Jaime Lannister. He sent word to Sunspear to his wife, telling them it was safe to come. He sent his most loyal men to arrest his father's small council and supporters. As soon as he found a reason, no matter how small, he was going to put them on trial and punish them for the atrocities they had supported. 

He also had Barristan Selmy go to the Tower of Joy, to inform Arthur and Oswell of the developments and to bring Lyanna Stark to the King's Landing. Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon would't tolerate any delays or excuses. The peace he had established on the battlefield was fragile and the last thing he wanted was to cause more tensions. 

While waiting for the arrivals from Dorne, Rhaegar decided to use his time to visit Jaime to talk with him. He wasn't angry at him for killing his father. Rhaegar had already planned to give him to the rebels to face execution. Unfortunately, Jaime wasn't just anyone, he was kingsguard. Admittedly not a willing one, a hostage for Tywin Lannister's good behavior but still a man who had been inducted into the order of White Cloaks.

The realm took the vows of the Kingsguard, the Night's Watch and, to a lesser extent, the Faith very seriously. They wouldn't care what kind of horrors Jaime had been forced to witness under his father's reign and how hard it had been for an idealistic boy with a good heart to stay obedient. They would want him punished.

So Rhaegar hoped he had had a very good reason to kill his father.

It turned out he did.

"King Aerys became worse when he heard you made peace with the rebels Your Grace. Su he ordered his pyromancers to light the wildfire they had placed all over the city. Beneath the Red Keep, the Great Sept of Baelor, the slums of Flea Bottom, houses, stables... He wanted to be ready for any betrayal." Jaime said.

The horror Rhaegar felt when he realized what kind of disaster, what kind of carnage would be unleashed upon the King's Landing had Jaime not intervened was indescribable.

"'Burn them all.' he said. 'Burn them in their homes. Burn them in their beds.' How could I have kept my oath then?" Jaime asked. "Half a million innocent people would die. I-I couldn't let it happen."

His father's last act of madness, ordering the destruction of King's Landing had been stopped because finally a man decided not to be blindly loyal to his vows.

Rhaegar immediately sent a man to check the tunnels beneath the Red Keep. When he was informed that there were nearly two hundred jars of wildfire beneath the Red Keep, he almost fainted. He felt grateful that Jaime was the one left behind in King's Landing. He doubted that aside from Lewyn Martell, who had already broken his vows as a Kingsguard, any of them would try to stop his father.

"The king's word is law."

"We are sworn to obey the King, not judge him."

And yet one of them did and he saved the King's Landing in the process. 

A hasty coronation took place as soon as Elia was back. The realm had been bleeding a few day prior and Rhaegar didn't want an extravagant affair at that moment. Then the trial took place. When Jaime revealed the truth of his father's depravity, the throne room was deafeningly silent. The loyalists who wanted his head didn't have the face to demand any justice for Aerys. The rebels seemed vindicated. They opposed his father and his madness. Rhaegar was sure even though House Targaryen stayed in power, the history would paint the rebels under a better light than the loyalists forces in the decades to come.

With the truth revealed, Rhaegar managed to pardon Jaime without attracting the ire of the Seven Kingdoms and established himself as a man of justice. His father's supporters were next. It turned out most of them had been privy to his plans and encouraged him. Some of them had been sent to the wall but majorty faced the executioner's blade.

There was only Varys left but he was harder and a challenge he couldn't win yet. The spider had realized with his father's death, he was no longer welcome in Westeros and fled. Rhaegar wasn't going to let him escape the consequnces of his actions but for now, there was nothing to be done. Instead Rhaegar focused on problems he could solve, such as the rebel alliance.

He had promised to pardon them and compensate them but he couldn't allow the Stark-Baratheon-Tully-Arryn allaince to fully form with Lyanna's wedding. Especially after the rage Robert had shown before seeing Lyanna's letter. There was every chance Robert would nurse his grudge or maybe incite another rebellion. He couldn't allow the alliance to materalize in the from of their marriage. It was already strong because of his fostering at the Eyrie. He terminated the contract and offered another bride to Robert, a woman the Stormlords would prefer over Lyanna after the latest scandals and rumors.

Robert wasn't satisfied though. Rhaegar didn't expect him to. He had seen how obsessed he was with Lyanna Stark at the Harrenhal. But to see him try to attack him was still a shock. Elia let out a scream when Robert advanced towards him. Rhaegar was defenceless as he didn't have his sword with him but Ser Barristan was armed and ready to defend him. He cut Robert down right then and there.

It felt odd, to have his father's kingsguard serve him now. Rhaegar had some bitter feelings towards them for their blind obedience but they were still the best swordsmen in the realm. 

He summoned Stannis Baratheon, as he was the new Lord of the Stormlands, to swear fealty. He was also trying to choose new lords for the small council. Some were easier to choose than others. 

A Dornish lord would be given a seat.

He also planned to reward Jon Connington with a position, though not of Hand.

Lucerys Velaryon's seat was forfeit but considering the house's staunch loyalty to House Targaryen, Rhaegar knew he couldn't dismiss them. Monford Velaryon, his younger brother, was one of his supporters and even informed Rhaegar many of Lucerys's plots against him. Monford deserved a reward. 

