Chapter 17

Harry Potter + A song of Ice and Fire Crossover

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Chapter 17

The pair had barely put one foot over the threshold of the doorway into the Red Keep from the gardens when there was the sound of hurried footsteps racing towards them. Both Lily and Brynden jerked to the right in time to see a servant racing by.

"You there!" the Blackfish barked. "What is the commotion?"

The servant skidded to a halt when he saw them and hurriedly bowed. "Your pardon Ser Brynden, Lady Lilian but there has been an attack."

"On whom?" Lily demanded suddenly on high alert. "Who has been attacked?"

The servant hesitated but the answer suddenly came when a contingent of Martell guards raced down the corridor from behind the servant. They were heading towards the east wing and all of their swords were drawn.

The east wing was where the chambers of the new princess were located.

Lily muttered several choice curses under her breath and took off in that direction, needing no further information as to the source of the commotion. There was a moment's hesitation but she could hear her uncle hot on her heels.

Please don't let it be an assassin sneaking into the palace! The last thing this court needs is more drama!

Unfortunately it seemed that her wishes held no bearing on reality for when she and Brynden skidded into the corridor where Elia's chambers were located it was already crowded with terrified servants and guards.

Standing near the door to the inner rooms was a familiar figure.

"Oberyn!" Lily called as she pushed her way through the crowd of confused and alarmed people. "What in the Seven Hells is going on?"

The prince's eyes narrowed when he saw her and he strode forward. "It seems the hooded bastards are getting more creative."

"Is Elia alright?" the red head demanded.

"As well as can be expected," the prince said through gritted teeth. "After all, it will take some time to adjust to an armed assailant coming in through an open window, a blade tucked between his teeth."

Lily sucked in a breath and came to a screeching halt. "Not again."

"Yes again," the prince snarled. "And it would seem that the third occurrence nearly did the trick. Thankfully Elia has always been a light sleeper and so before the bastard got too close she screamed. That was enough to alert the guards. They burst in but only caught a glimpse of the man before he hurled himself over the balcony and disappeared."

Lily swallowed hard and muttered several choice curses she had learned from her uncle under her breath. "Is the keep being searched?"

"Aye," Prince Lewyn said striding up to them. "The keep has been searched…but not a soul has been found out of place."

Lily released a sigh. "May I see her?"

"Of course," Lewyn replied with a sigh. "She's been asking for you."

The red head wasn't sure if that was a good or bad sign so she decided not to ask anymore questions and just headed for the door.

The Martell guards standing on either side regarded her reproachfully as they passed and Lily got the distinct feeling that they were feeling some regret for not being able to handle the threat directly.

After all this was the third time something like this had happened since the princess had come to the capital, one had to be wondering if such an endeavor was cursed.

And Lily knew a little too much about curses.

As soon as the door opened, Lily stepped inside and shut it behind her. The less people knew what went on in here the better. There was already entirely too much gossip circulating as it was.

"Lily?"

The red head took a deep breath and turned around and was confronted with the image of Elia sitting on the edge of her bed on the left side of the room. She had a wool shawl wrapped about her shoulders that was being held in place by Ashara Dayne who's purple eyes were fairly blazing with rage.

Across the room but directly in front of her was the open archway that led onto the balcony and the gardens below it. The wispy white curtains were slowly spraying in the warm breeze like ghosts tired of existing on the mortal plain in which they lingered.

Lily shuddered at the analogy and turned back to her friend. "Gods…are you alright?"

She knew right away that it was a stupid question to ask but it was also an automatic one.

Elia tried to give her a smile but with her pale cheeks to frame it, the expression looked rather ghastly.

"As much as I can be I suppose," she said in a halting voice.

Lily muttered a curse under her breath and strode over to her friend, seating herself on the opposite side of her.

"The bastard didn't make so much as a sound," Ashara muttered through clenched teeth. "He climbed up the ivy trellis outside the window and got into the room that way."

"And there's been no sign of him since?"

"None."

Lily sighed and ran a hand through her curls. These cloak and dagger tactics were beginning to wear on her. She was no closer to catching these assailants than she was a few days ago.

And the object and passage she had found in the Great Sept was meaningless if she couldn't find out who was using it and their source of origin.

"We'll find him and wring the truth out of him," Ashara muttered fiercely to the princess who still hadn't said a word other than Lily's name when she had first entered.

"No we won't," Elia said in a dull voice. "These men might as well be wraiths for how little we know about them and how fast they move. We don't even know what they truly look like."

Lily grimaced and gripped her friends' shoulder. "Not yet. But its only a matter of time."

Elia snorted bitterly. "Of course, and while we sit here helpless because of our lack of knowledge at any time these men could sneak into the castle and cut my throat."

She seemed to catch herself after that and grimaced at the words that had been spoken. "I'm sorry Lily. I know you and everyone else are doing their best."

The red head sighed. "I can't imagine how frustrating this is. I don't want to ask you to be patient because I know I wouldn't be. But, I'm hoping that if you aren't able to trust me, then trust your family and your house. They are the ones who have sworn to protect you and if you let them…they will."

Elia blinked at the younger girl and a moment of silence reigned throughout the chamber.

