Chapter 27

Harry Potter + A song of Ice and Fire Crossover

Chapter 27

It took nearly all of Lily's will power not to look back as the wheelhouse they were riding in bore them away from Harrenhal.

She didn't know why she wanted to look back but she had a feeling it was because her family was still there. They would be leaving today as she had but later in the afternoon.

The red head closed her eyes and leaned heavily back into the upholstered seat. She clenched her fists together and thought that if she were the praying kind, she might send up a prayer to any one of the gods that might answer her.

However, the prayer itself would only consist of a single refrain. Please let Lysa be okay.

Her sister had told her that she would give her father the news when the family returned to Riverrun so that there would be more privacy.

In some ways, Lily thought that that was worse. She knew her father was a ruthless man but there was a certain façade he would need to keep up in public in order to not be regarded as a simpleton.

In private, there was no barrier of etiquette around him. He could behave exactly how he wanted to.

What was Lysa thinking?! The only way this is going to end is in disaster! Father could exile her, disinherit her! She should have let me come with her. At the very least I would be able to do some form of damage control, I could –

"Lily?"

She flinched and looked at Ashara who was gently touching her shoulder. "Yes?"

The brunette frowned at her. "Your jaw was clenched so hard I was certain you were going to break it. Are you alright?"

"As well as I can be I suppose," Lily replied with a sigh. "I don't know what's going to happen."

"The great unknown," Ashara said softly. "I've always believed that a concept was more frightening than an entity. And you have just voiced the most terrifying one of all."

"Why is it that I feel as if we've leapt out of one frying pan and are about to jump into a blazing inferno?" Lily asked softly. The urge to look back at Harrenhal as they were nearing the bend to turn was growing stronger.

"Because we are," Ashara said reaching for her hand. The two glanced across the small interior of the wheelhouse at Elia who was leaning with her head against the glass.

Her eyes were closed but neither of her friends were certain that she was asleep, hence their lowered voices.

The queen was sitting next to her with both of the princesses on her lap and seemed to doing an adequate job at entertaining both.

Lily closed her eyes for a moment. She hoped that Rhaegar's foolish actions wouldn't push her friend into an emotionally comatose state.

Elia was better than that.

She was better than Rhaegar.

Whatever happened in the next few months, she hoped that some healing would take place, not necessarily between the royal couple but in Elia's own soul.

She needed know that this was not her fault and that she had people she could rely on despite the cesspool that was the Red Keep.

"Well," she said turning to her Dayne friend slowly. "What is one of the best ways to take down an enemy?"

Ashara cocked her head to one side, looking at her like a quizzical bird. "I don't know."

Lily smiled grimly at her, her eyes gleaming. "We fight fire with fire."

"And how exactly do you propose that we do that?" Ashara asked. "It's not as if we can lambast the prince publicly. The king would have our heads."

Lily shook her head. "That's not what I mean. I meant to say that we will keep Elia away from him as much as possible so none of his public tarnish can rib off on her."

Ashara sighed and the action saw her deflating like a balloon slowly losing it air. "Are you certain that's a wise idea? If people saw a breakdown in their relationship because of this, it might give them even more reason to gossip. As an aside, rumors might spread that the prince is growing tired of Elia and the king could use it as an excuse to cast her aside completely, perhaps disinherit the princesses and find a bride another bride for the prince. This scandal could become twice as bad if we keep her away from him."

Lily grimaced. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Look," Ashara said giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "At the moment we can't do anything. So I saw let's just keep watch. Keep up the pretense that the princess is in a happy mood and utterly unconcerned about what has happened. But on the flip side we'll become spies for her. We'll keep a much closer eye on the doings of everyone and everything at court and we'll be able to help her understand the thoughts and intentions of those around us for her better than we have before."

Lily sighed and leaned against the back of the seat of the wheelhouse. She had never much liked sneaky around and listening at doors or through holes in the wall. It had always felt much too Slytherin to her.

But it would be foolish and naïve for her to assume that everyone else in the capital didn't do it at some point or another.

Merlin she hated that cesspool of human immorality.

Everyone would do whatever it took to get ahead, including lie, steal, cheat, flatter, or even kill their way up the political ladder.

And she was right in the thick of it.

"I suppose we have no choice," she said wearily. "What else can we do at this point?"

"Don't be too discouraged Lily," the Dayne girl said. There was a fire in her eyes that hadn't been there in the last few days. "We have a duty to protect our princess. You and I signed no oath to the prince. So in whatever way we can make life difficult for him….we will."

At her words, the red head slowly began to smile. She knew quite a bit about pranks and their affects.

She had learned from the best after all.

Ω

It began with a simple case of hexes and jinxes.