Pycelle had to go. He was a Lannister man through and through and he wasn't going to trade his father's bootlickers for Tywin Lannister's. The Citadel would send a better and more trustworthy Maester.

The rest of it was tricky. 

He didn't want to keep Gerold Hightower as Lord Commander after the man almost trapped his family in King's Landing. He was going to demote him but who would take his place? For better or worse, all of the Kingsguards were guilty of not stopping his father except for Jaime Lannister, whom he was planning on removing from the order.

The position of Master of Whisperers was open as well with Varys a fugtive but who would have a network as as widespread and reliable as his?

There was also two advisor positions to think of. 

Unfortunately, many of the lords whose guidance would be invaluable were among the rebels and he couldn't name one of them to the Small Council. Not yet. Jon Arryn, Ned Stark, Terrence Royce, Morgan Mallister, Stannis Baratheon, Horton Redfort... Some of these men also had a personal grudge against House Targaryen and even if Rhaegar took the risk and offered them a position, they would probably reject it. 

Those who were available were either untrustworthy or incompetent. Tywin Lannister had been a capable Hand to his father but he couldn't be allowed to acquire influence at the court. Mace Tyrell had sided with House Targaryen as a show and didn't contribute in a meaningful way. Following his lead, most of the Reach didn't.

It was a mess. It seemed like the appointments for the small council would have to wait until he got decent advice. But that advice wasn't going to come from his good brother. It seemed like Rhaegar was cursed with having untrustworthy family members. First his father, now his wife's brother.

Doran Martell was ambitious man. However, unlike Tywin Lannister he genuinely cared about his family, or so he thought. Ten thousand Dornish soldiers showed what he cared for more. His pride over his family. Rhaegar knew Martells were offended when he crowned Lyanna but to abondon the cause that was fighting for his sister and her children? Even Tywin Lannister would do better by his family.

So when Doran came and asked him to wed Ashara Dayne to Ned Stark, Rhaegar wasn't pleased. Doran's words were respectful, chosen not to command but entice, the way one expected a vassal to speak to his liege but he could sense the arrogance in his tone due to the fact they were well-acquainted. 

"If you wanted your opinion to be considered Prince Doran, then you should have bothered to commit at least half of your forces." he snapped. "The family of the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms didn't even send half their strength to aid their allies. Quite the scandal. Tell me, were you hoping that I would die so that you could crown Aegon as King? Or was there some other scheme you were plotting?" he demanded. It was high time House Martell remembered while the Queen was their princess and the future King was of their blood, it was House Targaryen who ruled Westeros, not them.

Rhaegar could see that Doran wanted to retort, as if the lack of aid could have a good explanation but instead he chose to stay silent and leave, accepting defeat, to Rhaegar's shock. 

Then bad news arrived from the Dragonstone. His mother was gone. Her death was a tragedy Rhaegar had never seen coming. She had always been there, endured more suffering than anyone at his father's hands. His death should have been a new beginning for her. A chance for her to heal and enjoy the life surrounded by her children and grandchildren. She should have lived, she deserved better. Unfortunately, Westeros was a cruel place where people rarely got the happy ending they deserved.

Elia had been a godsend at that time. He doubted he would have been able to pull through without her support. If only his lords had bothered to respect his grief. Unfortunately, Tywin Lannister wouldn't stop his games of power for anything.

His eyes looked for the Old Lion. He wasn't among those who clapped. His son and good daughter were applauding politely but all Tywin Lannister saw was a chance lost. Had Aegon won, Myrcella might have been crowned. Aegon liked her more than Margaery. And with Rhaenys's interest in Willas, the crown was out of the reach of the Tyrells and any other house from the Reach.

'Years later, the same game with different players.' he thought angrily. Sending Cersei to Storm's End to wed Stannis Baratheon had been a strategic move to contain Tywin's ambitions. Stannis wouldn't be intimidated by Tywin or fall for Cersei's crocodile tears. It would also keep kingdoms bound together without risking a rebellion considering Stannis's extreme sense of duty. 

It had been a good idea but he had underestimated Cersei's stupidity.

***

Rhaegar was glad they had managed to convince Stannis to send Cersei to the Silent Sisters and her uncle Tygett to the Wall. Tywin Lannister had called his banners when he had learnt his daughter had been confined to her chambers and his brother had been placed in the dungeons of Storm's End.

He would have marched to war if Rhaegar hadn't sent a firm warning. He made it clear that if even one Lannister man left the borders of Westerlands under his command, he would be put on trial and punished for breaking the King's Peace.

There was no lost love between Tywin and Rhaegar. Tywin was still bitter over Rhaegar not setting Elia aside for Cersei and Rhaegar wouldn't forget how Tywin sat out the rebellion and his disrespect at his mother's death.

Still, the Lord of the Casterly Rock deserved to hear an explanation. Thus, Rhaegar had invited him to the King's Landing and asked Stannis to come with Renly and the witnesses. Tywin wouldn't be able to defend Cersei's actions. The trouble was Joffrey. Tywin wouldn't want to let go of Stormlands and lack of Baratheon traits would never convince him. 

"Do you need more testimonies Lord Tywin? Lord Renly can once again tell how your brother and daughter tried to murder him to keep their adultery a secret if you want." Elia said. She liked Tywin even less than he did. After Pycelle, a Lannister man was finally removed from the Keep, Elia's health improved. The new Maester even said that Elia wasn't barren and while it would be risky, she could have more children. 

