“I don’t even remember what she looked like. All I remember is that she was the only thing I ever wanted. Someone took her away from me, and seven kingdoms couldn’t fill the hole she left.” – Robert Baratheon

“My sister loved him. She bore his children. Swaddled them, rocked them, fed them at her own breast. And beautiful, noble Rhaegar Targaryen left her for another woman.” – Oberyn Martell

At Winterfell, the Starks are gathered in the courtyard to practice for the upcoming Tourney at Harrenhal. Lord Rickard Stark is seated with his three sons Brandon, Eddard and Benjen.

His daughter Lyanna Stark is fighting with Martyn Glover, a lord from a northern house who is slated to take part in the Tourney. Both are skilled fighters and start off evenly matched, but as time goes by, Lyanna gains the upper hand. The she-wolf licks her lips and goes in for the kill as her brothers smile. She forces Martyn to drop his shield, and then drop his sword. She shoves him to the ground, pins her right foot on his chest, and places her sword at his neck. As the cold wind caresses her raven hair to proclaim her victory, she scrapes the skin of his neck with her sword before letting him go.

“The blood of the wolf is strong in her,” says Brandon to Eddard.

Eddard responds, “The fierce wolf deserves the mighty stag.”

Robert Baratheon mounts his stag armor at Storm’s End.

“Every girl in the Seven Kingdoms wants the stag,” says Benjen at Winterfell. “Until she sees the dragon.”

Rhaegar Targaryen practices at King’s Landing in preparation for the Tourney, fighting with the Kingsguard Barristan Selmy. Rhaegar is tall and handsome with chiseled features and pale white Targaryen hair. Barristan is not quite as handsome but possesses a certain fire. The two greatest fighters in the land are so evenly matched that the watching smallfolk wonder if this fight will go on forever. Barristan eventually manoeuvres himself into a winning position. The prince yields.

“You remain the one man in Westeros who can defeat me,” says Rhaegar.

“One of two men,” says a voice in the crowd. Rhaegar and Barristan look curiously in the direction of the voice. A man in armor comes forward as the crowd parts.

“Why, it’s Ser Jaime Lannister,” says Rhaegar. “The newest member of the Kingsguard.”

“Thanks to your father King Aerys,” says Jaime.

“Much to the devastation of Lady Lysa Tully of Riverrun. I believe she was to marry you.”

“What a tragedy for the little lady.”

“Didn’t Lord Tywin offer your imp of a brother to the Tullys instead?”

“Lord Hoster Tully didn’t take kindly to the offer.”

The day arrives. Lord Walter Whent elatedly welcomes the Lords and Ladies of the Seven Kingdoms to Harrenhal. The arena sports an epic atmosphere thanks to the looming burnt towers of Harren the Black’s once-impregnable castle, reduced to charred soot by Aegon the Conqueror’s dragon Balerion three centuries ago.

Aegon’s flesh and blood, King Aerys Targaryen, arrives with Prince Rhaegar and his wife, Princess Elia Martell, who is accompanied by her brother, Prince Oberyn. The attendees are all alarmed at how sickly the king looks. Clearly he has degenerated over the past few months in both physical and mental health.

Robert Baratheon arrives with his formidable armor and distinctive warhammer, accompanied by his mentor Jon Arryn. Mace Tyrell then arrives, expressing regret that his mother Olenna couldn’t make it. Soon, Hoster Tully appears with his daughters Catelyn and Lysa. Shortly afterwards, Randyll Tarly and Selwyn Tarth make their way into the crowd. Arthur Dayne of the Kingsguard comes in with his sister Ashara, a strikingly beautiful girl known to be coveted by many.

The Starks are last to arrive. Robert Baratheon’s gaze is transfixed on Lyanna. Despite knowing her well from his visits to Winterfell, he’s seeing her for the first time since Lords Steffon Baratheon and Rickard Stark agreed to unite their houses by marrying Robert to Lyanna. As they alight their carriage, Robert for once does not heed his best friend Eddard or the heir to Winterfell, Brandon, but looks only at Lyanna, much to the other Starks’ amusement.

