Rhaella Targaryen always knew that there was more behind her mother's death than what she was told. Alysanne was a healthy, strong woman, and yet she was gone in a couple of days because of a mysterious illness. Rhaella was only a child when the tra...
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DRAGONSTONE
132 AC
RHAELLA FELT VERY TIRED. And stupid. Besides the effort she had made not to burst out crying in front of Rhaena, tears escaped her eyes as soon as she was out of her cousin's sight. Pathetic, truly, crying over a boy she hadn't properly talked since she was ten years old, a boy who wanted nothing to do with her for whatever reason.
She had always knows that Jacaerys and his whole family were her weakness. The affection she felt towards every single one of them, even after years, had never faded. It had intensified, even, especially because after their departure, love was not something very present in her life. She had idolised them, the life she would have had if she didn't get stuck in King's Landing, not considering even for a moment that it wouldn't match her expectations.
To be fair, it hadn't been a total let-down ― she had been welcomed warmly and everyone was great and kind towards her. Rhaena already considered her as a sister, Luke and Joffrey adored her and always begged her to spend some time with them, Daemon liked to hang out with her, especially in the library, and Rhaenyra was treating her like her own child. Everyone was great with her, everyone except Jace. It hurt, because he was the person she looked forward to see again the most.
Aemond had warned her she wouldn't find what she was looking for, than she belonged in King's Landing, with his family. He turned out to be right, at least in part ― it seemed like her bond with Jacaerys had never existed ― but he was a fool if he believed she would chose to go back to the Red Keep. She would rather run away and living in the streets than be at the complete mercy of Alicent Hightower and her father. Rhaella highly doubted that Rhaenyra would send her back there, but the fact that Jace didn't like her one bit was a huge problem. They were betrothed, and even if the girl knew romantic love was not a requirement for a wedding between people of her status, she wasn't thrilled at the idea of having an husband who barely managed to look at her in the face.
The thought of asking Viserys to break up their betrothal came up in her mind for a second, but it quickly vanished when she realises the consequences that such an act would have. The main reason why the King had sent her to Dragonstone was to get to know her future husband and if she broke up the engagement her presence there wouldn't be necessary anymore. Viserys would probably ask her to sail back to the Capital and she had no guarantee that Rhaenyra would keep her in her home anyway, going against her father's wishes, especially if Rhaella rejected her son. Even if it would be Jace's fault, because she was willing to try, at least.
Rhaella let out a scream, enraged. She wondered how was it possible that thing never went quite right in her life. She had lost both her parents at a very young age, then she was left alone in a cradle of snakes who didn't care about her, and now she could potentially lose the freedom and the happiness she had just gained. Not to mention she was vexed by a cursed gift that she couldn't control. She didn't believe in Gods, but she recognised it must be nice to have someone to confide completely into ― and to have someone to blame when things weren't going well.
