Chapter 14: Chapter 14
Harry Potter + A song of Ice and Fire Crossover
Chapter 14
Naturally the news that the future queen had been nearly assassinated in the marketplace by unknown masked men kept the court in an uproar for more than a few days.
Aerys was reportedly furious, but Lily was certain his rage had more to do with what he assumed was a threat to his power rather than concern for Elia's safety.
Even more alarming was that a few hours after the man had been imprisoned in the Black Cells, the guards returned to bring him out for questioning only to find his throat slit, the knife still in his hand.
This of course caused the levels of tension in the keep to rise astronomically as the man had been searched for weapons before being imprisoned. So the questions of where he managed to find the knife and the possibility of someone in the keep being involved in an assassination plot was heavy on everyone's minds.
Prince Oberyn was furious when he learned of the man's death as it meant they were no closer to learning who was behind the plot than when Elia had been first attacked and Prince Doran bore a calculating expression but Lily knew he was bothered by the news too.
As for Elia, Lily knew she was trying to be brave but at the same time she was also feeling unsettled. Not that Lily could blame her, being attacked by armed men in the marketplace and having her throat nearly slit by one would be enough to give anyone nightmares. It certainly didn't help that the one who had done it was now dead under mysterious circumstances giving the uneasy feeling that it would be a long time before this alarming story reached a conclusion.
The threat of an unknown power however did little to stop the planned feasts that continued to take place every night.
By now the entire court knew that Elia had chosen her companions for the duration of her stay and Lily could have sworn she was being sized up a few times as she walked down the halls by other noble ladies.
Some of the looks from the Tyrell girls were annoying. They always looked Lily up and down as if assessing a threat and wondering how best to take her out.
They can try, Lily thought with a smirk. But that's all they can do. I'm here to stay.
In the meantime, Lily had done her best to keep an eye over Elia in the last few days. Surely an attempt on someone's life and a near brush with death was emotionally difficult enough that it would keep one up at night but perhaps it was the fact that Prince Rhaegar didn't seem nearly as attentive as Lily thought he should have been annoyed her.
She didn't know Elia well enough yet to know when things really bothered her and so far she was treating the prince's indifference with grace and decorum.
I don't want to think about how I would react if the man I'm going to marry ignored me after an attempt on my life. These Targaryens really are strange.
Thankfully, the queen did not seem to adhere to her husband's lack of interest and so Lily found herself spending the next few days before the wedding in the company of Rhaella Targaryen.
The blonde had taken it upon herself to keep her new daughter with her seemingly at all times. Lily had a feeling that it was because she was paranoid about losing any more family members. Though Summerhall had happened before she was born, its effects were still feeling felt by the realm.
Obviously whoever had attacked Elia had sensed that a power shift was near and so were taking great pains to stake a claim upon the throne.
What Lily didn't understand however was how going after Elia was better than going after a member of the royal family. If the Targaryens were the target, how was taking out the future queen better than the crown prince who actually bore the name, especially when the king would have no trouble finding a second bride?
Perhaps its because she's bait.
"I have a theory," Lily said.
It was the night before the wedding and to the surprise of most of the court, there was no feast that night allowing all lords and ladies to retire early and get rest before what was likely to be a very long day.
Elia must have been having difficulty relaxing however because not long before this, she had summoned Lily and now the two were walking through the gardens arm in arm with a contingent of Martell guards following them.
Prince Oberyn had insisted upon being present too and was following along slowly behind them. He had barely left his sister's side since the attack and Lily had wondered briefly if when she and Ed were older he might be the same way.
Ha! Fat chance!
"And what is that?" Elia asked.
Her manner hadn't changed since the attack prompting Lily to think she was made of stern stuff….or perhaps something like this had happened before.
"Perhaps," Lily said after lowering her voice and looking around, "perhaps you weren't to be the target of this attack after all."
Elia frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that I've been doing some thinking about a possible motive for the attack in the marketplace and I've come up with a few theories."
"By all means let us hear them," Oberyn muttered from behind them. "It certainly seems as if the king cannot be bothered to do any thinking these days."
"Lower your voice!" Elia hissed. "We don't know who's listening."
Lily cleared her throat to cut through the sibling banter. "Perhaps whoever was behind this had the intention of drawing you out so as to make the Targaryens more active in their pursuit of the assailant."
"For what purpose?" Oberyn asked.
Lily stifled the urge to roll her eyes. In the same way that Sirius Black said and did things without thinking, Oberyn Martell was quickly reminding her more and more of him.
Fortunately Elia was quicker. "You don't think that the Targaryens are being targeted do you?"
Lily shrugged. "Why not? You and I can both count the remaining members of House Targaryen on one hand. Their power is tenuous and their grasp on it is brittle. Why shouldn't someone seek power by getting rid of the last of them?"
Oberyn hissed between his teeth and Lily realized he was understanding the complications. "If you are correct Lady Lilian, my sister is about to become the fifth Targaryen which will paint even more of a target on her back."
Elia waved a hand dismissively. "I was going to become a target with or without this attack. And it would have been more subtle as well. I've seen the looks many of the other girls here are throwing my way, particularly Cersei Lannister. I knew what I would be getting into before I arrived here. I'm a Martell, and I won't let anyone or anything break me."
Lily exchanged glances with Oberyn who if anything looked even more worried and intense.
She had to admire her friend's resolve however. Not many women were well equipped to handle a life in the capital. It took a certain kind of tenacity to live this sort of life and if she kept it long after the crown had left her head…well that would certainly be impressive.
