✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: - :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: - :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧
𝘚𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘵 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 - 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨
✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: - :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: - :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧

Sometimes the young Edith was very much like her mother Aruna. Just at that moment, she had the feeling of falling down. She was often suppressed by her late stepfather, but she had never been shy. But now she was afraid. After all, the dinner would also be about her future and she would see the royal family again. If there was another way, she would take it, but there was not.

She got help getting ready from Nia, who is her mother's maid. Nia was not only the lady's maid, but also her friend and knew her children since their birth. The beautiful southern woman with black hair had Edith's hair curled and pinned back.

"I'm glad for the King's announcement, but I still don't know what to call you now. Princess or Lady?" asked Nia again. It was an unfamiliar and new situation not only for her. Edith herself did not know what title she now had, especially since she is now also the heiress of Dragonstone.

"Please continue to call me just Edith, Nia." She asked the maid while looking at herself in the mirror. She had packed only a few things for her trip and had smiled at Nia while packing, because the maid had also packed festive clothes. Now she was quite glad of it. She was against this meal, but she didn't want to embarrass herself either.

Nia smiled at the young girl and straightened the skirt of the blue dress. Not only did the dress look beautiful, but so did the girl who wore it. "You should be on your way." Advised the maid and brushed Edith's lips with a brush to tint her lips slightly pink. "Thank you, Nia. Have fun with Cassian." Edith smiled her thanks at the woman and then left her room. Her little brother would spend the evening with the maid tonight, while the others ate together and discussed everything.

Her parents' chamber was not far from hers, so she went to them first so they could go together. Her father immediately opened the door for her and on the way to the gathering place he smiled encouragingly at her and put an arm around her shoulder. Her mother, on the other hand, still looked unhappy, but by now one could also see sadness in her mother's eyes. She was not ready to leave her daughter here soon if the queen agreed to the terms.

Together the three of them went to the arranged room. While Aruna and Daemon took their seats next to Princess Rhaenyra, Edith sat down on the last free chair between Jacaerys and Aegon. Immediately, a knot formed in her stomach. No one in the room said anything while servants and maids served the food.

The awkward silence was then broken by the arrival of the king. Viserys sat in a chair and was carried to the table by two guards. He looked much sicker than he had at noon today, if that was even possible.

Everyone present respectfully stood and waited until Viserys was placed between his wife Alicent and his daughter Rhaenyra. "How good it is... to see you all tonight... together." The king greeted his family and looked at everyone at the table. Edith even thought she could see an attempted smile under his mask.

"Prayer before we begin?" asked Alicent her husband, to which he immediately replied in the affirmative. "May the Mother smile down on this gathering with love. May the Smith mend the bonds that have been broken for far too long. And to Vaemond Velaryon may the gods give him rest." Everyone had their hands clenched into fists while Alicent said the prayer. At Ser Vaemond's mention, the young girl immediately thought of the headless body again. Her mother had immediately placed herself in front of her, but Edith, in her youthful recklessness, had looked anyway.

"This is an occasion for celebration, it seems. My grandsons, Jace and Luke, will marry their cousins, Baela and Rhaena, further strengthening the bond between our houses. A toast to the young Princes and their betrothed." Viserys said and reached for his wine goblet, trembling. Everyone else at the table also raised their goblets to toast the two young couples. "Hear, hear!"

Edith had leaned forward a bit so she could toast with her sister Baela, as she did so she felt someone lean forward behind her back. "Well done, Jace. Youll finally get to lie with a woman." Aegon whispered to Jace behind Edith's back. Jacaerys choked on his wine at Aegon's words, while Baela looked angrily at the prince.

Even though Edith was not addressed, her cheeks immediately turned red at Aegon's words. But she quickly calmed down and nudged the prince rudely. "Oh, I'm sorry." She said playfully surprised and leaned back against her chair as Aegon leaned away again and looked at her pissed.

"Let us toast as well Prince Lucerys the future Lord of the Tides and a toast to the beautiful Lady Edith the future Lady of Dragonstone." Again Viserys raised his glass and so did everyone else at the table. Slowly Edith was able to come to terms with her fate, indeed she looked forward to being the Lady of Dragonstone someday and was grateful. "Hear, hear!"

"Youll be great." Edith's sister Rhaena looked at Luke with a warm smile, toasting him as she said it. The young girl could only smile at the sight of the two, but her smile disappeared again as Aegon now leaned in front of her to talk to Jace. "You do know how the act is done, I assume? At least in principle? Where to put your cock and all that." Aegon wanted to know from the other prince. Edith had to roll her eyes at the one-sided conversation and decided to interfere. "Would you like to switch chairs with me or would you rather hang out on my lap than your chair?" she asked teasingly.