“My lady,” he says with reverence as he kisses Lyanna’s hand. Lyanna cannot help but notice that Robert reeks of wine.

Lyanna isn’t a conventional beauty. At least not as much as Cersei Lannister, widely accepted as the most beautiful girl in the Seven Kingdoms. Lyanna isn’t even the most beautiful girl at the Tourney. That honor goes to Ashara Dayne. But Lyanna has a soft strength that attracts many. Her northern wildness contradicts her delicate features, and from this contradiction stems her allure. She can be the consummate lady in satin with eyes that talk and cheeks that sparkle. Yet she possesses a steely nerve that would be appropriate at the head of an army. She is rose on the outside, iron on the inside.

“Where’s Lord Tywin?” asks Lord Whent to Ser Arthur Dayne.

“The Lion of Casterly Rock did not respond positively to King Aerys naming his son and heir to the Kingsguard,” replies Arthur Dayne. “Jaime has stayed back at King’s Landing to guard Queen Rhaella and Prince Viserys.”

Before the fights begin, there’s merriment in the form of song, dance and tomfoolery. Jugglers, fools and jesters do their part. Then, the sound of a harp fills the air. The sound is so melodious that every voice quietens down. A voice every bit as harmonious as the harp begins to sing. Every other voice turns pitch silent, mesmerized by the butter voice of Rhaegar Targaryen. Lyanna loses herself in the phantasmagoria of sound that fills the air.

Howland Reed of the Neck arrives. Brandon Stark introduces him as a loyal bannerman of his house. Three squires from Houses Haigh, Blount and Frey mock Howland Reed for his small size. “No wonder they call you Reed”, “Didn’t the frogs in your swamp eat you?” and “You should fight a giant” are some of the things they say as they push him around. As Brandon and Eddard try their best to hide their embarrassment, Lyanna charges to the scene and scoffs at the three squires. Her belligerence makes them retreat.

“Look at her,” says Robert Baratheon to Benjen Stark. “Beautiful yet fierce. Compassionate yet courageous. Once I’ve seen her, how can I love another?”

The fights begin. Knights from houses like Smallwood and Webbly try their hand, much to the amusement of the great houses who have never even heard of such people. All four fighters from House Whent are easily defeated, embarrassing the hosts. Four fighters stand out from the crowd, easily winning their battles. They are Rhaegar Targaryen, Brandon Stark, Arthur Dayne and Barristan Selmy. In the immediate aftermath of one of Brandon Stark’s victories, Lord Walter Whent announces the northman’s betrothal to Catelyn Tully of Riverrun.

Night falls, and all the lords and ladies retire to their specially built tents. Lyanna seeks out Rhaegar at the Targaryen encampment.

“Your Grace,” she speaks softly, making him turn around and look at her.

“Lady Stark, what a surprise,” replies Rhaegar.

“You have a spellbinding voice,” she says. A breeze blows through her raven hair, treating him to the scent of the blue winter roses she’s wearing.

“Thank you, Lady Stark.”

“Lyanna,” she corrects him.

A woman’s voice calls Rhaegar from inside the tent. Lyanna recognizes this as Elia Martell’s voice and quickly leaves.

Upon returning to her own encampment, Lyanna asks Benjen whether she really has to marry Robert Baratheon. The Lord of Storm’s End had lived up to his reputation by drinking like a fish all day. There were also tales of his incessant whoring. Benjen advises her that Houses Stark and Baratheon have been united right from the days of the ancient Kings of Winter and Storm Kings, and she is living up to a time-honored tradition. It means little to her, particularly as her thoughts turn to another man.

