Dynasty Of The Dragons

Rhaegar I

"We should attack hard and fast. Send them back north."

"No, send the Riverlords in first. The Tully's will think twice when it's their own men attacking."

"Preposterous! We should send in our archers. Wear their numbers down before charging."

"Of course not we-"

"Enough!" Rhaegar bellowed, the lords hushed at the order of their Prince. "This bickering is pointless. We shall reconvene later when cooler heads can come up with a suitable strategy."

At Rhaegar's command the Lords and landed Knights of the Crownlands, Dorne, Reach and loyalist Riverlords filed out of Rhaegar's tent. Only the three Knights of the Kingsguard remained. Once the Lords have left he slumps down in his seat. How had everything spiralled out of control so quickly? He wondered. He planned to the finest of details yet it had all been for nought.

Harrenhal had been the perfect disguise. A tournament so large and grand that nearly every Lord and Knight of the realm would attend. There Rhaegar could discreetly meet with some. Lord Tywin would support him, that would have given him great sway over the others. Then, Lords Jon Arryn, Rickard Stark, Hoster Tully and Mace Tyrell would be Rhaegar's next target. He would've called for a Great Council to declare his father unfit to rule and push for himself to be named regent of The Seven Kingdoms, he was the only real choice given how devastated and weak House Targaryen had become.

That had been where it had started to go wrong. First Tywin Lannister and Hoster Tully hadn't even travelled to the tourney, despite the latter being liege Lord of the hosts of the tourney. And losing Tywin Lannister's vast wealth and resources before he could even begin to gather support was a huge blow to his plans. To make matters worse Rhaegar's father had decided to attend the tournament making sure any meeting Rhaegar had with anyone would be heavily scrutinised, all his movements would be watched by the Spider. And this making it impossible to discuss such treasonous actions when he was being watched so closely.

Rhaegar hadn't helped himself either. Frankly, he had made the situation even worse. The talk of court was that Ashara Dayne was the prettiest maiden around. Even some of the Kingsguard harboured feelings towards Ser Arthur's sister, yet, to Rhaegar, for all of Lady Ashara's beauty. She paled in comparison to Lyanna Stark.

There was no denying there was great beauty to Lyanna, but it was her actions that drew Rhaegar to her. Riding in a joust? Was unheard of for a woman. Beating three Knight's all bigger and more experienced jousters was a once in a lifetime experience. From the moment Rhaegar and Ser Arthur found her in the Godswood of Harrenhal, half her armour scattered around the floor, hair a frizzy mess and face flushed red, Rhaegar had been entranced by Lyanna.

Perhaps that had been where he has gone wrong most. As Crown Prince in such dangerous times he should've put his feelings for aside and done his duty, for himself, the realm and Elia. But then he would remember that the love he had for Lyanna. He would remember that she despised her betrothed and that in their short time together Rhaegar had utterly fallen for her. He would remember how his father figured out that Lyanna was the Knight Of The Laughing Tree and wanted her tried for treason and the consequences of treason under Aerys Targaryen. Most importantly he would remember that the dragon needs three heads and currently only had two, and would have no more unless he married again.

They had planned out what they would do. Lyanna would leave Riverrun before her brothers' wedding and meet Rhaegar and he would bring Ser Arthur Dayne and Ser Oswell Whent as they were the two Kingsguard he's closest to and trusting of. She would leave a note in her room to her brother. They would marry, High Septon Maynard had become a close friend of Rhaegar's as his concern for the realm under his father's Kingship grew. He agreed to wed them, citing that Grandmaester Pycelle believed that Elia could bear no more children.