ELLIPSISM, aemond targaryen

[006] training disaster

"PRINCESS, HOW DO you hold that needle? It is a needle, not a fork," the septa frowned.

Aemma circled the tip of the needle boredly across the surface of the fabric on her knees. She kind of regretted that the previous septa left because this new one still hadn't come to terms with the fact that Aemma would never do what was required of her.

If the previous septa hadn't overreacted to the fact that Aemma had accidentally set her clothes on fire, Aemma could have sat and watched from the window as her brothers trained.

When Aemma didn't answer, the septa shook her head. "You haven't even started yet, Princess. Look, Princess Helaena is already half done."

At the mention of her name, Helaena raised her head and looked away from the picture of a butterfly she was embroidering. It seemed to her that Aemma looked even more nervous than usual, she obviously didn't want to sit, but today she even looked thoughtful while tapping her finger on the surface of the table repeatedly.

"I don't know what I want to create," Aemma said after a moment.

The septa clicked her tongue. "We still have a lot of red, you could embroider a rose. Or a tree."

"That's boring," Aemma turned her head to the woman. "Couldn't I embroider a dragon?"

Helaena giggled as a scowl appeared on the septa's face. "Now, Princess, embroidery is a very elegant and delicate art. Embroidering each pattern with our own hands takes a lot of time and should reflect the femininity of every woman. It is not suitable to embroider dirty and stupid beasts like dragons."

"Dragons are elegant and intelligent creatures," Aemma replied blankly.

The septa waved her hand. "They are like horses except they can fly. Slaves of people."

"I do not think so. You can give the horse a bridle and a saddle, but still the horse remains superior in that relationship."

Her eyes narrowed. "And why is that?"

"Horses are powerful creatures, capable of killing a man with a single kick. And humans are just lazy little creatures that sit on their backs instead of walking on their own legs. Thus, horses will listen to people only as long as it is useful to them."

"Interesting," the septa said, placing her own needle on the table, but her tone of voice didn't sound like she was excited about changing the conversation from embroidery to horses. "And why do men sit proudly on horses without fear if the horses are capable of killing them?"

Aemma shrugged. "That is simple. The illusion of control."

"The illusion of control?" the septa scoffed.

"Yes, people's belief that they can control things that are bigger than themselves. A natural human trait, I would say, perhaps innate rather than acquired. It is the result of a centuries-old belief that humans have more power and right to rule everything around them because they were the only ones stupid enough to try."

The septa watched the girl for a moment and then huffed, "Do not speak nonsense, child. People are people, beasts are beasts, and you should be sewing, not think about irrelevant stuff you know nothing about."

"Naturally. I deeply apologize for my naive belief that I have the right to have an opinion," Aemma nodded.

"Dragons are too complicated anyway," the septa continued in her lecturing. "Even if you had enough material, the result would have to be perfect to be worth such a loss. And you're nowhere near as good at embroidery as Princess Helaena. So I would advise you to think about a simpler pattern."