"Her beauty,
lithe, unholy,
pure"

– Yvor Winters

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"Aella, I need you to listen to me carefully."  Rhaegon's voice brought her out of her dim thoughts. She lifted her eyes from her gloved hands – covered in lace instead of leather for the first time in years – and took in his face. The shape of it was just as she remembered. Of course it was, she almost laughed at herself. A few years couldn't change a person that much. Except that they could, for his dark violet eyes seemed even dimmer than before, and deep dark circles were painting his skin blue beneath them. At least his hair had grown out a little, curling around his ears in that boyish way she loved but he hated.

He was dressed in courtly attire, the black and crimson velvet and silk wrapping around his body perfectly, tailored without a fault. She drew her gaze over the silver embroidery – the dragon wings and scales and tendrils of flame. Her gown was of a similar design, though it was made of indigo and amethyst fabric instead. It made her look more girlish, more innocent, just as the cascading waves of silver hair did, only some of it held back by a silver comb and a string of pearls.

That was the aim, of course. The more innocent and ladylike she looked, the more likely Viserys and the court accepted her back without much complaint. They'd spent days at Dragonstone curating her outfit before Rhaegon finally deemed it good enough for her to sail to King's Landing. Sail, not fly, for that would remind the court of how she took off in the middle of the night to burn Triarchy soldiers in a war not sanctioned by the king.

Had she not understood the importance of her appearance, she might've been angry that Rhaegon dictated her clothing to her. But as she looked at him now, leaning back in the carriage that was taking them from the harbour to the Red Keep, she knew he was more unsure than she was, perhaps even a little scared. A wedding band glittered on his finger, just as it did on hers, and he twisted it around every once in a while.

"You must ask for forgiveness from Viserys. He will surely give it as long as you do not argue with him. Show that you regret it, that you're paying penance for your mistake," Rhaegon began, gliding the pad of his thumb over his forehead to smooth the worried creases, though it was in vain, for his bows furrowed again moments later. "Appeal to his sense of vanity, remind him that you only serve to please him and that your momentary lapse of judgement was only because you were worried for your dear brother-in-law and nephew, and that you couldn't possibly leave them to their peril without at least attempting to help."

"I know, Rhaegon," Aella sighed, gazing out the small holes in the side of the carriage. "We've been over this at least a dozen times. I will not fail, you needn't worry."

Rhaegon shook his head. "I always worry," he said with such an exasperated tone that she knew it was the complete truth. "But I need you to be ready, and not only for Viserys and his court of vultures." Aella grimaced but nodded anyway. She knew full well of what he spoke of. It drove a dagger into her heart to even think about it.

"I know. Believe me, I know," she mumbled, but it was loud enough for him to hear. "You needn't remind me that my own children despise me." Rhaegon let out a sigh of annoyance, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"That is not what I said and you know it." Aella shrugged, for even if that was true, the meaning of his words was the same. "You left, Aella. They were without a mother for three years. Aemon might be old enough to understand, but that doesn't mean he didn't feel your absence! Visenys surely did, and Viserra was even worse off." He paused, gulping. "She asked me once if you had died and that was why she couldn't see her mother anymore. I doubt she will even recognise you, and Aeron doesn't even know you. He thinks his nursemaid is his mother, not you."

She squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself to breathe evenly. His words were cruel, but she knew they were necessary. At least this way, she could prepare herself for the inevitable rejection she would face, instead of it being thrown at her without any warning. She'd been foolish, she knew, to assume the children would welcome her back as if nothing at all had happened. If she could go back to the moment she left, she would surely make a different decision, regardless of how much she loved Corlys and Laenor and wanted to assist them in their endeavours. She didn't even think she could touch her children, so innocent, so pure, with the same hands that were coated with so much blood. The precise number of the people she'd put to death by dragon fire would never be known to her, and that haunted her more than any concrete amount ever could.

"We are here," Rhaegon said, and moments later the carriage stuttered to a stop and he was climbing out of it. She accepted his offered hand as she followed him, then refused to let go throughout their entire journey to the great hall until the enormous doors stood before them. She took his arm then instead, a common way for married couples to show affection without it being deemed impolite, the same way as it was the only acceptable way for unmarried couples to have some form of contact, lest the lady's honour be questioned. It was ridiculous, but at least she could feel Rhaegon beside her, gripping his arm even as she felt rather faint.

