Chapter 12
Rhaegar refused to be separated from Lyanna’s body and had locked himself in the chamber. His sobs of pain could be heard through the door.
It was dark when Ned awoke, and he groaned. He’d been put in a tent, and he stepped outside to find the Kingsguard around a fire. The sorcerer stared into the flames, his blue eyes shining like stars in the night. Next to him was Arthur Dayne, holding Ned’s nephew.
“Where is Rhaegar?” demanded Ned.
“He is with Lady Lyanna,” said Gerold Hightower. He sighed, exhausted, as he moved the kindling with a stick. “He refuses to eat or be parted from her.”
“You!” Ned stomped over to Regulus, who looked up at him blankly. “Do something!”
“He is grieving,” said Regulus.
“We have no time for grief!” he snapped angrily. “Do you think I had time to cry when his mad father burned my father and brother alive? Why should he grieve when this is all his fault!”
“That’s enough,” said Oswell, standing up. “He is your king!”
“He’s a cunt!” screamed Ned furiously. “He is a selfish fool who got my sister, my father, and my brother killed!”
“Enough!” Regulus rose from his seat, and the flames burst into the air, making the knights jump and the wet nurse scream. “Leave him to his grief. In the morning, I will get him, and we’ll make our way to this Kingsland or whatever you bloody call it!”
Ned sat down slowly, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.
***
Regulus had made himself a small fortress of stone to sleep in. With a couple of simple enchantments, he’d transfigured himself a bed and enlarged a cloth napkin into a blanket.
“What the hell?” The door slammed, and he rubbed his eyes as he walked towards it. He opened it and found Rhaegar’s knights and the wet nurse staring at him in awe.
“What?” he snapped, cranky from a tumultuous dream of James on his wedding day.
“Bloody sorcerer, how did you…” Ned poked his head inside to look at the small stone fortress. It was larger on the inside than on the outside, and it even had a small fireplace in the corner.
“Magic, obviously,” said Regulus, rolling his eyes. Stepping outside, he walked towards the embers of the fire before turning toward the purple-eyed man called Arthur. “Has he come out yet?”
“No,” said Arthur with a sigh. “I don’t think he’s slept all night.” Regulus nodded solemnly.
“I’ll go and get him.”
***
“Rhaegar, open the door.” Rhaegar heard pounding on the door, and his bloodshot eyes turned towards the sound. He’d clung to Lyanna all night, just like the first time they’d slept together, her head on his chest as he wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Leave me,” he said with a raspy voice. Why couldn’t they understand? Why couldn’t they just leave him alone?
Crack!
Suddenly, Regulus appeared before him at the edge of the bed, his blue eyes looking down at him, filling with disgust.
“Get up!” he snapped, and Rhaegar growled.
“Who do you think—” The back of Regulus's hand made contact with Rhaegar’s face, and he looked up at him with wide eyes. No one had ever struck him before—only his father.
“I said get up,” said Regulus coldly.
Rhaegar stood angrily, charging at Regulus, only for the boy to pull out his wand and aim it at his chest.
“Petrificus Totalus!” Rhaegar’s scream caught in his throat. His arms snapped to his sides, and his legs came together as he fell stiffly onto the floor.
He was paralyzed as Regulus knelt down, his hand grabbing Rhaegar’s chin and moving him so they could meet each other’s eyes.
“Let me make this perfectly clear,” said Regulus coldly, his nails digging into Rhaegar’s cheeks. “You do not ignore me! You do not snap at me! The next time you yell at me to go away, I will silence you, forever.” Rhaegar’s heart raced in his chest as Regulus looked down at him.
“Now, I didn’t mean to get involved in muggle business, but here I am, so let me tell you how it is. You wanted your crown; well, now you’ve got it. You are the king, and a king does not lie in bed crying all night. The girl is dead, and she is going to stay dead. No amount of sobbing or crying will change that.”
Tears fell down Rhaegar’s cheeks, and Regulus stared down at him coldly.
“I come from an ancient and noble family,” said Regulus. “As do you. You know the price for power. Love is the one thing we cannot afford. Do you think I have not loved someone before? Because I did. I loved someone with all my heart, but I gave it up for my family because duty comes above all. You are the king now. You have a duty—to your son below, to your other children, to the kingdom. So wipe your tears and get up!”
Regulus waved his wand, and Rhaegar was suddenly able to move. He lifted himself upwards, his violet eyes staring up at Regulus in fury.
“I could have your head for that!”
“You could try,” said Regulus. He waved his wand and summoned some fresh clothes and a basin of water for Rhaegar to wash his face. “You have thirty minutes to make yourself presentable and start acting like a king. If you are not ready to leave in thirty minutes, I will leave, and you will never see me again.”
Regulus then walked out the door and slammed it behind him.
Twenty minutes later, Rhaegar emerged from the tower.