Upon their return to the Red Keep, Lily decided she was going to do everything in her power to make Rhaegar's life as uncomfortable as possible in the coming weeks.

She didn't harm the prince per se, but began the business of punishing him with a selective series of spells she had learned from the Marauders.

The first was a vanishing spell.

One day she decided to vanish all of his hair that so he had to walk around the keep for the entire day bald as the baby he had once been.

That certainly gave the court something to gossip about as it caused the prince to sequester himself in his chamber for several hours with the maester as they attempted to determine what had happened.

The following day, Lily returned his hair but decided she was going to color his skin orange instead. And so for that entire day he had to go about sporting the worst looking shade of orange pigment anyone had ever seen.

On the third day, she decided to cast a Confundus Charm on him so he went about dazed and confused, baffling nearly everyone he spoke to and causing Lily herself endless amounts of glee.

She had told herself that she wouldn't be so petty as to draw blood on the man because there were some lines that she would not cross but as far as harmless bouts of embarrassment, everything was fair game.

His clothes were not off limits.

His speech was not off limits.

His hair was not off limits.

One day she even decided to cast a sound jinx upon him making it appear as if he broke wind every time that he spoke and causing many members of the court to give him a wide berth.

That was, as far as Lily was concerned, her best prank yet.

Until that was, her and Elia were seated on one of the terraces over looking Blackwater Bay and the princess decided to address her husband's recent string of bad luck.

"I know what you're doing Lily," she said softly.

The red head glanced up from the orange she had been surreptitiously peeling apart with her fingers. "What do you mean?"

Her friend fixed her with a look that was both knowing and tired. "I know that you are behind Rhaegar's unfortunate if not amusing mishaps in the last little while."

Lily thought about denying it but then decided that she had no reason to do so. Instead she merely raised an eyebrow at the Dornish princess. "Your point?"

Elia closed her eyes for a moment as if bracing herself for a delivery that she did not wish to give. "I would like you for to cease these actions if you please."

To say that Lily was surprised would be a bit of an understatement. "And why exactly is that? The man has certainly not had any qualms about attempting to humiliate you in the eyes of the realm, so why should I not attempt to make him feel at least a bit of the discomfort that you felt."

"Because you are not my attack dog that I can just sic on people Lily," the brunette returned somewhat forcefully. "You are my friend and you are better than petty attacks against a man who I have decided I am not going to waste any more energy feeling angry towards."

Lily blinked at this new declaration. "What then are you saying? Are you saying that you forgive him for his indiscretion with Lyanna Stark?"

"Certainly not!" Elia's nostrils flared with sudden animosity. "He has not asked me for my forgiveness and until he comes to me and can admit with all the knowledge in the world how he has battered my emotions and disgraced not only me but our marriage, he will never be forgiven."

Lily nodded slowly. "Then forgive me, but why is it that you think that these…pranks must stop."

Elia reached over and placed a hand on her arm. "Because I believe that you are better than that Lily. You aren't the sort of person who needs to resort to that level of pettiness on behalf of a dea friend. I am asking you for my own sake to rise above that because as amusing and somewhat gratifying these last few days have been, I wish to prove that I am better than Rhaegar in every way. I am better than that child that he crowned and I am certainly better than the nobles that we live amongst. I am still hopeful that someday he will see that."

Lily took a deep breath.

She desperately hoped that her friend was right but she just couldn't see it.

From what little she knew about the crown prince, she knew he wasn't the monster that his father was. But that was all the good she could really say about him.

He was a distant dreamer with one foot in reality and one foot in mystical prophecy. He seemed to be an individual consumed by questions about the metaphysical and metaphorical and what his place in all of it was.

Lily was more worried about his arrogance in thinking that perhaps he was tied up in some prophecy as Voldemort had thought exactly the same thing.

Of course Rhaegar had no magic to make him dangerous, but he still had a crown.

That was power enough in this world.

So Lily decided she was going to press hard with this next question, to ensure that her friend knew what she was hoping for.

"Can you look me in the face and tell me honestly that you think he might do something like that?" she asked softly.

Elia's gaze dropped to her lap and the sewing that lay in a limp heap there. She had been attempting to embroider a Dornish sun on a bronze piece of cloth, something to hang in Visenya's room to remind the little girl of her mother's homeland.

A part of Lily wondered if Elia herself had been using it as a means to remind herself of home.

"I don't know," she said softly. "But I have to believe that he will. You might think that this is at best naïve and at worst foolish but I have always been an idealistic person. I have to believe that Rhaegar will return to me and the reason I have to believe that is not just for myself."

Lily saw in an instant what she was talking about.

"The girls," she whispered and Elia nodded.

"Whether he cares or no longer cares for me is irrelevant but as long as we remain cohesive enough and I have some indication that he cares for his daughters, that will be enough."

