The Winter Rose || Game of Thrones

Knight of the Laughing Tree

The first day of the tournament had gone better than Lyanna expected.

She sat next to Brandon and Eddard, making sure to avoid Robert and ignore Benjen as much as she could the entire time, although she could still hear her younger brother's endless enthusiastic talk about a certain Night's Watch recruiter who sat on their table after she left the feast.

She was still mad at him, and stubborn as she was, she wouldn't talk to him until she heard an apology, which in turn he clearly refused to give.

She witnessed a few interesting moments, but the highlight of the day had to be the opening ceremony in which the Kingsguard welcomed Jaime Lannister into their ranks, making his father, Hand of the King, walk away furiously at what he considered an insult to his house.

She also witnessed the three knights that the bullies served, each winning a place among the champions, which made her even more eager to put their squires right in their places for what they made Howland Reed endure.

The second day had arrived, and it was finally time for Lyanna to execute her plan.
She woke up earlier than she would've, and since she wanted an excuse to not attend the tourney, she started jumping around the room like a mindless child, making sure to be as discreet as she could so she wouldn't wake anyone up.

When she heard Violet's footsteps in the hall, she ran and plunged under the covers, executing the second part of her plan.
It wasn't that she didn't trust Violet, but she couldn't risk anyone knowing, not even her brothers.

Especially not her brothers!

"My lady, wake up." the handmaiden said with a large smile on her face, which Lyanna suspected was from the lovely night she spent with Benjen at the feast.
"I can't go." Lyanna said with a rattled voice.
"Why?" Violet asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm not feeling well.." she told her.

Violet tossed the fresh sheets and clean clothes on the chair of the vanity and came closer to the noble lady, placing a hand on her forehead to measure her temperature.
Her plan worked. She was sweating.

"My lady, you're boiling with fever! Let me fetch the maester.." Violet panicked and started walking before Lyanna grabbed her hand tightly.

A maester would know there was nothing wrong with her, and then she wouldn't have any reason to not attend the tournament.
She couldn't let that happen.

"No, Violet. I don't need a maester. I just need to rest for the day." she explained.
"But, if anything happens to you.. Your brothers will kill me!" Violet exclaimed.

"Believe me, they'll be delighted." she chuckled, still maintaining her cover by coughing.
"You need medical attention!" her cousin insisted, but before she could make any move, Lyanna tightened her grasp.
"I said no." she said firmly, "It's nothing, I assure you. I just went for a walk last night. Maybe it's the cold. I'll be alright."

"As you wish, my stubborn lady." Violet sighed, "But what do I tell your brothers?"
"Just tell them I was exhausted from the journey. No need to worry them." Lyanna explained.
"I.. don't think they'll be convinced." Violet hesitated.
"I trust you'll find something. You're a smart girl, aren't you?" Lyanna amusingly said with a pat on Violet's hand before she turned to the other side to face the wall, closing her eyes and praying that it would work.

Not very convinced, Violet left the room nonetheless.
Lyanna wasn't very proud of lying to any of them, but she had to. No one was to make a fool of her house, nor their vassals. Not the prince, and certainly not three bloody squires.