On Day Two, the crowd is treated to a few more one-sided fights. Yohn Royce of the Vale wins his fights easily and is talked about as a potential challenger to the big four. The Hand of the King, Jon Connington, looks impressive too. Late in the day, a mystery knight appears on the roster, sporting a concealing mask and a shield with a laughing weirwood tree. The small and nimble unknown knight fights against a lord from House Haigh, defeating him easily. Brandon and Eddard Stark are in animated conversation regarding who this could be. King Aerys Targaryen anxiously tells his son Rhaegar that this masked knight is an enemy of the Crown. Rhaegar is astonished that the king has jumped to such a mad conclusion. Aerys says that everyone is out to dethrone the Targaryens and this is the latest attempt.

The knight (now known as the Knight of the Laughing Tree) defeats his second opponent, from House Blount, and now faces his third opponent, from House Frey. Eddard sees a pattern.

“Did you notice that the knight has fought against lords of Houses Haigh, Blount and Frey?” remarks Eddard to Robert Baratheon. “These are the very three houses whose squires mocked Howland Reed yesterday.”

“So you think this mystery knight could be Howland Reed?” asks Robert. “He is small like this man.”

“It has to be someone who knows what happened yesterday.” replies Eddard.

“I’ll find out,” says Robert. “I’ll unmask this mystery knight with my warhammer.”

Once his third opponent falls, the Knight of the Laughing Tree addresses the crowd in a booming voice that’s clearly not his natural voice. “Knights of Houses Haigh, Blount and Frey,” he booms. “Now that you’ve been defeated, there’s just one thing I demand of you. Teach your squires honorable conduct.”

The entire crowd breaks into hushed whispers. They all know that the knight is referring to what happened the previous day.

Robert Baratheon enters the field of combat. “Let me find out who you are,” he shouts. The Knight of the Laughing Tree responds to this by running away. Guards try to catch him but he evades them and disappears into the bushes.

“He will come back to kill us,” shrieks King Aerys to Rhaegar. “They all want us dead! Rhaegar, I charge you with finding this knight and bringing his head to me.”

Rhaegar is taken aback by his father’s paranoia and concludes silently that the king had reached a new level of madness. But unwilling to disobey his king and father, he runs off into the woods in pursuit. After forty minutes of searching, he finds the mask, helmet and armor of the mystery knight, but no sign of the man himself.

As he observes the armor closely, he notices that the inside of the helmet smells of blue winter roses. He finds a hair. He picks it up, extends it to its full length, and holds it up against the setting sun. It’s long, shiny and raven colored. Rhaegar smiles.

“How did you let him get away?” Aerys admonishes his son after he returns. “What if he cuts my throat tonight?”

“I believe that you are imagining this whole conspiracy against our rule,” replies Rhaegar.

Aerys slaps Rhaegar for his dissent. “Let them come,” he says. “I am the blood of the dragon. I shall burn them all.”

A few tents away, Brandon Stark is having his first ever conversation with his bride to be. He observes with delight that Catelyn Tully is a ravishing girl. Slight of build and mild of demeanor, she has a pleasing face and the red hair of the Tullys. From her shy smiles, it’s clear that she has not been with a man before.

“So it’s true what they say about Tully girls,” he says.

“What do they say about Tully girls?” she asks.

“Lovely and lively. Throbbing like the trout in the rivers.”

“But trout cannot live on ice.”

“Then we must make a wolf out of you.”

Eddard and Benjen come by to meet her for the first time.

Rhaegar walks out of King Aerys’ lair to make his way back to his own. In the distance he sees the three Stark brothers at the Tully encampment. He decides that it’s the right time to pay a visit to the Stark tent.

Lyanna is on the way back after chatting with Ashara Dayne. Rhaegar grabs Lyanna outside the Stark tent and hugs her, giving her a million sparks. She is then blown to smithereens when he kisses her deeply and passionately.

She’s brought back to earth by her own realization that she’s kissing another woman’s husband, that too at a time when she herself is promised to another man. She pushes Rhaegar away saying, “Someone will see us.”

“Who?” asks Rhaegar. “Robert Baratheon? He’s probably in some ditch at this hour.”

“My brothers?”

“They are catching trout.”

“Your father?”

“He won’t leave his tent for fear that a grumpkin or an ice spider might eat him.”

