Morning Lessons and Afternoon Interruptions

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Mother,

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Mother,

I am settling in as best I can, though it feels strange to be back, especially without you. Much seems to have changed in time that we have been gone. I hope that all my siblings are well and the babe is growing strong. I have news about my summons to King's Landing, but I'm not sure I can trust the words to a raven. Mother, I worry for grandfather's health. Perhaps, you should return to King's Landing. I know you would rather wait, for the babe's safety, but I don't know how many more lucid days grandfather has ahead of him. Please write to me soon.

I miss you terribly.

Visaera.

She left the parchment roll with the maester and made her way back to her rooms. With nothing else to keep her occupied and a strong desire to avoid her uncles, the princess decided to do a little exploring...

When she was young, the only need for the secret passages had been to make it to Aegon's rooms, but now that she was older, she was curious of where else they lead. Inside the walls of the castle, there was no one to criticize her or watch her every move.

In the walls of the castle, she felt comforted by the fact that she was alone. With the cobwebs and rats for company, Visaera spent hours wandering about, checking stairwells and hallways for triggers. Aegon had told her there were traps that might be set but she never found anything that proved him right.

Instead of joining the royal family, Visaera had her supper sent to her room that night. After nearly four hours inside the walls of the keep, she was a mess of dust and cobwebs and didn't feel up to dressing for the occasion. Alarya filled a basin with water and helped the princess scrub the dirt from beneath her fingernails, lecturing her on making a mess of herself. The princess longed for a bath; not the tiny copper tubs that they carted about the keep, but the deep, giant tubs they had beneath Dragonstone that were heated by the Dragonmont. When she voiced the desire, Alarya chuckled.

"There is a bathhouse in King's Landing, princess. If you would like, I can arrange a visit."

"Oh, gods, yes. That would be wonderful!" Visaera agreed brightly, excited by the prospect of getting out of the castle for a few hours...

For two days, she spent as much of her time as possible in the walls, mapping out corridors and floors; finding where certain doors let out. When she wasn't wandering the passageways, Visaera sat in the Godswood, reading; avoiding the company of the entire Targaryen family. She knew the Queen had summoned her to the keep to decide on a betrothal, but it was, truthfully, the last thing on her mind. Aemond and Aegon's attentions made her feel like a gold purse at a tourney competition, a prize to be won. At least when she was alone, hidden behind the roots of the crimson tree, she felt like she could breathe freely.

As she did most nights, Visaera had a hard time sleeping once her maid had retired for the evening. Tossing and turning under her sheets, eventually she settled on staring into the flames of the fire and hoping that sleep would claim her. When she heard the sound of stone scraping, she whipped about, staring at the open space in the wall beside her bed.

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