Their presence was announced and Aella drew in a sharp breath as the door opened before them. Dozens, if not hundreds of pairs of eyes turned to stare at her. She could feel their scrutiny, it was heavy and sticky like tar on her skin. She didn't dare to look at them at all as Rhaegon led her down the centre of the hall, directly to the raised dais upon which Viserys stood with Blackfyre in his hand and the crown of their grandsire adorning his head. She faintly noticed his wife standing off to the side, only a little ways below the top of the dais, right next to her father the Hand. Alicent looked a little worse for wear, but Aella remembered distantly that she'd recently given birth to her second child, a daughter she'd named Helaena, and she understood all too well.

The heir was nowhere to be seen, off on her progress where she was to choose a husband. Her absence was a surprising blow to Aella, if only because Rhaenyra's face bore so many similarities to Aemma that it would've brought her comfort otherwise. The knowledge that her children were somewhere at the front of the crowd did little to quell the rapid beating of her heart – not unlike a rabbit caught in a trap or one of those tiny hummingbirds that flew around the gardens sometimes. She didn't dare look for them, not yet anyway.

When she and Rhaegon reached the foot of the dais, their arms separated as they bowed before the king. A moment of silence stretched across the hall as everyone waited with bated breath for Viserys' reaction. Rhaegon would face no repercussions, she knew, because while she'd run off without permission, Rhaegon had made certain to obtain it before flying off south.

"Brother, you have returned to us unharmed. For that I am glad." Viserys' voice carried throughout the hall like a church bell announcing the new hour. "I see you have been successful in your endeavours and have brought the Princess Aella back to our halls. I thank you for making such haste, for your council is of great importance to me"

It was so ridiculous that Aella wanted to bark a laugh. Rhaegon had been sidelined in Viserys' decision-making for years by that point, and that predicament far preexisted her decision to live on Dragonstone, even more, her absence of the kingdom in its entirety. She knew he hadn't returned to court until Prince Aegon's nameday celebration came around. She was suddenly struck with the realisation that she might be forced to remain at the capital, and she felt awfully ill at the thought.

"I thank you, your Grace, for allowing me to take leave of you and retrieve my wife from the war," Rhaegon answered, his choice of words as pristine and articulated as ever, perfect for swaying even the most stubborn of nobles. "Your kindness will never be forgotten. As you are already aware, my wife wrote to me asking me to return to your court and her home. It is truly a show of your graciousness that you've allowed her to do so despite her mistakes."

Aella would've grimaced at the words had they not gone over them a dozen times before. She kept her eyes trained on the ground and her hands folded over her abdomen, the perfect image of a submissive feeble wife, exactly what the lords wanted to see.

"Of course, but I would like to hear it from Princess Aella herself," Viserys said, the first sign of annoyance towards her. They'd expected it and had prepared for it. "Tell me, my dear cousin, what compelled you to leave my kingdom, your husband and your children to fight in an unsanctioned war without so much as a word to me."

For the first time since they'd reached the dais, Aella lifted her eyes and looked into the face of her cousin. She inhaled deeply and steeled herself, willing her voice to now shake. "As my husband has already said, I have made terrible mistakes and have betrayed you. Believe me, your Grace, I never intended to betray your trust or the trust of the realm. As you know, my brother-in-law, Lord Corlys Velaryon, set sail to the Stepstones months before I joined him there. It had never occurred to me to assist in his unlawful war until he wrote to me, asking for assistance. He claimed his men were tired and depleted, that the Triarchy would soon overtake them." She paused, swallowing to clear her throat. "Lord Corlys is like a brother to me, your Grace, and not only because he is married to my sister. I've known him for most of my life and he has only ever been kind and familial to me. His son, my nephew Laenor, was with him as well, and I simply could not imagine a world in which I lost them because of my cowardice. I admit that my lapse in judgment was a grave mistake, but I beseech you, your Grace, to find it in your heart to forgive me. I serve only to please you and regret that my decisions brought those intentions into question."

The hall sunk into silence once more as Viserys stared at, then flicked his gaze to Rhaegon, and then back. It took frighteningly long for him to speak again.

"A woman's heart is a soft one, that is something we all know," he began, forcing Aella to bite her tongue at the unfairness of his words. "I commemorate your loyalty to your family, and I do find it in my heart to forgive you for your actions. You do, however, understand that your actions cannot go without any punishment?"

Something cold washed over her as she wondered what kind of punishment Viserys might have in mind, but Rhaegon's hand bumped into her own before she could fall into a panic, and so she nodded. "Of course, your Grace."

