court of lies | robert's rebellion

the dorne

"she wore a thousand faces, to hide her own."

279, Water Gardens

"I told you this was going to happen.", Elia muttered with her eyes closed, she was fighting back her tears. "I knew this was going to happen."

"The Princess gets what she wants." Ashara shrugged.

They were in the balcony, Elia's hand were on the balcony irons and she was bending forward in her silk ash-coloured nightgown. Her wild black curls were falling to her back. Ashara was behind her, watching her frame with worry in her purple eyes. She too was in her lavender nightgown, they had just received the letter from Elia's mother, Princess Lorenza.

She was to wed the crown prince, Rhaegar Targaryen.

"A part of me hoped she wouldn't this time.", she sighed. "Come now,", she turned to Ashara with fake excitement. "she also sent all kinds of designs for my future wedding for me to choose from. It makes me wonder how long she had been preparing for this day."

They went to her desk and Ashara raised her eyebrows. "Are these Doran's designs?"

"My brother is a genius as usual.", Elia joked. "Look at those jewels, I am not sure if my horse can carry such a heavy saddle.", she shook her head. "Though probably they would want me to enter with a litter -or a carriage depending on the king's mood.", her smile faded no matter how hard she tried. "I heard his moods changed rather abruptly on these days."

"Are you scared?", Ashara asked softly and put a hand on Elia's arm. She turned her face to her best friend, her olive eyes shining with tears, she tilted her head in a pleading manner and Ashara held her hands instead. "Elia, what is it?"

She preferred not to answer and Ashara hugged tightly to her side and kissed her cheek -which made Elia giggle, she tried to swallow the growing panic inside her and took a shaky breath. "It's nothing. I am just overwhelmed and-", she couldn't finish her sentence and started to cry silently while Ashara held her through the night.

*

279, King's Landing

The fireworks were lighting the night with glee. Everybody -or they wanted to hope that everybody, was celebrating the betrothal of the crown prince.

Rhaegar was wearing a hunter-green silk night shirt and comfortable pants and was sitting on the couch, with two arms on the back of it. There was a small table in front of him, filled with numerous fruits and nuts and almonds. On his back, there was a vase filled with red apples that came from the Cider Hall and two candles were causing the faint vanilla scent on the balcony. The entrance from his chamber to the balcony was covered with deep red curtains that had golden dragons on them, the couch itself was comfortable, a gift from a Merchant Prince from Essos, multiple silk pillows and small seats were on the two sides of the couch and Arthur was sitting on the right one.

His attire was a lot formal with his long black boots, pants and white shirt that weren't seen due to the long purple coat he was wearing -which had little gold star-shaped embodiments on them. Dawn was resting on the balcony rail. It was a tradition to put it there. They were wondering if it would ever fall. Rhaegar was a man with superstition. Dawn was what made them friends, he was sure that it would be what will end it the day it fell.

Nearly 12 years, and she stood there resiliently.

"You see that Arthur?", Rhaegar couldn't help but smile. "It took long, and I admit along the way I had chosen the wrong path for a moment but after all of those talks, quarrels, discussions and meetings, here we are, celebrating my upcoming wedding to Elia Martell."