The Mouth of the Dragon, The Eyes of the Lamb

Chapter 2

"Happy nameday, Luce!" Aemond yelled out with a huge smile as he handed her a small package. Ever since that night in the hall and kitchen, Aemond began to hang around Lucela. Her violet eyes lit up as she took the present from Aemond and wrapped her arms around his body.

"Thank you, Aemond," she said shyly as she sat back down to open it.

"It's from the three of us before he takes all the credit!" Aegon yelled as he handed Luke a gift as well. Lucela grinned and ripped the plain paper off of the book in her hands. She looked at the book about plants in her hands in wonder. Lucela loved plants like Helaena loved bugs, and they spent their days in the gardens. She knew that her parents wanted her to learn about how plants could heal and help, and Lucela had agreed.

"Do you like it?" Aemond asked quietly as he sat down next to her to open the book.

"I do," Lucela answered with a smile as she looked at the book with Aemond. Alicent stood in the corner of the room with her father, Otto Hightower. Viserys was sitting across the room with Rhaenyra, Laenor, and Harwin.

Alicent took in how dark Lucela's hair was next to Aemond's silver Targaryen hair as they sat with their heads bent and almost touching. Her black gown was a stark contrast to Aemond's green tunic, and it simply showed the divide in the family.

"He seems to be close to the young princess now," Otto muttered as he lifted his goblet to his lips. Alicent frowned and looked at her father. He kept his gaze on the children in front of him and didn't look at Alicent.

"That is probably my fault, Father."

"It's the King's fault. He ordered Aemond to be kinder to her, did he not?" Alicent sighed and nodded her head quickly before taking a large gulp of the wine in her goblet. "Then you are free of fault."

"She's staring again," Laenor grumbled to Rhaenyra and Harwin when Viserys moved closer to his grandchildren. The three looked over to Alicent, and Alicent quickly averted her gaze to the floor in front of her.

"She'll always stare," Harwin grumbled as he turned his attention back to the children. Aegon and Jace were deep in conversation. Luke and Helaena were playing with the new wooden sword set he got, and Aemond and Lucela were still reading the book.

Lucela felt the stare on her and looked up at Harwin. He smiled at her, and Lucela smiled back before looking around the room. Her gaze collided with Alicent's. Alicent managed the same tight smile that she always gave Lucela, but Lucela couldn't smile back. Instead, she slammed the book shut before grabbing Aemond's hand and running off.

They had barely made it out the door when Lucela's name was being called. She turned and looked at her aunt Helaena. Helaena smiled softly before turning her attention to a very confused Aemond. He didn't understand why Lucela wanted to leave her own name day celebration, and he didn't understand why Helaena ran after them.

"Aemond, can I speak to Luce alone for a moment?" Aemond nodded with a frown before he walked back into the chambers they had just vacated. Lucela looked up to her aunt, and Helaena took her hand gently to guide her away from the door. "How are the dreams, Luce?"

Lucela sighed and chewed on her bottom lip. Her first dream had been the one about running into Aemond that eventually happened later that night. Since then, her dreams have been more frequent and detailed.

"They're not violent like yours, Helaena. I'm scared they will be."

Helaena smiled down at her niece before she bent down to be eye level with her. Lucela's violet eyes clashed with Helaena's own, and she took her small hands into a warm grip.