273 AC - THE GREAT HALL WITHIN THE RED KEEP, KING'S LANDING
HE COULDN'T HELP BUT ALLOW HIS GAZE TO FIXATE ON HER FROM WHERE HE STOOD AT, WATCHING HER MOVEMENTS AS SHE SAT AT THE HIGH TABLE BESIDE HER BROTHER, ALONG WITH THE KING AND QUEEN. She was wearing a red gown with long sleeves, a slit on her right side almost teasing the room with something they would never see.
Each of her fingers was decorated with a ring, and while it might be too much on some women, Elaena was not some woman, she was a dragon. A true beauty of old Valyria. She hadn't left the table all night despite many offers for a dance by many of the high lords in the king's court. She sat straight, chin lifted with confidence, only quietly chatting to Rhaegar, and allowing her eyes to gaze around the room in what he knew to be boredom.
A part of him watched to forget his vows, stroll up to the high table and ask the princess for a dance- but he knew that wasn't an opinion for him. She would be marrying Rhaegar within the year, and besides, she was far above his own birth.
So instead, he settled for allowing his eyes to fixate on her while scanning the room for any dangers that may be lurking in the shadows.
Elaena had always been sweet to him, caring of his opinions. She had a way of making Arthur feel like a fool when he was around her. He was a young lad when he decided to pledge himself to the king, swearing with that to never hold any land of his own, to never take a wife, and to never have children. He remembered when he first met the princess Elaena, his breath had been pulled from his chest, even as a young girl.
She had only been ten and one at the time, but already the most beautiful girl in the realm. As soon as he laid eyes on her, he knew the nickname The Realm's Delight was no lie. She was a delight, but she was a curse placed upon him by the stranger, constantly causing him to question his vows- for him to doubt his honor.
The feast had already been going on for a couple of hours by the time he was dismissed by the King for the evening. He quickly took his leave when Jonothor came to relieve him from his post.
He grabbed himself a flagon of ale, downing the contents. A soft tap was felt on his right shoulder, causing him to turn his head. Seeing a silver-haired princess standing before him, Arthur quickly turned his body and stood a bit straighter. "My princess Elaena..." He smiled softly at her, his head bowing in respect to her.
"Ser Arthur? Will you dance with me?" Elaena's sweet voice asked, batting her lashes at the knight.
She extended an arm to him, an exquisite smile pulling at her plump lips. Arthur's eyebrows furrowed taking a glance around the hall.
He tried to softly dismiss her, but the Valyrian beauty had the loveliest eyes, the perfect shade of purple. He saw what he interpreted to be loneliness deep in her violet orbs, as she glanced around the hall. He could not help but feel captivated by the way her pale skin appeared to be glowing under the candlelight of the hall. She was irresistible.
"Please! Oh Arthur, we always dance together at feasts!" She cried, her bottom lip protruding out into a pout.
As purple eyes met, Arthur found himself left defenseless to the young princess. How was he supposed to deny her? The realm's delight, asking him to dance.
Inhaling a breath, Arthur, reached out and took hold of her arm. "One dance," He promised, leading her towards the floor. "Perhaps I need to show these lords how to handle a princess, hm?" He smirked gently at her, a flush of pink gracing her cheeks.
He took Elaena's waist once they reached the floor pulling their bodies closer together, couples moving from around them, all eyes falling upon the pair. One of her hands lay on his shoulder, and the other clung to his as their waltz began.
The feeling of her flesh against his left him feeling flushed from the heat that emanated from her body. She was a true Targaryen princess, and yet she chose her first dance of the night, to go to a member of the Kingsguard.
He could see the eyes of a hundred people on him as they danced, but as she gazed up into his eyes, he was suddenly inept to indifferent any concern of his actions. They were the only two people in the entire realm for those few moments.
"I've missed you, Ser Arthur" Elaena leaned slightly closer to his ear, her breath fanning across his neck. It was as if she knew the affect she had on him. He smiled at her, twirling her out at an arm's length, before pulling her back to his chest as the dance called for. "Have you been avoiding me?"
He had been. Since the day of the announcement of her impending marriage to Rhaegar, he found himself trying to put as much distance between them as possible. He even found himself switching posts with Oswell so he wouldn't have to face the princess.
The older she grew and the more womanly she became, Arthur had found a hard time keeping his thoughts from straying to the princess. Her violet eyes and milky skin, light freckles scattering her nose from the amount of time she had spent hawking over this last summer. 'Her slender legs and hips would fit perfectly in my hands he had thought. Her breasts were not large, but the size of a perfect handful. His hands.
