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RED KEEP,  292 AC.

LYANNA RAN, not from danger, but from her duty. Her sworn sword, Ser Launce, was desperately trying to find the young princess. If there was something Lyanna despised more than playing with Joffrey, that would be practicing needlework with other noble girls from the court in the charge of Septa Helna. It was pretty known in the royal family that the princess hated Septa Helna and that she would try anything to stay away from her.

Septa Helna liked to point out how the princess needed to work more on her needlework. There were times when Septa used to try to fix Lyanna's work and she would, just on accident, poke Helna with a little needle. Most girls from the court though that Lyanna would never be a proper lady and they were more surprised when she actually attended needlework practices, than not.

Ser Launce was one of the many sworn knights Lyanna had in her service. Most of the knights labeled her as a 'troublemaker' and had a hard time finding her when she ran away to do what she pleased. Also most of those knights were a lot older than Ser Launce ever was, their oath to protect the princess was short lived as they kindly asked the king to release them from their service as they were unfit for the role.

Lyanna ran to the gardens of Red Keep, hoping that she would not run in Ser Launce or even worse her mother. She knew if she ran into Ser Launce that she could maybe negotiate her way out of it, but if she ran into the queen - she would have to do things that she hated more than needlework practices.

The princess crashed into something hard and solid, she fell on her back, barely seeing who she crashed into. Please, please, don't let it be Ser Launce, she thought in her head. Hand was given out to her to take and she smiled widely when she saw her uncle, Ser Jaime Lannister, in all his glory.

"Shouldn't you be with Septa Helna, my princess?", Jaime said knowingly as Lyanna tried to stand up. 

She hides her smile, trying to act serious, "No, actually I was looking for you." Her voice trying to makes a loud, booming sound as if to frighten her uncle.

"And why is that?"

Lyanna realised she could turn this in her advantage. "Father granted me a permission to train with you." Lies, her king father did not give her a permission, but he didn't say no either. 

Jaime knew that her father was probably outside whoring somewhere, but he chose to ignore it, "What did your mother say about that?"

Lyanna looked down at the ground, avoiding Ser Jaime's eyes at all cost. Her uncle put his hand on her shoulder, already knowing that look for he has seen it too many times. Lyanna was only nine summers old and it was very obvious that she needed a mother figure in her life.

"Mother doesn't care.", she mumbled into her chin.

"Of course she cares, Cersei is your mother and she cares for you as she cares for Joffrey, Tommen and Myrcella." At this point Jaime knelt beside Lyanna trying to soothe her, even though he wasn't the best person for that.

Lyanna looked Jaime in the eyes, "No she doesn't, she told me herself."

Jaime knew why Cersei felt that way. It was because Lyanna's father was Robert Baratheon and not him. He felt a ting of guiltiness inside of him, he knew that if he was her father, her mother would of have loved her as equally as all her other children.

"Princess!", Ser Launce, a boy not older than sixteen, came rushing into the gardens "Ser Jaime, I must escort princess Lyanna to the Septa Helna."

"Give us a moment, Ser...?", Jaime said. He had a problem with remembering all of princess Lyanna's sworn swords, "Ser Launce, Ser."

Jaime just nodded and returned his focus on Lyanna.

"We will start your knight training tommorow, but for now you must go to see your Septa."

Lyanna smiled, but still held a little pout on the mention of her Septa, "Am I really going to become the knight?"

Ser Jaime smiled and rose up on his feet.

"Yes, the knight of the Seven Kingdoms."

With that princess Lyanna ran to her sworn sword, never happier to receive lessons from Septa Helna.

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MAEGOR'S HOLDFAST, 296 AC.

THE HEARTH OF THE RED KEEP was particularly empty today. In exception of princess Lyanna Baratheon and her queen mother Cersei Baratheon. It was a rare sight to see them standing together as family. Lyanna was wearing a beautiful blue dress filled with golden runes, she was a beautiful, a flower almost bloomed. Cersei was a woman grown in a long red dress representing Lannister colors with an iron necklace. 

If there was one thing connecting these two women, it may be their beauty or ambition. They both had long beautiful hair, queen's was golden and princess's was dark blonde, which looked quite golden in the summer sun. Both of them were extraordinary beauties.

But Lyanna was quite sure that she got her ambition from her mother. When both women put their mind on something they intend to do it one way or another. It was their power and a weakness.

"My golden rose, how did your day go?"

She knew something, Lyanna thought. Cersei would never ask her these things if there was not a bigger motive behind it. "It went well. I read a few books uncle Tyrion brought me."

Cersei put a smug look on her face, "Books and swords are two different things as far as I know."

Lyanna's eyes widened, but soon she regained her posture, "I don't know what you are talking about, mother."

"I knew for a while actually. How my brother Jaime taught you the art of sword fighting, even your sworn sword did. I wanted to see how long this would go, but you are to become a woman grown soon and you are going to be married off, hopefully, somewhere far away." Cersei held her head high with pride, she had power in her voice.

Princess closed her mouth shut, she knew that it was better than talking in this moment. 

"Your little sword games are going to end this moment. If I see you training again, be sure I'll make your life a living hell."

With that Cersei put on a fake smile and petted Lyanna's hair, "It would be a waste for this beauty to go to waste."

Lyanna felt disgusted and just wanted to leave. Her father let her train with her uncle, only if her mother allowed it, but Lyanna never even asked Cersei for permission.

"If you may excuse me mother, I promised Myrcella I would braid her hair.", Lyanna swiftly felt a lie roll of her tongue.

"Very well, my golden rose."

Lyanna turned around to leave, walking gracefully, acting proud even if she wasn't. Ser Launce was waiting her by the door.

Ser Launce closed the door behind Lyanna and quickly ran to catch up to her, "Are you okay, my princess?"

Princess Lyanna turned around swiftly, looking at Ser Launce with her now glassy eyes, "Hide all my weapons. No one shall know where they are except me and you."

"Consider it done, Lyanna."

Lyanna blinked and hid the tears that were threatening to fall, walking away knowing she could not listen to her mother and that she needed to be more careful.

( Little did she know, that her sword fighting would become rarer and rarer and that soon enough becoming a knight would be the least of her concerns. )