"Very well then," the red head replied. "I guess all we can do at this point is push through and keep our heads. Maybe it was an isolated incident and all of this will be easily resolved."
Oberyn chuckled darkly. "Nothing is ever simple Lily. Especially here in the south. The only place I think where someone can escape political intrigue would be in the north, and even there they adhere to a different sort of politics."
"The politics of survival," Lily muttered to herself and Oberyn gave her an approving look. "You're learning quickly. You'll do well here."
Lily smirked at him. "When you grow up with two older siblings and watching your father's own politics, you tend to learn fast."
He snorted and Elia grinned at her friend. "Then what's Oberyn's excuse? He's the third siblings just as you are and yet it seems as if he hasn't picked up on anything resembling politics. He's too busy bedding the next woman to come along."
This time Lily was the one to snort. Sirius 2.0 had struck again.
She was just glad she was much too young for Oberyn. Had she been older and he had made a move on her she might have just hexed him.
"I am not inept at politics I will have you know," Oberyn said with a touch of indignation.
"No, but you just don't care about them," Elia shot back. "And sometimes that can be dangerous."
Oberyn shrugged nonchalantly. "Whatever danger comes as a result of ignorance or indifference, I am well equipped to handle it."
Lily cast her eyes downward and noted the wicked looking dagger at his waist. She had no doubt he knew how to use that blade six ways to Sunday before anyone else could get theirs halfway from their sheath.
"And there you see the danger," Elia said with exasperation. "You need to care. There may come a day when your skills aren't good enough. And why invite trouble if you can avoid it anyway?"
Oberyn smirked at her. "Sweet sister you worry too much. If there were no trouble in life the existence of us mortals would be dreadfully dull."
Elia threw her hands up in the air. "Very well, but if you get into a situation you cannot escape as a result of your foolishness, I will tell Doran to not avenge you as you brought your demise on your own head."
She whirled about and stamped off with the guards hustling to catch up. Lily glanced up at Oberyn who was still smirking. "What on earth was that about?"
"A few things you will learn here young Tully," the Red Viper replied as they walked on. "My sister is easily exasperated. She does not like things she can't control and she thinks she adapts well to change but she does not. She's going to run into a lot of things here that will be out of her hands and that she has no power over. I hope you will be able to help her process those things. She trusts you."
Lily blinked at the unexpected moment of clarity. Just like Sirius, it seemed that Oberyn had his moments where he could be empathetic and let his guard down in the right circumstances. She hoped to see more of those moments as it humanized him.
"It's funny what life or death situations will do to a person," she quipped. "You find yourself talking to people you never would have and sharing jokes with people much older than you."
Oberyn smirked. "I'm not that much older than you Tully."
No, but you're old enough for it to feel strange.
"Maybe not," Lily replied, "but you're certainly old enough to be married or so Elia tells me."
Oberyn rolled his eyes in the dim light of the outside torches. "Did she also tell you that I find the concept of marriage off putting? Life is far too exciting to spend tied down to one partner."
"Not everyone has that luxury," Lily said under her breath.
"Perhaps not," Oberyn said. "But what you can control is your perspective about it."
Lily frowned at him. "I'm afraid I don't understand."
Oberyn chuckled. "There are going to be a lot of things in life that you will not be able to change Tully. Marriage is one of them. There just might come a time where I will not be able to escape those bonds. I think one of my greatest weapons is that I can adapt well."
"You certainly do have a high opinion of yourself," Lily said sarcastically rolling her eyes.
Oberyn smirked at her. "I do, and I don't think I'm wrong for having it."
Lily sighed but gave him a small smile. "And this is where I think I will say my goodnights. We have a big day tomorrow."
Oberyn sighed. "Up at the crack of dawn and perhaps bed when the stars are burning. I can't wait."
"I'll bet you are," Lily said as she moved to walk off down the garden path. "You just say you don't like it, but deep down I'll bet you're smirking."
And as she turned her back to the Red Viper and hurried off to her own chambers, the youngest Dornish prince was doing just that.
Ω
Dresses here certainly are beautiful but I don't think they're functional at all. How on earth am I supposed to move in this?!
"You look like you have rigor mortis," Lysa teased from her place on the bed. "Would you stop being so stiff? It'll be over before you know it."
"I can't help it," Lily said running her hands up and down her arms. "I don't understand why it was necessary to wear the most elaborate dress possible."
"Perhaps because it's a royal wedding," Lysa suggested wryly, "and those sorts of things only happen once every few decades. It's sort of a tradition to look the best you possibly can."
Lily rolled her eyes. "There are ways of looking your best that don't involve elaborate trains, Myrish lace and intricate embroidery. I'm not sure my neck can sustain the weight of all of this hair."
Lysa threw back her head and laughed. "Will you please calm down? You've never looked better. If mother could see you now I wonder what she would say."
She'd probably say I looked like some primped up peacock and then laugh herself sick. She could never get me to like wearing dresses.
Thinking about Minisa caused Lily to grimace and she shook her head as if clearing it of memories.
"Does it at least look good?" she asked. "If I'm going to be staggering the entire day, I'd at least like to look good while I'm doing it."
"Yes, you look fine," Lysa laughed. "I'm glad you decided to wear blue today. You so rarely wear our house colors."
"They don't really match with my coloring," Lily muttered as she glanced down at the long train of her dress with some distaste.
The color blue was nice but at the same time she was irritated that there needed to be such a length on it. The extension of the dress went out about three feet from the actual hem and was made of shimmering deep blue Myrish lace which gave the appearance of rippling water.
