Night had fallen across Harrenhal and for a select few the night had become grim and sombre. Once Daemon was declared a traitor guards were sent out in every direction to look for both him and the Knight of the Laughing Tree; the King was positively enraged when the guards reported back that they had disappeared. The King was ready to grab a horse and ride down the traitors himself but was convinced by his son to leave it to his soldiers and to instead enjoy the joust.
While this happened Lyanna was finding it difficult to compose herself; the love of her life had just been declared a traitor and had to run away due to her actions. Guilt overwhelmed her and it was a struggle for her to not burst into tears —she wasn't the only one who felt this way. Lysa had joined Lyanna in the Stark seating and held her hand throughout the joust to help her stay strong and not cause any suspicion to be mounted on them. Though as Daemon's fiancé, she was allowed a little more leeway than Lyanna was and could publically grieve; though she was smart not to as in the King's eyes crying over a traitor was just as bad as being a traitor yourself.
Sitting over in the Royal Dais Elia was still in shock —it all happened so fast— she didn't know how it all went so wrong but one moment he was next to her and the other he had disappeared into the forests after being branded a traitor. Elia knew Daemon extremely well and knew that he would never betray the King in such a way; the only way he would betray the King would be for one of his lovers —To help them or protect them.
Elia found her nails scratching the seat of her chair as she remembered that it was Rhaegar who suggested that Daemon be tested, and it was he to said that he was a traitor 'But why? He and Rhaegar have always been good friends, why would my husband betray him in such a way," she wondered to herself as she was still struggling to come around to what happened.
Others who were affected to a lesser extent were some of Daemon's male friends; Brandon Stark didn't believe what the King had said and already dismissed the accusations as nothing more than falsehoods. Barristan Selmy was of the same mind, as if Daemon wished to harm the king he's had ample opportunity for years and yet he never took it. The amount of times the King has invited Daemon to dine with him in his chambers is astronomical; in each of these situations Daemon could've killed him or at least severely injured him but he didn't. Because he was a kind and loyal boy and he didn't deserve to be treated as a traitor.
Rhaegar however quickly initiated the second part of his plan, and left the Royal dais and made his way to the Baratheon section which was quite close by considering the blood ties that the Targaryens and the Baratheons have. Robert was as energetic and loud as ever; to the point where Rhaegar even doubted that he had seen the loud commotion that had happened on the field.
"AH COUSIN!!!" He shouted as he wrapped his large arm around Rhaegar.
"It is good to see you again Robert, but I'm afraid this is not a social visit," he replied as he wiggled out of the larger man's grasp.
Robert frowned "This isn't about that damn traitor business is it? Me and mine had nothing to do with it and no knowledge of how it happened," he replied in a slightly rehearsed manner.
"Not in the way you might think," Rhaegar replied cryptically as he sat down with Robert sitting next to him; unbeknownst to Robert Rhaegar's eyes had changed from a purple colour to a deep crimson colour.
'The King's Voice'
"Daemon Silver is a traitor, he asked me for help in taking away your betrothed; he would've fought you for your rights to marry her and perhaps even killed you," he said much to the shock and anger of the Storm Lord who's aura exploded out of his body nearly making those that were unprepared pass out. Rhaegar's words were laced with his aura ability. While this drained him a considerable amount, it wasn't as bad as when he used it against his father who was a suspicious and paranoid person.
Rhaegar wouldn't be able to directly use his ability for quite a while after this; the vows and restrictions to be able to directly control people were strict, but they did make the ability quite powerful. He also used his crimson eyes as a catalyst; crimson eyes were traits that were steeped in magic, and the abilities that they gave were only loosely tied to aura as they didn't much follow the rules. Rhaegar had kept his hidden for so many years but now the time was approaching where he would step out of the shadows and do what needed to be done. The gods had given this world Rhaegar to save them and lead them towards a better future; only death awaited them in a future without Rhaegar.
"That damn man!!!" Robert boomed out as he crushed the metal cup in his hands. Robert wouldn't let some fancy little lord take what was rightfully his away from him; Lyanna belonged to him and no one else.
"I'll go and hunt down that man right now!" Robert shouted out as he stood from his seat —his mean cheering for him as he did.
"You shall have some of my men to go with you, I wish I could join you but I have a tournament to win," Rhaegar said with a polite smile on his face as he clapped Robert on the shoulder.
