Wonderland // Ned Stark // Petyr Baelish (1)

3. Loser

The tourney was a sight to see. Alice sat excitedly as the competitors came out parading around. Catelyn and Alice sat with the starks, Brandon was competing and Catelyn was smitten with him.

"Hello Ned." Alice said softly.

"Alice!" Ned declared hugging her.

"Are you competing as well?" Alice pondered. Catelyn sat elbow on her knee, palm in her hand as she waited for her betrothed to come and win the tourney and name her the most beautiful woman.

"Oh, no I don't compete in tourneys.' Ned remarked.

"Why is that?" Alice questioned and Petyr stared over at Alice, he had lost Catelyn that was for sure but he wasn't about to lose his best friend to a stark as well.

"When I fight someone for real,' ned told her softly. "I don't want them to know what I can do."

"That is really smart actually." Alice told him.

"Thank you... are you alright? You look well." Ned remarked.

"I'm great." Alice assured. "Petyr is healed from his previous injury and Catelyn can't wait to marry your brother."

"But how are you?" Ned questioned and Alice tilted her head in contemplation.

"I had this dream." Alice admitted softly and petyr grabbed her hand. "It's a silly dream, but it gets stuck in my head sometimes... makes me wonder."

"What was the dream?" Ned asked.

"Look, they are starting." Petyr remarked and alice offered Ned a small smile as she faced forward.

"That's prince Rhaegar." Alice remarked.

"He is nothing special.'' Catelyn hissed. "Brandon is going to win."

"He might." Ned agreed.

"Care to make a wager stark?'' Petyr asked and Alice shook her head.

"No he wouldn't. stop it." Alice told him, Petyr pressed a kiss to alice's temple pulling her closer to him. "You and your bets." Alice remarked.

"I like money." Petyr reminded her. "That's how I got you this after all." He touched the little mocking bird pendant on her neck. Petyr liked that in the mornings Alice would whistle and the birds would talk back to her. Having a secret conversation right out in the open it seemed but Alice always smiled as though she knew what they were saying.

"Winner, Oberyn Martell." Was announced and Catelyn let out an annoyed huff. Brandon had been beat by a prince of Dorne.

"Next up our very own Prince Rhaegar."

"He is quite handsome." Lyanna said softly and Alice glanced back at her. "Hi, I'm Lyanna."

"Alice." She answered.

"He is married Lyanna and soon you will be too." Ned reminded her.

"What? I can't appreciate a good looking man?" Lyanna countered. "Back me up alice." Alice glanced back at Rhaegar. He was handsome, not really her type but he was handsome.

"He has.... Nice hair." Alice agreed and Petyr chuckled.

"He does." LYanna agreed

"Ohh, that's got to hurt." Petyr remarked his own hand going to his scar, Alice leaned into him. Ned watched her from the corner of his eye. Alice really did seem like a sweet girl. Perhaps a match would be good but everything happened quickly. Rhaegar won and won again, Oberyn lost and his sister Elia gave a sad clap as she watched but her husband the prince had won. She rose up as Rhaegar was declared the winner. He was given a flower crown to gift to the most beautiful woman and Elia was ready to receive it but Rhaegar came towards The starks and Tully's.

"Why is he coming this way?" Alice asked.

"His wife is the other way." Ned agreed. Lyanna's eyes went wide as Rhaegar came right up them, to Lyanna.

"oh... my..." Alice whispered. Rhaegar gave Lyanna the flower crown and a murmur of appalled voices echoed. Alice watched Elia's face drop.

Lyanna was smitten and she was declared as the Queen of Love and Beauty, rather than Rhaegars wife, Elia Martell. It appears that Rhaegar became obsessed with the young Stark girl, and the following moons he 'kidnapped' her from her family and took her south. That was the theory of course they were very wrong....

"It is kind of romantic." Alice remarked as Lyanna couldn't stop smiling.

"It is disrespectful to his wife." Ned countered gently.

"Love at first sight." Alice told him. "It's a different kind of magic." Catelyn rolled her eyes, she thought herself prettier and smarter, the true queen of love and beauty. She couldn't believe she was marrying a loser.

"Of course his poor wife must be angered immensely, to do so in front of everyone." Alice added. But she couldn't help but smile at the smile on Lyanna's face. "But your sister looks very happy." Alice whispered, Ned had to agree. Lyanna hadn't smiled like for Robert, ever. "It is just a flower crown, it will wilt and Lyanna will wed Lord Robert and... everyone will forget." Alice offered gently. "Rhaegar's wife Elia and him though, they will need to be having a talk."