The dress itself was silk and felt very soft next to her skin but it also wasn't heavy which would give some welcome relief from the heat of the capital. The bodice was also Myrish lace embroidered with tiny white seed pearls. It was sleeveless and open at the back, connecting only behind her neck and at the small of her back with three small seed pearls acting as buttons.
Her long red curls had been pulled to the top of her head leaving some to cascade down but otherwise her skin was left open to the breeze.
Her shoes were simple and without a heel allowing her to move faster which was good considering she was going to be on her feet the whole day.
Long tear drop pearls dangled from her earlobes. They were the most elaborate piece of jewelry she was wearing which was enough as they were quite heavy.
Even now she was rubbing at them and wondering if it would break some sort of social protocol if she were to take them off before the banquet that evening.
"What do you mean they don't match your coloring?" Lysa demanded. "With your skin anything would look good on you. I still don't understand how you got such an alabaster coloring."
"It makes me look as pale as a ghost," Lily muttered remembering that in her first life she had been called a ghost numerous times in Muggle school. It had always annoyed her.
Lysa opened her mouth to reply when all of a sudden there was a tap on the door.
"Come," Lily called out and the door opened to reveal Ser Brynden standing on the threshold. He too was wearing the Tully colors but in the deep muted red tones which made his hair seem even more like flames. His doublet was embroidered with gold threads and there was the signature black fish pin fastened to the breast pocket.
He took one look at her and raised an eyebrow. "I suppose you're ready to go then?"
"I am," Lily said stepping down from the platform much to the consternation of the servant who was still arranging the train. "Let's get this over with."
"That's the spirit," her uncle deadpanned and Lysa giggled. "I had better go get ready myself. "Well all be leaving for the Great Sept in an hour."
"I imagine that Cat's all in a tizzy," Lily said.
"Why do you think I came here?" Lysa asked. She got up off the bed with a sigh and passed her uncle at the door. "I'll see you in an hour I suppose."
As soon as she was gone, Lily took her uncle's arm and the two swept out of the room. As someone who would be standing up with Elia as a witness and one of her companions here in the capital she had to be there a little early
Besides, she wanted to see the Great Sept before it was filled to bursting with people.
Sure enough as they rode in a modest wheelhouse through the streets of the city, Lily peeked her head outside the curtains and noticed the city was just beginning to wake up. It was still early morning and the mist was coming off the bay almost like a silvery curtain just being raised before the start of a play.
It wasn't long however before she caught sight of an even more magnanimous image. It was in the distance but steadily coming nearer as the horses trotted onwards.
The Great Sept of Baelor was the largest building in King's Landing. It had been built above an underground chapel long before the walls of the capital were ever raised. It was also a tomb for the Targaryen kings of the past. It consisted of a dome and seven crystal towers, each one to commemorate a different god or goddess and each of the towers contained bells. They were not currently sounding but they would to celebrate the wedding of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell.
"Do you see that statue?" Brynden Tully asked from the other side of the seat and Lily craned her neck out even farther to look.
Coming into focus as the horses began the climb towards Visenya's Hill was the large stone figure of a man. Lily knew without much detail that this was the effigy of Baelor Targaryen also known as Baelor the Blessed.
Leaning back so she could look even higher, Lily gazed in awe at the white stone building and the large dome framed by the seven white towers. She could faintly see the bells in the towers hanging still and silent in the morning air. There were a few puffy clouds in the periwinkle blue sky and a flock of high flying birds called to each other as they sped out towards the bay, no doubt to go hunting.
King's Landing was certainly a charming place when it was quiet, but that only lasted for so long. As soon as the city woke up, Lily knew it would go back to being a smelly repulsive cesspool where the lives of the rich were starkly evident against the lives of the poor.
"What are you thinking about?" Brynden Tully asked as the wheelhouse pulled to a stop outside the Great Sept. With one hand he reached out and opened the door so the sunlight poured in but he kept his face toward Lily.
"About how this city needs a makeover," the smaller red head muttered. "It's been like this for too long."
The Blackfish grunted as he stepped outside and held a hand back to her. "This city has been like this for decades Lilian. People are too set in their ways to change."
Lily didn't have an answer for that.
She took her uncle's hand and stepped out of the wheelhouse into the light of the rising sun before mounting the tall white steps which led into the sept.
Once inside, she was assaulted by a cool quiet. It was almost like a library atmosphere, there was not a sound at all and the light from the tall windows cast shafts of sunbeams on the floor in a continuous forward succession almost as if an ethereal staircase was being created.
Lily had to do a complete turn in order to see everything. The entire interior of the sept was decorated with paintings of the seven pointed star that hung above the throne in the Red Keep.
There were seven different sculptures that were attached to the pillars holding up the center of the sept and each pillar was in honor of a different member of the Seven. They were at least twenty feet tall and at the base of each one were placed votive offerings and lit candles.
The statues themselves were carved out of white marble and in the very center of the enormous sanctuary was a seven sided impression with steps leading down into it like an inground pool that had yet to be filled with water. On the tiles of this empty space was also painted the star in a golden brown and black color.
There was a raised platform in the center of the empty space where Lily had a feeling the ceremony would take place. Rhaegar and Elia would stand there before the High Septon and say their vows before the gods with hundreds of people standing around watching.
The sheer amount of eyes that would be on them made Lily cringe as she remembered her own marriage to James and how simple and quiet it had been.
