⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ °• ☼ CHAPTER THREE: OPAL EYES ☾ •°⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

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THE SKIES WERE darkening as they rounded the trail to Kings Landing, dashing in flying silks beneath the ascending moon. When they reached the towers of the red and white of King's Landing, they slowed their horses into a trot, Rhaegar and Nesaela sliding from their backs. An owl called from above, casting its small shadow down upon them.

     "Hush," Rhaegar told her, stopping their horses pressed against the ochre walls of King's Landing. The shadows of the wall hid them as a Targaryen guard walked across the landing above. The clanking of his armoured footsteps disappeared and Nessie exhaled a sharp breath she hadn't realised she was holding. Her face was still glowing with excitement, lilac eyes glittering in the hint of the rising moon.

     The two siblings cut through the gardens and into the inner courtyards. They dodged the eyes of the guards, leading their horses through the darkness. The horses' hooves clicked on the saffron tiles, dusted with fine red sand. Nessie shushed her horse quietly, a gentle hand on the side of Moondancer's head as they snuck through the courtyard.

     They walked back to the castle stables and put away their beloved horses, Nessie feeding Moondancer extra oats in gratitude for the adventure. The lights in the Red Keep were off, only moonlight illuminating the pale marble walls within. The two siblings snuck across the courtyard, hiding from the palace guards' views.

     Rhaegar had told his sister to sneak through the window first—to go quietly and quickly up to her room. She grinned as her knees pressed against the marble windowsill, forcing herself through the opening. It felt like an adventure. What she had not expected, though, was to fall on the cold tiled floor only to feel hands grip her shoulders. Her father wrenched her off the ground, dragging her slightly until she stood in front of him, hair a mess and lilac eyes wide in fright.

     Nessie let out a pitiful frightened cry as he gripped onto her dress, one hand pulling the silver silk collar and the other tightening his fingers in a vice around her upper arm. Hateful words were on his tongue as he shook her. The silver dragon pin slipped from her hair and clattered to the ground in a pitiful ringing. Nessie could practically feel the heat from her father's face, teeth grit and jaw clenched.

     He spat as he yelled at her, "You think this is a game? You are a princess, not some common whore!" Nessie winced away from his rage, still crying out as she felt his nails carve into the delicate flesh on her arm. "I will not have you sneaking out of this household at such ungodly hours to play a whore's card!" She kept her lips fastened shut as she whimpered, the first tears slipping from her eyes.

     "Father, I told her to go!" Aerys dropped the front of his frightened daughter's gown upon hearing his prized son's voice. He turned towards Rhaegar, her older brother's eyes widened at his father's actions. Rhaegar pulled Nessie back to his side, the girl afraid and whimpering. She hid behind the black silk of his cloak. "Go to mother, Nessie," her brother whispered to the sniffling girl. Only Rhaegar could calm Aerys—the source of Aerys' pride.

     Nessie did what he said, backing away from her father without a second glance and running up the marble steps with the train of her silk gown billowing across the stairs after her. She left mud where she ran. Her hands still ached from the use of the bow, which she already longed for in her hands as she ran to her mother's room.

      She didn't bother to knock, pushing her way through the pristine white wood and gold wrapped door, chipped only slightly at the front where Aerys' hands had hit. Her mother, who had been lying in the dark, raised her head immediately at the presence. Perhaps, she thought it was her vengeful husband. Instead, only her daughter stood there illuminated by the lamplight pouring through the open door. Nesaela's hair was frazzled in a silver halo around her head, dress ripped at both the front and the train, fright on her face. Rhaella only outstretched her arms at the frightened girl.

      Nessie ran straight into them after slamming the door, wood frame shuddering. It wasn't an out of sorts occurrence. Over the years, Aerys had become more violent not only with his wife, but their two youngest children too. Viserys and Nessie copped most of his anger and harsh words. And while the young Viserys withdrew inside himself, Nesaela withdrew to her mother every time.

      Nesaela scurried to her mother's side, mud-stained dresses catching on the soft silk sheets. A sob burst through her lips the moment she touched her mother's loving arms.

      Rhaella held the girl to her chest, golden hair draping over her face. Her purple eyes shone in the moonlight slinking through the window. The little girl shook in Rhaella's arms. "Don't cry," her mother whispered into her silver-white hair. Nessie stifled a whimper, face still in her mother's blue nightgown. Her father and her mother hadn't slept together in years, since Viserys' birth, unless they aimed to produce heirs.

