TWO

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"Do not worry my girl," my mother says, holding my face between her hands as my body soaks in a bath, "you are now a woman grown."

As soon as I realised I had begun to bleed, I ran straight to my mother's chambers. She and Ser Harwin had congratulated me before the servants ran me a warm bath to wash off. My mother helped me wash and held my hand to prevent me from shaking.

"What does this mean for me now?" I ask her, gripping the edge of the tub.

She smiles softly at me, running a hand through my damp hair, "it means many things, but for now, let's get you dry and in some clean undergarments."

She leaves the drying towel in the bathing chamber, closing the door behind her. I remove myself from the water, grab the towel, and look at myself in the mirror. A woman grown. I am now free to wed a lord of a high house and give him many heirs. I now have to protect my virtue like it was my own life. I now have to keep track of my bleeding every month in order not to ruin more dresses.

A knock echoes through the bathing chamber. "Princess," a servant girl's voice comes from the other side, "I have left your new dress on your bed, the Princess Rhaenyra had a small council meeting to attend."

"Thank you," I tell her, waiting to hear the doors closing before exiting the bath chamber.

I quickly dress and leave my mother's chambers, heading towards the training yard where I know both of my brothers will be. My brothers are only young, not even close to manhood yet, but Ser Harwin and my mother insist on training them in the art of the sword and dragons as must as possible.

I stand at the entranceway, watching as Ser Criston Cole and my uncle, Aegon, are locked in an intense duel. Both my brothers stand to the side, watching like they always do.

Ser Criston Cole is a cunt.

He always leaves my brothers out best he can without drawing the attention of my grandsire, but Ser Harwin always notices, and so do I.

Aemond stands across from my brothers, avoiding them entirely. His eyes find mine from across the yard and he gives a small smile. I bow my head in acknowledgement, keeping the formalities after earliers incident.

"Princess," I turn around and see one of the Kingsguard standing there, "the Princess Rhaenyra and the Queen Alicent have requested your presences in the small council chamber."

I bow my head at the knight, thanking him, before making my way to the small council chamber. I know where the room is within the Red Keep, but I've never been allowed inside. This must be important.

A guard opens the door for me, and I step inside before it closes with a thud. Before me stands my mother, the Queen, the Hand and the King.

"Am I in trouble?" Is the first thing I ask, gaining a chuckle from my grand-sire.

My mother walks over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder and guiding me to the table to stand beside her. The Queen gives me a dirty look, as she does with the rest of my family, but she also looks sad.

"Visenya," my grand-sire speaks, and I look to him, "you have just bleed, correct?"

I nod, "yes, Your Grace."

"And you know what is now expected of you?" The Queen asks, and I cast my gaze on her.

I nod again. Marriage, children, all the things I've been trained to look forward to.

"My dear child," my mother takes my face in her hands, smiling sadly at me, "we have come to an agreement on who your husband is to be."

Husband. Fuck. That quickly? I had only bled less than a few hours ago, and they had all already picked me out a stupid high lord to marry.

DARKSIDE // Aemond TargaryenWhere stories live. Discover now