Lily stared at her friend in awe. She had just demonstrated the exact quality that it took to be a mother in this world or any other; not vain glorious, not selfish but self sacrificing.

"I'm not sure I would have the sheer courage to think that way about my husband had I been in your position," she said quietly looking down at her knotted hands.

"I think you might surprise yourself," Elia said warmly and the words caused the red head to look up.

The look in her large brown eyes was warm and Lily could see that she truly believed what she was saying. "You are far stronger than you know. You just haven't had an opportunity to assess the limits of that strength. I am certain that there will be a time coming when you will have to do that and when it comes, you will meet it with the same fire that I know burns through your veins every day. Don't sell yourself short Lily, it's beneath you."

A sudden lump gathered in the younger girl's throat as she was suddenly reminded of a time when she had been someone who was that sacrificial, when she had been someone who never thought twice about stepping into the gap for someone weaker than her.

Harry, she thought to herself and was alarmed to feel the lower line of her eyes filling with tears.

She blinked hard and somehow managed to pull them back. She wondered how her son was doing. She hoped he was being taken care of and that he was happy and safe.

Finally she felt she had mastered herself enough to look up again.

Thankfully Elia was no longer watching her and had turned her attention back to the embroidery in her lap.

"There is something that I wished to ask you," she said suddenly and Lily's head shot up.

"And that is?"

The brunette continued pulling at the threads for a moment as if she were bracing herself for something. "As you know the girls are beginning to grow older and there is a time coming when I will need to find other influential figures for them."

Lily frowned. "I'm not certain I understand what you mean."

Elia continued as if she hadn't heard her. "I spoke to Ashara about this already and though she was a bit surprised, she was flattered all the same."

Lily shook her head in bewilderment. "Elia what are you talking about?"

Finally her friend looked up at her. "I have decided to make Ashara Rhaenys' godmother, and I have decided to make you Visenya's."

A breath of air escaped Lily's lungs as if she had been thumped in the chest. "What?"

"I want to ensure that my daughters are taken care of if something happens to me," the brunette continued briskly. "And even though my wish would be for them to be sent to Dorne so that they may be raised by my brothers, I am not certain that my wishes will be honored. They are Martells, but they are also Targaryens and even though an heir to the throne has not yet been produced, the royal family needs all of the blood it can get. The king will never let them go. Doran and Oberyn would wage war on their behalf but I would not want that either because it is a conflict that will leave my home bloodied. So I have decided that I must be shrewd about this and ensure that they are looked after in a different way."

Lily was having trouble processing what was being said. "Elia, surely you're not worried about your safety are you?"

The brunette fixed her with a level look. "The beginning of my marriage to Rhaegar began with several assassination attempts and my husband has since rejected me for a child. I think it's an accurate assumption to say that I have never been safe."

The red head grimaced.

"Are you sure this is a wise idea?" she asked. "I am no blood relation of yours and I will have no say in how the princesses are treated should the worst happen."

Elia looked up swiftly from her sewing and Lily wondered for a moment if her expression was what she herself had chosen when she stood over her son in his crib to try and protect him from Voldemort.

"Yes you will have a say," she said tightly as if she were speaking to herself.

Elia stabbed at the yellow sun with her needle. "I am going to remain as I have these last few years. I am a Martell and I am unbroken. No matter what Rhaegar has done, I will always be unbroken."

She resumed stitching rays about her burnished yellow sun with an intensity that made Lily wonder if she was trying to convince herself more of her own words.

But she didn't ask that question.

She had a feeling all of the answers would be revealed in time.

Ω

Time went on in the Red Keep and while Lily's pranks on Rhaegar had ceased at the behest of her friend, her vitriol towards him was as acute as ever.

It was made even worse by the fact that despite Elia's hopes, he continued to hold her at a distance and spend time pouring over books in the library, muttering to himself about prophecies and promises.

Lily was furious.

He should have been on his knees, begging for Elia's forgiveness, swearing that he would never disrespect her in such a manner ever again and promising that only she would share his heart, his soul and his bed.

But apparently being a royal meant never having to say you're sorry.

Elia however took this rejection as well as a wife possibly could in Lily' estimation. She continued to be gracious towards all members of the court, spend time with her good mother and her daughters and Lily and Ashara.

Her willingness to look past these slights impressed and infuriated Lily.

If James had ever done a similar thing to her, she would have had no qualms about severing his reproductive organs so that he wouldn't be so much as tempted to look at another woman.

The lack of injustice in this land shocked and appalled her.

A woman could face public disgrace and humiliation if she so much as flirted with another man and yet a married lord could bed and take as many mistresses as he wished without anyone batting an eye.

Obviously she was not condoning that a woman should or be allowed to do such a thing but a man shouldn't either.

