Tyrion Lannister was not hiding. Instead, he sat proudly at one of the tables in the library. Even though his feet couldn't reach the floor, he was still sitting comfortably as he hummed to himself.
The library inside Casterly Rock just so happened to be his favorite spot in the entire castle. There were many books here, more than he could count. He heard that the Citadel had more books still. How wonderful was that? Tyrion had yet to read half the books in the library here. He had only started reading a year ago, and even then his reading had just gotten to the point where he could sit down and read the tomes that he really wanted to get to by himself.
They were tomes about the dragons.
Tyrion had never seen the dragons for himself. His mother told him that he was born in King's Landing, the capital city of Westeros. But soon after, he returned to Casterly Rock with her. She would not say why, but his sister told him it was because their father was ashamed of him and sent him away from court. According to Cersei, he was a "grotesque monster" who nearly killed their mother. In comparison, King Aerys had plenty of sons, all of them hale and comely.
Tyrion did not really understand. What did it matter that the king had many sons? Was there a prize for having more children? It was confusing. When he asked their mother about it, she just told him not to worry about it. That he was still her little lion, just as Cersei and Jaime were.
Tyrion loved his mother. She was always kind and warm to him. She even slept with him sometimes when he had nightmares. Jaime was also nice too. He often showed Tyrion all the new techniques that he was learning in the training yard. Apparently his dear older brother wanted to impress the Kingsguard and the princes when they arrived.
Tyrion started to flip through the tome that he had picked out. It was a copy about the dragonlore that was commonly known throughout Westeros. More accurately, it was all about what the maesters knew. It talked about all the known dragons that existed before the Dance of the Dragons wiped them out. For a century after, the dragons vanished, and only the Targaryens remained.
'But they're here. And they're coming.'
Tyrion could barely contain his excitement as he thought about the dragons. If he was lucky, maybe one of the princes would allow him to ride the dragons with them? That would be nice.
There were times when he dreamed that he owned a dragon himself, but thanks to his mother he understood that that would be impossible. There were only nine dragons, and they all belonged to the Targaryens. It was the crown prince who brought them back through his magic. This was something else that fascinated Tyrion. The thought of magic made him dream of other stuff. Like maybe the prince could make Tyrion tall and not a monster. Then maybe his sister and father would love him, just like his mother and brother did.
Life wasn't all bad, though. Uncle Gerion was always nice to him too. And Aunt Genna often gave him sweets when he asked. Above all else, Tyrion knew that he could always count on his mother to be there for him. To him, that was worth more than any book or dragon.
"There you are, you little monster."
Tyrion was startled when Cersei suddenly emerged from behind him. He must have been so focused on the tome that he did not hear her come in.
His sister was scowling with her hands on her hips. Tyrion could tell that Cersei was dressed for the occasion. She only wore what she considered to be the "best dresses," but the one she was wearing right now was more luxurious than any other Tyrion had seen. And yes, he knew what "luxurious" meant. He was studying his words very closely. It was something that he was very proud of.
"The king and the prince are nearly here, and mother wants you to be ready," Cersei said, her tone sour.
They were?
"Dragons." Tyrion was unable to suppress the word from leaving his lips.
Cersei's eyes narrowed. "What about them?"
Tyrion flinched as he looked away. "They are beautiful." It was the best excuse he could come up with.
"Of course they are. Prince Rhaegal's is the most majestic." For some reason, Cersei sounded smug saying that.
Tyrion didn't dwell on it as he mustered the courage to look at her, his eyes hopeful.
"Do you think the prince will let me ride the dragon with him?"
"Huh?" Cersei seemed disgusted by the mere thought of it. "What are you saying, you freak? Why would Prince Rhaegal let a monster like you go anywhere near him? It's bad enough that mother has you standing with the rest of us. Don't get any stupid ideas and embarrass us in front of the prince and his family. Do you understand?"
Tyrion flinched again, averting his eyes from her a second time. "I-I just thought-"
"It doesn't matter." Cersei cut him off with a glare. "We're not talking about this anymore. Just start moving already. I'm not going to get yelled at just because you were too stupid to be ready on time."
Tyrion's head dropped as he pushed himself off his seat, the tome on the dragons lying on the table, forgotten.
Cersei did not bother to wait for him as she turned and started heading toward the door.
Tyrion could do nothing but follow after her in silence, his head hanging low.
---
It was a sunny yet somewhat cloudy day, oddly enough. The sun loomed high over Casterly Rock as Joanna stood ready next to Tywin for their most important guests to arrive.
Joanna had become accustomed to Tywin's fretting as of late. Where once he had been confident in his position, now her husband reverted to a state of constant unease. This entire tourney was his way of trying to suck up to both the king and the crown prince for one last attempt to sway their opinion about the future.