Odds were that her own marriage in this world would not be nearly as large or as ornate as this, but there would still be far more eyes on her here than in England.
"Quite extraordinary isn't it?" Brynden Tully asked and all Lily could do was nod.
"Feel free to have a look around," her uncle said. "I'm going to confer with the guards a moment."
Lily was barely aware of her uncle's receding footsteps before she made her way down into the center of the sept to look up at the enormous statues.
They were both compelling and intimidating in their own right and Lily paused to study the face of each one.
She started with the Father and immediately got this sense of aloofness. The Father was supposed to sit in judgement over the rest of the world, weighing the actions and intentions of the heart and yet his face made him seem cold and inhuman almost as if those he were judging were no more than the ticks of a box on and on for all of eternity.
Lily could only stand to look at him for so long because she sensed there was no hope in that stone visage that would make her want to pray to him. Judgement was neither good nor bad with this god. It just was.
Next she turned to the Mother who in a few seconds she could tell was vastly different than the patriarch of the gods. The sculptor of her face had created soft lines and gentle creases around the eyes to convey a sense of intimacy and sensitivity lacking in the face of the former. Even the way her head was tilted as she looked down at Lily gave the red head a feeling like right now she was only object worthy of attention. The Mother was supposed to be a protector of children and pregnant women so it only made sense that her caring nature shone through in her stone effigy.
The Maiden reminded Lily a lot of the pureblood girls she had seen at school. Her hands were folded over her chest and her stunning face bore a wistful expression as if she were seeing something that was too happy or too lovely to exist in this world. Her hair wasn't colored but if were, Lily imagined it would be gold like sunshine, her eyes as blue as a cloudless summer sky.
The Warrior looked like every cliché picture of knights she had seen in her history books at Hogwarts and in the Muggle world. His helmeted head was bowed and his hands were clasped around the hilt of an enormous sword that was placed in front of him and tilted downward so its point rested in the ground between his feet. Try as she might, Lily was never able to see his face.
She didn't spend too much time on the Smith either as he simply looked like every other man she had seen in the street of steel with his bare arms, bearded face and enormous hammer.
The Crone was interesting. She was the shortest of the group but that could be attributed to her curved spine. She was wearing a long robe and had one hand raised bearing a lantern also made of the same stone. The sculptor had created a mass of wrinkles in her face revealing extreme age as well as betraying her immortality and infinite wisdom.
And then Lily turned to the face she wanted least of all to see. She had never seen the face of death when she had been sitting in that room with him bargaining for her future but she wondered if that visage looked anything like this one. As she looked up at it a chill was sent from the top of her spine to the base of her feet.
The Stranger was hooded like the Crone but his hood was covering more of his head and as she gazed up at the skeletal and cadaverous face, Lily realized why and she understood why the Stranger was rarely prayed to.
His eyes were empty hollow sockets but surprisingly enough, the sculptor had fashioned the seven pointed stair just behind the bone of each lidless eye. His teeth were bared in a grisly smile and he appeared stiffer than the others.
Lily knew she was probably imagining things given how none of the statues were flesh and blood, but the Stranger held itself so close together that Lily imagined that rigor mortis had set in.
A sudden breeze blew in from the open doors outside of the sept and caused a chill to rise on Lily's skin.
Is this what you looked like? She wondered as she gazed up at the skeletal face. Was this what you didn't want me to see? Or are you something even worse than this, are you something worse than what appears in a child's nightmares?
All of a sudden a hand descended on her shoulder and she sucked in a breath before whirling around.
Standing about a foot away was Petyr with his hands raised and his eyes wide.
"Sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to scare you."
Lily released a shaky laugh. "That's alright. I think I got so engrossed in this place that forgot there were people coming. It almost sucks you in."
Petyr nodded but his gaze was still cautious. "Why were you looking at the Stranger like that?"
"Like what?"
"You almost looked as if you were in a trance," Petyr said his tone going soft. He almost looked unnerved "Your eyes looked like they were clouded over, like you were having a vision. You weren't were you?"
"Of course not," Lily said, but she said it almost too fast. "I was just….you and I have both seen death. We know what it looks like because it came for our mothers. I just wanted to know….I don't know. Maybe I thought if I looked hard enough I would be able to see her."
Petyr didn't respond and when she looked back at him again, the look in his pale green eyes was unfathomable.
"If you were looking for peace Lily I don't think you're going to find it here," he said. "No one can look at the Stranger and feel peaceful. Come on. The wedding's going to start soon."
Ω
God's if this septon drones on for any longer, I am going to melt into a puddle of blue sweat!
Even though the Great Sept was large enough to hold seven hundred people, Lily was certain there were at least a thousand crammed into its walls. On top of the major and minor lords who had turned up, there were the everyday civilians of King's Landing many of whom smelled like they had not had a decent bath in days who were crowding the entrance and craning their necks to see the royal couple.
Lily did have to admit that Elia looked exquisite. She had also been a delicate beauty, sort of like a rare flower that one that needed just the right atmosphere and sunlight and water to thrive.
She was wearing a very pale shimmering gold dress that left her arms and most of her back bare but her long ebony curls were covered by the most ethereal train that Lily had ever seen. Nestled in those locks were three different golden hammered suns fashioned into clips and hanging from those clips was an ivory lace train that went all the way down to her feet.
It must have had some weight to it because Lily had caught the princess tilting her head to the left and right a few times as if to stretch her muscles.
Oberyn and Doran were standing just behind the princess opposite Lily, hands folded in front of them and standing shoulder width apart like sentries as they gazed on as their only sister was married off.
