In an alternate reality where fate twists in unexpected ways, Lucerys Velaryon survives the deadly encounter with Aemond Targaryen. Instead of meeting his demise in the stormy skies over Shipbreaker Bay, he is captured and brought to the Red Keep, a...
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THE SUNLIGHT REFLECTED OFF Saelor's red curls as Luce watched her paint the scenery out of the window. The princess made painting look easy, effortlessly making strokes on the canvas. Lucerys couldn't say he had ever seen a paint so beautiful. Not even the art covering the walls in Dragonstone compared.
It had only been a few days since Luce had arrived at the greens territory. Sharing a room with Saelor hadn't been as bad as he was expecting it to be. She kept to herself mostly. She didn't have to change his bandage again. At least not yet. He enjoyed her company more than he would have liked to admit. It was a lot better than being alone in a room for what felt like eternity. "Your quite good at that you know." Luce found himself talking.
Saelor turned her head at the sudden voice. Her usual smile plastered on. "I have a knack for art. What about you?"
"No I can't paint for the life of me." Luce said. It was true. He had never been artistically inclined by any means.
"I mean do you take to any hobbies?" Saelor giggled. She quickly regretted the sound that slipped out of her mouth. Feeling like a ditzy idiot.
"I'm pretty good at Valerian." Luce thought about all the times he spent reviewing the language with his mother and Jace. Jace hadn't gotten hang of the language as fast as he did. It was like a instinct to him. Rhaenyra made it her mission to make her son Botha respectful and educated young men.
"Is that so?" Lucerys got hold of Saelor's attention fast. She quickly put aside her paint brush and moved to sit next to Luce.
"Do you not know any yourself?" Luce asked. He wasn't trying to sound rude, just more surprised.
"I know just enough to communicate with my dragon, Heartfire. Other than that neither me or my siblings know much." Saelor said. Her father never bother to teach them. Not like he did with Rhaenyra.
Lucerys found it humorous that he knew more valerian than the king himself. Humorous but not unbelievable.
"You have to teach me." Saelor said excitement taking over her voice.
"I'm not really a teacher." Luce said from his spot in bed. He hasn't moved much from the spot. He thought I'd he stayed in bed any longer the bed would mold to his body.
"Your smart I know you are please?" Saelor begged. "No one else in my house knows much. It can be like our secret language."
Saelor's innocence somewhat reminded him of hisself in a way. The him he once was. "Fine."
Lucerys spent the rest of the day going over the basic of Valerian with the girl. Surprisingly Saelor was fast learner and took to the simple words with ease. Luce had forgotten how much he enjoyed speaking valerian. The language was something he bonded over with his family, and some how he sort of felt like he was slowly bonding with Saelor over it too. He felt closer to his family more than he had in a week.
Lucerys so desperately wanted to reach out to his family, tell them that he was okay. That he was in-fact alive, but it was to dangerous to do so now. He had to wait, until he deemed Saelor trustworthy.
IT HAD BEEN AROUND A WEEK since Lucerys had bathed. As disgusting as it sounded the boy was in far to much pain to be moving around. When the maester insisted it was time he knew that he couldn't avoid it any longer. The maester had also told Luce that he would be sending in someone to assist him in the bath. Luce tried to refuse. Saying he did not need help, but it was no use. The Prince found it embarrassing to need help bathing. He didn't want a old man scrubbing around his bare body.
"You are joking." Saelor gasped from outside the washroom door.
"Have you known me to be one who jokes?" Alicent said sternly. Glaring daggers at her daughter.
"You expect me to wash him? That is not appropriate. Is your goal to just rob me of my purity all together?" Saelor said. As if sharing a room with a young man could get any crazier her mother somehow proved the girl it could infact be crazier.
"You do as I say, and you know what" Alicent gripped onto her daughters thin wrist and swung open the washroom door. Luce quickly covered her exposed body before anyone could see. "Since you care so much about not being a married woman. As your dowager Queen I declare the two of you betrothed."
Saelor looked down, tears swelling into her eyes. She never knew her mother to make empty promises. She always followed through with her claims.
"I am promise to another already. How could you do that?" Lucerys said. His voice slightly cracked. He was in a vulnerable position and was extremely aware of it.
"And now you are not. That is how it works is it? What's said is done" Alicent said pushing her daughter closer to the bath before storming out, making sure to slam the door.
The room was still with silence. Neither child knew what to say. There was no words for the wrath they had just faced. Instead Saelor reached for the sponge. Lucerys bottom half was covered by a cloth. The small article held whatever dignity the brunette had left. Saelor gently dabbed at the wound on his thigh. She made sure to be careful not to hurt him as he was in enough discomfort. Luce slowly sat up enough for Saelor to see his back. Tears still rolling down her cheeks as she repeated the process.
Lucerys too was holding back tears. He hadn't found it a awful fate to marry the princess but the circumstances were anything but ideal. The queen's behavior was odd and something that he had never experienced before. He knew it was wrong and it felt wrong to have Saelor forced to wash his body against her own wishes. "Saelor stop." Lucerys grabbed onto the sponge. Stopping the girl.
Saelor looked at him, her eyes were irritated and her lips were chapped. "Did I do something wrong."
"No... that is enough though." Lucerys tried to say in a comforting tone. "I need you to help me into the chair. I can't do it myself." Luce was referring to the stool that sat close by. Saelor nodded unable to form words. "Just close your eyes ok?"
"Of course my Prince." Saelor complied, closing her eyes. She put her arms under the boys armpits and he grabbed onto her shoulders, using all his strength to stand up and than sit down. He wrapped a towel around his body before telling Saelor she could open her eyes.
"Can you get dressed on your own?" Saelor asked, looking down at her feet.
"Yes you may go." Luce lied. He didn't know how he would be able to get dressed himself without it hurting a great deal.
When Lucerys came back to his chambers Saelor was already changed into her nightgown. Snuggled up into blankets with her face buried into her pillow.
Saelor cried until she couldn't breathe and Lucerys listened. She felt like a puppet forced to the will of their puppet master. At that moment it was clear to Saelor that her life was not out of her control. She would do anything to get the control she so badly needed back in her life.
