𝙱𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚂𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚜 & 𝙵𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚜 - 𝙰𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚃𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚊𝚛𝚢𝚎𝚗

The Heart Tree

The Red Keep is a marvel of a castle, but it is nothing compared to Harrenhal. Lyanna knew that her life would be different now, here she is, nothing more than the orphan Strong, but at Harrenhal, she is considered the castle Lady. She had gotten the biggest room that wasn't affected by the original burning and the fire of the castle, but here she knew that her living quarters were going to be a downgrade.

She had heard stories about the Red Keep before, but the amount of the Seven-Pointed Star surprised her. From what she can remember from her lessons with her maester that the Targaryen family honoured their Valyrian heritage, but the Red Keep seemed like a second Sept of Baelor.

Larys had been quick to show Lyanna around, wanting to save time showing her around. Larys wanted a few things from Lyanna when she was in the Red Keep. All Larys wants from her is for her to represent their house and show the people of the court that the next Lady Strong was, in fact, strong and unlike her father, to gain a husband and return to Harrenhal, and finally for her to befriend the Princess Helaena and become the princesses friend.

Lyanna had different plans for her time in the capital, she knew she needed to find a husband and wouldn't mind gaining a friend, but she mostly wanted to study the flowers and plants that are native to the Crownlands while she could. Alys had raised her to love the flowers and plants of the Riverlands and even made the maester teach everything he knew about botany to her, and Lyanna is proud of her vase knowledge; she bets that she could name flowers from Drone if they were shown to her.

Larys and the Queen had been right about Helaena and Lyanna getting along; both of the young women having a fascination for things that people often do not care for. Helaena with her insects and Lyanna with her flowers and plants. The two highborn had made plans to meet again; Helaena was happy that someone had a shared fascination with her hobbies and didn't dismiss them or have a false interest.

Helaena had been so kind as to get the maester to give Lyanna one of his books on the botany of the Crowlands, wanting her to feel at home and telling her that she hopes Lyanna would be able to teach her something new the next time they sit together.

Lyanna could have gone back to her small chambers or tried to find her uncle, but she would wanted to be acquainted with her new home, wanting to go to the one place she knew would feel like she is back in the safety of Harrenhal. The Godswood that is within the Red Keep is rather sad compared to the ones of the Riverlands. Back in Harrenhal, the Godswood itself is over twenty acres, and the other ones that she had visited would also take her breath away, the large weirwoods that would be the centre of attention of her place of worship but here in the south, the Heart Tree isn't even a weirwood but rather a great oak.

Lyanna had thought that no one would be in the Godswood; from her understanding, few people followed the old ways in the Crownlands. So, going to read her new book there while she hides from her uncle seemed like the best idea. She had not expected anyone to be there, much less the rider of the great Vhagar and the one-eyed prince.

Lyanna had been in her thoughts as she entered the Godswoods, judging it when she had bumped into the man. It took her only a second to see who it was, and she thanked herself that she hadn't gotten mad at the person or yelled at them.

Quickly bowing her head down to the prince before looking back at him, his violet eyes staring back at her and Lyanna just knows that the prince is judging her as she had just been judging the Godswood.

"Forgive me, My Prince. I didn't think that anyone would be here," Lyanna finally gets out, her words rushed, and she feels like a rock on her chest as she holds eye contact with the prince.

"Why?" The prince asks, his voice smooth and matches his cold and intimidating presence.

This is the second Targyaen she has met, and she must say that she would rather be in the presence of Helaena than her brother. Helaena has a friendly and welcoming vibe about her, one that makes Lyanna feel welcomed and safe, but Aemond doesn't. His gaze feels like he is staring into her very soul and knows everything about her just from the simple words they exchanged.