The True and The Brave

𝔗𝔥𝔯𝔢𝔢: 𝔇𝔯𝔦𝔭 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔰𝔱𝔬𝔫𝔢𝔰

[No Ghost Reading!] (please)

A year and some moons had passed. Aemma upheld her promise to the Queen and to her grandfather, whose training only grew more rigorous and straining. They still had not dueled. But she thought he was impressed about how she handled Seafyre and Seasmoke. The first one being a complete delight to fly with. As if the she-dragon understood her commands without her even saying it. A part of herself. A part of her soul that she refused to be ripped away from. Seafyre and her were one. The same side of the same coin. Perfectly balanced and powerful. 

Rhaenys taught Baela how to become a proper lady and was rather surprised to see her grandaughter joining the lessons. Did time in the North did not teach her enough? Rhaenys could not say if it was because of the pendant she always wore of the letter of marriage proposal Laenor had received a year after Aemma departed... whatever it was, Aemma wanted to learn proper etiquette. 

The Queen also noticed it. Aemma was far from being a lady. She did not resent her for it. She had grown with only a father to take her in, educating the girl the only way he knew. Then she was a ward for Lord Rickon Stark, not even for Lady Gilliane Glover. 

Aemma stood at proud fourteen years of age. She believed that all her innocence was not lost. That perhaps the gods had been kind enough now. Her moonblood still hasn't come. Still, she was not fit to be a woman grown. Not fit to marry, like Haelena was to Aegon. 

"Aemma, what have I told you? do not slouch", Queen Alicent scorned lightly at one of their rare family dinners they held when Aemma was here. 

"I apologize, Queen Alicent. I never had an impeccable court etiquette", Aemma whispered, still her cold demeanor was present. 

She held it as shield all the time. Never let those walls be broken. Not by Aemond's indifference towards her. Not towards Cregan's letters that she could not find herself to return. He did not want to hurt him. Did not want to hinder Cregan with her baggage, with all her past that only increased when she left. Cregan was sunshine and she was midnight rain. He was something she yearned but unattainable. 

"It is alright, Aemma. I promised to teach you, didn't I? Before your wedding you should be a proper lady and Princess. Isn't that right, Aemond?".

Alicent was not blind, she could see that their courtship was not getting any further. Instead, she did not know the reason why it strained in the first place. He had pleaded with Alicent not to let Aemma go North. Ridden her dragon. Held her hand through the ordeal that was the family reunion at Driftmark. 

"Quite, Mother. A princess should know her place too", Aemond added, sneering at Aemma. 

This had become common. Aemond's silence grew to indifference and anger. Aemma did not let herself feel the sting in her soul. She had caused him. She had pushed him away. Pushed the prospect of love away. She was the own anti-hero of her story. She was flawed. Enough hamartias' covered her story for her to even be considered a hero. The balance toppled over.