A standard of equality should be the parallel for every single individual in this country and for the one across the sea.

It was thoughts like these that made Lily remember that painful conversation she had had with Lysa a few weeks earlier.

Her sister had seemed so convinced about her ability to get through to Petyr, to get through to their father, about her ability to have a happy ending of her own making and yet the only way Lily could see this ending was in disaster.

Hoster Tully was bound to be apoplectic when he received the news and it was doubtful Petyr would ever find out much less do something about it.

Lily felt badly thinking this way about her lifelong friend but his true colors had shown themselves in the last few months, bleeding through to be reveal a vivid red of anger and sickly green of envy.

Lily wondered if he would even care should he hear.

He's lost to you now, a sad little voice inside of her whispered. One would think that it's your lot in life to be cursed with a friend who ends up turning away from you and following a dark path.

Lily squeezed her eyes shut and adjusted Visenya who was sitting on her lap and playing with a toy.

He wasn't your only friend, another little determined voice whispered inside her. And this time around, you have many. Petyr may be lost you but there are still others who will never turn away.

The thought brought a smile to Lily's lips and she looked down at the child babbling in her lap as she played with one of her toys.

She shook her head, thoughts beginning to change gear. Lily still couldn't believed that Elia wanted her to be Visenya's godmother. She was both extremely pleased and worried by the idea because every day her friend seemed to grow more and more mysterious.

It was almost as if Elia could see into the future and was convinced that something was going to happen to her.

If Lily wasn't the person that she was, she might have said such things were impossible. Unfortunately she knew far too many things about prophecy.

This is ridiculous, she thought as she bounced Visenya on her knee. We are not puppets to the whims of fate! I ran and his from it once when I was Lily Evans, I will not do so again!

"My lady?"

Lily blinked and looked up to find a servant standing in front of her. She wore the long brown garments of a lower palace slave and she had a nervous air about her.

Lily frowned. "Yes?"

"A raven has arrived for you my lady from Riverrun," the servant said. She reached behind her back and held out a folded piece of parchment stamped with the Tully seal.

Lily blinked, odd she had sent out no communications lately.

Ah well, maybe it was her father merely checking in.

She gingerly took the communiqué from the girl. "Thank you."

The servant nodded, curtsied and then hurried off without a backward glance and Lily glanced down at the inscription on the front.

It was scrawled in a hurried font, making her frown and wonder who could have written this. It certainly wasn't in a hand that she recognized immediately.

She peered closer at it, checking the curves of certain letters and the way the I's and T's were dotted and crossed.

Is it from Vyman? She wondered to herself as she broke the seal on the paper and unfolded the letter.

A cursory glance of its contents told her how very incorrect she was.

Dear Lily

I don't know how much time I have to write this as Vyman is waiting outside the door for this letter. There isn't much that needs to be said anyway.

I told father about the child upon our return to Riverrun and as you might imagine, he was apoplectic. He demanded to know if I had told anyone else and I admitted that I told you and that I had sent a letter to Petyr detailing everything.

Oh Lily he was so angry, I don't think I've ever seen him so furious before. I can't tell you how I trembled but somehow I managed to keep my head. I told him that the child was Petyr's first and foremost and I wished to withdraw from this marriage contract to Jaime Lannister to marry Petyr instead.

His response was to back hand me across the face.

Lily jerked back in her chair and her hands began to shake when the meaning of that phrase registered in her mind, paired with a sickening picture.

He then called for the guards to escort me back to my chambers and to ensure that I did not leave. His last words to me were chilling. He said that my….problem would be dealt with as soon as he could stand to look at me again.

I didn't begin to cry until I was back in my chambers and I ensured that I was quiet all the while.

Both Ed and Cat came by the door wanting to speak to me but the guards turned them away citing father's order.

The only visitor that I have had is Vyman who has been in charge of delivering my food. On his last meeting with me, he whispered that father has been muttering under his breath about a solution to my "problem" that will make all of this go away.

This isn't a problem Lily, this is a child. My child.

It doesn't matter if Petyr doesn't want the babe, I certainly do and even though I am terrified, I will not let father beat me down anymore.

But I fear that at a time soon coming, I will have no choice. He is more powerful than I am and he has ensured that I have no support.

Vyman was good enough to smuggle me some parchment underneath the tray of my breakfast so that I might write to you but I fear that this will be all I will be able to do.

Oh Lily I am frightened. I don't know what to do.

Lysa

Lily's hands were trembling so hard by the time she came to the end of the letter that she had trouble making out her sister's name, written in a shaky hand.

Emotions churned through her that she couldn't even name; a strange combination of rage, fear, sadness and astonishment.

Surely Hoster wouldn't be so mad as to force Lysa to get rid of the child?