"I'm sorry, but who's talking to you?" asked Aegon a counter question, which pissed the girl off. "You can play the jester if you wish, but hold your tongue before my betrothed and my cousin." Jace finally spoke up, pushing Aegon lightly back into his chair so Edith could sit unrestricted again.

Breathing heavily, Viserys stood up from his chair, having to prop himself up on the table. "It both gladdens my heart and fills me with sorrow to see these faces around the table. The faces most dear to me in all the world... yet grown so distant from each other... in the years past." The king declared in a disappointed voice. Then he reached for his golden mask and finally took it off. Visery's sight shocked Edith, to be honest, and she had to avert her eyes shamefully. It certainly wasn't easy for him either, so Edith didn't want to stare at the man any longer.

"My own face... is no longer a handsome one... if indeed it ever was." He joked about his own condition and then closed his remaining eye, exhausted. "But tonight... I wish you to see me... as I am. Not just a king... but your father. Your brother. Your husband... and your grandsire. Who may not, it seems... walk for much longer among you. Let us no longer hold ill feelings in our hearts. The Crown cannot stand strong if the House of the Dragon remains divided. But set aside your grievances." Viserys paused briefly to catch his breath, as he was breathing heavily. "if not the sake of the crown... then for the sake of this old man who loves you all so dearly." He demanded of his family, looking pleadingly at each member. Exhausted, he then sat back down in his chair.

Before there was another awkward silence in the room, Rhaenyra stood up and raised her glass. "I wish to raise my cup to Her Grace, the Queen." Began the woman with silver hair. "I love my father. But I must admit that no one has stood more loyally by his side than his good wife. She tended to him with... unfailing devotion, love, and honor. And fort hat, she has my gratitude... and my apology." Sincerely, the two women looked at each other for a brief moment before avoiding looking at each other again.

The princess' words seemed to have stirred something in the queen, because now she addressed the word to Rhaenyra. "Your graciousness moves me deeply, Princess. We are both mothers... and we love our children. We have more in common than we sometimes allow." Alicent said to her former close friend, before standing up and continuing to speak with her cup raised. "I raise my cup to you and to your house. You will make a fine queen."

No one really knew how they could understand the situation with the words of the queen. Alicent, in fact, contradicted the expectations and suppositions with her last sentence. Only earlier Rhaenyra had claimed Alicent would do everything for Aegon to sit on the throne. But what should everyone think now? Somehow Alicent's words also gave Edith hope. Maybe she didn't have to stay here at all.

Once again, everyone reached for their goblets to toast and not only Edith drank the goblet of wine with hope. The mood seemed to slowly improve, just after the serious speeches, when Aegon got up from his chair. Edith was glad that he did not bend in front or behind her again, but still the prince's presence annoyed her very much. Aegon walked over to Baela and reached for a pitcher to refill her goblet. "I...I reget the disappointment you are soon to suffer. But if you ever wish to know what it is o be well satisfied, all you have to do is ask."

Angrily, Jace pounded on the table as he stood up, causing the dishes to rattle. "Jace." Baela whispered to him, trying to calm him down, but the Targaryen was pissed. Startled, all eyes turned to the young prince, but he said nothing.

Instead, his uncle Aemond stood up and exchanged an intense look with his nephew. Immediately Edith felt transported back to her childhood when the children were in Driftmark. The same tension had existed back then when Aemond lost his eye and Edith almost lost her hand.

The anger could still be seen in Jace's eyes as he patted Aegon on the shoulder and then raised his goblet. "To Prince Aegon and Prince Aemond. We have not seen each other in years, but i have fond memories of our shared youth. And as men, I hope we may yet be friends and allies." The prince said confidently and looked at Aegon and Aemond. "To you and your familys good health, dear uncles." Again the goblets were raised for drinking and Edith began to feel tipsy. She very much hoped it was the last toast. "To you as well." Aegon replied annoyed as Jace tapped him on the shoulder again. Inwardly Edith had to stifle a grin.

"Beware the beast beneath the boards." Princess Helaena said softly as she looked at something in her hand. Curious, Edith looked past Aegon to the girl, but unfortunately couldn't make out what she was holding or understand what she meant.

"Well done, my boy." Viserys interjected, tapping his walker on the floor three times, then looking proudly at Jace.

"I would like to toast to Baela and Rhaena. Theyll be married soon." Again the young princess spoke only this time her look was clearer and she stood up this time. "It isnt so bad. Mostly he just ignores you... expect sometimes when hes drunk." Teased Helaena to her husband and then sat back down with a satisfied smile.

