Lion's Game

CH 6

"Your father is a very simple man. He does most things in an effort to spite my father." Amara replies turning to face her prince. Both knew all too well that Amara was playing with fire, King Aerys was unpredictable. If the king or anyone else were to catch on to the games she was playing she could be harmed or her family could be shamed.

Rhaegar turns their bodies away so that no one can see or hear what was being discussed.

"We both know trying to sway my father has its dangers. I'm imploring you to stop now while you're ahead." Amara glances back over her shoulder. King Aerys sat upon the Iron Throne glaring down at those below him. He sees enemies in every shadow, he trusted no one and it made it difficult for anyone in the Red Keep to keep anything private.

"We both know that is easier said than done. Your father is a very... persuasive man." Amara folds her arms and tries to hide the quiver of fear in her voice. But Rhaegar was a very perceptive man, it wasn't difficult to see that his betrothed was scared of his father. He had always been closer to his mother, but he could still recall a time before his father's madness, a time when his father was still a decent man.

"My father is a very different man."

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A knock at her chamber door at the hour of the owl was the last thing Amara expected. She sat at her mirror brushing her long golden locks and thinking about the future. With her betrothal having now been announced to the court she was left to the task of planning a wedding was left to her. She was now firmly in the hands of King Aerys and House Targaryen, the king had said as much when he had a servant take the papers from her desk. Amara was now the future Crown Princess, her father was the Hand of the King, she was a woman in a world made for men.

Her handmaid went for the door, pausing only to glance back at her mistress asking permission to open the door. Amara nods and the young girl opens the door a crack to see who might be disturbing her mistress so late. Her handmaid gasps making Amara glance up to see the young girl allowing Queen Rhaella Targaryen entrance into her chambers.

Amara stands nearly dropping her brush and bows to Queen Rhaella who smiles at her future daughter-by-law. The girl was clever, the queen knew she took after her father in that aspect, but Lady Amara looked every inch her mother's daughter. It had been a sad day when she had to send Lady Johanna from court, and an even sadder one to hear of her passing.

"Your Grace, what can I do for you?"

The queen smiled. "Pardon my late visit, my dear, I was hoping to speak with you." Amara shakes her head. The queen's visit was a blissful distraction from the fact that she didn't feel tired at all.

"Of Course, Your Grace, what did you wish to speak to me about?" Amara motions for her handmaid to bring a chair. The young girl scurries away to fetch a chair for the queen.

"You and my son are the future of the realm, I wish to know your intentions." Queen Rhaella gratefully accepted the chair brought by Amara's handmaid. Amara sits across from her queen and smiles despite the butterflies in her stomach.

"Your Grace-"

"Rhaella please, we are to be family after all." The queen's calm demeanor put Amara at ease, she genuinely wanted to assess the intentions of her son's future bride.

"Thank you, Your-... Rhaella. I wish for Rhaegar's love and happiness as much as you do. I do hope to prove myself, your son deserves a wife that is able to match him." She prayed the answer was to the queen's satisfaction. In truth, she did want to make him happy but she only knew the Rhaegar she saw on the surface. Amara didn't want to fall in love with the idea of her betrothed but rather Rhaegar himself.

Queen Rhaella nods slowly processing Amara's answer. "My son cares for you Lady Amara, many are looking for you to fail." The queen stands, her eyes meet Amara's. "Prove them wrong."

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"I heard my mother visited you last night," Rhaegar told her as they sat down to break their fast the next morning.

"Yes, she did." Was all Amara could utter in response. Rhaegar's eyes search her face, it was plain to see that something was on her mind. He reaches across the table and takes her hand in his. Perhaps she was nervous about their wedding, it was approaching rather quickly. His father had wanted the pair wed as soon as possible so that she might bless House Targaryen with a child sooner rather than later, or at least that was he had overheard.

"Your mind is more vocal than you are this morning. Something is on your mind." His words were not a question, Amara knew very well that her prince was a persistent man. She shakes her head smiling, resolving to tell him the truth.

"Something your mother said to me... she wished to know my intentions." Amara looks hesitant to continue. "And for the first time, I truly had to think about what I was going to say. My father has always had high ambitions for me but rarely have I thought that it would get me this far." Rhaegar looks at her with a face she cannot read. But his hand does not retreat from hers, instead, he raises it to his lips and kisses it.

"Thank you... It is rare to see a woman in this court... in this world that has the honesty and wit that you do." Amara looks at Rhaegar with a feeling of warmth. It was a warmth that Amara had not felt since her crush on Damion, one of her Lannister cousins. She had always believed she would marry one of her cousins as many of her family members had for generations. But her father had seen to it that a Lannister would sit on the throne beside a Targaryen king.

"I still don't understand... why me? I am my father's daughter- a Lannister in name and deed." Amara scoffs, in winning Rhaegar she had been so confident, she was a Lannister and it was her duty. Now she was trading her duty from one family to another, but her father would never let her forget it.

"Because I see something in you that I have seen in myself since I was a boy. The desire to do more and be more." Rhaegar stands from his chair and kneels before her digging something from his pocket. In his hand was a small black box, he opens it slowly to reveal a small black iron ring with a ruby in its center and a smaller diamond on each side. Rhaegar removes the ring from the box and slips it onto her finger.

"If we are to marry I want us to do so because it is what we both want and we make each other happy." A small smile inches its way onto her face. This may finally be the chance for her to gain something for herself and not because it was her father's desire. There were many things she owed to her house and her father but her happiness would not be one of them. And when she was Queen of Westeros she could truly be free.

Her gaze turns to the ring, it was all hers a symbol she believed would stand for love and for hope.

"I believe we just might be able to accomplish that." The pair share a smile, but both knew many trials still lay ahead.

WRITTEN: December 29, 2017

EDITED: August 3, 2021