𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐞 | 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧.

𝐢𝐢. 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝

Noisy.

That was Aelina's first thought as she woke up, feeling a slightest pressure on her hand; Aemond's own it must be.

There were voices and the more she gained consciousness the more she understood what happened in her surroundings.

'Now you should thank her for being at least smarter than you, Alicent.'

Otto?

His presence made her nervous in the way no one's did. He was so insisting, pushing everyone around as he was playing chess. His desire to control everything - everyone, even - made her quite uncomfortable. Aelina would rather spend hours listening to their mother insult her than stay in one room with him.

'Now everyone talks about me being an awful mother!'

'Don't be stupid,' he sighed tiredly. 'Don't you understand what would happen if that whore got hurt? They would see you as who you are!'

'Oh, and now they don't?!'

Fuck.

Her whole body was consumed by pain and if not the fact that it was a sacrifice for her brother she would cry.

'No one cares if you are a bad mother. And no one will beat Viserys's bad parenting anyway,' A beat of silence before he continued. 'Oh, and, wasn't the way your daughter worded everything - about family, I mean - quite lucky. She gained some respect from the King. And others. They would think it's your work, maybe.'

The little "maybe" made Aelina mentally chuckle.

But how funny it was - to know that even now, with her and Aemond being without an eye, hurt and ill, they talked about the court. They could ignore her state, that was fine. But Aemond's? He was nothing but a sweet kid. Yet, even the title of Alicent's favourite child could save him from the indifference.

'If you woke up, princess, you should say that rather than listen to the talks of others,' suddenly Otto's voice was close enough for Aelina to shudder.

'She still needs some time to...'

'No, she doesn't, Aemond.'

Aelina opened her only eye, and the weight of losing the second one caught her slowly. Everything was blurry. She saw Otto towering upon her, Alicent standing right in front of the window, Aemond, her sweet brother taking place on her blind spot, squeezing her hands securely. And-

Oh.

There was Aegon. He was sitting on her left side, watching carefully.

She didn't expect him to be here.

But he was.

'Rise and shine, sister dearest.' he greeted her, holding out a wine bottle. 'Want some?'

'Don't you dare,' Aemond warned him.

'And here I thought I was being nice,' Aegon smiled distastefully, but the look he gave his sister was almost tender.

Aelina sat down on the bed, hands reaching for bandages on her eyes. Aemond immediately slapped them away, grumbling something about dirty hands and infections. It made her smile, so she ruffled his hair, receiving an annoyed groan.

'King Viserys wanted to see you,' mother told her, not turning to face her. 'Dress is already ready. Be sure you are looking nice.'

Aelina clenched her jaw.

Nothing new.

It happened sometimes - Alicent getting this awful breakdowns, crying and screaming, hugging her and Aemond as she tried to comfort herself, asking to be held. And after that, she always became colder. Not meeting any of them until she gains the reins of self-control back.