"Dear family,

Now a few days have passed after our short reunion and I miss you painfully.
I am comforted by the walks in the garden and the people of this beautiful city. But there is also news that I would like to share with you. After the birth of my new little brother I have already told you about my recently discovered crush and I must say that it has finally sparked. Aemond and I are now married. It's been a big surprise for all of us and I'm sure for you too, but I'm happy and ready for everything that's to come.
I enclose a flower from the castle garden. A beautiful lily for my beloved parents.
I can't wait to tell you more and explore married life. Please keep me updated as well, I hope you are all well and happy.

Your beloved daughter and sister, Edith."

Impatiently, the girl waved her hand over the paper so that the ink would finally dry. Edith had risen early today and got ready on her own so that she could leave the chamber before Aemond awoke.

Since her wedding and the consummation of her marriage, several days had passed, and Edith had hardly spent a second alone. Most of the time she had spent with Aemond in their chambers, giving free rein to their passion, but since last night the passion had disappeared again, because they had fought again. The princess didn't even know anymore why they had argued, because it was something trivial again.

In a way, she was relieved to have gone back to the old habit with Aemond. The idea of finally getting along with him had probably been just a dream after all. Still, Edith was disappointed.

"Are you ready, Princess?" asked a dark-haired young man, who was sitting opposite her in the old library, leafing through a book of knights.

Edith nodded. "Yes, thank you for joining me." Smiled the girl, carefully folding her paper and putting her letter in an envelope.

Three days ago the Greens had dined as a family again, but half of the people had not come and so the new married couple had dined alone with Queen Alicent.

Neither Aegon, Daeron nor Helaena had come to dinner, even Otto had not shown up to Alicent's frustration. King Viserys had not come either, but this was less surprising because of his health. Edith had already heard the whispers in the Red Keep and many servants were worried about the old man.

That evening Alicent had announced that Edith was to have a sworn guard. Apparently she was pleased with how things were going between her and her son and was willing to do her a favor as well and give her more freedom with the guard.

Edith's plan had worked and she had managed to trick not only her uncle but also the Queen and now had a new ally. Ser Colin was an honest young man and above all he was loyal and secretive, he had proved that when he had accompanied her to the dungeon and told no one about Ser Harwin Strong's discovery.

"Here you are."

The two turned to the new voice and Ser Colin immediately stood up to bow. "My prince."

Aemond stood in the doorway of the library, dressed in black as usual. His silver long hair was tied back neatly and of course he wore his eye patch. He looked the same as always, and yet he looked so different. And it wasn't because he wasn't wearing a sword on his waistband.

His wife, on the other hand, was wearing a simple dress in the darkest green she could find. She hated this color, although it harmonized so well with her brownish hair. Edith missed her black clothes very much, especially her dragon dresses and her leather pants, but she was not allowed to wear them here anymore, because she was married now and not a young girl anymore.

Edith found it hard not to roll her eyes. She had forgotten the reason for the quarrel, but she was still angry, and at the sight of him, Amond's chain around her neck somehow tightened. Since she had the necklace, she wore it all the time except to sleep, and Aemond paid attention too.

"I couldn't sleep anymore and Ser Colin was kind enough to accompany me to the castle gardens. The fresh air did me good and I wanted to write to my family." She explained herself without looking at him. She hated to be accountable to him, but that was part of being a wife. But the more he would trust her, the more freedom she would have.

Aemond walked up to her and leaned against the table where she was sitting. A few weeks ago, the two of them had sat here and argued. It felt like it had been forever.

"Can I read it?" the silver-haired one asked suspiciously.

Edith didn't want to, nevertheless she took out the paper from the envelope again and gave it to him. Before sending the letter, someone would read it anyway and look for hidden messages, and she preferred it to be Aemond than Alicent and her spies.

Interested, Aemond read the letter and his lips formed into a grin. Ser Colin, on the other hand, put his book back on the shelf and took a few steps away from the pair.

"You had a crush?" Amond's smug smile was unmistakable. It had to give him extreme satisfaction to read that.