They hear footsteps. “Go away,” says Lyanna in hushed tones. Rhaegar casually sneaks away. Lyanna slinks into her tent as if she was never out.

The footsteps are of Hoster Tully and Jon Arryn. They chat about Lord Tully’s new plans for Lysa, now that her betrothal to the Lannisters is null and void. Lord Arryn expresses regret that neither of his two late wives gave him a son who could marry Lysa. This gives Lord Tully an idea. He suggests that Lord Arryn himself marry Lysa. Lord Arryn is taken aback and says he cannot marry a girl who’s thirty years younger than himself. He tries to coax Lord Tully out of the idea.

Rhaegar sneaks back into his lair to find his wife Elia Martell sleeping peacefully. The princess of Sunspear is an exotic girl with olive Dornish skin and a tropical mystique. She looks so happy in her sleep. Rhaegar feels a pang in his heart as his disloyalty hits him hard. He kisses Elia’s forehead and sleeps by her side, miserable yet strangely exhilarated.

The next day, the fights are a bit closer. Roose Bolton of the Dreadfort gives a tough fight to Ser Arthur Dayne before yielding. Rhaegar takes to the field where his latest opponent is Jorah Mormont of Bear Island.

Elia Martell is concerned and tells Oberyn, “Lord Eddard told me yesterday that Jorah Mormont is a rising force and will win tourneys before long”. Oberyn nonchalantly tells her, “Your husband is the blood of the dragon.”

Jorah fights like a man possessed, with scant regard that his opponent is the next King of the Seven Kingdoms. Elia’s frowns grow as the fight goes on. Unknown to her, so do Lyanna’s. But as the fight goes on, Jorah’s energy levels clearly diminish, and Rhaegar’s smartness in saving his energy at the start of the fight means that he grows in strength. Elia’s face is a live mirror of what’s happening below. Rhaegar finally forces Jorah to drop his sword and admit defeat.

“My prince!” screams Elia. Lyanna does the same silently.

During one of the breaks, Lord Whent announces, “As is the tradition at every tourney, the victor will receive a crown of roses and will lay this crown on a woman of his choice, crowning her the Queen of Love and Beauty. At the last tourney in Lannisport, the victor’s crown comprised sunflowers from Dorne. This time, they will be made of blue winter roses from the north.”

A thoughtful look passes over Rhaegar’s face.

Benjen Stark whispers to Brandon, “Do you know why our flowers make up the crown this year?” Brandon admits ignorance. Benjen explains, “Because our Lord Father wanted it. He harangued Lord Whent for it.”

“But why?” asks Brandon. He’s known for having more brawn than brain.

“Isn’t it obvious?” replies Benjen. “So that you will win the tourney and crown the Tully girl with northern flowers to welcome her to the north.”

A look of realization passes over Brandon.

“Now it’s your duty to make it come to fruition,” ends Benjen.

The next few fights pass without incident. The only close fight is the one between Ser Barristan Selmy and Jon Connington, which Ser Barristan eventually wins.

We’re down to the last four. The first semifinal is scheduled for the morning of the next day, and is between two members of the Kingsguard, Ser Barristan Selmy and Ser Arthur Dayne. The second semifinal is scheduled for the afternoon. Rhaegar Targaryen vs Brandon Stark.

The night before these potentially explosive fights, after everyone tucks into bed, Lyanna slips out. She knows that Rhaegar hardly sleeps the night before fights and could most likely be found prowling the fighting arena. She’s right.

She catches sight of Rhaegar in the middle of the arena, prancing about, sword in hand, in possibly the very spot where he would fight her brother the next day.

She taps him. He turns around and is surprised to see her.

“What are you doing here at this time?” he asks. “And why do you have a sword in your hand?”

“Think you can beat my brother tomorrow?”

“It won’t be easy but I can do it.”

“First can you beat me?”

Rhaegar is amused. “You beat three modest fighters and you think you can beat the prince?”

“What? I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“I think you do!”

