𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐒 streamed down Sonnax's white scales. Nerissa couldn't possibly care about the state of her black tresses now, for she was having far too much fun.

Nerissa had snuck off, leaving the confines of High Tide in the early morning. Typically, this routine of hers would be with the company of the princess Rhaenyra; However,her cousin had grown busy with her duties as heir, leaving little time for games.

The Velyeron girl herself had also been occupied as of late, with one Baratheon girl whom she'd only met a fortnight ago.

Nerissa flew Sonnax over Storm's End, landing her in the outer courts. The skies were dull and foggy, but the sight of Veyra made Nerissa feel something akin to the sun.

She'd become fond and more than fond of Veyra–She had a tall frame paired with strong, lean arms that could make any maiden blush.

"Seeing your dragon this close is intimidating, I'm forced to admit." Veyra's smooth voice greets. Nerissa smiled brightly, removing her leather gloves and shoving them into the bodice of her coat.

"Sonnax is most docile, I assure you," Nerissa spoke confidently but quickly grew a tad bashful when met with Veyra's returned smile.

"My father holds a deep mislike for the dragons, he'd skin me alive for being this close."

Nerissa grabbed Veyra's hand, pulling her closer to the dragon. Sonnax was already chittering expectantly.

"I'd like to think my mount is the exception to most things." Nerissa placed Veyra's hand over Sonnax's nose, before dropping her own hand.

The white dragon's blue eyes trained onto the Baratheon girl, leaning into her touch. Veyra looked at the dragon with nothing short of awe.

"She likes you, I think." Nerissa giggled. "Perhaps one day you can fly with me?"Veyra reluctantly dropped her hand from the dragon. "One day, maybe a time when I do not value my safety."

Nerissa slung her arm, locking it into Veyra's. She took a brief moment to hold the gaze of those sea-green eyes, one she had come to adore.

Veyra's cheeks dusted a slight pink, for Nerissa pulled such an effect from many.

"Come." Veyra pulled herself away, much to Nerissa's disappointment. "Meet my father."

The two girls entered the great castle; it was quite drab but not unimpressive. Veyra walked her through the slightly dimmed halls, proud to show off her house's pride.

"I suppose none of you are too keen on color?" Nerissa's violet eyes critiqued.

"You can tell my lord father that yourself." Veyra shot back, smirking playfully.

There, in the great hall sat the Lord Boremund Baratheon, dawned in his house colors.

Nerissa took the liberty of bowing upon seeing him; Her curtsey was perfect and well-practiced, making the lord of Storm's end smile fondly.

"Lady Nerissa, it is wonderful to meet you properly." Lord Boremund said. "You are a vision just like your mother."

Nerissa smiled bashfully. "I shall extend your compliments when I see her, my lord."

Veyra tugged Nerissa back down the hall and into her chamber. Nerissa admired the room, how there was a dark allure to it.

"How do you do that?" Veyra pulled out an impressive steel sword from behind the drawer.

"How do you mean?" Nerissa fell back onto the dark satins of the bed.

"The way you charm others in such a way." Veyra drew her sword from its sheath, pointing it to her mirror.

"And remove yourself from my bed, lest you taint it with the smell of dragon!"

Nerissa huffed flippantly. In an act of dramaticism, she stripped off her riding coat down to the slip dress she wore. The light blue satin wrapped her body in a way Veyra could hardly avert her eyes from.

"Have you considered that others may enjoy being in my company?" Nerissa responded flippantly. "My mother tells me being kind to others is a virtue."

Veyra scoffed, flipping her long sword around. Her father would surely scold if he caught her with it.

But Veyra never much considered for his opinion or ones of any man for that matter.

"I do not care about such silly notions." Veyra lunged her sword experimentally, and Nerissa watched intently.

"They call you the sharp-tongued, did you know that?" Nerissa said, taking in the black-haired girl's concentration.

"Better that than a siren." Veyra retorted. She dropped the steel, giving Nerissa her full attention. "Or the realms delight."

There was a slight bitterness in Veyra's tone, escaping Nerissa's notice.

