"Teach your squire honour. That shall be ransom enough"
These words spoken by the Mystery Knight kept running through Eddard's head. The knight had challenged the three knights of houses Haigh, Blount, and Frey, the same three houses which the squires pointing out to him the night previous by Howland and his sister. 'The knight could not have been Howland', Eddard thought, 'Benjen offered him armour and declined. Also, crannogmen are not exactly known for their skill in combat. They'd sooner navigate in a boat than mount a horse'. He pondered over his thoughts in the Stark's tent on the tourney ground, as his lord father entered with his brother Brandon in tow.
"Have you seen your brother and sister?" His father asked in a hushed tone.
"Not yet a father," Ned responded in an equally concerned manner.
"The grounds are crawling with knights and members of the Kingsguard all hunting for the so-called 'Knight of the Laughing Tree'. I need to make sure that they are safe and haven't gotten themselves into trouble."
"Father, Lyanna is a grown woman and Benjen is slowly becoming a man-" Brandon said attempting to calm his father's worries.
"That may be so; however, I wouldn't put it passed one of them to do something ridiculous" Rickard interrupted. His father had a point, Lyanna had often been described as a 'she-wolf' and was known to be outspoken. Ned's mind wondered, thinking over every possibility: could it have been Howland? How could he have procured the armour and the horse? Why use a weirwood as a symbol? Is it possible he had some form of experience with jousting? These questions came to mind whilst his father and Brandon discussed the whereabouts of his siblings, and suddenly, the answer hit him as if Robert's Warhammer had landed on his chest. He was asking the correct questions about the accessories of the Knight: the armour, the horse, and the shield, but of the wrong man. In fact, he shouldn't be thinking of a man at all.
"Oh, for fuck sake, come off!" Lyanna attempted to bite back and she unsuccessfully undid her breastplate. Leaning against a large tree in the forest approximately half an hour away from the tourney ground, she had escaped as quickly as she could, finding the whole affair exhilarating. She, a young woman, had defeated three lords in a joust and finally experienced what it was truly like to be a knight. Her first, and most likely, her last chance as she was to be married off to Lord Robert Baratheon and was quite sure that he would not allow her to participate in a 'male sport'. 'Maybe years from now, I'll reveal the truth to him in the most mundane way' she thought, 'Over breakfast perhaps, I shall say "Do you remember the Knight of the Laughing Tree all those years ago? Well, that was me."'
After several attempts to remove portions of her armour, Lyanna decided to wait until Benjen and Howland showed up in order to assist her and take her back to their camp. Feeling the heat of the summer, she walked forward to the God's Eye and splashed the cool water of the lake over her face to cleanse it, ridding herself of the sweat forming on her brow. Her brother and Howland were taking an exceptionally long time to reach her considering they were only meant to be a short ride away from their rendezvous point in the Godswood. From behind her, Lyanna heard the soft sound of feet moving towards her and began to mentally prepare a small speech lecturing Benjen and Howland about the importance of their role in this operation. However, the figure behind her spoke first.
"Good Ser, you seem to be lost. Are you in need of aid?" A soft melodic voice asked, making Lyanna freeze for a moment before slowly standing up and turning around to face the looming figure.
The man before her wearing a black cloak with dark ruby embroidery ornamenting the edges of his sleeveless jerkin. A longsword decorated with rubies on the hilt hung from his waist and his silver hair framed his long face.
Standing before her was his Royal Highness Rhaegar Targaryen, Crown Prince of Dragonstone and the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, heir of the Mad King.
Lyanna's 'perfect' day had just become her worst nightmare.