Up in Flames || House Of The Dragon || - English Translation

CHAPTER 3 - A special day

Talk about you all the time, I am your narcissist.
Well, if we burn it down you'll be my arsonist

125 AC, King's Landing
(Maerya)

That morning Maerya woke up due to a sharp pain in her lower abdomen.
She didn't even have time to fully regain consciousness before, pulling the covers off her body, she realized the reason for that sudden pain. "Damn it." She muttered through gritted teeth, rubbing her face and sighing "Dyana! Dyana, please come here."
In a few moments, one of her ladies-in-waiting rushed to her. When the woman saw the princess sitting bare-legged on her bed and already frowning, she couldn't help but ask: "Has something happened, Princess?"
"I've made a mess." Maerya grumbled, standing up to show her nightgown and sheets stained with blood "Again."
Dyana sighed and immediately approached the princess, gently taking her by the arm and escorting her to the bathroom "It has come much earlier than expected, Your Grace." The woman said, checking that no further stains appeared on the floor "It hasn't even been a moon since the last time."
"I know, I remember." Maerya muttered. Meanwhile, they had reached the bathroom and Dyana had her sit down while she prepared the bath.
"If you want my advice, Princess." The woman said while she worked, "I would talk to your mother and the Maesters. Your wedding is imminent, and these kinds of... issues are important when it comes to having children."
Maerya yawned sleepily and shrugged "Thanks, Dyana. I'll think about it."
Dyana said something else, but the princess had already stopped listening.
Ten years had passed since her parents had betrothed her to her nephew Jacaerys Velaryon; Maerya had already turned fifteen, had become a woman two years ago and her fiancé was also nearing a suitable age for marriage: in just a few moons, Jace would turn fourteen and then the wedding would take place.
Everyone kept reminding her of it, especially her mother.
Not because she was enthusiastic about it - quite the opposite: Alicent Hightower had opposed that marriage with all her might and, despite all the time that had passed without convincing the king to annul the engagement, she still seemed intent on breaking that promise.
As for Maerya, she didn't find the matter so tragic: she and Jace had been dear friends when they were little, and even though it had been five years since she last saw him, she still had fond memories of him. She knew well that the fate of a princess could be far worse than marrying the young and kind son of the future heir to the Iron Throne.
Her sister Helaena was a perfect example: forced to marry their older brother, Aegon Targaryen, and to have twins within less than a year of their wedding.
An unfaithful husband, a marriage without any form of respect or love... Maerya could not imagine anything more terrible.
She stepped into the bathtub still lost in her thoughts, enjoying the relief the hot water brought her. She liked it when Dyana washed her hair, while her maid massaged soap on her head Maerya closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief.
"Don't fall asleep, Princess." The woman said, amused "We're almost done."
"Can you prepare my training clothes, Dyana?"
"I'm sorry, Princess, but your mother requested your presence at breakfast, later. I've already prepared the dress: I choose the dark green one, your favourite."
Maerya opened her eyes and looked at her lady-in-waiting with furrowed eyebrows "And did she tell you why?"
"No, Princess. But your father will also be there."
Dyana barely had time to move away from the tub before the water splashes, caused by the princess' sudden movement, hit her squarely "Is he feeling better?"
"So it seems..."
"Let's finish quickly, then. Hand me the towel."