"What?" Nerissa adjusted herself, uncrossing her legs in a teasing way certainly unbecoming of a lady her age. "You do not think me a siren?"

Veyra drew a quick breath in. This was surely on purpose, wasn't it? Or was she simply misunderstanding their situation?

"I think." She paused, tossing a pillow into Nerissa's face. "I think you are unserious."

"My mother does not mention House Baratheon much." Nerissa mused, stroking her hair. "It is a wonder we haven't met sooner."

"My father practically keeps me chained here for fear of potential suitors," Veyra responded.

Much like Nerissa, Veyra had not yet found a reasonable match. Perhaps it was because she spoke so brashly, or maybe the cause was she could outshoot any man with a bow.

Nerissa bounced up from the bed, her arms snaking around Veyra's waist. She spun her to face the mirror, eyes shining brightly.

'We are quite a sight together.' The thought crossed Nerissa's mind but was instantly dismissed.

"Let us swear to each other  to never marry," Nerissa said, resting her chin atop Veyra's shoulder. "Men are highly undeserving of our company!"

Veyra smiled. "Many men in the realm will be greeted with sorrows in your presence then."

Nerissa scoffed, waving her off as if the comment could simply disappear.

"I do not care what any man thinks, save for my father...and perhaps Ser Harwin."

A knock at the door prevented the girls from speaking further. The heavy wood was pushed open, revealing Veyra's elder brother.

"Gods damn you, Borros!" Veyra cursed, slipping away from Nerissa's hold.

The boy smirked, leaning up against the wall with a parchment within his grasp. His green eyes scaled over Nerissa in approval, Veyra stepped in front of her crossing her arms in irritation.

"Lady Nerissa, you are as pretty as they say," Borros said. Nerissa looked away bashfully.

"What do you want?" Veyra snapped, raising a sharp brow.

Borros held up the letter in his hand. "For you, my lady."

Nerissa reached for it,eyeing the handwriting. It was her fathers. Her eyes quickly scanned it,slight smile dropping.

"What is it?" Veyra asked.

Nerissa sighed, putting on her outer coat and gloves. "My father is urging me to return home at once."

"I hope it is nothing serious."Concern laced Veyra's tone. Nerissa smiled softly, taking her hand.

"I was not to leave the castle today, and I've skipped my lessons." She sighed dramatically.

"I am a girl marked for death! You shan't see me again." Nerissa jested.

—-

𝐔𝐏𝐎𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐈𝐃𝐄, Nerissa noticed the many horses and banners of other houses.

Jumping from her dragon, Nerissa walked into the castle, and the sight she was met with simply made her want to drown in the sea.

Her lord father stood with a sizable line of men from some minor noble houses. Near the wall line, Laenor and Laena tried their best not to burst into a fit of laughter at Nerissa's expression.

They found it funny, while Nerissa wished the ground could open up and swallow her.

"Father, what is the meaning of this!" Nerissa shrieked, gripping his sleeve in distress.

Lord Coryls felt badly but not nearly enough to entertain Nerissa's fit.

"Men from honorable houses are here to vie for your hand in marriage," Corlys stated.

"Marriage! No!" Nerissa gasped, causing Laena's giggles to break slightly. Laenor gave her an apologetic smile.

"Enough!" Lord Corlys's voice boomed, causing a hush in the halls. "You shall sit and hear every man speak."

"Mother?" Nerissa whined to Princess Rhaenys in hopes of being relieved.

No such hope came from her mother as she was guided to the seat.

"You are nearly a woman grown my love, endure it." Princess Rhaenys stood by her daughter, waving over the first suitor to stand.

Nerissa tried to slump into her seat, but Rhaenys was quick to correct her posture.

Jason Lannister stood in front of her, annoyingly confident. Despite herself, Nerissa still found the conviction to remain civil, though she found the whole situation absurd.

Jason Lannister was nearly thrice her age. But Nerissa offered him a smile anyhow.

"My lord, I do hope the journey was not too taxing." Nerissa greeted.

"The sight of you makes it well worth it, my lady." Lord Jason responded. Laena's unamused scoff rang out.