"That was very measured," Ashara said quietly after a moment. "But Lily's right my princess. If we can't trust what's going on around us then we need to trust the people who have made promises to us. They won't let us down."

The Dornish princess released a deep sigh that seemed to come right from her soul. "I know. And my trust hasn't wavered in Oberyn or our guards or the people in this room or even my husband. I intend to be queen one day, that hasn't changed."

Lily nodded and then she and Ashara decided by unspoken agreement to speak of other things. After a scare like Elia had just had, the last thing that was needed was prolonged after exposure.

The next hour was spent casually talking about their days and the tourney that had taken place.

It wasn't until they were shown out by one of the guards that Lily turned to Oberyn and Ashara at the door and told them what she and Elbert had found at the Great Sept earlier that day.

Oberyn, having not been informed of such matters was clearly annoyed that he had been left out of the picture but Ashara, having known him longer was able to calm him down with a few well placed words.

"So where do we go from here?" Ashara asked as the trio walked to the end of the hall. Oberyn was going to spend the night guarding his sister's door and no one was to enter the hallway.

It was going to be a tense night.

Lily saw her uncle waiting for her, slowly pacing the hall as he often did when he was thinking. She could tell that he was annoyed he hadn't been allowed through the wall of guards but had chosen to keep his opinion to himself. Now wasn't the time to be voicing complaints after all.

She quickly bid a goodnight to Oberyn and Ashara and walked towards him

At the sound of her footsteps he looked up and a measure of relief quickly crossed his face before it disappeared. He turned towards her and crossed his arms across his chest as if bracing himself for bad news. "Well?"

Lily sighed and ran a hand through her long hair. "It was another attack."

Brynden Tully swore quietly under his breath but said nothing else as he waited for her to fill him in.

Lily cast her eyes backward down the hall and saw with some relief that most of the servants had dispersed and the members of the Kingsguard were now conferring with Elia's Dornish contingent. Oberyn was still with them but Ashara had no doubt gone back to her room.

"Let's walk and I'll explain," she said under her breath and the Blackfish nodded sharply before taking her arm and leading her down the hall.

"They got in by the window," she explained quietly as they walked. "Climbed up the ivy trellis from what Ashara said and got into the room. Thankfully Elia is a light sleeper and before he got too close to the bed, she came awake and yelled for help. The guards got into the room and did the rest then but the assailant was as fleeting as a vapour of wind for he ran to the balcony and threw himself off it, disappearing into the night."

Brynden was silent for a long while as they continued their trek down the dim corridor back to their rooms.

"And there's been no sign of him anywhere?"

"The castle is still being searched," Lily continued. "But I have a feeling they're not going to find anything…which is only going to make the king more angry."

Brynden sighed. "That's what I was afraid of. I suppose you will have to be the one to explain to the king about what has occurred here tonight?"

Lily raised an eyebrow at her uncle. "I didn't get here until after it happened. The king will no doubt want to talk to Elia and her brother about it."

"And then this investigation will continue and more thorough searches of those passages will be conducted," the Blackfish groused as they stopped outside of

Lily's chamber door. "The King wants answers and if he doesn't get them soon its going to turn him even more dangerous and erratic. I'm still at an utter loss as to why he named you an investigator into this matter."

"The King cannot be read by anyone these days," Lily said lowering her voice even more. "It's not the king's strange favor that's given me this task, its his erraticism. He thrives on his ability to keep people guessing and the knowledge that he can do whatever he pleases. It was not some favor to me that I was given this role. He probably did it to annoy his guards and remind them that he is not pleased with their inability to uncover the truth so far. If I drag my feet too, I'll be kicked to the curb also. He likes his surprises and he likes to keep himself entertained. I'm merely part of that entertainment."

Brynden muttered another curse under his breath and turned towards his own door. "That's what I'm afraid of. Watch yourself niece. We're in the thick of it now and the king's favor is not a blessing."

Lily watched him disappear into his own rooms before she grasped the doorknob to her own. "I never said it was."

Ω

To the surprise of everyone and the severe consternation of a few, Aerys seemed less than concerned with the midnight attack on his good daughter and the next few weeks passed relatively quietly.

Lily continued her investigation into the passages beneath the city but because the Kingsguard had now been informed of its existence, she had to go at odd hours and always under cover of her magic.

Sometimes Elbert accompanied her and sometimes he did not as he was running errands for his uncle and representing the Vale at court.

The more Lily got to know him, the more she began to like what she saw. He was far different from James but there was nothing wrong with that.

He was quiet but he knew when to speak when necessary and possessed the uncanny ability to not let anything ruffle his feathers.

He certainly didn't possess the dark ages mentality that many other young men and nobles his age did. To him, she wasn't a second class citizen like so many other wives of lords but rather he treated her like a partner.

He was continually surprising her and she was finding that she liked that.

"I'm thinking of erecting more settlements in the Fingers," he said to her one night as they were strolling through the gardens.

"You are?" Lily asked, one eyebrow raised. "And why is that?"

"The land is barren enough as it is," Elbert explained. "My uncle has taught me the value in looking at all assets and assessing their worth, even potential ones. I want the Vale to be as prosperous as possible when it becomes time for me to rule it. So that means settling the land and sending some people that I trust out there to learn how to farm it, produce crops and perhaps even discover if it has natural resources."

