inconvenient flame | HOTD

i.

Rosetta was three and ten when the Stranger came for her mother.

All day, she had been speaking of a pain in her chest, her face had been pale and sweat costed her brow. Princess Rhaenyra attempted to get her to rest but it wasn't until Faelynn Waters collapsed that they were able to bring a maester to her.

Rosetta had sat by her mother's bedside for hours, listening to her wavering breathing with tears in her eyes. Alec sat beside her, his fingers laced in the hand that wasn't clutching her mother's.

Princess Rhaenyra was also in the room, speaking to the maester with hushed tones and a pinched face. Rosetta knew in that moment that her mother would not live.

Jace and Luke stumbled into the room as her mother's eyes fluttered open, her pale blonde hair plastered to her forehead and skin pale.

"Rosie," Jace whispered, trying to step toward her but she couldn't tear her eyes from her mother, the woman's hand squeezing hers with the limited strength she had left.

"Mama," Rosetta whimpered, a name she hadn't called her mother in years. It seemed to bring her mother comfort, a smile lighting up her face. Her skin was nearly gray. Her beautiful, beautiful mother looked like a corpse already.

"My sweet girl," she murmured. "My little miracle. I am so sorry for the fate I sentenced you to. Forced to be a shadow in this world, the sneers and prejudice."

"No," Rosetta whispered, her hand squeezing her hand a little tighter. "Never apologize for that, Mama. You never made me feel like a mistake. Your love was all I ever needed. No one else mattered. No one's opinion ever mattered but yours."

Her mother's eyes wet a little. "My baby girl," she whispered, reaching a hand to stroke her thumb across Rosetta's cheek. "No matter what, remember I love you more than anything and everyone."

Rosetta leaned her head against the hand entwined with her mother's, taking a shaking breath. She would not cry, not when her mother needed her to be strong.

"I love you, Mama," she whispered.

Faelynn nodded happily, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on Princess Rhaenyra.

"Princess," she croaked out, making Princess Rhaenyra shake her head as she crossed the room, taking Faelynn's hand in hers.

"Just Rhaenyra," the Princess whispered. "Just Rhaenyra, my old friend. You deserve that."

Rosetta's mother nodded, her eyes pleading. "Have... have I served you well?"

"Of course you have," Princess Rhaenyra assured her. "My most faithful and devoted attended. "None in my service have loved and taken care of me the way you have."

Faelynn leaned back on her pillows, nodding with a smile. "That's good," she said. "I'm glad. May I be so bold as to ask something from you?"

"Anything," Rhaenyra promised. "Anything you want."

"Don't abandon her," Rosetta's mother pleaded. "Don't send my baby away. She will have no one left Rhaenyra, not after today."

"She has us," Jace said with conviction, coming to stand behind Rosetta, his hand squeezing her shoulder. "She won't be alone, ma'am."

Her mother let out a breathy laugh, her eyes flickering from Jace, to Luke, and finally to Alec. "You've been good to her," she croaked. "I would be forever in your debt... but I fear I will not be able to fulfill it."

Rosetta squeezed her eyes shut. Her mother did not need her to beg and plead and sob for her not to die, not to leave her. She would not allow her mother to die with that burden and guilt in her heart.