court of lies | robert's rebellion

the dawn will come

"my loyalty to the past -my most dangerous trait, the one that has cost me the most"

268 AC, King's Landing

13 years ago...

He hated there.

He hated it with all his heart.

For an eight-year-old boy who never left the warmth and the security of Starfall before; the capital was like the seventh hell. People were strange, this accents were strange, their clothes, their foods, their everything.

He's been accompanying his father in a short trip. His mother was busy with his infant sister, Ashara was too young for such a trip and Andric was grounded, not to leave Starfall at all for the problems he caused with Lord Blackmont's heir. This duty usually belonged to a lesser house but wanting to be away from his eldest son and heir, Lord Ansel Dayne volunteered to handle the business himself and Arthur had no idea what it was. He just knew they were supposed to stay there for a fortnight and a week has already passed and today; they were going to hunting to increase the king's mood, he was told. For some reason; he was not well in the past two years.

He didn't care about that, he just wanted to return back home. Everybody in the capital; from the lords and the ladies to the pages and squires, everybody was smiling into each other's faces and betraying them behing their backs. Everybody was after power and influence, no one was true and honourable in the king's court and Arthur was alone.

He was alone is entire life, however short. He didn't talk much, barely more than a few lines in a year. Not because he couldn't or because he was timid, he just didn't think it was necessary at all. He talked when he had to, but in the rest of the time; he preferred to watch, observe. What good of talking has ever brought someone something anyways?

After they had decided to camp there and leave the boys so they could start on hunting, Ansel allowed Arthur to walk around -with caution of course. Amongst all his children, he would trust to Arthur only with that, knowing his son would not brought himself danger. So he was walking around now, in the Kingswood, but not going far away so he would not be lost. He would not want to upset his father afterall, or worry him.

But then he got distracted with sweet notes of a violin.

Frowning with interest, he did not enjoy music the way Ashara did but this melody was alluring and relaxing, he moved towards there, passed through the rose bushes and saw a small boy playing it. At first, Arthur did not understand it, he was not sure if he had seen this boy before but then he took a step forward with interest and then he realized his hair.

The prince.

He was, probably both were at the same age he was not sure, sitting on a bench, his silver hair reaching to his shoulders and was tied with a small silver hair ring, he was wearing a soft black outfit and Arthur could see the glimpses of the white cloak and the silver armour with the corner of his eyes, though Arthur was not sure which one of the kingsguard was accompanying him.

Deciding to leave the prince alone, he made a move to continue to walk. He was playing so nice, he didn't want to disturb and even if he would; what would he say? Nothing that matters, for sure. But he forgot that he was in middle of the bushes and he did not realized the end of his coat was stuck to it. And when he tried to pull it back so he would leave, he made a noise and both the prince and the kingsguard turned to his direction in a startled manner and Arthur's eyes met with the prince's.

The prince raised his eyebrows in interest when he saw Arthur's uncomfortable figure, dressed in lilac of his house. Rhaegar, shared a look with Barristan and put down his violin after the white knight's encouraging nod, stood up.