Would he?

You know your father better than most, a grim little voice from a dark corner of her mind whispered. You know how deep his ambition runs. The more children he has, the more connections he can foster. He had ambitions to connect the three of you to every warden in the land. And he would have succeeded if not for Lysa.

"Lily? Are you alright?"

The red head jerked her gaze up to meet Elia's eyes.

Her friend was looking at her with such a look of abject concern, it made the younger girl's eyes water embarrassingly. She opened her mouth but no sound emerged.

A hard expression settled over the princess's face and she seemed to read the situation immediately.

"Leave us," she snapped to the servants who were standing around attending them and the food.

There was a breath of silence and then utensils and decanters were hurriedly set down before the servants scurried from the terrace, not even looking behind them.

Queen Rhaella looked back and forth between the two younger women and then caused herself to be silently blessed by Lily when she got to her feet. "I believe I will take the children for a walk in the garden my dears. They have been sitting with their toys for too long that it is a wonder that they still know how to walk!"

Elia flashed her goodmother a grateful smile and plucked Visenya off Lily's lap before handing her off to the queen mother. "Thank you. We shouldn't be long."

The moment Rhaella and the girls disappeared behind a wall of trees, Elia swept back around to Lily, her indulgent smile fading. "Now then, what is going on?"

Lily had to swallow hard several time before she trusted herself enough to speak. Only when she had done so, did she look around and mutter the words to the silencing charm under her breath.

Elia wanted until the incantation was complete before looking around. "Is it safe to talk freely?"

Lily nodded. "What I have to say can never be told to another living soul until consent is given. May I have your word on that?"

Elia's eyes narrowed. "Of course."

"Good," Lily said. She took a deep breath and then told her friend the entire story of what had happened between Lysa and Petyr and how she had come to know about it when they were at Harrenhal. She told her of her fears when Lysa had insisted on telling their father, hoping that the admission would release her from her obligations to Jaime Lannister.

Elia's face tightened at the second hand hopeful statement and she ran a hand through her hair. Lily was certain she must have looked a similar way when her sister had spouted that thoroughly obtuse statement.

"And now?" she asked when Lily had fallen silent.

The younger girl shook her head miserably. "I don't know. It seems as if father has locked her in her chambers with no one for company save our aging maester and there is not much he can do about her situation."

A calculating look came over Elia's face and she stroked her chin slowly, reminding Lily briefly of a villain in a low rate horror flick she had once seen with Petunia.

If she wasn't so overwhelmed, the memory would have been a funny one.

"What if you were to bring her here?"

Lily blinked, not expecting such a response. "What?"

Elia nodded and her friend could practically see a plan forming across her face. "You can travel anywhere in the realm with your magic that you desire yes?"

"Yes."

"Then my suggestion is to return to Riverrun to fetch your sister and bring her back here. In the meantime, I will wait here and try to figure out the rest of a possible plan."

For a moment, Lily wondered how on earth her friend was being so calm and then she remembered that the princess had weathered her own personal storm recently and little had been done to help her other than Lily's and Ashara's involvement.

Perhaps she wanted to do something for someone else in a similar scandalous situation.

But her idea had merit and Lily wondered why she didn't think of something like that sooner. "Are you sure?"

The Dornish woman nodded. "Bring her here, but I would suggest disguising her with your magic if you can. We can figure out some course of action when she gets here. I'll dismiss all of the servants for the rest of the day and ensure my goodmother keeps the children. These days, if someone thinks I'm spending time alone, I'll have an instant reason without having to give one."

Lily blinked before remembering the more recent public scandal and grimaced. "Elia I can't thank you enough – "

Her friend cut her off with a wave of her hand. "Don't thank me yet. I have the beginnings of an idea and you might not like it, but it all depends on your sister…who will never know what the idea is until you bring her here. Now go!"

Lily's only response to the princess was to offer a grim smile before she got to her feet.

A second later, she was spinning on her heel and disappearing from King's Landing with little more than a soft crackling of magic.

Ω

Lysa jumped when a soft cracking sound infiltrated the stillness of her chamber. She looked up to see a familiar figure standing before her, one that she hadn't seen for several weeks.

"Lily?" she whispered out in near disbelief.

The younger red head was shocked by the current state of her sister's physical appearance compared to the way she had looked the last time she had seen her.

Her dress hung loosely on her frame and her skin was pale enough to appear ghostly. Her hair hung limply about her face and her blue eyes appeared as washed out and translucent as her complexion.

She was sitting in a chair by her window, hands twisted together in her lap, and if one looked closely enough, there was a slight tremble in her shoulders and lower lip as if she were barely keep in check a wealth of emotions.

