twin flames | daemon targaryen

nineteen

Rhaella stared into the mirror, running her hand along her swollen stomach as her eyes swept over her reflection. She could see that her cheeks were flushed and round, her breasts fuller than they had ever been, and her ankles swollen from where they peeked out from underneath her dressing gown.

She watched through the mirror as Daemon walked up behind her, his usual mischievous smirk replaced with a soft, adoring smile as he gazed back at her. He came to stand behind her, his chest pressed against her back as he reached forward and brought his hand to rest underneath her stomach.

Their eyes met, and Rhaella smiled. Love, adoration, and everything in between seemed to wash over her in waves as she stared into Daemon's violet eyes. She blinked, and the sight of her and Daemon in the mirror was replaced with the royal gardens of the Red Keep.

Rhaella blinked several more times, her stomach churning with sudden nausea. A gentle breeze swept over her face and the sun's gentle rays hit against her skin. She could hear the chattering of the birds in the trees and the soft conversations of the ladies gathered in the other parts of the gardens. She sighed with disappointment.

"Lala!" Aegon screeched. Rhaella jumped and turned to see her little brother racing towards her across the gardens with Helaena not far behind. Rhaella got up from the bench she was sitting on to greet her half-siblings and Alicent, who trailed behind her children with a septa and Ser Criston Cole, who became Alicent's sworn shield following the scandal at Rhaenyra's wedding.

"Egg! Hel!" Rhaella exclaimed, reaching down and scooping her little brother in one arm and little sister in the other. The two children laughed hysterically as Rhaella spun in a circle, all of their white hair whipping around their faces as their faces grew red.

"Rhaella, be careful!" Alicent warned with a soft laugh, though her face was pinched with worry. Rhaella heeded her words and stopped, gently setting her little siblings back down on the grass. Helaena stumbled as she felt the world still spinning around her and fell back on her bottom, causing Aegon to go into another round of hysterics.

Rhaella turned to Alicent with an amused smile, taking in her friend's appearance. Alicent continued to wear Hightower green, the emerald fabric of her dress nearly glimmering in the sun of the gardens. She wore a golden seven-pointed star around her neck, and Rhaella raised her eyebrows slightly at the sight.

"How have you been these last few months, Alicent?" Rhaella asked, gesturing for the other woman to sit with her on the stone bench. Alicent smiled gratefully and sat down, shuffling her skirts around her.

Aegon and Helaena raced around the gardens before them, tumbling every now again into the grass with the gracefulness of small children. The septa struggled to follow them and Ser Criston stood a few steps away from Alicent and Rhaella, his hand resting over the hilt of his sword as he took up his post.

"I am well," Alicent said finally after a few moments. Her hands were grasped together tightly in her lap as she watched her children play. Rhaella turned to face her better, studying her more closely.

Though only a few years separated them in age, the dark circles under Alicent's eyes and the new hollowness of her cheeks made her look much older than Rhaella. Rhaella frowned and reached forward, gently laying her hand over Alicent's. Alicent gave her a small, forced smile, but both knew that Rhaella could see through her facade easily.

"Enough about me," Alicent said quickly, clearing her throat as she sat up straighter on the bench. "How are you? How was the honeymoon?"

"It was wonderful," Rhaella told her with a wide smile. "Dragonstone is so beautiful, I wish that we could stay there forever."