DRAGONSTONE
It was vital that a Han princess greeted the Lengii fleet rather than a Targaryen one. With that in mind, Hira dressed herself in teals and blues. The ao dai she wore was adorned with exquisite gold beading that formed intricate vines and branches along the sleeves and cuffs, paired with flowing white trousers and a delicate crown with small sapphires.
It would do her people good to remember she was her mother's daughter, that she was still one of theirs.
Ships upon ships appeared on the horizon, the sails of Han flying high. The sight of the standard depicting a tree laden heavy with rubies and emeralds brought a smile to her face—it was a taste of home.
Positioned behind were her Sapphire Guards and ladies, dressed to immaculate perfection as per her orders. Hira had been particularly stern during the days leading up to now, demanding nothing less than excellence.
The royal family stood beside them in red and black, with Rhaenyra and Daemon at the center, their children surrounding them.
Jace stepped into place next to Hira, freshly washed, his hair still damp. She instinctively fixed the lapel of his doublet, smoothing the fabric, and it took her a moment to notice the blue embellishments that adorned the prince's attire.
She raised an eyebrow. "You're wearing blue?"
It was an unusual sight. By default, Jace typically wore a mix of red and black, often coordinating his outfits with Luke.
"Is it not the duty of a betrothed to support one's intended?" he replied cheekily, grabbing her hand on his collar and giving it a quick squeeze.
They had grown so familiar with each other that touches like these felt completely natural, merely extensions of their growing affections for each other.
Hira's nerves began to ease, and she felt grateful for Jace's calming presence. She squeezed his hand back, offering a smile that expressed her gratitude. When the first ship docked at the port, she relaxed her stance, allowing an easy smile to come to her lips.
Mehmed was the first to disembark the Emerald Tiger, followed closely by a contingent of soras. His stride was long and self-assured, and he wore her mother's colours with pride. Though his hair had grayed, it remained long and curled at the ends. Two kampilans were tied at his waist—the single-edged swords passed down from his father and his father's father.
When he stopped in front of Hira, he executed a low, perfect forty-five-degree bow, one that would surely please the grannies and ancestors back home.
The soras, dressed in yellow and red, saluted their princess, their bodies adorned with black ink and armed with blades, spears, and kalis.
"Dragonstone welcomes you, Datu Mehmed," Hira greeted in Lengii, extending her hand for the general to kiss. He pressed his lips against the sapphire-engraved ring that adorned her right hand, a symbol of her status as a royal Han.
"You were shorter when I last saw you," he grunted.
A twinge of irritation flared. He hadn't changed at all since the years she had been away.
"And you were thinner," she shot back.
"Your mother should've married you to a Lengii son," he said, nodding toward Jace, his lips curled in disdain. "Not this halfwit Valyrian sod. It is a crime against tradition to dilute the Han line with foreign blood."
Hira narrowed her eyes, her voice firm. "Direct your complaints to the God-Empress, for she is the only one who cares to hear your yapping."
A familiar shrill voice broke through the crowd. "Move, move! Out of my way!"
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The Passion of a Thousand Suns | Aemond Targaryen
Fanfiction❛❛ Aemond yearned for her, that much she knew. It was a pity duty held a crown over her head, for Hira would have gladly fallen into his desire. ❜❜ - Hira, known to the Seven Kingdoms as Daemon's bastard daughter. In Leng, a Princess, a daughter of...
