PRIDE & GUILT, cregan stark

006.

A FAIR EXCHANGE. PART ONE.

— chapter six.

"Where is Mother going?"

Monterys watched his Mother's back as she walked away, her feet travelling down the stone steps before his shoulders dropped and he glanced toward Luke who clung to his arm again. Something seemed the matter with the younger boy after his conversation with Lord Corlys, but he'd returned to answer when asked about it.

"That doesn't matter," Monterys answered instead, because he wasn't sure. He wasn't the parent, she was. But. . . "She ordered us to bed. So to bed we must go now."

Jace's mouth was on the verge of protest, but the eldest gives him no chance, his fingers tugging at their hands as he moves them through the crowd. Lords and their wives catch glimpses of them, some lips twitching with smiles and others simply stepping out of their way. To disrespect them, even those who sat in the party of the Queen, upon the castle of House Velaryon would be a foolish decision.

"I am not tired," Luke whispers.

Monterys barely heard him, truth be told. "You will be," He insisted.

A shove to his back near sends him to the ground, and a brief flash of such a moment of humiliation and dread sent irritation pursing through him. He wasn't quite sure whether to believe such was an accident.

A hand grips his forearm, pulling him back up and giving him help to bounce back steady on his feet. Jace and Luke yank him back into them, though it doesn't prevent the body of Ser Criston Cole standing right in front of them. Eyes watching him.

Him.

He was staring at Monterys in a manner he'd never done before.

Monterys was used to the same cruel glint that he'd found the Queen staring at him with. But he wasn't used to. . . fascination. Confusion. Realisation. A softness that the Guard only gave to the Queen's children. Never Rhaenyra's.

Never him.

"Monty?" There's a twinge of fear in Luke's voice. Nothing good ever came from this Guard.

Instead of answering, or acknowledging Ser Criston verbally, the future Prince of Dragonstone nodded his gratitude and continued on his way. He couldn't afford to anger their Mother, or make anything more complicated than it already all was for their Father, so he'd rather just do as he was ordered by one of them and make it their peace.

It wasn't long until they were settled into their beds. Nearly. Jace was in his own, but Luke was on the left side of Monterys', who had given in after his second youngest brother asked three times over. He'd not wanted to agree this once, for the bed was single and small and cramped enough as it was with only one of them.

At least Luke did not fight for possession of the bed. Their backs were against one another, the only way to sleep comfortably both boys found.

"Monty?"

His eyes closed. "Get some sleep, Luke."

His younger brother fidgeted on his side. Whatever it was he wished to say would bug him until he spilled, and so of that, because Monterys turned around and used his hand to turn his brother. "What is it?" He asked quietly. Jace was snoring.