Tale of Two Queens

[008] dead, the lot of them

Mera opened her eyes as she sat up and glared at her stone walls. She pouted before holding her head in pain as the images of a casket falling into the water flashed through her mind. The door then opened to her mother walking in with a face of worry.

"Explain. Now!"

Mera furrowed her brows as she said, "She's dead. He's dead too."

Rhaenyra tilted her head as she pulled a face of pure confusion. "Who?"

Mera got up from her bed as she said, "I saw it. She's dead. Dragonfire. Son. Vhagar. Daemon. Harrenhal. Rat. Bee. Dead. " 

Rhaenyra froze at the sound of his name as she walked over, kneeling down and grabbing her daughter's hands to which she flinched at her.

"What happened Mera? Why did you go out there? You put yourself in immense danger." 

Mera ripped her hands from her grasp as she said, "It's suffocating. I want my silence back. I want Septa Mordane gone. I want a dragon."

Her mother sighed as she tried to sooth her. "You will have a dragon one day. I am sure of it." 

Mera hummed as she said, "The ravens are here. And she is dead."

Rhaenyra sighed before getting up and opening the door to find Laenor. He immediately ran to Mera, pulling her into a hug as tears swelled in his eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Dead."

He smiled and nodded before he said, "I'll teach you how to properly sail after you get better. But lesson number one. Never go sailing in that sort of weather. And here, a sling for you to be able to read the air temperatures—"

"She's dead father."

Laenor frowned as he tilted his head before Mera turned towards her windows and pointed at the ravens. "There here. And she is dead."

He sighed, "My sweet girl." He tried to give her a hug only for Mera to slap his hands away. "She's dead!" She spat with venom before Laenor nodded. 

"She's dead. Who is dead Mera?"

Mera looked around her room as she hugged herself. "Dead. All of them dead." 

Laenor nodded as he took her hands and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Get some rest dear. You'll understand it soon."

He turned and left as Mera sat down on her stone cold floors and waited. She'll hear about it soon. The ravens were here. And so was the stranger.

—

Helaena smiled as she looked to the collar she embroidered for Mera. Perhaps she wanted a black dress to attend her wedding. Or a red one. Helaena figured she looked best in rest. It complemented her hair and skin very well.

"Helaena?"

She looked up as she dropped her smile. "Yes mother?"

Alicent pulled a strained smile as she said, "Whatever are you smiling about?" Helaena looked down at her work as she said, "You do think Mera would look good in red or black. I want her to look the best at my wedding in the future."

Her mother wanted to have Mera strangled in her sleep at the mention of her. Her mother threw away a perfect proposal just because of the things Mera said about Aegon. Alicent hoped Aegon would be gentle and loving to Helaena, he was her brother after all. 

Would her circumstance be much better than hers? Thought Alicent.

They were closer in age so perhaps it made it better. She looked to the fifth collar Helaena made before she said, "Perhaps you'd like to practise some angles or butterflies. They'd look great on baby clothes."