Authors Note: Italics are for Memories, Flashbacks, and Documents in the book. This is my first time writing in a long time, I'm a little rusty so bare with me and I hope you like it.
Prologue
282 AC
King's Landing
'Happiness'. The sun began setting as she gazed out into the view of the city, nearly hearing the people of Flea Bottom begging for food and the whores crying in the brothels as the honorary "knights" of the realm pay for their pleasures. 'Happiness'.Eliza can't even begin to remember when was the last time she felt that feeling.The feeling of pure bliss, warmth and her belly filled with laughter.It's seems so long ago that she's felt true happiness within herself but it has become a distant thought, seeing as all she knows now are the cruel and ruthless punishments of the Mad King. Punishments that will scar her for her days to come, if she was to live that long, after all, she was a traitor's daughter.'I wish everything would be as it was' she subconsciously thought when a knock on the chamber door disturbed her.
" You may enter."
Shortly after her permission, Ser Barristan Selmy enter the chambers and greeted her with a slight bow. "Forgive me my lady," He began to rise. " Your grace has asked for your presence in the Great Hall."
"Of course he has," she sighed."Well we mustn't keep his grace waiting."
Ser Barristan waited for Eliza to exit her chamber before escorting her towards the Red Keep. As they walked, the sun gleamed through the pillars of the castle, hitting the side of Eliza's face. Ser Barristan glanced at the young girl. She truly was a beauty, with long brown hair to her waist, a form of a womanly figure and hips, with skin white as the northern snow and solemn grey eyes that are Stark known, a rarity of beauty to bless the North, and at the age of 14 no less, he felt pity for the girl, for he had no knowledge as to what King Aerys had in store for her.
Soon as they reach the Great Hall, all of the king's Kingsguard, as well as the Small Council and some of the Royal Courts were present with the Mad King sitting on his throne. King Aerys was the first to acknowledge Eliza's entrance.
"Lady Eliza," he boasted. "How wonderful of you to grace us with your beautiful presence."
"It is I who is so fortunate to be in your presence, your grace." She said with her practiced courtesy. It was her sense of armor to protect her from the Mad Kings wrath.
"Please, come stand next to me." He beckoned to her. "Come sweet child, I want you to be next to me when you see the present I brought you". He sadistically smiled.
Knowing she had no choice but to indulge him, for her safety, she hesitantly began to walk across the room til she was next to the throne, cautiously keeping a distance from him as her heart quickened as to what he must be planning. Her eyes bounced around the room, looking at the people as a distraction to keep her mind from racing and breaking her façade.
Suddenly, the doors to the Great Hall opened again and Eliza tried to keep herself from sobbing as she saw her father, Lord Rickard Stark, being presented to the people of the Keep. The murmurs of everyone in the hall where not even heard to Eliza as she looked upon her father, fearing as to why he was here playing to the Mad King's games. Lord Rickard looked up to face the Mad King when he noticed his second daughter standing next the sadistic monster.
"Eliza." He whispered. Rickard's heart clenched when he saw his sweet daughter's eyes begging for him and questioning why he had come here.
"Silence!" King Aerys exclaimed. The room became quiet. No one dared to make a sound. Aerys then turned his attention to Rickard. "Lord Rickard, you are aware as to why you were summoned here, yes?" he questioned.
"Yes your grace, you had my heir, Brandon Stark, arrested on false acts of treason."
Aerys cackled loudly, "False acts?! Your son threatened the life of my heir and you claim it as false acts!" he bellowed.
Eliza carefully wiped her palms on her skirts as she watched her father. Her nerves were making it harder for her to stay calm for she feared that her father might say the wrong thing to this unstable man.
Rickard glanced at his daughter and saw as she silently pleaded with him to beg for mercy. He couldn't begin to imagine the horrors his precious daughter endured in her imprisonment here. He knew he needed to fight for his children's freedom, even if it meant him dying in the process.
"I'm prepared to fight for his release and the release of my daughter!" he exclaimed. " I demand a trial by combat!"
The murmurs began to fill the hall as Aerys contemplated the words of Lord Rickard. Suddenly a smug smile appeared on his face and Eliza felt herself become ill for what the Mad King must be thinking.
Aerys raised his hand as to silence the people of the court. "Lord Rickard, I shall grant you the request," he stated. "Ser Jonothor, bring the lord his armor."
The member of the Kingsguard obliged to his kings wish and fetched Rickard's armor. All Eliza could do was stare at her father, seeing as he was her only concern. She could help but feel a sudden hope that she will be released from this hell and would be able to return home with her brother and father and away from this retched place. She saw from her peripheral vision as Aerys whispered in to the ears of the eunuch Varys and his sudden glum face made the pit of Eliza's stomach sink. Watching the back of Varys retreating from the hall, she wonder just what exactly had the Mad King said.
Soon, Ser Jonothor came back with Lord Rickard's armor and he began dressing himself for the fight. As Rickard was securing his breastplates, Lord Varys came back into the hall with two guards holding Brandon in between them. Brandon was confused at seeing his father in his armor and feeling rage and guilt for being the reason his sweet sister has been in the hands of the Mad King. The two guards forced Brandon on his knees and all turned to the center of the room. Rickard was prepared and unsheathes his sword, ready to fight, who everyone believed, would be someone from the Kingsguard. Aerys' laughter began to fill the hall.