Daemon and Edith couldn't help but laugh, though Edith felt very sorry for the poor girl. She couldn't imagine what it must be like for her. Helaena was only a few years older than Edith, and yet she was already married with two children.

"Speaking of weddings. What about your first daughter, Prince Daemon?" wanted Alicent to know curiously, looking at her brother-in-law and his wife. Wide-eyed, Edith looked back and forth between the queen and her parents. It had been clear that she would not forget.

"I'm afraid I promised my daughter before that she could choose her own husband as well as the time of her marriage." Answered Aruna for her husband, looking briefly into her daughter's anxious eyes. "However, she suggests staying by your side here in King's Landing and getting to know your sons better before deciding." Added the woman with dark hair unhappily.

Thinking, Alicent eyed the young girl, who felt uncomfortable under the queen's gaze. Then the woman nodded and directed her gaze to her old friend Aruna. "I will make her feel comfortable here, and I am sure your brother Adrik will always be at her side, as will my children." The Hightower native replied, smiling confidently.

Edith felt as if she had to run away, but she had never been the type, so she sat in her chair with played confidence and smiled contentedly. "It's an honor, your Grace." Said the young girl with the brownish hair.

"How delightful news. Let us have some music!" said Viserys before emptying his wine goblet. Immediately the musicians began to play, which Edith had not seen before. She was glad that now the serious talks were over, but at the same time the thought of her future here made her sad, but she tried to enjoy the evening with her family. They would surely not be able to see each other for a while and Edith would not be present at the birth of her new sibling which strengthened her sadness.

To Edith's surprise, her cousin Jacaerys stood up and walked purposefully to Princess Helaena and asked for a dance. Everyone knew that Jace was not a great dancer, but he danced with Aegon's wife on purpose to annoy him. Unlike him, Edith loved dancing and watched the two of them dreamily yet somewhat amused, starting to eat like everyone else.

"You don't look happy about it. Maybe you should have asked her first." Teased Edith, leaning over to Aegon, who was also watching Jace and Helaena. "Dance with me?" She didn't want to dance with him, but he seemed to be the only dance partner here in the room, because Luke was also a bad dancer and she feared that Aemond, he was still pissed about Driftmark. "Why should I dance with you?" asked Aegon, confused and annoyed, as he now looked at the younger girl.

She didn't mean to, but his words hurt the girl immensely, but she didn't want to show him that and sat up straight again. "Forget it." She answered him and then sought eye contact with her cousin Luke. When he returned her gaze, it didn't take him long to understand what she wanted from him. He quickly shook his head, but the young girl had already stood up and held out her hand to him.

Now he couldn't say no, not while so many were present. Luke took her hand and followed her onto the improvised dance floor with Jace and Helaena. Awkwardly they danced together, spinning wildly in circles, bouncing back and forth, and the four of them swapped dance partners with each other, laughing a lot. Probably this was also due to the already much wine on this young evening.

Edith held Helaena's hand and spun the other girl over and over again until she became dizzy and she had to hold on to Edith. As if automatically, the dark-haired one's arms wrapped around the silver-haired one's body to support her. "I'm sorry!" she apologized, but still had to laugh.

"Don't be." Wished Helaena, smiling gently at the girl before she started dancing again. Fascinated, Edith could only watch the girl while she herself was now dancing with Jace. The room was in a good mood as it had not been for a long time. Everyone was talking and laughing again while eating the delicious food and drinking the precious wine.

Exhausted from dancing, Edith was about to sit down again when she saw the agonizing look from the king. The others at the table also noticed Visery's hunched posture and Alicent quietly called for the guards, who then carried the king back to his chambers so that he could rest. The happy mood gave way to a worried one, but the queen asked those present to sit down again and continue eating, because that was also what Viserys would want.

Edith sat down again in her place next to Aegon, who looked at her with a strange look but fortunately did not say anything this time. In all these years he had not changed and she still did not like him. He was still a self-absorbed drunkard with no sense of morality and no real emotions.

But what Aegon did then surprised her very much. He reached for the wine pitcher and refilled Edith's goblet, then handed it to her. "Thank you?" she asked more than thanking him and took her goblet in her hand. She had become quite warm and thirsty from dancing. Aegon said nothing and sat down again.

Edith finished her goblet and could only shake her head at him, her eyes falling on his brother Aemond who seemed to be watching the two of them. On closer inspection, Edith noticed that Aemond was eyeing her wrist scar. Provocatively she let the sleeve of her dress slide down as she brushed her hair out of her face, while watching him. She could hear his snort despite the distance as he turned his head away. She hated her scar that he was responsible for, but just to spite him she would display her scar from now on as long as she was here.

