dancing with our hands tied | r. targaryen

xlv.

132 A.C.
DRAGONSTONE
•••

RHAENYRA SIGHED AS SHE FELT THE HOT WATER IN THE TUB MELT AWAY THE TENSION IN HER BODY. PREGNANCY WASN'T AN EASY THING AND IF SHE WAS BEING honest, Rhaenyra was tired of it, but she couldn't stop, not when she was still waiting on her little girl. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax when she heard the door open.

"Daemon if Aegon is crying again, you're going to have to deal with it," Rhaenyra says, keeping her eyes shut, "He is your problem for the day."

"Has Aegon been causing you problems, Princess?"

Rhaenyra's eyes shoot open at the sound of the familiar velvety voice. She spins in her bath and turns to see Alayne standing there in a green dress, her brown hair falling down her shoulders in ringlets. There was a smile on her lips and Rhaenyra had half the mind to jump out of the bath and embrace her, but she recalled that it wasn't just her. She was very much pregnant.

Alayne noticed how Rhaenyra seemed as though she was about to jump out of a bath and laughed as she hastened her steps over to the tub and kneeled so that she was at Rhaenyra's eye level. There was a smile on her lips and Rhaenyra couldn't help the smile that made its way onto her face at the sight.

"Hi," Alayne greets softly.

"Hi," Rhaenyra says, "How are you here right now?"

Alayne laughs as she dips a finger into Rhaenyra's bath, "I'm not here right now. I am at Driftmark visiting my son. Which isn't a lie. I will be going to Driftmark to see Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys. But there was someone more important that I had to see first."

"Is that so?" Rhaenyra asks.

"Mhm," Alayne answers as she nods her head and she holds Rhaenyra's gaze, "I felt it had been too long since we last saw each other. The Greens are distracted by Cassana and her many suitors, so I thought why not use the distraction to my advantage."

"My clever girl," Rhaenyra responds and Alayne chuckles.

"So," Alayne says as her eyes flicker to Rhaenyra's pregnant belly, "Do we think it is a girl?"

Rhaenyra laughs, "With my track record, I'm not too sure."

"The fact that you have managed to give birth to four boys is quite impressive. You have certainly secured your position," Alayne states.

"And now I want my little girl," Rhaenyra says as she stares at Alayne, "Our little girl."

Alayne smiles at the words. She reaches out and grabs a strand of Rhaenyra's wet silver hair and twirls it around her finger, "Our Visenya."

Rhaenyra reaches up and takes Alayne's hand, interlocking their fingers. She wanted to kiss Alayne, to touch her, but she was content just looking at her. Just being in her presence and knowing that she was real, that the love they shared was real. And that it would persist through time and distance.

"Cassana came to Dragonstone," Rhaenyra shares with a smile, "She's so beautiful. She has Brandon's eyes, but aside from that she looks and carries herself just like you."

"What was she doing in Dragonstone?" Alayne asks curiously.

"She brought Aegon to see Baela," Rhaenyra answers, "I hate what Alicent did. Aegon and Baela deserve to be with one another."

"I agree," Alayne says as she plays with Rhaenyra's fingers, "Argella is in love with Princess Aliandra of Dorne."

Rhaenyra's brows furrow, "But didn't Beric just marry her?"