The Snow Princess - Aemond Targaryen

Eleven

Dear sister Alyarra,

I am pleased to have heard from you. I am rather excited that you seem to enjoy court at King's Landing. Do tell me everything. Has everybody been kind to you? How is the King Viserys? Is he as sick as the whispers point? How has your courting been with Prince Aemond? Does he treat you well? Is he a good gentleman to you?

Everything is the same here in Winterfell. The Lady Arra is almost ready to birth our child says the Maester. I do worry the birth will be tough on her, she grows sick each day. I do not know if she will be able to endure it. Please pray for her and for the babe.

Take great care of yourself Alyarra.

I miss you and I adore you.

Love,
Cregan.

Alyarra's heart broke as she read Cregan's letter. The Lady Arra was not doing well and she knew that Cregan must be feeling devastated. Alyarra felt terrible, she knew that Cregan must be feeling lonely as he has no one else than Lady Arra and herself.

"My lady! You're back, you were gone all day." Catherryn chirped as she entered Alyarra's apartments, finding her sitting on her desk.

"Catherryn... I am sorry. I went hawking with Prince Aegon and then I joined Princess Helaena in the Great Hall." Alyarra told her lady-in-waiting, explaining why she had barely seen her at all that day.

"The Prince Aemond came looking for you earlier in the day." Catherryn said as Alyarra frowned. He had?

"Did he? Did you tell him where I was?" Alyarra asked her lady. Catherryn lowered her gaze to the floor and gave her a small nod. Why would he come looking for her? He was clearly no longer interested in her...

"Indeed, my lady. He seemed rather upset when I told him you had gone out hawking with prince Aegon. Jealous even..." Catherryn suggested as Alyarra raised a brow.

It did feed her ego just a tiny bit when she thought of the Prince Aemond being jealous of her spending time with his brother. It even pleased her just a bit that he would get jealous.

"Oh I am sure he was not jealous. He barely pays me any mind these days." Alyarra said as Catherryn shrugged. The lady-in-waiting's eyes fell unto the letter that Alyarra was holding, a look of hope creeping into her face.

"Is that a letter from the North, my lady?" Catherryn asked as she set down a nightgown for Alyarra to wear to bed. Alyarra nodded her head sadly.

"It is, Catherryn. My brother answered my croll. He has informed me that the Lady Arra Norrey is not doing well. She is growing sickly in her pregnancy. My brother fears she might not endure the birth of their child." Alyarra informed her lady-in-waiting sullenly.

"Oh Alyarra I am eternally sorry. We should pray for her." Catherryn said as she approached her lady, and embraced her in a tight hug.

"We must. I just wish I could be with him right now. I know how lonely he must feel, I wish I could hug him and tell him that everything will turn out." Alyarra sighed sadly.

"We should go pray right now." Catherryn whispered as Alyarra gave her a small smile, nodding her head.

The two ladies kneeled before a small shrine that Alyarra had set in her room. A small branch of a Weirwood tree sat a top of a small chest. A good symbol of the Old Gods. The two Northern girls lowered their heads before the shrine and prayed together, each saying a prayer in her mind.

After about an hour of prayingc both of the girls got ready for bed, and as Alyarra was just about to find sleep; A knock was heard at her door. Alyarra groaned slightly as she stood up to get the door, as Catherryn had already retreated to her chamber.