Her scar seemed to have triggered something in Aemond as he slapped his hands loudly on the table as he stood up like Jace had earlier. Immediately everyone's attention turned to the queen's second son, who looked at everyone with a serious expression and then raised his goblet. "Final tribute. To the health of my nephews: Jace, Luke and Joffrey. Each of them handsome, wise... and strong."

"Aemond." His mother warned him, but he ignored her and kept talking. "Come... let us drain our cups to these three... Strong boys." No one raised his cup, not even Edith who rolled her eyes at him. The stupidity and arrogance seemed to be in their genes.

"I dare you to say that again." Jacaerys said challengingly. He was still standing on the dance floor with Helaena, but they were no longer dancing.

"Why? It was only a compliment. Do you not think yourself strong?" asked Aemond playfully ignorant, walking up to his nephew as he spoke. The boy was pissed and also walked up to Aemond only to hit him. "Jace!"

Luke also stood up now, as did Aegon who was now fighting with him. But Aegon was much stronger and pushed Luke's face painfully on the table so that the dishes rattled.

"That is enough!" Upset, Edith now also got up from her freeze and tried to pull Aegon away from Luke. When she failed, she jumped on the prince's back and clung to him. This shook Aegon and he now let go of Luke to defend himself against Edith.

"Edith!" She could hear her mother's terrified voice and her father's soft laughter, but she was far too busy to respond. Eventually, she was grabbed by her father and was pulled away from the prince. Guards did the same to Jace and Luke.

"Why would you say such a thing before these people?" wanted Alicent to know from her son, whom she had just rushed toward. "I was merely expressing how proud I am of my family, Mother." Aemond answered her playfully innocent. Everyone knew the truth, but it was still an outrage to say it out loud, and it wasn't the first time Aemond had done so. In Driftmark he had lost his eye because of it. "Mm, though it seems my nephews arent quite as proud of theirs."

Aemond walked back towards his nephew, who had just managed to free himself from the guard. Now Daemon also broke away from Edith when she did not resist and stepped between the two young men. "Wait, wait!" Daemon said, putting distance between the two contenders by gently pushing Jace back.

At the same time, an arm gently wrapped around Edith. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" her mother asked softly and gently. Aruna didn't seem upset. "I'm fine, mother."

"Go to your quarters. All of you go, now." Ordered Rhaenyra who had also come closer. Her sons obeyed immediately and only unwillingly did Edith detach herself from her mother. "Good night." She wished all present and left the room behind her sisters. With some distance, Helaena, Aegon and Aemond also left the room.

"Wait Edda!" Edith had walked quite a distance through the Red Keep when a voice called out to her and she turned questioningly. The young princess ran up to the girl and seemed happy to have caught her.

"What did you just call me?" the girl with the brownish hair asked, looking around, but Edith couldn't see anyone else in the hallway except Helaena.

"Edda? I heard your mother call you that." Helaena explained innocently, eyeing the girl in front of her questioningly. "I didn't mean to offend you with that, I'm sorry."

"No, no. It's all good. I was just surprised." Said Edith immediately, gently taking the hands of the young princess when she noticed how she felt guilty. But Helaena quickly disengaged from Edith's hands and took a step back. It was now Edith who was looking at the other girl in wonder. "I'm sorry?"

"It's... it's okay. I'm sorry." Helaena looked at the stone floor with red cheeks and had her arms wrapped around her own body. "There's no need to apologize, so please don't." Edith asked her, not daring to touch the princess again. It surprised her a bit, because earlier at the dance she hadn't minded body contact. "What did you want from me?"

"Oh, that's right." The silver-haired girl remembered and now looked dreamily at the wall tapestry. There was silence for a brief moment before Helaena looked back at the visitor and seemed clear again. "I wanted to take you upstairs so you wouldn't get lost." She explained in a soft innocent voice to the other girl.

"That's really nice of you. Thank you." Smiled Edith. She had tried to memorize the way earlier, but after all the wine she was now a bit unsure and was glad Helaena had found her. Together they walked through the cold corridors of the Red Keep while Helaena talked dreamily again about some paintings or statutes they passed. Helaena seemed to know a lot and Edith liked that very much. She hoped that the princess would tell her many more things and perhaps be a good company here.

When they arrived at Edith's room, the goodbyes were as quick as the greetings and Helaena quickly wished the girl a good night before turning and leaving. Confused but smiling, Edith remained leaning against her door and could only look after the unknown girl.

***

Chapter 2!
what do you think so far?
I'm really in love with Edith
and let me say this...
the next chapter shows her true strength!