✦ New Faith ✦ Aegon Targaryen

○ twenty one ○

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My eyes fluttered open to the soft shuffling of feet, and I instinctively reached out, seeking Aegon's warmth—but he was already gone. The emptiness beside me felt oddly heavy, a reminder of the strangeness that lay ahead. I drew the blanket closer, feeling the room gradually filling with my handmaidens. They moved with delicate purpose, casting only brief glances my way as they arranged linens and whispered among themselves.

“Your Grace,” Cecilia, a gentle-eyed girl, spoke softly, keeping her gaze lowered. “We need to take your linen.”

“Oh,” I murmured, feeling a sudden flush heat my cheeks. I rose from the bed, clutching the blanket tightly around me as I watched them delicately lift away the linens, blood-stained proof of the night’s consummation. The evidence, while expected, felt strangely intimate—a reminder of last night's ritual that felt both ancient and raw. I looked away, my heart heavy with a faint unease. Part of me wished the moment could remain hidden, something private beyond their prying eyes.

With the bed now stripped bare, I looked around the small, unadorned room, realizing just how temporary this space was meant to be—a room only for the bedding, not for us. Thin drapes still hung at one end, dimly filtering light into the chamber. The memory of last night, the eyes of the court lingering beyond those drapes, sent a chill through me. The act that was meant to be sacred had felt unsettlingly exposed.

One of the maids, a dark-haired girl, approached with a small bow. “Shall I prepare a bath for you, Your Grace? And bring a fresh gown?”

“Yes, please,” I replied, grateful for the chance to wash away the remnants of the night. “But… here, in this room. I’d prefer not to be seen like this.” I managed a small, self-deprecating smile, though my heart was anything but light.

The girl nodded and slipped out, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I sat on the edge of the bed, hands twisting in my lap. Where was Aegon now? Carrying out princely duties, perhaps? But even as the thought crossed my mind, a bitter laugh escaped my lips. Aegon, attending to princely matters… it felt as far-fetched as the fabled dragons of Old Valyria.

No, he was likely where he always was—drinking, losing himself in the company of others. I could almost picture him among wine-soaked laughter and loose-lipped companions, seeking solace in distractions. The thought of him with another woman, or even just out enjoying the world without restraint, sent a bitter twist through me, a mix of jealousy and anger simmering just below the surface.

After several minutes, the handmaidens returned, carrying a large, steaming tub and pitchers of warm water. They poured the water slowly, the gentle sound calming me as the steam rose in delicate tendrils, beckoning me closer. One maid added a few drops of lavender and sage oil, filling the room with a soft, calming fragrance.

They helped me into the bath, the warmth spreading through me, soothing away the tension in my muscles. I closed my eyes, letting the water envelop me, washing away the traces of the night. I murmured a prayer to the Maiden, asking for strength and patience, and for the wisdom to navigate this strange new life with Aegon. The Seven had led me to this union, and I trusted there was a purpose, though it remained obscured to me for now.

When I finally rose, my skin pink and warm, they dressed me in a gown of deep crimson and black—the colors of House Targaryen. The fabric was rich, adorned with fine silver stitching at the sleeves and neckline, and cascaded down in layered skirts. The colors reminded me of my duty, a weight and pride I could feel pressing on my shoulders. They gathered my hair and placed a delicate chain of small, red gemstones through it, each step a reminder of my role.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror—a stranger’s face, yet unmistakably mine. No longer simply Tanda of House Targaryen, I was now a wife, a princess… a piece of the realm's future.

As I left the room, I cast one last glance back at the disheveled bed, a strange mix of embarrassment and unease went through me.