Edith didn't care what he thought as long as he focused on it and bought her lies. Of course she had never mentioned a crush on her parents, much more it was a hidden message that Aemond was beginning to like her. The last sleepless nights spoke for themselves.

Edith took the paper from his hand with red cheeks and put it back in the envelope with the lily. The flower was also a hidden message, because the lily meant hope, which everyone needed right now. The girl just needed more time and she could prevent anything bad, at least she hoped so.

"Don't get any ideas about that." She replied, sealing the envelope, which Aemond immediately took from her and held out to Ser Colin. "Take this one upstairs and have it sent today. I will keep Princess Edith company from now on." Commanded the prince.

"Of course, my prince, my princess." Ser Colin accepted the letter, bowed, and then left the library and the two thus alone.

Aemond seemed eager to send the letter to the blacks, because everyone should know that Edith had a crush and was happy in this marriage. At least, he wanted to tell himself as well and let everyone know that she was on his side.

The silver-haired man put a hand on Edith's cheek, forcing her to look up at him. "Please don't be mad anymore." He demanded of his wife in a calm tone.

Edith put her hand on his and smiled at him comfortingly, playing his game. "How could I?" She replied sheepishly.

Aemond pulled her up from her chair, then lifted her up and set her down on the table, then positioned himself between her legs.

"What are you doing?" startled, she looked up at him and eyed him. But he paid no attention and brushed her brownish hair aside and began kissing her neck. "Not here, please." She asked him quickly and put her hands on his chest before she could weaken and give in.

"You heard her, brother."

Edith winced at the voice and really pushed Aemond off of her now. Aemond, on the other hand, looked in his brother's direction, still wearing his satisfied grin on his lips. "I'm sure you can't blame me." Teased the younger ambiguously. Aemond knew very well that Aegon had a likewise crush on Edith and it must be hard for him to see the two of them like this.

At least it was hard for Edith, because she didn't want Aegon to think wrong of her and so she got up from the table and smoothed her green dress again. "Aegon?" escaped her softly.

At her voice, Aegon's heart began to flutter. After the hard days, it did him good to hear her voice again. Never had his name sounded better than from her mouth, and he almost went up to her and kissed her, but he wasn't allowed to.

"The library is a holy place and not suitable for such things." Said the eldest instead.

Aemond laughed out. "As if any holy place would stop you." He replied and put his arm demonstratively around Edith's waist.

She believed every word they said and was sure that Aegon had already done forbidden things in holy places. She just didn't want to imagine who he might have done it with, because imagining him with another woman hurt her heart. Sighing, she wondered if he felt the same way when he saw her like this with his brother.

"You haven't been to dinner the last few days, and neither has Helaena." The girl interfered in the conversation between the two brothers. Her hands clawed into the fabric of her dress behind her back, while her heart was heavy at the sight of Aegon. "Why?"

"We didn't think you would come. After all, you are newlyweds." Edith hadn't heard Aegon's voice so cold and heartless in a long time, and she felt sick. "Daeron was never there either, and we just didn't feel like it." He did not mention that he and his own wife had allied themselves against the others.

In Edith the desire to flee awoke. Far away on the back of a dragon, but that was impossible. "How is she?" she wanted to know from him. She had swallowed the heavy lump in her throat and now spoke to the prince in the same tone.

Aegon shrugged his shoulder, though he had seen her just a few minutes ago. The love for the girl had welded the two of them together in a strange way and they seemed to have come to terms, but no one had to know that either.

Edith rolled her eyes and leaned into her husband's embrace, looking up at him. "Would you mind if I visited and spent the day with her?" she asked, looking at him with her big blue violet eyes. "Then you two could spend the day together?" Edith sensed that her second question was the wrong one and that Aemond had no interest in his brother, so she stood on her toes and whispered the next softly in his ear. "And tonight I am all yours, my beloved."

Aemond struggled with himself. He didn't want to deny her wish, because, after all, she only wanted to see his sister, but at the same time he wanted her all to himself. To prevent another argument, he nodded and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Go ahead. Have fun." He said.

