dancing with our hands tied | r. targaryen

xxxix.

130 A.C.
STORM'S END
•••

ELISSA BARATHEON SOMETIMES BELIEVED SHE WAS BORN INTO THE WRONG FAMILY. SHE FELT THAT SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN best off being a Tyrell where they sat in Highgarden smelling nothing but roses. Or that she would have thrived well in the cool conditions of the Eyrie. Where did she not thrive? Hunting with her family.

It was a tradition that on the tenth name day the family had to go on a massive hunt. Unfortunately, her younger sister was turning ten.  And unfortunately, Elissa was not able to talk her way out of the hunt.

"I will do anything, mother," Elissa says as she follows her mother through the castle, "I will feed the common people. I'll compliment Beric. I'll feed Silverwing!"

"As much as I would love to watch you feed a dragon or better yet, treat others with kindness, you must go on this hunt," Alayne says, "Your father is so excited-"

"Father has four other children, he won't know that I'm missing," Elissa argues. Alayne stops walking and looks over at her daughter with a smile.

"Nice try."

Elissa throws her head back and groans, "Mother! I am not made for hunts! The sight of nature and dead deer disgusts me."

Alayne chuckles, "I'm sorry that nature disgusts you and dark tunnels do not."

"Tunnels have secrets," Elissa says, "Nature has...spiders."

"Spiders are cute," Alayne says, "Did Helaena ever let you hold her own?"

"No," Elissa says, her brows furrowing, "Did you?"

"Of course," Alayne answers, "He was quite gentle. Though I don't think it was a he. She? They? They. They tickled my fingers as they moved across them."

"Mother," Elissa says firmly, "I am more Hightower than I am Baratheon, which means that I should stay here in the castle with you! Oh! I'll even hold court with you since Argella is going on the hunt."

"I think I'm fine on my own," Alayne says, "Your siblings will need your help carrying the stag back to the castle."

Beric, who was walking by them in the hallway, scoffs at his mother's words, "Elissa doesn't believe in any sort of hard labor."

"And Beric doesn't believe in thinking!" Elissa says as she reaches up and knocks on her brother's head and she smacks her teeth together, shaking her head, "Hollow, just as I thought."

Beric feigns a laugh and Elissa mimics him. Alayne watches her children amused and Cassana exits her room, entering the hallway.

"Have either of you seen Argella? I need to borrow some riding pants from her."

Elissa snort at the question and Beric scratches at the back of his head as he looks around. Cassana's brows furrow at her sibling's strange reaction. She thinks of where Argella could be and then she realizes, and her eyes widen.

"No," Cassana groans.

"Unfortunately," Elissa says.

Cassana sighs as she looks at her mother, "Can I stay here?"

"If she gets to stay then I get to stay," Elissa says as she points to her older sister.

"No one is staying," Alayne states as she looks at her children, "Now where is your eldest sister?"

"You don't know?" Beric asks his mother.

Alayne sighs, "I do know, I was just hoping that I was wrong."