Becoming Porcelain

Chapter 57- And So It Begins

"Is he coming back soon?" Camyra asked. I looked back at my new maid and quickly shook my head.

"I don't think so." I replied to the Dornish girl and she nodded in understanding.

Camyra was the only maid that I had grown close to over the past few weeks, she was the only one who fully knew about me and Rhaegar. The others barely even knew who he was, never mind knowing that I carried his child.

I had told her the full story of me and him, and she had come to help me in coping with his departure. But she didn't know him like I did, and she didn't really understand this whole war. She was a trained midwife from a small Dornish village, not a true handmaid. She didn't even know my house, but she certainly knew his.

"Do you know they tell stories in my village about men who ride dragons." She said as she brushed my hair. I knew she wanted to avoid me getting sad, so it was usual for her to just change the subject.

"The dragons are all gone, no one rides them anymore." I said and carried on reading a small book on all the noble houses.

"Dragons haven't gone, men have just not found them again yet."

I smiled at her words and shook my head. She was not educated well, she mainly went off stories and gossip. But her art in healing was tremendous.

"The man you love, he has dragon blood, so does the child." She said and placed her hand upon the bump. "Dragon blood can ride dragons."

"Well, I don't think Rhaegar will be finding any in Westeros." I laughed.

No, Rhaegar wouldn't be finding dragons, he'd be fighting and spending his time with Elia Martell, another Dornish girl.
But he had left Kings Landing now, it had been over two weeks since that letter arrived, I wonder if she went with him.

"I am done my lady." Camyra beamed and stood back to look at her master piece. She always had trouble getting the brush through my tangled curls, just like many of my past maids had done. My hair was always tricky.

"Thank you Camyra." I smiled and stood to my feet, waddling over to my bed. "Will you have Dayne fetched to me, I need to speak with him."

Camyra nodded at my words and then scuttled out of the room. And within a few seconds Dayne was at the door.

"My lady?" He asked and gave me a small nod.

"Has there been any news?"

I knew Dayne had regular updates on what went on, he just chose not to tell me. But he rarely got away with it.

"The last raven was from one of my men, they're marching to battle." He said calmly, but instantly my heart dropped.

It takes around a week for the raven to get here, meaning the battle is on going now, or it's already over...

RHAEGAR'S POV

We camped just near the trident, only allowing the men a few hours rest. We were to meet Roberts men in open battle tomorrow at early dawn, everything had been arranged. I would crush the rebellion tomorrow, and with it, Robert Baratheon.

But, my mind was hazy with thoughts of Lyanna. It had been a month since I left, and I still hadn't heard a word. There was no saying how tomorrow would play out, I could die or I could win. It was one of two options.

Everything about her played on my mind. Even the thought of what she would be wearing this very moment lingered in my brain.

My tent was empty and lonely, leaving me entirely to my thoughts. Barristan had told me to get some rest, but I couldn't rest, I haven't been able to rest properly since I left her.

Quickly, I pulled a piece of paper and some ink across my desk. I needed her to write to me, I needed her to tell me everything was okay.

So I wrote, I wrote just what came to mind. I wrote as fast as I could, knowing the faster I was, the faster I would get a reply. It would take a week to get to her, and a week for something to get back to me. I could wait two weeks, I could do it, as long I knew she would get my letter I was content.

I sealed the letter shut and walked to the opening of my tent, handing it to a squire boy and instructing him on where to send it to.

He nodded his head quickly, and scuttled off to do his job. And then, once again, I was left with only my thoughts.

NED'S POV

"You can't expect the Prince to come willing to you in battle Robert!" Jon Arryn spoke loudly across the table, as I slurped on my wine and watched the drama unfold.

Robert had been going on for hours on how he would kill the Prince with his bare hands, and everyone in this rather small tent was getting sick of it, especially Lord Jon.

"I'll find him," Robert replied. "I'll find him and I'll crush his skull with my very hands."

"And how are you going to do that? He'll be surrounded by men. It's most likely you won't even see him." Jon spat.

Robert let out a huff and smashed his hands against the table, causing all the men to jump slightly. But not me, Robert didn't scare me.

"The gods gave me this battle, and they'll give me him." He growled.

Robert didn't listen to anyone, he hadn't since Lyanna disappeared. He claimed she's the love of his life, but he barely knew her, she barely knew him. I had watched the way she talked to him, she was on edge around him.
I hadn't told Robert about the letter I found. I hadn't told anyone. I didn't know what it meant, or who it was truly from, but I had a feeling it was from the person who Robert believes he's destined to kill.

I had watched them at the tourney; the dragon prince and my sister. I had watched the way they acted together, it wasn't the usual I can tell you that, there was something there between them. As if they had their own secrets together.

Yet, Lyanna isn't the type to just run away and leave everything she loves behind. She would never have wanted that, which is the reason why I'm sat here right now, only hours away from killing the Princes men.

I fight for the honour of my family, and only my family.

"Ned," Robert started. "Are you with me on this?"

"With you on what?" I asked, I hadn't been paying any attention to the conversations that were going on around me.

"The Prince needs to die, and he needs to die by my hand."

"The Prince will die when the gods need it, that's all there is to it." I said and stood to my feet. I needed sleep.

"Well then, the Dragon Prince dies tomorrow." Robert shouted at the table as I went to leave.

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A/N: This is a filler chapter, apologies X