selcouth | aegon targaryen (ii)

chapter ten

Hyacinth shook her head as she watched her cousin eating his fill unbothered, despite the fact everyone was looking and talking about him. Sometimes lords and ladies would approach him just to have a word or two with him and Hyacinth felt like he needed it. He needed it to feel important, to feel admired, to feel like a true prince and the next king of the Seven Kingdoms.

In King's Landing, all Aegon wanted was to be heard, to be appreciated, but all his family did was reproach him.

Here, in Winterfell, Hyacinth was well aware that people didn't know the rumours about him and his doings. All they cared about was that a prince, a Targaryen Prince, was eating amongst them, in the Great Hall of Winterfell. With him amongst them, most lords and ladies felt like it was their only chance to talk to a Targaryen in their whole lives, Hyacinth imagined. They had probably never seen a Targaryen in their lives, only hearing about them.

So they took their chance to speak with him and sometimes they even touched him. Desperate for touch as Aegon had always been, especially when it came to affective touch, he would allow it.

Hyacinth, however, did not know if that was a good image on him. Should he be so approachable when he was about to become King?

The two of them, after Aegon finished getting ready, entered the Great Hall together, hand in hand. They were welcomed warmly and shown to their seats, which were right between the Lord and Lady of Winterfell. Aegon seemed to be starving, for he ate and drank until he was full enough to lean against the back of his chair and sighing, as if he had been eating for days. Now he was just listening to what people had to say to him and even though he seemed a little bored, Hyacinth knew he was loving the attention.

Everyone seemed to be finished with their meals, so people started walking around the Hall, some of them were already dancing. As Aegon kept speaking with those who approached him, Hyacinth was invited to dance with the oldest son of Lord Bennard Stark, Benjen Stark. She accepted his offer, but was not happy to leave Aegon's side, especially with all those ladies stealing his attention.

As they danced, she noticed how handsome Lord Benjen actually was, but in a a different way from what she was used to. In the South, but in Highgarden or King's Landing, men were handsome because they cared deeply for their appearance. A handsome man resembled more a prince than anything else. In the North, men were more roughish, with their dark beards and strong arms. Lord Benjen was handsome, she had to admit it. And for most women he would be a true prize, but Hyacinth never cared much about external beauty.

Surely she appreciated looking at a handsome man and she wouldn't be lying if she said Aemond Targaryen was the most handsome man in the Seven Kingdoms. But that was it - something nice to look at. She would never pursue someone for their appearance.

He asked her all she expected him to. Was she enjoying Winterfell? Was the cold as aggressive to southerns as it was rumoured? What was it like to live in the Red Keep? Wasn't she afraid to ride a dragon?

After a while, she was tired of him and so she sent a glare to Aegon, who was dancing with some lady, but as soon as he saw her, he stopped what he was doing to meet the pair.

"My Prince," Lord Benjen bowed, "I'm joyful to see you again. Are you enjoying yourself?"

Aegon nodded and looked at Hyacinth, who still had her arm on Lord Benjen's, "I always enjoy myself when there is wine, food and nice women."

Hyacinth wanted to share her head with disappointment, for it seemed like Aegon couldn't control himself and be more diplomatic for once. Why did he have to be so brutally honest?

Lord Benjen laughed, "Yes, I understand that very well, though in the south it must be better, right?"

"Well, the wine is better, that I can guarantee you. The food here I have certainly enjoyed. When it comes to women, I will not speak of it in front of a lady," Aegon winked at Hyacinth, "But you can compare them yourself if one day you visit King's Landing or Highgarden."Hyacinth sent an unimpressed look towards Aegon and he grabbed her hand to pull her closer to him, "Now, I must take my cousin with me for I need her confirmation that the wine from King's Landing is much better than this."