As much as he tried to resist the attraction, it proved an impossible task. It should have been expected, for she was The Realm's Delight. People from all across would fight, and even die for a chance to get their hands on her. His smile faltered slightly at her observation but was able to recover quickly,
"I have not, my princess" He smiled. His hand gripping her securely as she dipped to the side in an elegant move. "I have been with Prince Rhaegar most days, and he had me and Ser Jonothor accompany him to Summerhall a fortnight ago." He admitted.
Elaena nodded in understanding and hummed in acknowledgment, smiling all the same.
"Well, I do miss our evening walks through the gardens," She told him as their dance continued.
Arthur could feel his throat swell at her confession. "Well, I've missed them as well," was all he managed to spit out.
The song came to an end, much too early for Arthur. He stepped back from Elaena, bowing his head to her. She lifted her hand to him, that tiny smirk still present. He took her hand and pressed his lips to her hand, "Thank you for the dance, Princess."
Suddenly, a hand tapped his shoulder, causing him to drop Elaena's hand and turn. Prince Rhaegar stood in all his glory, dawned in black and red attire to honor House Targaryen. His silver hair was tied back low with a black ribbon. Arthur bowed his head to the prince, before taking a step back from both royals.
"Your Grace" Arthur greeted respectfully, internally cursing the boy. He was young, and clearly not disappointed about the idea of marrying his sister.
"Arthur, I see my father has released you for the evening" Rhaegar noted, raising a brow at his friend. He then turned to his sister, nodding his head to her with a smile, "Sister, would you care for a dance?"
Elaena took one last look at the knight who stood before her before she turned to her brother. "Of course Rhaegar" She smiled. Watching as she grabbed his hand, Arthur removed himself from the floor, walking over to a table where he saw that Oswell had also been released for the evening.
"How do you manage to get Princess Elaena Targaryen to ask you to be her first dance? She's been sitting up there at the high table, moping beside Rhaegar all night" Oswell laughed. He and the princess were rather close, with Elaena often asking Oswell to accompany her on her hawking excursions... that was if he was busy avoiding her. "She's been moping since the announcement was made."
Arthur glanced at his friend and brother over the rim of his flagon. "Fuck off, you know I did nothing!" He muttered back, with a chuckle. Though he found himself asking that same question.
Why would princess Elaena ask him for her first dance? Why would she not ask Rhaegar? Perhaps she just feels comfortable with me because I am her guard... Arthur tried to push the thoughts away, his eyes wandering to the floor.
They landed on the royal couple, dancing in the middle of the floor, which had almost cleared at the opportunity to watch the future King and Queen share a dance. They almost floated across the floor, looking so elegant and regal so effortlessly. Rhaegar had pulled Elaena flush against him as they danced, a wide smile on her lips as she would laugh occasionally.
"It's not much of a surprise if you ask me" Oswell shrugged. Arthur's head snapped over to him, eyebrows furrowed at his words. "Don't look at me like that, you idiot! Don't look at me like you don't see it." He laughed, shoving Arthur slightly.
He was confused. How did Elaena look at him?
"Just watch the gazes you share. She will be married to Rhaegar soon.." Oswell warned quietly, causing Arthur to roll his eyes.
"You think I would do that? I've sworn vows!" He snapped. Oswell held his hands up in defense, taking a moment before placing a hand on his shoulder.
"You swore your vows too young" Oswell smiled sadly.
Arthur knew it to be true. He was just ten and seven when he swore himself to the King, now a man of twenty... often left wondering if he regretted his decision. He had been bits of the world, but not enough to leave him endlessly satisfied with memories beyond the walls of the red keep, and Starfall.
Taking one last look out at the floor as another song started, he cleared his throat setting his flagon on the table he was standing near. "I'm gonna head up to the tower. Get some sleep while I can" He chuckled, though there was no humor in his laugh.
As he walked from the hall, his eyes fell upon the silver-haired royalty, who continued to dance the night away happily clinging to each other. As he walked toward the tower and then up the stairs, he pushed the thoughts of Elaena from his head.
Though the way she had gazed at him from under her lashes as they waltzed around the floor of the hall, left him craving more from her. He wished to hold her close to him, to feel her naked flesh against his, to run his fingers through her silver locks. He could feel himself grow hard at the image of seeing her sprawled out under him, completely bare for him, legs spread wide whimpering and begging under his tongue.
Arthur was an honorable and nobleman. He knew shouldn't be here, thinking about the princess he swore to protect in such ways.
'You've sworn vows Dayne!' a voice snapped at him inside his mind. 'You can't be with her. It will NEVER happen. Rhaegar is your friend! She will marry him and they will have pure Targaryen babes that you will protect until your final days.'
Once he reached the white tower, he pushed the door to his assigned room open, exhaling deeply once his back pressed into the once again closed door. His head fell back against the door and he groaned.
"What are you doing Dayne, it's barely been a fortnight and you already can't stand the idea?" He quietly questioned himself. "Why are you torturing yourself like this?"
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