“Oh!” Lyanna is bewildered that he knows.

“What makes you so confident?” Rhaegar asks.

“I know more than one way to win a swordfight.”

“Oh, do you? Show me!”

Before he can raise his sword, she slides her sword under his shirt and tugs at it.

“Yield now and there will be mercy.” She pulls his shirt upwards with her sword.

Slowly but surely, he takes off his shirt. Then he tugs at her dress with his sword. She hesitantly touches her dress, wondering for a moment whether to remove it. He tugs a bit harder. She removes her dress. Then she places her sword at the side of his waist and pushes his pants down.

“I yield!” He falls on his back as if felled in battle.

She drops her sword, bends over, and climbs atop him. She looks down at him with devouring eyes, as a predator would at the end of a successful hunt. Her raven hair flutters against his chiseled features like a flag over conquered territory.

“Mercy, my lady!” he begs.

The wolf licks her lips and moves in for a taste of dragon.

The sun rises on a new day in Harrenhal. The first fight of the day involves the Kingsguard men Barristan Selmy and Arthur Dayne. The arena is not even half full, as neither fighter enjoys a great deal of support. Barristan wins it after a tough fight, setting up a final against either Rhaegar Targaryen or Brandon Stark.

The same arena looks completely different in the afternoon. The battle between the golden prince and the northern brute is billed The Final Before The Final. There’s not an empty seat in the house.

Lyanna is seated with Catelyn Tully as both women are perceived as being on Brandon Stark’s side.

The northman is first to enter the arena, to applause mainly from northerners and Riverlanders. He walks up to Catelyn and kisses her hand. He then glances at the crown of blue winter roses. He almost ignores his sister but realizes at the last moment and kisses her too.

Rhaegar’s entry is greeted with even more thunderous applause, as he’s not just of a specific region, but is the next ruler of all Seven Kingdoms. He kisses his wife Elia Martell. Then known only to him and Lyanna, he glances at her. Half a second is all it takes.

Lyanna hears a gruff voice say, “My lady, would you mind if I sit with you?” It’s Robert Baratheon. Lyanna smiles a polite smile and makes way. She’s now sandwiched between Catelyn and Robert.

“You’re more beautiful than ever, my lady,” says a dreamy Robert. “You’re as handsome as I remember you, my lord,” replies Lyanna mechanically. Her bored tone is in stark contrast with Robert’s mesmerized one. It’s hard to believe that Robert is known for his beastly strength and ferocious fighting skills. In her presence, he’s more squirrel than stag.

An awkward silence ensues as Robert just looks at Lyanna without saying a word. She struggles to find some way to break the silence. Then she thinks of the only thing she knows about Robert.

“How many have you had?” she asks.

“Just one. A bastard daughter in the Vale. I had her with a whore called Marla… or was it Carla? But… but I promise you, once we’re married, I’ll be very loyal to you.”

Catelyn smiles quietly. Lyanna is disconcerted. “No,” she stops him. “I meant to ask how many glasses of wine you’ve had today.”

“Oh,” says Robert in realization. “None, my lady. I know you don’t like it. That’s another thing I’ll surely stop after we’re married.”

Lyanna could think of only one other thing about Robert.

“Did you hear what happened to our stableboy?”

“The one I beat up? Aye, I heard he only says one meaningless word now.”

“And you have no regrets?”

“He tried to turn you against me. He said you shouldn’t marry a savage like me.”

“So you smashed his head to prove that you’re not a savage.”

Robert smiles at the irony of it. Then regaining his firmness, he says, “I would do it again. He came between us.”

Lyanna is worried. She asks, “If someone else comes between us now… what will you do?”

“THE NEXT KING OF THE ANDALS AND THE FIRST MEN…” booms the announcer. “LORD OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS AND PROTECTOR OF THE REALM… PRINCE RHAEGAR TARGARYEN!!!”

Robert gnashes his teeth and replies to Lyanna, “If anyone comes between us… I’ll smash my warhammer into his chest.”

