Chapter 41: False Hope
Lilyanna stood before the gates of Harrenhal's outer walls, her face passive as she looked at the macabre sight above her.
At dawn, they had placed the heads of Larys Strong and Alys Rivers on spikes, their faces turned toward the road leading away from Harrenhal.
Crows had already begun to feast upon them, tearing strips of flesh from Larys' cheeks and pecking at the corners of Alys' eyes. Blood dripped from their severed necks, staining the weathered stone beneath them in dark crimson streaks.
Around the gates, nobles and smallfolk alike gathered to look uneasily upon the two siblings and the King's youngest daughter. Some whispered that the curse of Harrenhal had finally claimed another lord; others spoke of Larys losing his mind and giving in to his dark desires when he attacked the princess, and a handful simply stared silently, unable to look away.
But Lilyanna did not feel the joy she had expected now that Larys and Alys were dead. She had imagined this moment countless times since Larys murdered his own father and brother.
And yet standing beneath his severed head brought no satisfaction because all she could think about was how she had acted too late, and the smile that had graced Alys Rivers' face when she was dragged out of the Hall of a Hundred Hearths.
From what Lilyanna had seen of her, Alys was a gifted practitioner of magic, so the idea of her being felled so easily sat poorly with her. Every instinct Lilyanna possessed screamed that something was wrong about this whole affair, and that feeling only worsened as her twin and her ghostly relatives agreed with her suspicions.
She had to have had some kind of contingency plan in place. This can't be all there is, right? She went through so much trouble placing this mark on my shoulder; there's no way that a woman who can burst people's skulls open and keep me from leaving the castle grounds could die to an axeman's blade. I know people in this world can transcend the finality of death, like Catelyn Stark or Jon Snow, or Beric Dondarrion, but those involve someone else resurrecting them. Even my own existence would not be possible without Godly intervention. So, could Alys truly be the exception? Lilyanna thought, still staring at the woman's head.
She resisted the urge to touch her shoulder. Beneath the layers of linen wrapping her injuries, she could feel the lingering phantom pains coming from the mark, reminding her of the bargain that Harren and Alys had forced upon her.
"-anna. Lilyanna!" Lilyanna blinked when she heard her name being called, turning her head slightly to see the Queen standing behind her.
Lilyanna hated the pity and worry that lingered in her mother's gaze, a look that Alicent had been giving her ever since she had been carried out of Larys' chambers, one that she had gotten used to recognizing as she had seen it when she was younger, and she had almost been struck down by Jason Lannister's assassin and relatively recently when Daemon had struck her in the head with a training sword.
Alicent tried to place her hand on her daughter's shoulder, but Lilyanna's body jerked, and she moved out of her mother's reach.
Shame and guilt were all Lilyanna could feel as she looked into Alicent's eyes and saw the surprise and then hurt on the woman's face at the rejection.
The Queen slowly lowered her hand, still staring at Lilyanna with concern, which only worsened the girl's feelings. Especially as Lilyanna could feel the eyes of the rest of her family on them, along with most of the yard's, watching the interaction.
Ever since yesterday, when she had seen that cruel and haunting apparition of Marsha McDaniels, Lilyanna found it difficult to look at Alicent for more than a few seconds, nor was she able to stand the woman's touch.
When she looked at Alicent's face, all she could see was Marsha's, and even though she knew that what she saw was not really her mother, the words that spilled from its mouth still echoed through her mind, the truth with them taunting her.
On the day of her second birth, Lilyanna had taken one look at Alicent and saw a sad teenage girl struggling with motherhood and children that had been forced upon her, and allowed Alicent to worm her way into her heart, same with Helaena, Aegon, Aemond, Daeron, Rhaenyra, and everyone else that she had come to care for over the years.
As time passed, she had started thinking about her previous life less, the pain of her loss having become a distant memory, even if the anger she felt towards her death was still there, as she had a new life to focus on, trying her hardest to preserve it.
And as much as she hated to admit it, even to herself, Marsha, despite once having been the most important person in her life and once the only person that she could claim to love, started to become just as distant as everything else she had once known.
All Lilyanna could think was: what kind of daughter stops thinking about their own mother? What kind of daughter could so easily replace the woman who raised her with someone else?
Marsha had worked herself to exhaustion to keep a roof over their heads; she had skipped meals so Rosalind would never have to; she had stayed awake through countless nights helping with schoolwork, celebrating every achievement her daughter had gotten as though they were her own, and mourning every setback twice as hard.
So, calling Alicent mother now made Lilyanna feel as if she was spitting upon every sacrifice that Marsha had ever made for her.
