Revelation

At the gates of the castle, the old knight stood, his weathered armor gleaming faintly in the pale light of dusk. His grizzled beard, tinged with silver, framed a face etched with lines of both wisdom and sorrow. Though his steps were heavy with the weight of years and the burdens of countless battles, his gaze held a flicker of determination, a flame that refused to be extinguished by the passage of time.

As he awaited the arrival of his grandson, his thoughts drifted back to the memories of the past, when the castle echoed with the laughter of his children and the halls resounded with the clang of swords. But now, those halls lay silent, haunted by the absence of loved ones lost to the ravages of war and the cruel hand of fate.

Suddenly, amidst the hushed whispers of the evening breeze, a small figure stepped down from the horse with other guards, his innocent eyes wide with wonder and fear. The old knight's heart clenched at the sight of the boy, his grandson, bearing the weight of grief far too heavy for his tender years.

With slow, measured steps, the knight approached, his gauntleted hand outstretched in a gesture of solace and strength. As he drew the boy into his embrace, he felt the warmth of his grandson, a bittersweet reminder of the fragility of life and the resilience of the human spirit.

In that moment, as grandfather and grandson stood together beneath the ancient arches of the castle gates, a bond forged in sorrow and tempered by love, the old knight vowed to protect and cherish the young heir to his legacy, to guide him through the trials that lay ahead and to ensure that the flame of hope burned bright in the darkness of their shared grief.

Unbeknownst to what Erys Waynwood was thinking, Roland just played his part of a grandson who had just lost his mother and wanted a connection. He just glanced at everyone present there and didn't say anything the whole time. He was taken to the room where he will be living. As the night was falling, he had dinner with his grandfather who was talking to him time to time trying to not let the boy feel absence of his parents. And just like that they finished, and his grandfather left for his room telling him that he will take me to greet the lady of the castle tomorrow.

Just then, Roland felt a voice in his head.

.

'So, you start speaking now, what happened when I asked you if you were alright? Couldn't you say something then?', Roland was talking to the guy who suddenly started speaking with him.

'I was overwhelmed and couldn't control my emotions. I didn't want to talk to you in that state', the guy said.

'So, tell me now. Who the hell are you?', Roland demanded the guy to reveal his identity. 

'I am Rhaegar Targaryen, Prince of the Seven Kingdoms', the guy revealed himself.

A moment of silence filled the mind. No one said anything. Roland just let the words settle down. He stood up from the bed with a jump and spoke with a suppressed animosity. "You... You were the reason the continent was in war?".

The voice said with a calm voice. "Yes. I caused the war. But it seems that it was inevitable".

Not expecting the response in that way, Roland got furious. "What? Inevitable? You were a god damn prince, and you say war was inevitable. Was satiating your lust more important than the peace in the realm?".

Rhaegar Targaryen turned defensive. "What? No. I did that to stop the war from happening". 

Not understanding the statement, Roland got confused. "What? You kidnapped Lyanna Stark to stop the war?".

Rhaegar explained. "Yes. But I did not kidnap Lyanna. She was a friend I made during the Tourney in Harrenhal and she came with us on her own accord".

Roland asked in confusion. "I don't understand. Why would Lyanna Stark come with you at all and willingly so".

