𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 | 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐬 𝐕𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧

𝐛ȳ𝐫𝐞

⸻
Astraea Lily Targaryen

I felt still momentarily before asking Rhaenyra, "What do you mean, sister?"

"Father, before he passed—he wished for his oldest or youngest child to be the rightful heir to the iron throne."

"Rhaenyra, I'm a nobody. I've always been a nobody, and that's the only way I know how to live. You know I'm not fit for a throne—or even to rule a kingdom I have forgotten existed. Lucerys has mentioned the war that's coming, and I know what has been done—I will fight for you, my sister, by your side even if that means shaking hands with death in the end." I take her hand gently and hope she'll understand.

We stare at each other for a while, our eyes filled with vulnerability, fear, and uncertainty for what's to come. "You're more fit than I am, Rhaenyra. I want a simple life without the pressure of the world as I've been living behind the wheel  all my life, letting it make me its puppet, and as a fool, I command them, even when I know the story's outcome."

My sister nods in response. It might seem nothing, but she doesn't have to say anything for me to understand as her eyes speak for themselves.

Rhaenyra reaches for my face and says, "Oh, how I've missed you, Astraea."

A tear that I've been brushing off somehow escapes my eyes, showing the emotions that have been repressed for a long time. If there's one thing I despise, it is crying in front of someone, making me feel weak.

"I hate crying, and you've made me cry." I let out a small chuckle.

"When this is over, we should have a day together, you, me, and our other sister Helena. She's always been adamant that you're still alive."

"I can't wait for war to be over if we can only shake hands and call it a day." I sighed, lying down on her bed.

"I'd give a day for us to be kids again."

♕

The sound of a dragon screeching outside has awoken me from my slumber; I didn't realize how exhausted I was to doze off that quickly. Rhaenyra must have left me be, knowing that I needed rest.

Out of curiosity, I walked out of my sister's chamber and followed the sound leading me into the balcony where—a dragon with grey and white scales soared freely above the mere distance. He seems to be in his world; I wonder who his rider was.

"You've met Seasmoke."

I turned around to see Jace standing a few feet away from me. The beat of my heart suddenly grew stronger, as if it knew who the voice belonged to.

I chose to ignore it.

"Has he always been like this?" I asked with concern for the dragon.

"Seasmoke has grown restless of late. We cannot know why."

"Maybe he's lonely."

"You seem to know much about dragons, Astraea."

"It feels strange to hear my name. I never knew that saving a prince would lead me to find my sister and soon my family, or if I can even call them family."

I hear his footsteps draw closer to where I stand, and I hate how he holds control over my heart, perhaps an instrument beating against my own will without him knowing.

"Bastard. A word that shaped my brother and I growing up; people stare at us as if we're a disgrace to society because of our father."

I turned to my right and gazed at him, "What's your father's name?"

"Harwin Strong. Some call him Breakbones, but he was gentle and fierce. I think that he loved us."

A small laugh escapes from me, "Where is he now?"

Jace finally turns around, his face slightly raised and his eyes so beautiful that they remind me of home. It carries the same intensity as his mother but gentler.

"I was young when he left; it was the day I asked my mother if I was a bastard. She denied it, but I knew deep down that Harwin was my father."

The sound of the ocean and Seasmoke's screech occupy the silence between us.

"Your father—loves you, Jace, and will continue to even from afar. He will proudly carry the blood he has shared within you and your brothers." My hand reached his shoulders, an impulsive action I couldn't resist.

Jace noticed my act, and somehow, I felt his weight within the palm of my hands quickly, I removed it.

With a tight smile, I began my way back into the castle before I felt him reach out to me, "We mustn't. We're at War Jacaerys, war harms our hearts.

"I'm ready to play with war if that means being able to stand beside you for the rest of myself." He turns my body to face his, arms reaching out to touch me, but somehow, an invisible force goes against our bodies, tugging and fooling us into thinking this will end happily.

"The view above here is breathtaking," I replied, distracting myself from whatever this was.

"Astraea."

"Goodbye Jacaerys." I walked away, knowing my heart had given into a battle I let myself lose.

Maybe when the world isn't so cruel, I'll let myself be selfish.

Maybe, maybe, maybe.

authors note!
this is more of a filler chapter but in the next one we'll finally see astraea reuniting with her family... let me know your thoughts so far!! i'd love to hear it :) until the next chapter!