Rhaella Targaryen always knew that there was more behind her mother's death than what she was told. Alysanne was a healthy, strong woman, and yet she was gone in a couple of days because of a mysterious illness. Rhaella was only a child when the tra...
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DRAGONSTONE
132 AC
USING THE WORD NERVOUS to describe Jace's frame of mind was an euphemism. He never recalled to find himself is such a state of flatter like he was in that moment. He thought that it was reasonable, considering the circumstances, but he hadn't dared to talk about it with anyone in the fear that they might make fun of him because of it.
His mother's request to let Rhaella come and live on Dragonstone had finally been accepted. Since they had left King's Landing, Rhaneyra had tried to persuade the King to take Rhaella under her wings, as she was supposed to marry Jace, but Viserys had always refused. Until now. Both Jace and Rhaella had almost come of age, and the King had finally understood that it was better for them to get to know eachother before the wedding. Surely, they had shared their childhood, but they were almost adults now, and many things had changed.
Jace's affection for Rhaella hadn't. He still remember how broken he felt when they had to leave her, six years prior, at first soon after Joffrey's birth and then after Leana Velaryon's funeral. But still, they were children then, and they certainly didn't know love. At least, romantic love.
Jace wasn't a fool, he knew people in his position rarely married for love. Yet, he hoped that even if he and his future wife didn't love eachother at the beginning ― and they certainly didn't at the moment, he felt like they were strangers ― they would learn to do it in time. His childhood friendship with Rhaella gave him a lot of hope for that. However, he feared that what happened at Driftmark had shattered the only hope he had for a happy marriage.
“Everything is going to be great, Jace” his mother reassured him with a smile, putting her right arm around his shoulder. “As far as I know, Rhaella was very content about finally being able to come to Dragonstone”
Jace swallowed, and tried his best to smile at his mother in return. The truth was he didn't believe a word she said. How could Rhaella be happy to leave the place that had always been her home to get to know him? How could she be happy at the thought of marrying the boy who almost killed her, six years before?
He would always remember the look on Rhaella's face when she saw felt the blood dripping from the cut on her temple ― a cut who was awfully close to her eye ― her expression when she saw her red hands, the way he faltered and fell on the floor, staring at him wide-eyed. He still recalled vividly the grunts of pain that came from her mouth when the Maesters stitched the wound, which was quite deep basing on what they said.
Jace would never forgive himself for pulling out his knife, that night. It had been the cause of everything. Well, Aemondhad been the cause of everything but Jace believed he made it worse by using the knife. Luke used the knife to save him, because Aemond wanted to kill him, and it almost cost his eye. They were lucky that the King had been firmly against the terrible request of his wife. For a while, Jace had feared that Luke would blame him because of what happened. Once they were old enough he decided to talk about it and gladly found out his brother didn't hold a grudge towards him. But with Rhaella it was a different story.