Now that he was with Roland, Rhaegar decided to tell the entire story. 'When I was young, and my father was not the mad king that the people call him now, he called me one day to tell me that I was going to announce me as his heir and so I needed to know some things. He said that there was a prophesy being told by the king to his heir. The prophesy said that soon, the world is going to be swept in darkness and a Targaryen would unite the people and bring light in the world. He called it 'the promised prince'. Someone told me that I was the prince that was promised. I believed it my entire childhood and waited for a sign that showed that I was but when it did not come, I understood that I was not the prophesied prince, but I had the role of protecting the realm until he comes. So, I picked the sword and became the best knight. My entire life, my dream was to unite the realm that's why, I asked my father to propose the marriage to Elia Martell, princess of Dorne to bring them into the fold. Before the Tourney at Harrenhal when I was in Kingslanding, Varys came to me bringing news of the realm. He told me that Lord Rickard Stark had proposed marriage between his eldest son Brandon Stark and eldest daughter of Lord Hoster Tully, Catelyn Stark. It was normal for sons and daughters of two noble houses to marry, so I did not have any say in the matter. Few days after that, new came that Lord Stark has again sent a proposal for the betrothal of his daughter Lyanna Stark to the young lord of Stormlands, Robert Baratheon. I became doubtful, as until then, Starks had rarely married their children outside the North. But I still did not have any problem but just a worry that Starks might be trying to strengthen their relations with other lords. But why, I didn't know then. Then sometimes after, Varys came with the news that Lord Tully had proposed the betrothal of his younger daughter with Elbert Arryn, son of Ronnel Arryn, heir of Lord Arryn. This would result in the four great houses of Westeros tied by blood. And that would be a strong faction in the seven kingdoms. I started to look for ways to get a good measure of the great house lords to maintain good relations with them when I ascend the throne. Before we stepped out for Harrenhal, a messenger of Varys came saying that The North was discussing about separating itself from the seven kingdoms on the accounts of the King not listening to their requests for the help in the wall and give concessions on taxes. This made me very worried. This could cause other houses to rebel too. And unlike Aegon the conqueror's time, now there were no dragons. It meant that it all came to support from other houses. And I could see Starks, Tullys and Baratheons raising their arms together. Arryns were loyal so, I didn't doubt that they would be in our side. Other Lords only looked for their own benefits. Lannisters were not happy with my father. Only reach and Dorne could be relied upon. And those too were at each other's throats at the time. So, when the Tourney started, I thought that meeting Lord Stark and discussing the matter with him would conclude things. But it didn't work out. The Lord just said that if my father would even let me sit on the throne before he died. He said how long does his people need to endure the tyranny of my father. He indicated that I should kill my father to sit on the throne. I understood that he had made his choice. His eldest son was with him too. Then few days after my father ordered me to find the mysterious knight that had appeared on the tourney and was harassing the knights fearing that he could be an assassin sent to kill him. I looked for the knight and found out that it was Lyanna Stark, daughter of Lord Stark. When I got to know her, I found out that she punished the knights for bullying her father's bannerman. I knew then that she was a woman of virtue and asked her to meet me the next day. I told her father was going to betray the king and it will end in disaster with countless deaths in both sides. I asked her to trust me that when I become the king, I would help the North in all capacity. She also shared that she did not want to marry Robert Baratheon. So, I made a plan that we would take her to the tower of joy and send a letter to her father for swearing fealty to the throne. And that would have to be in secret to not let anyone else know about it. But when we left old castle secretly, the news spread like wildfire. And in the midst the rumors that I had kidnapped and raped her also spread. Before I could send the letter, news came that my father had killed Lord Stark and his heir. Everything went haywire. The thing I wanted to prevent the most happened. The lords had rebelled and the first one to do so was the lord Arryn. And I couldn't do anything to stop it. The plan had backfired. I couldn't see Lyanna after that and had to go to kingslanding to gather my army. All the time, I was preparing to take on the responsibility and when it really came, I messed up. If only there was a way to undo everything then I could have done things different. But I died in the battlefield not knowing the fate of my family. Only now do I know that everyone is dead'.

Hearing the entire story silently and seriously, Roland couldn't find any fault in Rhaegar. 'Indeed, the war was inevitable'. "So, you came back to see what became of your family?".

'No. I came to see the end. I came to see if the prophesy I so believed in, is still there. If there is, then who would unite the realm?'.

"Well, Robert Baratheon had united the seven kingdoms. And I have read that he has the blood of Targaryens," Roland retorted.

'That maybe so. We will see about it,' said Rhaegar calmly.

"So, when this cold night does come, the realm should be united?" Roland asked him curiously.

Rhaegar affirmed. 'Yes. That's what the prophesy says. That's how men will survive'.

"Then, I should help you achieve it. For me to live peacefully in the future," Roland said his mind.

Rhaegar was surprised. 'You believe the prophesy could be true?'.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows. All I know is that even if it is not true, look at the state of the realm now. If assume this kind of war does happen again and other faction is stronger, then there is no future for me. So, I have decided that I would become a knight and help Vale become stronger. And see to it that it doesn't fall into the hands of others".