Carliene Stark

II Chapter 67

Carliene

I knew it wasn't a normal dream as soon as it started. It felt more like what I had experienced with Bran when he showed me Rickon and Sansa and Jon at Winterfell. It was a warmer time that I was visiting though. I found myself in a lush forest, darkened by dusk as I watched a young woman hastily stuff something into a bag of cloth. In the darkness I though I was watching myself at first, though I could not remember where or when this could have been. 

Then a twig snapped somewhere. The girl straightened nervously and I saw that she looked completely different. Her grey eyes darted around anxiously as he kept trying to stuff a breastplate into her bag. Footsteps approached and we both turned to watch a shadow step out from behind the tall trees, My breath caught in my throat at the sight of the man. He was tall and elegant, with high cheekbones and hair that seemed to glow silver in the moonlight. He wore pitch black satin, making him almost merge seamlessly into the shadow behind him. The girl and I stared at him in disbelief for a moment and I was unsure if I should be afraid or not. 

He studied the girl in similar interest, a small smirk forming on his lips. "It seem I have found our mystery knight" he spoke in a pleasant voice. 

The girls eyes widened and she made an effort to hide the her bag behind her skirts as she quickly bowed. "My Prince" she greeted nervously.

"You know it is forbidden for women to partake in these tournaments, my Lady" he sounded more amused than threatening. 

She balled her fists and I could feel a hint of defiance rising within her. "Have you come to capture me?" she demanded straight frowardly. "And drag me before these high lords"

He did not answer straight away, instead went to lean on one of the tree trunks as fireflies hovered in the air between them. "I haven't decided" he admitted. 

This angered her. "Why did you give me that crown?" she demanded. 

Its as then I was certain of who they were. I stared at the man, stepping closer, since I knew that I was just an observer and they would never know I was there. I studied Rhaegar Targaryen. From his purple eyes to and silver hair to the dragon head on the pommel of his sword. He looked as gallant as the tales always said and a true prince. And yet I was weary of him, knowing the tales and what he would end up doing.

I turned towards the girls with more sadness, watching Lyanna Stark and she crossed her arms defiantly. She was younger than me, I realised and though she was beautiful I did not think her to be the most beautiful girl in the Seven Kingdoms. And not beautiful enough to topple a kingdom for. 

"Because I thought it suit you" he answered, no hint of mockery in his tone. 

She looked a bit taken aback by that and I saw a crack in her tough demeanour. "You upset a lot of people" she pointed out. 

He gave an unbothered shrug, in a manner only a royal prince could perfect. He looked very similar to his younger sister I decided. Even in the dark I could see those elegant features that made Daenerys look so regal. "Let them be upset, they can come to me and complain if they must"

Lyanna on the other had looked nothing like my father. At least not in a way that I could see. I turned and looked around, naive enough to believe for a moment that maybe my young father would be hiding somewhere in these woods as well. 

"What about your wife?"

I stepped back, crossing my arms as I studied this place in a first I did not know and a time I did not belong into. Why was I seeing this? I payed little attention to the two people in front of me, who were exchanging snarky remarks, and words filled with hints of flirtation. My eyes searched the tree canopies. I was expecting to find a raven somewhere. A raven with three eyes. But there were none in sigh. A firefly flew into my view, buzzing along right in front of my face. I flinched at first, not wanting it touching me before it occurred to me that I wasn't really there. Which meant nothing could tech me. Or did it? I raised my hand carefully. I didn't even know what I was doing, how could I hope to understand the rules of what was happening?