The Realms Rose | Aemond Targaryen / Daemon Targaryen

XIII

Young God - Halsey

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My dearest brother,

Kings Landing is as beautiful as you described, yet I find my heart aching daily for the familiarity of our home. My marriage once stale and cold seems to have warmed in the last few moons.

Aemond is a dutiful husband, but alas no love is yet shared between us. I have tried to content him my dearest, I have. But I fear his heart will never belong to me, and mine the same. My heart is in Highgarden, with you, mother and father.

I hope they are well, and I hope this letter finds you.

Rose.

After Auroras eventful morning she found herself compelled to write a letter to send home to her brother. Unlike normal, she decided to deliver the letter to be sent herself, accompanied by a few guards and her handmaidens to the Rookery. Where the many ravens are kept to deliver letters across the kingdoms.

Rose's letter was soon brought before an elderly maester, a man who had served in the castles of Westeros for as long as he could remember. He gently took the letter into his hands and inspected the wax upon it.

"A letter for Highgarden, I presume Princess?" he said as his sharp eyes glanced over the red roses embossed on the red wax, his mind whirring with the best choice of bird for delivery. He set the letter aside for the time being and carefully picked up an elegant black raven with intelligent eyes.

Aurora nodded at the older man, quite overwhelmed by the stench of the many birds that occupied the space. "Indeed."

The raven was a beautiful and highly intelligent bird, one of the maester's prized ravens. He carefully tied the letter to its leg before gently stroking its feathers, murmuring words of encouragement.

"Take flight, my friend." He said softly. "Fly south and true to Highgarden."

With a few beats of its wings, the raven took off from the high tower of the rookery and took to the sky, carrying the letter south to Highgarden.

The maester stood beside Aurora, his eyes following the swift flight of the raven. He turned to watch her as a smile spread across her face, an odd sense of contentment filling his chest.

"I've known that bird since it was just a fledgling, you know?" He said as he turned back to the window, watching the raven shrink further into the distance. "It's the fastest bird I have. She'll have it to Highgarden within a handful of days, if not sooner."

The maester's words were hardly enough to keep Aurora's mind occupied once the raven was soon gone from sight. Her heart began to thunder in her chest with the events of the morning replaying inside her mind over and over again. Her body still ached as remnants of the previous night haunted her like a shadow she couldn't shake.

"Thank you for being of assistance, maester. I should be returning back to the keep, I hope to see you again soon." She smiled at him, eager to return to her chambers without wanting to seem rude.

"It was my pleasure, Princess." He spoke kindly bowing at her, his eyes flickering back to her as the Raven finally vanished from sight. "Who is the letter to, if you'll permit a nosy old man?"