The Winter Rose || Game of Thrones

Sunset

The she-wolf barely slept the night. She thought and thought, imagining every scenario that might happen if she went and saw the prince.

But the intrigue and her curiosity overpowered her worry. She wanted to know what Rhaegar really meant by proving. So badly, that she decided that damned were the consequences of her recklessness. She was going anyway.

The daytime had been longer than it normally would have been if she wasn't waiting impatiently for the sun to start setting to leave for the gardens.

She decided to brief Violet about the encounter, without revealing too much, so that if anything should happen, her best friend and most trusted confident would be aware of her whereabouts. One can never be sure.

Lyanna picked a pale pink gown with no sleeves and with flowery embroidery on the waistband. Violet did her hair in her classic half-up, half down northern style.
"You look beautiful, my lady." Violet smiled as she finished brushing her wavy curls.

Lyanna never thought that nervousness could reach this intensity. She wanted to look good for her rendez-vous, yet she didn't want to seem as if she did in front of him.

"Thank you. And remember, if my brothers ask you, I'm in my chambers bathing." she reminded her.
"Don't worry. My lips are sealed." the handmaiden winked.

Lyanna took a deep breath to relieve the stress she was feeling at that moment, then she walked to the gardens, making sure her guards wouldn't follow her around.

The gardens were almost empty, only a few ladies remained in a couple kiosks.
Lyanna took a different route to the Godswood to avoid attention, and once there and at the exact time the prince set, he was nowhere in sight.

She frowned and walked further in when she noticed two kingsguard standing by the stairs and waiting for her. She got close enough to recognize ser Barristan and ser Arthur Dayne.

What is that? A trap?

If the latter hadn't smiled to her shortly after she set her eyes on him, she would've turned the other way and left, but instead she took a few steps towards them.
"My lady. The prince is waiting for you down the stairs." Arthur inclined his head and pointed at the direction.

Lyanna inspected his face, then Barristan's face to see if she could notice anything strange about their expressions. But they were all smiles and genuine. Not that it meant that the whole situation itself wasn't strange.

Lyanna nodded and proceeded to walk down the path that seemed to lead nowhere but the waves hitting the rocks on which the reddish castle lied.

And after climbing down a long range of stairs, she started seeing Rhaegar's long and lean frame, only his shadow visible with the sun in a large open area.

Lyanna only peaked at the majestic view for a moment before she covered her eyes from the blinding rays of sun that reflected on the waves.

Rhaegar seemed to be holding something large from falling on the ground, and when Lyanna got close enough, she finally recognized the prince's glowing silver hair and violet eyes, looking handsome as ever in his black attire.

Lyanna discreetly smiled at the sight as her cheeks darkened, but her joy was cut short when she recognized the laughing tree on the shield he held.
"Welcome to the sparring grounds, lady Lyanna." he greeted with a smile, even after noticing her serious and displeased face.

"Don't worry. I'm not here to test your skills." he glanced at the sword on his waist then back at her.
"And you needn't worry about ser Barristan and ser Arthur Dayne. They are very trustworthy men." he continued to fill the silence, not realizing that what he spoke about was the last of her concerns.

"What is this supposed to prove to me?" she shrugged with annoyance.
"It proves that I know, Knight of the Laughing Tree." he scoffed, leaving her agape.

"I don't know what you're talking about." she uttered a nervous laugh and crossed arms, trying to deny all of her courageous actions at Harrenhal.

"Don't even try. It won't work with me." Rhaegar held the strap of the shield on one arm and took careful strides towards her.
Lyanna took one step back, frustrated at her inability to convince him that it wasn't her.
He somehow knew, which was exactly all that she feared.

"And why don't you go tell your father? He made it clear that he wanted my head." she tested him.
"I won't, because I admire you for what you did." he said, looking honestly into her eyes, calming her anger as if by magic.

"How so?" she muttered, unable to raise her voice at his intimidating and charming indigo eyes.
"You stood up for someone and risked severe consequences to do what you thought was right." he told, then he started taking slow steps closer to her as he numerated, "I admire that about you, Lyanna, beside everything else. Your eyes, your smile, your determination, your courage.."

"Rhaegar.." Lyanna whispered and sighed before he put down the shield on the ground and interrupted her.
"I know you feel the same as I do. Just give yourself a chance to be happy, if only once, because you deserve it." he told her as he cupped her small face with both his strong hands and looked into her eyes, "I can be the man to make you happy."

Lyanna was mesmerized by the honesty of his words. She never thought that she would ever hear such words from him, nor believe them.
But she did, and in that moment, when she plunged her grey orbs in his indigo ones and felt his warm breath on her skin, all the dangers that came with their closeness faded.

She felt like she could trust him with her darkest secrets, and read his most secretive thoughts. She saw the caring, the goodness and honor in him, even if he had tried to hide so hard in the past.

It didn't feel wrong anymore. It was just them, under a beautiful sunset and a lovely view.
His eyes went from her eyes to her lips as he leaned towards her, every inch he got closer making her heart beat faster and the fire in her stomach ignite, until he finally closed his eyes, as did she, and he brushed her lips with his.

His thumb caressed her cheek gently as he kissed her very softly, but with a passion and tenderness she had never seen in him before.
Her own hands rose to his waist as she savored the magical moment.
She realized how much she craved for affection, and how long she had wanted him to kiss her.

It lasted only for a few seconds, but for Lyanna, it felt like an eternity.
Moments later, Rhaegar slowly pulled away and opened his eyes, searching for her shy ones.

The lady smiled, her cheeks turning into a darker shade of pink, and if he had asked, she would have claimed it was the sun.
The prince smiled at the sight of her, with some satisfaction glimpsing in his lips.

She didn't need to tell him, because she could see that he knew this was the she-wolf's first kiss.