To his shame, the first thing he thought was getting his third head, his Visenya but he promised Elia not to let the prophecy consume him. It was a tough promise to keep after the time he dedicated to the prophecy but he would do it. And he was grateful his obsession over it never left the confidence of the circle of people he trusted. Tywin would have used that against him.

"I don't deny my daughter's crimes, Your Grace. Neither my brother's involvement. But I will interfere for my grandson." Tywin said.

"Your grandson and nephew." Elia said. She was enjoying this a bit too much.

"A child can take after one parent, can he not? Princess Rhaenys did." Tywin said and the room got dangerously quite. Rhaegar remembered the time when his father rejected Rhaenys for being Dornish. If he had bothered to look more than a second, he would see the signature of Old Valyria in Rhaenys's violet eyes. And while it had been harder to notice when she had been a babe, Rhaenys also had his mother's nose and chin. There was no doubt she was Dragon's blood. 

"Careful Lord Tywin, unless you want to insult the Iron Throne and Dorne, choose your next words carefully." Rhaegar said. He could tolerate many insults towards his own person, but he wouldn't let anyone disparage his daughter. 

Tywin, seeing the anger of the Dragon King, realized he erred immediately, his pride having led him astray. "Apologies Your Grace but this isn't my opinion. It is an opinion many will share once they hear my grandson was declared a bastard based on his appearance. You said it yourself Cersei insisted on Joffrey being Lord Baratheon's son and Tygett didn't know if he was his."

Unfortunately, this was a good point. Rhaegar was aware their actions could potentially call many children's parentage into question. It wasn't impossible that a child took after one parent. But no matter how small, there would usually be something belonging to the other one. Baratheon line's eye and hair color was dominant but any other trait could come from the other parent. If that was Joffrey's case, there would be no disputing anything but the boy was a Lannister through and through. Some even said he looked like Jaime Lannister had back in the day.

"There is a book, Lord Tywin. 'The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms' by Grand Maester Malleon. According to his findings, Baratheon coloring of hair and eyes is the only look that is strong enough to pass down to the next generation without failure so long as one parent is a Baratheon. Furthermore, there were five Lannister-Baratheon marriages in the past with a total of 23 children. Each child had black hair and blue eyes, no exceptions." Rhaegar said.

"There is a first time for everything, Your Grace." he said but it was extremely weak. Tywin wasn't one to admit defeat though, not easily at least. He would rather attempt one last weak attack than surrender. 

"And even a single affair is enough to cast doubt on his parentage, especially when there is no similarity between Lord Baratheon and your grandson. Your daughter should have realized the risk she was taking. Lord Baratheon made it clear he didn't believe the child was his and that he wouldn't claim him. He doesn't want a bastard, born of adultery to inherit Stormlands." Elia said. 

That miraculously ended the conversation but it wouldn't resolve the issue. Tywin had hoped that his blood would rule Stormlands and his daughter's sputidity cost him that and his house's reputation. As soon as he had the power, he would try to make Joffrey Lord of Stormlands. 

"We cannot let him have Joffrey's custody. He must remain at court, away from his influence." Rhaegar said after the meeting and Tywin's departure. Once the boy was old enough, he would either join the Faith or the Night's Watch. He couldn't allow Tywin's pride to cause a war.

***

Rhaegar put the memory away to the back of his mind. Now wasn't the time to get lost in the past. He asked a guard to bring his children and sister to his tent to discuss betrothals. 

"I know you don't like it, but this conversation cannot be delayed. We have to discuss your marriages." At least Rhaenys's. She was one and twenty name days old and should have had betrothal by now at least. He hadn't minded waiting for the marriage as he had no wish to see her become a wife as soon as she flowered and a mother not long after. But being royalty meant keeping up with appearances and Rhaenys's lack of arrangement needed to be handled before any nasty rumors started.

"Willas Tyrell is good enough." Rhaenys commented, after a moment of hesitation. She disliked Margaery for her obsession with becoming Queen but Willas grew on her over time.

"If Rhaenys is to wed the Tyrell heir, can we make it a condition that Margaery Tyrell never sets foot in Red Keep or Dragonstone again?" Aegon said sarcastically but from the way his eyes glowed, it was obvious he hoped for it against all odds.

"I am afraid not, Egg. We cannot offend the Tyrells like that. Especially after their loyalty." Show of loyalty would be more accurate though.

"Offend? They are getting a Princess bride for their heir. It will secure their position in the Reach better than any other maiden can. Even Florents cannot claim to have blood of the dragon in their veins." Aegon said. He was exasperated with Margaery's attempts to win him over, especially since the girl had become a bit overbearing.

At first, she was subtle. She could have really fooled Rhaegar into believing she wasn't trying to get closer to Aegon if he didn't know any better. But over time as she saw none of her subtle methods worked, she became impatient. Maybe her father and grandmother pressured her to get better 'results', maybe she became insecure when Aegon didn't hide his high esteem for Shireen Baratheon or his friendship with Myrcella Lannister. He wasn't sure why but she made mistakes and Rhaegar knew even if Rhaenys hadn't chosen Willas, Aegon would never have Margaery as his wife.

