Part Two - The Talk
She thought she had more time.
She stepped away and lay onto her bed groaning as she sank into the soft bedding.
Harwin awkwardly sat on one of the chairs, pointedly avoiding looking at the bed. "We should talk."
Rhaenyra sighed and sat up. "Yes, we should."
And yet a long awkward silence hung over them. It wasn’t till a distant bell can be heard that rang that marks the new hour, that Rhaenyra finally looked up from the rings she was twisting stressfully around her fingers.
Harwin, I-” The princess stared at him, unsure what to say next. Sitting in front of him and looking at his handsome, kind face just reinforces the fact that she still loves him.
But does she love him enough to let him go?
“I think we should break our courtship.” Harwin suddenly blurted out.
“Why?” Rhaenyra struggled to breathe. “Why would you want to break our courtship?!”
“Because I love you enough to know that our relationship would not last, especially with the Crown trying to interfere. I refuse to be the shackle around your neck, binding you down.”
Rhaenyra was devastated. “How can you say that?! Have I ever shown you that this relationship was temporary?!”
"Is it because my family is too much for you? Or are you afraid of my father's and Lord Hand's machinations?" Rhaenyra ducked her head down, trying to hold back her tears. “I’m afraid too; I’m afraid you might get hurt and I can’t protect you from them.” Tears began to fall.
"It's because I know I’m not enough. I have nothing to offer and am afraid to be a burden to you." Harwin cupped her face as he gently wiping her tears with his warm fingers. "I truly love you but I'm willing to let you go to protect you. "
"I don't need your protection, I just want you by my side." Rhaenyra said fiercely. "Damn them all!! Why should they have a say in my life after abandoning me?!” She grabbed his face and glared at him. “All I want is for you to stay here with me and love me like you already do!
“Hang my father and pox on the Hightower. You, Ser Harwin Strong, are enough for me!"
Both of them look at each other in wonder before crashing their lips together, tumbling backward into the soft mattress. The knight let out a loud moan as the princess tugged his hair before sinking his teeth on to her delicate throat, pulling a whimper out of her. He snuck his hands under her riding leathers and wrapped them around her waist before flipping them around, letting Rhaenyra sit on top of him.
She stared down at him with lustful eyes before leaned down for another kiss, biting each other's lips roughly so that they could taste each other’s blood as their tongues battled for dominance.
The need of air was the reason why they broke away from each other, panting loudly in the quiet room as they rested their forehead against each other.
“Nyra, Nyra, Nyra.” He fervently whispered her name out loud as if he was praying to the Gods. “Will you let me stay by your side and make you happy forever?”
She quickly sat up and pulled him close again, punctuating each of her words with a fervent kiss. “Yes. Stay. Here. By. My. Side. Forever.” She finally pulled away and fumbled with one of her rings, the beautiful ring Queen Aemma used to wear during her marriage and shakingly slipped into his ring finger. “Say you will marry me, Harwin Strong.”
“Yes, I will marry you, Rhaenyra Targaryen.” He took off his signet ring and put it on her finger, ardently kissing her knuckle before turning her hand around before trailing kisses on the palm of her hand. Rhaenyra responded by bending down and kissing his curls, giggling girlishly.
Both of them spend some time holding each other and trade playfully soft kisses before Rhaenyra reluctantly pulls away.
“Right. We still need to get out and write up a betrothal contract for us before the coots in King’s Landing ruin our lives.”
“But how are we gonna do that?” Harwin said in confusion as he helped Rhaenyra fix her hair.” To his surprise, Rhaenyra only smiled at him mysteriously before reaching for one of the fixtures of her bed’s headboard, twisting it and pulling it away to reveal a small hiding place where she pulled out a set of keys.
“What, you really think I didn’t keep spare keys hidden in my rooms in case I need some privacy?” Rhenyra scoffed as she opened the door and stomped out, a smitten Harwin quickly followed her.
Everyone jumped as the doors to Rhaenyra’s chambers crashed open and their kidnapped victims stomped out. “I ought to yell at all of you for this,” the princess said severely, “but we have a wedding contract to write, so come quickly.” With loud cheers and laughter, everyone rushed to the solar where Rhaella was waiting for them with refreshment and writing utensils.
