What is honor compared to a woman's love?
What is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms . . . or the memory of a brother's smile?
Wind and words. Wind and words.
We are only human, and the gods have fashioned us for love.
That is our g...
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273 AC - THE GREAT HALL WITHIN THE RED KEEP, KING'S LANDING
THE NEWS OF HIS WEDDING TO ELAENA SHOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY NEWS FOR RHAEGAR, BUT THE REACTION OF HIS SOON TO BE WIFE LEFT HIM FEELING RATHER DEFEATED. How could he feel happy or excited about the news when Elaena constantly looked at him looked like he had stolen her small clothes and left her bare within the streets of King's Landing.
The pair of them had always been thick as thieves- a pair of dragons. Their entire childhood was spent by each other's side. His victories were hers, and her pain was his. The feast held to celebrate their betrothal announcement was not what he had expected. He had expected her to be more... happy?
He was her brother, yes, but he loved her more than he could love another. She was his family. His other half. Seven Hells- they shared a womb for nine moons, and he had been the only one to know of her. Not his mother, father, nor any Maester.
How could he not be happy? He was to marry his best friend, and she was beautiful.
"Incest is wrong- Rhaegar! We've grown up listening to the Septon preach that it is wrong!" He could remember her crying to him when after their father had made the announcement. The pair had retreated to his chambers following the news- her features contorted into a face of distress.
Her cheeks had become flushed, tears brimmed in her eyes as he rubbed her back. "Maybe to common men and women, but we are not common men and women Elaena! We are Targaryens. The blood of the dragon- it would be wrong to taint that blood with somebody unworthy." Rhaegar tried to comfort her, taking her hand in his and laying a gentle kiss to her flesh. "Nobody could understand you like I do, Lena. We've grown up together, you know everything about me! Who better to sit beside me on the throne? Who could I trust more?"
She had only sighed, he reached to wipe her cheeks, only for her to turn on her heel and quickly exit his chambers.
"Elaena- would you honor me with a dance?" Rhaegar asked, turning to face her with a teasing arch of his brow.
"In a while, Rhaegar! Mother and I are discussing my upcoming hawking trip" She was quick to wave him off, before returning to her conversation.
He frowned slightly at her dismissal, eyes turning slightly downward. He didn't say anything for a while, allowing Elaena to continue gushing to their mother. When he looked up, his mother caught his eye, almost urging him to attempt to conversate with the girl again. He inhaled quietly, "Maybe I could accompany you hawking" He said with a smile.
This seemed to catch her attention as she turned to face him, "You'd like to come hawking?" She sounded like she didn't believe him- and he almost regretted the offer. "I'm surprised you would tear yourself away from your book of prophecies and your harp." She was teasing him he knew, so he playfully narrowed his eyes.
