Line of Bastards

II

Rhaegar

Sitting at a table at the head of the throne room, Rhaegar Targaryen, Prince of Dragonstone and heir to the Iron Throne, could not focus on anything. A cacophony of murmurs rose from all parts of the vast hall, and the colorful dresses of the ladies strained his eyes. He tried to focus on the music coming from a far corner, but the noise of the guests was too loud. He decided it was safest to turn to his mother, who was standing next to him and hadn't made a sound for the better part of the hour. The queen seemed to be watching the scene before her, but his son could see the emptiness in her gaze. She was clearly lost in her own mind; Rhaegar wondered how his mother could even stand in such a crowd after so long. Once the joy of the court, his mother's strength was now only enough to care for his younger brother Viserys. But tonight, at the opening fest for Rhaegar's wedding, she stood before her people as queen to represent the crown.

"He isn't coming, is he?" the queen murmured in a voice that even her son could hardly hear. "He won't even bother to celebrate his son's marriage. Even bloody Tywin is here and he refuses to come."

Rhaegar took his mother's hand in support when he realized she was talking about the king, as he believed she needed it when she spoke of Aenys. "It is more than enough for him to be present at the tourney on the morrow."

"The tourney, yes, of course."

As the Queen fell silent again, Rhaegar raised her thin-fingered hand to his lips. "Muñnykeā, gaomagon daor sagon zūgagon" The sound of her mother tongue made Rhaella turn her lilac eyes to him "Ry jāhor sagon sȳz"

"Nyke gīmigon, issa qeldlie zaldrīzes"

There, now, on her lips, was the loving smile Rhaegar had grown accustomed to. When he was only a boy and sought solace in hiding in his mother's skirts, the queen always smiled this way, stroking her son's wavy hair and singing a song. His mother had a soothing voice, especially suited to Valyrian songs. But now it was Rhaegar's turn to soothe his mother with his songs. He wanted to support his mother, to save her from the king's cruelty as she melted before his eyes day by day.

But the time had not yet come.

After returning his mother's smile, the prince turned to a pair of green eyes watching him among the guests. Alyssa Rivers, who must have seen what had happened between the two, had a worried expression on her face as she was looking at the crown prince. To assure her all was well, Rhaegar nodded toward the young girl. He knew Alyssa was as worried about the queen as he was, perhaps even more so. She spent more time with his mother than Rhaegar, hardly a moment away from the queen. Even now, though she was one of the most lovely maidens in the hall, with her dark hair adorned with flowers and her dress specially made for the festive, Alyssa's attention was on the queen, making sure she was all right. It was comforting to know that there would be someone to take care of his mother while he was away in Dragonstone with his bride.

The gods must have heard him, for as the young prince contemplated his bride, who would be the reason for him to leave King's Landing, the arrival of the said princess was announced. The princess of Dorne entered the hall, followed by her brother, wearing the colors of their house, and her uncle, soon to join the Kingsguard. The entire hall stared at her in awe, and Rhaegar could hardly blame any of them. Elia Martell, holding the hem of a Targaryen red gown, looked around the hall where she would one day be crowned queen, a proud and confident smile on her beautiful face.

Rhaegar and his mother had risen at the announcement. The queen, looking somewhat like herself, put a smile on her lips, took her son by the hand and came to the front of the table. As Elia Martell knelt before them, Ser Lewyn Martell introduced his niece in the silent hall. The queen's response was to take the bowing princess by the hand and lift her to her feet. Rhaegar allowed his mother to join his hands with Elia, ignoring the judgmental gaze of Tywin Lannister, who sat at the table next to them with his children.