Queen of Love and Beauty

Benjin

P.O.V Lyanna

Climbing over the weak spot in the walls around Winterfell I re-entered the grounds unseen. I snuck around the guards towering above me with fluid ease but a voice stopped me dead in my tracks "Lyanna, where were you?" Benjin said in a hard tone. I slowly turned around. Benjin stood before me in his night close, coated with dusty snow and marked with a deadly scowl "Just out for a nighttime walk little brother, go back to sleep." I said with a small smile.

Benjin shook his head "Don't lie to me Lyanna, I always know when you lie, where you were?" Benjin bellowed. His voice was getting louder and louder, fear crept into me that we would be caught. "I – I" stuttering and at a loss for words I just stared at him.

What was I to say? Could I trust Benjin not to go running off to my father? "Lyanna I followed you alright, I know that pompous Dragon Prince is here." "He's not pompous." I screeched. He knew nothing of Rhaegar, he didn't know the kind and caring man I did.

"Oh really? How do you know him well enough to say so? By the gods Lyanna do you even use your brain? Think of how this affects us all!" Benjin was yelling now and the tears that swelled in my eyes began to blur my vision.

I knew Benjin wouldn't understand, he never could. Benjin wasn't the type of man to find love one day he would join the nights watch, as he has always talked about. "Benjin, please listen to me." I pleaded. I was filled with too many emotions as my mind was racing but Benjin kept verbally attacking me, he hated who I was with, he hated who my heart yearned for.

"Lyanna, he's married and you're promised to Robert."

"I don't want to marry Robert Benjin! I love Rhaegar, I really love him." I said in a whisper as the tears flowed down my face. The bitter cold northern wind froze my face. Benjin sighed, loosening up as his anger melted away. "Lya, he's a prince, the prince." I sighed and cupped my brothers cheek. I stared lovingly into the eyes that were the same shade as mine.

"I know but he's my soul Ben, he's everything to me and if I was to marry Robert I would be around long enough to see winter." Benjin gasped as he took a step back, my hand dropping to my side."You would take your own life?"

"My life would be full of unhappiness, I can't live like that. I can't be married to someone who I don't love. Especially when the man who has my heart is waiting for me with open arms." "Lyanna, Elia and Rhaegar are married with children and a throne."Benjin groaned but I wouldn't let him keep finding ways to make me change my mind, if that was even possible. "Elia knows Rhaegar loves me. She understands, can't you understand Ben? Just please try?" I begged.

Benjin bit his lip and began to back up muttering to himself. His face was one of shock but I reached out and grabbed my brother's arm to keep him here with me "You love me right? Then do this for me and promise not to tell father or mother, promise not to tell another soul." Benjin stopped and stared at me through the swirling snow, as if the weather was quickening based on our emotions running high.

"Fine Lyanna, I promise but never see him again." Benjin said

"I can't do that."

"Lyanna -" Benjin whined

"No Benjin, Happiness comes at a cost and to live I must be free to make my own decisions. You want to join the watch, it's the same. We can shape out destinies. Your purpose is different than mine, you might be to protect the realm but mine is to simply live and breathe with ease and not a restraint made by the man I've already begun to despise." Benjin nodded his head and turned on his heel to leave.

He stopped abruptly as I watched him and didn't turn around as he said "I'll keep your secret, till my last moment." And then he disappeared into the buildings of Winterfell. I sunk into the snow, leaning against the stone walls and breathed in the cold air.

I was so numb from it already. The way Benjin looked at me sent a shiver down my spine. He was so sad, so disappointed. How would he feel once I ran away? Would he still love me? I couldn't worry about that now, too much was at stake already.