As she watched Lilyanna turn away to look at the top of the castle gates again, Alicent clasped her hands together, squeezing them tightly and making her skin turn white.
She was the only one that her daughter had been recoiling from, something that Alicent first noticed when she, Helaena, and Viserys found Lilyanna in Larys' chambers and how Lilyanna had moved closer to her twin when Alicent tried to hold her.
And even this morning, when Alicent wanted Lilyanna to remain in bed while Alys' punishment was carried out instead of forcing herself to attend, Lilyanna did not speak to Alicent, let alone look in Alicent's direction, purposely keeping her gaze on Viserys as she asked for his permission, stating that she felt well enough and she had to go as the one who had been harmed.
Did Larys tell her... Does she blame me for what happened? Is she scared of me? Alicent thought, hating that she did not know what had been going on in Larys' bedchamber before she had arrived.
Lilyanna had been tight-lipped regarding the details of her assault, refusing to speak of anything beyond what the court had already heard; that Larys and Alys had lured her into the room, that they had beaten her, and that they had intended to kill her; every other question was met with silence, much to Alicent's frustration.
The Queen feared that perhaps Larys and his bastard sister had told Lilyanna about her and Larys' arrangement and of her unintentional role in the deaths of Lyonel and Harwin Strong, or that they had whispered some other poison into her daughter's ear before they were caught as a part of their torture.
But Alicent could not find the strength to ask Lilyanna, both because of the shame her actions inspired within herself and because of the possibility that her daughter was unaware of the truth and that asking Lilyanna would only lead to her exposing herself.
Alicent lowered her eyes as the silence between herself and Lilyanna became unbearable, her heart feeling as if it was going to beat itself out of her chest.
She had always known Lilyanna to be stubborn, secretive, and fiercely independent, but the girl had never withdrawn from her, as after every incident Lilyanna would eventually find her way back to Alicent's side. But now she would not even look at her, and that frightened the Queen more than any accusation could have.
"You do not need to come with me to the Vale; neither of you do," Rhaenyra said as she sat before the two Strong sisters.
After Alys' execution and the subsequent placement of her and Larys' head on Harrenhal's battlement, Rhaenyra had been quick to take her ladies-in-waiting to the chambers she had been given to stay in, wishing to spare them from the endless whispers and stares that now followed House Strong wherever they walked.
Avelley and Camyla sat opposite the princess in silence; their eyes were red from crying. The rest of the Crown Princess's entourage, Ladies Elinda Massey and Anya Redfort, stood behind Avelley and Camyla, both watching the sisters with sympathetic expressions but wisely remained silent.
"After the losses you have experienced and now the stain of Larys and Alys' actions, no one would think less of you if you wished to remain at Harrenhal with your family rather than join me for the rest of the royal progress," Rhaenyra continued gently. "Or to even return to King's Landing."
With Larys' death, Avelley was now the Lady of Harrenhal, and while Rhaenyra cursed the man and his miserable life for what he and Alys had done to her sister, she knew how much Avelley and Camyla cared for their older brother and the weight of the burden that had now been placed upon them.
"Our Uncle Simon had been the castellan of this castle in our father's name for years," Avelley said quietly. "He knows these lands and their people far better than either Camyla or I. Harrenhal will not collapse because I am not here every moment of the year. And remaining here would have others think less of us, making it seem as though we are ashamed to be seen because of Larys' action."
Camyla nodded in agreement with her sister. "And we do not wish to leave your service, Rhaenyra, so long as you will still have us. So, I must ask that you please do not send us away, princess."
Rhaenyra smiled softly, relief easing some of the tension from her shoulders. "Then I would be honored to have you remain beside me."
Avelley's composure cracked, and she lowered her head. "Thank you."
"Do not thank me for doing what is right," Rhaenyra replied. "You are my trusted companions and friends; you will not be punished for Larys' or anyone's sins while you remain under my protection."
The two sisters were relieved to know that their princess would not abandon them, glad to know that there were still a few people who did not judge them for what their siblings had done.
It has not been a full day since Larys and Alys' arrest, and already servants stop speaking whenever they walk past them; lords and ladies who greeted them warmly now refuse to meet their eyes, some going as far as to pull their children away from them as if afraid that they would taint and corrupt them with just their presence alone.
But with Rhaenyra's support, they were sure that some of the ostracism they were experiencing would lessen as people saw that the two women still maintained favor with the royal family.
"Although I must ask if you will be able to continue your obligation to me while becoming accustomed to your new position, Avelley," Rhaenyra said, staring at the older Strong sister.
Avelley sighed, leaning back in her seat. "I swear that I will. As I've said, our great uncle is the one who runs most of Harrenhal's affairs, so there will not be much that I will have to do besides occasionally coming back to check on things and sign whatever documents he sends me. He even told me that my only focus for the time being should be what kind of man I would like to take as my husband."
