court of lies | robert's rebellion

the court

"And then what happened? Because I know you, you never wanted to be a kingsguard. Father betroth you, and you would never go against his clear orders. You were always the dutiful son. So what happened? That is all I am asking. What made you swear yourself to the king in a way you cannot take back?"

"I saw an opportunity and I took it.", he simply said, watching the ceiling, avoiding her completely. "Ser Gwayne had just died in Duskendale and there was an opening and the king wasn't there so it was Rhaegar's duty to fill it."

"So it's just it?", she frowned deeply. "Your dragon prince asked you nicely and you threw away everything without thinking twice? Without informing the father and mother? You didn't even write them a letter afterwards. They just went to the court after the king's return and here you were, the new kingsguard."

"I told Andric.", he smiled angrily. "I cannot see him getting blamed like me for upholding the truth from you."

"Because you were the one that was supposed to tell us, not Andric."

"Well maybe if Andric had done things he was supposed to do I wouldn't have to.", he mumbled inside his mouth.

"What is that supposed to mean?", Ashara asked defensively. "Because Andric was there Arthur when you were not. Andric was there when father and mother died when you didn't bother yourself with coming to their funerals. Andric is still there, supporting and protecting all of us when you do not even greet us.", she took a deep breath and approached him and held his unwounded hand. "Look I know you, okay, I do know you. Andric was too old and Allyria were too young, we grew up together and the Arthur I know would never do the things you had done in the past two years. You were all I had while growing up, I know you wouldn't let me face the loss of our parents alone. So I beg of you, brother, tell me what cause you to do this?", she asked sincerely. "I am not a fool, I know it is about Andric but I need to know what exactly happened, Arthur I need to."

Arthur squeezed her hand and swallowed all the things he wanted to say. "It seems to me that you didn't know as well as you thought.", he said coldly and in the next minute, Ashara left the tent with a muffled scream.

*

"What is this urgent that I had to come here?", Lewyn rolled his eyes at the stable boy but he got serious when he saw the apprehensive Tremond. "What happened?", he straightened his shoulder and tilted his head.

"This!", Tremond hit the paper to his chest and turned around, starting to pace around.

The wedding is off, inform Elia and send her back home with Oberyn. -Lorenza

"What the fuck this is supposed to mean?!", he asked with consternation. "She cannot cancel the fucking wedding and ask me to return her daughter home when we are in a tournament to celebrate the fucking wedding!"

"Stop yelling.", Tremond warned him. "I sent everyone away but there might be ears."

"Do you have any idea what is this about?"

"Do you think I would summon you here if I knew? She just sent this to me and I have no idea what to do now."

"Tremond this is bad.", Lewyn gritted his teeth and pursed his lips with anger, widened his eyes. "It is bad bad."

"I know it Lewyn.", he gritted his teeth too. "This is a political disaster. Taking the princess back to Sunspear is easy and can be taken as an attempt at an uprising, as treason. But taking her to the capital? We have no idea what would happen then."

"I haven't received any words from Gerold.", Lewyn forced him to think straight. "Lorenza would never write to me in a situation like this, nor Aethan and Lucerys are fucking here despite I told him to stay in the capital. Gerold and Barristan would inform me if the wedding would be truly off, or if a royal messenger would come here by now to speak with Rhaegar. Doran went there to keep his parents under control."