10th Month of 282 A.C. Tower of Joy
Princess Lyanna Targaryen
Oh how she wished for the early days of romance, when she and her prince had given themselves over to careless abandon making love wherever they chose and not giving a damn about propriety. It was a change from the restrictions she had faced at Winterfell, where her mother and father though content to allow her to roam around like a ruffian as a girl, had begun imposing far more restrictions on her as she had flowered and turned into a young woman. There was no disapproving eyes watching her as she played and fucked her silver prince, there was no septa as there had been in Harrenhal telling her how to be a prude. No she and her prince could enjoy one another for who they were, and because they were married- wed before the godswood on the Isle of Faces- they could do it as often as they liked without needing fear of constraint.
And then Ser Gerold Hightower, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard had arrived and shattered their little bubble. He had brought dark words with him, bad tidings, for her brother upon learning of her disappearance from Harrenhal had charged into King's Landing demanding Rhaegar come out and die, and for that crime he had been roasted alive alongside his companions, her brother was dead because of her and because she had not thought to leave anything behind, their wolf's blood had cost them dearly. Her brother was dead and her father was rebelling against the crown for revenge and to put her former betrothed Robert Baratheon on the throne. The king it seemed wanted his son back to lead the royal armies and so Rhaegar had gone, even though she had pleaded with him not to go, saying she was pregnant and that he could not leave her and their babe alone. That Robert was a trained warrior and though he whilst good could not hope to stand against him. Her husband had smiled, kissed her and merely said he had to go otherwise everything would be for nothing. She could not understand, and then it dawned on her something more was at play here for her husband and her heart had gone cold.
Her husband had been gone for nearly two moons now and there was nothing she knew of the situation. The Kingsguard did not speak with her, they just guarded her and made sure she did not try to escape. But really where was she going to go? Dorne was hostile towards her, the Daynes knew she was here and sent aid mainly because of Ser Arthur but they did nothing more, even Lady Ashara no longer came to visit and she had been a constant presence in the early days. All she had for company was her lady in waiting who had been with her from the beginning Wylla, Wylla was a year older than Lyanna herself, and was full of fire and passion but also the common sense that Lyanna thought she herself lacked. And as such she was now noticing her mistress's attitude. "Oh smile Your Grace, it's not as if things could be any worse. You have food, water and me for company what more could you want? That silver haired shit, who could barely look at you when news came of Brandon's death?"
Lyanna looked at her handmaiden and said. "It's not just that, I cannot understand how he could leave now? Why would he leave now before he knows his own son or daughter? How could he just go?"
Her handmaiden smiled sadly at her and said. "Because he is a man princess, and men always think that the best way to sort things out is with swords and not words. Truly your prince was a bit of a fool thinking something like this might not happen. I am not a noble, but even I know that taking you without a word was something risky. And if I might say so myself, you were not as smart as you might think my lady. You allowed yourself to be swept into a whirlwind with dragons and now all is falling."
There was truth to her handmaiden's words but she did not wish to acknowledge it. "I do not believe that what we did was so foolish. We were both unhappy with what our lot in life was to be. Why could we not have some happiness? Robert says he is fighting for me, but he did nothing when I was taken, and neither did my father. Why should I not have happiness when men can find it anywhere?"
She knows she is being naïve but still, the look Wylla gives her sends something akin to rage boiling through her, as do the words her handmaiden speaks. "Because that is not the way the world works my lady. In this world, we woman are mere pawns in the games the men play. Be it our fathers or our brothers or husbands, we are used for their whims and as such we must accept this. For there are women who can fight, but sooner or later we are all broken by the whims of men and we must try to avoid the fallout as much as possible for when it comes we shall all suffer."
Lyanna bristles then and says. "I refuse to accept my fate weakly like some sort of weak witted woman. I will fight, I have a mind, I have a tongue, and I shall use both to argue my case until I cannot fight anymore. And now I am not merely a lady, I am a princess and I shall have fight to have my rights and that of my child preserved. They cannot do anything to us so long as I remain strong."
