Et Tu?
Kingslanding
Arianne spoke lightly to Visenya as the two watched the babes' belongings being folded neatly. They had started packing early, Arianne wanting them to not be delayed in their travels – and to have all they needed once in Dorne. She was sure to miss them, but it was a sacrifice she was willing to make to keep them safe.
Besides, Oberyn had promised her they would be safe in Dorne. He had also told her of the letter that Brandon had sent to Oberyn a few moons ago.
"The gull!" Arianne had exclaimed once Oberyn had told her. "Why disturb a system that works? Is Dorne unhappy with its King?" A stupid question. "Sorry, that was silly."
"Our Princess was thrown to the side, you must understand the shame felt Arianne," Oberyn had said, sitting comfortably on the seat opposite her.
"You are the one who told me you wanted her away from here."
He nodded, smiling. "You remember our conversations."
Arianne rolled her eyes, knowing full well this was Oberyn's way of flirting. He was notorious for it and hadn't left her alone with proclamations of missing her and wanting her in his bed. Bold, even for Oberyn. "You're ridiculous." She had to admit, his presence had been missed, and with Rhaegar so busy with his makeshift war council's with Tywin, she enjoyed the attention from Oberyn.
"I am the one who first set eyes on you, Rhaegar stole you from me," Oberyn shrugged, his accent heavy as he spoke. "Make me your paramount!" He exclaimed dramatically, taking her hands in his and kissing them passionately. "Your bed warmer, your experiment."
Arianne laughed, taking her hands away and rolling her eyes. "Bring me the head of my greatest enemy and I might consider it." She joked back, turning her nose up into the air.
"And who is your greatest enemy, my Princess?" Oberyn asked, his words coming off serious. "I will bring you the head of whoever you desire. Name him."
"Oberyn I was joking."
"Name him," Oberyn repeated, ignoring her words and indicating for her to continue with his hands.
She thought for a moment, who was her greatest enemy? Well ... it had to be Brandon. He was the man she had grown with, but he was also the man blind with rage and ready to defy his King for it. "Brandon Stark, bring me his head and then you may be my paramour."
Oberyn smiled, standing from his seat and bending over the table. He planted a surprisingly fervent kiss on her lips, laughed and disappeared from the room. Leaving Arianne in a heap, blinking at the now closed door.
"Not that one, she's grown out of it," Arianne called from her seat. A maid had been folding a light red dress that Visenya had worn to her name day in Dragonstone.
"Yes, your grace."
"He's so fat," Nymella huffed from beside Arianne, she was holding Valerion in her lap.
"Hey!" Penelope tutted, taking a brush from the vanity. "Come to aunt Penelope little Prince. She's a mean one isn't it," she pouted as the babe squealed back at her. Penelope hummed as she brushed his white hair neatly.
Arianne laughed, she had to agree with Nymella, he was gaining weight – his cheeks filling out and little legs growing deep lines. "He's just ... big boned," Arianne laughed jingling Visenya's toy in front of her. The young girl had her growing hair tied in two with elastic bands, and they defied gravity – sticking out in a humorous manner. A gift from Rhaegar, she also worn a jewelled dragon clip in her hair. At first Visenya worked hard to show her discomfort, throwing the bands and clip to the floor every time Arianne would put them in but then Rhaegar had done it one night and she smiled in delight.
Betrayed by my own, Arianne had thought to herself, watching as their daughter played with her fathers' hair.
There was a knock on the nursery, and it was opened by Jaime. "The King wishes you to see you, your grace."
Arianne sent him a frown and he shrugged back. Arianne handed Visenya to Nymella, kissed her children goodbye, "I'll be back. Be good to your aunts." They babbled in response, watching her leave the room. "What does he want to see me for?" Arianne asked him.
"I don't know," Jaime said, following after her to the short walk to the King's quarters.
Arianne knocked on the black door once they had arrived, "your grace," she called out.
"Come in," Aerys called out. Arianne nodded to Ser Barristan and Ser Darry – who stood by the door and opened it for her. "Thank you, Ser Barristan."
Before she entered the room, the knight took her hand. "Do as he tells you child." Oh how she had reminded him of Ashara.
Jaime watched their interaction, seeing the young girl blinking up at the tall knight. He wanted to go away inside, as he had done so many times before, but could not bring himself to. He had grown too close to her; she was his friend and the Princess he was tasked with protecting. There was no way he'd get past the two men who towered over the door. Arianne turned to Jaime, her purple eyes watering as the door closed behind her.
"Sit," Aerys instructed her, he was stood a few steps from the bed. She moved to sit on a chair, but he shook his head, "on the bed." Arianne gulped, sitting on the King's neatly made silk bed.
Jaime looked between the two Kingsguard, "is this what it means to guard? What has happened?"
"We swore to protect the King first," Barristan responded, staring blankly past Jaime.
"So, he has burnt someone and wants to fuck. He can't find a whore?" There would be no other reason Barristan would warn Arianne to follow orders, she was never one to speak out against the King – expect for that one time.
"He is your King," Barristan reminded him.
He nodded, looking to the door once more. Jaime stepped away slowly, waiting until he was at the end of the corridor to start a light sprint in finding the one person who had a chance of stopping this nonsense.
Jaime held onto his clanking golden armour as he sped up his speed, he was not about to let the man he looked up to give him an excuse to hate the new Knight. He had sworn to guard the King, but he had not promised to watch as a Princess was raped. He grew breathless as he searched the Keep aimlessly, finally making out Rhaegar's gleaming hair in the gardens.
"Your grace," Jaime huffed – he looked at him properly, "what happened to you?" Jaime glanced to the two Kingsguard stood behind Rhaegar – how could they let him – never mind.