"What about you Dany?" he asked his sister, who was more like a daughter. 

After his mother's death, Rhaegar embraced his siblings and kept them close. They were the last pieces of his mother and Rhaegar wished to give them a better life than he and his mother had endured under his father's reign.

It was hard with Viserys, who had been heavily influenced by his father. Viserys had parrotted Aerys during the first few years after the rebellion, telling Rhaegar he should have burnt the rebels, acting like the throne was his when Aegon was his heir. When he called Elia 'Dornish harlot', Rhaegar's patience reached its limits. Viserys proved to be a walking political disaster. If he had uttered those words in front of a courtier or a noble, the damage would be catastrophic. 

Many already disliked having a Dornish Queen. The wounds of the rebellion ran deep and the last thing the Realm could afford was a succession crisis. He had decided to send Viserys to Driftmark to be fostered and betrothed him to Leana Darry, to reward their House for its loyalty during the rebellion and to ensure Viserys wasn't tied to a dangerously powerful and ambitious family.

Today Viserys still had his moments, but he had improved greatly. 

Daenerys, on the hand, had been the mirror image of their mother. It pained Rhaegar to look at her sometimes, remembering all the times he had failed his mother. That was the reason he preffered the Crownlands for her. He knew it was hypocritical of him to have Rhaenys wed into Highgarden and keep Daenerys close through a marriage with Velaryons but the guilt he felt at failing to save his mother was too powerful to resist.

"Andar Royce seems... not awful." she said. Rhaegar's brain short circuited when he heard the name.

Royce.

Kyle Royce had been burnt by his father.

His sister Rhea had wed Ned Stark, whose father and brother had been brutally murdered.

Was it safe?

Would they even accept a marriage with the daughter of the Mad King?

"No Targaryen Princess for House Velaryon again?" Rhaenys asked playfully. 

"Jacaerys would have been a decent option if he brooded a little less. I feel like he doesn't listen to half of what I say." Daenerys said after an eye roll. His little sister wasn't content with her lot in life, which was marrying to bind the kingdoms to House Targaryen. She was a free spirit. She wanted to chase her dreams. She wished to travel, see the world, become a sellsword, bring back the dragons. These dreams had been a source of laughter when she had been young but it was worrying to see her struggling with her role in the family. 

"What about you Egg? Did you finally find the future Queen of the Seven Kingdoms?" Daenerys asked, diverting the topic away from herself.

"No but I know who won't be. Margaery Tyrell, cousin Arianne, Minisa Tully-"

"In other words, you are planning a life of celibacy." Rhaenys said, amused with her brother's pickiness. 

"Jokes aside Aegon, you need to make a decision soon. Great Houses cannot wait forever. And the last thing I want is chaos." Rhaegar said. If Aegon didn't have an heir of his own, there would definitely be a second Dance. Dorne would support Rhaenys as Queen and Reach would follow if she wed Willas Tyrell. But according to Andal succession, Viserys would be the King, who would also have more support for being a man. He couldn't allow that. "Shireen Baratheon is a good choice." Rhaegar started. 'Better the daughter of a House who rebelled than a civil war.' he thought. "If you want, we can invite her to the capital so that you can know her beyond letters." 'And see if she has the necessary qualities to become Queen.' he added in his head. 

"Considering Lady Shireen won't fawn over you, she will be a welcome addition to the court." Rhaenys commented.

"The dance will be a good opportunity as well. Get the ladies to have a conversation with you, get to know them as much as you can." Rhaegar advised.

To his surprise, Aegon followed it. He danced with Myrcella Lannister, whom Rhaegar would have no issues with becoming Queen if not for Tywin, Shireen Baratheon, Bethany Hightower, Carolei Waynwood and many others.

Rhaegar could see Aegon's court mask appear on his face whenever he found another girl who was only after the crown. Unfortunately, whether it was because of the girl's family's ambitions or the girl herself, they were in abundance. 

Shireen's company seemed to be a balm to wounds. He could see that Aegon clearly enjoyed her company. Rhaegar himself knew from the visit to Storm's End from two years ago that the girl was polite and very intelligent.

"So Shireen Baratheon is the winner." he heard Elia comment as she sat beside him. 

"Maybe." Rhaegar said. He didn't think Aegon was sure about Shireen. If he was, he would have told them already. Some loyalists would be angry but they couldn't fully exclude the kingdoms who had rebelled either. That would lead to resentment and maybe even worse. "How did it go with Lord Stark?"

"Not well. He knows how to hold a grudge. They don't say 'North remembers.' for nothing." Elia said unhappily.

"If Dorne wants North to move on, maybe Oberyn should end his insults against Lady Bolton." Rhaegar advised. Oberyn's love and devotion for Elia was admirable but he needed to control his anger. Especially when that anger wasn't directed at his target.

"Easier said than done." Elia mumbled. She took a sip from her wine and her eyes widened when she saw something.

"What happened?" he asked with worry.

When Elia didn't answer, Rhaegar looked around to see what alarmed her. His eyes caught Rhea Stark's expression. She seemed just as shocked as Elia. When he turned his head, he finally saw the reason. The reason had everyone stop their dance and attract their attention.

Aegon and Sansa Stark.

They were dancing.