"You will pay a fine of 300 gold dragons from your personal wealth and another 100 from your annual allowance for the next five years. On top of that, you will serve for a year as Queen Alicent's lady-in-waiting." Aella didn't miss the underlying message. You will not be running off to Dragonstone. She'd half expected it, but the confirmation that she'd be stuck here for a year, maybe more if Viserys deemed it necessary, left a bitter taste in her mouth. She didn't care at all for the fine she'd have to pay, the gods knew she could care less about the money. But her freedom, her ability to choose, that was something she held most dear, and it was taken from her too many times to count. To the point that she didn't even believe in choice anymore.

Still, she nodded. And Viserys smiled.

Rhaegon knew the reunion between Aella and their children would be bad, but he hadn't anticipated how much. The only child who seemed the least bit excited was Aemon, who was old enough to comprehend most things. He was aware his son was still hurt by his mother's departure, but he had enough going on to distract himself, and even if he didn't, he tried to understand. The same could not be said for Viserra and Visenys, who merely stood and stared at their mother.

The solar was stifling hot, exposed directly to the late afternoon sun, but the atmosphere for anything but warm. Viserra clung to her older sister's skirts, partly hidden behind the mass of scarlet fabric. And Visenys, well, Aemon had never seen such a defiantly cold stare in his entire life. Her lilac eyes were pools of shards, meant only to cut at Aella's skin until she bled.

"What a pleasure it is to see you, Mother," Visenys said, but her tone was full of sarcasm without even a speck of genuineness. Aella visibly grimaced, and for a moment Rhaegon thought about stepping in and defending her.

But he wouldn't do that. It wasn't fair to his children, to their feelings or their predicament. Aella would have to handle this on her own. She knew her mistakes, now it was time to live up to them.

"Will you not even embrace me, daughter?" Aella asked, voice soft as though she was speaking to the smallest of children. But Visenys wasn't small anymore, she was fourteen and angry, abandoned by her mother.

Rhaegon could understand her feelings well enough. There were times when he was angry at his own mother for leaving him, though she did do so by choice. Sometimes, the way people spoke of Alyssa Targaryen made her seem like a goddess who could command every aspect of life. But when it came down to it, when he needed her, just as his brothers and father did, she could not change a thing. He was often angry and frustrated at a young age, sometimes even now, all these years later. But he understood his mother didn't leave by choice. Aella did just that.

"My affections are reserved for those I love." The words hung heavy in the air and it struck Rhaegon how cruel they were. He understood them, but he didn't know if they were necessary. Once again, he didn't say anything. He didn't have to, because as Aella's face twisted and tears gathered in her eyes, it was Aemon who jumped to her defence.

"That was horrible, Visenys," he said through gritted teeth, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're speaking with your mother, for the Gods' sake."

"I don't have a mother anymore," Visenys replied with such a casual tone that it made Rhaegon's head reel. "I never will again."

"Of course you have a mother." Rhaegon finally cut it. He saw the small flash of betrayal that passed over his daughter's face, and a stab of guilt almost made him take it back. "I know you're angry and frustrated, but Aella will always be your mother."

"I am not angry," Visenys retorted, but the tone of her voice and the hardness of her face suggested otherwise. "I feel nothing for that woman. Not anymore." The silence stretched once more. Visenys shook her head, gently nudging Viserra until the girl had to let go of her gown before she all but ran from the room, muttering a short 'excuse me' as she did so.

Rhaegon fought the urge to go after her immediately, but he knew there would be no point. Visenys needed to be alone. She would come to him eventually if she wished to speak of something.

"I'm sorry," he muttered to Aella, who stood in the centre of the room, dejected. Round tears streamed down her cheeks and her fingers were twisted harshly in the skirt of her gown. She shook her head.

"Don't be," she forced out, voice painfully strained. "It is what I deserve."

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Rhaegon was  – admittedly – the most exhausted he'd ever been. The stress was beginning to weigh down on him, like an anvil stacked high upon his shoulders. All he wanted to do was collapse into bed and sleep for the entire next day. But he couldn't do that, because his wife was in her bed crying, his son was furious with his daughter, the said daughter was missing, and now there was talk of a daring lady from the Westerlands insulting Aella – all entirely behind her back, of course.

He genuinely didn't see the need to deal with this, but he supposed it was the principal of the fact, and so he had the lady brought to his solar. Almost instantly, he regretted it. She couldn't have been older than fifteen, and she came before him weeping and pleading for forgiveness. Even then, Rhaegon didn't fully give it. He couldn't forgive such a thing, otherwise, it would become the norm, and he didn't want his wife nor his children to be subjected to the scrutiny of the nobles anymore than they needed to.