"What's wrong?" Rhaegar asked Jaime, sloppily cleaned blood covering his mouth as he cut his conversation with Otto Redwyne.
He wasn't sure how to bring the words out, he blinked, defeated. "The King has called her grace to his rooms."
What, why? Rhaegar thought to himself, only having to put two and two together before he pushed past Jaime. Julian was right, his cowardness had caused the death of many, the anger of many, and now it was to cause the rape of his wife. Not his wife. He should've drawn the line long ago, as soon as Aerys had shown signs of insanity. Jaime was the one to bring it to his attention that the King would rape his mother after he had someone executed by wildfire. He should've been there for Rhaella.
He had never known himself to run as fast as he was, he felt his heart beating in his ears and his blood rushing all throughout his body. "Step aside Ser's," he instructed the two knights at his father's door once he had arrived.
Ser Barristan and Ser Darry stood tall, refusing to move. "We cannot your grace," Ser Darry responded.
A muffled grunt from inside of the room, "that is my wife," Rhaegar said, pleading with his eyes as the knights refused to look at him. There was another sound, this time a choked cry from Arianne. He drew his sword, "move, now." He did not care if they were seasoned fighter's, he did not care if they could cut through him with their eyes closed, he was not going to stand aside any longer.
Ser Barristan, who thought about his actions for a moment, moved to the left a little, bowing his head. There was no way to do the right thing, so he might as well do the moral thing. "Move Ser Darry," he instructed the knight, watching as his partner moved aside.
Rhaegar, in a fit of anger, kicked down the door. He thought for a second to drive his sword into his father but knew he would fall on top of the pregnant Arianne – he knew too much about the risks that held to do it. He saw Arianne on the bed on her back and Aerys stood over her. "Get up Arianne," he called out, holding his hand out for her to take. "Come here." She let out another cry, shuffling back on the bed, fixing her ripped dress and rounding the bed to take Rhaegar's hand. He pulled her behind him. "Did he hurt you?"
"No," she whispered from behind him, his age has slowed him, prolonging every step. Rhaegar knew she had lied, seeing a scratch around her neck.
Aerys turned, his eyes falling to the sword Rhaegar held in his hands. "What are you going to do? Kill your father?" He laughed manically, stepping down from the bed as he fixed his trousers. "I would've fucked her better than you ever could. Just as I did Serene."
There was a commotion outside, it was the men who had accompanied Rhaegar in the garden only a few minutes ago, they stared into the room, their eyes showing their shock. Rhaegar the People's Prince, holding a clean sword to his father.
"Finally grown the balls to bring me down have you? Jonothor," he called for his knight, who ignored him. "I am ordering you kill him Jonothor." He ignored him once more. "Lannister," Jaime blinked away from him, "I should have known to never trust a Lannister," Aerys spluttered, staring at the doorway that was crowded with Kingsguard – all who refused to do their job. "You will all pay dearly!"
Rhaegar pushed Arianne from the room, closing the door after her. She shuffled back, falling into Arthur's cold and steel covered hands. He removed his white cloak, covering her with it. Neither she nor Rhaegar had realised her dress had been torn at its back. They waited outside of the room expectedly, listening in as father and son spoke properly for the first time.
"You are unfit to rule," he began, his throat growing itchy as a lump formed.
"I am unfit!" Aerys roared, "I am the reason you are who you are, usurper." He spat at Rhaegar. "I do not care if I have to burn you with the rest of the traitors out there!" He made sure those outside the room heard him.
"You are weak, of mind and body."
"So, you will kill me for it? I am your King. Your father." Rhaegar ignored him. "I will have your head for this, I swear it Rhaegar. I will have the people see their Prince dead on the walls of the castle. I will have your body dragged through the city by a horse. I will have your bastards killed in their slee...p, uck," he choked, thick blood trickling from his mouth as if left his body. Aerys touched his mouth and gasped once more as Rhaegar pulled him closer by his shoulder into the sword.
Rhaegar grunted, looking away from his dying father to the clean floors that were dotted with his blood. He then remembered his mother's words, a thousand deaths. Rhaegar pulled the sword from the King's abdomen and held onto the falling Aerys.
He choked something out, gripping tightly onto Rhaegar's shirt. Rhaegar pushed the sword back into him, this time his torso, right where his Maester had taught him many years ago the heart rested. Aerys' eyes became lifeless, and he let go of Rhaegar's hands, falling to the ground with a thud.
Only breathing could be heard from outside of the door, laboured and apprehensive breathing. There was no way that Rhaegar had just killed his father. Arianne pushed past the men in front of her, holding onto the white cloak tightly and opened the door. There stood Rhaegar, looking down at Aerys' lifeless body. There was blood stained on his hands, and as he looked up to Arianne, she noticed on his face as well. It discoloured his shirt, causing dark spots in it. She didn't know what to say so she moved into the room to hold Rhaegar, something she knew comforted him. The blood painting the white coat lightly as he took her in his arms, he kissed her.
She had expected him to cry, speak, make any noise, but he had almost forced himself against it. "I didn't have a choice," Rhaegar whispered, looking down at Arianne. Her own face was now lightly stained with his own blood from before. "I didn't have a choice," he repeated throwing the sword down in disgust. She hushed him, whispering sweet nothings into his ear in hopes of uplifting him. It had to be done eventually.
He let go of her, wanting to leave the room but the kneeling men in front of him prevented his departure.
Otto's blonde hair was the first thing he saw, glistening under the setting sun's reflection, "My King," Otto said, drawing his sword and presenting it to Rhaegar as a sign of fealty.
Rhaegar looked down at them. He turned to Arianne, who was looking at Aery's dead body.
King.
King Rhaegar.
King Rhaegar the –
King Rhaegar the Kinslayer.
...