But it wasn't a dance of formality. Aegon was happy and the two were glowing.

They were completely oblivious to the tension that was building around them. 

Chapter Text

When the dance ended, Elia saw Aegon realize that he had attracted the entire Westeros's attention with his choice of partner and how happily he danced. Still, he didn't back down. He accompanied Sansa Stark to her family's table and came to their side. 

Elia saw Rhaenys discreetly encourage the musicians to play another song to dissipate the tension in the air. The celebratory atmosphere returned but no one forgot who was shown the true favor of the Crown Prince. That worried Elia. The choosing of a wife for a prince, especially the Crown Prince was tricky. The Targaryens avoided it mostly because of the brother sister marriage they practiced for years. There had been some exceptions, with Aemma Arryn, Alicent Hightower, Myriah Martell and Betha Blackwood. But they were in minority. 

Many expected Aegon to wed Rhaenys or Daenerys at first. So Rhaegar's declaration to end the House Targaryen's marriage practice was met with surprise and greed. The lords of Westeros had a chance to crown their daughters and seat their grandsons on the Iron Throne. It caused many marriage proposals, all of which had been rejected. When they realized Rhaegar wasn't going to choose anytime soon or give a positive response, the lords sent their daughters to the Red Keep.

As ladies-in-waiting, cupbearers, companions for the Princesses of the Realm, for the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Aegon had been twelve when one of the greatest contenders, Margaery Tyrell arrived with her brother Willas. They had been permitted to come with their Uncle Paxtor Redwyne to soften the blow to the Tyrells when he had been summoned to the Red Keep to take Mace Tyrell's place as Master of Ships. Despite the loss of the seat at the Small Council, Tyrells hadn't lost their ambitions. They had been greedy and had wanted a Targaryen Princess for their heir and the future King for the Rose of the Highgarden.

Aegon had shown little interest in Margaery though. She was beautiful, kind, intelligent and ready to play the Game of Thrones. In a lot of ways, the perfect candidate but her manipulative ways had not endeared her to Aegon or anyone else in the royal family. It also didn't take long for Aegon to realize she was more interested in the crown he could give her than himself.

"I want to be seen, mother. Not as the Future King, not as the Dragon Prince but as Aegon. Is that too much to ask for?" he had said one day. 

Unfortunately, it was too much to ask for in Westeros. He was no small prize in the eyes of the Lords. Winning his affections meant the ultimate victory in the Game of Thrones. Elia wished that her son would have love in his marriage, an opportunity she and Rhaegar hadn't had.

She and Rhaegar had wed because she was the only candidate in the Seven Kingdoms with some Valyrian blood. If Queen Rhaella had given birth to Daenerys earlier or if Steffon Baratheon had managed to find a Valyrian bride, Aerys would never consider her. He had made his disdain for her Dornish heritage clear, even rejected Rhaenys when he saw she mostly took after her.

She knew Aegon's wife -whoever would be- would be lucky to have a good man for a good-father. Rhaegar would never scorn a grandchild for taking after his mother. But would Aegon have any luck in finding love? Elia knew it was rare for people in their position to have love in their marriages. She and Rhaegar had respect and fondness for each other but not love and the responsibilities that came with being Queen made Elia wonder if she would be happier as Baelor Hightower's wife. 

"Happiness is one thing you will never experience as Queen." Rhaella Targaryen had once told her. It was before her wedding and her goodmother had wanted her to understand that even with a good man for a husband, happiness would have no place in her life. "Your daughters won't be yours. They will belong to the realm and then be used to bind powerful houses to our family. Your sons will be Rhaegar's. No one will see them as your sons but his and only his. They will be seen as a path to power, to the throne."

Elia had disregarded the warning at first. She had kept her children close, swaddled them, fed them at her own breast. She had been confident she could prove Rhaella wrong. Then Aerys died, Rhaegar became King and she was the Queen Consort. When the proposals for her children came, when the families sent their daughters and sons to the court, Elia understood Rhaella was right. Swimming against the current had been futile but maybe the journey could be less unbearable. So, she warned her son against those who only saw the crown, she made sure Rhaenys and Daenerys could see through a man's honeyed words. Life at court was no fairytale, it was betrayals, murders and schemes. They had to be ready. 

Not just them, but their spouses as well. Daenerys and Rhaenys would leave the Red Keep after marriage but Aegon would be King. His Queen needed to be just as good at the game. 

Margaery Tyrell had been perfect for that but Tyrells would have Rhaenys and that was enough to keep them bound.

Myrcella Lannister had been her second choice. She was a bit younger than Aegon but the age gap was not as bad as it could have been. Had it not been for Tywin Lannister, she would have encouraged Aegon towards her.

Then, Shireen Baratheon. Stannis Baratheon's only daughter by his second wife, Selyse Florent. She met her a few years ago when Rhaegar declared that they would have a Royal Progress. Shireen had been a shy but polite girl. She was very intelligent and had a thirst for knowledge. She also lacked arrogance and self-righteousness. 

Aegon had enjoyed her company and they had exchanged letters frequently. While choosing a girl from a rebelling family would be scandalous for the loyalists, Elia was sure she could find a way to pacify them. 