"You wish to find a husband?" Anya asked incredulously, wincing when Elinda jabbed her elbow against her side in response to her question.
They all knew how unenthusiastic Avelley was toward the idea of marriage and children, hating that she would have little say in the matter as her father would choose whichever man he believed to be the most advantageous match for her and their family.
For years, she dreaded the day that Lyonel would tell her that she was betrothed and would soon be wedded and bedded, knowing that the time would soon come as she reached her twentieth year of life, especially as she knew that Lyonel was swamped with proposals for her and Camyla's hands.
But now father will never get to make that choice. Avelley sadly thought.
"I do not wish to," Avelley huffed, ignoring the pain that came with thinking about Lyonel. "But only because my sister and I are now the last members of House Strong of Harrenhal's main family. While I do have an uncle, aunt, and plenty of cousins, it is still my duty to try and provide heirs and spares of my own body."
"At least it's you and not me; I can only imagine the kinds of men that will be throwing themselves at you from now on," Camyla muttered, a small smile appearing on her face when her sister glared at her.
"Quiet your tongue; I can still throw myself from one of the towers and leave the title of Lady Strong at your feet, sweet sister," Avelley deadpanned.
Anya let out an undignified snort before quickly covering her mouth while Elinda's lips twitched upward, and Camyla smiled wider.
"Would you truly do that just to spite me, so? I can feel my heart shattering just at the notion," Camyla said dramatically, pressing a hand to her chest.
"I would do it without hesitation, and knowing that it hurt you would be an added benefit," Avelley replied without missing a beat.
The five women laughed quietly, and for the first time since yesterday, the atmosphere among them felt normal, even as the laughter eventually faded.
Alicent cried bitterly as she ran away from her brothers; she could distantly hear Gwyane calling out for her before admonishing Myles for the cruel prank he had pulled on their sister, along with Myles' resounding laughter.
Myles had always been the meanest of Alicent's six brothers, while Gwyane and Bryndon, Rendal, Alavin, and Harys were content to leave their only sister be
A trail of dirty, foul-smelling water followed the five-year-old girl as she ran through the Hightower, her brothers' laughter fading behind her as she rounded the corner and fled toward the stairs, continuing to climb them until she reached the right floor and she found the familiar corridor that led to her mother's bedchamber, forgetting to knock as she was so upset.
Lily Hightower looked up from her embroidery when the door burst open, and within a single heartbeat she had set her work aside and opened her arms when she saw the look on her daughter's face.
Alicent threw herself into her mother's arms, burying her wet and humiliated face against her mother's chest.
"Alicent, sweetheart, what has happened?" Lily murmured, wrapping her arms around her daughter and pulling her close, one hand moving in slow, steady circles against her back. "You are trembling and wet."
"M-Myles," Alicent managed to say between gasps. "He h-had a bu-bu-bucket o-of w-water, and he-he dumped it o-on me, and it smelled horrible and he l-laughed at me and-"
"Shh," Her mother said softly, pressing her lips to the top of Alicent's head. "Shh. I have you; it's alright."
"He is horrid," Alicent sniffled.
"Now don't say that," Lily said gently. "Your brother is just a bit immature, as all boys his age are, but he will grow out of it. Until then, I will speak to him and have him apologize to you. And perhaps time away from his friends and the training yard will teach him not to be cruel to his sister."
Alicent frowned, old enough to know that her mother reprimanding Myles would amount to nothing changing, but pressed herself closer to Lily, breathing in the scent of her mother's perfume, a warm and floral scent that she had never been able to identify by name but could have recognized anywhere, and felt the knot in her chest slowly begin to loosen.
Her mother's chambers then shifted around her, and Alicent did not notice until she realized that she was no longer hugging her mother. When she looked up, she was no longer five years old and no longer in Oldtown, but in the cold and weary hall of Harrenhal.
Alicent frowned as she looked down the dark corridor, and when she turned around, she saw Lilyanna standing a short distance away, with her back to her, dressed in the same gown she had worn that morning.
The sight of Lilyanna loosened something in Alicent's chest, and she crossed the distance between them quickly, reaching out to turn her daughter to face her.
And when she did, Alicent flinched as Lilyanna's face was completely gone, leaving behind a smooth and featureless canvas of skin.
Alicent stumbled backwards, and when she turned away from the sight, horrified, she found a woman standing where the empty hall had been a moment before.
She was tall, with short, straight brown hair cut close to her jaw, and warm brown skin, and dark eyes that were looking at Alicent with an expression she could not read. She wore clothing unlike anything Alicent had ever seen, plain and close-fitting, with no embroidery and no silhouette that made sense to her.