Her handmaiden sighs then and says. "And what do you think Robert Baratheon would say to that my princess? He would not want to see the source of his disgrace constantly paraded around his face. Do not delude yourself, you know that Prince Rhaegar cannot win, he has not fought in a proper battle before, and Robert Baratheon has fought in many by now. They will fight and one will die, and nothing can change that. No matter what happens there on the field where they meet, you and your child would be suspect to the whims of men."
"Then I shall remove the child from harm and ensure that it never faces the woes of this place." Lyanna says defiantly.
Her handmaiden looks at her then and Lyanna finds her defiance wavering. "Tell me princess, would you truly see your child killed? You are not someone who would abide by that, nor are you someone who would want to be parted from their child. I know for it has happened to me, and we are like sisters you and I."
Lyanna is taken aback by this and asks. "What happened to you Wylla, I did not know you had had a child?"
Her handmaiden gives a sad little laugh and says. "Oh aye. There was some lord or the other who came to Winterfell once before we all went south, and we had a romance, I had thought it was true love. But alas I was merely the source of his infatuation for that time period. He was wild, and I loved him but he did not love me. My child was taken and given away to hide the shame of the man and his father."
Lyanna suspects she knows who her handmaiden is talking about but she does not wish to know completely lest it ruin her memory of the man. "Do you know what happened to your child Wylla?"
"He is growing up somewhere in the clans, with my father and mother. He will never know me but he will know his family and when the time comes he shall come to know me but never as his mother." Her handmaiden says sadly.
Lyanna feels something akin to sadness bloom inside of her and she takes Wylla's hand and says. "When this is done, we shall go and see your son Wylla. I would much like to know him and perhaps he and my son or daughter could be friends one day? But now, what do you think those three knights downstairs are discussing?"
Her friend has a small smile on her face that truly makes her look beautiful and her voice is soft when she says. "Probably discussing the best way to plan an escape should something go wrong. After all the child in your belly is a royal prince or princess, and as such it is their duty to ensure your and its protection. Though the fact that Hightower has remained here suggests to me that perhaps there is something more going on here. Rhaegar Targaryen would not leave the Lord Commander behind unless there was something going on."
Lyanna once more astounded by how observing her friend is says. "That is true, Rhaegar did say he did have plans for when we returned to King's Landing. Though leaving all three Kingsguard here does seem a bit too extreme. And when I asked him about it, he was always so evasive I am not sure if he even knows what he is doing half the time."
Wylla snorts. "That's men for you. Never wanting to talk about anything that might interfere with their drive for love or sex or whatever it is they call it. Sometimes I wonder if they can even think at all. But then again something is definitely happening, shall we see if we can hear what they are discussing princess?"
Lyanna nods and so they move closer to the window where echoes of the conversation drift up. She can hear what sounds like Ser Arthur's voice. "We cannot remain here for too long. Sooner or later someone will come calling and we shall not have my brother's protection to answer with should they ask what we are doing."
"And you are certain that your brother will not extend his protection any longer than the next four moons?" the bull like voice of Ser Gerold asks wafting up.
There is silence a moment and then. "I do not know, all I know is that when I last spoke to my brother he was preparing to leave for King's Landing alongside the rest of the Dornish host. And as such said something would need to be done about the Princess when he returned. As not everything is going to be as it was before."
The dry voice of Ser Oswell comes up to their ears. "Of course nothing is going to be the same. Prince Rhaegar has seen to that, the realm is bleeding now and we are left to guard a woman and her handmaiden. We should be there getting ready to fight, but no we have to stay and aid in guarding the woman because of the man's precious prophecy."
"Ser Oswell I would remind you that we are bound to obey the king. And as we all chose Rhaegar as our king, we are bound by his orders. We cannot question them no matter how much we might wish to." The voice of Ser Gerold echoes up.
"Oh come off it Gerold, don't tell me you are happy with this. The war is going to be decided soon enough and we are merely sat here waiting and watching for some bastard to come and try to get into this tower. Only Lord Arel Dayne knows about this tower no one else does. What more could be done?" Oswell asks.
Lyanna pulls away from the window, and looks at Wylla stunned. She had thought that the Kingsguard liked her, that they were friends, but now, now she does not know what to make of it. She looks at Wylla and says. "I…. I…"
Her friend nods her head and says. "I know my princess, we must act as if we did not hear. Otherwise they will begin suspecting."