𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐞 | 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧.

𝐱𝐢𝐢. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲

Aelina felt everything and nothing at all.

There were a bunch of voices, high and low, whispers, and her own name, repeating over and over as a mantra.

She felt high as she either was seeing the walls of an unknown room or dreaming about Aegon. Aelina saw him feasting on her death as the flags were raised in the capital, people thanking him for killing her. There was silence too.

And then, she finally came to her senses, exhaust still licking her bones almost as intense as fire.

'Aelina? Aunt Aelina, do you hear me?'

For a while she saw everything too blurry before, finally, Jacaerys appeared, handsome features twisted in worry. Aelina acted more instinctively when her hand reached to him, trying to touch his cheek.

'My precious boy,' she muttered instinctively, slightly shivering as the wind, coming from the open window, caressed her shoulders that were lacking from her usual attire. 'Aemond. My brother, where is he...'

Jacaerys smiled at her, ever gently, rising to close the window immediately; her attempt to touch him being unnoticed.

'You both are really something... To think that you woke up after a deep slumber, after almost dying, scaring everyone, and asking about each other first and not anything else...'

'He is fine, then,' she sighed, feeling like her heart got lighter. 'Tell me what happened. How long have I been sleeping?'

Jacaerys returned to her side, although having a chair nearby, kneeling before her bed in a way knights do for their princess. He squeezed her cold hand between his, rubbing a little bit as if trying to warm it.

'It was just two days. Uncle Aemond woke up a few hours ago, too. The healer said that the main reason why it took both of you so long to wake up, is the total exhaustion of your bodies. Do you sleep and eat on time?'

Aelina dodged the question.

'Any news from the capital? How is Lucerys? How is Aemond? How is Rhaenyra?'

Aelina's eyes, probably, still seeing things as she thought that Jacaerys was saddened from her words.

'You should... Well, never mind. The physical condition of Lucerys is more than fine. No injuries or so, but I can't say the same about his thoughts or state in general. Arrax's death affected him deeply. And... And he blames himself for what happened. He spends most of the time either here or around uncle's room.'

'Idiot,' Aelina muttered affectionately.

She guesses that the more tragic outcome of her and Aemond's lives would end with Lucerys, blaming himself. Although, Aelina wished him to know that he is still a kid. He is fifteen years old, after all.

'As I told you, uncle woke up a little bit earlier than you, but he was quick to fall asleep again, only managed to ask where you are. According to Luce, at least. The knife was close to killing him, but we think Aegon aimed at this throat originally. So, it is a big luck, after all. And, there is no news from the capital.'

'I will kill Aegon,' she hissed.

She could ignore a lot of things he had done: the amount of time he wronged her, that incident that still haunts her, and even the total indifference towards his own kids - that she can brush aside. But laying even a single finger on Aemond, not to mention intentions to kill him - that is where she loses her merciness.

'That concerning your state... Aegon hooked the last of a few nerves in your socket. Other wounds were easy to heal, some general ones, but this one it's just... Well, there is nothing we can do. And it's not deadly of course!'