To Joanna, Tywin was being greedy. He not only wanted a betrothal between Cersei and Prince Rhaegal, but he was also hoping that Prince Rhaegal would take Jaime as his squire. Prince Rhaegal was a knight of renown on top of being the crown prince, so Tywin felt it was acceptable that his heir should learn under him.
Joanna was unable to stop her husband from dreaming. His ambitions had too much of a hold on him. The best she could do was try to prevent the fallout from being too great. She didn't know how much success she would have in that as she didn't have a favorable relationship with the queen anymore either.
Joanna did her best to put on her best confident smile as she lined up with her family by the entrance to Casterly Rock. It was called the Lion's Mouth, and it was a natural cavern that led up to the castle itself which was built into the rock. Carriages had already been prepared to take the royal family up through the hill.
Tywin had spent a small fortune to have enough food ready for the dragons during their stay here. The dragons would hopefully remain at the bottom of the hill. There were multiple sea-carved caverns scattered around the hill for the dragons to make use of. According to Tywin, Prince Rhaegel gave him a schedule of when the dragons would feed but otherwise told him to not disturb them.
It was another thought that Joanna had been trying to avoid since the tourney was first announced. She would be coming face-to-face with those beasts for the first time in her life. When she was younger, she never would have imagined that she would one day see not only Aerys but also Rhaella become a dragon rider. She sometimes still could not fathom how the world changed so quickly from her childhood.
Tywin's brothers and sister were not the only ones present in the lineup. Some lords from the Westerlands had already arrived and were present with them. Then there was also her side of the family. She had more siblings than Tywin, but they all presented themselves as proper Lannisters to greet the king. This included her older bastard sister, Lynora Hill. Tywin did not want her here, but Joanna asked for her presence, and Tywin relented.
There was also the side branch of the Lannisters of Lannisport, among several others.
They were all tense but stood in silence.
The last ones to arrive were Cersei and Tyrion.
The sight of her youngest softened Joanna's gaze, but then she fought back a sigh when she noticed the annoyance on Cersei's face and the downtrodden look on Tyrion's.
They must have fought again. Or more accurately, Cersei fought with her brother.
No matter how many times Joanna tried explaining to her daughter that Tyrion was her brother, she would not listen. Her daughter's actions were driven more by fear than hatred. Even after four years, Cersei still feared that Joanna would unexpectedly die from her traumatic birth.
Joanna could never blame her son for such a thing. Tyrion was not at fault for the circumstances surrounding his birth. She expected Tywin to keep that in mind as well even if he preferred to keep his distance from Tyrion.
"Get ready, both of you," Tywin barked out as Cersei and Tyrion neared them. "The royal family will arrive any moment."
Just as Tywin finished speaking, several more roars rang out from the sky above them. The roars were powerful, vibrating in the ears of all those that heard them.
Subconsciously, Joanna swallowed a lump in the back of her throat just as several shadows suddenly emerged from the clouds. The shadows belonged to none other than the dragons as they flew high across the sky.
From next to her, Joanna heard Tyrion gasp and almost bounce in excitement at the sight.
If only she could have a child's innocence.
There were more gasps and murmurs from the other onlookers as they saw the dragons for themselves.
They were massive. Joanna could not believe that the dragons had only hatched four years ago. What were the Targaryens feeding them to get them so big? In the back of her mind, Joanna knew that it had more to do with magic than any rational explanation.
The dragons were not the only arrivals. Down the road came several carriages flanked by heavily armored knights. King Aerys had sent word to Tywin that Prince Rhaegal would be traveling in a procession with his two youngest siblings. The king must have timed his arrival with the prince, and now the entire royal family had arrived together.
The procession also brought red priests and the infamous Dragonguard with it. The sight of both made Joanna feel more uneasy. The thought of the crown having their own standing army was worrisome, but now wasn't the time for such thoughts.
The dragons continued to fly overhead, doing several laps around the hill before descending toward the ground just as the procession came to a stop.
There were some frightful shrieks and panicked cries as the dragons first touched the ground. Their combined landing caused the very earth itself to shake as a cloud of dust picked up around them.
Joanna and the others had to shield their eyes lest the dirt got into them.
"That's scary," Jaime said softly with wide eyes after the dust had cleared.
"It's awesome!" Tyrion was more excited.
Cersei looked excited by the sight of the dragons too.
And Joanna? She just watched in silence as her once good friend Rhaella dismounted from her dragon with the aid of Aerys who got down first. From this brief interaction, Joanna was able to note the confidence in Rhaella's movements that was not there before.
Joanna was able to take in Rhaella's dragon for the first time. It was not the biggest of the dragons, but it was still frightening to her. The beast was pure silvery in color, giving it a certain majestic look. By comparison, Aerys' dragon was bronze and even more terrifying.
Both dragons were gentle with their riders even as they kept their eyes on Joanna and the rest. It was embarrassing, but Joanna felt her knees shaking at certain points when she realized that the dragons were studying them. She had seen the skulls of the dead dragons decorating the Great Hall many times, but seeing the beasts alive was a totally different experience.