Standing next to her was Ashara who was a vision in a purple dress the same color as her eyes. It took was sleeveless and open at the back to give some relief from the heat. Her dark locks were twisted into an elaborate braided bun at the nape of her neck and purple gemstones glittered in the tresses.
Prince Rhaegar himself looked almost ethereal in his wedding garb. He was dressed in black from head to toe and the collar of his tunic was embroidered in silver. He was wearing an elaborate scarlet cape that crossed his back diagonally and in the front it turned into a silver chain with an ornate effigy of a three headed dragon sitting at the top of the left shoulder. His platinum hair was combed back.
His beautiful face however was blank, he barely glanced at Elia as the vows were being said and Lily ground her teeth together at the blatant show of indifference. She knew this was an arranged marriage and the two didn't really know each other but was it so hard to pretend?
Ah well, maybe they'll find love before long. Elia didn't even want to be here but maybe she'll adapt and end up loving it.
Speaking of loving things, Lily could tell from her vantage point standing atop the platform that her brothers currently were not having a good time.
Axel who was being held by his nurse was squirming and fidgeting to be put down. Ed was also doing an abysmal job at hiding his own boredom. When he poorly disguised a large yawn, Lily stared hard at him and raised an eyebrow.
It only took him a moment to realize that his older sister was giving him the death glare and he immediately straightened up as if he had replaced his spine with a rod.
She nodded to herself and continued looking around. It hadn't escaped her that her family along with the Tully guards had taken up residence at the feet of the Stranger.
Oh the bitter irony.
Standing in the empty inground pool were all the major lords of Westeros along with their families and guards, on the outer rim were the lesser lords and just outside were the peasants almost like they presented the picture of a solar system of the class hierarchy.
Lily continued looking around albeit it discreetly, moving her eyes only so she could see the other lord.
Standing next to her family was the combination of Lord Arryn along with Elbert Ned and Brandon Stark and Robert Baratheon. She was surprised when her green eyes met Elbert's and he gave her a small smile. She let her lips quirk upward for a moment before she moved on.
To her annoyance, standing a few feet from Elbert was Robert Baratheon who was observing the ceremony with poorly disguised boredom. He was also dressed in his house colors of black and yellow but the only yellow on his tunic was his sleeves and collar. The garb also fit him like a glove and made him seem even taller and more muscled.
A second later he must have felt her look because he glanced up too and when his eyes met hers, he didn't bother hiding a small smirk and then following it up by winking at her.
Lily wanted to roll her eyes but controlled herself before letting her eyes roam on.
Standing next to this mismatched party were the Tyrells, a company comprised of an older woman with greying hair and sharp eyes, a stout short man who was dressed in a deep forest green. Gold rings decorated his decorated his stubby fingers and he had an air of self importance.
Standing next to him were two women with curly brown hair and blue eyes also in green and gold.
Next to them were the Lannisters and here was where Lily paused. The tall Hand of the King was wearing red with the bronze pin clasped to his breast pocket. Next to him were his son and daughter Cersei and Jaime, mirror images of themselves, except though Jaime had an easy self satisfied smirk on his face, Cersei looked completely sullen and her green eyes were burning fire right at the platform where Elia and Rhaegar were standing.
Oh dear, I've seen that look before. It seems the little green eyed monster is the same in every world.
Finally, Lily let her eyes wander outwards towards the windows of the Great Sept where there were several smaller statues standing by the sills. They occupied the railing and were framed by every window around the interior.
She hadn't had a good time to look at them earlier but she was certain that they were more effigies of the Seven.
Merlin as if this place didn't have enough statues already. And their eyes are constantly looking downward. It's as if it was the desire of the past kings to make people afraid to pray here.
All of a sudden she frowned and turned back towards the large window across the room where she had been looking earlier. The statues were still there but Lily narrowed her eyes, she had sworn she had seen movement.
You're losing it, the heat is making you see things.
She glanced back at the High Septon and suppressed a desire to yank his hood over his greasy self important face. If he droned on any longer she was going to –
Wait a minute.
Lily glanced back at the window and this time she swore she wasn't imagining it. One of the statues was moving.
At first she thought she was hallucinating and narrowed her eyes even further. But as the slow movements continued, Lily became convinced that she wasn't seeing things and that someone was up there.
Did one of the peasants sneak into the sept when we weren't looking to watch the wedding? I don't think there are any nobles up there. It'd be too far away to hear much less see anything.
As Lily squinted trying to get a better look at who was up there, she suddenly became aware that the other shadowy figures were moving about on the platform as well.
A sense of alarm filled her and she looked around to see if anyone else was seeing what she was seeing.
A second later she wanted to curse. Everyone was either paying rapt attention to the ceremony taking place or else attempting to show that they were paying attention quite lazily. No one's eyes had drifted to the upper balcony where the windows were because no one had any reason to.
No one else had her vantage point standing on the stone platform in the center of sept. She darted her eyes around to Ashara who was watching the proceedings with a small smile on her face.
No help there.
Lily then glanced at Oberyn who was also watching the proceedings with a fierce look in his eyes. He wasn't looking at Elia so much as he was Oberyn and the red head knew he was making silent oaths in his head of what to do to the prince should he treat his sister badly.
"Father, Mother, Warrior, Maiden, Smith, Crone, Stranger," Elia intoned as the high septon wrapped the ribbon around their wrists. "I am his and he is mine."