"You wore my favorite dress." Helaena began when she saw her sister enter the dining room "You are very beautiful."
"Thank you, mandia (*1). This braid looks great on you." Maerya replied, joining her older sister at the breakfast table and sitting down next to her. Today, Helaena wore a simple sage green dress with a boat neckline, wide sleeves, and a thin gold belt around her waist, plus she wore her long silver hair styled in a sort of crown of braids.
Helaena smiled, instinctively touching a strand of her own hair "You are rather disheveled, instead. I can style your hair later, if you like."
"I'd love it, thank you." Maerya replied,
"Our parents will be arriving shortly. This morning Ser Cole was looking for Aegon while Aemond..." She didn't have time to finish the sentence when someone peeped into the dining room.
"Good morning, sisters." Greeted Aemond as he approached the breakfast table and, as was his custom, gave them a small bow before taking his usual seat at the head of the table.
"...Aemond is already here." Helaena concluded in a low voice.
At this point, Maerya addressed her brother directly. Evidently, he hadn't been allowed to wear his training uniform either: that day he wore a black jacket with a high collar, fully buttoned up, and trousers of the same colour; around his waist he wore a thick leather belt with a silver buckle and from which hung the empty scabbard of his sword; lastly, he wore boots, the same ones he used when he had to ride Vhagar, and this made Maerya think that, after breakfast, he would have left immediately. The leather eyepatch he wore over his left eye, however, was always the same.
"Ser Criston Cole was looking for Aegon this morning." Maerya asked him "Do you have any idea where he might be?"
Before answering, Aemond set his jaw and gave Helaena a quick look. "No, I'm sorry."
Yes, in some brothel of the Street of Silk. It was what he meant.
Maerya dropped her hands to her knees and clenched her fists under the table, hoping her sister wouldn't notice the sudden change in her mood.
"Maerya is wearing my favorite dress. This green suits her a lot." Helaena began, breaking the tension that had arisen in the room "She's very beautiful, isn't she?"
The princess turned to her sister with a raised eyebrow, only to be forced to turn back to her brother shortly after.
"When she doesn't look like a boy..." Aemond replied, making no attempt to hide his mocking grin.
Maerya was about to reply but was interrupted by one knight of the Kingsguard who announced the entry of their parents: King Viserys, hunched over by years and illness, made his way to the breakfast table helped by a cane and under the watchful eye of his wife , Queen Alicent, following close behind him. All of them stood up to greet their king and gave him a little bow which the king interrupted with a smile and a shake of his hand.
The Guards ushered Viserys and Alicent into their seats of honor, directly opposite Helaena and Maerya, and only when they were seated their children came back to their own seats.
"Today is a special day, my children. I am very happy to have you here, all together." Said the king, making his gaze run over each one of them. Only after a few seconds did he realize Aegon's absence "Where's Aegon?"
Alicent was the first to reply "Ser Criston Cole is bringing him here now, dear husband. It seems he hasn't had enough rest tonight." As she spoke, she glanced first at Aemond and then at Maerya.
He spent the night getting drunk and he fell asleep who knows where. That was what the queen meant, and it was confirmed a few minutes later when a barely standing Aegon was ushered into the room by Ser Criston.
Maerya rolled her eyes and took the opportunity to pour some water into her goblet, trying to ignore the urge to pour it in her brother's face.
Aegon sat down in his place at the other head of the table with a thud, huffing heavily and covering his eyes with a hand to reduce the annoyance that the light caused him.
"Good morning." He muttered, slurred, not looking anyone in the face.
It was certain, Maerya thought, that they had cleaned him up properly: they must have given him a bath, his hair was still wet, and they had slipped him into one of the many formal suits he owned, with the high-necked jacket in black damask fabric. Nothing, however, had managed to mask the deep dark circles that marked his face... or the shadow of a hickey peeking out from under his jacket, left half unbuttoned.
"Well." The king continued, trying as much as possible not to get distracted by the pitiful conditions of his son "Now that we are all together, I have to make you an important announcement: we will have a special guest today. Your dear, dear, cousin Saera left the Vale a few days ago with her guardian, Lady Jeyne Arryn, and they will both dine here with us this evening."
Saera Targaryen. Her uncle's daughter, Daemon Targaryen.
Maerya had never had the opportunity to meet her, she had only heard of her from her father and her name jumped out from time to time, in the chatter of the court ladies.
She didn't know much about her, except that she had been abandoned by her father and that she had been a guest at Lady Arryn's court all this time because of her poor health.
"A tournament and hunting party will be arranged in Kingswood for her arrival, I expect you to give her a warm welcome." Then, the king addressed Aemond directly, "Aemond, your mother and I have been thinking a lot about the matter of your marriage and we believe that Princess Saera could be perfect for this role."
Aegon, across the table, let out a laugh as he took a sip of water, nearly choking himself. Aemond glared at him and the eldest raised his hands in surrender "Sorry, my bad."
Viserys sighed and turned back to his younger son. "Nothing has been decided yet. We'll talk again before Lady Arryn's departure to the Vale, in the meantime I would like you to officially court the Princess. It would be wonderful if we could heal the wounds caused by your uncle with a marriage."
"Of course, father." Aemond replied, serious, and then gave a quick glance at his mother, also seeking her approval.
Viserys smiled at him, then he spoke directly to Maerya "Rhaenyra and her family will also be present for the celebrations. It will be a perfect occasion to see your future husband again, Maerya, and I expect you to behave accordingly. No rash decisions."
The rest of the breakfast proceeded quite peacefully, but eventually the king was escorted back to his chambers to have some rest before the evening reception. Alicent soon left the table too, probably to go praying to the Grand Sept.
The four princes were therefore left alone to finish their meal.
Aegon, on the other hand, seemed to expect nothing more than the absence of his parents.
"Do you remember, brother..." He began suddenly, giving Aemond a mocking smile "What our uncle said about the women of the Vale?"
The prince didn't answer, he just glared at his brother and continued to eat. Aegon chuckled and turned to his younger sister "You got it better than the Strong bastard, by the way. I hope, dear sister, that he lives up to his name even in the bedroom."
Maerya's answer wasn't as stoic as Aemond's "I speak two languages, Aegon, yet I can't find an adequate term to tell you how much you disgust me."
"Mh, you can do better." Aegon replied, then feigned interest "Are you sick?"
"I am now." Maerya got up from her chair, she hastily said gooybye to Helaena and left, heading towards her room.