"Gods," Lily whispered in astonishment, kneeling down in front of her sister and reaching for her hands. "Lysa…what happened?"

It must have been due to her sister's emotional state that she didn't immediately comment on how Lily had arrived.

Instead, the minute her sister touched her hands, Lysa let out a low keening wail and slumped forward into her arms as if she had no strength left.

Lily's alarm spiked and she did her best to right Lysa while simultaneously rubbing her back and murmuring helpful comments.

After what seemed like an hour, Lysa's sobs slowed and she appeared to be somewhat in control of herself again.

When Lily felt she was stable enough to leave her, she cast a quick locking charm on the door from the inside so that no one would be able to get in.

The last thing they would need for this was a witness.

While her sister calmed herself down, Lily busied herself with scanning the room. Everything appeared to be in order.

Save one thing.

Sitting on the small table next to the bed was a tiny bottle that she didn't recognize.

Frowning, Lily walked over to it and picked it up, only to be confronted with a crude label that made her breath catch in her throat.

"Moon tea!?" she forced out from between clenched teeth. "Is this what he wants you to do Lysa? Kill the babe?"

Her sister flinched at the second phrase and Lily took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself.

"He came in about an hour ago," she said in a whisper so low that Lily could hardly hear her. "He put it down on the table and told me he was doing it for the good of the family. He said that duty and honor meant something to the Tullys and that I had spat on both of those things when I chose to lower myself to the level of a common whore. He said that the one thing left in our saying was family and if that meant anything at all to me then I would down the moon tea before he came back to collect the empty bottle. And if I didn't then he….he said he would have the guards hold me down while he forced it down my throat."

Lily was the one who was shaking by the time her sister finished speaking, the last word tapering off into a broken wheeze.

Gripping the bottle of moon tea, she strode for the fire that was still burning brightly in the hearth across the room.

The minutes she was close enough, Lily hurled the offending thing into the flames and watched it smash against the wood, leaving a dark spot as the liquid soaked in before being evaporated into steam and vapor.

"There," she said, feeling somewhat better now that the whole thing was no longer a possibility. "That's better now isn't it?"

"He'll have more I expect," Lysa said in a lifeless voice. "I have no idea where he managed to get the first bottle but it doesn't matter. One way or another he'll make me drink it. It doesn't matter what I want."

Lily turned back to her sister, a grim smile coloring her features. "He can't make you drink anything if you're not here."

For the first time since she had arrived, Lysa's chin rose from her chest and her eyes narrowed at her sister in a frown. "What do you mean?"

As quickly as she could, Lily hurried over to her sister and took both of her hands in her own. "I can bring you far away from here Lysa. I can bring you to the capital where you won't have to worry about father anymore."

Lysa's eyes widened. "And no one would see us leave?"

Lily smiled grimly. "No one would know where we are if I don't want them to know. You'd be safe from father and so would the babe."

Without even looking down, Lysa placed a hand against her stomach that upon closer inspection, looked a bit rounder than before.

Only someone who knew her well enough would know of her condition by looking at her. But it wouldn't be long before that wouldn't be the case.

But they would be well away before that happened.

"Where would we go?" Lysa asked, her eyes wide.

"The capital," Lily replied. "I know how to hide you there. And after that….well we'll figure it out from there."

Lysa swallowed hard. "And you're certain I'll be safe?"

Lily eyed the door, almost expecting someone to begin pounding on it at any moment. If her father had only given Lysa an hour, then it wouldn't be long before he would come.

"Lysa at this point, I can't guarantee much of anything at all, but the one thing that I can promise you is that your child will be far safer in the capital than it is here. And only you will be able to make its decisions there."

Her older sister's face was so tight that any muscle spasm might cause it to crack. "I never heard from Petyr. I hoped and prayed everyday that when I rose I would look out the window to see him riding through the gates to rescue me and the babe."

Lily stifled several curses so she wouldn't be able to say something that she might regret. "Lysa, I am beginning to realize that Petyr is not the boy that you or I knew growing up. I don't know who he is anymore, but its not someone that I like. I don't think you should like him either, and for the sake of your child you need to stop thinking about him. Nothing else matters right now other than getting you far far away from here."

Lysa looked up at her and for once, the dreamy cloud that always seemed to be present in her eyes was no longer there. She placed a hand atop her stomach and swallowed hard before squaring her shoulders. "You're right Lily. It's time to stop dreaming. How are we going to get to the capital?"

The red head's answering smile was not just one of relief, but of mischief. "How else Lysa? By magic."

Her older sister's eyes widened by the answer and then a sneaky look came over her face that surprised the younger girl. "Magic….I've always wondered about that."

Lily frowned. "What do you mean?"