He was thinking both shrewdly and about the big picture at the same time, a notion that pleased Lily.

"You're smiling," Elbert said looking down at her.

"I am," Lily said. "You're surprising me. You've been doing that a lot lately…I like it."

A corner of the blonde's mouth turned up as if he too were trying not to grin. "Well good. Then perhaps I should make it a habit."

Her conversations with Elbert had always carried on in a similar manner, following the pattern of easy and amusing. They had yet to talk about serious matters but that was only because nothing serious in the personal lives had happened.

There was of course the assassination attempts but there was only so much one could talk about those things before they became repetitive.

"So what do you have planned for the land?" she asked as they walked along.

"Well," the heir to the Vale said thoughtfully. "I had wondered about planning a trip there when my uncle recalls me to the Eyrie. I want to see it for myself and discern its potential. There may already be abandoned holdfasts there so minor lords could be installed immediately without having to go through the trouble of breaking ground and raising farmsteads. I won't know until I go. Then there is the process of seeing to the towns and villages on that rocky coast.

The chance of the people living there being of First Men rather than Andal blood is much greater and they might not take too kindly to an Andal lord coming from the interior to shoo them off their property."

"But you don't intend to do that do you?" Lily asked.

"Not at all," Elbert explained. "I simply want to know the land better and if that means I need to meet with a few rather nasty people….well then so be it."

"Has your uncle sent word about when he is going to recall you then?" the red head asked.

Elbert raised an eyebrow at her as they wandered by a tall column of trees on the left side of the path. "Trying to be rid of me already?"

Lily opened her mouth to refute the claim immediately but then saw by the unmistakable twinkle in his blue eyes that he was only jesting. She snorted and shook her head.

"So you do know how to joke," she said with a smile. "I was beginning to wonder if all the mirth had been stolen by Robert."

Elbert chuckled. "I can jape with the best of them with the moment suits me. The trick is knowing when to use humor to make it more memorable."

The pair lapsed into silence as they continued their walk and in the gathering dark, Lily thought back to the ongoing investigation and what she was going to do to bring about a solution. It certainly didn't help that these masked assassins were as slippery to pin down as a freshly oiled eel. Where were they coming from? How were they entering the keep as easily as they were? Who had sent them? And above all else….what in the Seven Hells did they want?

Lily didn't notice as she walked but her expression had twisted into one of intense scrutiny and she was so lost in her own thoughts that it thoroughly shocked her when Elbert placed a hand over hers and squeezed it slightly.

She flinched and glanced up at him in surprise.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" Elbert asked in a gentle voice.

Lily gave a frustrated sigh. "I'm getting nowhere with this investigation. Whoever these men are, they seem to come like a shadow and disappear just as fast. I'm running out of leads and the princess is counting on me."

"You're not the only one searching for them you know," Elbert pointed out. "The entire Kingsguard and all of Dorne have a vested interest in seeking these men out. Whoever the mastermind is behind these attacks…we'll find them."

Lily didn't reply but as Elbert turned the conversation to other topics, a traitorous thoughts wormed its way into her mind.

But what if we're too late?

Ω

Another few weeks passed and the temperature took a sudden sharp dip into cooler weather prompting the wearing of cloaks and thicker dresses.

The sun disappeared more often prompting shorter tempers and longer scowls on the faces of the visiting noblemen. Ladies often hid from the cool air and stayed in their rooms longer spent more time with their sewing as opposed to socializing.

Lily found herself doing a lot of that with Ashara and Elia in fact. The strange events surrounding the last few weeks had died down and there had been no further attacks for which they were thankful, but the silence was beginning to drive Lily crazy.

She could tell Elia was also under a certain amount of strain given the unknown circumstances but the Dornish princess never complained which prompted Lily's admiration for her to grow.

But the red head also had a feeling that they might be able to use a break from the norm…and that was when she lit upon an idea.

One day after they had finished taking their meal in Elia's chambers, Ashara had decided to retire early leaving Lily and Elia alone.

They were sitting in the large window seat of Elia's chambers with their empty trays on tables a few feet away and the room was quiet as the sun was about to go down.

Elia was picking absently at her sewing and Lily was attempting to pen a letter to Lysa she smiled to herself.

The Dornish princess happened to glance up at that moment and see her smile. "What is it?"

Lily's grin grew and she slowly put her letter down. "If you could go anywhere in the known world right now….where would it be?"

Elia blinked a few times at her friend and the unexpected question. "No one's ever asked me that before."

"Well I'm asking it now," Lily said with a cheeky smile. "If you could choose somewhere to go right now…where would it be?"

The brunette was silent for a moment as she pondered the question and then a slow smile crossed her face. It was almost the sort of the smile that appeared when a special memory was being remembered or the smell of something wonderful wafted through the room.

"Lys," she said softly. "I would go to Lys. I went there when I was much younger with Doran. He was older by far than Oberyn and I and he had business to attend to for our mother. So while he spoke with politicians and haggled over details, I walked the beaches with our servants, dug my toes into the sand and played in the water. The weather never changes there…it's always sunny, always warm."

"It sounds lovely," Lily admitted. "It certainly would be nice to go there to escape all the nonsense we're dealing with now."

