The Emancipation of Rhaegar

Chapter 45

Lord

Kingslanding

They had been standing at court, with five hundred odd people, watching as the King proceeded with his daily activates of scolding tax collectors and making a show of embarrassing Rhaegar, threatening others and taunting the court with his repeated words of treason and betrayal ... and the price they'd pay if ever it was committed.

"He'll be extra vigilant today," Rhaegar told Arianne as they were getting dressed. They had spent a week away from everyone else in their guest house, and as much as they both enjoyed the time away, it was time to focus on their duties at hand. "Reminding me I no longer have an heir and spare."

Arianne rolled her eyes, Rhaegar had told her of what Arthur had whispered to him. He was asking to leave for a short time and say his farewells to Elia, who had the perfect timing of leaving on their wedding day with Ashara, Oberyn and Merida. Taking Aegon and Rhaenys with her, as if the King wasn't known to be the Mad King. "Don't cut their line in haste," Arianne said sarcastically, waiting for Nymella to hand her shoes.

"I will do it soon, she knows that she left me no choice. The children are property of the crown-,"

"Your marriage was annulled, the children stopped being the property of the crown then," Arianne said, her face turning sour. She was sick of talking of children that were not hers. "A three-headed dragon cannot come from different mothers." Arianne knew exactly what she was doing saying those words to him, stirring something that she knew shouldn't have been stirred.

Rhaegar's ears perked at her words. He wasn't sure if she was using her manipulative words to make him feel worse about the situation or trying to get him to shut up about it. He ignored her words. "I'm having breakfast with Julian today." With that, he was out the door.

"Fantastic," Arianne muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, what's the matter with you?" Penelope asked, watching as the squires who had come to dress Rhaegar followed him out of the room.

"He won't stop mentioning Aegon and Rhaenys."

"They are his children Arianne, I'm sure he misses them."

"He wasn't missing them when he agreed to marry me," Arianne huffed.

"Stop it," Nymella said, shaking Arianne from her sour words. "You might curse yourself with those negative words."

Just when Arianne thought the arduous event would end and she could finally get back to catching up with Ned, Brandon and Lyanna, Aerys called forward a Stark.

"Lord Paramount Stark, present yourself," Aerys proclaimed, edging himself close to the edge of the Iron Throne.

Rhaegar felt his stomach churn. He was in fact not at breakfast with Julian but Rickard, who had called for him.

"Your father is unhappy with me and I know he might send me to the Wall for betraying him," Rickard began.

Rhaegar hung his head in shame, unsure of what to say to the man that knowingly attended the wedding knowing the wrath of Aerys was after him. "Why did you come?"

"Because he would have called me either way, this way I saw my daughter, even if she is just in name, married. I wish I could say the same for Lyanna and Ned but, this is the best I could get and I'm not sorry for it."