ℍ𝕚𝕤 𝔹𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕕 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣 | 𝐻𝑜𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒟𝓇𝒶𝑔𝑜𝓃

𝟶𝟸

In the days that followed, Cerys was unable to face Aemond and avoided him at all costs. She'd spent her free time in her quarters, reading or sewing torn parts of her dress. Oftentimes, she'd think about her father, and whether the man even cared about her. Her mind was often filled with thoughts of the unfamiliar woman who she'd consider her 'mother'. She'd wonder if she was alive, and well somewhere. Many referred to Cerys as the next whore to become, which often made her despise her mother, but when she saw the affection the princess shared with her sons; she longed for the same care. 

Despite her best efforts, Princess Raehnyra ordered Cerys to take the boys and herself into the yard. Cerys couldn't turn down the boys with the endearing smile on their faces, as they tugged onto her dress with their hands clasped together, pleading for her to agree. She hadn't worn pants or a loose shirt in ages, and once she had, it was a very odd thing she didn't want to get quite accustomed to. She wasn't a very lavished girl, obviously, her father was the hand, and both her brothers had duties in the castle. But, she enjoyed wearing dresses and gowns given to her by the princess and tried to pretend as if she was a part of the family. She did feel ashamed of not loving her own flesh and blood, but she felt compelled to because of the harassment. 

 Down by the yard, she had the two boys put on their gear as she tried to do the same. She hadn't practiced with a sword in a few months, and once her hand gripped the handle firmly, she knew she was in for an adventure. She ensured that her stance and posture were correct, but struggled to maintain them when striking an imaginary opponent. Cerys wished for more time to practice, but Jake was struggling dearly, and Aegon's taunting didn't help the situation. As she helped the poor boy, she could feel Aemond's gaze as he eyed her carefully. She could feel her face getting warm, and walked away from her nephew to get away from Aemond's gaze. 

In addition to Jacaerys and Luke, Cerys's attempts in helping Luke stab the hay were a failure. Despite her brother's training, she wasn't quite as good as Aegon and Aemond, and they ensured she understood that concept. After their time was up, all the boys, including Cerys, had to switch sides. She collided with Aemond's shoulder while walking, but did not spit any harsh words at him for fear of causing a scene. She raised her head to see her father standing beside King Viserys. Upon noticing her, she smiled at him, but he ignored it.

Jacaerys had begun stabbing at the hay and continued failing horribly. Aemond had walked toward his nephew and knocked his sword down with his. Cerys had lowered herself to pick up the wooden weapon. 

"Enough Aemond" 

He didn't respond, and as she looked up at him, she noticed his eyes narrowing, and jaw tightening. She stepped away from him, giving them both distance from one another, but that didn't quit the hateful glare towards her. Despite the short silent feud,  Aegon stated that he had already mastered his lessons and wanted to learn something more challenging. Ser Criston felt this was a humorous joke and challenged both him and his brother who had formed a circle. They raised their wooden swords, and Aegon lunged violently as he missed his shots, including Aemond.

Harwin arrived as he spectated the weak fight being displayed. He called to the brown-haired boys who were envious of the duel in front of them; they both desired to get a chance to have an individual practice. Harwin had taken notice of this and called to them. 

"Both of you pick up your swords, and continue practicing" 

Cerys had walked to them as her eyes drew away from the two boys fighting, particularly Aemond. 

"Seems these kids could do better with a bit of your attention, Ser Criston"

Harwin had eyed Jake, Luke, and Cerys. She felt her cheeks redden in embarrassment as she failed his training.