“THE HEIR TO WINTERFELL AND THE NEXT WARDEN OF THE NORTH… BRANDON STARK!!!”

It’s time. Both men get into position. Every eye in the arena looks at them. Lyanna. Ned. Benjen. Catelyn. Lysa. Hoster Tully. Robert Baratheon. Elia Martell. Oberyn Martell. Selwyn Tarth. Randyll Tarly. Jon Arryn. Rickard Stark. Mace Tyrell. Roose Bolton. Jorah Mormont. Most of all, the man who will face the winner in the final. Barristan Selmy.

The whistle blows, signaling the start of the fight. Shield in left hand, sword in right, Rhaegar and Brandon begin. Metal clashes with metal. Wood clashes with wood. Every swing is blocked. No quarter is given. Brandon starts to get frustrated, almost as if he had hoped to make an early breakthrough. The sight of blue winter roses motivates him and his swipes and cuts become more aggressive. Catelyn looks more hopeful. Elia starts to panic. Rhaegar bides his time and blocks everything.

Both men start sweating profusely, but refuse to slow down. Neither man gains an edge. Sections of the crowd start looking away, believing that nothing of note would happen soon. But all of a sudden, the northman finds an unexpected reserve of energy and pushes Rhaegar’s sword back. The prince is taken aback as his sword moves perilously close to his own face. Elia almost screams. Catelyn stands up, smiling widely. Lyanna looks worried, but forces herself to smile.

Believing that he’s on the verge of victory, Brandon turns to look in the direction of Catelyn. This distraction is all Rhaegar needs to force his sword forward. Brandon suddenly feels like a fool as the prince comes at him again. Catelyn looks annoyed that Brandon has thrown away a winning position. Lyanna tries her best to hide her relief. Elia finally breathes. The fight is even once again, and the sounds of metal and wood fill Harrenhal. On and on it goes. The wolf and the dragon locked in eternal battle.

Rhaegar tries an unexpected move, sliding his sword under Brandon’s shield. But Brandon just swats it down. Rhaegar bends down to pick up his sword. Brandon’s shield comes down at him, but he blocks it with his own shield.

On the ground, almost at the spot of his sweet defeat to Lyanna the night before, Rhaegar stretches out his leg and trips Brandon. The wolf didn’t see that coming, and falls to the ground. At lightning speed, the dragon gets onto his feet and pushes his shield down. Brandon gets his shield up in time, but Rhaegar has gravity on his side and pushes both shields down onto Brandon’s chest. Brandon starts to struggle. He swings his sword wildly, but Rhaegar uses his sword to push Brandon’s sword out of his hand.

“Yield!” says Rhaegar.

Brandon is swordless. Both the shields press down brutally on his chest. He knows the game is up.

“I yield,” he coughs out the words.

A roar fills the arena. Elia’s scream of delight is drowned out. Catelyn looks aghast. Lyanna can’t help but smile, and is lucky that no one is looking at her. Lord Rickard, Ned and Benjen shake their heads as if this isn’t the first time Brandon has thrown away a victory. Barristan smiles ironically, as the Kingsguard will contest the final against the next king he’ll be sworn to protect.

Rhaegar runs forward towards his father, wife and brother-in-law. King Aerys looks too distracted to even smile. Oberyn hugs him. Then Elia hugs him. He looks beyond Elia in the direction of Lyanna, who’s not looking at him. Instead, she’s peering towards what’s happening below.

Brandon is storming towards the blue winter roses, sword in hand. He almost rips his sword through the roses before a hand pulls his shirt. Turning around, he sees Catelyn.

“Brandon,” she says. “I know you feel guilty that you couldn’t give this to me, but you can’t destroy it. The blue winter rose belongs to the North. Your own sister is called the Blue Rose of Winterfell.”

Brandon sees the reasoning.

“Once I come to the North, you can give me a new crown of blue winter roses every day.”

Brandon smiles a pained smile. He then touches Catelyn’s cheeks with uncharacteristic gentleness.

