Keeper

Legacy

Wow. She hadn't thought about that in a long time. "Yes," Rhaella whispered. "We did."

"So why does everyone I come across say Rhaegar betrayed the Kingdom and started a war?" It was an honest enough question, one she didn't entirely have an answer to because Rhaegar stopped speaking to her frequently after meeting Lyanna Stark. She was all that occupied his thoughts clear up until he died. "No one can give me a straight answer on that. I thought you might."

"I can't give you a definitive answer on that, Dany. Rhaegar and I were close, but after Lyanna Stark.." Her voice drifted off. "Rhaegar married Elia Martell, The Princess of Dorne. It was at the tourney held by Lord Whent at Harrenhal when he rode past his wife and handed Lyanna Stark a crown of winter roses. I've never seen a crowd's joy die so fast."

The memory was clear right in front of her eyes. She had been at that tourney for Jaime and Rhaegar, and had never been more disappointed in her older brother then in that moment where he disregarded his duty to his wife for his lust, love, whatever you wanted to call it, he had towards Ned Stark's sister.

"And the Rebellion?" Daenerys asked quietly.

"It's said Rhaegar kidnapped Lyanna and raped her. I didn't believe it then, I don't believe it now." Her brother may have been a lot of things, but he would never stoop so low just to obtain a woman he couldn't have. "I can tell you what I think, Dany. I think Rhaegar was reckless and stupid and blinded by love so much that he neglected his duty and started a war because of it. I think I loved my brother, no matter how foolish he was, and I think about him every day."

"You believe he loved Lyanna?"

"I think he loved Elia, but I think he was in love with Lyanna. I don't know. He never told me." Rhaella said. "I knew him better then he believed me to up until his bitter end. I think he loved Lyanna Stark. I am certain the stories they whisper about The King Who Never Was are not true."

Daenerys was quick to change the topic. "Were you in the Throne Room when The Kingslayer killed Father?"

"First off, he was never a father to me." That was one thing she wanted in the open before they got onto the topic of Jaime. "When the Grand Maester diagnosed me with infertility, Aerys wrote me off like I never existed to begin with. The only good thing he ever did for me was allowing me to learn swordplay. Rhaegar didn't teach me. Aerys didn't teach me. Jaime Lannister did. The only thing Aerys did right was conceiving me. Our mother did more then he ever could've imagined."

Dany's eyes darkened. "Why would you befriend a Lannister?" Her question dripped with distaste and clear disbelief at such a remarkably stupid action. "I only took Tyrion on as my Hand because of how clever he is. It'll be useful to me later. If I wasn't looking to be Queen, I'd burn him alive."

"I'll gladly tell you how and why Jaime Lannister came into my life, but not yet." Rhaella replied, bending down to grab her wine glass from the floor. "After Aerys died, I was taken in by the Lannisters and hidden from the world as Cersei's handmaiden. I know many dark secrets about that woman. She-" Made me ignore my hearts desire for almost two decades because she was opening her legs for her brother. Mentally tortured me for years, made her hatred known when she was denied our brother. "I only did it because I had to survive. The minute I was given an opportunity to leave, I did. I didn't look back."

"That dagger." She motioned with her head to the opposite wall where Keeper was poised in its display case. "Polished, ornate, kept in good condition despite its age. It obviously means a great deal to you. And given that it's Valyrian steel, it came from someone with quite a lot of money. It's sentimental."