The intelligence behind the dragons' eyes was perhaps the most unnerving thing about them. Tywin had already explained to her that the dragons were not mindless beasts, but seeing was believing, and from this first encounter alone Joanna was already believing.
Aerys was wearing flamboyant colors for his leather garments. He wore gold, black, and red ornaments and stood proud as he helped Rhaella to the ground. In comparison, Rhaella's dragon riding leather outfit was more modest, as were Rhaegar's and Daeron's. Shaena's was similar to her father's, only her colors were pale blue in honor of her dragon.
Rhaegal emerged from one of the carriages with two others beside him. There was also Prince Jaehaerys with his curly silver locks. A bit further back was a maid who carried the one-year-old Viserys in her arms. The youngest prince was awake and smiling as he looked at Rhaella.
The son recognized his mother. How heartwarming.
The royal family exchanged greetings among themselves first. Joanna watched how Rhaella checked over her two youngest children after hugging Rhaegal. Shaena was the most enthusiastic as she nearly jumped on top of Rhaegal in excitement, seemingly not caring that she was being watched. The princess seemed to be like her father in that regard. Prideful and uncaring for most.
It was almost demeaning how long it took Aerys to finally acknowledge them as he separated from his family to greet them, but the many dragons now surrounding them was a good reminder that their pride would do them no good here.
"Your Grace." Tywin fell to one knee. The rest followed his example. "Welcome. We are honored by your presence. Casterly Rock is yours."
"Hm." Aerys let out a small hum as he took a second to inspect the hill above them. Even though he was not standing too close, Joanna could still smell the scent of his dragon on him. It was rather unpleasant, but at the same time almost….exciting?
"I appreciate the welcome, old friend. You may rise. My family and I tire from the journey."
"Of course." Tywin stood again as the rest followed. "Rooms have already been prepared. I'm sure you must want a bath to relax before the welcome feast."
Apart from the royal family, only Steffon Baratheon and his family were going to be staying in Casterly Rock during the duration of the tourney, so there was plenty of space.
"That is correct," Aerys said. "And see to it that Paarthurnax and his siblings are fed. They have become famished from the flight."
Paarthurnax. The name rang in Joanna's mind a few times.
Tywin said something in response to Aerys' command, but she missed it. She barely remembered all the introductions that followed after.
Joanna recalled saying congratulations to Rhaella about her newest child with Rhaella giving her a respectful but curt reply. Most of all, she remembered Aerys walking past her without a second glance.
As Joanna watched Aerys walk with Rhaella, arms linked, it might have been the first time that she felt both desire and jealousy.
---
Rhaegal declined a tour of the castle by Cersei, ignoring the dejected look that passed over her after he did. The girl had been eager to show him around despite the fact that what he wanted right now was nothing more than a bath.
Everything else could come later.
There was another pair of curious eyes that followed him every time they could. They belonged to the young Tyrion Lannister. It was the first time that Rhaegal had seen the boy since his difficult birth. Tywin had sent him and Joanna away from court after the birth because of his shame, or something like that. From what Rhaegal could tell, despite the boy's less than appealing looks, he was growing fine and healthy. Perhaps "growing" was the wrong word to use, but there did not seem to be anything wrong with him. He was just another curious child, and Rhaegal was prepared to treat him as such.
Rhaegal noted the enthusiastic greeting between Daeron and Jaime Lannister. The heir to Casterly Rock had proven himself to be a good friend to Daeron in their letters. From what Rhaegal gleamed, both boys desired to be formidable knights. Both had Rhaegal in their sights, wanting to surpass him.
'I should be careful,' Rhaegal thought with humor.
The rooms provided to them were comfortable and spacious. He wasn't sure where Ashara was staying, but as a lady to the queen Rhaegal had little doubt that she would be treated well. The same was true for Stannis and Jon. Jon lucked out by showing up with Rhaegal, as now he could stay inside Casterly Rock as opposed to having to set up his own pavilion like the other knights and lords.
Honestly, Rhaegal would prefer to enjoy a bath with Ashara right now after their journey, but he had enough self-control to not try and sneak her in. He already knew that his mother was keeping her eyes on him even if she didn't say anything.
In front of his mother, sometimes Rhaegal felt like he was still a child, funny enough. Not that he had been a normal child, but the point remained.
Rhaegal allowed himself to relax a little as he got into the bath that the servants had prepared for him. He was not planning on soaking for long despite wanting to do so. He was already thinking about talking to his father about his plans regarding Rhaegar and the Blackfyre girl. Honestly, he should have talked to him about it sooner. but his investigation into the girl took longer than he expected.
Where did time even go?
'Maybe I should let Stannis start having more responsibilities. Qyburn says he's bright and determined.'