As time went on, Elia became sure that Aegon would choose her. There didn't seem to be anyone else he was interested in. That was why she was shocked to see how happy he was with Sansa Stark. The way they glowed, their happiness showed it wasn't the first time they interacted. Elia searched her memory to see how they could have gotten so close without anyone finding out.

They had visited Winterfell during the Royal Progress. The Stark family had been largely aloof and polite. Elia could feel they weren't wanted though.

She had asked Ned Stark if he would send Sansa or Arya to King's Landing to be a handmaiden to Rhaenys or Daenerys. She had wanted to bring North back into the fold truly. However, Ned Stark had made it clear -without saying it outright to her face- that he didn't trust her or Rhaegar enough to send his daughters the capital. 

No one in the North, let alone him, had forgotten what North lost because of House Targaryen and no amount of gold would be enough to truly compensate their losses.

"Tell me Your Grace, if it was your brother Prince Doran and his heir Princess Arianne who were murdered, would you see gold and lands as sufficent compensation?" Ned Stark had asked her. She didn't say anything, she didn't need to. The answer was obvious.

The South had earned eternal distrust and distaste from North with their actions. 

His heir Jon Stark and the younger twin Cregan hadn't been more welcoming than their father. They had been polite but that was it. As far as she could remember Sansa Stark had been the same. So Elia wondered how Aegon managed to gain Sansa Stark's friendship.

"Why did you not tell us of Lady Sansa?" Rhaegar asked that night once they were in the privacy of their chambers.

"Only a secret known by one person remains a secret. If I told you, half the kingdom would know in hours and I didn't think certain members of my family would like the idea of me marrying a Stark." Aegon said.

Elia knew he was talking about Doran and Oberyn. Doran would oppose it as it would mean the kingdom that had refused to better their relations with Dorne would gain immense power and Oberyn's illogical hatred against Lyanna Stark would probably extend to Lady Sansa. "It doesn't matter what they think." Elia said. As a Princess of Dorne, she, of course, cared for the interests of her homeland but she was also the Queen of Seven Kingdoms. She couldn't focus solely on Dorne. That was Doran's job. "Now how did you come to know her so... closely?" she asked.

Aegon looked unsure for a moment but a gentle prompting from her convinced him to open up. "It was during our visit to Winterfell. I couldn't sleep the first night. The way they looked at us, with hatred, with anger, it bothered me and kept me up all night. I wanted some fresh air and I found Lady Sansa at the yard. We chatted a little bit. Then, this continued during our stay. We got to know one another. She told me of North and the Vale. I told her of King's Landing and Dorne. By the time we were leaving, Sansa and I were... friends. We agreed to stay in contact."

Two weeks. They had stayed at Winterfell for two weeks. Aegon had spent every night with Sansa Stark and he had been exchanging letters with her for years? She remembered seeing him read a letter he had said was from Shireen Baratheon. Was- "Aegon, those letters you said were from or for Lady Shireen, were they actually..?"

"Most of them, yes."

"Then I assume some of the flattering descriptions you gave of her were actually Lady Sansa's." Elia concluded. He averted looking at her eyes, confirming her suspicions.

"I won't apologize if that's what you are expecting. Neither of us did anything wrong." Aegon said, standing his ground.

"You didn't." Rhaegar conceded. "But you need to understand Aegon, that the bad blood between our families can end this story before it even beings. Starks are distrustful of South, for good reasons. It will take more than a dance and a few letters to convince Ned Stark to send one of his children South."

That was true. Even if it made a Queen out of her, Ned Stark would never send Sansa Stark South without assurances and proper protection. "A thousand years might pass Aegon but North will never forget the wrongs committed against them. So proceed wisely and don't be too hopeful." she advised him.

Aegon nodded and left for his chambers. Elia looked at Rhaegar. "What do you think?"

"She is ideal in some ways." Rhaegar answered. "North is richer and more powerful than it used be. They are also the most isolated of the Seven Kingdoms. A royal marriage could do what gold couldn't and bind North to the Iron Throne. And by extension the Vale as well."

"Doran won't stop bothering me day and night." Elia mumbled. She hated playing the mediator. It would be easier if Doran could contain his ambitions and pride a little but her brother had been an only child for a long time and their mother's heir. He grew up with a sense of entitlement and was used to getting his way. Either because of his status or their mother's love for them.

"I don't care what Doran wants Elia." Rhaegar said. "He isn't the King of the Seven Kingdoms, I am. And I would rather displease your brother and keep the realm together and peaceful than satisfy him and fracture the continent." Rhaegar said.

***

It turned out Elia thought similar to Rhaegar. She discovered that she had little patience left for her brothers that same night when Oberyn and Doran came to visit her. Though surprisingly, Doran caused no trouble. He seemed to have finally understood Rhaegar wouldn't allow him to control the royal family solely to Dorne's benefit. Having his offers rejected by Ned Stark seemed to have finally taught him the constraints on his power. Oberyn though...

"Aegon cannot marry that wench! Harlot Lya-"

"OBERYN, ENOUGH!" She yelled, surprising both of her brothers. She rarely raised her voice and was generally calm but she was at the end of her patience towards Oberyn. "I have had enough! I have explained you multiple times what actually happened at Harrenhal, I told you again and again that Rhaegar hid Lyanna Stark in Tower of Joy with my knowledge, you were made aware more than once that Rhaegar didn't dishonor me with her. So stop acting like you are protecting me or taking offence on my behalf."

