Tale of Two Queens

[017] Back in Black

A lot happens in three years. Most adults have more children and most children grow up. Most, of course.

Some unfortunate children, in this case, girls, are stuck taking care of the children their parents insisted on having. 

And, it wasn't like the chore was split evenly. 

Mera took care of Joffrey and now Viserys while her brother's and cousins romed free without any worry. How'd her mother and Daemon get her to do it?

Well, it was the sort of bribery in the form of equipment, hair dye, and books. Mera was and could never be bought but in the case of telescope parts, extra hair dye, and books? Hell, she was almost always swayed by them.

But in the case of appearances, Mera had lost all sense of her child-like-cuteness. Her button nose had sharpened out while her face had become truly stone cold in the tones of purple and blue. Her once moon silver hair had been dyed repeatedly with black dye as she had Maester Gendarys cut her some bangs to cover the scar that extended to her forehead.

Her usual clothing style?

Still the same.

Mera was as always dressed in black with two braids instead of one. It was her way to say, I'm not copying Visenya, while she'd always wear the dark blue moonstone ring her father gave her.

Her usual day would start with her arriving at her corner of the library and work on the work sheets Maester Gendarys gave her, skipping breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner before occasionally finishing her day with a midnight serenade of her cello.

Maester Gendarys always had pomegranate seeds and dried fruit for her to snack on throughout the day to keep her alive. It was odd, he was her personal tutor and in some ways the father Mera never had. Helping her with her High Valyrian or teaching her illegal maths and science. 

It was everything Daemon couldn't do. No, it was everything Daemon didn't do. 

Mera would then occasionally train with Ser Steffon Darklyn using the spear and the sword, her hand had gotten a lot better but it wasn't to say she never stopped wearing gloves. He evidently became her sworn sword as Rhaenyra granted it for Mera's two and tenth name day. 

It wasn't like Mera cared. He'd been there since she came to Dragonstone, nothing special about him only that he and Ser Criston had a sort of resemblance that made Mera want to purge every time she saw him.  

He didn't change much as a meer guard on the island but he always stuck around in some dark corner, watching Mera intently as she scribbled away at her work. 

Additionally, instead of a red cloak used by a guard of House Targaryen, Mera had replaced his with a black one to which he had no objection to.

She still struggled with writing for long periods of time as her drawing strokes had muchless control compared to what happened before the incident. 

And as always, Mera had no dragon.

Maester Genderys had encouraged her many times to go and claim one as they would witness Jace and Luke's first flights from the large window in the corner of the library but Mera always reassured him she hadn't need one.

However, he could tell a bit of her wanted a dragon.

Maester Gendarys made sure Mera wasn't short in the field of hands on work, though, she liked the theoretical fields better. They built telescopes and catapults as they would occasionally roll one out and launch a few balls of garbage into the sea.

Littering? Well, they considered it collateral damage for the pursuit of more knowledge, plus, it was all organic anyways.

On other days, she'd sit on the highest cliff on Dragonstone and look out to the sea, dreaming about leaving and pursuing a life of a scholar at Oldtown or at the Library of Alexandrys. A bit of Mera was scared. 

Scared. 

It's a hard thing to admit when your as headstrong as she is but that was the truth. She didn't know if she could survive if she ever got out.

The silver blue eyes with now streaks of yellow in them and the long black hair in braids, it was all so clear for anyone to know she was the Velaryon princess.

And Mera knew it, she heard all the whispers the servants said. All things they gossiped about. Like how she was a walking corpse, a dead princess, or a witch.

Mera never warmed back up to her mother or Daemon. Neither she or him ever made an attempt to reconcile and claim their father and daughter relationship as they were all deaf to Rhaenyra's pleas.

She was fine with her brother's as they never bothered her except when Rhaenyra and Daemon were making another baby, but other then that, she was fine with them. It was Rhaena she didn't like.

Sure they were both prickly and had the blood of the dragon but Mera disliked her beaming attitude and her smirk whenever she saw Daemon teaching her High Valyrian in the library.

The smirk that Mera hated so much seemed to grow on Jace as he would also attend those classes held by Daemon. 

All except Luke. He was still Luke so Mera was like always, fine with him. He was quiet and soft spoken, lacking in basically everything except his hair. Other then that, she found him boring.

But she'd always see him in those visions she had. They were never clear as they were rare as ever but when she did, Mera would always feel a chill run down her spine.

He'd be fine. 

Right?

—

Over in King's Landing, Helaena grew sad after all her letters had gone unanswered. She prayed for them to be answered but they were never.

She had grown accustomed to the lonely Red Keep as her mother kept her company while her Septa lectured her on the womanly duties everyday.

The thought that it was an honor to marry was quickly installed in her head as Helaena began to already plan her wedding.

And over time, Alicent rarely heard Mera's name other then the whispers around the court mentioning how somehow she was not the heir for anyone but for the Stranger as it was why she always was dressed in black.

Helaena was quickly brought out of her shell as she found her confidence through her mother and the fact that she'd marry Aegon.

Her mother always told her that she'd be treated like a queen by him and sweet Helaena believed her.

She would still spend her days through lectures and embroidery as Helaena decided it was her best way to be able to practice her skills to make clothes for Aegon and her future children.

And it did dawn upon Helaena, who would Mera marry?

Jace?

She'd slit his throat before he could even touch her.

Aemond?

He's too quick to anger and so is Mera. It could work. It would be one of those depressing marriages Helaena was told about that came out to the both of them ignoring each other and—Nah they just weren't it.

Luke?

The poor boy would just commit suicide at the thought of being married to her.

There weren't many boys from houses that would please Mera and Helaena was sure of it. She knew Mera would just sit there and brood the entire time before finding a poor boy and murdering him on their wedding night.

On that thought, her wedding night. 

Helaena hoped Mera would be there to paint her blush on and make sure her nightgown was pretty enough for Aegon. No matter how many letters she didn't respond to, Mera was her only friend and when you only have one, you hold on to that one with every fiber of you being.

Sure a bit of her resented Mera for not making a single effort to keep their friendship alive but Mera was still her friend and well, she didn't have anyone else.

They didn't have anyone else but each other. Except one yearned for the other while the other was as unbothered as before.