On the way back to the tents, Lysa quietly tells Catelyn, “You don’t really have to marry that man.”

Catelyn replies, “We’ve given our word. More than anyone else, people of the great houses should keep their word. Now only death can separate me from Brandon.”

“Given his impulsiveness, death doesn’t look far.”

Catelyn slaps Lysa. “You’re just jealous that Father wants you to marry that old man.”

That night, Rhaegar decides to stay in bed. He cannot sleep though. He hears a knock on his door. It’s Barristan Selmy.

“You can’t sleep either?” asks Rhaegar.

“I was just thinking of how fate works. You and me in the final? Really?”

Rhaegar smiles. “How many times have we done it in the streets of King’s Landing?”

“I’ve lost count.”

“Me too. By the way, you’re Kingsguard. Sworn to be celibate. If you beat me tomorrow, who will you give the crown of blue winter roses to?”

“I don’t know.”

“I think you do. It’s obvious to everyone how you behave in the presence of Ashara Dayne.”

Barristan is concerned. Then Rhaegar reassures him. “If every Kingsguard who ever had feelings for a woman were deemed an oathbreaker, nobody will be left to protect the King. Then my royal father will start worrying about wyverns and basilisks.”

Lyanna cannot sleep either. She has half a mind to look for Rhaegar again, but decides that he needs to rest if he’s to win the next day. She can hear Brandon in the next tent still going on and on about his foolish defeat. She gets up, walks to the next tent, and gives her brother a tight slap. By the time she returns to her tent, Brandon has shut up and is tucked safely in bed.

The arena is inevitably packed for the big final. What’s more, smallfolk in the general vicinity have climbed up on the tallest trees to take a peek. The Starks are in their usual corner of the arena, as are the Targaryens. Robert this time doesn’t sit with the Starks, but is with his kid brother Renly who has arrived belatedly to Harrenhal. The usual suspects such as the Daynes, the Tarths, the Tarlys and the Tyrells are present.

“THE MAN WHO WAS ADMITTED TO THE KINGSGUARD AT THE TENDER AGE OF 15, A RECORD YET TO BE BROKEN… SER BARRISTAN SELMY!!!” booms the announcer. Expectedly this announcement isn’t received with much fervor.

“THE FLESH AND BLOOD OF AEGON THE CONQUEROR HIMSELF… THE NEXT RULER OF ALL OF WESTEROS… PRINCE RHAEGAR TARGARYEN!!!” The din in the arena is deafening.

Both men get into position with a hint of a smile on their faces. They lift their swords and approach. Clink. Clank. The swords sing. Dub. Dub. The shields block. The charred towers of Harrenhal loom like the Red Keep of King’s Landing as Prince and Kingsguard resume their neverending duel. Neither man gives an inch or takes one.

Barristan unexpectedly swings at Rhaegar’s leg. Rhaegar swiftly brings his sword down. He now has space to swipe at Barristan’s belly, but the Kingsguard is equal to it.

Elia Martell cannot watch anymore and looks at the crown of blue winter roses instead, hoping to get her hands on it. Lyanna looks anxious. Brandon sees her reacting to every development in the arena and wonders why she cares so much. This is King’s Landing against King’s Landing. Neither Winterfell nor Storm’s End are involved. But the Blue Rose of Winterfell is a mirror of the fight below.

Rhaegar feints to attack Barristan’s right and then swivels to his left. As the prince aims at his opponent’s exposed back, Barristan turns around in quick time and blocks.

“I want you to fight like that when you grow up,” says Robert to Renly. “But you’re more interested in poetry and art. What are you, a girl?”

“Your betrothed picked up sword and shield and rode a horse at ten,” replies Renly. “What is she, a man?”

Robert punches Renly. Luckily no one notices.

Barristan is now gaining the upper hand, as happened the last time they sparred. He charges forward as the prince retreats. They are almost at the edge of the arena now, within touching distance of Randyll Tarly. Barristan is pushing his sword downwards against Rhaegar’s, pushing the prince himself to the ground. Rhaegar resists Barristan’s force with all his might.