But for reasons she could not explain, Alicent felt the overwhelming and inexplicable urge to follow her when the woman turned and ran.
The castle began to shift around them as they moved, flipping and inverting within itself, but Alicent did not question it as she ran, not wanting to lose sight of the woman ahead.
The Queen did not know how much time had passed, but eventually Alicent followed the mysterious woman into the Hall of a Hundred Hearths.
When Alicent entered the Great Hall, the woman was gone, but she found Lilyanna there crouched in the center of the room.
This version of her daughter was different than the one she saw before; she had a face once again but now had deep red scales that ran across it and Lilyanna's arms, neck, and the backs of her hands, seemingly glowing in the firelight, and strained, long, and sharp teeth that were visible through her open mouth. Her back was now curved and elongated as wings emerged through the back of her dress, folding themselves against her back just above a coiled and pointed tail that sat loosely behind her.
But worst of all, Lilyanna was using her razor-sharp teeth and claws to tear into the sheep that lay at her feet, eating the animal without a care in the world.
Before Alicent could react, she suddenly felt a pair of hands wrap themselves around her throat from behind. She could not see who was strangling her and was unable to break away from their hold no matter how hard she struggled.
Lilyanna's head snapped upwards at the sound, revealing that the pupils of her purple eyes were now slit and were fixed on whoever was behind Alicent; she knew her mother. Lilyanna slowly rose to her full height, growling deeply as she glared at her mother's attacker.
"You should just give up now," The person behind Alicent said in High Valyrian, their voice deep and measured.
This surprised the woman, as she was not fluent in the language and could not figure out why she could understand what was being said.
"I have watched you long enough to know what you love, what you fear, and what you believe you are building. I will take it from you, all of it, including her. I will not allow a little puppet like you to succeed; you exist only because you have been useful; your Conquerors have led you to ruin, Lilyanna Targaryen! I don't care what it will cost me; I'll never stop until I destroy you!"
Lilyanna let out a roar so powerful that it shook the hall, fire bursting out from her mouth as she leaned her head, bathing the hall in golden flames.
Alicent clawed at the hands at her throat as spots began to form in the corners of her eyes, seeing the flames coming towards her and her assailant.
Alicent awoke with a gasp, her hands immediately flying to her throat as she sat up.
She could still feel the fingers that had been digging into her neck, along with the sweat on her skin making her nightgown cling to her as her breathing came out in ragged, painful bursts.
Beside the bed, a single candle continued to burn, and when the Queen turned her head to look out the window, she saw the moon hanging in the middle of the darkened sky.
She then lay back on the bed, lying there motionlessly for a moment as she stared at the ceiling, trying to make sense of what she had just experienced.
"A dream," Alicent told herself. "It was only a dream."
Her mind rationalized that what she had seen had merely been born from the strain of the past two days: Lilyanna's assault, Larys' trial and execution, and the terrible guilt that had settled over her heart, twisting themselves together into a nightmare.
Despite this, Alicent could still hear the malice in the voice of her invisible attacker, could still see the hatred in Lilyanna's eyes, unable to shake how real the dream felt to her.
After a few moments, Alicent climbed out of bed and knelt at the foot of it, folding trembling hands together in front of her as she bowed her head in prayer.
She begged for forgiveness and clarity from the Seven Who Are One, to drive away the darkness that had birthed such a nightmare from her mind and life.
But when she finished and stood, climbing back beneath the covers, sleep continued to evade her, and instead she lay awake, listening to the wind howling through Harrenhal's broken towers.
Down the hall from Alicent's chambers, Aegon stood over Lilyanna's body, watching as the young girl slept in her bed, surrounded by her siblings.
The former Targaryen King gripped the pommel of Blackfyre tightly as he clenched his jaw, his eyes trailing over the bruises and bandages that he could see on Lilyanna.
The only other time in his life that the Conqueror could remember feeling this useless was when he, Visenya, and Orys had learned of Rhaenys' death at Hellholt.
He had been forced to endure the agony of knowing that nothing he could do would return the woman he loved to him, and that she had died alone and afraid.
Now he found himself haunted by that same helplessness as he looked upon another member of his family whom he had failed to protect and who was hurt because of his actions.
"Your guilt helps no one, brother." Aegon did not look away from Lilyanna as he heard Visenya speak to him. "You could not have foreseen this."
"I could have," Aegon muttered, finally looking away from Lilyanna as his gaze fell to the floor. "When we still lived, when I still dreamed, if I were flesh and bone again, I could have-"
"Dreams have never worked like that, Aegon. Did you not say to our sister, our brother, and me when we were young that most dragon dreamers cannot force their visions of the future to appear to them?" Visenya asked.
