Stelsa, the girl crafted from the broken leftovers from the Gods, is far from the expectations of a normal lady. Her father, Aaeron Meryls, and her uncles sought to train her in the way of the blade. Many whisper about her origin - is she bastard li...
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AEMOND SWUNG HIS SWORD down upon the dummy. The sun had only just begun to rise above the city, but Aemond did not care. He had been out in the empty training yard for a couple hours now. The dummy before him had been a victim to countless hits from his blade — but again, Aemond cared little about that. He straightened as he felt the gaze of someone on him.
As he turned to look over his shoulder, Aemond watched as Aaeron emerged from the shadows. His darkened eyes looked over Aemond's appearance before he raised a crooked brow at him. "You should still be in bed. You have quite the day ahead." Aaeron commented as he slowly strutted into the training yard, pulling out his own sword and inspecting it.
Aemond huffed at him as he turned back to his practice dummy. "Yet sleep beseeches me for that very reason." Aemond shot back before he took another swing at the dummy, huffing as his blade knocked the wood. With the small victory Aemond turned to face the man who observed him. "And you? Why are you not still abed?" Aemond questions as Aaeron lifts his sword between the two, pointing the tip in challenge towards Aemond.
It was a rare sight to see as Aaeron's hardened features softened with a small grin hidden beneath his beard. The light seemed to reflect off his dark eyes for a moment as he looked over Aemond. "My daughter is getting married today." He said those words with a warmth unfamiliar to Aemond — it has always been distance and coldness when the two spoke. Yet Aaeron allowed Aemond the rarest sight this early morning. It caused the tension lingering in Aemond's shoulders to lift for just a moment. Aemond's own mouth twitched at the thought for the first time since he had arisen.
He was to be married today.
The moment did not dare to linger too long between them as Aaeron moved to strike — swinging his blade to clash with the Prince's. The sentiment, however, lingered even as the two continued to spar through the early morning.
Stelsa stared at the sun as it rose more over the city. The room was still quiet. No maidens toiled over her yet, her family had not come to help prepare her, and even Polaris remained soundly asleep with her head resting against the pillows of the bed. It was the only moment Stelsa would have to herself for the remainder of her day, perhaps even for her life. From this day forward, she would reside in the same chambers as her husband. Wherever she went, Stelsa would be followed or sought to be spoken with.
She had always been surrounded by people her whole life, yet in this moment she mourned the loss of her seclusion. Perhaps it was not even the solitude she had found this morning, but rather the life she had once known. Stelsa had not held the title of Lady Stark for long, but she had held the title of being the guard's daughter her whole life. At this moment, Stelsa mourned the loss of that. It had been so easy despite her thoughts otherwise. Tending to Heleana, training with Aemond, and attending to chores with Dyana and Caspian. She supposed she should be glad to no longer have the woes of chores to handle, but the thought of that was something she focused on.
