Wolf of Númenor

Chapter 30: Battles, love and decisions

Jon heard the fury of the fighting, along with the battle songs of the dwarves and the inhuman cackling of goblins.

Still weak from the poison of the previous battle, he was somewhat groggy; Jon tried to get up but felt a warm body cuddled next, rubbed his eyes, and saw the calm face of Rhaenys Targaryen, who was currently using his chest as a pillow. Seeing the fierce and aggressive Princess with such a calm and happy expression brought great pride to Jon, knowing that he left her like this.

"She looks so calm ... tis a crime i don't see her smile so sweetly more often... Well, it's time to get up ... If someone discovers us" Jon thought nervously and decided to lay a kiss upon Rhaenys's forehead bringing a smile to her face.

"Rhaenys. Rhaenys, wake up," Jon said softly.

"Mmmm," replied the Princess, hugging him tighter.

"Rhaenys, we must get up... The dwarves will be expecting us to rejoin the fighting soon," Jon said with amusement.

At that moment, Rhaenys opened her eyes and looked around only to realize that she was naked, lying on the chest of an equally naked Jon Snow; when she saw him, the memories of the previous night came back to flooding back causing her face to turn a lovely shade of scarlet.

She, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, daughter of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Princess Elia Martell ... She had lost her virginity to the bastard son of Eddard Stark, the son of one of the men responsible for the downfall of her family, who separated her from her brother Aegon, someone she had hated threatened and tried to kill on one occasion ... And last night ... She seduced him without hesitation ... Why? ... Could it be that he is attractive? There is no doubt about it; he was firm but gentle, compassionate but stubborn ... Kind and adventurous ... But above all, Jon is loyal, loyal to his friends ... And to his family, although according to Arianne, those he once called family had abandoned him for the promise of a crown.

How could she not be smitten with a man such as that? ... however, if she admitted it to herself, her attraction to Jon started from the night she discovered that he was the son of Ned Stark; after the conversation with her grandmother, Rhaenys had begun to let go of her grudge against Jon and ... something about him began to get her attention ... There was something... something intense that was drawing her towards him and even though she had resisted it time and again... but last night her resolve had crumbled...

"But you did something else ... You gave him your maidenhead even though he was a bastard ... You ruined any opportunity to build an alliance through marriage as no lord will want spoilt goods, so to speak... Not to mention Arianne will not be happy that you slept with him. What a cousin you turned out to be ... You betrayed both of your families when you gave yourself to a mere bastard"

Said the implacable voice of her conscience ... But the reality is that Rhaenys was not paying attention because, at some point, she pounced on Jon and began to kiss him fiercely.

"Rhaenys we must rise, the others may have need of us," Jon said, amused.

"I know ... But I don't want ... I don't want this moment to end ..." Rhaenys said with a hint of sadness as she was forced to accept the cruel reality, a reality in which she must consider Jon as someone untrustworthy or in the at best as unworthy to be her consort.

"I understand, my lady ... but ... What happened ... I will never regret last night," Jon said solemnly.

"Neither do I," Rhaenys replied with complete honesty.

"But I betrayed Arianne, and I truly love her; she is my eternal star..."

Jon's words caused Rhaenys to laugh because she understood that he was worried that Arianne would leave him. Rhaenys had gotten to know her cousin very well; Arianne would be upset, but she wouldn't try and sleep with a man to repay him in kind ... Just remembering the times that she got to hear her cousin moan the name of Jon in her dreams or the expression full of love that she had on her face when Jon approached gave her some understanding of the affection the lady of Dorne felt for him.