8 Chapter 8 - From Royalty to exile

<283 AC -Battle of the Trident>

Dying wasn't painless, Prince Rhaegar thought as he was giving his last breath on the blood-soaked ground. He lost against the Heir of the Stormlands, but alas the reign of his father will end… That was good…

At the same time, Robert Baratheon stood beside the dying prince, looking down at him with a mix of anger and pity. He had hated Rhaegar, ever since he had stolen his betrothed, Lyanna Stark, and taken her from her family. Like all of the northern lords, he had sworn to kill him and make him pay for his crimes.

The battle could have ended his rebellion if the roses and the lions were her, but Luckly for his forces they weren't and so he had smashed his warhammer into Rhaegar's chest, breaking his breastplate and sending those bloody rubies flying into the river. A dying dragon what a pellicular sight, Robert thoughted while smiling. The prince was dying and he would give everything just to kill him again and again and again… His Lyanna was being raped right now for all he knew or worse, the mad fool might even burn her like he burned her father…

Robert shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, there was no time for those dark thoughts. He had to finish what he started and so with that in mind, raised his warhammer again, ready to smash the prince arms, just to prolong his suffering. But before he could swing it down, he heard a voice behind him.

"Stop! Robert what are you doing!"

It was Ned Stark, his best friend and brother in all but blood.

"Ned, what do you want?" Robert asked, annoyed. "He's the enemy. He's the reason we're here. He's the reason Lyanna is gone."

"I know, Robert, I know. But he's also a man. A dying man. And we're not monsters like his father is. We're not like Aerys." Ned said, pleading with Robert.

Robert looked at Ned, then at Rhaegar. He saw the blood on Rhaegar's lips, the pain on his face, the fear in his eyes. The face of a dying man.

"Stark… please… listen to me… I'm sorry… I'm sorry for Lyanna… I didn't mean to hurt her… or you… or anyone…" He coughed, spitting blood before he continues. "It was the madness… the dragon's madness… it took over me… it made me do things I regret… things I can't undo…"

Before the prince could continue begging for forgives, Robert slammed his Warhammer on his head claiming the prince life.

"Robert!" Jon Arryn run towards him followed closely by Lord Royce and Marge Mormont.

"Are you all right, boy?" Jon asked, placing his hand on his shoulder.

"Yes. Now that this bastard is dead," Robert spatted on the ground. "Throw his body in the ford with the rest of the corpses. Let the crows feast on his bloody body."

The seven kingdoms were at war and while some kingdoms were not bleeding as they should, Dorne waws doing it in their place. Her own people, were dying and bleeding for a rapist and his mad father and yet, not even after her dear brothers sent tens of men to King's Landing, Elia couldn't leave. The mad king either heard from that eunuch that she was planning to leave or his paranoia was so great that he wanted to keep everyone as hostages.

Her two children were already scared, and while she tried to act like she was in control, Elia knew that if she and her children will not leave the city soon, they will die. News of the battle of the trident had already spread in the capital and many, many small folks started to realize that the war was lost. The dragons will be killed and that means that she too alongside her children will die. Robert Baratheon was a bloodthirsty man or at least that's what Varys say.

Just as she was about to call for her friend, Elia heard a knock on the door. Even though she was not Oberyn or Doran, she still learned how to fight, so as soon as she heard the knock, she quickly grabbed the dagger that she kept in her room.

"Who is it?"

"My lady, Lady Sunbright and Ser Jaime Lannister are here to see you."

Zara and a Lannister together? That's a recipe for disaster. Elia thought while smiling to herself. As much as she loved her friend, Zara was her own woman and if she and the oldest son of the Lion were together then something bad must have happened.

"Let them in."

A second later both Zara and Jaime entered the room before closing the door behind them. As soon as Jaime closed the door behind them, Zara rushed to Elia's side and embraced her warmly.

"Elia, we have some terrible news. Ser Jaime has just got a raven from his father. Ser Jaime go ahead."

"Your grace, my father sent me a rather cryptic and not so direct message that from what I managed to decrypt says that he will end the war. I do not know how he will do that, but I know for sure that if getting rid of you and your children will ensure the new king a safe reign, my father will do everything in his power to get rid of you. My cousin was very fond of the little princess and I wouldn't forgive myself if my father's men do unspeakable things to a little girl and her little brother. I might be a Lannister, but I'm not my father and I do value my oath as a kingsguard."

That was not something Elia hoped to hear from the blonde kingsguard, then again neither was Rhaegar's crushing defeat at the trident.

"What do you have in mind Ser Jaime?"

"This place is filled with snakes even more than Dorne, and one of the biggest snakes is whispering into the king's ear as we speak. If we are to smuggle you and the children out of here, we have to go now before Varys heard about it. Lady Zara has already gathered the men and as soon as we reach the harbor you can leave for Dorne. By the time the eunuch realize that he lost you, it would be too late for him to do anything."

"Why, Jaime Lannister? Why are you helping us?"

Jaime took a deep breath before he looked down at the floor. "I made a promise to Rhaegar when he forced me to remain here. My cousin Tyrek did the same thing almost seven months ago before he disappeared. And as I said my lady, I know my father and he will do anything to get our blood on that cursed throne. You, little Rhaenys and Aegon as well as the Queen are innocent, but the new king, be it him a Stark or seven forbids, a Baratheon, will not spare you, not after the mad king murdered Lord Stark and his heir."