Stannis expressed his desires many times to want to do more for Rhaegal, but it was Rhaegal's meticulous nature that prevented him from backing away from his duties even slightly. More than that, there was still a part of Rhaegal, however faint it may be, that still harbored negativity toward the Baratheons. Even though that other future that he saw when was born would not come to pass, it did not help to know that the Baratheons had a hand in bringing down his family. Worse still that he didn't know the full specifics.
'Visions are a pain in the ass.'
This was why Rhaegal preferred the glass candles. It was almost like they were a lens through which one could see visions for what they truly were. There was no hidden meaning there. The best example was how he was able to find the Blackfyre girl whereas before he had only seen a vision of a black dragon in the east.
How lucky for him to have them at his disposal now.
Rhaegal's mind began to still as he continued to relax. He did not want to think about anything. At least for five minutes, he just wanted to have a clear mind.
And yet, just as he began to do so, Rhaegal heard the door to the bathing room open.
Right away, Rhaegal was on alert as he stood. The assassination attempt on Shaena was still fresh in his mind. Despite the fact that no other assassins were found and everything appeared to be safe for the time being, one could never be too cautious during times like this. He had stationed guards in all the hallways, including some of the red priests, but they were not perfect.
However, rather than it being an assassin who greeted him, it was none other than Shaena who stepped into the room with no hesitation and zero shame, for she wore nothing.
"Shaena."
The girl's eyes lit up when she spotted him. She closed the door behind her before quickly making her way over to the tub.
"I knew you would be taking a bath."
Of course he would. He enjoyed his baths. She knew that.
Rhaegal fell back into the tub as Shaena stood next to him, her eyes sparkling with either mischief or delight. Maybe both.
"What are you doing here? You know you stink."
She reeked of dragons.
"Duh. I came to bathe with you."
"We haven't bathed together in years."
Rhaegal was not embarrassed to be seen by her. His distance was more to respect his sister's image as they were not yet married, and she was already ten. It was something their mother hammered into her head after Shaena tried to keep trying to get into the bath with him as she grew older.
As usual, Shaena listened only when she wanted.
"I'm changing that now." Once again without shame or hesitation Shaena jumped into the bath, placing herself on top of him with her head pressed against his chest.
Rhaegal raised an eyebrow as Shaena sighed in contentment.
"Did Arthur let you in?"
"Yeah."
Of course.
"You know, this isn't actually bathing. You're just trying to nap."
"You can wipe me down. I'm too tired to do it myself."
Rhaegal's eyebrow twitched. "Am I your servant now?"
"Future husband. Servant. It's similar."
How did that work?
"It's a good bonding experience!" she added enthusiastically.
Rhaegal sighed. "You do remember where we are, don't you? Try to behave properly. This is not the Red Keep."
Even then, servants liked to gossip.
Not that Rhaegal should be saying anything when he was sneaking around too.
Shaena scoffed. "Like I care what the Lannisters think. Did you see the little girl making eyes at you? She's lucky I didn't burn her."
"Cersei is older than you."
Shaena spun around to face him. She did it so gracefully that Rhaegal was a little surprised. Her archery and horseback riding lessons were doing wonders for her dexterity.
"Not the point, brother," she said through gritted teeth. "Are you trying to defend her? Do you like her?"
Rhaegal rolled his eyes. "The Lannister? No."
"But it's why we're here, isn't it? Because the Hand wants to make his idiot daughter your queen. And because father wants to embarrass him."
Rhaegal was surprised again, only for a different reason.
"You picked up on that, did you?"
He did not think that Shaena had the patience for the happenings in court.
Shaena looked smug. "When it comes to you, I know everything. Including the ones who want to take you away."
For some reason, that sounded rather ominous.
"Then who wants to take me away?"
"Elia tried. She failed, and she ran away. Now it's Cersei."
It was a good thing she hadn't really met Malora yet then.
"I'm not going to marry her," he reassured her.
The Lannisters offered a poisoned apple. It might have been smart to take it if Rhaegal was powerless, but that was not the case.
"Good." Shaena looked happy as she turned away from him and gestured to her hair. "Then you get to wash me, brother. It's your reward for telling me the truth."
Yes, a reward. That was one way of putting it.
Regardless, Rhaegal humored his sister and did as she wanted. It was not the downtime that he had been hoping for, but it was enough to clear his mind for the time being. It had been a while since they last enjoyed themselves in the bath like this.
It was not the traditional brother-sister bonding of others, but they were Targaryens. And they were happy.
---
By the time Rhaegal emerged from the bath refreshed, about an hour had passed. Maybe longer. Shaena had not wanted him to go, insisting that they could stay in bed together. Unfortunately for her, he did not have the luxury to play around forever.
Dressed in fresh clothes, along with a black and green cloak reminiscent of Ancalagon and his flames, Rhaegal walked through the halls of the castle, flanked by four Dragon Knights.