Relieved, she smiled and finally broke free from his arms. As she walked past Aegon he turned his head away in the direction of a bookshelf, not discovering any interesting book, but just wanting to escape her gaze.

The girl tried not to let on and quickly left the room. Now that Colin was no longer here, she had to go in search of her friend alone. Her first way led her to the princess's chambers, of course.

A guard in the hallway opened the door to the chambers for Edith and announced her arrival.

Helaena stood at a large round window and seemed to stare into the distance, but at the announcement of her friend, she slowly turned and eyed the other girl.

In the new dress and hair updos, Edith looked so different and demonstrated how trapped she actually was here.

"Hello Helaena." Edith greeted her friend as the doors closed. Slowly she walked a bit into the room. She would have loved to rush up to Helaena and hug her, but she didn't. You never knew what kind of mood the princess was in and how she could handle quick reactions and touches.

Edith knew she was doing the right thing by keeping her distance when Helaena stopped at the window. "Hello Edda." Smiled the silver-haired girl dreamily and was again enchanted by the other girl.

"How are you?" the younger one wanted to know. She really cared, because she had missed her sorely and now she told her so. "I missed you very much." Edith was a person who enjoyed physical contact very much unlike Helaena, which is why the distance was even harder for her.

"I've missed you, too. I'm fine." Answered Helaena, pointing to the couch in front of her. Edith complied with her request and sat down, while Helaena remained standing by the window. "How are you?"

Edith didn't know what to reply. She hadn't really thought about it for the last few days because she had so many different emotions inside her. "I really don't know." Admitted the girl and her upright posture slackened.

"Did Aemond hurt you?" asked Helaena immediately, sitting down on the couch with her after all. Hesitantly she eyed Edith, but couldn't see any physical injuries, which was due to the long-sleeved dress.

Edith shook her head. "No, he's trying to have a good relationship...I think..." she sighed. There was also a storm of different emotions in Aemond which was also the reason for the quarrel yesterday or their desperate passionate moments which had not provided clarity.

"What is it then?"

"I'm not ready yet. Everything that's happening right now... is happening too fast for me." Edith closed her eyes for a moment and ran a hand over her face. "I'm sorry, that's not why I'm here. I wanted to see you."

Helaena looked at her with her violet eyes, understanding better than anyone how she felt. A few years ago, she had been in this situation as well. "I'd like to say it will get better, but I can't. A sleeping dragon cannot be found." Helaena said dreamily.

Edith would have liked to ask the meaning of her words, but she knew Helaena didn't know it herself or wouldn't say it as so often. Her second sentence didn't even make sense, but the first one was much worse.

"You can stay here, Edda." The princess stood up, ignoring the wrinkles that had appeared in her dress, and walked to the door.

"Please don't go." Edith asked her and sat up straight. In her eyes you could see the fear of being alone. Fortunately, Helaena shook her head and smiled reassuringly at her, then spoke to the guard outside the door before walking back to the couch.

Questioningly, Edith watched her friend and for a moment it was quiet between the two women. They just sat together, enjoying each other's presence and that they were finally no longer alone. Edith had really missed Helaena.

After a few minutes, a maid came in with a tablet and placed it on the table in front of the princesses before leaving the room again with quick steps and closing the door.

"What's this?" asked Edith as Helaena took the single cup from the tray and held it out to Edith.

"Moon Tea." Answered Helaena as if it was obvious, but the other girl still didn't understand. "What is it?" so Edith repeated again, smelling the drink doubtfully.

"It will protect you from consequences. You should drink a tea after..." Helaena did not finish her sentence, but now it was obvious even to the younger one what was in the cup. The drink would protect her from pregnancy when she didn't want one. Edith would have liked to hug Helaena she was so grateful. "The Maesters will know..."

"Not as long as you drink the Moon Tea with me when I demand it. No one would question it from me." Smiled Helaena, taking Edith's free hand as she finally got over herself and drank the vile beverage in one go. It was the most disgusting thing she had ever drunk.

"I thank you from my heart, Hel." Again her feelings overtook her and she hugged the princess out of impulse. Satisfied to have helped her friend, Helaena returned the embrace.

