Prince's Angel

Lavishness, Revelations and Worries

The feast commenced.

It was lavish and spectacular, to say the least. Dishes from all over the Seven Kingdoms and Essos were in display. 

Servants came, bearing large platters of pure gold and silver, goblets of crystal, gorgeously engraved and inlaid with gems, like amethysts, rubies, emeralds, sapphires and diamonds. 

A dish from the Reach, of baked rosemary bread, or sops- bread fried with sweet butter and studded with flowers was presented to her. A Dornish dish of flatbread, tender as a cloud, olives stuffed with goat cheese, oysters sauteed in olive oil with a squeeze of lemon juice on top. Crusty, hot pumpkin bread sprinkled with seeds from the Vale of Arryn, trenchers of meats spiced with pepper, garlic, onions and wrapped in bacon from the Riverlands, bits of bacon in a wine sauce spiced with honey and cloves with roasted vegetables from Lord Steffon's home, roasted quail basted in honey, cherries and cloves from the Westerlands and bits of roasted pork soaked in honey, raisins and mushrooms from the North. 

It seemed as if Aerys was willing to show off his realm's grandeur and sophistication, Seraena thought. She barely managed to eat a bite, painfully aware of the countless eyes on her. At the Yule Ball in Hogwarts (which she did not officially attend, but came nevertheless), Fleur's partner was so entranced his food kept missing his mouth. Seraena struggled to hide a smile at that thought. At least the portions were small.

However, the feast had only just begun. That course was meant to whet their appetites and no more. Seraena spotted Tywin Lannister speaking with his son Jaime about something, his twin by his side. Lord Tywin's daughter would surely grow to be one of the most beautiful women in the Seven Kingdoms, with hair shining like spun gold, eyes as green as emeralds and striking classical features as finely chiselled as a porcelain dolls with perfect skin. Yet there was a proud haughtiness in her face, a scowl to boot which marred her looks. She was certainly dressed to impress, Seraena thought. Eating bits of rosemary and pumpkin bread with her long fingers, she would surely captivate any man who would dream of her feeding them. 

With her beauty, bloodline and wealth (the Lannisters, according to her readings, were the wealthiest family in Westeros), Cersei Lannister would be a prize for any man. Yet now it is I that sits by Rhaegar's side, as his future queen, instead of the Lannister girl...

She wondered if Cersei resented her.

Speaking of her marriage... A sudden fear struck her. How would Rhaegar react to her having magic? How would he react to her keeping it a secret until after the wedding? She could easily explain it was her Valyrian blood, and as some of her ancestors were flame-keepers, they clearly needed to use magic. But if he was a devout worshipper of the Seven? Queen Naerys Targaryen, and King Baelor the Blessed were among the Targaryens that adhered exclusively to the Faith. What if he was less-open minded about that?

There was Queen Visenya, one of the sister-wives of Aegon the Conqueror was rumoured (only rumoured) to dabble in sorcery, but how else would the Targaryens have kept ther dragons for so long if they did not possess the slightest shred of magic? Ever since the dragons died, the maesters wrote that the winters had grown longer and harsher, whereas the summers were shorter. The magic had died out.

Besides, she did try to tell Rhaegar- only to find herself surrounded, monitored by countless servants, kingsguard knights and scheming courtiers. There was no possible way she could get her message across, though Rhaegar's brow had furrowed, wondering what she wanted to say. But even he knew it was not wise in the least, to allow any remotely interesting conversation to occur within earshot of anyone else in the Red Keep. There were most certainly spies. 

She needed to tell Rhaegar after the wedding.

Seraena had been so deep into her own thoughts she was almost startled when the next course came up. This one had a bigger portion than the first, but still not big for a main course. Delicate pastries, fresh from the ovens, stuffed with a filling of eggs, herbs and pork mince made by some Reachman, crabs boiled with fiery spices laid in a bed of leaves inspired by Dorne's food, pheasant with wine sauce and wild mushrooms, spinach and thyme made by Stormlander cooks, grilled trout poached in Arbour gold, truffles and peach sauce, a dish recommended by Lord Tully, walnut pastries sprinkled with cloves and cinnamon made by Lord Arryn's cook. Wild boar ribs in a sauce of honeyed wine- no doubt hunted by some Lannister kinsman of Lord Tywin's. Lamb baked in a crust of herbs and garlic, garnished with mint- all in the Northern style.