      The room smelt like her mother's perfume, the light scent of roses, lavenders and pomegranates made specially for her. The sun dipped behind the red rock of King's Landing and cast a vermillion glow around the room. "It's okay, I've got you. Don't cry." Rhaella stroked her fingers through Nessie's hair. "I promised you, once, I would protect you from all the monsters in the world." Rhaella placed another kiss on her daughter's silver hair. "I am so sorry, my love, that there is one living among us." She stroked her daughter's hair and pulled her closer. "You must stay by Rhaegar. He is the only one who can calm him." Nessie recalled seeing bruises on her mother's ribs. "I'm so sorry I cannot protect you from him." Nessie understood. Nessie rubbed her fingers across the aching skin of her upper arm, knowing there would be finger-shaped bruises in the morning. 

     Her mother pressed her lips beside Nessie's ear and hummed Gentle Mother, Front of Mercy softly. "Gentle Mother, strength of women, help our daughters through this fray. Soothe the wrath and tame the fury, teach us all a kinder way." Nesaela let her eyes close, still pressed up against her mother's side, the queen's blue nightgown against her face. It was blissfully warm in her mother's hold, and she wished she could stay there forever.

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     THAT NIGHT, she'd dreamt of the eyes of a big, black dragon. They were a scattered painter's dream of silver, blue and white and purple, changing whenever its gaze flickered around her. The dragon's wings were spread out on either side of them, large enough to smother the whole of King's Landing. It faced her head on, corners of its mouth lifting ever-so-slightly to reveal ash-black teeth. Though she wasn't afraid.

     Instead, she'd moved up to the beast, watching her with opal eyes which shone with all the strength of the moon. Its skin was black as the coals of a fire, heat radiating off it in waves. Red like pulsing embers shone through the cracks between its scales. It turned to face her. Smoke curled from its nose and it seemed to exhale, blowing pulsing hot steam over her form. Where welts should have rose, warm simply enveloped her.

     She could see her reflection in its pupils, older and tall and limber, hair longer and down her back, dressed in a draping black, beautiful dress, own eyes glowing molten gold. She could feel the gold running in veins beneath her skin. She felt like fire.

     Its fangs parted to reveal a black throat like an abyss, gaping charcoal rows of teeth and a purple tongue. It could have swallowed her whole. She stood fearless between its black fangs, as tall as her. Heat ran off its breath. For a moment, orange glowed down its throat like a distant fire burning across the expanse of King's Landing. And then, the dragon breathed out in a great sigh, the hint of a roar burning on its tongue, and flames poured from its jaws.

      But instead of her skin melting and bursting like it should have, she glowed beneath the flames. It brushed across her skin, like molten silk. She welcomed it. The hems of her beautiful silk gown caught aflame and surrendered to the fire, but Nessie didn't. It ran through her hair like a mother's fingers, scalding a twisted tiara of modern metal and jewels upon her head. She felt alive.

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     THE DAY AFTER the next, Nesaela disobeyed her father's orders again. She met Rhaegar during midday after having escaped her stitchwork lessons. The clearing of the woods was warm and sunny as she slowed her horse. She'd worn more appropriate clothes, this time, at the bane of her mother and handmaidens. A riding cloak was wrapped around her body, still elegant, riding boots hiking up her ankles. She wore a shirt and trousers. Her hair was still tied back by her favourite dragon pin.

     "You made it," her brother mused as she slipped off her horse. He handed her the silver bow the moment she hit the ground and Nessie took it firmly without saying a word. The fingermarks on her bicep ached, having turned into throbbing red bruises which stung with each movement. She said nothing more as she loaded an arrow into the string, turned on her heel, and shot the arrow into the trunk of a tree. It splintered where it struck.

     Her eyes were a hazy storm of a purple sea against a sky of lightning; of boats crashing against a lightless shore at twilight. Her brother held back a smile at her boldness, but she couldn't stop thinking of the dragon with the opal eyes. "Teach me more," she said.

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i love rhaella, okay? i know she can't do anything to protect nesaela from aerys but she's so sweet. and the description of her from the books just makes me so sad for her, i have to make her a loveable character.

also fuck aerys. thanks.

1,751 words

22.07.2018.