Aegon lifted his head to meet his elder sister's gaze, his expression tired and worn. "Do you remember what I told you after Princess Deria came with Meraxes's skull and that letter?"
Visenya's own expression changed, hardening as she could not hide the contempt that appeared in her eyes. "I remember. You agreed to peace between Dorne and the Seven Kingdoms and told me that the threat of your dream took precedence over any feelings we may have had. That not even Rhaenys' death should get in the way of seeing all of Westeros united."
Aegon knew that his elder sister never truly forgave him for ending the First Dornish War and allowing the principality to keep their autonomy, as she viewed it as letting their sister die for nothing.
"I have been thinking," Aegon said quietly. "That perhaps I was wrong."
Visenya went still. "About what, specifically?"
"About there being no price too high to pay."
He looked back at Lilyanna, staring at the bruising along her jaw and at the bandages visible above the collar of her sleeping gown.
"I have watched this family tear itself apart for generations; I've watched my own descendants murder each other over a throne I built; I've watched the Kingdoms burn in war after war, and now with Lilyanna, all I can think about is what the point of this all is? We have done this so many times I can't help but ask myself what will be different this time. I ask: why do the Gods make us do this? Nothing truly changes; there is just more pain and suffering to be had until death begins the cycle anew. It has all been pointless, sister."
"Don't," Visenya said.
Aegon let out a deep breath. "Visenya-"
"Don't," She repeated; her voice was sharper. "Do not stand over this girl and tell me that everything she has endured, everything she has lost, everything she has done and sacrificed and suffered through was for nothing. Do not tell me that Rhaenys died for nothing, that we fought for nothing, that everything that the realm has been through over three hundred years amounted to nothing, Aegon."
"I'm just tired, Visenya," Aegon said softly.
Visenya crossed her arms and stared at her brother. She could understand what he was feeling in this moment. As for Aegon, he did not feel guilt over killing Harren Hoare and everyone who had resided in Harrenhal at the time; he felt guilty and ashamed because his actions had come back to directly impact Lilyanna, just as he believed that Rhaenys' death was his fault. And it was this guilt that was clouding her brother's judgement and weakening his resolve.
"You may have been granted the gift of prophecy, but Rhaenys, Orys, and I agreed to your plan of uniting Westeros under our rule. We all knew of the dangers that could come from fighting in a war; you did not force our participation. We followed you willingly, so do not blame yourself for the actions of ants made that caused our follies. Besides, nothing you say to Lilyanna will sway her from this path, as she understands what is at stake, and beyond that, has grown too attached to her family to abandon them now."
Aegon lowered his head. "She is not the only one who has grown attached. The three of us... I didn't expect..."
"Neither did I," Visenya said, her expression softening slightly as she looked at Lilyanna. "Perhaps it's because she has gotten this far and has been so successful; I could not tell you why."
"What can't you tell him about?" The two turned and saw their sister standing behind them, looking at them expectantly.
"Our sister was speaking of the marking Alys Rivers has placed on Lilyanna," Aegon said, glancing at Visenya.
Visenya took no issue with the lie, immediately going along with it. "It is unlike any binding spell I have encountered in life."
After being reunited with each other in death thanks to the intervention of their Gods, Aegon and Visenya noticed how Rhaenys' demeanor would change whenever they would speak of Dorne and her death, becoming quieter as her smile would fade and she would mentally drift far beyond their reach.
They did not want to see Rhaenys like that again if they could help it, and so decided to keep their conversation to themselves.
"And you still cannot figure it out?" Rhaenys asked, walking over to the one standing next to Aegon.
Visenya scowled. "It has rooted itself more deeply than I would like into Lilyanna's soul in the time since she has gotten it. And there seems to be a hidden mechanism layered within it that contains a different type of magic than what makes up the rest of the seal, which leads me to believe that Alys put it there intentionally, a piece of her own essence to combine with Lilyanna's."
"But for what purpose?" Aegon asked
"To cheat death," Visenya said plainly. "How this would help her do so is anyone's guess. I doubt it would allow her to inhabit her body again given what was done to it."
"This would be so much easier to figure out if Balerion would just speak to us," Rhaenys muttered, thinking about the Valyrian God of Death. "But our questions continue to go unanswered."
They had not spoken to the Fourteen Valyrian Gods since they were allowed to pull Lilyanna's soul from her original world into their own, and had grown used to the silence, even if there were times when their frustrations with their situation threatened to boil over.