"Lady Reyne," he began but was promptly cut off by another bout of sobbing. He sighed, suddenly annoyed with the snivelling. He faintly remembered that the girl originated from a much lower house but lucked out in marriage when the Reyne heir found her beautiful at some tourney. She'd been married less than a year, if he recalled correctly. He wondered what Lord Reyne would think of his son's choice of wife now that she was being reprimanded by a prince of the Realm. He'd always been an overly proud man.

"My prince, please! I didn't mean it, I swear it!" the girl cried, and at that, he almost rolled his eyes. His hard gaze made the girl clamp her mouth shut, but she was still shivering. The Kingsguard knights in the room gave each other a look, and Rhaegon knew they felt pity for her. He might've as well, had he not been so thoroughly exhausted.

"It matters little if you meant it, Lady Reyne. You still decided to besmirch your princess' name in front of court ladies." He shook his head with a raised brow. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?" Normally, he would've let such things slide. Many people levied insults against every member of his family all for different reasons, big or small. But he couldn't afford for Aella to be questioned now.

"I'm sorry! I shall never do it again, my Prince! Forgive me just this once," she begged, clasping her hands together. Her pretty blue eyes glistened with her tears. Rhaegon sighed, rubbing at his temple with two fingers.

"Get out of here," he commanded, swiping his hand towards the door. He knew this would be enough to frighten her away, but he added, "The next time, I won't be so lenient." The girl's eyes widened a bit more, clearly understanding the threat in his words. She nodded hastily and then fled, leaving behind nothing but perfumed air.

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The sky opened up later that day, showering the entire city in downpours of water, so Aemon couldn't take Elinor out for a walk through the gardens like he usually did. Despite the rain, the air was still rather warm, so they walked along the tiled paths that lined the outside of the garden, covered by a roof to keep them dry. He knew he must've seemed tense and unwelcoming throughout the walk, but Elinor was suspiciously silent as well.

Her hair was braided into an intricate style, but other than that nothing was decorating it. She constantly played with loose wisps of it that had gotten out of the style, tugging and twirling absentmindedly. He loved watching her be idle. So many quirks went unnoticed otherwise. Even now, as he watched her, she noticed the slight scrunch of her nose as she looked out into the garden.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, taking note of her wistful gaze. Elinor stayed silent for a few minutes as if contemplating. Even that, he found beautiful.

"It is all so pretty even when it rains," she said as if it was the most perplexing thing. "You never see artists paint a storm unless they feel sad or angry, but I rather find comfort in the rain." The corner of Aemon's lip quirked up as Elinor shrugged. "The pitter-patter of the raindrops helps focus my mind. It's so loud otherwise."

"Does that bother you?"

"Sometimes. It can get overwhelming and then I wish to crawl out of my own skin." Elinor shrugged, swiping at yet another wisp of her hair. "But enough about me. Your mother is back! I take it you are happy with this?" Aemon smiled and nodded, pushing back the immediate swelling of indignation as he thought about what had occurred earlier. He hadn't seen his mother or Visenys since. The two of them hid away in different parts of the Red Keep.

"Of course, I am glad that she is back. I don't think war and battle suit her." He'd never seen his mother in anything but long flowing dresses and the occasional leather when she flew on Karnax. His mother was not fit for battle. She wasn't a warrior and she never would be. Aemon wasn't sure what his mother was if he was being honest. He supposed she was hardly anything anymore, akin to a ghost rather than a woman.

Something stirred within him, perhaps an old grief. He pushed it back like he did everything else. It did not matter anymore. His mother was back and she could begin to heal. Aeron would finally know his mother and Visenys could stop being so... out of character. He did not think there was a better way to say it.

"And you sister?" Elinor asked, fidgeting with the girdle hung around her waist. It shimmered even in the bleak grey light, the silver threats bright and vivid. "I know that she was upset about everything."

Aemon couldn't stop the heavy sigh that he released. He ran a hand over his face. "I do not know what to think about Visenys right now." He shook his head, grinding his teeth together. "I understand that she is angry and hurt, I do, but telling our mother that she isn't her mother anymore was wrong."

"She said that?" Elinor's eyes widened and her arm tightened around him as if to offer comfort. "I did not know it was that bad." You wouldn't, Aemon almost said. I hardly knew it too. There had been a sense of uncertainty in his family for a while, and he knew that something was brewing beneath the surface. But despite that, he'd not expected such an explosion of anger from his sister.