"Elia, I-"

"You are angry because Doran and I would no longer allow you to forsake your duties. You cannot take your anger out on us so you choose Lyanna Stark as your target without a thought to the consequences." Elia turned to Doran. "If you want to blame someone for Ned Stark's rejections, blame him. Lord Stark doesn't want to give a discount or bind our families together because he has no desire to be connected to the man who consistently insults his sister."

Doran and Elia looked at Oberyn, daring him to contradict what she said. Instead he argued back as if he was in the right. "I didn't want to marry her. You two forced me to-"

"We made you take responsibility and do your duty but we didn't force you Oberyn." Doran said. "You were given a choice. Either start behaving like a Prince of Dorne should or stop being one."

"Yes, and the man who demanded me to take my responsibilities seriously spurned his betrothed for a woman who left him." Oberyn said. That made Elia freeze. That was a fact none of them spoke out loud. There was no denying Doran spurning Clarisse Yronwood was the beginning but out of respect for his position as the Ruling Prince, none of them mentioned it. Then, Mellario left for Norvos, ending their marriage in practice after Quentyn was sent to Yronwoods and Elia kept her mouth shut about the matter as Doran's grief over his wife's departure was evident.

But Oberyn opened the Pandora's box. As the silence dragged on, Elia could see Oberyn realized he had made a mistake but it was too late the take the words back. "Go back to your wife, Oberyn and never disrespect me again. Remember that your life is not miserable and you still have certain liberties due to Moriah's permission but cross me again and you won't like the consequences." Doran said, dismissing Oberyn. Oberyn opened his mouth to apologize but she managed to catch his eyes at the last second and signal him to stay silent and leave. 

After Oberyn left them alone, Elia sat down. She felt the need to physically stand while arguing with Oberyn. But Doran was calm and rarely raised his voice. "I need to put him on a tighter leash." Doran said. "You are right about his insults against Lady Bolton. Oberyn is insulting two noble houses but because I shielded him in his youth, he still doesn't understand how badly this might end."

Doran wasn't just talking about political ramifications. Ice trade benefitted Dorne greatly. Cold killed in North and heat was just as deadly in Dorne. The lack of water could also be just as troubling. While the Great Houses usually had access to enough water, there could be trying times for the smallfolk and some distant villages. That was why Doran was trying so hard to improve their relations, to get a discount. 

"Do you think they will look upon a union between Lady Sansa and Aegon kindly?" Doran asked. "They rejected Arianne for Lord Cregan and Trystane for Lady Arya and the Red Keep doesn't hold any fond memories for Starks."

"I am not sure. But this marriage can ensure stability for Aegon's reign. I don't want him to deal with feuds Aerys started. A Stark with Royce blood as Queen can stop any reckless moves." she said.

Doran raised an eyebrow at that. "You think they will try to secede?" he asked.

Would North really fracture Westeros? If one seceded, others would follow. Elia thought for a moment. "North might be stronger but even with the help of the Vale, they cannot take on the might of the rest of the Westeros. They might be more powerful now, able to call for more fighting men but new problems have arisen. It's unlikely but I would rather we don't take the chance. Years ago, Dorne was brought into the fold with marriage, today peace can be maintained and the Seven Kingdoms can be kept together the same way." Elia said.

If the answer to her son's happiness and peace for his reign was a Stark girl, Elia would ensure the wedding took place.

***

The meeting was going to be a nightmare, Elia was sure. Rhaegar had arranged it with the hopes that they could convince Ned Stark to allow his daughter to continue to stay at the Red Keep. After last night, many people were convinced Sansa Stark would wear the Queen's crown next. She was Aegon's first choice and the key to keep the realm together. But if she was to wed Aegon, she needed to learn the duties of a Queen and the way game was played otherwise she would be outplayed and destroyed by the vipers of the capital.

"Your Graces," Ned Stark greeted her, Rhaegar and Doran in the throne room. Rhaegar decided to invite him as he would rather Doran speak on behalf of Dorne than Elia. 

Ned Stark's company was not what she expected though. His wife Lady Rhea Stark was with him but the real surprise was his good brother Lord Bolton. 

When Elia heard Lyanna Stark wed Roose Bolton instead of Baelor Hightower, she was shocked. Hightower marriage seemed more beneficial and while Elia didn't know every detail about House Stark's rise to power in the North, she was aware the Red Kings of House Bolton had been their greatest rivals. Their practice of flaying made her cringe and she couldn't believe Ned Stark would allow such a risky marriage to take place.

However, the gamble Lord Stark made seemed to have paid off. The enmity between the Starks and the Boltons didn't exist between Jon Stark and Domeric Bolton and it was possible that after succeeding their fathers, Jon and Domeric would usher a new age for North with Boltons standing firmly behind the Starks.

"Lord Stark, Lady Stark, Lord Bolton." Rhaegar greeted them and invited them to sit down. "We wished to talk about Aegon and Lady Sansa. It seems they knew each other better than they allowed us to believe."

"If you are referring to their night discussins at the Godswood and the letters they secretly exchanged, we are aware Your Grace. Sansa explained to us last night." Lady Rhea said. She hid her displeasure but Elia could see she didn't like the idea of her daughter and the grandson of the man who butchered her brother having any kind of connection, let alone being wed.

