Dragon Born (House of The Dragon)

CHAPTER II:

            The castle was not how Lavender remembered it.
            The halls were the first sign of the castle slowly degrading into artless despair. The walls no longer had their images, of dragon fights and victorious kings. There was no sign of the small, oddly placed paintings of villages and bright flower fields, so proudly hung by the King himself, each day Lavender had presented them to him. The statues had moved, almost as if they had grown bored of their station and longed for new sights. Even the window panes were different.
            Lavender shared a raised brow look of disapproval with Calista, before moving on. She couldn't help but think the King had moved on from her. She was no longer the child he so adored. Had she been gone too long? Had she ruined the one relationship that kept her mother near?
            Lavender was greeted by two guards outside King Viserys' chambers. They bowed and she curtseyed, before walking through the doors they held open for her. She wiped her palms on the back of her skirts, praying they would stop shaking. As she entered, a conversation between Otto Hightower and the King came to a stop abruptly. Otto's eyes filled with distaste quicker than last time.
            "Lady Ostara, we were not expecting you." Otto glanced at the maesters in the room.
            The maesters stopped their prodding at the King who lay on an elevated bed before them, looking to Otto for guidance.
            Lavender despised the man. She found his desperation embarrassing. This display solidified that feeling. Lavender allowed a glare to settle on her brow, stepping over to the King, and snatching a pair of silver tweezers from the hand of the maester closest to her. The man flinched and stepped back.
            She held the tweezers up, grasping them in a fist. "Which one of you is stupid enough to think pulling and picking at these wounds is a wise idea?"
            Her question created a silence, only broken by the crackling of the fire and the wheezing of the King. She looked to and from the people in the room, waiting for an answer. No one dared look at her.
            "What happened to the ointments I sent? You were supposed to apply them like a salve. You've now allowed the wounds to fester." Her voice filled the room, commanding the attention of all. No eyes looked to her.
            "Little dragon, you've come." The King's voice was weak, but it was full of the same happy tone she was so used to.
            Her attention fell back on the King. Tears pricked her eyes as she took in his wounds, now allowing herself to look upon him properly. She set the tweezers down beside him, trying to steady her hands. She had not seen wounds like this. Wounds so violent and terrifying. She needed more time to study, to prepare. She wasn't ready. Her mother was right.
            She placed her hand gently on the King's shoulder, "Of course, my King." She could manage to say no more, fearing her voice would fail her.
            Calista placed her apothecary bag down by the bed, and Lavender wiped at her eyes hastily before moving toward it.
            "Have the King sit, please," she asked the maesters, grabbing out some ointments and salves she had put together. The same she had sent to the King many months ago. The design of these ointments and salves were purely based on the description the Queen had given her. She seemed to have neglected just how bad the King's illness was in her letters.
            The maesters sat Viserys up, ignoring his groans of pain. Calista handed the ailments to the maesters, giving Lavender the time to bring herself together. Otto was watching her. She breathed through her nose quickly, wiping it on the back of her index finger, before stepping over to the King.
            She reached for the bandages on the King's face, but he moved away, quicker than she had expected. She frowned. "My King, please allow me to assess your wounds. I need to see fully the extent-"
            "No," the King interrupted, "you should not see that."
            Lavender stooped to look the man in the eye, gently tilting his head with a finger under his chin, so his eye met hers. "I have seen worse things than your mug, cousin." Her voice was soft, a smile on her lips.
            This earned her a smile from the King.
            "How dare you?" Otto questioned from behind the King, stepping toward them quickly.
            The King, however, let out a wheezy chuckle. "Gods I had forgotten how stubborn you were," he coughed. "Just like your father."
            Lavender smiled, standing back up. She passed Otto a challenging look before motioning for Calista to pass her a bottle of the ailment being slathered onto the King's back.
            "You know plain well that I will not hear you when you tell me 'no'," she chastised, attention back on the King as she pulled the stopper off the small glass jar. She placed the jar down beside the King, on the bed, rolling back the sleeves on her dress.
            With care, she began to slowly unwrap the King's head, giving the dirty bandages to the maester beside her. She ignored the gaping wound in Viserys' face, dipping two fingers into the muddy paste beside him. It was cold and took some scooping before it stuck to her skin.
            "Forgive me, this may hurt for a moment."
            She worked the ointment across the King's face silently, moving as slowly and as gently as she could. Each groan from the King caused her to move slower, caused her chest to tighten and her eyes to sting. By the time she was finished, she had chewed on her lip until it was raw and bloody.
            With aid from the maesters, she wrapped the King's face once more, with clean bandages. The King looked upon her wearily. She met his gaze with a small smile, getting a fond one from him in return.
            "Done." Her voice was soft, close to a whisper.
            "You will come tonight, won't you?" He inquired.
            Lavender turned her cheek to him with a raised brow. "Where to?" She took the cloth from Calista, staining it with salve and blood.
            "A feast. Tonight. Otto is to prepare it. All my children. You must be there. I have news for you. Good news."
            Lavender smirked, letting out a breath through her nose. "I'm not one of your children, cousin," she teased.
            Viserys scoffed, the sound turning into a violent coughing fit. Fearful he may teeter from the bed, Lavender stepped toward him, gently placing her hand on his collarbone, steadying him.
            "You are my child, foolish girl," he managed, gently patting her hand. "I wish you would cease this argument."
            Lavender smiled, trying to force it to meet her eyes, willing it to look genuine. Seeing this man, who had for so long been her role model, sitting so vulnerable and near death before her pained her heart. He was a father to her, one just as good as Corlys.
            "I appreciate all you do for me, King Viserys. I shall be there."
            Their moment was cut short, Otto clearing his throat, now beside Lavender. A challenge, if she knew better.
            "It is time we allow the King to rest, Lady Ostara." He moved to place a hand on her arm, thought better, and put it behind his back. "I am sure you are needed by your mother before today's procession."
            Lavender looked at the Hand, before bowing her head. "Of course. Thank you." She turned to the King, gently placing a kiss on the clear space on his forehead. "Rest well, my King. I will see you in the eve."
            The King nodded, his eyes hazing over, thoughts taking him. Lavender nodded to Calista, who began to instruct the maesters on when to apply the ailment if Lavender was not there to tend to the King.
            Lavender pretended to busy herself with her skirts, trying to hide her shaking hands. Calista opened the door for her once they were done, urging her lady to depart with a small smile. Leaving Lavender's satchel with the King, Calista and the Dragon Born left the King's chambers silently.