❝ There was a feeling of inevitability when I met you. And our lives were fated to converge like some cosmic dance. And I think I had to break your heart and you had to break mine. ❞
As Cressida Black's lungs ceased to draw breath, Aurelia Martell's...
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April 106 AC
"Were you sad to leave the Queen's household?" Princess Viserra questioned from beside her.
The Princess was beautiful, in a way that reminded her of the storybooks from her first life. She had the otherworldly beauty of the Valyrians, even when she wore a simple gown for her chambers, without any embellishments for a day at court. With her beautiful golden hair that fell in waves around her face, her shining lilac eyes and golden skin, Aurelia couldn't imagine why her parents had not married her to one of her brothers in a show of Targaryen Exceptionalism. She could've been a prospective queen, but instead she'd been shipped off to the North for years.
Aurelia had been at court for only a few months, yet already she could see the differences in the Andal culture to the Rhoynish one. They were much more prudish than in Dorne and the nobles were more pious as well. In the beginning, she'd struggled with the weather, her body had grown in a desert land, with constant sun and now she was in a completely different climate. By now, two years later, she had adapted but she missed home still.
It had only been two weeks since the Queen and the Princess had come to an agreement where she found herself under the tutoring of the Princess (even if she was still a ward of the Queen). During that time, she had had to adapt to the Princess' household.
Despite being close kin, the Princess and the Queen ran their households very differently (although, part of her thought it may be due to the Queen's constant pregnancies). The Queen's household was significantly subdued in comparison. With Princess Rhaenyra being so young, Princess Viserra often became the lady of the court when the Queen was in confinement and her household reflected that. There was an influx of artists and seamstresses going in and out of her rooms and she often took to the city to see how her late mother's projects (sponsored between her, Queen Aemma and Princess Rhaenys) were progressing.
They were two very different women, yet Aurelia knew that taking some inspiration from them both would only serve to help her later in life.
"Yes, quite," Aurelia said in answer to the question. "Queen Aemma became a surrogate mother for me, however I still see her even if I do not spend every day with her."
"Yes, of course. Are you enjoying being in my household?"
"I am," she lowered her head, focused on her embroidery. "It is so very different from the Queen's."
"It will be a sad day for me when you do return to Dorne, Aurelia," Princess Viserra said then and Aurelia could not help but smile at that.
"Your Highness is too kind," Aurelia responded simply. "But I fear I will miss you as well. Hopefully, that day is still far off."
━━ ⋅𖥔⋅ ━━✶━━ ⋅𖥔⋅ ━━
The King's Ballroom was filled with the sounds of music and laughter as couples swirled around the dance floor. Among them were Jamie and Aurelia, two teenaged courtiers who moved with a grace and ease that belied their young age.