“You can’t force Rhaenyra to leave Stepstones and live in Red Keep; she is the Princess Paramount of Stepstones Isle!” Vaegon ripped the contract Viserys was writing. “And removing Ser Harwin Strong from his heirship of Harrenhal is an insult, are you trying to start another succession war?!” Beside him, Lyonel nodded fiercely, insulted that Otto tried to derail his line of succession.
(Joffy, the only one who was looking away from the King’s and Prince Vaegon’s screaming match, was the only one who saw the naked greed in Larys Strong’s face. Have Otto bought the man’s loyalty with offers of Lordship?”)
“I am trying to secure her line of succession!” Viserys said defensively. “And of course Rhaenyra should stay here, I am here with the rest of her family!”
Vaegon bit back an insult, “Then who would you suggest to govern Stepstones while she is here, Daemon?” He said acidly.
Viserys scoffed. “And have him run the island to the ground? Of course not, I will set an administrator or perhaps a new post of governorship there, I believe Otto mentioned he has a son that does well in administration, he might be a good leader there.”
Vaegon gritted his teeth in frustration. “Rhaenyra doesn’t need an administrator or governor to help her rule, she has done well enough in her own right since she was 10 years old!”
Otto’s smile was condescending. “Are you truly telling us, Prince Vaegon, that the princess is the one responsible for Stepstones achievements?”
Vaegon reared up to release his most caustic comment he can think of when a messenger ran into the room, holding a scroll with a very familiar golden dragon rampant seal embossed on it. “Boy, give it to me!” He imperiously took the letter off the messenger, ignoring Ser Otto’s loud splutters.
Reading quickly through the well written letter, he can feel his mouth twitching in mirth.
This beautiful, intelligent girl had done it again.
Smirking, Vaegon passed the letter to Lord Lyonel Strong, prompting him to read it out aloud.
To His Majesty King Viserys Targaryen, King of the Seven Kingdom and members of the Small Council, I, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Lady Paramount of Stepstones Isles offer you my salutation.
With this letter, I hereby announce my betrothal with Ser Harwin Strong, Heir to Lord Lyonel Strong of Harrenhal. Also included in the letter is the betrothal contract that had been negotiated and witnessed between the two parties.
Sincerely,
Princess Rhaenyra of House Targaryen,
Lady Paramount of Stepstones Isle.
Otto hurriedly grabbed the copy of the betrothal contract, reading it out aloud, his expression turned thunderous at each sentence he had to uttered.
THE BETROTHAL CONTRACT
BETWEEN PRINCESS RHAENYRA TARGARYEN OF STEPSTONE
AND
SER HARWIN STRONG OF HARRENHAL
- The betrothal will take 6 months, to take account of the preparation of the wedding. The wedding will be held on the eve of Princess Rhaenyra’s eighteenth birthday.
- Two wedding ceremonies will be held in respect of the Princess’s and Ser Harwin’s respective religions.
- Ser Harwin Strong will be given the title Lord Consort after marrying the Lady Paramount of Stepstones and be given an advisory seat in her council.
- Princess Rhaenyra and Ser Harwin agree to decline both the necessary bridal price and the dowry; they will enter the marriage as equals.
- The children that are born from the union will take on the name Targaryen.
- The firstborn, despite his or her gender, will be the heir of Stepstones Isle.
- The second son will be named heir of Harrenhal where he will foster in his paternal home when he is 12 years old. If no second born son is born, the second born daughter will be named heiress of Harrenhal.
- The children born from the union will be given dragon eggs in their cradle and first right to bond with a born dragon if their cradle eggs do not hatch.
- The children born from the union will have the same freedom as their parents when it comes to marital matters, no marital contract will be written without their and the parent’s explicit agreement.
Signed
Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen of Stepstones.
Ser Harwin Strong of Harrenhal.
Witnesses
Princess Rhaella Targaryen
LordPrince Olyvar TargaryenLord Laenor Velaryon of Driftmark
Lord Martyn and Lady Yanli Beesbury
Lord Aemon Darke and Lady Mylessa Darke
Lady Morna Strong
Lady Vaelaena Velaryon
Lady Rowena Waynwood
Vaegon laughed and laughed as Lyonel looked around in shock, Lyman clapping his back in congratulations while Viserys looked small and alone as his Lord Hand raged over the high-handedness the brazen Princess had shown in arranging her own marriage without the crown’s input.