Forbidden

Dance of the Dragons (part II)

The gardens were beautiful. A saline breeze circulated leaving the atmosphere pleasant, despite the many tents and the sun being set.

Although the atmosphere is less formal, the music is softer and there are no more protocol moments to be fulfilled, Rhaegar noted that at the head table, except for the children, everyone there seemed to be bored.

To this day, the day of their name, the table was composed only with the presence of Lord Gendry's two northern cousins, Eddard and Robb Baratheon and his two daughters, still without their mother. No one else.

Lord Gendry looked glum. Rhaegar didn't even want to imagine the kind of conversation that he and his aunt Arya would probably have when, or rather if she showed up. He felt sorry for the man. Her aunt was a woman with no strings attached. A force no one could dare to contain.

Today, his father and mother barely looked at each other. Surely, they had argued and Rhaegar wondered about what. They always sat with their chairs glued, their arms always in contact with each other. And today he would fit quietly between the two highchairs occupied by the King and the Queen. And to top it off, there was Lyanna. Dressed as if for a war, a bit more sophisticated version of dragon riding clothes, surely to the chagrin of their ladies and the models chosen by their mother for that occasion. She had greeted everyone politely, of course. Including him. But with coldness. No one dared to bring matters to her. Not even their mother, who was clearly amazed when she saw her coming all covered in black leather.

A cheery birthday morning, indeed.

Even the guests seemed slow in the conversations and circulation in the gardens, despite the songs and dance companies presented before them. Most likely effect of tiredness from the night before.

Rhaegar ate and drank in silence. More drank than ate, and only water. The pieces of meat he preferred to give to Black, who sat on his hind legs next to him on the end of the table.

It wasn't just him who seemed to have little appetite. Lyanna and Daenerys barely touched the plates also. Only Jon ate normally, his attention turning to the children, talking to his nephews about Winterfell, things, places, people, homesickness evidenced in each question.

He also paid attention to his nieces, putting things on their plates to who, by order of the King, ate everything, joking that they were too thin. Lord Gendry just watched silently, gratefully, when the little girls obeyed, but only in exchange for a promise from Uncle King to take them to see Drogon up close.

Rhaegar wanted to talk to Lyanna.

I wish I could say something. Anything.

But she didn't look at him, the only movement of her body was that of breathing and a slight and impatient stamping of the floor.

She knows how she felt yesterday. She knows. Same as years ago. After the day she cried next to my bed as I struggled to see the next day. After that night, she didn't look at me, she did nothing but live in that damn library. And she is doing the same thing again. She knows she has feelings for me.

"It's time for presents" Dany warned them, pulling Rhaegar out of his internal thoughts.

He knew very well what gifts he and Lyanna would receive from their parents. Two scrolls, two royal decrees were placed before the King and Queen, each taking one.

Rhaegar and Lyanna got up and went around the table, solemnly standing before their parents. Rhaegar almost offered his arm as soon as they got up from their chairs but held back. He feared being ignored in front of everyone.