✶|𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘺|✶ 𝘈𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘯 𝘐𝘐𝘐 𝘛𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘦𝘯

✶𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 34✶

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Weirwood tree

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✯Serena's Pov ✯

Year 133 A.C

Westeros

Red Keep, King's Landing

"WHAT?!"

Serena stared at her father in utter disbelief, her voice rising with raw shock.

"Serena... Don't shout..." Her father murmured, equally frustrated, rubbing his temples.

Cassian swallowed hard, standing awkwardly to the side, unsure whether to speak or vanish into the floor.

"What do you mean Elyas is engaged?!" She said again, not quite yelling, but still loud, the fire of anger quickly replacing her initial shock. "How do you just find out now?!"

"Because I only found out an hour ago, little star..." Her father said, voice flat, the same tension building in his shoulders.

"So your heir is getting married and no one thought to tell you until today?! That doesn't even make sense!" She gaped at him.

"Lady Serena, perhaps-.." Cassian tried gently, but was cut off.

"He sent a letter." Her father snapped. "Just a letter. That's how I was informed."

Serena ran her hands through her hair, pacing like a caged animal. 

"And what about mother and Sissi?! Did they know? Or are we all being left in the dark by that-..."

"Lady Serena!!" Cassian's voice cracked through the room like a whip, louder than anyone had ever heard from him before.

Both Serena and her father turned to him, genuinely startled.

"The candles are swaying." He said, pointing toward the flames flickering dangerously at the back of the study. "If we don't calm down, you're going to start a fire."

Serena inhaled deeply, trying not to let her powers spiral. She pressed her palms to her face, grounding herself. The heat in her chest remained.

Her father sighed heavily. 

"You know how your brother is. He's impulsive, reckless. He did all of this behind our backs, and I doubt he told your mother or sister any sooner than he told me."

Serena gritted her teeth. 

"So what now? Are you going to oppose it? Disinherit him? Maybe exile him? That sounds like a good option."

"I'm going to skin that boy..." Lord Dayne muttered, leaning back in his chair, pressing his fingers hard to his temples.

"Perhaps we should all try to stay calm..." Cassian tried again, softer this time. "I understand Lord Elyas was... foolish, but reacting out of anger won't fix anything."

They both knew he was right. But it didn't dull the sting. It didn't erase the feeling of betrayal burning in Serena's chest.

"Who even is the girl?" She asked, her voice low now, tightly controlled, but still laced with fury.