Lysa smiled at her but there was something about it that was sad. "Nothing….it's just that even if you had never told me what allowed you to get here, I would have believed you were capable of getting us both out of here. You're someone who has never needed someone else to rescue you. I wish I could be like that."

Lily stared at her for a moment, wanting to refute the statement, claim that her sister was selling herself short and that she was strong and capable, but a key sliding into the lock interrupted them.

Lysa looked up in fright even though Lily had locked the door and the latter decided that they had wasted enough time.

She strode over to her sister and grasped her hand. "We're out of time. Are you ready?"

Lysa nodded without hesitating. "How does this work?"

Lily gave her a grim smile. "Well, you just have to hold on tight and don't let go whatever else happens. If you do, you won't like the consequences."

Lysa nodded, her face grey but equally determined.

The key was then yanked from the lock and the familiar voice of their father barked out: "Lysa Tully! Open this door immediately! Or you will not like the consequences!"

Lily bristled at his tone and snatched hold of both of her sister's hands. "Close your eyes."

Lysa frowned. "Why?"

Lily barely had time to answer her before spinning on her heel and activating the magic. "Because this is going to be dizzying."

There was a crack and then they were gone, leaving a totally obtuse Hoster behind, still rattling the door.

Ω

Elia was waiting for them when the sisters arrived back on the terrace in King's Landing. She had rearranged the table and carefully filled a plate of fruit and cheese along with a small glass of water in case Lysa was hungry after her ordeal.

That proved not be the case however for almost immediately after they reappeared, Lysa let go of her sister's arm and tottered over to one of the flower beds where she promptly voided the contents of her stomach among the roses.

Lily blinked in shock before hurrying over to her sister and holding back her hair until she finished being sick.

Elia was instantly on her other side, holding a glass of water and Lily sent her a grateful smile.

When Lysa straightened up the look of misery on her face remained for only a second before she realized where she was and her eyes widened.

"Am I really here?" she whispered and Elia hid a smile behind her hands. "I'm afraid so."

Lysa jerked at the unexpected answer to her question and her eyes widened even further when she realized who had spoken. "Your grace!"

She hurriedly dropped into a clumsy curtsy and Elia waved her back to her feet chuckling. "There's no need for that Lysa. You're among friends now. And I'm very glad you're here."

Her older sister's etiquette gave way to curiosity. "You are?"

"Yes," the princess said. She pressed the glass of water into Lysa's hand and slipped an arm through hers on the other side. "I asked Lily to bring you when she said you were having a problem."

Lysa's gaze instantly turned as wary as a deer when it knows its being hunted. "You know then?"

"Well given your sister's rather violent reaction to your letter, I had to know if she was alright," the Dornish woman said smoothly. "And after pressing her, she agreed to tell me what was the matter provided that I kept it in the most rigorous of confidences."

Lysa spared a glance back at her younger sister who was following them and the look on her face wasn't quite angry but she did look a bit irritated.

"And anyways," Elia said catching the look and working on distraction. "I have a plan on how we can help you."

That seemed to do the trick. "You do?"

Elia smiled and helped Lysa into a chair around the table. She pushed the elements she had gathered at her before rounding the edge and sitting down again.

She nodded at the chair next to her, intending for Lily to sit before leaning forward, resting her elbows atop the table and tenting her fingers beneath her chin. "I do."

Lysa frowned, still appearing somewhat dazed from their strange form of travel and that a stranger knew her secret. "And what might that be your grace?"

"Yes, I would like to know this as well," Lily said taking a seat and grasping hold of a dried apricot before popping it into her mouth.

After her abrupt departure and return, she was suddenly ravenous.

Elia smiled and Lily was shocked at how much the melancholy princess had hidden itself behind her twinkling eyes and lilting smile.

It was as if the scandal with Rhaegar and Lyanna hadn't happened.

Elia selected a ripe plum from the tray in front of her and slowly rolled it back and forth between her hands as if gearing up for some big reveal. "Firstly there are a few questions that I need to ask."

Lysa's color was slowly beginning to return the more water she sipped. "What are those your grace?"

Elia suddenly put the plum back on the plate and leaned forward. "How serious are you about being a mother?"

The question seemed to surprise Lysa and Lily would admit to being taken aback herself. "I beg your pardon?"

Elia's eyes narrowed in speculation. "How serious are you about being a mother? Because I warn you, it is no easy task. A part of you will always be with your child no matter where they go. You will never belong completely to yourself ever again. And you will likely face even more adversity because of how this child was created. I'm not saying such criticism is right, but it will come and you need to be prepared for it."

The color in Lysa's cheeks started to wane at that statement. But she raised her chin, suddenly determined. "I've made it this far haven't I?"

