25 Chapter 24

It were a tough few months in Winterfell for Lyanna. Sneaking around trying to practice her skills, ignoring the ridiculous, freakish letters from Rhaegar and the absolutely disgusting letters from Robert and how he would bed her and they'd have a wonderful night after their wedding... Lyanna was on the brink of running away.

She got sick so many times that her father had her examined by the maester to see if she was with a child. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry at her father's ridiculousness. The only man who was close to her and even remotely had a chance to impregnate her had been away for months.

She missed Allan, not in any weird way, but, just his companionship. He was her closest friend and was the only one who understood her. Her bond with Allan was different from that with her brothers and her fathers. There was mutual respect between the two, something she had longed for as long as she could remember.

On one night, she was sneaking out of the castle when she was caught by Rickard.

"Lyanna!"

She jumped and took out a dagger from her back, ready to strike the person who stopped her. Only, it was her father which made her losen her stance.

"F-Father?"

"I've had enough of your rebelliousness. You wanted to learn to fight, I allowed that and even gave you permission to be tought by the best. Why can't you fulfill my wishes now? I want what's the best for you, my child. I told you explicitly not to train any longer, yet, you sneak out every night like a thief, putting yourself in danger. Why can't you understand your father's trepidation?"

Lyanna ground her teeth and said, "You sent my friend away to his death! You want me to marry a lecherous man, for what?! For political gain?! I don't want to be his lady! I want to be free! Free to make my own choices! It's my life!"

"It's for your own good... And for the good of the realm."

Scowling, Lyanna asked, "For the realm?"

"Follow me."

Rickard led her to his solar and their sat down on the chairs. Then, he explained, "The Mad King, his reign of terror is causing ripples all across the realm. The Targaryen hold over the seven kingdoms is weakening. Everyday, Aerys burns men alive with his wildfire for his own pleasure. The realm is suffering under his rule. It was mutually decided by John Arryn and I that Targaryen rule couldn't be allowed to continue. I sent Ned to foster under him so that we could form an alliance with the Baratheons. Brandon will be wed to Hoster Tully's eldest daughter, bringing the Riverlands into the fold."

The North, the Riverlands, Vale, the Stormlands...

"Y-You're planning a rebellion.." Lyanna concluded with shock and fear in her eyes.

"Aye. Your marriage to Robert Baratheon is crucial to those plans. He has Targaryen blood in him. So, he does have claim to the crown."

With eyes widened in shock, Lyanna said, "You want to make him the king... And me the queen.."

Rickard smirked and said, "Aye, you will be the queen. We will have a Stark on the throne."

Lyanna couldn't believe it. No, that couldn't be her father.

"You will plunge the realm into war, cause deaths of hundreds of thousands of men, destroy their lives... for what? For your selfish ambitions?!"

"I'm doing it for the realm! And, for you!"

Tears welled up like embers in Lyanna's burning eyes as anger and disgust bubbled inside her.

"It's not for the realm! It's for political power! I'm not a naive little girl who dreams of being a princess or a queen, waiting for her knight to save her from the evil man! What you are planning is a tragedy! You will plunge the realm into chaos! Do you have any idea how many men will die just because you want more power?!"

Rickard was disappointed that his daughter couldn't see the bigger picture. Brandon knew of the plan and even supported him. But, for Lyanna to be so vehemently against the rebellion was not something Rickard was expecting.

Lyanna said with desperation, "Please, father! You must reconsider! You will be putting countless people to death if you start a rebellion. You're betting the lives of your children on a lost cause because of your selfishness!"

"Enough!!"

*Smack*

Rickard's backhanded slap sent Lyanna falling to the ground.

"You will do what I say as long as you are living in my castle and are my daughter, do you understand?! I tried explaining to you, but, you are too deluded to see the greater good! You will be confined to your room until it's time for Brandon to be wed to Catelyn Tully. I will have you married to Robert Baratheon right after that."

He grabbed her by her arm and dragged her to her room.

For the next two months, she was closely watched by the Stark men and confined to her room. All of her weapons were taken and even the weapons on her person were taken by the maids after she was throughly searched.

Had she been the Lyanna of the past, she would have lost all hope. But, she was trained by Allan and even without her weapons, she could train her body into a weapon. Using the wooden post of her bed, she trained in unarmed combat as she was instructed by Allan.

'You can take away my freedom, my weapons, my equipment... But, you cannot take the fight within me. You cannot take my will. This is my rebellion, father.'

She had absolute faith in Allan. She knew that he would return and help her free herself from her shackles.

Finally, the day came for the Starks to depart for Riverrun.

Lyanna had grown a lot more feral during her confinement. She had smashed the jaws of some Stark men with her elbows before they could subdue her. All the respect she had for her father and her brothers was lost. She still held some familial love for them, but, her resentment for Rickard was astronomical.

Rickard couldn't keep such stringent check on her while in Riverrun. The Tullys and Starks were drunk in jubilation and Lyanna saw her chance to escape.

She went to one of the Stark wagons and took her Spatha that was hidden underneath it. She smiled as she gazed upon the sword that was gifted to her by Allan. There was no way she could let Rickard or anyone else take it away from her.

She ran south, away from the castle.

All of a sudden she heard the sound of hooves and a bunch of men surrounded her. It was none other than the sissy boy Rhaegar and his stooges.

"Why are you here?" Lyanna asked with caution.

Rhaegar put on a winning smile that turned the legs of many women into jelly. Unfortunately, it had absolutely no affect on Lyanna.

"I-I wanted to meet you, Lyanna. I sent numerous letters to you, but, I recieved no response. I feared that they didn't reach you, so, I decided to come all the way here to meet you."

Lyanna sighed and then began to laugh out loud. 'What a fucking loser.'

(ACJTF)

A/M: Term exams, so, am busy.