Lily concentrated and stared hard at Oberyn, she needed to get his attention. He needed to know that something strange was happening.
She tried clearing her throat quietly but when that didn't work, she returned to staring hard at him.
A moment later, thank Merlin, he must have felt it for he looked up and met her eyes. His eyes narrowed at her in question.
With short movements, Lily nodded with her eyes and her chin towards the upper balcony. His eyes narrowed even more and slowly he leaned over to Doran who was standing next to him. A short whispered conversation followed where Oberyn barely moved his lips but Doran must have understood him because he nodded a moment later.
Just then there was movement out of the corner of Lily's eye and she jerked her head upwards again towards the balcony.
All of a sudden one of the theories she had mused about with Oberyn the night before came back to her and she realized that they were standing in the perfect trap to take out every member of the royal family in one go. All one had to do was be in the right spot.
It seemed that that spot had been achieved before any noble had ever set foot in the Great Sept.
A sharp stab of panic filled her then when she saw one of the innermost figures reach into a sling on his back and pull out a long object which he fitted to an instrument in his hands.
An instant later the red head realized that it was an arrow being fitted to a string.
She gasped and Ashara must have heard her because the brunette turned toward her with a frown. "What's wrong?"
Just then there was a sharp and decisive twang and Lily realized the dart had been loosed. It came whizzing from the top floor of the balcony and all she had time to scream were the words: "Get down!"
Oberyn was closer to Elia so he grabbed her surprised shoulders and pushed her towards the ground as hard as he could.
Lily meanwhile dove for Prince Rhaegar and managed to shove him out of the way into Ashara who shrieked with surprise.
It was a lucky thing too for a split second later the arrow whizzed through the spot where he had been standing and struck the far wall with a sickening crunch.
After that all hell broke loose.
Terrified screams and shouts of surprise broke out from the large crowd. The Kingsguard raced onto the platform and Ser Arthur seized the arm of the prince and hauled him to his feet.
"We have been lured into a trap your grace!" he shouted. "We must return to the Red Keep immediately!"
Lily was immediately looking for her family. Both Ser Brynden and her father had drawn their swords and were scanning the area for immediate threats. Her sisters in the meantime were looking supremely scared and looking back and forth like caged animals looking for an escape.
All of a sudden there was a loud thud and all eyes turned towards the large doors.
To Lily's astonishment, they had suddenly slammed shut seemingly of their own accord trapping the nobles in the sept.
Apparently those had been the intentions of the shadowy figures all along because before Lily fully registered what was happening, ropes had been thrown from the uppermost balcony and figures in dark robes were hurtling down the cords towards the ground below.
"Get the doors open!" Ser Gerold bellowed at several of the Martell guards down below. He turned to the High Septon who had turned white. "Is there another way out?"
"Ser Gerold – "
"IS THERE ANOTHER WAY?!"
"Yes," the septon said nodding so hard Lily thought his head would fall from his neck. "But it's on the far side of the sept!"
He pointed to a small doorway that was easily fifty feet across the sept and the path to get to it included getting down off the platform and making their way through a screaming writhing stampeding crowd who had no direction.
"We're not going to have time," Prince Oberyn muttered, he had already drawn his weapons. "They're already upon us."
He had no sooner said the words when four of the men in black who had sliced through the crowds like water, cutting down anyone in their way leapt over the side of the platform and now stood before them with two drawn wicked looking swords in each hand.
"Protect the royal family!" was all Ser Gerold had time to shout before they were upon them.
Lily had seen many fighting styles being practiced in the practice area at Riverrun but she had never seen such a fast quick style.
Most of it had to do with the two swords these assassins were carrying as in order to combat them the members of the Kingsguard had to move with blistering speed.
Lily looked wildly around for her family and saw with relief that her uncle and the guards were herding them away from the platform as fast as possible.
But that was all the time she had before she was facing her own hooded assailant, also with two swords in his hands.
One was swung towards her head and the other towards her stomach. Ashara screamed and Lily did the only thing natural.
She ducked.
And as the blade passed an inch from her skin, she hissed the word to the charm that would render him motionless: "Immobulus!"
It worked instantly and his arms and legs locked up. She didn't see the look in his eyes but it didn't matter as the charm had worked.
"I'll take that," she said and snatched the blades from his stiff fingers before raising her leg and kicking him off the platform to the ground below.
"What happened?" Ashara demanded from behind her. "How did you do that?"
Lily didn't answer her and instead handed the brunette a sword. "Do you know how to use this?"
Ashara gingerly took the weapon as if it were a poisonous snake. "When I was a child my brother showed me a few things but nothing specific."
"Let's hope you remember then," Lily muttered as more and more of black clad assailants came pouring down from the balcony. "I don't think anyone's going to be leaving here without blood on their hands.
Prince Oberyn and Prince Doran had dragged Elia into a circle surrounded by their guards and Ser Arthur was currently watching the back of the prince as they descended the stairs. The platform was already littered with bodies and Ser Arthur's sword was slick with blood.
"Ashara come!" he barked even though he was only a few steps away. "It's not safe."
His words were punctuated with the sudden appearance of more men in black and the air was filled with the clashing of metal once more.
Lily took a step forward and then looked down and cursed. I'm not going to be able to do anything in a get up like this. I need to get my legs free.
Gripping the blade, she slashed downward and sliced clean through the dress so she was bare from her shins down. It was a jagged cut but it would do. She grabbed Ashara's arm and the two of them dashed for the stairs.
