The Great Hope for a Dynasty

VI

Dragonstone, 128 A.C.

The diffuse light from the morning poured through the windows, rousing Aella from a deep sleep. It took a moment for her to take in her surroundings, the tapestries on the walls, the blanket tossed over the edge of the bed, the arms firmly wrapped around her.

Jace was sleeping peacefully against her, his breathing warm on her neck. She did not need to see him to know his hair was messy and kneaded from the pillows, or that sometimes he would drool a little when sleeping. Aella carefully turned to face him, taking in the faint scent of soap and sweat on his skin. His breathing changed, then his eyelids fluttered and he slowly opened his eyes.

"Morning, my husband."

"Morning, my wife." he whispered back.

Aella was starting to like that word. She had been a daughter, a princess, a sister, an aunt. A part of her always knew she would become a wife someday, and a mother as well. But until now, that fact seemed something distant, untouchable. And then there she was, married not to a man she barely knew or twice her age, but to a boy she knew her entire life, who loved her dearly, who respected her as his equal and rejoiced in hearing her thoughts and opinions..

He kissed the tip of her nose first, and Aella chuckled at him as he moved down back to her lips.

"Can we stay here, just a while longer?" the princess asked in between kisses, although she knew they couldn't, not with a whole day planned ahead of them.

"We can do whatever you wish, my beloved." the term of endearment in their mother tongue slipping effortlessly out of his mouth. Jace then pulled her closer and buried his face on the crook of her neck, making Aella shudder at the feeling of his lips on her skin.

The princess never thought fulfilling her duty could be so... pleasant. It had been a bit uncomfortable in the beginning and the mess of lips, clumsy limbs and uncoordinated movements did not feel right at first. Fortunately, the night was long enough so they had time to practice. And if the way he was planting kisses down her neck to her shoulders was any indication, he had enjoyed it as much as her.

Just when the sun was higher in the sky and shining faintly through the fog, they agreed it was time to get up and face the world. Jace reached for the small bell on the side of their bed, ringing it for a minute to summon the servants. There was a knock on the door soon after, and Mini entered the room with two other servants on her heels.

"Prince, Princess." she curtsied, and the servants followed. "G'day. Princess Rhaenyra has asked me to say that they have already broken their fast, and that she's waiting for you in her solar when you are ready."

"Thank you, Mini. Would you be so kind as to have a bath prepared for us?" Aella asked, still wrapped in between the covers. She could've reached for the shift she was wearing the night before, but that was tossed somewhere on the floor and she was too embarrassed to look for it at that moment.

"Sure, Princess. Would you like me to send for the kitchen to prepare a meal for you both as well?"

"That would be great, Mini. Thank you." Jace said.

As they dressed in their robes to get out of the bed, the servants moved to tidy the room around them. She watched as the serving girls took the sheets out for changing, glancing at each other at the sight of the tiny bloodstains on it. Mini and Deena prepared the bath exceedingly fast, with hot water and scented oils just how Aella liked.

It would take a while for Aella to get used to being completely bare in front of him, but she tried to ignore the slight discomfort of it as she disrobed once more to enter the bath, then holding out her hand for him. Aella could have sworn she saw Mini chuckling when Jace joined her in the water.