"Do you think that Alys could use the mark to take over Lilyanna's body permanently? Helaena told her that while we were dealing with Alys and the Hoares, it had appeared as if something was controlling Lilyanna's body and pretending to be her," Aegon asked Visenya.
Visenya clenched her fists. "I cannot say for certain that it can't."
Visenya hated how ignorant this situation was making her feel. She had spent decades studying the old Valyrian blood arts, magic that had predated the Doom by centuries, and yet Alys Rivers had created something that Visenya could neither fully comprehend nor safely unravel, and it was a humiliatingly bitter pill to be forced to swallow.
"Every answer raises another question," Visenya muttered. "If Alys truly left a fragment of herself within that mark, then she expected her own death. Which means everything that happened yesterday unfolded exactly as she intended."
"It would explain why she seemed so unbothered in the face of her execution, happy even," Rhaenys said.
Alys Rivers had died smiling, unnerving most who had watched her head be removed from her shoulders, and furthering rumors of her wickedness and madness among the populace.
Silence settled over the room as the Three Conquerors looked toward the sleeping girl, watching Lilyanna shift beneath the blankets, her brow furrowing slightly before relaxing again.
Not knowing the woman's motive put them all on edge, especially as they were now left to essentially wait and see what would happen to Lilyanna as time passed, unable to do much for her.
Visenya sighed. "Worrying about it will change nothing. Whatever Alys intended, we have no choice but to wait for her hand to reveal itself and deal with the consequences from there."
Lilyanna turned in her sleep, pressed her chin against the top of Aemond's head as she moved closer to him.
Aegon's hand tightened around Blackfyre. "She will survive this."
"She must," Rhaenys whispered. "We can't fail again."
Visenya said nothing; her violet eyes remaining fixed upon Lilyanna's sleeping form.
Seeing the girl being brutalized by Harren Hoare's sons, she had almost regretted bringing Lilyanna into this world and forcing her to inherit their mission.
But as she remembered images the Gods had allowed her and her siblings to witness of the Long Night, Visenya hardened her heart once more, forcing herself to think of what she had told Aegon a few minutes ago.
The price will be worth it; Lilyanna will be the one to save us. I know that she will; she can carry the weight, and she can carry better than any of us. Visenya thought as she returned to the insides of Lilyanna's mind.
A Week Later
Lilyanna could not stop herself from glaring at the Kingsguard as he quickly moved to stand between her and a passing servant, scaring the man with his sudden and hostile movement.
Ever since she allowed herself to be caught in Larys' bedchamber, Rickard had been far more protective of her, refusing to let her out of his sight and be more than a few feet away from him during his watch.
It was not as if she could truly blame the man for his increased and paranoid vigilance; Lilyanna knew that she was a danger magnet and that she threw herself into situations with a recklessness that was not always warranted.
And after what had happened in this castle, the princess knew that Ser Rickard had no intention of allowing her even the slightest opportunity to disappear from his sight again.
The only good thing about this week is that it's over, and now I can finally leave this Gods' forsaken castle. Lilyanna thought, as she exited the castle and found herself within Harrenhal's front yard.
The yard was filled with carriages and horses; servants rushing between them with trunks and crates, knights adjusting saddles and checking harnesses, nobles chatting with each other.
Lilyanna navigated through the chaos of dozens of large noble parties preparing to leave with Rickard two steps behind her, the man close enough to her that she could feel his anxiety radiating off him.
As usual, she ignored the stares that her appearance had attracted as she moved, although she made sure to smile brightly as she passed by Jason and Tyland Lannister, enjoying the way both men's faces turned red with barely concealed anger.
Lilyanna could not find it within herself to care much about the treatment she was being given, as even before coming to Harrenhal, Lilyanna was far from the most popular member of the royal family among the nobility of Westeros.
Between her physical condition, her insistence on training with a sword, her habit of involving herself in matters many believed beneath her station, and what many considered her extremely crass, rude, and arrogant personality that was seen as beyond the realm of how a princess should conduct herself, Lilyanna knew that she was considered a shame to her parents at best and an unholy heathen at worst by many.
Her reputation was already terrible, so to her, having people believe that she had either been ruined by Larys Strong or had almost died because the man believed he was doing the world a favor by getting rid of her could not have made it much worse, even if the former made Lilyanna want to find the man's corpse and light it on fire.
Well, at least now, there's even less of a chance of me having ladies-in-waiting foisted upon me, so I guess getting my ass kicked did have some benefits. Lilyanna thought, just as two girls coming around the side of a carriage nearly walked into her.
The first girl caught herself first, stepping neatly to the side before the collision could occur, but the girl let out a short sound of surprise before recovering, stopping inches away from Lilyanna's face.
Rickard immediately moved to step between his charge and the girls, staring them down as he tried to assess them.
