BLACK SHADOWS [HOTD]

2. worthless chase

year 103 ac

And it happened again. Mother was mistaken.

Both Rhaelena and Rhaenyra could recognize the facial expression effortlessly. They had already learnt it by heart. Their mother would lay on the bed, the strands of her silver hair sticking to her sweaty forehead, and the linens of her bed would be changed to ones of a different color all of a sudden. She would have this weary smile on her face, her hand slowly moving to invite her girls to take a seat next to her. And they would. Rhaelena on the right, Rhaenyra on the left, clenching her wet hands in theirs, the genuine worry painted across their faces.

"You get mistaken far too often, mother. Father would be upset again," the silver-haired princess whispered quietly.

Her words were never meant to hurt Queen Aemma, but little did the girl know how the innocent remark stabbed the woman right into her heart akin to a deathly dagger of Valyrian steel. She knew her daughter was merely talking about the lemon cake, the excuse the Queen used to conceal her misfortune and the countless deaths, sparing her elder children the misery and grief. And yet, each word that had left Rhaenyra's lips was true: she failed again. And Viserys would be disappointed.

"I am sorry, my dears... I was merely hopeful that this time would be different," Aemma uttered, a small tear forming in the corners of her bloodshot eyes. "Did I upset you as well?"

"No," Rhaelena's lips tugged into a reassuring smile, her grip on the Queen's hand tightening. "We don't want any other brothers or sisters. We just want you and Father. That is enough."

Rhaenyra nodded instantly, showing her support for her twin sister's words.

Nothing obvious was indicating it, yet the silver-haired princess couldn't fight the feeling of anxiousness. Something was not the way it seemed. As if there was a secret hidden behind the curtains, as if there were skeletons in the closet. The veil of deception was carefully wrapped around the girl's throat long years ago, yet with every episode like such it was slowly tightening around her neck, and it didn't feel comfortable anymore. It was now choking her, suffocating, squeezing the peace out of her soul. And Rhaenyra was not the only one who felt such a thing. The unsettling feeling steadily crept into Rhaelena's soul as well. And their bond, the one only twins shared, caused the uneasiness to grow tenfold, for they knew: one of them could simply be mistaken, overthink... Yet not both of them. It was simply impossible.

They said nothing. The girls were still silently holding Aemma's burning hands, shoving their doubts into the most distant coffers of their innocent hearts. Their mother needed them, and that was the only thing that mattered.

Aemma finally closed her eyes, surrendering to her utter need for rest and reassurance. The comforting warmth of Rhaenyra and Rhaelena's skin against hers was her only remedy, the one that aided her recovery every single time. If it wasn't for her Princesses, she would be left alone in her misery, for Viserys confined himself in his chambers and drank wine till he could no longer walk and speak every time the unfortunate news found him one way or another.

* * * 

Daemon only used to hear the meetings of the Small Council from behind the doors shut, yet that day finally brought change. Though he never truly fancied burying himself under the endlessly piling concerns of the realm, he knew he would've found the power of certain seats quite enjoyable. After all, why sit on the bale of hay when he could take one of the most lavish and soft chairs in the whole Seven Kingdoms?

When his brother's errand boy found the Rogue Prince and told him he was expected at the first meeting of the Small Council under King Viserys, The First of His Name, a satisfied grin twisted his features, making the glimmer of pride in his eyes burning brighter than all Fourteen Flames of Old Valyria. And just like the fires of the Freehold led to the destruction of the whole peninsula, Daemon clung to the expectation of his new position being the doom of his tedious escapades from the Vale. At last, he thought, his brother decided to show him mercy and give him the recognition and freedom the Rogue Prince deserved.