Sun and Fire ~ Aemond Targaryen

06. Return to King's Landing

Because the mourning was still very palpable in Prince Aegon and his family, Queen Alicent and Princess Rhaenyra agreed to invite them to spend a season in the Red Keep, figuring that the girls would feel better and get distracted from their suffering with the company of their cousins, was something quite unusual that both the Queen and the crown princess agreed on something after so long of disputes and disagreements.

However, Princess Kassaia made the decision to stay two weeks in Sunspear with her brothers while the girls would be sent to King's Landing in the company of the royal family. Although Prince Aegon was invited to both places with kindness, he decided to stay in his mansion in charge of his vineyard.

It would only be two weeks where the family would be trying to cope with Naemon's absence, but this time for some would feel like an eternity.

The young Meria Targaryen was not very much in agreement with this, but ended up accepting the idea when she noticed that her father needed some time alone, so the next day the girls packed some things to start their respective trips.

Daemma could not avoid commenting that she had become the new rider of Auryon, so she was congratulated by everyone before flying for the first time to King's Landing along with her younger sister who was flying Vaithis, the girls traveled in the company of two personal maids and their protector, Ser Morros Vaith, who followed them from the ground on horses and carriages in the company of other guards and attendants.

The Red Keep castle in King's Landing was certainly not the girls' favorite place and they knew it better than anyone, although it was huge and there were always activities to do, the weather and the atmosphere made them uncomfortable, while in Highgarden they could enjoy the sun and the vegetation, in this place they only spent cold and cloudy days bored them enormously, it was very difficult for the sun's rays to break through the huge city and when it did it only lasted a few hours before being swallowed by the clouds, the wind sometimes rose strong and heavy.

But the worst, undoubtedly the worst was the tense atmosphere of that castle, full of hostile and hypocritical nobles who smiled kindly but once their backs were turned the malicious gossip began, everything was questioned, everything was judged down to the smallest detail, especially treaing to the royal family. 

The sisters knew that they could not neglect their image, they could not walk around barefoot, with their hair loose and with baggy dresses, they knew that they could not walk or run mischievously as they used to do. Everything had to be quite protocol, even the servants were somewhat detestable and they could not trust them since most of them apart from being mere workers, were also spies and informers.

In spite of everything they could not complain about the pleasant reception, both their uncle the King, Queen Alicent and Princess Rhaenyra were kind to them, they were offered a wonderful stay in Maegor's Holdfast, in a huge room with a large fireplace and the best thing was the view towards the city, from their balcony they could see a bit of the training courtyard and somewhat the large gardens of the Keep, which was something that pleased Daemma quite a bit.

Once they arrived, they left their respective dragons in Dragonpit guarded by the dragonkeepers who always seemed to be quite serious and unpleasant, however, they knew that both Auryon and Vaithis could not be in better hands than with them, they promised to ride them soon and then went up in a carriage to the Keep, where the Queen herself welcomed them with a pleasant smile.

Alicent was accompanied by Ser Criston Cole, who always seemed to walk behind her and while all the time he seemed to be in a bad mood he was quite respectful to Meria and Daemma, probably because of his Dornish origin.