Ser Arthur grabbed his sister's other arm and shoved her roughly in front of him but the brunette didn't let go of Lily's arm and dragged her along with them.
They had no sooner reached the bottom of the platform before the party was once more set upon by hooded assailants.
"Ashara, your grace, get behind me," Ser Arthur yelled as his great sword Dawn flashed through the air once more.
Prince Oberyn and the Martell guards were already fighting their way towards the door on the other side of the sept. Prince Doran also had his sword drawn but he had a tight hold of Elia's arm.
The royal family had separated into three parties and King Aerys and the queen as well as Prince Viserys were being escorted out by Ser Gerold, Ser Jonothor Darry Ser Oswell Whent and Ser Barristan who were cutting a path through the crowd towards the door.
"Lily come!" Elia called over her shoulder when she saw the hesitation of the red head.
Lily felt torn. Going to safety would be so easy. As fast as these assassins were the members of the Kingsguard were named for a reason.
Ser Arthur had dispatched the two in front of him with a lethal grace that made Lily remember why they called him the Sword of the Morning.
Even without Ser Harlan, the Kingsguard were a deadly group of knights. It would be far safer to go with them.
But then she glanced towards the doors of the sept and remembered that her family were still sealed inside. She was the only one who would be able to get those doors open and fast.
It further alarmed her to see there were members of this assailants group who didn't appear as interested in the royal family and were just going through the crowd and killing at will.
Already the ground was littered with the bodies of servants, guards and even some minor lords and ladies.
This was a coordinated attack, Lily realized.
She glanced at the doors again, remembered her family and that sealed her decision.
"Go!" she said giving Ashara a shove and darting away. "I need to see to my family."
"Don't be a fool Lady Lilian!" Ser Arthur yelled after her. "A lady with a sword is no match for these men!"
That's where you're wrong.
As she darted through the crowd, Lily hissed the words to a violent spell under her breath. It was one that would open the doors but possibly have some collateral damage as well.
"Bombarda Maxima!"
A terrific rumble shook the great sept and Lily breathed a sigh of relief as the doors were broken open.
There was a pause in which the congregation stopped whatever they were doing and stared at the destroyed doors. A moment later however they surged forward towards freedom with a combined shout of relief.
That wasn't the end of the fight however.
As Lily raced through the crowd looking for her family, she suddenly came across one of the black clad men cornering what looked to be a minor lady against one of the large statues of the Seven.
It didn't take a genius to understand what his intentions were.
With a snarl, Lily leapt forward and slashed the blade of her borrowed sword against the backs of the man's legs, hamstringing him completely.
As he buckled forward, she brought the sword up in the back cut of the same stroke and hit him in the head.
His descent was much faster after that.
The adrenaline must have been surging in her veins making it hard to hear for it was difficult to comprehend what happened next.
There was a soft grunt from just behind her and she whirled around to find yet another robed man standing just behind her with his sword raised. She hissed in a breath and then released it in shock when the man toppled to the floor, prompting her need to dart out of the way.
Standing just behind him with a bloody hammer and a fierce grin on his face was Robert Baratheon.
"Watch yourself Tully!" he bellowed. "These bastards are everywhere!"
Had the situation been different, she probably would have rolled her eyes but as it stood she didn't have the time because just then Robert did something unexpected.
He leapt forward, seized her about the waist and lifted her into the air.
"Robert Baratheon!" she shrieked at his forwardness. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing!"
A half second later he set her down behind him and slashed his hammer with a roar at the other assassin who had been running at her from behind.
Another half second later she realized what he had done and grimaced. Merlin, he's strong! I don't like knowing that I can be thrown around like a sack of potatoes!
She was only allowed the luxury of her own thoughts for a minute perhaps before another assassin came at them again.
From there it was just action. This being her first real fight, Lily put her emotional state on auto pilot and just focused on using every muscle to the full.
She muttered spells as she remembered them but most of the time she focused on just swinging her sword. Using magic and fighting at the same time took a special kind of multi tasking that she hadn't mastered yet.
Later she would be thankful that Robert was at her back as the two of them took out assailants together.
At one point as they were fighting their way towards the now blasted open doors, Lily moved away from Baratheon and had turned just in time to see another man running at him while he was locked in combat with yet another.
Having only a few seconds to make a decision, somehow a creative decision worked its way through and the red head dashed for Robert. He had bent his legs slightly as he was slashing his way about his opponent which served her perfectly.
Taking a leap, Lily landed one foot on Robert's bent leg, yanked one of the long pearl earrings from her ear and jabbed the long post of it into the only exposed part of the man that she could find.
His eye.
He fell to the floor that was already slick with blood which a horrific cry and lay their twitching as blood gushed from his ruined eye.
Lily managed to jump free but landed somewhat awkwardly and hissed with pain as she felt a sharp jolt go up her left ankle.
Robert in the meantime had finished bashing the skull of his other opponent in and had whirled at the unexpected intrusion on the fight in time to see what Lily had done.
He was panting slightly but his blue eyes were ablaze with a fire that she had never seen.
"Damn Tully," he said with what sounded like admiration. "You're better than I thought."
Lily grimaced as she pulled out her other earring and tossed it to the ground. "I will never be able to wear these again."
Robert threw back his head and uttered a roaring laugh that echoed off the walls of the sept before bending at the waist to catch his breath. "Best damn wedding I've ever been to."
Lily rolled her eyes and looked around suddenly realizing that they didn't seem to have any more people to fight.
The sept was a mess.
Bodies littered the floor and she could feel the blood soaking through her silk slippers to her distaste.
