Becoming Porcelain

Chapter 15- Mystery Knight

"Lyanna, wake up." I heard Ned's voice call out. My eyes slowly fluttered open as a big pair of hands began to push me off of the bed. Suddenly I fell to the floor with an almighty crash, Ned's laugh could be heard loudly beside me and I groaned in annoyance.

"Why?" I mumbled. "Why in the seven hells would you do that?" I looked up to see Ned going through my draws and I automatically jumped to my feet.

"What are you doing?" I snapped and he gave me a puzzled look. I walked over to him and only then did I realise that he held something in his hand, something of mine.

Ned looked down at his hand and opened it up. There in his palm were my two broaches that were stained red. I froze as his eyes looked up to meet mine. I didn't know what to say, it was strange enough having a Targaryen broach in my purse, but even worse having the Stark and Targaryen broaches united together in the same colour and purse. I could see the look of confusion on his face but then he started to piece everything together.

"You," He whispered and pointed at me. "And the Prince." His words made my stomach flip and I stared at him in a stunned silence. There was nothing I could possibly say, I had already done enough lying to my Brothers. But I had to take the easiest route out of this.

"Lyanna, tell me this isn't true." He asked and stepped forward and placed the broaches in my hand. I clutched them in my grasp and felt the coldness of the silver against my warm skin.

"There's nothing I have to say Eddard." I replied carefully. If I said the wrong thing in the slightest it could be disastrous.

"By god Lyanna, you dint half play us well. We've all been fooled haven't we, by you and the Prince." I could see the anger raging behind Ned's eyes and I wanted to tell him everything. I wanted to tell him that it's not possible for us ever to be together, I wanted to tell him that I love him more than I loved any thing in the whole of my life, but I couldn't. Him knowing of this may put him in danger because of the King. That awful King. That wants to ruin my life and Rhaegar's with it.

"No Ned," I said quietly. Orla could walk in at any time as she is sharing a room with me. "It's nothing. I don't love the Prince, he just gave me these because he said I was pretty. That's all. He loves his Wife." It pained me to say all this as it was all lies and I had never been brilliant at lying.

"Brandon needs to know of this." He said and ran his hand through his hair stressfully.

"No!" I snapped. "No one can know Ned. It's going against the Prince if you tell people. Rumours will be made about me and him and Robert may not want to marry me any more." What I'd do to not marry Robert.

Ned gave me a suspicious look then gave his head a small nod.

"I want you to know Lyanna Stark that I don't trust a word that comes out of your Wolfish mouth." He smirked at his words then wrapped his arms around me. He changed his tune quickly. Though Ned had always been the quiet one of us all and didn't really like to argue. "Now get changed, we have a tourney to attend."

+

Me, Ned, Benjen and Brandon sat in a wooden stall on our own. Each house had there own private stall and ours was filled with our men and family. I could see from across the jousting area the Baratheon stall and Robert kept looking at me and smirking. It was rather distracting as he looked like a crazed love struck man.

In the centre of all stalls was the royal box, it held only the King and his Kings guard. Not even Elia Martell was permitted to sit with the King. He sat like a Dragon watching over its cave full of eggs, making everyone look nothing compared to King Aerys the second.

Elia Martell was in yet another yellow dress and sat beside her was her Brother who I had just come to know. I met him this morning when I was walking to get my breakfast and he was rather charming with his Dornish accent and warming eyes. But she looked at me coldly compared to everyone else, it was as if she could see through the armour that I put up against her.

It was the finals of the tourney as most people had fought before we arrived here. Which meant Rhaegar would not be sat on the side lines today.

"Who's up next." I asked Brandon who sat beside me.

"There's this new Knight they say. Apparently he's quite good. Beat a load of these Knights yesterday when you was god knows where. You missed it. It was actually quite good." I nodded at his words then looked around at the people who sat with us. Then I realised someone was missing.

"Where's Reed?" I whispered in Brandon's ear. He then shrugged his shoulders and proceeded to look at the dance that was being performed on the stage to the right.

"Ask Eddard." He then said and I looked to Ned who had his eyes on the Lady Ashara Dayne.

"Ned." I said loudly and he snapped out of the trance that he was in. "Where's Reed?" I asked and he looked around and then shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. He was suppose to be here." Ned replied.

"Should I go look for him?"

Ned shook his head at me and then said "Just watch the joust Lyanna."

After what felt like days of being sat there watching boring jousts a worthy contender for my watch came upon us. A Knight of a short build and holding a shield with a laughing tree trotted out on a jet black horse. As soon as he galloped past me I could tell that the armour wasn't his, as it didn't fit him at all. He also gave me a small glance and his blue eyes met my dark ones instantly. I knew them eyes, and he knew mine.

"That's him Lyanna." Brandon said with a smile on his face. "The mystery Knight."

I analysed the Knight greatly but there was no saying who it could possibly be.

As the joust began I realise who he was against. The jouster for the Frey family, the moody Frey's that keep to them selves. One of their squires were one of which that attacked Reed.

Then it popped into my head. I quickly looked around me for Reed but he wasn't anywhere to be seen. Normally he'd be sat right at the back of the stalls, but he wasn't there. He wouldn't leave our side and miss the tourney. The Knight that was jousting before me had to be only one person. Howland Reed.

Suddenly a loud crash brought me out of my thoughts. i spun back around to see that the Laughing tree Knight had indeed unseated the Frey. He sat proudly on his horse for a short second like a flash of lightning quickly rode off.

"Where is my son!?" A loud voice shouted loudly. The Kings voice. "Bring me my son! I want him to find that Knight and bring him too me." I looked at the old man and wondered what possibly could be going on in that crazed brain of his.

One of the Kings guard scuttled off, presumably to find Rhaegar and the mystery Knight, who indeed was all but a young man who wasn't even that brilliant at wielding a sword.