ELLIPSISM, aemond targaryen

[059] my lady strong

"I'M HERE FIRST! I'm here first!" Joffrey shouted excitedly as he jumped over the threshold of Dragonstone. "I won! I'm here first!"

The rest of the family came in much more slowly and they didn't look half as excited as he did. Tiredness from the long journey showed on their faces and they didn't even try to hide their annoyance at the noise Joffrey was making.

"Yes, we know," Jace said dryly as he took from Baela one of the smaller chests she had taken with her and put it on the ground. "Now you could stop making so much noise and help with the other chests."

"That won't be necessary," Rhaenyra said as she began to unbutton her coat. "The journey was long and Joffrey should get some sleep."

The youngest of the Velaryon children made no effort to hide the disapproving groan that escaped his mouth. "Now? It's almost dawn! I won't be able to fall asleep, mother!"

"See? Joffrey is not tired," Jace smirked smugly before putting one of the smaller chests into his arms. "Start with this one and take it to your chamber."

Joffrey staggered a little under the weight of the chest's contents and shook his head. "No, I can't. I have to go to the highest tower of Dragonstone so that Aemma can see me when she flies by."

Something in Jace's hard look changed and when he said nothing Baela came to his side and looked at Joffrey. "Aemma probably hasn't even left King's Landing yet, Joffrey. You'll have plenty of time to go there later."

"I can't risk missing her!" Joffrey protested and before Baela could do anything, he dropped the chest, the contents of which spilled everywhere, and ran away. "I'll take it to my chamber when I get back! I promise!"

Baela let out a tired sigh as she watched him disappear in the dimly lit halls of the castle. "It seems to me that the two are so similar that as long as one of them is around, you don't even notice the absence of the other, huh?"

"I guess," Jace muttered under his breath as he took one of the chests and walked away with a thoughtful look on his face.

Her dark eyes watched him for a moment with a frown on her face before looking over to Joffrey's things on the floor to find out that Gwyn and Luke had already started collecting things and returning them to the chest.

"Sorry," they both said quickly as they bumped into each other unintentionally and while Gwyn gave him an awkward smile, Luke's face only reddened and he continued to work with his head hanging down.

Rhaena hummed teasingly with a smirk on her face as she passed him and he sent her a glare before she laughed and disappeared in the castle as well. The hall heard the sound of the last chest as the servants brought it from the carriage and placed it on the ground, and Rhaenyra nodded contentedly.

"That should be it. You can leave those chests here or the servants will bring them to your chambers. Go to get some sleep," Rhaenyra declared, looking at Gwyn as well. "All of you."

None of them protested and they all left towards their chambers except for Luke and Gwyn who started walking in that direction, but as soon as they thought Rhaenyra didn't see them they disappeared towards the kitchen while talking as if no one could hear them. The sight of it caused a wave of sadness to pass through Rhaenyra at the realization that her son was no longer a child and instead of holding onto her hand as he used to, he now had friends on his own - at least Rhaenyra hoped his interest in Gwyn was purely friendly.