Starfyre

2: Saera 1

The terse click of heeled shoes resounded in the halls of High Hermitage high in the Red Mountains of Dorne. Anxiety roiled in Saera's stomach as she sped down the halls toward her father's chambers, heart tight in a prayer that he was alright. The Lord of the Castle and Saera's father had fallen from his horse before the convoy of attendants, knights, servants, and many others were set to start their journey to King's Landing for the tourney to celebrate the Westerosi victory against the Free Cities and the birth of Queen Rhaenys's first child to Tytos Lannister, the Lord of the Casterly Rock. Her father - Lord Gaeron Starfyre - had then been rushed to bed, a fever having come on that was high enough to be worrisome, though low enough to be broken even though it hadn't yet.... It had yet to do so, but that was besides the point of the ordeal. The point of the ordeal was that her father was now sick.

Saera had been notified almost immediately, the original plan for her, her husband, sons, and half-sister were that they were not supposed to depart on dragonback for the tourney until nearer to the start of the tourney; now though, that plan might be in danger. Her lord father would not be making the trip now. He was no rider of dragons, not since his bond - Baelyx - had died over 15 years ago; he was just a man now.... Without the protection of a dragon bond to burn illnesses from his body.

Saera was walking quickly because of this fact, and as she neared, her heart tightened more. She threw the door open, the force of her push ramming it against the stone wall, a slight cracking noise coming from the handle. Saera paused, adjusting her silver-gold hair before walking into her father's chambers. The man laying in bed in front of her was thin of face, a more traditionally Valyrian silver hair and beard framing him, sweat covering his brow. His green eyes were unfocused at first as the attendants and maester tended to him, until they caught sight of his eldest daughter and heir, the focus and clarity that she knew returning to his eyes, "Saera.... I'm fine, truly.... It just seems like I won't be able to go to the tourney." His voice was ragged, though still echoed with a commanding tone.

Saera allowed herself a small smile upon seeing her father at least looking to be on the mend, though she was unsure if that was the case. Only time and the gods would tell if the fever would break. One of the attendants walked past her, a small curtsy before heading down the hall, "Lady Starfyre."

Saera sighed, she was not "Lady Starfyre" - that was her mother, and after her, her step-mother..... But they were both dead now..... So perhaps she was 'Lady Starfyre' after all..... She walked closer to her father, "Father... How did this happen?"

Her father coughed, only a little, but enough for blood to coat his lips, which was from the sores he commonly got in his mouth and throat from the heat and dryness of the summer.... The fever was only exasperating it, she thought. "I seem to have fallen off my horse. Silly of me I realize, but I had a burning and lightheadedness about me and I seem to have fainted.... Now I have a fever." He mustered levity, his light-hearted nature present even then.

The Maester, a young bald man came over, "Lord Gaeron has a fever, though I am not so worried about it at the moment. He will have to stay here, unless you feel that it is best to have a rider with you once if he is hale enough when it is your time to go, m'lady..... But he is in no health to do his duties now."

Saera cut her sigh short, even as it left her lips, She took her father's hand with one of hers, using the other to clean her father's lips of the blood on them, and responding the maester, "Yes, thank you for treating him, Maester Alen. I should hope that he mends before then...." It now stood that until that day came, even if it were tomorrow, she would be the reigning Lady of High Hermitage, not just de facto, but in actuality.... She truly was 'Lady Starfyre' now..... If only for a time.

To her discomfort, Maester Alen motioned for her to follow him out of the room. With her heart tightening again, she hesitated, This does not mean anything well for father..... She stood despite wanting to comfort and be with her father, closing the door behind her softly before the maester began speaking to her, "He is a strong man, I have no doubt that he will make a recovery in a few days, perhaps a week. But I am worried that this may happen again..... It is rather uncommon for a man previously of such good health to collapse as he did from his horse... I would like to run tests, as he's agreed to, but as lady of the castle, I must get your consent as well.... Some are painful."