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CHAPTER THIRTEEN. ━━━━━━━━━ When truth is buried, it grows. It chokes. It gathers such an explosive force that on the day it bursts out, it blows up everything with it.
MILE ZOLA ━━━━━━━━━
THE CONQUEROR, THEY CALLED THE first Targaryen king; they sung of his deeds and his dragon and of the Field of Fire, and yet with the years the world seemingly forgot of how vicious and dangerous the blood of the dragon could be.
Every one of them is the flip of a coin, they say; and just like Volantene coins show Death opposite a crown, the Targaryen coin has greatness on one side, and madness on the other; and as the years went by and the Dragonpit emptied the coin started landing on the wrong side more often than not, until it comes the time of Aerys the Second, and the realm rebels.
The War of the Usurper, they call it. It is a bloody affair the way most civil wars are, brother against brother and duty against honour.
Rhaegar has been absent from court for almost five moons and Astoria almost believes him to only join them again after all the battles have been fought. It comes as a surprise to her when Elia whispers, "He is coming home." Her tears are not able to hide Elia's hopeful eyes and for once, Astoria says nothing.
The stories of Icarus boys always end the same: no one remembers that they flew, only that they fell.
HE HAD DREAMT OF SEEING Astoria again, night after night after night. Her laughter had comforted him when they had stolen Lyanna Stark away. Her smile had cured his longing for peace. Her touch had made him forget the blood that was shed.
Arthur Dayne feels like a fool when coming face to face with her, guarding Rhaegar. They had arrived mere hours ago but that time is already specked with disappointments. Aerys had not welcomed them home with open arms, instead with a snarl and a curse that would send lesser men running. "After fighting this war for you while you fuck that Northern cunt," he had seethed, "I am graced with your presence at last."
Even the queen had been distant and though happy to see her son safe, coldly detached in the light of his actions.
And while his other Kingsguard brothers were able to mask their true thoughts, Prince Lewyn had looked at Arthur with barely hidden anger. Arthur feels as if his insides burn at the shame he feels and now, looking at Elia makes the feeling worsen a hundredfold.
She cuts Rhaegar off before he can exhale, "You did me a great disservice. I am your wife, the mother of your children, the mother of your son and heir. I am the Princess of Dorne," she says, voice hard. "After Harrenhal I told you never to publicly shame me again. What you have done, that is something of the likes of Aegon the Unworthy."
