THE LONE WOLF AND THE LAUGHING DRAGON
Rhaella was the youngest daughter of the King, Viserys I Targaryen, and his wife, Alicent Hightower. At the age of twelve, Rhaella was sent to Winterfell for a betrothal to the young Cregan Stark.
CHAPTER ONE: the winter kiss
Rhaella bowed down, before the Northman, looking a little taken aback by how massive he looked. He was as tall as she had thought, but he was too tall. "M-my.." She stuttered. "My young Lord to be.."
He raised a hand to halt her as she began to bow. "My Lady, there is no need for bowing. I am nothing more than a common lord, one who is only concerned about the safety of the realm." He paused for a moment before asking his next question. "Lady Targaryen?" He assumed she was who she was. "Am I correct in assuming that you are a Targaryen?"
"Yes, my Lord." She smiled. "I am that of Princess Rhaella of House Targaryen, third born daughter of King Viserys and Queen Alicent. Princess Rhaella Viserra of House Targaryen."
His eyes widened slightly when he heard her full name, before nodding and smiling. "I see, it is an honor to meet a Princess of House Targaryen." He hesitated for a moment before asking the question he so badly wanted to ask. "If I may be so bold, Princess, may I ask you a question?"
"Yes, my Lord." She nodded, as she stepped forth. She only wore a black dress, topped with a thick fur coat that almost buried her face. "Any question would be preferred."
He was silent for a moment, thinking to myself as he looked at the Princess. Finally, he spoke up. "This is a hard question to ask, but…do you control a dragon? Are all Princesses of House Targaryen bonded with dragons?"
She hesitated, before nodding. "Yes.. What can I call you? You are not yet a Lord, as you are certainly not of age.. We have an age difference, you and I. A slim difference of a year and two moons."
He paused for a moment. "I am Cregan Stark." I said simply. We were both too young to truly need titles, so perhaps it was better this way. "You can call me Cregan, if you would like."
He paused for a moment, unsure if he should ask about the dragons. Would a Targaryen Princess be too offended if her answer was too honest? But he felt he had to know. "What is your dragon's name?"
"Silverwing, that of the late Queen Alysanne's mount." She smiled. She placed a hand on Cregan's long brown hair and giggled, as she touched it. "Your hair.. It's.. beautiful, my Lord. I really like it,"
He could feel his face start to turn red as she started to touch his hair. He was not used to having a beautiful Princess of the Targaryen dynasty pay him attention, and the contact of her hand in his hair only made him blush more than he already was. He stuttered for a moment before getting it out. "Y-you think so? Your hair is beautiful as well."
"I really think it is beautiful, Cregan.." She whispered, her voice low. The winds blew, and Rhaella's hair flew to the right, and she giggled. "Gods!" She giggled. "Thank you for the compliment, Cregan." She smiled at the end.
He smiled as she giggled. He had not really had many interactions with girls his age, so this was a big thing for him. He was almost completely flustered as he spoke. "W-well, it is true." He stuttered. "I can't imagine many girls who have better hair or who are more beautiful than yourself, my lady."
She took Cregan's rough hands to her soft ones, and she looked at his hands. "Gods, what is of your hands? They look rough, and.." She noted. "Have you come out of training? M-my brothers usually have hands like these when they come out of training.."
His face turned even more red as she held my hands. She was right, his hands were rough, and his fingers were scarred from a lifetime of swords and shields and bows and lances. He held up his hands and looked at them. "A lifetime of fighting, my lady." He nodded. "I learned to fight as soon as I could walk, as every Lord of the North does. We are born warriors." He squeezed her hands. They were so soft. "Have you been training as well?"
She shook her head. "I am not allowed to train with a sword. Only my brothers can.." She explained. "I do not mind. My septa says that I knit well, especially by the fire."
He smiled and nodded. "Knitting can be very calming, I am sure. It is never too late to learn the sword though. I am sure your father would allow you to be trained in the blade for self defense should the need ever arise." He paused as I looked at Rhaella. "Would you want to learn, my lady? I would be happy to teach you if your father were to allow it, and if you wanted to."
"I have asked my Father, the King." She explained. But she laughed. "Mother had forbidden me from ever touching a blade or a lance. Helaena thinks of it as horrifying, given that she's rather.. fragile."
He shrugged. "Your mother does what she feels is best for you. That is all any parent may hope to do, but to know how to defend yourself might one day be vital. If the dragons were ever to die out, then the Targaryens would need to be able to defend themselves, just as everyone else must."
He smiled and squeezed Rhaella's hand again. "But if you aren't interested in that, then perhaps I could teach you to ride? We Northerners have many wild horses that you can only find in our lands. I bet I could find you a beautiful filly from the stables."
"I have my sworn sword, Cregan." She giggled. "And I have Silverwing, why would I have a need to ride a horse?" Her sworn sword was that of Ser Clatton of House Vypren. "Is there a silver filly, though? I might want to look at that.."
He grinned as she mentioned her sworn sword and her dragon. She was right. What would she need a horse for when she had the most dangerous beast in the realm? "I suppose you are right." He nodded. "Would you like to see some horses, though? I have plenty of fine breeds in my stable, and I would love to take you on a ride through the woods around Winterfell. I imagine you have seen nothing as grand and beautiful as the Godswoods, have you?"
