Antlered Lord

Robert turned on the spot and stormed up to her, all hisanger settling in to a new target. Up until then he had been roaring aboutRhaegar Targaryen and the little stunt he pulled at the end of the jousting. Therewasn’t a curse word out there, or a single insult, that Robert didn’t throw outagainst the dragon prince. He was beyond furious that Rhaegar decided to placethat crown of roses on Lyanna’s lap.

Lyanna had been wise enough to pull Robert away as soon asthe whole affair had ended. Rhaegar pulled his stunt, the whole crowd held itsbreath, Ned held Brandon back, and Robert mumbled something threw clenchedteeth about Lyanna deserving the title. Lyanna knew better than to believe hiswords. Robert didn’t view that as an honor to Lyanna. He saw it as an insult.As soon as the prince rode away and the crowd erupted into whisper, Lyanna stoodup and pulled Robert away. She kept one hand firmly on his and dragged him backinto the castle until she found an empty room far away from the Great Hall. Assoon as the door closed behind them, Robert had erupted into fury.

It was only now that Robert turned his anger onto Lyanna.Perhaps wrongly so, but he couldn’t think straight. The blood was rushing inhis ears. He saw nothing in front of him, only the memory playing back in hismemory. But now, now he saw Lyanna, and all his anger was turned onto her.

“Why aren’t you angry, Lyanna?” He asked again, his voicedangerously quiet, almost menacing.

“Why should I be? It was harmless.”

“Harmless?” Robert roared again, his voice seemed to bounceoff the blackened stone walls, “You think that the crowned prince naming youhis fucking Queen is harmless?”

A whole new set of thoughts were rolling through Robertsmind now. Before it was just the memory, still fresh in his mind, playing overand over again. Rhaegar Targaryen taking the crown of Winter Roses. RhaegarTargaryen riding his horse past Elia Martell. Rhaegar fucking Targaryenstopping in front of Lyanna and placing the crown in her lap. The memory playedover and over in Robert’s mind, poisoning his thoughts, festering his emotions.

Up until then it was the ‘what’ that had him reeling. Whathad happened. What it meant. What would happen next. But now the ‘why’was creeping into his mind. Why did Rhaegar choose Lyanna? Why didLyanna seem so fine with it? Why wasn’t she just as angry and insultedas everyone else?

“It’s a stupid, meaningless title, Robert. It doesn’t meananything.”

“Bullshit! That is bullshit, Lyanna, and you know it. If itwas a meaningless title, why not just give it to his own damn wife?”

“I don’t know!” Lyanna threw her hands up in defense, “Maybehe wanted to win favor with my House. Maybe he wanted to share his win. Maybehe thought I was beautiful. Do you not agree with that?”

“Don’t try and turn this around on me!” Robert roared again,he was right in front of her, towering over where she sat on the bed, but shedidn’t flinch, “Of course I fucking agree, I am allowed to think that. He isnot, he’s not your husband.”

“You aren’t either,” She said it quickly, but immediatelyher eyes widened and Robert saw her draw in a quick breath before adding, “notyet, anyways.”

A silence stretched out, forcing its way between them andpushing them apart. Her words were accompanied by a whole new set of ‘what if’sand ‘could have’s in Robert’s mind, feeding his anger and hatred. Despite theirproximity, Robert felt Lyanna slipping away from him in that moment and all it didwas fuel his rage further.

“Is that what you told him?” Robert accused, once again hisvoice was quiet, menacingly dark.

Lyanna didn’t take the accusation lightly. Her shoulderssquared, she sat up straighter, holding her own against him. “What do you mean,Robert?” She asked, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, knowing sheknew exactly what he meant.

“I mean,” Robert took another step towards her, until herknees were just barely brushing against his, “Is that what you told RhaegarTargaryen before you let him fuck you?”

Lyanna jumped to her feet suddenly, pushing Robertbackwards. He still towered over her, but somehow she seemed to be looking downon him.

“How dare you accuse me of such a thing!” Her ownvoice rose, rivalling Roberts in her fury, “You, Robert Baratheon,” She pointeda finger at him, pressing it into his chest, “You insult my honor with such anaccusation. You insult my character. You insult me with those words. I havenever done anything to give you reason to doubt me. I’m not you.”

“ME?” Robert felt a swift stab of guilt drop into his stomachat her words, but it wasn’t enough to dispel his anger and fear. In a way, hehad already made up his mind about what to believe. Nothing Lyanna said could changethat. After all, she would deny such a thing even if she was guilty. He choseto hold onto his anger and keep it close. In a way, he was relieved Lyanna wasfighting back now. He wanted someone to fight with. He wanted someone tochallenge. It was better than sitting there in silence while the anger festeredin him, decaying every thought in his mind. “When have I given you reason todoubt me?”

“Oh, I don’t know, should we start with all the girls youlet fawn all over you? Or should we jump right to the bastard in the Vale?”

“That’s rich coming from you, since you’ve clearly beenletting the prince fawn all over you this whole Tourney. Or has it been goingon longer? Do you already have a bastard of your own in your belly?”

“That’s-“ Lyanna started, but she stopped, her face wasgoing red, her hands were now clenched into fists. “You have-“ She tried again,failing to find the right words to express herself.

“You can’t even deny it, can you?”

There was a pit sinking in Robert’s stomach. He hadn’t reallybelieved his accusation at first. It was just a way to push Lyanna into arguingwith him, to selfishly make her feel even a fraction of the anger he felt. He expectedher to deny it, to defend herself and put any accusation to rest. He may nothave fully accepted her words at first, but he still wanted to hear them. Shehadn’t really denied it yet, though, and the longer she went the deeper the pitfell in Robert’s gut. Suddenly, he felt sick. Images flashed through his mindof Rhaegar and Lyanna. Images he never wanted to think into existence.

“Would it even matter if I did deny it? You wouldn’t believeme anyways, would you?”

“Just tell me, Lyanna. Did you fuck the prince?”

Lyanna paused, and the silence seemed to stretch on forhours. Their eyes bore into one another, hard, unyielding, and fully of icy hotfury. They both seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for the next proverbialshoe to drop.

Finally, Lyanna let out a breath and shook her head, “Ofcourse I didn’t fuck the prince,” She spat the answer and then pushed pastRobert and stormed to the door.

Robert spun around, “Where the hell are you going?”

Lyanna stopped at thedoor and turned around to face him, shooting him an icy glare, “Away from here.I don’t want to look at you right now.” And with that she walked out the door,slamming it behind her.

Robert kicked the chair in front of him with a roar of fury,sending it crashing to the ground. There was a new weight pressing down heavilyupon his chest, filling him with a blackened, terrible sense of dread.

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