The Gathering Storm | Aemond Targaryen

Chapter 3

"I've never looked more abused in my entire life." Haera breathed, pulling on the collar of the dress as she looked at herself in the mirror.

Anya paused her braiding as she looked over Haeras shoulder at at her reflection. "Yeah, I'm not going to lie. It's pretty bad."

"Thank you!"

"But that's why you have me helping you, when im done with this braid everything will look amazing."

Anya has set to work braiding her hair almost half an hour ago, and now a thick braid sat atop her head, starting at her hairline and hanging all the way down to her waist, her streak of white woven separately from the brown to make an unique swirl of deep chestnut and silver.

"Try not to get into any fights with the princes while you're here."

"They're the ones that start them. As long as they play nicely I will."

Haera had a complicated relationship with the Targaryen princes. Aegon never did like her for the soul fact that he could never beat her when sparring when they were young and Aemond? Well in all honesty she was close to him in their shared youth. They often read together in the library and Haera never took part in the bullying that Aegon and her brothers directed at him. Then he lost his eye and closed himself off from everyone, becoming more distant and cold to those around him.

They left for Dragonstone not long after that.

Returning her attention to the mirror, she grimaced. Maybe if her shoulders and arms weren't as muscular it wouldn't have looked so stupid. After years of swinging a sword and training the slender form of a proper lady had began disappearing, it wasn't enough that she looked out of places but seven hells she had had some trouble get her arms into the sleeves due to her biceps. It felt like she was being squeezed.

"If this doesn't rip down the back by supper I will be greatly surprised."

"Just don't. . . Bend down."

"Thank you for the advice."

Stepping back, Anya admired her work before turning to clean up. "I should be on my way. They will be expecting me back in the kitchens to help start preparing dinner."

"The afternoon has only just began though."

Wiping her hands across her apron, Anya smiled from the door. "You try feeding two royal families. And don't even get me started on your growing appetite." Anya's eyes flickering to the empty plates in her hands that Haera had all but devoured the food from.

"I'm a growing girl."

"No, your nineteen. You're a woman grown." Anya sighed, exiting the room before Haera could get another word in.

She easily could go off to the library or gardens while she waited for the rest of her family to arrive in Kings Landing but the thought of sitting still aggravated her. She needed to get out of this room and move before she collapsed into madness.

Pulling on the stiff collar of the dress, Haera made her way down the corridor to the former rooms of her brothers, not bothering to knock as she stuck her head in making a shirtless Jace shout in surprise.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting dressed, what does it look like?"

Leaning against the open door, she crossed her arms. "We'll hurry up, I don't want to go wandering this place alone."

Jacaerys let out an annoyed sigh, pulling his tunic over his head quickly before swinging his leather vest onto his frame. Once in the corridor he looked over at his sister.