❝ 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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March 108 AC
"Do you know when your family is arriving?" Alicent asked, as they sat in the carriage in front of the Dragonpit, waiting for Rhaenyra.
Aurelia looked at the auburn-haired girl and shrugged. "They should be arriving any day now. But I can't know for sure until I know how much time my father and Morgan spent in Stonehelm before setting off again, with Papa's family."
It's been more than two years already since she last saw her family and that is without mentioning all of her Swann relatives, who she hasn't seen since before her mother's death. She is more than eager to be reunited with them, even if it means she will be one of only two girls since apparently the Swanns could only have sons, with her and Johanna being an anomaly.
Alicent smiled at her. "You must be really excited."
"I am. I can't wait to finally see them again. It's been so long," Aurelia grinned and saw as a dragonkeeper gestured for her to follow him. "Aevon is making signs for me to follow him. Are you sure you don't want to come with me?"
Alicent let out an unladylike snort. "I don't understand your fascination with the dragons."
"They're only hatchlings," Aurelia attempted to coerce her as she left the carriage. "They can barely spit fire, it's not dangerous. That's the only reason I've even been allowed to help the Keepers with them when Rhaenyra flies."
"You go," Alicent insists. "I'll stay here and read."
Aurelia followed Aevon as he led her deeper into the Dragonpit. The torchlight flickered, casting eerie shadows on the walls, but Aurelia could feel her heart beating faster with every step, as it always did when she was so close to the dragons.
It had taken a long time for Rhaenyra to be able convince her parents that she could be trusted with the dragons, but it had been their routine for a while now that when Rhaenyra flew, she would go and spend time with the hatchlings, helping the Dragonkeepers as they needed.
Finally, they arrived at the chamber where the hatchlings were kept. The dragonkeeper opened the door, and Aurelia could see the hatchlings once again, roughhousing inside a secure pen. There were five of them, with the largest of them being the size of a small dog.
Making sure not to make any sudden movements so they wouldn't be startled, Aurelia walked closer and held out a hand, smiling as one of them nuzzled against her palm. But soon after, a powerful roar shook the Dragonpit and perhaps the entirety of King's Landing too.
Aurelia didn't recognize the roar, but that only meant it wasn't Syrax, Caraxes or Dreamfyre. Likely Meleys or Vhagar, then.
"We should go, my lady," Aevon suggested. "You can't be with the hatchlings without supervision and Vhagar needs all hands on deck."
"Of course," she nodded and followed Aevon back to the landing yard.
"Princess Aurelia," she heard a voice call out to her as she walked towards the carriage and Aurelia realized it was Laena Velaryon, from a rope as she removed herself from Vhagar.