Explosion wasn't the right word for it. Visenys hadn't yelled or thrown things. She stood there and cut at her mother with ruthless precision. Her anger had been cold like ice instead of the fire she was usually overflowing with. And then she'd just left, and Aemon hadn't known what to say then either.

"I think the only person who'd expected it was my father, but he was always freakishly good at telling what Visenys was thinking." The rain seemed to only get harder. "I was never able to do that. I can never tell what's going on in that head of hers."

"You cannot read minds, Aemon," Elinor said, pulling him to a stop so she could face him directly. "And you cannot blame yourself for the actions of your sister." After a pause, she added, "Or your mother."

"I know." Aemon couldn't help but look into her eyes, hoping he'd find all the answers there. "But I can't help but think I could've stopped it somehow." Eleanor smiled slightly and shook her head. With the back of her hand, she traced the shape of his cheek.

"This is not your responsibility, believe me." She looked out into the garden again, and her smile widened. "Come with me." He was about to ask where, but she grabbed his wrist and pulled him with her. Directly into the rain.

Aemon's whole body tensed as the cold harsh droplets of water splattered across his face, seeping into his clothes in a matter of moments. He thought Elinor would be shivering, but instead, she let go of his hands and spread her palms out to feel the rain. The broad grin that graced her lips, so uncontrolled and real, made something flutter in Aemon's stomach.

"Just stand here with me," she sighed blissfully, turning her face to the heavens. "Let it wash over you. There are no grievances here, only you, me and the Gods." And then she spun, the skirt of her gown flaring at the movement despite being weighed down by the water. Elinor spun and spun and spun, giggling as if she were nothing more than a little girl.

All he could do was watch her with a smile because the mere sight of her was enough to make him forget about all the bad things. Because she was beautiful and it would be a sin to take his eyes off her. He never wanted to take his eyes off her.

°•~━━✥❖✥━━~•°

Rhaegon wasn't entirely sure how he ended up here, walking towards the council room so late into the night. Most of the Red Keep's inhabitants were already asleep or were heading to their respective chambers from some late-night meetings. But a servant had knocked on his door and told him the King called a meeting, and so he redressed and with a huff began the journey to the council. Surely, this could've waited till morning.

His mind was already muddled with exhaustion, and the thought of having to pay attention to whatever situation had brought this on, to understand the words that would be spoken and craft a response to it, made that exhaustion ten times worse. He almost turned around and walked back to his room in protest, but he stopped himself with gritted teeth. You wanted so badly for Viserys to listen to you, you can't ignore him now.

He didn't realise he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings until someone walked around the corner and all but crashed into his chest. His arms flew out to grasp the person – a woman, small and thin and almost knocked off her balance by the impact.

"Are you alright?" he asked out of instinct, not even bothering to figure out who it was he was speaking to. The woman looked up with eyes the colour of the darkest of brown. He knew her, he realised, finally sweeping his eyes over the woman's form. Amara Florent smiled up at him kindly, nodding her head. Her pretty brown curls swayed with the movement and Rhaegon tore his eyes away from it, staring for a little bit too long.

"I am, my Prince. I apologise for my clumsiness, I'm afraid I was not paying attention to where I was going," she said and took a careful step away from him, curtsying. "I must say, I am surprised you are still out and about at this time." You and me both, he almost said but thought better of it.

"You are here as well, am I any different than you?" he asked, folding his arms behind his back in the courtly, diplomatic way he'd done since he was thirteen and old enough to realise that was the only thing he could offer his family. Diplomacy, a voice to sway the nobility in the direction his brother, his king, required of him. That was all he was good for.

"I supposed not. I only thought that after all that happened today, you'd wish to rest." Rhaegon raised a brow. "Everyone at court knows what happened with you and Lady Reyne. You should've seen how many of the young ladies swooned when they heard the story." Amara huffed a little laugh, shaking her head. "The right and just Prince Rhaegon, defending his wife's honour."

Rhaegon couldn't stop the grimace that twitched on his face. "That is no story they should swoon over. I was merely doing my duty to my wife and my family. It is what any man would've done." Amara laughed a little louder this time, covering her mouth with her hand which shone with bright jewels.

"If you think that, then you've been living in a fairytale, my Prince," she sighed, "I'm afraid most men would've let it be and let their wives suffer, for they care little of their well-being." She looked off as if she knew it all too well, and Rhaegon felt his skin crawl at the thought. "It is good though, that you do. Care, I mean. I have a slight suspicion Princess Aella needs that."