Elia picked up on the sneaky tone immediately and narrowed her eyes at her friend. "Alright, you're up to something, out with it."

Lily smirked at the brunette. "What if I told you we could go to Lys, you and me, right now?"

Elia blinked several times and her mouth opened and closed before it seemed she was able to speak. "Are you telling me that if we wanted to, we could go to Lys right now…and no one would be the wiser?"

Lily's grin grew. "Absolutely."

Elia's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and she clasped her hands in front of her like a small child that had just been promised a sweet. "Oh can we Lily? I would do anything to escape this palace for a few hours! It would be such a relief."

The red head grinned. "Very well your grace, then listen to me carefully for here is my plan."

She went on to explain what she had in mind to the princess and smiled as Elia's delight grew and grew.

Upon the conclusion of the explanation of her scheme, Lily got up and made for the door. "I will got to my room now and wait for five minutes while you inform the guard outside that you are going to bed and not to be disturbed."

"Right," Elia nodded. "Once I have done that I will find another summery dress to wear and then weight for you to return. Lys is quite hot."

"Excellent."

The red head ducked out of the door and bid the guard goodnight before heading off in the direction of her own rooms.

At the fork in the hallway, she looked up and down the corridors to make certain there were no servants approaching before she whispered the words to the disillusionment charm.

Lily was certain there weren't going to be many people wandering the halls at this late hour but one couldn't be too careful.

Elbert had told her that he was going to spend the evening alone with some letters but she didn't want him to have any reason to think that she was available to talk to.

She closed her eyes and spun on her heel apparating to the door of her room and entering it quickly.

In a few moments she had stripped off her thicker dress and laced herself into a pale blue silk gown perfect for walking the beach. Then she bunched up the pillows under the sheets of her bed to give the appearance of someone sleeping before waiting the necessary five minutes.

Once the time was up, she smiled and apparated back into Elia's room.

The princess, who had been bustling about the room before her appearance, jumped at the cracking sound and whirled around to find Lily standing there.

"By the Seven," she gasped pressing a hand against her chest. "Is that what its going to be like?"

Lily grinned. "Yes, but I can promise you won't like it the first time. It's going to be very dizzying and you're going to have to hold on tight to my hand. If you let go, you're not going to like what happens."

Elia looked at her warily. "What will happen?"

Lily hesitated. "I'll tell you when we get to Lys, but for now just know that you cannot let go of my hand."

The princess stared at her for a moment before nodding fiercely. "Very well, I'm ready let's go."

"Good," Lily said. "Take my hand now."

Once Elia had done so, the red head closed her eyes and centered a picture of a beach firmly in her mind. Thankfully there were pictures in the books at home and she had once read about a deal being brokered between Lys and Myr for the use of their waterways. Accompanying it had been a picture of a most beautiful white sand beach.

Lily centered the image in her mind and spun on her heel, gripping Elia's arm for all she was worth.

There was a terrible jerking sensation that made Lily feel as if she were standing on the pinnacle of a toy top that had just been spun by a small giant but she fought to remain on her feet and refused to open her eyes.

No doubt the spinning sensation would be enough to make her lose her lunch.

Poor Elia.

Finally the spinning sensation eased and apart from some swaying Lily managed to stay upright. Elia's hand in hers had gone limp and for a moment Lily was worried.

She opened her eyes and was temporarily blinded by the blazing sunlight.

"We're here," said a faint voice next to her. "We're actually in Lys. The land I remember, the city of beaches and canals and ocean waves."

Lily glanced about and saw immediately that everything her friend said was true.

At the moment they were standing on a white sand beach, their feet half buried in the stuff. About five feet to the right of them was where the waves met the shore and the distant roar could distinctly be heard far off across the water.

The shoreline stretched out for miles ahead of them and almost seemed to meet the very sky itself. There was not a cloud above them a warm breeze was blowing, sending Lily's curls flying off her shoulders and making her glad she had decided to change before they had come here.

"Is it like you remember?" Lily asked, partially in awe at the uniquely beautiful place.

"Exactly the same," Elia said clapping her hands together and laughing delightedly. "I remember walking the beach for hours one afternoon and nearly becoming lost, forcing my brother and our guards to come after me. Needless to say he wasn't the happiest with me for wandering off."

Lily looked to her left and noticed several pathways made of stone leading up and away from the beach. "I take it those go towards the city?"

"Aye, those paths if I'm not mistaken lead directly to the markets on the edge of the city," Elia explained. "I don't think we'll tread that path this time, it might be risky for two women unarmed and alone. Besides I want to stay on the beach at any rate."

"Very well," Lily said with a smile, "then why don't we make ourselves comfortable?"

She waved her hand and in the blink of an eye two lounge chair appeared with a table of fruit and cheese perched between them.

Elia blinked and then burst into laughter. "Gods Lily, the day you became my friend was such an unexpected gift! Life is never dull around you, you know that?"

Lily smirked. "I like to live on the edge your grace. Being predictable is my worst nightmare."

She immediately removed her shoes and seated herself in the chair on the left, spreading her silk skirt around her so it wouldn't blow in the breeze. "Well sit down then, we have all night to relax."

"Speaking of all night," Elia said. "I never understood how it could be day in some parts of the world and night in the other."