The sight of the heavily armored knights with their imposing Targaryen-esque armor was enough to make the servants that saw them scurry away in fear.
It was probably better that Shaena kept him occupied for a bit longer. No doubt his parents wanted to relax too after their long flight from King's Landing.
Two of the Kingsguard were stationed at the door to his parents' chambers. Rhaegal announced himself and was let in by his father's orders.
Inside the room Aerys was dressed in a robe. His long hair was damp as he stood by one of the windows overlooking the hill. The entirety of the castle was built within the rock itself. The watchtower atop the hill was the sole exception. It was a remarkable fortress really.
Rhaella sat on one of the chairs facing the mirror as she combed her hair, also dressed in a loose robe.
They must have just come out of the bath as well.
"Son." Aerys turned to him with a wide smile as the door was closed. "I did not expect to see you so soon. Wine?" Aerys gestured to the table where the wine had been served.
"No thank you, father. A clearer mind will be better for this discussion."
Rhaella's hands ceased with her motions when she heard this. "Is something the matter?"
"No, mother. Nothing serious. I just have a proposal to share with father. I should have done it sooner, but time got away from me."
Aerys chuckled as he walked over to the table and sat down. "Busy with your Dragonguard I'm presuming."
"Among other things."
"Ruling an entire continent will do that to you." Aerys poured himself a cup of the wine. "But tell me, Rhaegal. What's on your mind? Is it about the tourney?"
"No. I have no problem letting Tywin have his moment in the spotlight, but we know he will not be satisfied with that."
"If you're worried about me giving your hand away to that daughter of his-"
"It's not about me, father," Rhaegal said with a shake of his head. "It's about Rhaegar."
Aerys paused, as did Rhaella. The king and queen shared a look with one another. To Rhaegal, it was almost as if they were having a private conversation with one another.
After a few moments of this, Aerys turned back at him. "What about your brother?"
"I have a match for him, and I want your approval."
"Oh?" Aerys looked intrigued. "You already talked me into giving Daeron's hand to the Starks despite the fact that they're filthy Northerners, but there was merit to your idea so I went along with it."
Merit? It was a necessity. If everything went according to plan, then Daeron would be starting a cadet branch of the Targaryens as the new Prince of Skagos. The match with Lyanna Stark would make the Northerners more accepting of this new branch and also limit the dragons that they would hold in the future. Right now, strengthening the royal family was important, so Rhaegal was more than happy to allow all his siblings a chance to bond with one of the dragons. Eventually, though, a new law would have to be introduced to limit the dragons not tied to the main family. Rhaegal did not want another situation where the royal family was weak and others held more dragons than them.
Of course, if his children inherited his pyromancy, then that would be something else that would set them apart moving forward. His skills were tied to his blood, after all. But it never paid to be too careful.
"Rhaegar's match needs to be more calculated," Aerys carried on. "There are many who will try to use him."
"Rhaegar knows this, which is why he has been happy to remain without a betrothal this entire time," Rhaegal said.
"Then who do you propose?" Rhaella asked.
"I've found someone of note using the glass candle, father. A Blackfyre."
The mere mention of the name had both Aerys and Rhaella looking startled.
"The Blackfyres?" Rhaella sounded incredulous. "But they're gone, aren't they?"
"Maelys Blackfyre was the last, but only through the male line it seems," Rhaegal explained. "Before his death by Maelys' hand, Daemon Blackfyre sired a daughter, and that daughter gave birth to two children. One of them is this Blackfyre girl. Serra Blackfyre."
Aerys was both intrigued and angered. "The Blackfyres are like insects. Another pops up every time you crush one. But I understand your point, Rhaegal."
Rhaegal raised an eyebrow. "You do?"
"You mean to taint your brother's claim to the throne."
"Taint?" Rhaella repeated, surprised.
"The Blackfyres are a relic of the past now," Aerys replied, his tone mocking. "They're outsiders. Any who remain are those born on Essos, not Westeros. They are nothing more than foreigners now trying to claim a throne that does not belong to them. And it's for that reason that you want Rhaegar to wed this girl, isn't it? Marriage to both a traitor and a foreigner will make whatever support Rhaegar might garner close to nothing."
There were some who considered Rhaegal's father to be politically lacking, but he could be insightful when he wanted to be.
Rhaella on the other hand looked concerned. "But Rhaegal, you know your brother. He would never rise against you."
"It's not Rhaegar I'm worried about, mother. He agrees with this plan. No, it's the lords who hold me in contempt for what I'm doing. They will use anything at their disposal to try and discredit my claim. For you know, mother, by the traditional laws of succession, it should be Rhaegar who inherits the throne, not me. I was more than happy to step aside and let Rhaegar ascend to the throne if he wanted, but he's happy being the spare rather than the heir. I will take steps to secure my rule from any who wish to challenge me. Otherwise, I will be forced to bring fire upon parts of our kingdom."
