The Wolf Queen - Part 1 (Aemond Targaryen)

Chapter 3

Lord Rickon and Lady Gillian are about to get into bed when they hear a terrified scream echoing through the halls. They look at each other wide-eyed.
"Lyanna," they say simultaneously and rush from their room to hers. They both expect the worst, not knowing if someone is trying to hurt her. She screams again, sounding very much in pain.

"My baby!" yells Gillian as they reach her bedroom door. Her screaming has already awakened the rest of the house. Rickon shoves the door open, balling his fists, ready to fight whoever is hurting his daughter. But her room is empty. The only person in the room is having a war with the furs on the bed. They rush to her side. Her older brothers also come running, Rickard's sword drawn and ready to be used.

"Lyanna, wake up." says her mother, holding onto her body. Lyanna moans and gives another scream. Everyone in the room looks at each other knowingly.
"She has never had a dream so intense before," says Brandon.
"We need to wake her up before anyone else gets here." her mother explains and starts to shake her by her shoulders. The four Starks can hear footsteps approaching the room and know those footsteps do not belong to worried servants coming to her aid. Everyone starts waking her up: talking, shaking and pulling.

Just before the unknown footsteps come through the door, Lyanna's eyes fly open, and her hands go to her stomach.
"Something bit me! I'm bleeding!" she yells.
The Queen enters first, followed by a curious and worried Aemond.
"What's going on? Is Lyanna alright?" asks the Queen, a deep frown between her eyes.
Lyanna frantically grabs at her mother, "Something bit me!"
Gillian runs her hand over Lyanna's head, stroking her hair. She shoots a wide-eyed look at the Queen, who is standing at the foot of the bed, looking worried. Aemond is still hovering at the door.

"Just a nightmare, Your Grace," says Rickon. Lyanna stares at her father in disbelief.
"It is not a nightmare." She struggles to free herself from her mother's hold, "I need to get to Shadow, Father. He needs me."
Her mother held on to her more tightly, "It was just a dream, Lyanna. Calm down."
Gillian tries to send a message to her through her eyes, but all she achieves by doing that is to make Lyanna cry.

The Queen smiles, "I am glad it was only a dream. Good night then."
She leaves Lyanna's room, but Aemond still stands at the door. She is worried about her dire wolf. He needs to help her see him.

°°~~°°~~°°

It took quite some time for Rickon and Gillian to calm Lyanna down and for her to fall asleep again. They crawl into bed exhausted and worried.

"I am worried about her." says Gillian, "It is getting worse."
Rickon sighs, "A curse for being a Stark."
Gillian pulls the fur blanket up to her chin, "I just hope the Queen is not familiar with the lore and beliefs of the North. The fewer people who know about her abilities, the better."
"We need to find her someone who can help her to cope with being a skin-changer."
Gillian takes her husband's hand, "Please send someone you trust to find the help she needs. It has to be kept a secret."

Rickon nods. He still accepts that his daughter is becoming either a warg or a greenseer. Greensight has not been in this family for many years. He fears the day she starts seeing glimpses of the past and future. Many greenseers from legends are known to have gone crazy. That is not the fate he wishes upon Lyanna.

"While we are on the topic," says Gillian and rests her head on her husband's chest, "The Queen has plans for Lyanna, which I do not like."
Rickon wraps his arm around her, "What kind of plans? Is she to wed Prince Aegon?" he starts laughing at the idea.
"It is not funny, and no, that is not what she discussed with me. She wants to take Lyanna back with them. To live at court for the rest of her childhood."

"My wife," says Rickon, "You and I both know they will send her back before a week has passed. Lyanna is not born to be a lady that sits around batting her eyelashes at noble lords at court."
"I understand and know that. But the Queen will not. She will see our refusal as rebellious, even treacherous. Lyanna will have no one in Kings Landing who understands what she is going through."

He takes her hand, "I will talk to the King. Lyanna will not join them on their trip back to Kings Landing."
"They will kill her if they realise what she is when they realise just how powerful she can become."
Rickon frowns, "I will not let that happen."

°°~~°°~~°°

The castle just started to grow quiet again, but Lyanna was tossing around, having a hard time falling asleep. She had to pretend to be sleeping for her family to leave her alone.

She can't get over her dream. She was dreaming through Shadow's eyes again. He was not in the Godswood but somehow escaped the castle's protective walls. It must have been a lone wolf wandering too close to the court, but it attacked him, biting into his flesh with its sharp canines. She felt everything. Knowing that her dreams aren't dreams anymore, she must find Shadow. She needs to make sure he is still okay.

She is about to swing her legs out from under the fur when her bedroom door creaks open slowly. She sits in anticipation to see who is busy entering her room. The silver hair is what she sees first as the moonlight falls on the intruder's head.
"Aemond," she whispers, "What are you doing?"
He looks around the room, "Grab your coat. We are going to the Godswood."

With a massive smile on her face, she puts on her warmest coat. She throws her arms around Aemond, leaving him shocked at her sudden embrace.
"Thank you." she whispers into his ear before letting him go, "Let's get going."
They sneak as quietly as possible to the Godswood, dodging the guards on duty. Having another pair of eyes to help look for Shadow is more than welcome.

The Godswood look eerie at night. Something might be hiding in its shadows, waiting to pounce on you when you least expect it.
"Shadow!" they start calling out. They split up to search quicker before they get caught outside at this hour.
Lyanna still can't believe her mother told her it was only a dream. It was so embarrassing to sit there and hear from her mother that it was nothing but her imagination. In front of the Queen, her eyes filled with pity for her. How weak and pathetic she must've looked to be soothed by her whole family because of a dream. She is grateful that Aemond didn't look at her the same way as his mother did. That would've been the worst.

"Lyanna!" she hears Aemond calling, "Over here!"
She runs towards where she can hear him, asking him to call out again so she can find him.
She sees the trail of blood first, then she sees the bundle of black fur lying in the snow, whimpering softly and licking his bloody and oozing wounds.

Aemond looks at her, "How did you know something bit him?"
She bends down and picks Shadow up, "I just had a feeling. It is nothing."
The look in Aemond's eyes tells her that he does not believe her. She doesn't care. Right now, she needs to get her dire wolf help. She runs to Maester Arwen's room, the only person she can think of who can help. Looking down, she can see the life slipping from his tiny body.
"Hold on, Shadow. I won't let you die."