"Oh my Lord, you didn't think you'd be fighting someone of my Kingsguard did you?" he laughed. "No no, the champion for House Targaryen is fire, pyromancer, hang him from the rafters!"
Chaos echoed through the halls as Rickard was being held as they lifted him up to the rafters. Brandon began to struggle but the guards held him down and put him in a Tyroshi strangling device. All Eliza could do was watch and try her best not to cry out for her father and beg Aerys to spare her family for she knew he wouldn't, for he gets off on the misery of others.
Rickard was hanging in the rafters and Brandon was in the device. One of the guards placed a sword out of Brandon's reach by a few feet. As the pyromancer prepared the fire, Aerys addressed Brandon.
"Lord Brandon, I'll give you the chance to try and free your father if you can reach for the sword and if you can't, well." Aerys began to laugh.
The pyromancer started the fire and it was a horror show. Eliza felt her world crumbling as she watch her brother struggle to reach for the sword while strangling himself and hearing her father's cries as he burned at the seems. She couldn't hold her grief anymore as the tears began falling from her eyes and she can hear the sound of her heart breaking.The Mad King came to her and whispered in her ear.
"This is my gift to you sweet child, the smell of your father's flesh burning and the gurgling of your brother's throat, my greatest gift indeed." He chuckled softly.
Shortly after, Brandon's movements stopped, face blue and no longer breathing, and her father was long gone, only thing left of him was the smell of his flesh, a scent Eliza knew would be etched in her memory for eternity. Aerys rejoiced at the result of the trial and immediately called for the next set of traitors. He dismissed Eliza and asked one of his kingsguard to escort her back to her chamber. Eliza could barely comprehend what had happened, she truly wished it was all a dream and she would wake up but it wasn't a dream, it was real, too real. Her father and brother were gone.
A hand made its way to the small of her back and a voice whispered in her ear. "My lady, allow me to escort you back to your chambers."
Eliza could barely acknowledge the person speaking to her. She was completely numb.
Still the voice didn't give up and pleaded with her. "Eliza, please."
She turned and her grey eyes were met with beautiful green eyes and golden hair. She knew exactly who was talking to her. She nodded her head and he proceeded to escort her back to her chambers. The walk to her chambers seemed longer than the trip to the Red Keep. They soon arrived and she made her way towards the bed. She faced the way of the balcony, watching the sun go down. Jaime watched her and felt his heart break for her. This beautiful lady who deserved the world and her family alive. He soon began to leave when she began to speak.
"Please don't leave me." She spoke softly.
Jaime turned to look at her and felt his heart break even more. She was looking at him with tears down her face, her eyes pleading with him to stay with her.
"Please." She whispered.
Jaime made his way to her and sat with her on the bed. He looked at her and placed his arm around her waist. He lifted her to his lap and cradled her while she wept for her father and brother. He whispered soothing words and tightened his arms and comforted her as best as he can as she cried herself to sleep.
It was nightfall, when Eliza began to wake. Jaime had left when he was sure Eliza was asleep. She was grateful to him that he gave her a little bit of solace after the grief she endured during the late day. She laid in bed as she stared into the night when she heard the door of chambers open. Her back stiffened as the bed dipped and she felt the rough hands of the perpetrator.
He chuckled softly, "Oh sweet child, you don't belong to anyone but me."
She felt the laces of her dress being loosened and she felt a tear slip from her face as she closed her eyes to dream she was anywhere else but here.
Eliza's eyes jumped open and she sprung from the bed with a bit of sweat forming at the side her head. Looking towards the window of the moving ship, she saw that it was close to the port. She sighed as she recalled the memories that haunt her after all these years. The memories have been frequent as of late and she's growing quite tired of them. Moving from the window and feeling a bit of sweat on her face and back, Eliza was in desperate need of a bath.
Shortly after her bath, dressed in a corseted armor with her breeches and two katana swords, she made her way above deck when she spotted her twin sons bickering back and forth. She slowly shook her head and made her way to them.
"Hello my sweetlings." She kissed them each on the cheek.
"Hello mother." her eldest Julian smiled at her.
"Mother, we're 17 not 7, don't call me a sweetling." Her other son Edwyle proclaimed.
She smiled at him and kissed him again. He rolled his eyes but smiled at her. Soon enough the ship docked at the port near the northern part. 'Home Sweet Home' Eliza thought, as her and the rest of the voyagers began to unload the ship.
Not much sooner, someone began to yell her name.
"Lady Eliza!, Lady Eliza!"
"Yes?" she addressed the young man.
The messenger got off his horse and ran to her with an unread parchment with the Stark seal. "A raven from your Lord brother my lady."
She took the letter from the boy and broke the seal.
Dear sister,
Grave news has come from King's Landing, Jon Arryn is dead. And Robert is traveling to Winterfell in looks for a new Hand of the King. I need you here. If I have any guess on who he might want, I will need you here in support of me. He'll arrive in a months time, I'm hopeful you'll be here before him. Be safe.
Your brother, Eddard Stark
Lord of Winterfell
Warden of the North.
As Eliza read the letter, all she can think of was one thing. 'Seven Hells'.
Let me know if you like this chapter!
P.S. sorry for the long prologue but I just want to give you guys an incite of what I believe happened in the throne room with the incorporation of my OC.
Copyright️- All Characters and parts of the story except my OCs and plots pertaining them belong to George R. R. Martin.