The Marriage Pact

Faith

Visenya was awoken early to a knock on her door. She sat bolt upright in bed, worried it was Aemond coming to 'escort' her somewhere else. Instead, the Queen's handmaiden, Talya, quietly entered the room.

"Excuse me, Princess. The Queen has invited you to pray with her this morning."

Visenya blinked at her uncomprehendingly, still dazed from slumber. Pray?

"I don't understand."

"The Queen prays every morning in the royal sept. She wishes you to accompany her."

Visenya pursed her lips. "Is it the Queen's command?"

"No my Princess, only a request."

Visenya was sorely tempted to roll over and go back to sleep, but she didn't think her grandsire the King would approve. The purpose of this week was family unity after all. So she nodded, rubbing her tired eyes.

"I will inform her Grace. She will expect you outside the royal sept in half an hour."

Talya curtsied and departed.

Visenya muttered under her breath about people who awoke others at the crack of dawn as she flung the covers off her legs. She shuffled over to her pitcher and bowl and splashed cold water on her face and neck.

Her own handmaiden Roslin arrived soon after, astonished to find her mistress already out of bed.

"I'm going to pray at the sept," Visenya informed her.

"You?" Roslin blurted out, forgetting herself.

"Yes, me." She paused, as a new problem occurred to her. "What do you wear to a sept?"

***

Half an hour later, modestly attired in a white gown with her hair neatly brushed, Visenya met the Queen outside the doors of the royal sept.

"Good morrow Visenya," Alicent greeted her brightly. She was clearly an early bird. "I am so glad you agreed to accompany us."

"Us?"

"Us." Visenya jumped, hearing Aemond's voice right behind her. He chuckled as he circled round her. "Startle easily, don't you niece?"

"Aemond don't tease her," Alicent chastised him lightly. She smiled at Visenya. "It was his idea to invite you. Our faith holds an important place in both our hearts, as of course do you. The emblems of the Seven serve to guide us on an uncertain path."

Visenya seriously doubted the existence of Aemond's heart, let alone a place for her inside it. But she smiled politely and allowed the Queen to take her arm and guide her inside the sept.

The royal sept was more beautiful than she'd recalled. She'd only been there once or twice as a child -neither Rhaenyra nor Laenor being particularly devout. Crystals in the high windows turned the morning sunlight into rainbows. Fragrant candles gave the room a pleasant smell, and beneath each of the Seven was an altar of pale marble.

Visenya spied the marriage altar, situated as always between the Mother and the Father. It sent a chill down her spine, and she was suddenly very glad to be wearing long sleeves.

"You come here every morning?" she asked Alicent softly, wanting to break the silence but simultaneously afraid to do so.

"I do. I have always found much comfort here in the quiet of the sept, as I hope you will." Alicent squeezed her hand then released it, moving to an altar.

The Queen dropped gracefully to her knees. Aemond followed suit, interlacing his fingers and closing his eye. Visenya stood awkwardly behind them. She felt very out of place.