The only remaining people in the room were several minor lords who had stayed behind to fight along with their guards.
Since she had ripped the doors open with a well placed spell, most of the other nobles had hightailed it outside.
The tall statues of the gods were splattered with blood and gore and the platform where she had been standing for the duration of the wedding looked like some horrific altar upon which animals had been slaughtered.
It was going to take days and scores of people to clean this up.
People….
Lily whirled about to Robert who was also in the process of looking around. "My family, did you see them?"
Robert cursed under his breath and ran a hand through his messy curly black hair. "I think I saw the Blackfish take them through the doors once they came apart." He then frowned darkly at the doors that had been blasted in. "How in the seven hells did that happen anyway?"
Lily decided that wasn't worth mentioning and started for the doors in order to find them.
She didn't get very far though as the ankle she had landed hard on screamed in protest and she came to a screeching halt, muttering to herself in pain.
"What happened?" Robert asked as he came up alongside her with his eyes narrowed.
Lily bent and gingerly touched her ankle, wincing when it protested again. "I decided that perhaps being a lady was beneath me and that being an acrobat like they have in Qarth was a better idea."
Again Robert roared with laughter. "I'm liking you more and more Tully. No one else I know would make a joke about this."
He offered her his arm to her surprise. "Come on, let's go find your family. I have a feeling that you're going to have a lot of explaining to do."
"Not just that," Lily said as she took his arm and hobbled towards the door passing bodies as they went. "I have a feeling there's going to need to be a lot of explanations before today is out."
Ω
Naturally she was correct.
Cat who was pacing back and forth with Lysa about fifty feet away from the sept where they were standing with their guards screamed and then burst into tears when she saw her coming out of the sept with Robert.
Hoster Tully looked like he was about to explode and Ed looked like he was very much trying to decide between anger and tears. Petyr was nowhere to be seen as was Brynden Tully. Axel was screaming in his terrified nurse's arms but otherwise he appeared unharmed.
"What in the seven hells happened in there?!" the Lord of the Riverlands demanded as soon as Lysa and Cat let go of their younger sister.
He then surprised Lily by grabbing her in a hug and holding her tight for a long moment. After about five seconds, Lily felt herself melt and returned his embrace. He so rarely hugged her that whenever he did, she forgot how much she still needed hugs.
"Are you alright?" he asked letting go and taking her face between his hands as he looked her over for injuries.
Lily gave a wry laugh and reached for the squirming Axel who was in turn reaching for her. "I look worse than I actually do."
"I'll say," Cat said. "Gods above and below I don't think I've ever seen you so dirty before."
"A fight like that isn't exactly a walk in the park," Lily said as she bounced her little brother to settle him down. "Who were those men?"
"Your guess would be as good as mine," Hoster said grimly. "I can only speculate that they were of the same order that attacked the princess a week ago in the markets."
That sounds about right, Lily thought to herself tersely. I hope Elia and the royal family got back to the keep safely.
Suddenly she looked around and frowned. "Where are Petyr and Uncle Brynden?"
"They went looking for you," Ed said.
"Martin!" Hoster barked at one of the guards standing nearby. "Please go in search of my brother and ward. When you find them, tell them we have retired to the Red Keep. In an hour or so this place will be swarming with guards, I wish to be well away when it happens."
"Yes my lord," the guard replied and hurried for the Great Sept.
"Thank the gods above and below you two are alright," said a familiar voice behind them and Lily turned around to find Lord Arryn standing there with his nephew and wards along with Brandon Stark.
Elbert was silently looking her over for injuries whilst Robert still bore a grin on his face from the rush he had no doubt gotten fighting.
Lily's gaze lingered on him for a minute. She had been amazed to see how alive he had come during the fighting. It was almost as if nothing could touch him. He had been unstoppable and she wondered if that was he seemed to like fighting so much as he seemed the most free while doing it. There was no social protocol in a fight, you could do whatever you wanted.
Ned simply looked relieved and Brandon Stark…well he was just staring at her as if he had never seen her before.
She grimaced and kept her eyes away from him and focused on the Lord of the Vale. "I'm well Lord Arryn. Although I can't say the same about the Great Sept, it's going to be weeks before its set to rights again."
"Never mind that," Elbert muttered as he took in the building behind them and the surprisingly quiet street. "Who in the seven hells were those men and why are they targeting the royal family?"
"Why not?" Lily said. "The political situation certainly isn't the most stable and whatever outside force this is, it senses weakness and is responding. But one thing is for certain, whatever order those men ascribed to, this wasn't an isolated incident and we can expect something like this to happen again until their goal is fulfilled."
"And what goal would that be?" Brandon Stark asked finally and Lily raised an eyebrow at him.
"Pay attention Stark," she said turning back to the eerily silent sept. She could almost feel the eyes of the Stranger on her. "They have the same goal that everyone in this city wants. Power…utterly and completely. And unless something is done soon, they aren't going to stop until they get it."
Ω
Well, that escalated quickly. Next chapter will feature the aftermath, the Tullys returning to Riverrun and Lily's time in the capital with all of the court intrigue truly begins. Also, for those who are claiming that Lily and Robert don't have any chemistry, they're not really supposed to at this point in time. Right now, Robert is betrothed to Lyanna so he wouldn't be paying too much attention to Lily and he's still a somewhat simple person. Have patience, this is a slow burn story. I've planned this out from the beginning so when the time is right, they are going to have chemistry. Anyway, don't forget to review and I hope you liked the chapter!
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