She had done many rash things in trying to keep Edith here. Helaena had repeatedly tried to talk her up to her brothers Aemond and Daeron and had even presented Edith almost completely exposed to her brothers at a dress fitting. All this so that at least one of them would fall in love with her and marry her so that Edda could stay with Hel.

The dreamer had never thought that her mother, of all people, would ensure that Edith would stay here. And now she was actually married to one of her brothers, but Helaena was not happy about it, although she should have been.

Edda was here with her and would stay here, but she would never be hers, though that was her fondest wish.

"I thought you were angry with me." Edith then said with a lowered look after they had detached from each other. All of a sudden she felt hot all over.

Astonished, Helaena looked at her. "No, I could never be." Replied the silver-haired honestly. She could only be angry at herself that she had not been able to help her friend to happiness. "What makes you think that?"

"I think Aegon is." Sighed the younger one. "I was in the library with Aemond earlier, and then Aegon joined us... I haven't seen him as cold as he was there in a long time."

Helaena could literally see the disappointment on her face and gently squeezed Edith's hands. "Aegon... He's just hurt. You can't blame him for that." She said softly. Of course Hel knew about her husband's feelings - Aegon was an open book to her on that. Besides, the two of them had spent a lot of time together in the last few days, talking properly for the first time in years.

Edith leaned back on the couch sighing, not caring about etiquette, besides the two of them were alone. "Do you think he'll ever forgive me?" she asked cautiously. She would have liked to take off her dress, she felt so warm all of a sudden, but a quick glance at the fireplace told her that it was out.

"As soon as his frustration is gone, certainly, but for that, you'll have to get close again. But he will never forgive Mother for that. Aegon feels betrayed." The older one enlightened her, anxiously eyeing the other girl. "Is everything okay?"

"Sure." Edith answered her, but wasn't sure herself. Hers was getting worse by the minute, and on top of the heat, she felt sick. "What was in that tea?" Tiredly she looked at Helaena.

The girl shook her head in perplexity. "I drink the tea myself, but I've never had that much of a reaction to it." She stood up and pulled Edith up by her hands as well, then led her to her own bed so she could lie down.

"I think I should get a maester." Helaena said anxiously.

"No!"

"Yes, Edda." The older princess seriously contradicted her. Helaena did this very rarely, and when she did, people did not disagree with her, they obeyed, and so Edith remained silent, looking after her friend.

She came back with a maester who gently touched Edith on the shoulder to wake her. Edith realized at the sudden sight of the old man that she must have fallen asleep.

Reluctantly, she let him examine her and he administered an unknown potion. Again, something Edith didn't know and didn't know what was in it. But right now she would drink anything just to make it stop. Everything seemed to be spinning, she was nauseous and felt like she was burning up.

Again the door was opened and the husband of the sick girl came in. The maester immediately pulled him aside to speak with him alone. "She has taken a high fever, my prince. I'm afraid it won't get better for hours, and until then she should rest. I have given her something for the fever, but the effect is delayed." The maester explained the situation.

Aemond nodded as he became aware of the situation. He looked critically at his sick wife. Her hairstyle was almost destroyed by lying down and the strands of hair that had fallen out stuck to her forehead. He would never admit it, but at that moment when he saw her so helpless, he was seriously worried about Edith.

"Can she sleep here?" asked Aemond of his sister.

Helaena nodded immediately. She sat next to Edith on the bed and gently plucked her forehead with a wet cloth. Edith herself lay there with her eyes closed and hardly seemed to notice anything.

"Take care of my wife, maester. I'll be back in the morning." He announced and, without waiting for an answer, left the room.

To those present he appeared cold, not wanting to catch it from his wife, but in reality the worry overwhelmed him and he needed distance. Only a few days ago, he would have hoped that she would not survive the illness and that he could thus escape from the marriage.

But now the situation was very different and he was about to pray for her recovery.

***
I hope you are all well and you enjoyed this chapter! :)

What do you think happened to Edith? Did her body really react that much to the tea or was it something else?

See you soon♡♡