COMPANION

i'm crazy for my beloved

Growing up in the shadow of the Iron Throne was no easy task, especially for a young prince like Rhaegar Targaryen. From a tender age, Rhaegar was acutely aware of the complexities that surrounded his family—chief among them, the peculiar and often unsettling behavior of his father, King Aerys II Targaryen. The realm whispered of the king's madness, but few knew the extent of his obsession, hidden behind a mask of intelligence and cunning.

-

Rhaegar's mother, Queen Rhaena, was the epitome of grace and wisdom. She was gentle, kind, and possessed a quiet strength that endeared her to those around her. To Rhaegar, she was a beacon of warmth in the cold, stone halls of the Red Keep. Yet, she was also the focal point of his father's twisted affections—a reality that Rhaegar came to understand with a growing sense of dread.

King Aerys was not merely possessive of his queen; he was obsessed. His love for Rhaena bordered on madness, an all-consuming fire that burned behind his intelligent facade. Aerys's mind was a labyrinth of clever tactics and deceptions, designed to keep Rhaena close and ensure that no one, not even their own son, could claim her attention or affection.

-

Rhaegar remembered countless occasions when he had tried to spend time with his mother, only to be thwarted by his father's machinations. Aerys would orchestrate court events and council meetings that required Rhaena's presence, ensuring that she was always busy, always occupied. He would invent crises and summon her at odd hours, under the pretense of needing her counsel. It was as if the entire court danced to the tune of Aerys's obsession.

Despite his young age, Rhaegar saw through his father's tactics. He saw the way Aerys's eyes would darken with possessive fury whenever Rhaena spoke to another man, even if it was just a courtier or a servant. He saw the subtle ways in which Aerys would isolate her, wrapping her in a web of dependency and control.

Rhaegar's own attempts to spend time with his mother were met with increasing resistance. Aerys would send him away on pointless errands or invent reasons for him to be elsewhere. When Rhaegar did manage to find a moment alone with Rhaena, Aerys's shadow loomed large, his presence felt even when he was not physically there.

-

As he grew older, Rhaegar's frustration turned into a quiet, simmering anger. He loved his mother dearly and resented the way his father monopolized her time and affection. He could see the toll it took on Rhaena—the weariness in her eyes, the forced smiles, the way she carried herself with a resigned grace that spoke of long-suffering.

One evening, Rhaegar finally confronted his mother. They were in her chambers, a rare moment of peace that he had fought hard to secure.

"Mother," Rhaegar began, his voice trembling with suppressed emotion, "why does Father keep us apart? Why does he not allow me to spend time with you?"

Rhaena's eyes softened, and she reached out to gently caress her son's cheek. "Rhaegar, my sweet boy," she said, her voice tinged with sadness, "your father is a complicated man. His love for me is... intense. He believes that by keeping us apart, he is protecting us both."

"But it is not right," Rhaegar insisted. "I hardly see you, and when I do, he is always there, watching, controlling."

Rhaena sighed, her hand falling to her lap. "Your father is the king, and his mind is not like others'. He hides his madness well, but it is there, beneath the surface. You must be careful, Rhaegar. For both our sakes."

-

Rhaegar heeded his mother's warning, but it did little to quell the resentment that festered within him. He continued to watch as Aerys's obsession with Rhaena grew, manifesting in increasingly erratic and controlling behavior. The king's intelligent facade began to crack, and whispers of his madness spread through the court like wildfire.

Despite the distance Aerys imposed between them, Rhaegar's bond with his mother remained strong, albeit strained. They communicated through stolen glances and whispered conversations, their love for each other a silent rebellion against Aerys's tyranny.

Rhaegar's love for music and poetry became an outlet for his emotions. He poured his frustrations and longing into his songs, creating haunting melodies that spoke of unfulfilled desires and lost connections. His harp became his confidant, its strings echoing the sorrow that he could not voice.

-

The breaking point came one night when Rhaegar, now a young man, could no longer bear his father's suffocating control. He had overheard Aerys berating Rhaena in their private chambers, his voice a venomous hiss that spoke of jealousy and paranoia. The sound of his mother's quiet sobs broke something inside Rhaegar.

With a determination he had never felt before, Rhaegar stormed into the chamber, his eyes blazing with fury. "Father, enough!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the room. "This madness must end!"

Aerys turned to face his son, his eyes wild and unhinged. "You dare defy me, boy?" he spat, his face contorting with rage.

Rhaegar stood his ground, his hands clenched into fists. "I will not stand by and watch you torment my mother any longer. She is not your possession. She is a person, with her own will and desires."

For a moment, it seemed as if Aerys would strike Rhaegar, his hand raised in anger. But then, something flickered in his eyes—perhaps a glimmer of the man he once was, or a realization of the depths of his obsession.

Aerys lowered his hand, his expression turning cold and calculating. "Very well, Rhaegar," he said quietly. "But know this: everything I do, I do for the good of our house. You may not understand now, but one day you will."

-

After that confrontation, Aerys's tactics became less overt, but his obsession with Rhaena remained. Rhaegar, however, managed to carve out more time with his mother, their bond growing stronger in defiance of Aerys's control.

Rhaena, for her part, continued to be a source of wisdom and comfort for Rhaegar. She counseled him on matters of the heart and the realm, instilling in him a sense of duty and compassion that would one day define his own rule.

In the end, Rhaegar realized that his father's obsession was not just a manifestation of madness, but a twisted form of love—one that sought to possess and control rather than nurture and protect. It was a lesson that stayed with him, shaping his own understanding of love and power.

And as he looked out over the Seven Kingdoms, Rhaegar vowed that he would be a different kind of ruler—a king who would lead with wisdom and compassion, rather than fear and obsession. For his mother, and for the realm, he would be the prince that was promised—a beacon of hope in a world overshadowed by darkness.