The Wolf Queen - Part 1 (Aemond Targaryen)

Chapter 11

Maester Arwen was the first to see them ride into Winterfell. By the shocked expression on his face, Lyanna knew they were not expecting her back so soon.

"Where is he?" she asks Maester Arwen, looking at how many new faces and banners are in the yard.
"My Lady," he answers, "Your brother is currently busy hosting some lords in the Great Hall."
She starts moving toward the Great Hall when the company of Lanisters arrive. Lyanna ignores their laughing and banter about how cold the North is.

Lyanna burst through the doors of the Great Hall, earning the attention of each man inside. Rickard's eyes grow wide at the sight of her approaching him.
"What is this?" she asks, "Why must I hear on my way home that you are finding me a husband?"
"Welcome home, Lyanna." he greets, "Yes, I am looking to find you a good match, someone who can care for you. Just like we discussed before you left."

The Lannister men enter the hall.
"Lord Stark, apologies for arriving late. Hopefully, it won't damage my chance of marrying your sister."
Rickard points to Lyanna, "Let me introduce you to her. This is Lyanna."
Lord Jason frowns at the sight of her.
"We've met," Lyanna answers, staring Jason down until he retreats to find a place to sit.
"So what? Are these men all going to bid on me, and you then give me to the highest bidder?" she asks.

The hall doors open again, and Aemond comes in this time. All the lords recognize him immediately and bow to him respectfully as he passes them on his way to Lyanna. Relieve washes over her at the sight of him, and she gives him a warm smile. Aemond nods at her and gently pushes her behind him.

"Prince Aemond," her brother bows his head, "I did not expect to see you here."
"Hmm," Aemond placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, "Perhaps because no invitation was sent to King's Landing."
The two men stare at each other.
"I apologize. I did not think my sister was of such standing to marry into the royal family."
Lyanna feels her insides tremble as the anger starts to boil.
"That is where you are wrong, Lord Rickard. You see, Lyanna already agreed to marry me."

The men in the room start talking at once, shouting how they arrived first, that some have more to offer.
Aemond turns towards the crowd of men, "If anyone thinks they deserve to marry Lady Lyanna, they are welcome to fight me for her."
She looks at Aemond in shock, "What are you doing?" she whispers, but he does not answer her.
Rickard jumps up, "I think that is a wonderful idea. A true warrior for a strong woman."
"Enough!" she yells out, trying to hide her shaking hands, "No one here will fight each other for me."

The men talk amongst each other, all looking like they agree.
"Aemond, no." she pleads. He still ignores her.
Her brother claps his hands together, "It is settled then. Dueling for my sister's hand will start tomorrow morning in the training yard."
And with that, the discussions are over, and the men leave the hall.

The anger inside her is at an all-time high, but she does not know who she is angrier with. Her brother or Aemond. She decides that Aemond started the whole fight for her hand business. He deserves the magnitude of her anger.
She pulls out her dagger and lunges at Aemond.
His hand shoots up, grabbing her wrist; the dagger's point is dangerously close to his only remaining eye.

"How could you?" she yells, tears filling her eyes, "You of all people!"
He says nothing, instead glancing at Rickard.
"I will leave you to it." Rickard says, "No one will ever be able to tame the beast inside her."
Rickard leaves the hall. Lyanna still pushes down on the dagger with all her strength, but Aemond's grip on her wrist does not falter.

"You can be mad at me all you want, Lyanna. It won't change anything," he says.
The first tears rolled down her cheeks. She hated herself for looking weak.
"All my life, I had no one!" she starts, "I lost my parents, my oldest brother started loving his role as the ruler of this house more than me, my favourite brother joined the Night's Watch, and you... You never even wrote back to me. Not one letter!"
Aemond frowns, "What letters, Lyanna?"
She groans and tries to pull her wrist from his grip, "Don't lie to me! I know you received them! Our messenger always confirmed that the letters were delivered to your mother."

"I see," he says, the frown between his eyes deepening.
"You were my friend, Aemond!"
"I still am."
He lets go of her wrist, and she drops her hand to her side, "No, you are not. If you were, you would've known that arranging a duel is the last thing I wanted."
"I would rather have you hate me for this than see you marrying someone who doesn't deserve you. These men will treat you like shit, Lyanna."
She turns her back to him and starts pacing up and down.

He is not lying. She would've liked it more if he used his power as a prince to force her brother to accept their marriage. But knowing Aemond, it is all about his ego, not being seen as weak.

She turns to him, "Maybe you should lose." Aemond looks away, "Then I don't have to look into your face every day knowing you did exactly what I hate."
Aemond does not respond, and she starts walking away but stops and turns around.
"Do you know how embarrassing this is for me?" she sobs.
Aemond looks up slowly, the frown between his eyes gone.
"No, you don't," she whispers, leaving the hall. She needs to be alone right now.