𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐞 | 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧.

𝐯𝐢. 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝'𝐯𝐞, 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝'𝐯𝐞, 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝'𝐯𝐞

In the end, she went searching for Rhaenyra's family right after getting out of Aegon's room. It wasn't that hard as she found them in the garden, probably wanting to take some walk before returning to the Driftmark. It was a nice day, and they walked around slowly, despite yesterday's events full of fun and hope, chatting about something that was understandable for them only. Aelina couldn't help but envy them. Daemon wasn't even their real father, just like Leanor wasn't and yet–

'Ah, the little niece is here too.' Of course he was the first to notice her presence.

'Aunt Aelina,' both of Rhaenyra's boys greeted.

Her gaze fell to the third boy, the one that Aelina hardly remembers. Joffrey? Even now he was peeking at her, while hiding behind his brothers' cloaks, making it hard to see him fully.

'... Sister,' Rhaenyra said unsurely.

It made Aelina raise her brows. Rhaenyra had never called her sister, it was more her habit.

'Mother warned me about your upcoming leaving,' Aelina stated, not even being bothered by formal vivas. 'I believe this word of my mother I can trust?'

Rhaenyra chuckled.

'You can.'

'Well... That's stupid. Your father is going to die soon, and you are leaving everything on Otto's shoulders?'

While being in solitude with her sister's family Aelina wasn't quite in mood to act officially or to show some respect to either side; green and black, she meant. Aelina was annoyed, a little bit tired from the whole conversation with mother as pain was still felt by her harshly, but more than all of it, she was more honest than ever.

'What can he do?' Lucerys asked with the same sly expression he had yesterday.

'And what he can not, sweet boy?' She was quick to answer.

Even after all these years, Lucerys seemed quite prone to such compliments as he averted gaze and puffed his cheeks as a little kid he was. Aelina appreciated the face of the person who took her Aemond's eye carefully. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't feel resentment towards him.

'We can't stay here any longer,' Rhaenyra sighed, touching her temples. 'I would like to, but I simply can't.'

'Well, then find a way to track what happens in the capital, while you are gone, Queen.' Aelina's tone sounded exactly the same as so many years ago, when they talked properly for the first time.

Except, Aelina wasn't the same fragile kid from before, all face covered in the blood from the eye loss.

'What are you doing here? What do you want from us? What goals are you chasing?' Jacaerys asked, a voice full of something that seemed suspiciously alike to Aemond's tone when he got too prissy.

She blinked, the realisation of the fact that this little shit just quoted her own words, dawning on her slowly.

Aelina offered him a forced smile.

'Because I don't enjoy being blind in both my eyes, precious boy,' The way Jacaerys snorted at her words, understanding what game they were playing, made her feel relieved. Then, she became more serious, turning back to Rhaenyra. 'And because I don't like the opportunity for any of my siblings to rule.'

'Aunt, leave with us then!' The suggestion flew from Lucerys's lips so quickly that he probably couldn't even comprehend how childishly naive it sounded.

It's not like she didn't want to. It was rather the question of... How it can't be possible. Aelina planned the way she could switch sides over years, thinking about all the sacrifices she would need to make, about all blood to spill, just to be allowed to take some place around them, not to say anything about gaining the real trust. And now, they tried to say that it was simple?