❝ There was a feeling of inevitability when I met you. And our lives were fated to converge like some cosmic dance. And I think I had to break your heart and you had to break mine. ❞
As Cressida Black's lungs ceased to draw breath, Aurelia Martell's...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
January 109 AC
Rhaenyra brought her sister to the gardens with Aurelia, carrying Danae as she and Aurelia pointed at the flowers and taught Danae their colors. Ser Criston and Jamie followed behind them, supervising them, making sure they were safe.
"Shall we go down to the beach?" Rhaenyra suggested to the group.
But Ser Criston had to shake his head. "Princess, I am not sure the beach is a safe place for the Princess Danae."
"It is fine, Ser Criston," she said. "We have you and Ser Jamie to protect us, right Aurelia?" Rhaenyra looked to her friend to back her.
Aurelia nodded "It has been a while since I went down to the beach, and the air would do good for the little princess."
See Criston nodded, not being able to say no to the two highborn ladies he served. Despite his status as a new member of the Kinsguard, he was still a guard in their service and they ranked above him — a steward's son. And, so, Rhaenyra led the way to the small part of the beach that had a direct access from the Red Keep.
They walked down the stone steps that led to the rocky beaches of Blackwater Bay, and the shore was thankfully empty. The beach was shaded by tall cliffs of Aegon's Hill and by the walls of King's Landing.
Aurelia opened her arms and Rhaenyra passed Danae to her, the girl immediately cuddling close as Rhaenyra took off her shoes. Carefully, Aurelia kicked off her own leather sandals and they walked to the edge of the water together.
Aurelia steeled herself before stepping into the water, letting out a sigh of relief when she felt the water had a lukewarm temperature,
"This is her first time on the beach," she said as she passed the baby back to Rhaenyra.
"She seems to like it," Rhaenyra remarked, crouching down so Danae's chubby feet were splashed by the water. The little girl giggled at that.
She picked up a small stone from under the water and gave it to Danae, who as soon as she was given the wet stone, started to put it in her mouth. Aurelia carefully took the stone away began to laugh. "Do not put that in your mouth, little hatchling."
"Princess," Jamie called from the beach. "Perhaps we should return to the castle, you mentioned you wish to go on a flight before sundown and time is running out."
━━ ⋅𖥔⋅ ━━✶━━ ⋅𖥔⋅ ━━
"I have a gift for you," said Edrick in the early morning. Janna stirred in the bed, rubbing her sleepy eyes and he sat beside her, stretching his arms forward to hand her the black box.
She sat up, a large smile stretching across her face and Edrick held himself back from embracing her. His lover gasped when she saw the glittering bracelet, biting her lower lip as she beamed.
