𝑨 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝑯𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 // 𝑨𝒆𝒈𝒐𝒏 𝑰𝑰 𝑻𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒚𝒆𝒏

88. I, King Viserys...

The dining hall was beautifly prepared, candles were placed and lit all over the hall and on the table.

Alyssa, still feeling the weight of the recent events, sat quietly in her chair, observing the tense atmosphere in the dining hall. On the other side of the room, Aegon, Aemond, and Daeron engaged in a private conversation, their voices low and hushed. Alyssa strained to hear what they were discussing, but their words were too quiet and indistinct to grasp.

Meanwhile, other members of the family and courtiers present in the dining hall whispered amongst themselves, their voices hushed and careful as they navigated the delicate atmosphere.

Alyssa felt a the tension in the room and reached for her glass and took a sip of water, attempting to quench her thirst and calm her nerves. As she did, Baela approached quietly, her steps hesitant and nervous.

She watched ad Baela went to stand next to the chair, her curly silver hair was up and she wore a blue gown, her eyes averted and her expression was troubled. With a gentle cough, Baela spoke in a lowered voice, her words filled with trepidation. "Alyssa, can I talk to you for a moment?"

She met Baela's gaze with a guarded expression, her anger and frustration still simmering beneath the surface.

"What is it, Baela?"

It had been years and that was the first words she spoke to a woman she called sister.

The lady hesitated, clearly aware of the tension between them. She fidgeted nervously, her eyes darting around the room before settling back on Alyssa. "It's... about the recent events," Baela finally managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just wanted to make sure you're... alright."

Those events, did she mean the death of her niece, or the death of Vaemond velaryon?

Her jaw clenched as she took another sip of the water, the taste growing all too familiar on her tounge. "Spare me sisterly care, Baela," Alyssa said firmly. "It's not wanted."

She had expected her to go, to leave her alone as she had asked but to her surprise, Baela seated herself next to her. Baela's expression was slightly more stern than before and she saw the familiar stubborness in them.

"Aly, listen to me. I need you to know that we received no letters from you," Baela explained. Surely she must have heard about the conversation between Alyssa ans her mother the other day. "And if we had, do you not think I would have been the first to come to you beforehand?"

Alyssa's guard began to waver slightly as Baela's words hit her. She wanted to stay angry, to cling to her resentment, but the truth in Baela's words was difficult to ignore.

"When I heard of Aelys's death, I was devastated," Baela continued, her eyes shining in the candlelight. "You must know that I would never have ignored a letter like that. We all mourn her loss deeply, just as you do."

The hard edges around Alyssa's expression began to soften. She understood that Baela's words held the ring of sincerity, and it was difficult to stay angry in the face of such genuine emotion. However the mention of her little girl hurt her deeply.

The Queen and the Hand had emptied Aelys's old chamber, all her clothes, all her toys, her blankets were removed. Twas like everyone were afraid to even mention her name. Hearing Baela mention Aelys at all pulled a sensetive sting to her heart.

"What about Jace and Luke?" she asked, trying to change the subject. "Why haven't they come to see me?"

Baela sighed, her voice gentle but firm as she explained. "Jace... he was afraid, I think," she said quietly. Alyssa frowned in response. "He was worried that you would reject him, that you wouldn't want to see him. And as you know he holds you dear, you are his only sister." She paused, her eyes searching Alyssa's face for any sign of understanding. "And Luke... well, he's sorry, Alyssa. He truly is. He wants to see you, but he's scared of how you'll react. We all have been."