The Gathering Storm | Aemond Targaryen

Chapter 14

Haera didn't return to her chambers.

Instead she found solace in the nursery of Maegors Holdfast with her infant brothers. Lucerys and Jacaerys were undoubtedly still in bed, and Joffrey was probably curled up in their mothers bed. Despite being six he still crawled in besides her almost nightly.

So instead Haera was here, seated on a fine tyroshi rug with Aegon playing with a little wooden horse in front of her while little Viserys sat in her lap, gently tugging on the loose strand of hair that had escape her braid.

Her silver strand.

Bouncing him slightly on her knee, Haera smiled. Though they were not full siblings, she loved them just the same as Jace and Luke. Her tiny little brothers were bundles of light and warmth. In a way they kept her sane. They kept her calm.

And she eagerly awaited the day her mother brought forth the babe currently in her stomach.

"I sometimes wish I was still tiny like you. Not having to worry about the future and marriage and pleasing your family." Haera hummed, placing a kiss to Viserys's fuzzy head. "All you have to worry about is when your going to be fed and when your next nap time is. You have it easy little brother."

Viserys merely babbled, bringing a pudgy fist of Haeras hair to his mouth in which she did nothing to stop.

Let them be children in the only way they know how, she thought. The chance will be over before they know it.

In the quiet of the nursery Haera allowed herself to think of her father. She remembered him much clearer than Luke and Jace. Joffrey had no memory of him.

But she did.

She remembered his tall, broad stature and how she could swing from his arm. She remembered his kind eyes and loud laugh and they utter fondness he had for her mother.

She remembered how quick she was to piece it together that he was her actual father and the excitement that raced through her when she realized and told her mother.

And she remembered how she had to keep all that joy and love for him hidden.

How they had to be discrete in each others company.

She remembered how much it tore her apart.

Haera sucked in a breath, bouncing little Viserys on her knee as she did. As if the action was to calm him down and not herself.

She was starting to forget his voice. She didn't mean to but it was fading away, flickering out like a slowly dying fire. Hot tears pooled in the corners of her eyes accompanied by the familiar burning in the back of her nose that told her she was close to crying.

Haera didn't cry often.

Only when she thought of Ser Harwin.

Casting her eyes around the quiet room as if looking for him Haera sniffled, the noise just enough to get Aegon to look up from his horse and tilt his head ever so slightly, his curious violet eyes looking at her. He babbled out a string of words that sound a little like her name. Haera simply smiled back, face scrunching when Viserys's little hand went to grab at her tears.

She wished her father was still here. She wondered what he would think of everything. Of looming betrothals and the lines of succession.

She wondered what he would think of her, of how she had grown in both body and personality, how her sword skills had only gotten better. She wondered if he would still look at her with that same loving gaze that he always did whenever they were in a room together.

"Oh my sweet girl."

The sudden voice in the quiet nursery, stalled Haeras emotions for a split second as she looked up to find her mother walking towards her, one hand on her swollen belly as she did.