"A different phenomenon," Lily explained, "we are in the east which would explain hours being different. We are several hours away from Westeros and they would receive the sun later than the Essosi."

Elia shrugged. "Doesn't make much sense to me but as long as we have a few hours of uninterrupted daylight to ourselves then I cannot complain."

She seated herself down in the chair next to Lily and plucked an apricot from the silver plate between them. Rolling it back and forth between her hands, Elia stared out to sea and fixed Lily with a grin.

This reminds me of when I was back in Sunspear with my good sister Mellario. We would often sit in chairs like this in the sand and watch her children and my brother's daughters play in the waves."

"How many children does Oberyn have?" Lily asked curiously.

"More than one, with one more on the way," Elia said with a long suffering sigh. "I honestly wonder if Oberyn is merely fathering bastards as a way to see how much patience Doran has."

Lily chuckled. "He does seem to be the sort to test the rules. But at least he takes care of them."

"Aye, there is that," Elia replied. "Bastards aren't seen as a blemish in Dorne, they're children. They haven't done any one any harm. And my brother loves his daughters very much."

Lily smiled, remembering the discussion, if one could call it that, that had taken place in the Eyrie when it was discovered that Robert Baratheon had fathered a child.

I wonder what's going to become of that child, she thought to herself. Hopefully Lord Arryn will see to his or her upbringing.

Elia bit into the apricot and hummed happily as a squirt of pink juice dribbled down her chin. "Are you sure you didn't get these from Sunspear itself?"

"Well seeing as how I've never been there before that would be a little hard wouldn't it?" Lily said wryly. "But I'm glad you like it."

"Gods, I wish I had magic," Elia said in a low voice as she finished her fruit and then tossed the pit as far as she could into the waves. "Life would be so much easier."

Lily raised an eyebrow at her friends' tone and was immediately reminded of Elia's words to her in the godswood several weeks ago. "Is there trouble in paradise?"

"No," the Dornish girl said slowly in a manner that made Lily think she wasn't being entirely truthful. "It's just….life at court is very different than life in Sunspear. I knew that when the letter from the king came…but its one of those things where you don't understand how different until you live it."

"Are you unhappy?" Lily asked.

The side of Elia's face twisted into a contemplative expression. "Not exactly, but I wouldn't say I'm thriving either."

"And in what way did you expect to thrive?" Lily asked.

"I knew I wanted to be somewhat involved in politics," Elia said wistfully. "Perhaps ensure that the children of King's Landing had a home to go for whatever reason. There are far too many orphans there and not enough orphanages. The one that do exist are criminally underfunded."

"Well why don't we turn our attention to that?" Lily said. "If children is where your heart is, what's stopping you from getting involved?"

Elia squirmed somewhat. "I didn't want to bring myself to the attention of the king?"

"Do you really think he would care about an orphanage that much so as feel any sort of emotion about it?" Lily asked. "The man practically leaves the running of the entire realm to his Hand and the small council."

"Regardless," Elia said in a grim voice. "He is as unpredictable as wildfire and I would rather not draw attention to myself. Life is going to become infinitely more complicated the longer I remain here."

As she said this, the hand that had been resting beneath her chin moved from her face down to press against her belly.

Lily knew instantly then her friend's source of worry and discomfort.

"You're pregnant," she whispered.

Elia turned to her with expression that combined excitement and worry. "Yes, yes I am. It must have been on our wedding night. I can only thank the Mother for her gift of fertility for Rhaegar has not touched me since. If I had not missed my moonblood, I might think that I was having some sort of nervous breakdown."

"Congratulations," Lily said with a smile. "This truly wonderful news."

"Thank you my friend," Elia whispered. "But I must ask that you not tell anyone. I still have yet to tell Rhaegar."

Lily's eyes narrowed. "Why the delay? How long have you known?"

The other hand joined the first on the princess's stomach. "I've known for a week or two now. I am thankful that I brought with me a master from Sunspear who trained with Maester Myles, the one who is commissioned to my brother. He is the one who confirmed the truth for me."

Lily nodded. She didn't ask why Elia had chosen not to go to the Grand Maester as she had seen him in the company of one Tywin Lannister once and wasn't sure she liked the look of him.

"And how do you feel about it?" she asked gently.

"Honestly?" the princess asked as she looked out over the azure horizon. "I'm ecstatic. I can't wait to have children, its all I've ever wanted. And to think that the child I will give Rhaegar could possibly be the next king is an exciting concept. It would also shut all the hags up."

These last words she muttered in a dissatisfied tone and Lily frowned at her. She had known of the fact that there were grumblings that Elia was an unusual choice for the next queen.

People had said that she was sickly as a child and wouldn't be able to bear the children necessary to carry on the Targaryen line.

Lily didn't pay such people any mind. They had as little sense as a bird of prey suddenly behaving like a cooing dove.

"What would you name the child if you had a boy?" she asked.

"Aegon," Elia said without hesitation. "He was a conqueror, a warrior and someone who built a dynasty. I would want my son to do the same thing."

He was also a murderer and a man who fathered a line through incest, Lily thought but she didn't dare speak those thoughts aloud.

"And if it's a girl?" she asked.

Elia paused to think, her head tilted to one side. "Either Rhaenys or Visenya. I'm not sure which one."

