✦ New Faith ✦ Aegon Targaryen

○ twelve ○

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After being carefully prepped by my handmaidens, I sat alone for a moment, letting my thoughts race. "Thank you very much," I had whispered to them, a soft dismissal. Cecilia, the only one whose name I could remember, gave me a comforting smile before leaving. I returned it half-heartedly, but the anxiety in my chest didn't ease.

In the mirror, I assessed myself. The yellow dress, with its off-the-shoulder neckline, clung to me in ways that made me self-conscious. I turned this way and that, the fabric hugging curves I'd rarely thought about before. The bodice pushed my chest up slightly, and I couldn't help but notice the way I looked-different. Unfamiliar. But beautiful, I supposed. I wanted to feel powerful in it, but instead, I just felt vulnerable.

"Tanda, come out now. Your father wants us to walk to dinner together," my mother's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I sighed, giving myself one last look. "I will make the best of this," I whispered. "The Mother always finds a way."

I joined my parents, who wore the same yellow hues, my father's cloak proudly displaying the seven-star sigil of House Sunglass. Walking in step with them, I felt a strange sense of detachment, like I was observing someone else's life.

As we approached the Great Hall, the grand wooden doors loomed large before us. The knights stationed at the entrance stepped forward, their voices ringing out in the cavernous space.

"Lord Gandal Sunglass, Lady Myra Sunglass, and Lady Tanda Sunglass."

The room's attention snapped toward us as we entered. My stomach churned. The smells of roasted meats, warm bread, and spices filled the air, but I barely noticed them as I scanned the room.

On the left side of the long table sat Queen Alicent, her expression sharp yet composed. Beside her was Otto Hightower, watching with calculating eyes, always the Hand of the King in every way. Next to them, Aemond sat stiffly, his single eye glinting under the torchlight, watching every movement like a hawk. Helaena was there too, gazing into some distant corner of her imagination, lost in thoughts none of us could fathom.

But it was Aegon, sitting near the empty chairs on the right side of the table, who caught my attention. His silver hair, cut short and unruly, was a stark contrast to his siblings. His face was flushed from drink-he'd already begun before we arrived, it seemed. He looked carelessly handsome, but there was something hollow in his gaze. He was beautiful, but unsettling.

At the far end of the table sat King Viserys. I had to stifle a gasp when I saw him. His skin was pale, ashen, his once-mighty frame shrunken and fragile. His eyes were hollow, and his breathing labored. The sight of him, the King of the Seven Kingdoms, looked more like a ghost than a ruler.

My father nudged me forward, leading me toward the empty chair next to Aegon. As I sat down, my heart pounded in my chest, memories of earlier that day flooding back-the hallway, Aegon's wandering hands, the shock of not being recognized by the man I was to marry.

"Oh gods, help me," I muttered, not realizing I'd spoken aloud.

Aegon chuckled beside me, leaning in with a slurred grin. "Gods? They won't do much here, love. Better get used to it."

His voice was low, thick with drink, but there was a glint of recognition in his violet eyes now. He leaned closer, his breath warm against my cheek, the scent of wine heavy on him. "Should've known it was you earlier. You look... better in that dress." His eyes trailed over me, his gaze lingering a little too long on the neckline of my gown.

I stiffened, my fingers curling around the edge of my plate as I resisted the urge to pull away. His words were casual, almost playful, but there was a crude undercurrent to them, like he was testing the boundaries of propriety just to see what he could get away with.

"You didn't recognize me," I muttered, trying to keep my voice steady.

He gave a lazy shrug, reaching for his goblet again. "Too much going on, I suppose. But now that I do... I'll make up for it." He flashed a grin before taking another long drink, his eyes never leaving mine.

I flushed, the heat rising in my cheeks as I turned my attention to the food in front of me, trying to ignore the way my pulse quickened. Aegon was handsome, yes, but his careless demeanor and crude words made it hard to focus on anything else.

As the servants began to bring out dishes of roast meats, vegetables, and bread, conversation sparked around the table. Queen Alicent, ever the poised matriarch, asked my mother about our journey to King's Landing, her tone polite but distant. My father and Otto Hightower exchanged pleasantries, the discussion quickly turning to politics and matters of state.

Helaena, seated further down, muttered softly to herself, her eyes flickering with some private vision. I wondered if she even noticed the rest of us.

Aegon, however, was less inclined to talk. He drank steadily throughout the meal, his attention drifting from the conversation. Occasionally, he would glance at me with that same lazy grin, his foot brushing against mine under the table as if by accident.

"Are you comfortable here in the Red Keep?" Queen Alicent asked, turning her attention to me with a measured smile.

"Yes, Your Grace," I replied quickly, my voice barely above a whisper. "It's... quite different from what I'm used to, but I'm sure I will adjust."

"Good," she said, her smile tightening. "We want you to feel at home here. You are family now, after all."

Aegon snorted softly beside me, rolling his eyes as he poured himself another goblet of wine. "Family... isn't that sweet?" His words dripped with sarcasm, but his tone was so light that no one else seemed to notice.

As the meal drew to a close, King Viserys was escorted from the table, his frail body barely able to support itself. The sight of him being carried away like that left a heavy silence in the room, a reminder of the fragility of power.

When it was time to leave, Aegon stood awkwardly, swaying slightly as he gestured toward the door. "I'll walk you back, Lady Tanda," he offered, his voice a mixture of formality and drunken laziness.

I blinked in surprise, hesitating for a moment before nodding. "Thank you."

We left the hall together, the corridor dimly lit by flickering torches. Aegon's footsteps were uneven, and he stumbled slightly as he walked beside me, his hand brushing against my arm for balance. He chuckled softly, as though finding his own unsteadiness amusing.

"You know," he said, glancing over at me, "we will be married soon"

I raised an eyebrow, unsure how to respond to that. "Yes we will be"

He laughed, louder this time, before giving me a sidelong glance. "You're quite pretty at least I wont have to marry Helaena."

We reached my chambers, and Aegon stopped, leaning against the doorframe as he fumbled with the words. "So... this is it. Goodnight, I guess?"

"Goodnight, Aegon," I replied, stepping inside and closing the door behind me.

As the door shut, I leaned against it, my heart still pounding in my chest.