Wars were inherently bad for stability. Even if justified and with a clear goal, war strained economies. War drove attention away from domestic policies. Civil wars? They were much worse. Rhaegal was prepared to rain fire down upon his enemies, but if there was a chance for another solution first than he was willing to take it before it got to that point.
"And if she doesn't agree?" Aerys asked after Rhaella went quiet.
Rhaegal did not hesitate to answer. "Then she will be dealt with, and Rhaegar will take a different wife." It was not ideal, but it would do. "If she agrees, then she can renounce the Blackfyre claim to the throne in the name of her house in front of the realm and have peace. There is also the matter of the sword Blackfyre, father. Perhaps she or those backing her will lead me to it."
His trip to Lys would serve more than one purpose, and it was about time that Blackfyre was reunited with Dark Sister after so many years apart.
Aerys' eyes gleamed with a burning ambition. "To think that not only have the dragons returned during my reign, but to also have Dark Sister and Blackfyre recovered and then to finally have the Blackfyres submit to the red dragon banner. Yes, yes. It's a mighty legacy, one worth pursuing."
Rhaegal did not give a reply, just merely allowed his father to let the thoughts flow through his mind.
"It's dangerous." Rhaella looked more indecisive. "If she tries to turn her children against the crown…."
"I'll make the situation clear to her, mother." Rhaegal knew the risks. However, no ambition was risk-free. To him, the potential benefits outweighed the potential risks. "From what I have seen, she will be open to the idea."
Serra Blackfyre was desperate. Rhaegal could see it through her dreams. Her situation was not stable. Far from it. From what little Rhaegal was able to piece together, her backers had a tenuous relationship with the pleasure house where she stayed. Many were already eyeing her, to use her as a product. She was also far removed from the Blackfyre cause, not having any direct ties to those who had pushed for Daemon Blackfyre's claim, to the point that Westeros and by extension the Iron Throne were just foreign ideas to her. What she wanted above all else was safety and perhaps happiness. It was why Rhaegal decided on this course of action after looking more into her character. If presented with the carrot after the stick, then she would jump at the opportunity for a different life.
A lady of Valyrian blood without ambitions for the throne was a suitable bride for Rhaegar who similarly lacked those ambitions. They could live together in peace in Crackclaw Point. It was not Rhaegal's primary motivation, but he would not lie and say that he did not wish for his brother to be happy.
"It's worth the risk," Aerys said after pondering the idea.
"I just wish for Rhaegar to be happy," Rhaella said softly.
"We'll have to wait and see." Rather than reject Rhaella's feelings, Aerys replied with a soft reassurance of his own. His face then hardened. "If she presents a problem, then dispose of her."
It was all Rhaegal needed to hear.
---
By the time Robert arrived at Casterly Rock with Ned and all the rest, most of the lords and knights and other participants had already gotten here before them. Lannisport was filled to the brim with the influx of people, and the tourney grounds outside of the city were packed with tents and pavilions.
The Starks were going to be staying in their own pavilion during the duration of their stay at Lannisport. The same was true for Elbert and the Tullys. Robert wanted to join them, but a servant from Casterly Rock arrived to inform him that his father and brother were already in the castle waiting for him. Tywin had provided accommodations to the royal family and his old friend, so Robert was expected to join them.
At first, Robert was annoyed. He wanted to spend more time with the Starks, especially Lyanna. The girl acted the same as always with him. Not unfriendly but also not affectionate. There was a distance there despite the fact that they had met many times. Her direwolf didn't make the situation easy either, as it clearly did not appreciate Robert's presence around Lyanna. It was a bit disheartening, especially after seeing how happy and close Brandon and Catelyn were becoming.
However, Robert soon realized that this was the perfect opportunity to get some answers from his old man about his idea to wed Lyanna. He had enough sense to not ask Rickard Stark directly, not wanting to indirectly offend the Lord of Winterfell. They could be family one day, and Robert did not want to stain his relationship with the man.
And so, after bidding farewell to the Starks and Elbert for now, Robert rode with the servant to Casterly Rock. On the horse ride there, Robert paused when several roars suddenly struck the air around him. The roars were so powerful that his ears stung as his horse let out a high-pitched squeal in distress. This almost caused Robert to lose control of the animal.
"Bloody hells, what was that?" Robert asked after regaining control of his horse.
The servant that had been guiding him faced a similar issue but thankfully managed to also calm his horse before he fell.
"T-Those would be the dragons," the servant said, visibly sweating. Whether it was from the riding or because he was scared, Robert didn't know. "I've been told they made the caverns and the other tunnels under the castle their home for now."
'So the dragons are here.'
Robert still couldn't believe those damn things were real. However, after hearing such powerful roars, he was forced to accept that the Targaryens weren't lying about them. They might not be visible for everyone to gawk at, but the strength of such roars was a strong enough message.