"Not to mention that the prince took Lady Lyanna and raped her in the Red Keep for months before she was sent to Dorne with three of the kingsguard… "Zara continued disgusted.

To her surprise, Elia noticed that neither her friend nor the Lannister mentioned anything about Viserys, the now future rightful king of the seven kingdoms. "What about Viserys? Isn't he the rightful king?"

"The prince hadn't let you anywhere near him for a good reason, my lady. The boy … is the second coming of Aerys. He likes to torture servants and kill cats and worst of all… he has a rather dangerous obsession with fire. The boy will not be accepted by anyone, not even the roses will want an even madder king on the throne."

"Come, my lady, we have to go now. Ser Jaime has arranged a ship for us at the harbor. It will take us to Dorne, where we will be safe. Your brother Doran will protect us, I'm sure of it." Zara said, urging Elia to follow her.

Elia nodded, and took Aegon from his crib while Rhaenys was held by Zara. The little girl looked scared and confused, but she did not cry or protest. She trusted her mother and her big sister, who had always been kind to her. Taking one last look at her room, Elia sighed before putting a brave facade, after all it will only scare her sweetlings if they see their mother looking sad.

<King's Landing, exactly a day after Elia Martell, her children and entourage had escaped>

Many lords called Tywin a fool for not marching up north, but only a fool or a rose would face the savages from the north when they were armed with the best gear the Vale and Stormlands had to spare. Who Lord Tywin Lannister, the oldest brother and the head of the family was always prepared for everything. Even before receiving news of the death of the prince, Tywin gathered fourteen thousand men and marched them to the gates of King's Landing, with the intention of obtaining his revenge against mad king or help the dragons win the war, either way he will get what he wanted.

If Rhaegar had won, Lord Tywin would have forced the iron throne and had the prince marry his daughter Cersei as his wife. But since the stag, the wolf and the old knight were winning, Tywin will take the city and give it either one of the two heir who claim the throne as well as the Targaryen bodies, in exchange for Cersei to be queen. The Lannisters will have their blood on that throne, even if that means marrying in daughter to a betrothed man or a savage from the coldest place in the seven kingdoms.

Two weeks since he marched towards the capital from the Westerlands, Tywin got the news of the battle of the trident and its aftermath. Rhaegar Targaryen, the oldest son of the mad king, fell under the hammer of the Stag, and as soon as he read that, Tywin sent a raven with orders for his Grand Maester to persuaded the mad king to open the gates so that the Lannisters could defend the walls. It would be easier to sack King's Landing if they could conquer it without a lengthy siege.

Once he had his orders written for the Grand Maester, Lord Tywin decided to inquire about the task he had his dog do for him.

"Lord Tywin," an older knight said as he entered, taking a knee for his liege.

"Do we have any news from Clegane?"

"Yes, my lord. Clegane has ride out with fifty men south towards Dorne. The late prince wife run away from the castle on a boat, but one of your men had sabotaged it. They will have to repair the ship if they want make it to Dorne."

"Good. I want to see their dead bodies before the Iron Throne, that should please the future king."

Just as the man was about to salute, the gates of the city started too slowly open. Seeing that, Tywin turned towards his brother Kevan. "Order the troops to assault the city. Sack the Red Keep and kill any good dammed loyalists!"

Their ship had suffered and accident. One of the crewmates fell asleep and almost burned the whole ship alight if not for Zara and some of her men cutting down the mast. Luckly they were close to the shore otherwise it would have been a long and painful journey to shore.

Once the ship made it to shore, Elia, her children, Zara and half of their men left the ship to stretch out their legs on the ground. They had been sailing for only one day and a half, escaping from the wrath of Tywin Lannister and his army. If not for Jaime Lannister, only the gods know what would have happened to her and her sweetlings.

"How are you feeling my princess?" Zara asked her lady as she gave her some grapes.

"Horrible, Zara. Aegon cried the whole night and Rhaenys is scared out of her mind. She might be just a little girl, but she realized that we are on the run."

"You are a smart little girl aren't you, my princess?"

Rhaenys smiled while she was chasing after her cat. At least one of them was somewhat happy to be out of that den of snakes.

And so, Elia and her children stayed for almost two hours on the shore enjoying some time on the ground when she felt something cold and wet falling on her hand. When She looked up at the sky, the only thing that she saw were dark clouds looming over them.

"Come on, my princess, we have to get back to the ship," Zara said, grabbing her Rhaenys. "We can't stay here in this storm."

As soon as they reached the ship, Zara and Rhaenys were the first ones to climb aboard. Once they were on the ship, Elia gave her son to one of her brother's men before she too climbed. Just as she reached out to take Aegon from the guard, but before she could touch him, she saw something flash in the air. A spear flew through the air and pierced the guard and the babe in one swift motion. Elia gasped in horror as she saw blood spurt from their wounds.

Rhaenys little eyes went wide open as she saw her baby brother body fell to the ground with a bloodied spear thought his tiny stomach. Thankfully for the little princess, Zara quickly covered her eyes before barking orders at her men.

All that happening as Elia watched helplessly as her son fell to the ground. She felt a pain in her chest, as if her heart had been ripped out and she wanted to scream, to cry, to curse the gods, but she could not make a sound.

"We are under attack! Protect the princesses!"

< Just change "3" with "e" Patr3on Link : https://patr3on.com/meatbunkun>

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