green lies, black hearts

XIX

a/n - apologies for the wait!! hope this long chapter (and a few more) make up for it! thank you for 1k+ votes and for all the love and support! enjoy!!

- mint

~+~

Shaera

Shaera's eyes shot open as the door to her chambers rattled. "Hello?" she called out.

No answer came and Shaera sighed, pulling herself up and out of her hot bath. She grabbed a robe and wrapped it around her body, and she wrung out her dark hair before stepping around the divider. A breeze blew in from open windows and she clenched her jaw in annoyance. She preferred to stay in the comfort of her bath, lulled to sleep by lilac oils and rose petals, but gods forbid she be allowed a moment of relaxation before the long day ahead.

"Hello?" she called again, searching her chambers for whoever had entered. Shaera checked high and low for the presence of someone but she found none. Shaera frowned, looking around one last time. "Odd..."

Shaera was about to return to her bath when she saw it.

Sitting upon a table was a platter with a steaming cup on top. Shaera furrowed her brows and approached, cocking her head in confusion. The steaming liquid was a deep red color, like the malvales flowers in the Godswood, but it didn't smell quite as sweet. In fact, as Shaera lifted it to her nose, she grimaced in disgust.

The tea was rather putrid.

It was then that she revealed a small square of paper below.

For precaution.

Aemond

Ah. Shaera had mentioned it yesterday—the need to be more careful in their activities. She had not thought he would take her seriously past finishing on her stomach or thighs instead of inside, but perhaps he had listened when she said moon tea would be the best way to ensure no bastard came from their trysts. Shaera would never allow it. She couldn't. And she knew Aemond—despite being certain they would be wed, and thus so was Shaera—would not wish for a bastard either. Certainly for separate reasons were their desires, but Shaera appreciated that he had listened nonetheless.

Shaera lifted the cup to her lips and blew gently on the liquid as she sipped. She could taste the bitterness of the wormwood followed swiftly by the relief of sweet coolness that the mint and honey brought. And if she drank it quickly enough, she could pretend not to taste the vile pennyroyal.

"I need wine," she muttered, setting the cup down but taking the note for herself. She folded it up and as the doors to her chambers opened once more, Shaera slipped the note into a drawer.

Her mother strode in with Elinda Massey in tow, as well as Baela and Rhaena, and Shaera grinned at the small group.

"You had tea sent for?" Rhaenyra asked, pulling Shaera into a tight embrace.

Shaera hummed and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek. "An auspicious drink for an auspicious day." She sent a wink to Baela.

"It won't be if Jacaerys decides to take any longer," the young Targaryen huffed.

Shaera approached her stepsisters and hugged them both, grinning at the pair. "My brother has been dreaming of this day for years, Baela. I'm certain everything will go well. He'll lose his mind if it doesn't."

"And his head too," Rhaena chirped.

(Rhaenyra furrowed her brows at the slightly open drawer in Shaera's desk. At the corner of folded paper peeking out.)