"I have not seen the Godswoods yet, but.." She took a breath. "I am sure that it is beautiful, as you claim it is." She smiled, and looked at the Stark. He was only three-and-ten, and her.. two-and-ten.
When she smiled, his heart skipped a beat. Was it really possible that I had such an effect on the beautiful Targaryen Princess? She was a Targaryen! And from what he had seen of them, most of them were rather cold and aloof. However, Rhaella seemed to be as warm and gentle as the summer.
He smiled widely, and squeezed her hand once more. "It is beautiful. The old trees there are massive, and the roots of the trees are like the fingers of old gods themselves, sprawling below. It is beautiful and peaceful, and I would be honoured to take you there."
"So, take me there." She giggled, placing a hand on his heart. "Take me to the heart of Winterfell. I want to ride a horse with you, it seems like fun."
He blinked in surprise for a moment, but then he nodded and chuckled. "Of course I will, my lady." He squeezed her hand once more. "And I assure you it is a fun ride. There is no animal as majestic and beautiful as a horse. They are swift and they are strong. You shall enjoy it."
He leaned in a bit, whispering in her ear. "Would you want to ride alone?" he asked. "My guards can keep their distance, and we can have…privacy."
Rhaella's heart fluttered, as he leaned in and whispered. "I would love to ride with you, Cregan." She whispered. "It is only fit for us to ride, since.. we are betrothed, after all."
His heart stopped and then raced as she spoke those words. His voice was shaky and his hands trembled as he leaned in and kissed her on her soft lips. She was right, they were promised to each other, and this would be only the first of many things we would do together as husband and wife. "Perhaps it is only fitting," He whispered. "It is only proper."
She blinked, as he let go of her lips. "My… M-my." She stammered, she has never been kissed before, but to be kissed by her betrothed was worth it. "How old are you? I am only two-and-ten!"
He smiled as he leaned back and looked at her. This was her first kiss? For a Targaryen Princess I would have expected there to have been many before me, but perhaps most boys were too scared of her house and her dragons to try. I couldn't blame them.
He considered her question for a moment. "I am three and ten," he admitted. "I am a year older. I hope it is okay?"
"Yes, of course." She stammered. She was still nervous, as Cregan had just kissed her not too long ago. "I.. I am still in shock—. Cregan.. You have just—. You have just kissed me, my Lord!"
He laughed a bit as she stuttered out her words. This was certainly an odd situation, but he was enjoying it. He squeezed her hand again and smiled. "This was your first kiss? I am glad that I could be the one to give it." He leaned in once more and kissed her again, much to his delight. "Does this one shock you as much, my lady? Or is it something you are starting to enjoy?"
Rhaella gasped, as he kissed her once more. "My L—Lord.." She gasped, as she touched her lips. "You just kissed me!" She stammered. She was getting to enjoy the kisses, but that was unexpected.
He smiled, and squeezed her hand. "Indeed I did, Rhaella. And you enjoyed it, didn't you? I am starting to enjoy giving them, as well." He leaned down to her again, and whispered in her ear. "Do you want me to kiss you again?"
She began to stutter, and looked at him. "My.. My L–Lord.." She stuttered. She was nervous, and began to fidget the coat that she had on. "You.." He laughed as she stuttered. It was obvious that she was nervous, but the laughter was not in response to that. A beautiful Targaryen Princess stammering? It was such a foreign and yet so adorable sight that he could not help but laugh.
"What is it?" He asked her with a smile. "Are you too nervous?" he squeezed her hand, hoping to calm her down. "It is okay if so. You do not have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, my lady. And yet…" He leaned in once more, whispering in her ear. "May I kiss you one more time?"
She bit her lip, and looked away from Cregan for a moment. She needed to breathe, and she needed it. She thought of it, for a moment. If she were to kiss him, it would seal the marriage alliance. After a moment, she walked forward and kissed him. Both her cold and soft hands on his face.
He was not expecting her to be the one to initiate the kiss this time, and he could feel myself start to blush. Once her lips met his, his confidence returned, and he grabbed her around the waist before pulling her closer to him and kissing her back. He closed my eyes, and let himself get caught up in the moment, before eventually pulling away and breathlessly whispering in her ear. "Is this what you wanted? Does this make you happy, my lady?"
"Very–." She giggled and smiled. Cregan's big hands were placed on her waist, and it covered a big portion of her waist. "Now.. Can we ride?"
He smiled and gently stroked her silver hair as she spoke. "If you wish, my lady. We can ride all you like." He laughed as he spoke, and smiled down at her. "We can ride through the Godswood, or ride around on my horse, or you can fly on your dragon." He laughed again. "How would you like to ride?"
"Ride around on your horse, it sounds like a brilliant idea, my Lord." She smiled, as he laughed. He smiled as I squeezed her hand one more time. "Then let us go to the stables, my dear. I promise you that my horse is a fine animal indeed. If you enjoy riding, I think it may even be better than riding a dragon." He laughed, and winked at her as he said it.
With that, he began to lead Rhaella to the stables, where he had an especially fine horse, who would be perfect for a Targaryen Princess.
