GREEN & BLACK /// HOUSE OF THE DRAGON

{9}

𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐍 & 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊

Eirene jolted awake at a banging on her door. she looked around groggily and called out, "come in!" Serena bolted inside, a terrified look in her eyes. "Serena? what is it?" Eirene slid out of bed worriedly, catching the hands of her handmaiden. she didn't care for her indecency as she stood in her cold room in only her slightly sheer nightgown, her friend was too panicked for her to pay any mind.

"the king." Serena huffed, her watery eyes darting across the princess' face. "the king is dead."

Eirene felt her heart shatter, fear rumbling through her bones as her eyes welled with tears. "no."

"it is true, the queen was the last to see him princess." Serena finally met her eyes, feeling herself melt at the heart broken look in her princess' eyes. Eirene hated her family, besides sweet Helaena, yes, but her father was the only one to ever show true love for her.

but most of all, besides the heart break, she was frightened. for her sister, for herself, for the kingdom. because she knew her mother would stop at nothing to place Aegon on the iron throne.

there was only a second of silence before her door burst open and Helaena ran inside, dashing into her older sister's arms with a cry. "did you hear?" she cried, clutching onto her sister like a lifeline. Helaena wasn't close to their parents, none of the children were, but she felt more than them. it physically hurt her to think of such a thing, she held so much empathy that the death of an ant could have her wailing.

Eirene cradled her sister in her arms, shushing her as Serena watched, her hands over her mouth to suppress her cries.

𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐍 & 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊

Eirene stood, her dress a dark colour of wine red. that night, she swore to never wear the colour green.

she was seething, glaring at her mother who wore the wretched colour green. "you disgust me, mother."

"it was not my words, darling." Alicent plead with her. "your father, on his death bed told me about a song of ice and fire. the prince who was promised, it is your brother. it is Aegon. Aegon will be king."

"you're lying." she denied, shaking her head as she tore her hands from her mothers. "father spent twenty years repeating it over and over again, yet you always failed to hear. he could brand the words to the back of your eyelids and you would never read them!"

"your brother will be king, that is final." Alicent said, deciding to clasp her hands in front of her. she shook slightly as she watched her daughter fall apart. she loved her, she truly did. Alicent was over the moon when she held her for the first time when she was seventeen. she hated Viserys and her father for what they had done and prayed every night to be given a baby girl.

but as the years flew by, she realised how stupid it was. how foolish she had been.

she had to place Aegon on the throne or her children would be killed. Rhaenyra would stop at nothing to keep her claim to the throne.

so to stop her, she had no choice but to fight for Aegon to sit upon it instead.

why couldn't Eirene see, everything she did, was done for her?

for her baby girl.

her first child.

a mothers first love.

"you will understand one day, my darling."

𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐍 & 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