"Ser Rickard, it's fine," Lilyanna said as she recognized one of them. "Lady Sabitha, this is the second time we have met like this. I'm beginning to wonder if there will be a third."
Sabitha lowered herself into a respectful curtsy. "Princess, my apologies; we were not watching where we were going."
"Neither was I," Lilyanna replied with a small shrug. "So, we'll call it even. I did not expect to run into you and Lady..."
Lilyanna finally realized that the girl standing next to Sabitha Vypren was not Marna Darry. She was younger than Sabitha, closer to Lilyanna's age, with a thin face and sharp dark eyes, long arms and legs, and a wide, easy smile on her face. She was not the prettiest noble girl Lilyanna had seen; her features were too fierce for that, but she had hair that was thick, black, and extraordinarily curly, piled in abundant waves that fell over her shoulders and reached her waist.
The girl bowed to Lilyanna, her smile growing as she showed off her pearly white teeth. "Alysanne Blackwood, Your Grace."
Wait, Alysanne Blackwood? "Your hair is magnificent," Lilyanna said without thinking.
A brief silence fell over the group as Sabitha and Alysanne stared at her; at the same time, Lilyanna could also feel Rickard's eyes on the back of her head, feeling all of them judging her.
Lilyanna did not react outwardly but was inwardly kicking herself for having gotten starstruck. When this world was still a book to her, Alysanne had been her favorite character from the Dance, and so she took a moment to compose herself so as not to make a fool of herself in front of this stranger.
I think this might be the first time in this life that I've been jealous of another person's hair. Along with the color of her hair, Lilyanna had also inherited Alicent's long, wavy curls, although compared to Alysanne's, hers looked downright ordinary.
Alysanne blinked and then let out a loud laugh as her smile grew wider than before. "Thank you, Your Grace. Yours is too, if I may; the color is extraordinary."
"We are both cursed and blessed in equal measure, it seems, Lady Alysanne."
The girl laughed again, a bright and unself-conscious laugh that Lilyanna found infectious.
Sabitha was right; the princess is strange. Alysanne thought to herself, finding Lilyanna's personality enjoyable as she saw a bit of herself within her; two girls who did not fit the mold of what a typical lady should be.
Lilyanna turned back to Sabitha. "I did not expect to see you again before my family, and I left, Lady Sabitha, but I owe you my thanks for what you did at the trial."
Sabitha inclined her head. "You asked me to speak of what I saw that day, and I did not think it was right to let two people go unpunished for such a horrible crime, Your Grace."
"Why are you still acting so formal, Sabitha?" Alysanne asked her friend. "Isn't it obvious by now that the princess isn't going to have you stoned for speaking out of turn? It's truly a bit terrifying to see you pretending to be a proper lady for so long. I'm beginning to think you've been replaced with a Child of the Forest."
Sabitha sighed. "Please ignore her, Your Grace. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, she has made it her life's purpose to behave as rowdily as possible and ensure that no one around her ever knows a moment's peace."
Alysanne smiled brightly at the older girl. "You say that, but you've continued to stick by me all this time. I've never taken you for a masochist, Vypren, but I suppose we can't know everything about each other."
Lilyanna stared at the two before letting out a short laugh. The two stood before her acting like an old married couple, making Lilyanna sure that the rumors about the two of them and the nature of their relationship were very much true. "It's fine, although Lady Alysanne isn't wrong. I'm the last person who will get mad at someone else for not acting properly, as I'm sure my reputation speaks for itself."
Sabitha shifted where she stood, relaxing a bit at the princess's words. "That is good to know, and I must say that I wish you had been well enough to spend more time here under better circumstances. I had heard you were formidable in the training yard, and I would have liked to see it."
"The feeling is mutual," Lilyanna said with a grin, unintentionally making herself look more menacing. "I would have liked to see what you and Lady Alysanne were capable of."
"Oh, you would have had to go to Sabitha for that," Alysanne said cheerfully, the mischief in her eyes making her look considerably more dangerous. "I don't touch swords; too fucking flimsy and boorish for me. Give me a bow and open ground, and I'll show you something worth watching."
I know, I know exactly what you're both capable of. "Then I hope the next time our paths cross, it's somewhere with enough space for you to show me your skill with a bow, and I can show you mine. Although I will tell you now that my younger cousin is far better than me in this arena, so that should say enough about how well I can handle a bow."
Alysanne grinned. "I would like that very much."
Lilyanna said her farewells to the pair, telling Sabitha to give Lady Marna her thanks as well before walking away; her chest felt lighter than it has in days.