"As you know, my son is in need of a wife and he seems quite taken with your daughter." Rhaegar said.

"It was a dance, Your Grace. A dance and some letters don't create a marriage. I am sure there are other ladies in the realm that will fit the criteria of a Queen." Ned Stark said. Elia could see he didn't like the idea of wedding his daughter to her son anymore than a marriage with her niece or nephew. 

"Lord Stark," she started, stopping Rhaegar before he could speak. Northerners preferred brutal honesty over honeyed words. She believed that such an approach would be appreciated more. "Let us speak plainly. You don't trust us. You don't trust me or my husband or my brother with your children. After House Targaryen's crimes against House Stark and House Royce," she added, as death of Kyle Royce had been just as unlawful as the deaths of Brandon and Rickard Stark. "I understand your reservations but there is nothing we can do to bring your loved ones back. However, our children shouldn't suffer for the crimes committed long before them. Lady Sansa and Aegon can unite the realm and unity is more in out interests than division. If we make the effort, our sons will never meet on the battelfield." She said. 

She could see Ned Stark was impressed with her speech. As a father and as a man who had seen war, he had no desire to see his sons fighting a war. That didn't mean he was convinced but hopefully he wasn't looking at the match with the same level disapproval. 

"You are talking about unity, Your Grace." Lord Bolton started. His voice was low, but it still commanded respect. It took Elia her entire willpower not to flinch when she looked at his eyes, cold and dead. How did Lyanna Stark endure that? "However, your brother Prince Oberyn has been insulting my lady wife for years. How can there be anything but hostility when the Queen's own brother and Master of Whispers gets away with insulting two Great Houses?"

"That will end Lord Bolton." Doran took over from there. "I have made it clear to Oberyn that if he says another word about your Lady Wife again, he will be punished severely." Doran turned to Ned Stark. "And hopefully as the sign of the beginning of a friendship between our Kingdoms, I would like to offer my niece Princess Meria as a ward. I propose that she is fostered at Winterfell, Lord Stark."

A hostage. Oberyn hadn't been pleased. He had raged, cried, begged Doran not to send his daughter North but Doran had made his decision. It was Quentyn who had been sent to the Yronwoods for fostering to appease them. It was high time Oberyn understood that her and Doran's children couldn't pay for his mistakes. And hopefully Meria's position would ensure Oberyn would never cross the line. 

"Princess Meria will be welcome in Winterfell, Prince Doran and I would be honored to foster her. But I hope you don't intend to make Prince Oberyn pay for his crimes through his daughter. I was under the impression that Dornish didn't punish children for the crimes of their parents." Ned Stark said.

Doran shared a quick look with her. They had hoped that offering Meria to foster would be enough to heal the rift and that it would also convince Starks to allow Sansa to remain in King's Landing. A daugher for a daughter. 

"What is it you want as compensation Lord Stark? You turned down each one of my previous offers. I offered my heir for your second son, my youngest son for your youngest daughter and neither match met your approval." She could see Doran was genuinely at loss about what they wanted. Usually a marriage or a ward would be enough for Southern families but North obviously wasn't of the same mind.

"Lord Stark and I discussed that an apology, an acknowledgment of the wrongdoing committed by a member of House Martell to a member of Houses Stark and Bolton will be enough." Lord Bolton said. 

'That is too little to be true.' Elia thought. "An apology?" she asked.

"A public one by Prince Oberyn to my lady wife." Roose Bolton clarified. 

'So this is the catch.' Elia thought. They wanted to show the realm, to Dorne, to her house that they weren't invincible. Just like Lord Yronwood did during the Rebellion. Lord Yronwood had wanted Doran to understand while House Martell ruled Dorne, their power could be chopped away and now Lord Stark and Lord Bolton desired the same.

"Publicly?" Doran asked. 

"Prince Oberyn has been insulting my sister and by extension two Great Houses very publicly for years whenever he can, Prince Doran. It shouldn't be that hard to make a single apology. Only after that, I am willing to consider an offer of friendship." Ned Stark said. 

This was the only olive branch North had offered South. They could refuse, of course but where would that lead? A greater rift between North and South? A problem that Aegon or his son might have to deal with? It also might not be just Aegon who would struggle. Arianne would potentially inherit these problems along with Sunchair. While some would rightfully consider this humiliating, it could also paint House Martell as an honorable house willing to make amends instead of a house who abused their connection with the royal family to speak ill of Great Houses without suffering punishment. Oberyn would be painted as a bad egg, instead of an example what a Martell was. A sacrifice.

"I will speak with my brother, Lord Stark. It will be arranged." Doran accepted.

"And what is it that you want from House Targaryen, Lord Stark? What will be enough to convince you that no harm will come to your daughter in the Red Keep?" Rhaegar asked. But that was the wrong question. No one was truly safe in the Red Keep. It was a cauldron of plots and betrayals.

Lady Stark and Lord Stark shared a look before revealing the men they were planning on sending to the capital for their daughter. It was a high number but that number, Meria and the apology seemed to have bought their consent.

This wasn't betrothal or an alliance but it was a start. First battle was won but there were many more ahead.