ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ꜱɪꜱᴛᴇʀ - House of the Dragon

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

TW: mention of sexual assault (not explicit, but still). Please, proceed with caution <3.

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Rhaena had decided to kidnap me from my daily duties.

She had stumbled inside the room I had been reading to Egg as little Viserys slept carelessly on my lap, had toasted the old book aside, accommodated the babe on the shared bed, kissed Aegon's head, and dragged me out with no other word than a "bye, Egg". The poor boy could only waved his tiny hand before the doors closed with a crack and both my sister and I disappeared from his view.

I had asked, whatever demon had possessed her to do such thing. But Rhaena had only struggled her shoulders, linked her arm with mine and began walking around the Keep as a true princess would do. Even though she was not, Rhaena was raised as such. As a daughter of the Rogue Prince, Daemon had made sure she was taught how to properly behave, and my sister had quickly learnt the correct performances to act as a princess on court. She only did so with her father around though. Or my mother. Or in the Keep, apparently. She was pretty good at it, I had to admit. Perhaps because I had been the one teaching mostly everything and I wanted to brag about it. But Rhaena knew the way she had to stand, talk and even look at someone.

That was another difference between the twins. Even though Baela was as lady like as her sister, she preferred dragonriding there where the youngest enjoyed spending her time with an old book. Rhaena had no dragon, true. But that didn't mean she didn't fly around. She had ridden Stormbreaker, Caraxes and Syrax a few times. She just preferred her feet on the ground, and wanted to spend more time on the skies only with her own mount. The day she had one.

She felt as an intruder, she said, after the first ride with Stormy. She had no bound with him, no shared thought nor feelings. How could she enjoy flying as much as I did, if she couldn't feel the dragon she rode?

"I thought of a walk around the gardens. I know you love them."

She smiled with all and teeth when I shook my head, hiding a grin of my own, and nodded with a sigh. She looked beautiful that day. Everyday, in fact. But today she was almost glowing. She was wearing a dark blue gown, with details in a lighter shade of the color that reminded me of Arraxes' scales. It was long, with long sleeves as well, and didn't shown any traces of skin other than her hands and her face and a bit of her neck, shining with the black and red necklace Luke gifted her. Her silver hair was as always on the top of her head, with only a few dreadlocks crowning her face as much as my own. I didn't have to look, to know her long, black fingers were shining silver due her countless rings. Rhaena looked beautiful in every color she wore, but Velaryon blue looked magnificent on her dark skin.

I was wearing blue as well, but trousers and corset instead of such uncomfortable garment. The dress-shirt was black, matching with the color of my boots and hair, and I had decided to pull it back by the infamous hairstyle Daemon wore in his war against the Stepstones, instead of my classic braid. I had too much free time that morn, braiding my hair seemed as the only right choice before Emory came to break the fast. It was either that or cause someone a headache so early in the morn. Though, considering the ungrateful bastards didn't even say their good morns, I supposed I chose incorrectly.

"I think you should wear more red." Rhaena said, bowing her head to some old lady that gave her an attempt to a smile.

"What for?"

"Because you look great in red. And it is our House's color."

The bright sun of the day hit her in the face the moment we set foot in the gardens. She smiled, wide and cheeky and beautiful, and took a deep breath as if she too needed to be surrounded by such view in order to remain sane. She had grown up in Pentos after all, she had seen way more pretty things that a bunch of poor trees and colorful flowers. But who was I to say something about it?