Led By Fiery Passion (currently being revised)

Part 66

Aenyra

Two days had passed, and Aenyra found herself pacing restlessly, clinging to the fleeting hope of Aemond's return. She had made a promise to him. To rest and nourish herself—and despite her anxiety, she was trying to keep her word. She sat down in their chambers to a hearty breakfast, one generously provided by the maidservant. To her surprise, she polished off every last bite, savoring the warmth of the meal as it settled in her stomach, leaving no crumb behind.

As she prepared for the day ahead, Aenyra hummed a soft, gentle tune—one that always reminded her of the melody her mother would hum to her, a song she in turn had hummed to Luke, Joffrey, and little Aegon when they were little. Her voice barely rose above the quiet of the room, a fragile thread of sound that seemed to float in the morning light.

Running a hand through her long, wild hair, she tried in vain to tame the unruly strands, the tangles resisting her gentle attempts. A soft rustle of fabric and the faint creak of the doorframe broke her reverie, drawing her attention.

A gentle knock echoed through the room, and a familiar voice followed, tender yet edged with concern. "Aenyra?"

It was Baela.

A wave of disappointment washed over her, but she quickly suppressed it and hurried to open the door. As soon as she did, Baela stepped inside.

"I know I should have come to see you sooner, but with Aemond here and then with you fainting, I thought it best to give you some space to rest. How have you been feeling?" Baela asked, concern etched on her face.

Aenyra felt warmth spread through her at her sister's presence; the past two days had been lonely, with only Jacaerys constantly hovering and asking if she was all right or needed anything. "I'm better... thankful my morning sickness is gone," she said, immensely grateful that the nausea triggered by even the faintest smells had finally faded. "I'm glad you came to see me. I was starting to go stir-crazy with Jace. Not that I don't love being around him, but he's been with me constantly, as if I might break at any moment."

"Yeah...you know... I didn't get a second to say how sorry I am,about Luke." The two sisters embraced, Aenyra felt the tear threaten to fall.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Baela pulled back, Her expression shifted from sorrow to concern. "Why didn't you tell me about Aemond? About the baby?" she asked, her voice thick with emotion.

Aenyra paused, caught off guard by the question. She took a moment to gather her thoughts, feeling the weight of the secret pressing down on her chest. "I wanted to," she began quietly, "but we were trying to prevent a war from happening between our families. Aemond and I, we thought if we kept it hidden for a while it might give us time to forge peace."

Baela's brows knitted together as she listened intently. "And you didn't think it was important to tell me? I would have understood. You needed support through this."

Taking a deep breath, Aenyra continued, her voice steadying slightly. "I had to make sure my mother knew first. If the news spread before she understood— then we were sent off as messengers, so I didn't really have a moment." She trailed off, her voice softening. "I guess none of it matters now."

Baela studied her for a moment, then nodded slowly, her expression softening. "I see. But you don't have to face all of this alone, Aenyra. I'm here for you, you can tell me anything."

Aenyra offered a faint smile, her heart warmed by Baela's presence. They sat together on the edge of the bed, the remnants of their sorrow over Luke lingering in the air like a fragile mist. Turning to her sister, Aenyra felt the weight of regret settle heavily on her chest. "I'm sorry for not confiding in you sooner, and I also regret what happened with Jacaerys. He mentioned before we left that you overheard our conversation about Helaena." She paused, carefully observing as a flicker of emotion crossed Baela's face before she quickly masked it with indifference. Aenyra noticed the subtle shift but chose to let it slide for now, sensing there was more beneath the surface.