somewhere we would never have travelled; graciously beyond

Almost, but not quite.

TW: ED, anxiety

111 A.C, PENTOS
VHAELLA

A brusque knock on her bedroom door only served to alert Vhaella's senses. She didn't sleep a wink that night. Her mind had been tossing and turning over both the cards she had pulled only mere hours ago, and her impending arrival in King's Landing for so long, that by the time that her eyelids grew heavy with sleep, sunlight was already streaming through the curtains. She thought she might have fluttered in and out of consciousness for a few minutes, but otherwise, she had remained awake. All for nothing, as well. The meaning of the cards remained a mystery, and she still felt a sense of impending disaster weighing down her stomach every time she thought of King's Landing.

A white tree with red leaves. An image of the Mother from the Faith of the Seven. A portrait of a green dragon, obviously carved from jade.

What did all of that mean?

Her spirits lifted slightly upon remembering— she would get to ride a dragon today.

"Come in." Her voice was groggy despite her lack of sleep. Groaning inwardly and rolling over in bed, tiredly combing her mess of inky black curls out of her face, she watched as one of the other household servants— not Amarra, she would have never— stepped into the room and placed a small tray loaded with fruit, bread, and other breakfast items that would most likely go to waste on her desk. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the servant go around her room, merely doing her duties, but having another's presence in her room right now was unquestionable.

The tray of food seemed to glimmer in the sunlight.

She would get to ride a dragon today.

She sighed through her nose.

The clouds outside shifted in the sky, letting more sun stream in, causing the tray to absolutely shimmer. A challenge on temptation, on her resolve.

Now, she would have to look at it.

She would not.

She got to ride a dragon today.

Her stomach growled, loudly. It hurt.

Vhaella looked at the tray.

Nothing of consequence. Although... some of the melons looked good... and the bread... the bread smelled incredible...

She got to ride a dragon today.

No. Are you mad?

"Send for my bath at once. Please."

Clearly. Stupid selfish girl.

"Yes, my lady."

She didn't have time to eat, her bath was on the way.

Vhaella's head ached and her mood was unenviable. She had never been one for mornings in the first place, but this was the first time she had ever stayed awake through the night like this. She couldn't help it, though. She had never felt apprehension like this in her entire life. Her stomach truly ached from hunger as well and that troublesome sensation alone angered her enough to the point of punching her pillow.

Well, she did skip dinner last night.

And lunch the afternoon before.

That realization was a key opening a lock in her mind. She was up and in front of the breakfast tray in seconds. The melon glistened in the sunlight streaming through her now open curtains. That went first. Sweet and succulent, her teeth cut through the flesh easily, not wasting a single drop of even the juice. Then the bread, warm and soft, with a texture not unlike the pillow she had earlier punched—so clearly freshly baked the aroma itself almost made her head spin. It was served with a generous amount of sweetened clotted cream and fresh, ripe berries.