The Emancipation of Rhaegar

Chapter 46

Jaime's Words

Kingslanding

Arianne awoke with a wet tongue licking her face. She pushed away Mops, annoyed at the dog for disturbing her peace, but when he whined, she pulled him back and brought him to her cheek. "Hello, lovely." Mops was the only one keeping her company for a moon, as she had not wanted nor had the need to leave her quarters. She had not seen Rhaegar for that time, in fact, the only person she had seen was Jaime, who stood by her door day and night. Rhaegar did come, of course. He loved her with all his being and wanted to comfort her, but every time he knocked on the door he'd be met with silence. So, he would leave, only to return a few hours later to do the same and receive the same answer. He understood she needed time to mourn, but as the moon came to an end he could not help but wonder if this would be her reaction to all things that hurt her.

She was given food by one maid and made sure to remind Jaime she would not see a single person. The death of her foster father and the early departure of the Stark's along with the Northern party had left her distraught.

Arianne ran through the castle halls, unsure of where she was going but wanting to go somewhere ... anywhere. She had seen a flash of Lyanna running into the courtyard and tried to follow her but lost track along the way. Rhaegar and their guards had followed her from the Throne Room, no one speaking up as they were unsure of what words they could possibly say. She managed to find her way to her old chambers and locked herself inside. There was a rustle at her door, but she wouldn't let up, and threw herself onto the bed, wanting the soft sheets to swallow her and her tears whole.

After sitting in bed for a while, Arianne sat up and stared longingly into the black walls. Something she had been doing many times a day, for hours on end. The door opened, and she snapped her head around to shout at whoever dared to interrupt her mourning.

"What?" She asked, looking at Jaime in an annoyed manner.

Jaime closed the door behind him, sitting down on a sofa and sighing. "Your great, great, grandmother – Dyanna Dayne-,"

"I'm not in the mood for a lecturing!"

"Well, you're going to get it. You haven't stepped outside for an entire moon," Jaime said.

Arianne threw the covers from her body, "I have lost a father," she stomped over to him in her nightgown that hadn't been changed for a week and slapped him across the head. "I watched him burn. I killed him!"

Jaime held onto his head, rubbing it and deciding to continue on with his lecture. He could not help but notice her stomach amidst her hitting him. "You know nothing of your family or supposed families. What, you know you love Rhaegar? You know how you're a Princess now, by luck." He chose to ignore her words of anger, nothing could be done to repay the past. She had to move on from it and Jaime was here to remind her that she wasn't the one who died so she had to continue on with her life.

"And you believe now is the best time to educate me!?"

"Sit down," Jaime instructed, standing abruptly. He didn't know where that came from but was relieved when Arianne looked up at him in shock and sat back down in her bed. "I was knighted by Arthur Dayne, your brother, the Sword of the Morning – one of the most skilled and efficient Knights in the Kingsguard. He, you, also have another brother, Edric Dayne, but he was fostering with the Targaryen's when your mother died giving birth to you."

"My mother is not Serene Dayne," Arianne said, crossing her hands over her chest.

"I'm sorry to be the one that bursts your little bubble of perfect coincidences, but I did my research for you. Rickard Stark goes to Dayne for a week and returns with a child at the end of that week? Serene is sent from Kingslanding eight moons before she dies giving birth? It's time you started critically thinking and piecing the pieces together for yourself," Jaime said, his voice tired. Not only did he do the research he went to Arthur directly, who confided in him remembering his mother's passing and their home being stormed by Northern men. "Your father Rickard cut down soldiers of Dayne's house, on the Queen's commands to collect you. All because she feared Aerys would kill you because she cared for a bastard babe. Or perhaps she knows something we do not."

Arianne looked at him in astonishment, unsure of what to make of his words. So Aerys was right and Rhaegar was wrong and Rhaella had lied to them, both.

"The Dayne's have always been close with the Targaryen's. King Vorian Dayne, Sword of the Evening, was the last Dayne king. And Dyanna Dayne was the wife of Maekor Targaryen the first. Your mother's house isn't and wasn't knights and companions. They are a House of Dorne. Their blood runs in the blood of Rhaegar and all his ancestors."

"So, what is it exactly you'd like me to do with this information?" Arianne asked, worried about how unfazed she was by it. "I already had been told."

"But you never believed it."

"And now I do."

"And now you need to know who your real friends are," Jaime pointed out, pouring himself a cup of wine. "Rhaegar only has one true friend, Arthur. Everyone else, his lords, are his lords. They drink his wine," he held up his glass, "they conspire with him, for him, against him, do his bidding. But they would never lay their life for him, not the way Arthur would."

"You are a Kingsguard admitting to your Princess you would not lay your life for your Prince," Arianne responded coldly.

"I am helping you," Jaime said, tutting at her aggressive response. "You have grown comfortable with calling yourself Princess ... well, I guess it's in your blood." He chuckled at his own joke. The room fell silent, Arianne had no more witty remarks left in her. "You have to go away inside."

"I am away inside."

"No," Jaime stood from his seat and put his cup down. "I spoke to my Lord Commander, Ser Gerold. We are here for the King, not to judge him."

"Is that meant to make your words make any more sense?"

"I have found thinking of Cersei during ... the times Aerys is, you know," Jaime stuttered unsure of what to say.

"Burning people," Arianne looked away from him as she said the words, her bottom lip quivering.

Jaime nodded, "you have to go away inside of yourself Arianne, leave your body. I love Cersei so I think of her."

"You love her and yet threw away your life because of her," Arianne scoffed, she wanted to say thank you for his kind words and his short education and perhaps even swear at him for forcing her from ignorance.

"I came here to be closer to her, you honestly think I'd marry Lysa Tully when I could live my days out with Cersei here, or die a Knight trying? She is the only woman I have loved; sure, I have tried to make her jealous and filtered here and there. But she is my soulmate," Jaime shrugged his shoulders, placing his helm on his head. "There is no fault in that." He made his way to the door before he left however, he turned to Arianne. "You should call on a Maester, your bed weight is looking to me as if you are with child. And when you are done with that, go to the King and tell him. He plans on having Elia and her children killed for leaving Kingslanding without his permission. Show him you can secure a line of your own."

Arianne was caught off guard by his last statements, when did he become an advisor. Jaime had a way with words. She looked down at her growing stomach, she had just put it to staying in bed for too long, eating too much, crying too much, walking too little. A little part of Arianne wanted to thank Jaime for his kind words and actions, but she was far too prideful. Mops whined behind her, calling her back to sleep. "No Mops, we have to get back to life now." The little dog frowned, turning his head sideways. "What, you have nothing to worry about. You are fed fine food, you are given a warm bed, what more could you want my lazy boy?" Mops barked, jumping up and down excitedly at the mention of food. Arianne rolled her eyes, "my lazy and fat boy."

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