Stelsa, the girl crafted from the broken leftovers from the Gods, is far from the expectations of a normal lady. Her father, Aaeron Meryls, and her uncles sought to train her in the way of the blade. Many whisper about her origin - is she bastard li...
CONTENT WARNING: This chapter contains themes of sexual trauma that may be upsetting to some readers.
VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
"The wolf protects its own with BLOOD OF GREEN AND BLACK."
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THE DOOR OPENED THE moment Stelsa drew close enough. She flashed Ser Erryk a soft smile as she passed by, earning herself a smile from him. Stelsa kept her hands cupped over the item hidden beneath her palm — a gift for Heleana. It had become part of Stelsa's day to day life. While Heleana healed inside her chambers the first few weeks, Stelsa brought her tiny gifts from the garden to keep her in better spirits. Stelsa met Heleana's lilac eyes through the mirror of her vanity, Dyana standing inches away brushing through her platinum hair. Despite the dark circles underneath her red rimmed eyes, Heleana was out of bed for the first time in weeks. The sight of that alone was enough to keep Stelsa's smile on her face, "I found you something." Heleana turned to look as Stelsa lowered her palms, lifting away one hand to reveal the hidden gift beneath.
A creature not meant to be flightless, but found itself without wings yet. Stelsa had been amazed the first time Heleana showed her a caterpillar's transformation. Even years later, Stelsa found it awe-inspiring. Heleana reached her palm out, letting it slither into her palm and wrap around her hand as she turned it. Lilac eyes watched the green, fuzzy creature as it journeyed around her palm like it was a land never explored before. "The wolf protects its own-" Heleana tilted her head as she mumbled, "-with blood of green and black..."
"Hm?" Stelsa tilts her head, watching as Heleana broke from her trance and turned to the flowers from the day prior.
"It is beautiful, thank you." Heleana guides the caterpillar onto the flowers — watching it crawl and make its home on the purple petals.
A knock on the door makes Stelsa look over her shoulder, watching the door ease open and ladies step in. In each of their arms, each of the little lemons resided. Stelsa glanced back at Heleana, finding the princess toying with the wood of her vanity. Her shoulders sunk down and it seemed she was trying to make herself small, "Jaehaera is rather lively this morning, princess. Perhaps you would enjoy holding her?" The lady proposed it as a question, waiting for Heleana to look up from her vanity and outstretch her arms like a mother should. At least, that is how Stelsa assumed Aba and Rhaenyra to be when she had been a child like them.
Stelsa reached out instead, "I will take her. Thank you." Jaehaera peered up at Stelsa the moment she came to rest in her arms, close to Stelsa's heart. Aba had told Stelsa that the twins' eyes would not be this blue color their whole lives. All babies were born with this eye color and no one could really tell why. Some storytellers believed it was the soul being placed by the Gods inside each person. Stelsa did not believe that for a moment. Sweet Jaehaera had been described as an easy baby by the other ladies, never fussing much about anything. Jaehaerys seemed to have many stories to tell as he always made tiny noises to Stelsa when she talked with him. She did not understand each noise, but Stelsa convinced herself the stories Jaehaerys told her were better than any she had ever heard. Jaehaerys seemed to need to dream of new stories to tell Stelsa about, sleeping soundly in the small bassinet the ladies had moved into the room. His six fingers, matching his six toes, curled into the yellow blanket Stelsa and Heleana had made. A tiny lemon resided in the area near his chin — a final touch Stelsa had worked on for over a damn week. It was worth it though. Stelsa reached down to brush her finger against his soft cheek, smiling when Jaehaerys wrinkled his nose and stretched his fingers out. Stelsa slipped her finger against his tiny palm, letting him hold into her as he continued to sleep. Though he did not move, Jaehaerys began to release the softest of coos. His sister echoed them, engaging her brother in a conversation Stelsa could not understand but wished she did. It was rare to hear Jaehaera make any noise so Stelsa stared down at the little girl, smiling as her attention focused solely on staring at Stelsa. From the moment each of them had drawn their first breaths, Stelsa found a balance in life between the dark and light. The moon and the sun.
