𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐞 | 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧.

𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐢. 𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐳𝐞

Aelina felt sick, and this time it wasn't about the way something twisted swirling daggers in her head, making her wish to run away. This time it was rather about the awful pain that consumed her whole body.

She groaned quietly, trying to remember what happened yesterday - everything was so hazy and confusing, she couldn't even tell what day it was - as she slid her hand on the right side, searching for Aemond, but finding nothing but an empty space. It made her tense up immediately.

She doesn't sleep alone. And this bed seemed more narrow than their usual one.

It made Aelina hastily rise on her elbows. And regret about it right the way.

Pain became more obvious, more intense. She hardly opened her eye: the bright sun was filling the room and... Oh, there was a little sun on her bed as well.

'Sweet boy?'

Lucerys was sitting with his back turned to her, holding some book that looked surprisingly like one that Aemond bought himself a week ago. He turned quickly to the sound of being called, and as he understood that Aelina is more than awake, he threw himself on her, making Aelina lose the balance and fall on the bed again, rather instinctively hugging him in return.

'Aunt!'

'Yes, yes, I am your aunt. Aemond. Where is he?'

'Uncle is fine, totally fine! Mom just sent him to rest,' Lucerys muttered in her shoulder, starting spilling words restlessly, fumbling on them: 'We were so worried! And... And... You were hallucinating and stuff, and–'

Aelina patted him absentmindedly, memories slowly starting to evoke.

Right.

She was poisoned, and her mother was the one to warn her, and Aegon ran away. Fuck.

'Uncle was sitting here for hours, with Jace, but mom told them to get some sleep,' Aelina's face softened. 'So, you shouldn't worry, aunt! Your loyal knights were here all day and whole night.'

It was rather questionable if Aemond really went to sleep as promised, but even the fact that he tried to do so, was just great. He was healthy and even took some care of himself, while she was away. Gods, Aelina was radiating with happiness.

'Knights?' She huffed as Lucerys let her out, sitting with his knees on her bed. 'More like princesses.'

'Ha! Right! Aunt Aelina is more fit to the role of knight.'

Aelina almost laughed when the realisation of why her face suddenly felt so heavy came across her mind. She paled slightly, voice trying to sound more indifferent than she felt:

'Does my face even okay, sweet boy?'

Lucerys nodded reluctantly.

'Well, I mean... Maester said that scars will stay.'

Ha. Even more scars. Of course.

'Well,' she felt the awful familiar desire to scratch down these bandages, and then her skin and scars, too. 'Understood.'

Lucerys looked like he wanted to say something, but the door opened, letting inside Aemond - and big black rounds under his eyes spoke about his sleep schedule more than anything. As soon as he saw Aelina, he sighed with relief, appearing on her side with two big steps.

'Aemond,' she smiled.

Her brother crushed her in an awfully strong hug, hiding his face in her hair, every clingy.

But something was wrong with the way he was silent, and Aelina glared at Lucerys, wordlessly asking him to leave. Gladly, her sweet nephew was smarter and more understanding than most of his family members, so he obeyed, leaving them soundlessly.