𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐞 | 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧.

𝐱𝐱𝐯𝐢𝐢. 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞?

'The old and new Gods, I pray. I pray for your assistance today, for your guidance and mercy - I pray for you to protect Aemond and Jacaerys no matter what it will take from me. I pray for you to keep them safe. I pray...'

'Are you praying?'

Aemond's voice in behind sounded almost amused, but Aelina didn't flinch, and she didn't stand from her knees, though it was a little bit humiliating; especially, after their talks and discussions about how ridiculous the religion was.

'I don't want to risk anything,' she answered unwillingly.

Aemond moved closer, plopping on the bed in front of her, crossing his legs.

'Oh, you risk so much by not praying to non-existing Gods,' he teased her, a little smile appearing on his face.

Aelina shrugged.

It was always like this - she didn't believe in them, always hated when she was made to pray when Alicent asked her to, but in the end, if anything happened she started to talk with Gods herself, and if she was about to do something bad, she always had a little thought in the back of her mind about Gods forsaking her for this behaviour.

She was almost... Afraid of their judgement?

Gods didn't exist, but Aelina felt their eyes everywhere, sometimes.

Greeting her teeth, Aelina answered:

'It will take just a few seconds, but if Gods exist they will be satisfied and, perhaps, will decide to fulfil my prayers.'

Aemond rolled his eye.

'Then, pray for yourself as well.'

Aelina shrugged.

'If both of you will be fine then I don't need to pray for myself.'

Aemond's glance narrowed, and with putting his hand on her shoulder, he nudged her a little bit, repeating, more firmly.

'Pray for your safety, too, sister.' And before she managed to lie to him, he added: 'Aloud.'

Aelina sighed, feeling herself even more humiliated than before. How Aemond always managed to make her feel loved and bullied at the same time, she wondered.

'...I pray to old and new Gods to finish this war quickly, painlessly and without losses. I pray for Aemond, Jacaerys and myself to return back safely. I pray for their... Ouch,' Aemond pinched on her cheek, and she corrected quickly. 'I pray for our happiness. Now, are you satisfied, my little annoying brother?'

Unsurprisingly, he smiled, though it was more or less sincere.

'Mhm.'

They both ceased. Then, after a while, Aelina spoke again, words a little bit hushed:

'Do you really think it will be over so soon? I... I know, there were wars much longer, but– But, I mean... It feels like it's been forever already.'

Aemond sighed, slowly sliding down, on the floor, next to her.

'I, like you said, pray for it to finish today.' Aelina snickered at his commentary. 'But also... I am not sure what to do when it ends.'

All their lives they know only the war - metaphorical and quite literally one - and even their start in living a more common, more comfortable and warm life was in the time of war. It was with them all their lives as twins raised as soldiers and perfect, untroubled endures. When the far finishes, even though it will be hard at first, the peace will come. And well, neither Aemond nor Aelina don't know how to treat it - the peace. They still jump on the place, sometimes, when others touch them without warning, and they will never be used to all the kindness their family shows them.