Lily barely controlled a grimace. They were decent names in their own right but what about Elia's own family?

"You wouldn't want to name a potential daughter after your own mother?" she asked gently. "Meria is a lovely name."

Elia shook her head. "I had thought about it but I don't think it would be too readily accepted. The Targaryens have their….traditions."

Don't I know it.

"But enough about me," Elia said switching the topic of conversation. "Tell me about you. How is your relationship with Lord Elbert progressing. He's quite handsome isn't he?"

Lily smiled slightly. "He is and very kind too. He understands that I don't want to marry just yet and do my own exploring of the world, all he wants is to be a part of that process. I was quite honored and touched when he told me that."

Elia gave her a knowing smile. "It seems you are one of the lucky ones my friend. Few men in this world are as introspective as that. Lord Elbert was raised by a good man, Jon Arryn is as honorable as they come. I almost wish he served on the small council."

"That would be interesting wouldn't it?" Lily agreed. "Though I doubt the Warden of the East would leave his echoing mountain halls for the stink of King's Landing."

"You're probably right," Elia said with a sigh. "It certainly does have an awful smell there. I often wonder if it doesn't bother people.

The rich don't smell it often enough to actually care, Lily thought to herself. They might get the odd whiff of it on a windy day but otherwise only the ones in Flea Bottom have to put up with it.

"If I were ruling that would be my first order of business," she said without thinking. "Trying to fix this city so it's a habitable place to live for all people regardless of class."

There was a long silence following this statement and Lily grimaced, wondering if she had overstepped.

When she glanced at her friend however, Elia was giving her a thoughtful look. "What is it?"

"Nothing," the Dornish princess said. "I was just thinking. What do you think Westeros would look like if women ruled instead of men?"

Lily felt her eyebrows fly up to her hairline. "That's an odd line of reasoning to follow, whatever made you think of it?"

"Well," Elia said brushing the sand from her dress and turning back to the ocean. "In Dorne, it is the oldest child born to the current ruler that is given the privilege of leading our region and our house. It is not like that throughout the rest of Westeros. I just wondered if it was."

Her hand was on her stomach again and Lily knew instantly that she was thinking about the possibility of her bearing a daughter first rather than a son.

It was an intriguing thought and one Lily rather liked the sound of. It would certainly level the playing field for women in a world that was decidedly dominated by men.

"I could get behind an idea like that," she said thoughtfully. "After all, the highest position a woman in Westeros can achieve is that of Queen, something you will one day be your grace. But if a queen could supplement the place of a king if she were born first….well it certainly is a radical thought."

A silence fell between the two women, each locked in their own somewhat revolutionary thoughts.

Being a modern woman, Lily's sensibilities had been severely tested when she had awakened in this medieval world. She had chafed at the idea of arranged marriages thought Elia had done her part to convince her that some of them weren't all bad.

She certainly was not getting the short end of the stick with Elbert. But there were still some things that bothered her.

But in order to change them, she would need to have a higher position than she currently had.

Father would probably be appalled to hear me thinking such things, she thought to herself with a wry smile. Uncle Brynden would probably just laugh. He always knew that I marched to the beat of my own drum. He might think it fascinating. After all, he didn't do what Father wanted him to do.

No more was said about the idea of women ruling but the thought was never far from Lily's mind as they spend the nest few hours on the sun kissed sand just talking about small matters and enjoying their bit of freedom.

But Lily knew even after they had gotten up to leave and apparated back to King's Landing that she would be thinking about that notion for a long time to come.

Ω

As the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months, Lily kept a close eye on Elia. She was slowly beginning to show and with that realization came the thought that there had been no further attacks or matters of intrigue involving masked assailants at court.

Even the conversations whispered in the halls had turned back to politics and court matters like economy and shipping.

Everything was quiet.

And that made Lily more on edge than ever.

She was constantly pausing before turning a corner to make sure there was nothing sinister to greet her down the hall and looking over her shoulder at the slightest noise.

For a while the red head wondered if she was losing her mind but then decided that if the court was beginning to calm down than perhaps she should as well.

After all, it had been announced that the new princess was with child and even the king himself was in a jovial mood.

No reason to worry, right?

Right.

She hoped.

In the meantime, she busied herself spending time with both Elbert and getting to know him better and spending time with her uncle who had taken it upon himself, when he wasn't running errands for her father, to resume her sword training in earnest.

After she had left Elia for the day, Lily opted to join her uncle in of the more private areas of the training grounds, away from prying eyes and curious guests to spend some energy in a way of her own choosing.

Brynden lunged and Lily danced back, parrying the blade away.

"Your anticipation has improved," her uncle noted as they circled each other, "that's good."

Lily smiled at him but made no move to attack, she wanted to see what he did first.

Their next few matches carried on in this manner, almost to the point of boredom. Lily and her uncle were alike in that they were careful individuals who wanted to assess all facets of a challenge before tackling it.

When they had finished their practice, both paused for a breath of air when Brynden brought up an intriguing point. "Have you received any letters from your father yet?"

Lily frowned as she looked up from her practice blade. "No, should I have?"

Brynden chuckled, "I got one this morning. Apparently Cat's nameday is approaching in a few months and so your father would like to have a combined celebration both for her and for her new engagement. You know it was talked about but never officially announced. This will be the official announcement."