"Is it so obvious?" Rhaegon asked, reaching to fidget with a ring on his finger, only to realise he'd not bothered with jewellery when he was getting dressed. Amara nodded, offering him a smile that said she was at least a little bit sorry. "I'm afraid I do not truly understand what my wife feels or what she needs. She could use a friend who understands her situation more. The late Queen Aemma and she used to be close confidants, as well as the Lord Hand's wife, but there has been no one else since."

Amara grinned at that. "Then I shall offer her my ear! I serve in the Queen's household, and Princess Aella shall be joining us there soon, correct?" Rhaegon nodded. "Wonderful! I'm sure Queen Alicent will be most welcoming as well. She has always been gentle and kind."

"That is good to hear." Rhaegon nodded. "I'm afraid I must leave you now, Lady Amara. My brother, the King, has called a council meeting and I shouldn't want to be late." Amara hummed in agreement, curtsying as Rhaegon bowed. "I shall bid you goodnight."

"Goodnight to you as well, my Prince." Rhaegon turned to leave, preparing himself to leave. "Oh, and I shall try and quell the ladies' gossiping. It does them no good anyway." Rhaegon looked over his shoulder.

"Thank you, my lady."

°•~━━✥❖✥━━~•°

Aella couldn't sleep. It was nothing new. She stared up at the canopy of her bed and listened to the rain pattering down outside the window. Before, the storm would've lulled her to sleep in minutes. Nothing could do that now, not even the sleeping tonics the Grand Maester had given her. Her heart beat too rapidly every time she closed her eyes, and she was reminded of the stinging pain of inhaling smoke and the ache of her shoulder when the arrow pierced her skin.

Her fingers ghosted just above the fabric of her nightgown that covered the scar there. Ugly, gruesome. Yet she anchored herself to it. It was a strong reminder of how good her life was here in King's Landing, away from the horrors of war. What did she truly have to complain about, she asked herself. She did not think that question helped her at all, because she conjured up at least fifteen different answers to it.

With a sigh, she rolled over to try and find a better position to sleep in. Once again, it didn't work. Frustration bubbled in the pit of her stomach and she fought the urge to punch the pillow below her head. That's when she heard the creak of her bedroom door. Aella pushed herself into a sitting position, squinting her eyes to see who it was. The guards wouldn't have let anyone pass if they were any threat to her.

A girl slipped in, holding a candle in her hand which she placed on a table as she drifted further into the room. After all this time, Aella almost didn't recognise her eldest daughter. Her face wasn't as round as it once was, though there was still some fat clinging to her face because of her youth. Her skin was the same pale tone, like moonlight, and her eyes were unchanged. But her hair had lost its wave, and it was almost pin-straight now. And the way she held herself was so unlike her that it felt alien.

"Visenys, what are you doing here?" Aella asked softly, not wanting to scare her daughter off after the fight they had earlier that day. She still ached in her chest after the harsh words that were spoken, though she understood them completely. Visenys stopped at the foot of her bed and shrugged. She fidgeted with a chain around her neck, from which a small silver pendant in the shape of a bird hung.

Aella had never seen such a piece of jewellery on her daughter before, but she had to say the simplicity of it suited her well. She wanted to ask where she'd gotten it but stopped herself. She would not say anything until Visenys spoke. It was not her place.

With a sigh, Visenys dropped the pendant, letting it swish around until it eventually settled just below her collarbones. She took another step forward until her fingers grazed the covers on Aella's bed. And then she climbed onto it, crawling to the headboard where she flopped down on a pillow. Aella still didn't say anything, only shuffled to the side so Visenys could burrow herself beneath the blankets.

"I hate you," Visenys muttered, and Aella felt her heartbreak.

"I know," she responded, not being able to stop her voice from cracking.

"You hurt me," Visenys added, a tear running down the bridge of her nose, reflecting the pale light that came from the stormy outside. Aella bit the inside of her cheek, cursing herself internally.

"I did not mean to." Visenys nodded, wrapping the blankets so tightly around herself that Aella thought she would suffocate herself.

There were no more words that night.

A/N

It has been so many months since I've updated this book and I'm so sorry for that! For those of you who don't follow my message board, I have been on hiatus since around Christmas time due to some mental health issues. I also needed to focus on finishing my thesis (which I finally turned in last Friday!) and it was better for me to not really be writing on Wattpad during that. I'm finally back though and I should have more time to write for my stories!

I'm excited to keep going with this story and I hope to hear from you guys in the comments as well!