green lies, black hearts

VII (or: a moment in love)

a/n - thank you all for reading :3 I have some very exciting news that I get to share here first!! I'll be a published author this summer for my original fantasy series!!! When the official announcement comes out this next week, I'll post it to my announcements here!! Thank you all for reading and making this a possibility to me, it means the absolute world <3

- p

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The Black Dragons

While Baela sat on the floor in front of her, Shaera gathered some silver curls and quietly hummed a song as she braided her stepsister's hair. And behind her, Rhaena was weaving a thick plait into Shaera's hair, pulling the bastard girl's waves away from her face but still letting some of it hang freely down her back. And even behind Rhaena, little Joffrey was trying his damndest to make a braid with the ends of Rhaena's silver locs. He had never braided before but seeing his sisters doing it made him feel left out.

"Would you wear blue for your wedding?" Shaera asked, popping out from behind Baela to grin into the mirror that stood before all three girls. Rhaena's mischievous smirk bloomed and she couldn't help by giggle as Baela's cheeks darkened with natural rouge.

"I've barley thought about it," Baela mumbled.

"Ha!" Rhaena had to pause in her ministrations in Shaera's hair. "You're a liar Baela Targaryen and you know it! Plain as day!" At Joffrey's quiet discontent at her moving so much, Rhaena leaned back in her chair, sending a quick wink his way. She pointed accusatory into the mirror, eyes focused on her twin. "You haven't shut up about Jace for weeks now! Months even!"

"I have!" Baela gasped, affronted by Rhaena's admission. She spun around on the ground, making Shaera pout at the fact that the braid she had worked so hard on was now doomed to unwind itself. "You're the one who cried all day when you discovered you couldn't marry Shaera!"

"Any person would mourn such a tragedy!"

"The only reason you're happy with marrying Luke is because, and I quote, he looks like Shaera more than Jace does!"

"Can you blame me?"

Shaera cleared her throat, raising a finger to try and catch her stepsisters' attentions. "I...you...what is happening?" All she had asked was if Baela had thought about her wedding dress. It was in the future, yes, but any girl who was content with being a lady was one who dreamed of her wedding day.

"You knew women couldn't marry each other, idiot," Baela deadpanned, ignoring Shaera.

Rhaena raised a brow. "Here, maybe. But I heard that Prince Qoren Martell's daughter has a wife. And! In Pentos, we saw many women with lovers of the same sex! It could have been possible!"

"None of those places are here, Rhaena."

"Doesn't matter!" Rhaena huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away from the pair. "Shaera and I may never marry, but!" She smiled then. A devious smile.

One that Shaera recognized with horror.

"Don't you dare say it, Rhaena Targaryen!" she screeched, launching at her dearest friend. "Say it and I will never visit Driftmark ever! I swear it!"

Rhaena crumpled with laughter, her eyes curving into half-moons as she clutched her stomach. Shaera was scrambling to slap a hand over Rhaena's toothy grin, and Joffrey stepped back, watching his sisters in innocent confusion.

"What are you laughing about?" Baela asked, now on her knees as she tried to meet her twin's eyes.

Shaera clamped Rhaena's mouth shut with a triumphant cry. She turned to face Baela. "Nothing! Nothing at all! She's just" —she gave a sickly sweet smile to Rhaena, her eyes burning holes into her stepsister's head— "making jests! Bad jests."