Come Back To Me

Chapter 10

"Cousin! Ugh, it's so good to finally see you again!" Baela beamed as she walked arm in arm with her twin sister, spotting Daena begrudgingly headed to their supper with the king and the greens.

"Baela!" Daena's face lit up as she ran down the hall and threw her arms around her cousin. "Gods, is that truly you? The very same Baela from all those years ago?"

"You...remember me?" Hope lingered in Baela's eyes, but also fear. Her re-introduction to the former heir all those years ago made her stir just slightly. That was until Daena sucked at her teeth and rolled her eyes.

"I met you after, remember? I'm damaged, not stupid." Daena laughed as she locked her arms between her twin cousins. "So what exactly is our plan here, cousins?"

"What do you mean? Father gave us strict orders to-." Rhaena began, but Baela and Daena just shook their heads. "He's already on edge and you two want to push him right over."

"He's always on edge." Daena grumbled as she could hear murmuring from a nearby room. That had to have been where they'd have their supper. It was coming up quicker than any of them could anticipate. Baela gave a strong squeeze to Daena's arm and a reassuring nod.

"Just promise me you two will not do or say anything unprovoked...and in addition, try to avoid making a scene. Rhaenyra wants to have a relatively peaceful stay here." Rhaena arched her eyebrow at both the plotting princesses, but thankfully they both gave a mocking agreement.

"Sit by father, princess." Baela whispered into Daena's ear just as the doors swung wide open for them, revealing the remaining greens and blacks. The king still wasn't in attendance though.

Daena's eyes wandered off to her left as she and her cousins walked in, where she noticed Aemond already staring at her with the darkest glare. He straightened up his head towards her, oblivious to whatever Aegon was rambling on about.

But she couldn't look away. Each step her cousins led her through, her eyes were firmly planted on him. There was something haunting about his gaze. Something she couldn't quite understand.

Rhaena caught her cousin's wandering gaze and immediately moved forward to block her view. Daena pretended to be oblivious to being caught, quickly taking her chair in between Rhaena and Daemon. The two girls exchanged a smile as Rhaena placed her hand over Daena's.

"Apologies, cousin." Rhaena weakly smiled.

Daena scrunched her nose. "For what?"

"I know you want your revenge on him, but...tonight is not that night. I'm asking you to set aside your pride for just one evening." Rhaena's eyes dropped to the floor as she remembered the look on the queen's face when Daena spoke at the trial. "I do not wish to lose any more family, especially to the greens of all people."

"Why are you so worried for my safety all of a sudden? Was it not you who would laugh and join in my plans of tormenting him?" Daena narrowed her eyes skeptically.

"Daena, I don't think you understand. The queen knows you struck her son in public. And to now openly threaten her father as well? She has more power than you give her credit for." Rhaena snuck a glance at the green queen, who was already staring right at Daena with a curious look.

"Fine, but only if you will go into the city with me tonight?" A small smirk lingered on her face.

"Just us?" Rhaena scoffed, stunned at her ridiculous idea for two princesses to wander the streeets of the city at night.

"And my brothers...and Baela, of course. I have a plan. I have a map of how to sneak into the city and if I'm to endure these...people any longer, I shall at least enjoy what I can." The two girls nodded in a silent agreement just as the king was being brought in by the guards.