Elia gave her a slight smile. "Yes you have but would you believe me if I told you that was the simple part? If you stay here with us for the next few weeks, you are going to be expected to play by a certain set of rules. People will know who you are and what you have done before long and it won't matter to them that you are an innocent girl. Your reputation will be ruined, surely you know this?"

Lysa's jaw locked and Lily could see the beginnings of great shining tears in her eyes. "I know. But it doesn't matter….what's done is done."

Elia fingered the stem of her wine goblet. "Yes….but I simply need to know from you whether or not you are ready to weather any storm, face any battle, cut down any person for your child. Are you?"

This time, Lysa didn't flinch and for once Lily had nothing to say. Her sister was stubborn when pressed and she had had a feeling weeks ago in Harrenhal that her sister would not be giving up this child without a fight. She might have bent a bit for their father, but she certainly hadn't broken.

She raised her chin and looked the princess dead in the face. "I will fight anyone who tries to take this child from me. I will cross whatever ocean, I will face down whatever lord. I need to stop dreaming for someone to rescue me and for the sake of this child….I need to save myself."

Elia's answering smile was as bright as a Dornish sun. "I was hoping you would say that."

She glanced back and forth between both sisters and then leaned even more forward as if she wished to share a secret. "Listen carefully to what I have to say next. I am going to write a letter to my brother Prince Doran in Sunspear and if you would be willing, I will ask him to allow you to stay with him and my other brother and nieces and nephews."

Lily's eyes had widened to the size of dinner plates at this new plan.

This was something she had never thought of. But why would she given how far away Dorne was and the unlikelihood of an assent?

It would be perfect. Hoster would never think to look for her sister in Dorne, seven hells, he would never think to look for her in King's Landing either but this was ingenious.

Lysa would be able to hideaway her pregnancy in peace and safety with the Dornish and be in a place where illegitimate children were not seen as a plague.

Lily remembered Oberyn telling her once about his young daughters. She couldn't remember how many he had but he had spoken of them with such fondness that it had warmed Lily's heart.

Elia had told her later that bastards in Dorne had more flexibility than anywhere else in Westeros and were greeted with a bit more favor.

It would be the perfect place for Lysa to stay.

Lily glanced at her sister to see what she thought of this plan and saw without much surprise that tears had spilled onto her sister's cheeks and both her hands were pressed against her mouth as if she were trying to hold back sobs.

A few minutes later when she had somehow regained control of herself, she wiped at her eyes and fixed Elia with a look of wonder. "You would do that for me?"

Elia's answering smile was directed more at Lily than Lysa this time. "Your sister has been a good friend to be during my time in the capital. She has saved my life twice and there is much that I would do for her."

She turned back to Lysa. "Yes, I would do this for you because I can see that no matter the cost, you want to be a mother and raise this child. As a mother myself, that is something that I too understand."

"Elia," Lily said in a tone of wonder. "Thank you. I don't even know what to – "

"Don't say anything," the princess said cutting her off gently. "I am more than happy to do this for you."

She turned back to Lysa who was trying unsuccessfully to blot out the tears in her eyes. "When your time comes, my brother's paramour Ellaria will be able to help you. She has helped my good sister Mellario with all of the deliveries of her and Doran's children."

"What happens after that?" Lysa asked in a small voice.

"You will be welcome to stay for as long as you desire," Elia said gently. "Your sister has made herself a great friend of the Dornish and because of her, any sibling of hers will be welcome in Sunspear."

This proved to be too much for Lysa and her shoulders shook as she buried her face in her hands, letting all of the fear and trauma and sadness pour out of her.

Lily couldn't do much other than rub her sister's back. In reality, she wanted to collapse back into her chair and sleep for a week.

She was nearly speechless with relief and hoped that her eyes were conveying all the gratitude to her friend that words couldn't.

Elia slowly scraped her chair back. "Stay with her a bit. I am going for parchment and a quill. We'll send this letter without delay."

Before she left however, Lily grasped hold of her wrist. "I don't know how to thank you Elia. But I will repay you one day."

"Nonsense," the Dornish woman said, gently squeezing her hand. "You've already done more for me than anyone else ever could. It's time that I start repaying you."

And then she turned and glided silently off the terrace while Lily turned to her sister who was still overcome by the fact that she and the babe she carried were safe.

While she comforted her, Lily couldn't help but send up a silent prayer of thanks to whichever god might be listening and an entreaty that wherever he was….that Harry would be looked after too.

Ω

Now we have a slight solution to Lysa's problem. But there will be a bigger one coming before long. I thought it only natural seeing how much Lily has done for Elia already that the princess would offer to house her sister in safety. Dorne would be an ideal place for Lysa to raise a baby. Reputation doesn't matter as much to the Dornish as it does in other parts of Westeros so the shame aspect would be gone. Anyway, don't forget to review!