"I don't need them! I will kill Lord Silver with my own two hands!!!" He boomed out for everyone to hear; Lyanna also managed to hear his declaration and had to cover her mouth from the sob that nearly escaped it. Lysa held her and whispered reassurances into her ear "He is stronger than most, do not fear for him he will come back to us," she whispered as she placed her head against Lyanna's own.
'Please be safe,' they both thought.
———————————————————-
The Smiling Knight lived up to his name as he had a large grin stretched across his face; Daemon was standing there in disbelief looking at the sword that he had voluntarily dropped out of his hand.
"You're confused aren't you?" The Smiling Knight asked as he started to approach Daemon.
Daemon's thoughts were running a million miles per minute as he tried to figure out what had just happened. Was it his aura ability, did he use some other sort of trick, or was it something else entirely; he couldn't figure it out, especially as he had never previously met the Smiling Knight he had only met some of his companions. Daemon clenched his fists as he tried to formulate a new plan; he wasn't sure how far this control extended since he'd only used it once so he'd need to be careful.
"I wager you're wondering how I was able to control you?" He said as he started twirling a dagger from his belt between his fingers.
"If you believe it to be my aura ability then I'm sorry to say that you're wrong, this control ability was placed on you way before we ever met," he explained. This explanation only confused Daemon even more —something that was visible on his face. The Smiling Knight looked at Daemon's face and couldn't help but laugh "You really have no idea do you!" He said as he barked out a laugh.
Daemon felt his blood start to boil "If you're just gonna stand there and mock me then we might as well start our fight," he growled out.
"No I don't believe we will, I want to see the despair on your face as I reveal the truth to you," The Smiling Knight said as he took a seat on a large boulder. Daemon itched to move forward and snap the man's damn neck, but he had to be patient and wait for the right moment when his guard was dropped.
"Did you ever wonder who the Kingswood Brotherhood was?" The Smiling Knight asked with his grin still stretched wide across his face.
Though instead of an answer he wasn't only met with silence. However this didn't deter him "We are all Rhaegar's men, he recognised our talent and gathered us under his command," He continued.
Daemon barked out a laugh at this "You expect me to believe that the Kingswood brotherhood used to personally serve Rhaegar?" He asked disbelief apparent on his face.
The Smiling Knight shrugged his shoulders "Believe it or not it is the truth, but I wager by the end of our little conversation you will believe me," he said his grin stretching even wider.
"Rhaegar had us under his complete control, and it was only an encounter with a Braavosi water dancer that allowed us to be free of him," he explained.
"The Braavosi had the ability to exorcise aura, though even he struggled to remove Rhaegar's ability as it was so deeply implanted within us that we all needed to be consciously aware of it." he continued.
Daemon was starting to get bored and annoyed at this story; Rhaegar was a good man and his friend so he wouldn't continue to hear these lies about him "Is there a point to these stories or are you finished?" Daemon asked with a toneless voice.
The Smiling Knights smile dropped for the first time since their conversation started. Though a moment later it quickly reappeared "Would you please turn around," he instructed.
Daemon did so without hesitation much to his own surprise.
"Would you please sit down!" The Smiling Knight continued.
"Would you please stand up!"
"Would you please walk straight!"
"Would you please walk backwards!"
"Would you please remember the last time someone said that phrase to you," the Smiling Knight said as he started to laugh manically.
*
"Would you please call me Rhaegar."
"Would you please save my father."
"Would you please do as I ask..."
"Would you please be patient."
*
Daemon felt his knees start to go weak as he collapsed to the floor 'This whole time...' he thought to himself as he was overwhelmed with so many feelings he couldn't identify what they were. This whole time Rhaegar had been controlling him; the man he considered to be his friend was just using him for his own goals. Daemon felt like he was going to be sick, as he started to realise that the Smiling Knight must've been sent by Rhaegar in order to kill him which meant that he was the reason he was branded a traitor.
The Smiling Knight's grin stretched far across his face as he looked at the utter despair that Daemon seemed to be falling into "Don't feel too bad Lord Silver, this is Rhaegar's world and we are just living in it," he said as he stood up with his dagger in hand as he started to approach Daemon "You'll be put out of your misery soon enough, sadly I'll have to keep living under his thumb," he added before walking behind Daemon and grabbing his hair and lifting his head.
(AN: Damn… this whole time, Rhaegar has been controlling Daemon, pretty sad considering Daemon thought they were friends. Anyway hope you enjoyed.)
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