"Oh joy," Lily said rolling her eyes. "Another evening of dressing up like a peacock and acting like I care."

Brynden Tully threw his head back and roared a laugh at her. "I envy you girl. If you want to disappear from the party all you need to do is use magic to escape."

He said the last words in a low voice whilst looking about but Lily waved her hand. "Don't worry uncle, all the sane lords and ladies have gone to bed at this hour. There is no one to overhear us."

Just then there could be heard the sound of approaching footsteps and both Tullys straightened up, alert.

There was a rustling of branches and they turned to see the familiar figure of Elbert Arryn walking down the pathway towards them.

He paused upon seeing the Blackfish and bowed to him, the older man nodding in turn.

Finally he turned and smiled at Lily. "I thought I might find you here my lady."

Lily smiled at her betrothed. It was still odd to think of him that way and sometimes caused a blush to rise in her cheeks when she contemplated it for too long.

Elbert wasn't a difficult person to like, quite the opposite in fact. He was always ready with a smile and a good bit of advice. He wasn't easy to rattle and possessed a good sense of humor. He was surprisingly liberal in his thinking and Lily was finding it easier to imagine being happy with him. She had known since meeting him that whoever he married would have a good life, but a happy life was something she was now beginning to see an understand.

The thought filled her with both joy and sorrow.

But she didn't let that show.

"And here I am," she said spreading her hands dramatically. "Is something the matter?"

"No," Elbert said slowly but Lily could tell from his tone that he wasn't being entirely truthful."

She glanced at her uncle and thanked whatever gods existed that he had the foresight that they wished to be alone.

He gave her a careful look and she nodded before exchanging a nod with Elbert and striding off down the path.

"Very intimidating man," the blonde noted as he watched Brynden Tully go. "Certainly not someone I would want to face in a fight."

Lily snorted, feeling an almost irrational surge of pride. She loved her entire family but she would certainly say that her uncle was the one she was closest to. He was one of the few that took her seriously about her likes and dislikes.

"He is at that," she said with a smile before turning serious again. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Elbert was silent for a long moment before nodding at the targets at the other end of the practice field. "How skilled are you in the art of shooting a bow my lady?"

Lily shrugged. "I prefer a sword between you and me but I'd like to think I'm not altogether terrible."

He smiled at her. "Would you indulge me a moment?"

Lily glanced at where he was standing and noticed that his feet were placed on either side of the marker.

There were three markers placed several feet apart but all in line with the target at the other end of the field.

Curious, but never one to back down from a challenge, Lily walked over to wear he was standing.

Elbert turned away and retrieved a bow from one of the stockpile sheds to one side. He returned with the bow and a single arrow prompting Lily's curiosity to grow even more.

What game is he playing?

Without a word he handed it to her and nodded as if waiting for her to shoot.

This was one area of martial strategy where Lily was uncertain. She had shot arrows at targets before but it had been awhile. She had always preferred to focus on the person in front of her and her magic would take care of any people who stood at a distance with an arrow to harm her.

At least she hoped she would be observant enough to see threats before she had to engage in a fight.

Carefully Lily notched the arrow to the bow and raised it to the side of her face. She could feel the brush of its feathers against her cheek and the cool roughness of her fingers as they grazed her skin where she held the string.

The bow was stiffer than she had anticipated indicating its long disuse so she had to lower it and pull a few times before the wood became limber in her hand.

Once she was satisfied, she raised the bow again and closed one eye, hoping it would help her narrow in on the target.

It helped to a certain extent and once she was certain she had the bullseye in her sights, she pulled the string back as far as it would go and released.

There was a sharp decisive twang and a hissing noise as the arrow flew through the air towards its destination.

A second later there was a dull thump as the arrow hit the target. Lily took a step closer and squinted, releasing a small huff of disappointment for even though the arrow had hit the target, it had gone nowhere near the bullseye, instead latching itself to the outermost rim.

"Not too bad," Elbert muttered, sounding as if he were talking to himself. "But I think your stance is wrong."

"How should I be standing?" Lily asked, forgetting for a moment that there were things she still wanted to ask him.

"I'll show you," the blonde said and went to retrieve the arrow from the target.

He strode over and positioned himself behind her, almost too close but Lily didn't altogether mind it.

He carefully reached his arms around her until one hand was on her left arm and the other was on her right.

Standing so close, Lily suddenly became aware of the slight pine scent that his clothes carried, making her think he had been standing near a wood burning fire for just a tad too long.

Subtler than that however was the warm musk of his skin, a scent which caused her to be even more aware of him.

Their betrothal hadn't been announced but it was understood between the two of them and their immediate family that a marriage would be an occurrence in the near future.

Lily had been trying not to think of that and instead focus on getting to know Elbert better without the pressure of seeing him as her betrothed or husband.

So far she had been enjoying it but even now, feeling her back nearly pressed against his chest and his arms almost trapping her in an intimate embrace, she began to feel the stirrings of something she hadn't felt in a very long time…attraction.

The realization made her want to shudder but she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

If Elbert was feeling a similar way, Lily couldn't tell from the way he raised both of her arms, fitted the arrow to the string again and helped her pull the string back.