Robert rode the rest of the way in silence. He was brought through the Lion's Mouth and into the castle itself inside the rock. Honestly, as with everything else that the Lannisters were involved in, the massive hill itself reeked of extravagance. It made Robert annoyed with it all.
The servants led Robert to his father's chambers. He heard that Stannis was currently with the crown prince. Doing what? Only the gods know. Robert still couldn't believe that even his brother was sucking up to the damn crown prince.
To be honest, Robert didn't know why he was so angry with Rhaegal Targaryen. Sure, the pompous bastard had bested him four years ago, but that was beside the point. It only made Robert want to face him in battle again. Maybe it was because he was being treated like last place? He didn't give a damn about Elia Martell, but the fact that the princess had been rejected by both the Targaryens and the Lannisters only then to come to the Baratheons grated him. He wasn't less than them, and yet it felt like he was being treated as such.
Robert dismissed the servant as he stormed into his father's chambers.
Steffon was seated calmly at the table arranged for him inside the room reading over a letter when Robert stepped inside.
"Robert. How good to see you."
His father did not look up from the letter to know who it was.
Robert didn't see his mother anywhere, but he was not surprised. She probably stayed behind with his newborn brother.
"I see Jon still fails to instill proper manners into you," Steffon said as he placed the letter down and looked at him.
Robert grunted. "Not from a lack of trying."
Jon and Ned were always on his case about it. Elbert too.
"That's not something to brag about, son."
"I'm not bragging. I'm just saying." Robert walked up and pulled a chair for himself at the table and faced his father. "Fighting and fucking are more fun."
Steffon sighed. "You're the heir to Storm's End, boy. Keep that in mind. Your behavior reflects upon me."
"It's not like I'm doing anything wrong."
"You are now." Steffon's friendly demeanor vanished as his eyes hardened. "Soon, I'll be heading for the capital. In the meantime, you will be taking my place in Storm's End. Is that understood?"
Wait, what?
Robert blinked as he tried to process what he just heard. He had just sat down and his father was already bombarding him with new information!
"Father-"
"You look like you want to say something to me, so before you start shouting I want you to understand that things will start changing soon," Steffon cut him off. "You will soon be knighted, and you're fifteen already. Your fostering with the Arryns will come to an end."
Robert couldn't believe it. "Already!?"
"What, did you think that it was a permanent arrangement?" Steffon said sarcastically. "Stannis has earned a place for himself in the crown prince's inner circle. He's been learning much during his time in the capital. You will start doing the same in Storm's End. Your days of running around in the Vale without a care cannot last forever, Robert."
Robert was angry. "This is what you want to tell me?"
"As I said, you look like you were ready to wage a war when you stormed in here, so I just wanted to get my piece in," Steffon said as his humor returned. "So tell me, son. What has gotten you so angry?"
Other than the pile of shit that his father had just thrown at him?
Robert growled. "If you're thinking about my future so much, then why didn't you bother to respond to my letters?"
"Hm. So that's what this is about." Steffon seemed unconcerned. "Jon wrote to me that you were becoming smitten with Lyanna Stark. He even suggested that it was a good match, and I agreed."
Wait, his father agreed?
Hope returned to Robert. Going back to Storm's End with Lyanna didn't sound so bad. Hells, he could probably convince Ned to relocate to the Stormlands too. He was the second son. Winterfell was going to be Brandon's, not Ned's. It would be perfect.
"However, Rickard rejected my proposal," Steffon explained, crushing Robert's hopes. "He already has a different match set up for his daughter, one that he plans to take. It was then that Princess Loreza approached me, and I accepted."
"What!?" Robert could feel his face turning red with anger as he slammed his fist on the table. "Lyanna is already betrothed!?"
Ned hadn't told him about this!
"Yes." Steffon remained calm despite Robert's anger, but there was a hard edge to his voice as he spoke. "Be calm, Robert. New alliances are being forged, and I will not allow Storm's End to be left behind."
"What bloody alliances?"
"There will be an announcement made during the tourney. Prince Daeron will be wed to Lyanna Stark."
Robert could hardly believe it. A mere brat was going to steal his beloved from him!?
"With Brandon Stark's betrothal to Catelyn Tully, the Targaryens, Starks, and Tullys will be united on one front. I also hear Prince Rhaegal has close ties with Dorne through the Daynes and his friendship with Prince Oberyn. Many have taken notice that the new Sword of the Morning serves the crown prince. Prince Rhaegal has also accepted the Greyjoys into the court, and their fleet has provided support in the Stepstones with raids and plunder for years now. Do you understand? If I let things be as they are, you shall become isolated by the time you inherit Storm's End from me, and I will not let that happen."
Somewhere inside Robert, he knew that his father was making sense. A new map was being drawn by the Targaryens, and everyone else was playing catch up. Rhaegal Targaryen had more ties to the great houses than any other Targaryen before him. Robert already knew that Brandon admired the damn prince. The two were friends, so even without a marriage the Targaryens and the Starks already had a positive relationship. The marriage just ensured that the North would never turn their backs on the crown.