"I hope that you haven't forgotten our deal, Targaryen," Lilyanna flinched, quickly turning her head and seeing Harren Hoare standing to her left, glaring down at her.
Lilyanna said nothing, biting down on her tongue as she turned and kept walking, not wanting her sworn protector to think she was losing her mind and talking to imaginary men.
The former Ironborn King walked in step with Lilyanna, finding a perverse pleasure in how uncomfortable he was making her, even if he was the only one who noticed.
"Nothing to say?" Harren asked sarcastically. "That's unusual. You've had plenty to say the last time we spoke."
Lilyanna kept her eyes forward and her expression neutral, which was taking considerably more effort than she would have liked to admit.
"You made a deal with me and my people, Targaryen," Harren continued. "Now, I am a patient and kind man-"
Lilyanna could not stop herself from letting out a disbelieving snort, ignoring the look Rickard had given her for doing it.
Patient and kind, my asshole. How narcissistic and delusional is this fucking idiot?
Harren glared at Lilyanna but continued to speak. "Death teaches patience, if nothing else. I can acknowledge that fulfilling the end of our deal will take you quite a bit of time, but I want you to understand that it's not the same thing as forgetting. You will see Harrenhal restored to its former greatness and free me and my sons from this person, even if it takes you over a hundred years to do so."
Lilyanna's jaw tightened, but she kept silent as she drew closer to the royal family's carriages.
"I want my freedom, but a small part of me hopes you fail, so that when you die, I may have the pleasure of ripping your soul apart and making that sister fucking cunt Aegon watch," Harren leaned down to whisper in the princess's ear.
Lilyanna glared at Harren from the corner of her eye, wishing the man was not a ghost just so that she could grab her swords and kill him.
"Enjoy your tour, princess," Harren said with fake pleasantness before vanishing.
Even with him gone, Lilyanna could not relax; instead, walking faster toward her family's waiting carriage.
Rickard moved faster to maintain his pace with the princess. "Princess? Are you alright?"
"It's nothing, Ricky," She lied. "I simply wish to leave this place behind."
Rickard did not look convinced, but he merely inclined his head, which she appreciated.
When she reached the carriage, her siblings were already inside while her parents stood outside of it, giving their goodbyes to branches of House Strong.
She could feel the awkwardness of the interaction from where she stood, and not wanting to be pulled into it, she all but ran into the carriage to avoid being stopped.
"That excited to leave, sister?" Aegon playfully asked when Lilyanna burst into the carriage.
Lilyanna let out a snort as she sat down next to Helaena. "I'm never coming back here for as long as I live."
"Me either," Daeron muttered, shuddering as he took another glance at the castle and caught a glimpse of Larys and Alys's rotting heads.
Lilyanna was sure that her youngest brother would have had a heart attack if he had been in her position and had seen proof that Harrenhal truly was haunted.
"Are you alright?" Helaena whispered, leaning closer to Lilyanna as she spoke.
Lilyanna stared at Helaena for a moment. "I'm fine, Hels. I promise, I just truly wish to leave this place."
Helaena nodded and leaned back, still staring at her sister as she did so.
Before anything else could be said, Alicent and Viserys entered the carriage and began to move once the royal couple sat down.
When Alicent sat on her other side, Lilyanna hesitated for a moment before reaching out and grabbing her mother's hand, placing their joined hands on her lap, she stared out of the window of the carriage.
She felt Alicent jump at the contact and knew that the woman was staring at her, but she still could not bring herself to look Alicent in the eyes, fearing that if she did, she would once again see Marsha McDaniels looking back at her.
After a few moments, Alicent cautiously tightened her fingers around her daughter's, afraid that if she held on too tightly, her daughter would let go.
Lilyanna did not let go of Alicent, keeping her gaze fixed on the countryside rolling past the carriage window, watching Harrenhal's blackened towers slowly shrink into the distance.
I'm sorry for pulling away. I'm sorry for making you think this was your fault; I'm sorry that I can't tell you why. Lilyanna thought but could bring herself to say aloud as she squeezed Alicent's hand again.
The Queen's body relaxed, and a small smile appeared on her face as she continued to stare at Lilyanna.
Helaena and Daeron both smiled faintly at the relief they saw on their mother's face, while Aegon wisely said nothing when he noticed his mother and sister's joined hands.
And even Aemond, who, like the rest of his siblings, had spent the past week watching the widening distance between his mother and older sister with growing unease, allowed himself to also relax.
Lilyanna, on the other hand, still found herself unable to think of anything other than the horrors she had witnessed at Harrenhal even as they drew closer to the Gods Eye.
But the Targaryen princess would soon come to realize that no amount of distance would ever be enough to separate her from what had followed her out of Harrenhal's blackened walls.