Nerissa held the good sense to not speak her mind, for her mother would surely pinch her. She tried her best to be cordial as the Lord droned on regarding how he was the best-suited man to marry her.

"And I do have the financial backing, as you know, to build a grand dragonpit for your mount." He continued.

"Sonnax prefers to be free, so that would not be necessary," Nerissa spoke with a flatness unlike herself.

The Princess Rhaenys shot her a sharp look. Things like this must be endured by a lady of her station.

After him, it was a seemingly never-ending stream of men. all assuring the same things.

She would be safe with them.

Their bloodline will be strong.

It would be an honor to have the chords of her sweet voice fill the halls of their house.

Boring. As all men were.

When the last disappointed lord trickled out of the hall, Nerissa bounced up from her seat joyously.

"Well then," Nerissa said, adjusting herself. "When is dinner?"

"You have rejected every lord in the realm, Nerissa." Lord Corlys spoke exasperatedly.

"Hopefully they lose heart and never ask me again." Nerissa shrugged.

"You are positively infuriating! " Lord Corlys's voice raised, causing Nerissa to jump a little. "It is your responsibility to continue our blood, yet you refuse!"

Nerissa shrunk. It was not her fault all the men she'd been forced to hear out were dull.

"The Gods punish me," Corlys muttered, rubbing a hand to his face. "As if your brother's affliction isn't enough, I must be subjected to this childish display."

Laena gasped slightly whilst her brother averted his gaze to the floor in shame. It was known that he had a taste for his own kind, causing much stress and embarrassment to House Velyeron's name.

Nerissa never saw how it was a cause for such strife. She always thought that love was a free entity.

"Husband, that is enough." Princess Rhaenys sharply ended the conversation.

"Ever the embarrassment, am I?" Laenor muttered, walking down the halls.

Nerissa felt her eyes water as she walked to her chambers, slamming the door with an obnoxious thud.

Why couldn't she be satisfied with whatever lord her father chose for her? It filled her mind with guilt for being so selfish. There had to be more to her life as a lady.

Would she be doomed to force affections for someone she could not possibly love?

Nerissa laid back into the satin blue sheets of her bed, dark hair splayed out on the pillows like a silken dress.

She pondered about what her true love would look like, how she would feel.

Nerissa concluded she desired kindness and pure devotion, someone to protect her.

But even with those traits akin to any knight or lord, Nerissa found it was not a man she thought of.

No, instead, her mind drifted to the princess Rhaenyra. Her cousin was always quick to defend her from any jeer or unwanted attention. Nerissa adored how the princess spoke her mind while being loved by all.

Sometimes, when they flew on dragons back together, Rhaenyra's silver-blonde locks reflected beautifully in the sun's rays.

Or perhaps Veyra, The girl who had spared her from Lord Jason's advances. There was a natural sense of protectiveness the Baratheon girl exuded when Nerissa was near.

Nerissa found her stomach fluttering at the thought but gave it no further leave. Instead, she shifted to Ser Harwin Strong. True, he was below her station and a king guard, but Nerissa supposed that if it must be a man then he would do nicely.

A knock on her door rang her from the stupor. Her sister Laena opened the door, hesitantly walking into her room.

"Neri?" Laena called for her little sister,  whom she was moodily unresponsive.

Laena sighed as she seated herself atop Nerissa's bed, reaching out a hand to stroke the curls that outpoured from her head.

"Father thinks me a disappointment," Nerissa stated glumly.

"You know how he is," Laena sighed. "Always believing he knows what is best."

Laena herself, aged twenty, was not especially eager to marry. The sealord to whom she was betrothed to was fine at best, but in truth he was not her heart's desire.

Another man held that place for the time being. But Laena found sympathies in her youngest sister, who had not yet abandoned her child-like ways.

"I fear something is wrong with me sister," Nerissa said, rolling over to face Laena.

Laena raised a brow, hoping for an elaboration of some sort.

"Naturally, I wish for a love so epic, like from the tales." Nerissa's eyes glazed dreamily as she spoke.

"And you shall, "Laena assured. "All you must do is keep your heart open."

But how could she open her heart if it was unknowingly already filled?

For who exactly, Nerissa was unsure.