Chapter 5
“Is it true?” James glared at him with anger in his eyes as Regulus made his way to class. It was the first time they had spoken in months.
“What do you want?” Regulus kept his voice icy as their eyes met.
“Is it true?” There was a pang in James’ voice, and Regulus knew what James must be referring to: the dark mark on his arm. “Are you a—”
“A Death Eater?” he snarled. “What’s it to you?”
“Reggie, you can’t be serious! All that stuff about your parents, about blood purity and Muggle-borns—it’s evil! I know you don’t feel that way.”
“You don’t know anything. This is the first time you’ve talked to me in weeks.” Guilt crossed James' features, and Regulus smirked. “Let me guess? Is it a certain Mudblood keeping you occupied?”
“Shut up!” James gripped Regulus' robes, and Regulus snarled.
“Go to her. Go to your Mudblood whore. You two deserve each other.” James flinched at the slur, and Regulus felt his heart race. So he did care about her.
“N-no, Reggie, this isn’t you!” James looked at him with pleading eyes.
“Really? I feel more like myself than ever. She is a disease; there is no room for her kind in the world the Dark Lord is creating.”
“Stay away from her!” James shoved him, and Regulus had to keep from stumbling back.
No, don't go! He wanted to say. Please don’t leave me! I’m sorry.
I love you! I miss you!
***
Regulus watched the siege from a distance. Many soldiers slipped on the ice as they stormed the gates of the castle. Regulus observed from afar as the sounds of screaming and steel clashing rang through the air. Behind him stood Barristan Selmy, his chaperone at the behest of the Prince.
Several men and women were dragged from the castle, many bloodied, kicking, and screaming. A woman’s scream could be heard, and Regulus stood from where he sat.
Turning on his heels, he apparated next to the prince.
***
“Lies! He lies!” screamed Lady Lysa Tully as she struggled against her bonds. Next to her were her lord husband, Jon Arryn, her father, Hoster Tully, and the bleeding Lord Eddard Stark.
“Lyanna told me she left word with you, Lady Lysa,” said Rhaegar. “I know she sent ravens to Riverrun explaining that she and I left together willingly.”
“What?” Eddard’s face went pale as Lysa screamed denials.
“She’s lying!” she screamed, her pale face turning red to match her hair. “You took her, and then your mad father killed Brandon!”
Crack!
A sharp crack rang through the air, and many Lannister soldiers yelled in surprise as the Sorcerer suddenly appeared before them.
Rhaegar’s squeak of surprise went ignored as Regulus appeared out of thin air.
“What’s going on?” he asked, curious, as Hoster Tully looked near faint. Jon Arryn's eyes widened with terror.
“She claims I kidnapped Lord Eddard’s sister. Lyanna told me she left word of our departure with her.”
“So she’s lying,” said Regulus.
“It appears so,” said Rhaegar, and Regulus stepped forward, pulling his wand from his pocket. Tywin looked at the man curiously as he stood before Lady Lysa, pointing his wand at her.
“It would be in your best interest to confess,” he said coldly.
“Demon!” she screamed, half-mad, struggling against her bindings. “The prince cavorts with sorcerers and demons! The gods will strike you down—”
“Legilimens!” A bright blue light burst from the tip of Regulus' wand, and Lady Lysa let out an ear-piercing scream. Tywin and Rhaegar stepped back as her eyes rolled back in her head, and Hoster Tully thrashed, trying to reach his daughter.
“No! Stop it!” he screamed as he was restrained.
Finally, the screaming stopped, and Regulus fell to his knees in exhaustion. Lady Lysa slumped over, her gaze vacant as she gasped for air.
“Are you alright?” Rhaegar knelt down, putting a hand on his shoulder. “What did you do?”
“I saw the truth,” he said through labored breaths. “I saw it all in her mind. She fought me, but I saw it all.”
“What happened?”
“I saw a boy dueling a young man and nearly dying. I felt her rage as the boy was hurt. I saw a girl with dark curls leaving a note with her, saying she was leaving with the prince to give a letter to her brother Ned. Then I saw her tell the same young man how the prince had kidnapped his sister.”
“Lies!” screamed Hoster angrily. “Nothing but lies fabricated by this demon dog!”
“There is a loose stone under the floor of her bed. That is where she hid all of the ravens sent by this Lyanna girl. That is all the proof you need.”
Rhaegar turned to Lord Tywin, who nodded, and soon a soldier was sent into the castle. They waited as Lord Hoster screamed and cursed, calling Regulus an abomination from the Seven Hells.
“My lord, we found it,” a Lannister soldier ran toward them, handing Rhaegar a bundle of letters and notes. Rhaegar’s face turned red with rage, but before he could say anything, another voice spoke.
“My brother and father are dead! For your lies!” Eddard Stark struggled against his bindings; he lunged for Lady Lysa, only to be restrained by Lannister soldiers.
“Enough!”
Rhaegar reached for his sword, his face red with rage.
“I, Rhaegar Targaryen, first of my name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, sentence you to die!”
“No!” screamed Lysa, turning to her father with tears in her eyes. “Father, help me! Help me, please!”
“Rhaegar, stop!”
Rhaegar turned to Regulus, who stood up, wand in hand.
“You are the king. Let it not be said that the king kills young girls.”
Rhaegar paused as all eyes fell upon him.
“Allow me. Avada Kedavra!”
There was an explosion of bright green light, and Lady Lysa let out a scream of terror.
Once the light faded, Lady Lysa lay dead, and Regulus Black had fallen unconscious.