Seemingly on the verge of defeat, Rhaegar does the unexpected. He ceases to resist, and allows Barristan’s sword to come down at him. A split second before his sword would have seriously injured him, he moves out of the way. Barristan’s sword slams into the black earth of Harrenhal.

Instantly on his feet, Rhaegar pins his left foot on Barristan before he can extract his sword from the ground. “Yield,” he says.

Barristan is in no mood to. He digs his sword out and swipes at Rhaegar, who easily swats it aside with his shield.

Despite being pinned down, Barristan has enough strength to squeeze himself out to the side. He crawls towards his sword, but Rhaegar kicks it away.

Before Barristan can move a further inch, Rhaegar pins him down with his right foot. Barristan tries to reach for his sword but it’s several yards away. Rhaegar places his sword at Barristan’s neck.

This time, the outcome is blindingly obvious.

“I yield,” grunts Barristan with disgust. The crowd goes wild. Rhaegar lifts up his sword and shield to shouts of “King!”, “Dragon!” and “Fire and blood!” from the crowd.

After milking the applause for a full two minutes, he turns his attention to the crown of blue winter roses, presided over by the host of the Tourney, Lord Arthur Whent. A great brown stallion can also be seen next to the host. Rhaegar walks victoriously to Lord Whent, who greets him with a wide smile.

“BEHOLD THE GRAND WINNER OF THE TOURNEY OF HARRENHAL… PRINCE RHAEGAR TARGARYEN!!!”

Rhaegar mounts the stallion. Lord Whent hands him the roses. Elia is filled with pride and exhilaration as her prince readies his mount. The crowd is as loud as ever as Rhaegar rides towards his wife, carrying the flowers. Elia’s and Oberyn’s smiles widen by the millisecond. The din reaches its crescendo as the prince approaches his princess.

Rhaegar rides past Elia.

The noise subsides in an instant. Dornish smiles turn to frowns just as quickly. In a second, horse hooves become the loudest sound in the arena. Until Rhaegar stops his stallion in front of the Starks. He gets off with a thud, walks towards the Starks with the crown of blue winter roses, and extends it to Lyanna.

“What is the meaning of this?” shouts Lord Rickard Stark. His sons are just as livid. A few stands away, Robert Baratheon snarls like a Skagosi cannibal. King Aerys looks like he’s on the verge of epilepsy, as he knows his son has made a hundred new enemies in an instant. They are not the only ones who cannot believe what they are witnessing. The bears from the north, the foxes from the south, the falcons from the east and the hounds from the west all look like they have just seen an Other.

But Lyanna has only a smile on her face. To the chagrin of everyone present, not least her brothers and her betrothed, the Blue Rose of Winterfell stretches out her slender hands to receive the flowers after which she’s named.

Pindrop silence rules Harrenhal, broken only by the sobs of Elia Martell. Lord Rickard senses Robert Baratheon’s unquenchable fury. “Throw it away!” he yells at his daughter. Lyanna says nothing. She does nothing but smile.

“We have to leave!” exclaims Brandon. He gets up and storms out with his father and brothers. Lyanna is last to leave, and does so with the flowers still in her hands and the smile still on her lips, not once losing eye contact with Rhaegar. She feels a million bolts of dragonfire in her, knowing that her prince’s love for her is strong enough to break every law of gods and men. Rhaegar feels even more victorious in this moment than in the instant he heard Barristan yield. Defeating an opponent is one thing, breaking every sacred rule to express forbidden love is another.

Till the moment Lyanna’s dainty form leaves Rhaegar’s line of sight, they look at each other knowingly. They will meet again.

“Prince Rhaegar loved his Lady Lyanna and thousands died for it.” – Barristan Selmy

“Rhaegar fought valiantly. Rhaegar fought nobly. Rhaegar fought honorably. And Rhaegar died.” – Jorah Mormont

“In my dreams I kill him every night. A thousand deaths will still be less than what he deserves.” – Robert Baratheon