When Rhea Royce died, the noble house of Royce blamed the Rogue Prince. Daemon Targaryen was the culprit for the downfall of the House, no matter what was said. Leaving Runestone with no Lord or Lady at its helm, a decision was made to promote a min...
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8 Years Prior
"INTRODUCING Lord Royce and his sister," Ser Criston called from his dutiful position at the door to the Great Hall. Aemond only planned to glance up so that he could make another joke under his breath to his brother, Daeron. The young Prince was only eight, and Aemond, as his older brother, saw it as his personal duty to ensure that he behaved for the night. It was rare that the Targaryen Princelings had a chance to celebrate something. Usually, if they were present in a room with this many people, it was bad news. A funeral perhaps, like Laena's a few years prior. That was the last time that Aemond saw many of these people.
Now, the same people who gossiped about the events which resulted in his scar gossiped about Aegon and the bastards he was expecting in the Street of Silk. They were all the same. Minor Lords or Ladies who were worth none of his time.
But this time, when his eye peeked at the door to catch a glimpse of the next fat Lord and his child-wife, he fell silent - the ghost of a laugh fleeting from his lips.
A girl around the same age as him had entered the room - trailing behind her brother - Lord Royce. She was well trained, keeping her head down and her position behind the Lord who had brought her here, but clearly beautiful. Even with her face to the floor, Aemond couldn't miss the way her brown hair fell down her back in waves of bronze; two strands on either side of her cheeks were loose from the rest as her eyes studied the ground.
Donella hadn't expected to see cracks in the Red Keep, and yet her eyes had been drawn to them ever since she'd walked into the Great Hall. She was sure that she looked as if she was being rude to the minor Lords who looked at the pair curiously. Her brother met the eye of every man who glanced their way, yet her eyes studied the cracks. For such a symbol of wealth to be corrupted with the same cracks in its structural foundations as a small seat such as Runestone... The truth in the stone did not lie.
"Donella," Doran spoke quietly to get his sister's attention. Her eyes snapped to him quickly - almost too quickly as she noted the High Table positioned just beyond him.
"Your Grace" Doran bowed lowly to the King, keeping his position as he greeted the Queen too. As he rose, he looked to Prince Aegon and Princess Helaena with a bow of his head, "My Prince, my Princess. It is an honour to be invited to celebrate your wedding with you."
Aegon didn't reply to the young Lord's words. This wasn't surprising to Aemond, who hadn't noticed his brother greet any of the nobles who had come to celebrate the wedding. The truth was plain to see - the nobles had come for one of two reasons.