There was an almost methodical smoothness to his movements as if he had done this a million times before. But judging from who he was, he likely had.

"The trick," he said in a soft voice, his breath almost tickling her ear and sending goosebumps down the side of her neck. "Is to evenly distribute your weight and ensure that the hand which holds the bow does not waver."

Lily almost expected him to remain holding her for the shot but to her surprise he took a step back so that there was space between them again.

Annoyed at the sense of loss his presence gave her, Lily raised the bow and shot without thinking.

Unlike the last time the arrow seemed to cut through the air like a hot knife through butter and reach the target far faster.

With a dull thump it met the target and buried itself in the painted straw.

Slowly Lily lowered the bow and narrowed her eyes to see the arrow embedded on the very fringe of the bullseye.

A sound of frustration left her which caused Elbert to chuckle. "It'll come with practice my lady."

The red head released a breath making sure she was fully in control of herself again before she turned to him. "Was there something you wanted to talk about my lord?"

Elbert blinked and then straightened and whatever fragile atmosphere of intimacy there had been immediately disappeared. "My uncle has written. I am being recalled to the Eyrie."

Now it was Lily's turn to blink. "You are? Is something the matter? Has something happened?"

The look Elbert gave her was maddeningly vague. "I don't think so. He didn't say so in many words but I think there are several problems that involve the Mountain Clans."

A chill crept up Lily's spine and in a second she was back on that misty path in the Vale feeling the medallion burning in her hand and watching the bizarrely dressed men disappear into the rapidly encroaching fog.

"What sort of problems?" she asked in a bit of a daze.

"I don't know," Elbert said with a shrug, "I suppose I'll learn when I return."

Lily swallowed hard and nodded. "When do you leave?"

"In the morning."

The red head blinked and her dismay must have shown on her face because Elbert stepped forward and reached for her hand in an attempt to placate her. "I know this is unfortunate just as we were getting to know each other, but I promise I'll see you again."

Lily was torn between genuine dismay at the knowledge that she wouldn't see him everyday and true annoyance that she was feeling this way so soon.

"Was my disappointment that obvious?" she asked with a half smile trying to make light of the situation as best she could.

"Trust me," the heir to the Vale said, "I think I might be disappointed enough for the two of us. But my duty does call. Although I am hesitant to take it up right away given everything that has happened here."

Lily knew he was talking about the assassination attempts but given how silent everything had become she didn't think he had reason to worry. Besides, Elbert didn't know about her magic.

At some point you should tell him, said the voice of practicality. That is quite the secret to take into a marriage.

"I think we'll be alright," she said in an effort to reassure him. "There hasn't really been much going on here. I think you'll find more excitement in the Vale than the capital."

Elbert was giving her a funny smile that caused whatever words she had been about to say next to die on her lips. "Lily…I am beginning to realize that no matter where I go, as long as I'm with you, there is more excitement than without."

Lily blinked, unsure if that was a compliment or a jest. "I don't know how good of a thing that is my lord."

"It's a very good thing," the blonde said slowly walking towards her until they were almost chest to chest. "I find you've helped to bring a lot of excitement back to my life where before there was ritual and duty. And that is a very welcome thing."

"Well," Lily said in a small voice suddenly realizing how close they were standing. "I'm glad that I could oblige."

"As am I," Elbert said in a low voice as he looked down at her and Lily swallowed hard, feeling the familiar flutters in her stomach that she hadn't felt for what seemed like an obscenely long time.

They remained that way, suspended in time for a moment before Lily allowed herself to truly look into his eyes.

Those blue orbs looked as bright as two stars in the light of the dying sun and there was a curiosity and an intent to them that stirred in her blood.

Lily had no idea what prompted what came next.

Before she had time to question her decision or how it was going to be perceived by her betrothed, she had stood on her toes and pressed a brief but gentle kiss to his lips. They were soft and welcoming and just as Lily was about to pull away, she was surprised to feel Elbert's arm wrap around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

His response was tentative but Lily took it as a good sign and stepped closer to him, the pair deepening the kiss at the same time.

She was shocked and somewhat embarrassed when a low hum of satisfaction emanated from her and she prayed to whatever gods that existed that no one was around to hear that.

A moment later, the pair broke apart. Elbert's breathing was somewhat heavy but there was a look of satisfied delight in his eyes as he took her in.

Lily for her part was startled by her actions but couldn't say that she regretted them.

After a moment Elbert spoke. "I suppose I may take that as my goodbye then."

Lily nodded, still somewhat out of breath. "You may, I hope it was adequate."

Elbert threw back his head and laughed, a deep throaty sound that made Lily smile somewhat. "Far more than adequate my lady. Would it be too forward of my to request that the next time I see you I be greeted in the same manner?"

Lily was thankful for the dying sun as her burning cheeks were somewhat hidden. "Well….I wouldn't be opposed to the idea."

Elbert's eyes softened and he took a step back so they were near each other again. "I'm glad. I would be very disappointed if that was the last time something like that happened."

He bent slightly and pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek leaving Lily startled and dazed.

"Goodnight my lady," he said in a soft voice before turning and striding back down the path, blue cloak brushing the stones as he went.

It wasn't until he was out of sight that Lily released her breath…and started to smile.

Ω