This was all without mentioning the dragons.
And yet, for all the sense that his father was making, Robert was still angry. The Targaryens had crossed him. The fact that there had been no agreement in place between him and Lyanna did not register in Robert's mind. No, the dragons had crossed him. That was the truth that settled inside his heart.
"I'm telling you this so that you can cool your head and don't do anything stupid once the announcement is made," Steffon warned him. "The Martells will probably not precipitate in the tourney, but with so many eyes and ears here anything that you do will get back to them. Give up on Lyanna Stark. She's out of your reach."
Only if he didn't do anything, and Robert wasn't going to let that happen. This, he swore.
---
Tywin was pleased with himself as the tourney officially began after all the major players had arrived. During the time leading up to the tourney, the royal family had spent their time in Casterly Rock as well as Lannisport. Prince Rhaegal traveled there often with his sister and his other associates. The one that always stood out to Tywin was the inclusion of Ashara Dayne. He knew the girl was close friends with both Rhaegal and Rhaegar, but for some reason her constant presence around Rhaegal was starting to catch his attention. Tywin doubted there was something meaningful there. The Daynes were irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Now that the Martells and Hightowers were out of the picture, Tywin doubted there was much else he had to worry about.
Tywin had done his best to pair up Cersei and Rhaegal as much as possible in the past few days. Unfortunately, Princess Shaena was not making that easy for him. Every time it looked as if the two might get some alone time she was always there to interrupt or just drag Rhaegal away from Cersei. She would always shoot Tywin a smug look every time she did it too, so Tywin knew that this wasn't a coincidence.
'Damn girl is mocking me.'
Tywin felt his nerves grating at the mere thought. A simple girl was daring to make fun of him?
Thankfully, the more rational part of Tywin always took over, reminding him that Shaena Targaryen was not just a "simple girl." The dragons roaring in the distance every so often was enough to remind Tywin that Shaena was no mere princess.
There was another unexpected development that had occurred during this time. Tywin did not know whose idea it had been, but his so-called youngest had waddled his way to Rhaegal's side and asked him many questions about the dragons over the past few days. Tywin had wanted to put a stop to it before Tyrion had a chance to embarrass him, but Joanna's glare had silenced him from taking action. It also helped that Prince Rhaegal did not seem to take offense to Tyrion's presence. In many ways, it looked to Tywin like the crown prince enjoyed Tyrion's presence more than he did Cersei's. But that couldn't be right. The stress was probably just playing tricks on him.
Speaking of the dragons, he had gotten many complaints from the smallfolk regarding the dragons since they arrived. The dragons had not attacked anyone and kept to themselves, but those living in Lannisport and other nearby villages were frightened by the constant roars as well as by the sight of the dragons flying over the city and other surrounding areas. There was little that Tywin could do about both unfortunately, as Prince Rhaegal informed him that the dragons liked to stretch their wings often.
It was not just the smallfolk that saw the dragons. All the lords present were able to get a look at the beasts from afar, confirming their existence as well as their size. It was enough to put the fear in many.
The dragons had returned, and they looked formidable. They were a threat that could not be dismissed.
It was not just Cersei's match that Tywin concerned himself with during this time. There was also Jaime, but on that front he had considerably more success. He could think more on that later, though, after the tourney concluded and he achieved his most important aim.
There were singers and other performers who opened up the tourney. Aerys and Rhaella were seated in the royal box with Daeron, Jaehaerys, and Viserys. Shaena would come to join them later, seemingly happy about something.
Tywin had Steffon sit with them as well. His son Stannis was with him. Tywin had seen the boy often in King's Landing. A capable lad, one that had become a close friend to Rhaegal over the years.
A few minutes later, Rhaegal and Rhaegar would arrive at the royal box too. The sight of the two handsome princes with their Valyrian steel swords drew the eyes of many.
Cersei instantly sat up straight when she noticed Rhaegal. She had her two handmaids, Jeyne Farman and Melara Hetherspoon, with her. She had nearly been late getting to her seat, but thankfully she had arrived before the festivities started.
Rhaegal whispered something into his mother's ears which made the queen smile, but Tywin was unable to hear it because of all of the noise.
However, the musicians and other performers stopped abruptly as a lone person rode out into the field on horseback. He was heavily armored in plate and wore a greathelm with massive antlers. The tabard of the armor proudly featured a stag. He carried a war hammer with him.
"Stupid fool." Tywin heard Steffon curse from where he sat as the field went silent. His old friend looked ready to murder someone.
Aerys on the other hand looked intrigued by the sight as the rider raised his war hammer and aimed it at the royal box.
"Daeron Targaryen! I hereby challenge you to single combat for Lyanna Stark's hand!"