The young wife spent the rest of the day alone in her and Aemond's chambers. And she also spent the night alone, because her husband did not come to the common chambers that evening.

Normally Edith would have wondered where he was, would have been worried or angry, but that night she rarely thought about her husband.

Her thoughts circled like crazy in her head and she could not find a quiet minute. The loss of her things still broke her heart and she felt like she was going to throw up at any moment. Not to mention the loss of her empty dragon egg.

The next morning, the maids and servants took a long time to get the still young princess out of bed and ready for the day. Normally she would have chosen her own dresses, but since she no longer had any of her own and only the dresses left over as a wedding gift from the queen, she didn't care what she wore. They were not her dresses and so she would not feel comfortable in any of the green dresses.

She ate breakfast alone at the table in front of the window in her chamber. Down in the square, many people were already on their way to work or sell things to feed their families.

These people in the city had nothing, lived partly in the dirt and had nothing to eat for days and still Edith would like nothing better than to exchange her life with one of them. Any gold piece or her title as princess and wife of the king's son she would give for it, because she knew in the other life she would be happier and she would be with her family.

Her dull thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock on the door of the room, which immediately made Edith's heart beat faster with emotion.

It could not be Aemond, since he would not knock, but simply come in. Aegon would not dare meet her here and for Helaena the knock was too firm, besides the elder princess was more likely to send a letter or a maid to meet Edith in her own chambers or in the garden.

Nor was Sir Colin, as he was starting his first day at his penalty today and was out with the city guard. Edith still found it very unfair, because officially Colin had been sick in bed when the fire broke out. Unofficially, she had sent him away to safety when the two discovered the fire, but no one knew that except the two of them.

There was only one person who could be outside the door and Edith's fear immediately increased as she became aware of this. Just the thought of Maester Ludwig gave her unpleasant goose bumps.

Edith did not open the door. Not even when there was a second, then a third and even a fourth knock.

From the knocking it was heard how impatient the person must be and only a little later the doorknob turned and the door was slowly opened.

The young woman got up from her chair and stood protectively behind it. Her hands were on the back of the metal chair, ready to throw the chair at the old man if he came too close.

"Edith? Are you here? I hope you're dressed, because I'm coming all the way in now."

Edith expelled the bated breath she had been holding in fear when she recognized the dark hair and statue of the young prince.

Daeron stepped into the room as announced and closed the door behind him with one hand, covering his eyes with the other out of respect in case the woman would not yet be dressed.

"I am dressed. You can look." She quickly relieved the youngest prince, and she herself slowly calmed down as well. With her was Daeron, not the old Ludwig. The prince would not hurt her, he was her brother-in-law and was family.

Although family was not crucial not to hurt or betray each other. Not here in Westeros.

Daeron took his hand away and eyed the girl with his devious bright blue eyes. One look was enough to see that he had Tyrell blood in him and not the blood of the dragon. He was the son of Edith's uncle Ser Adrik and Queen Alicent. An open secret, but no one dared to say so.

Unlike Rhaenyra's children, as they were often exposed and insulted as bastards, even by their own family.

"You're not going to throw the chair at me, are you?" asked Daeron with amusement, his gaze resting on Edith's hands, which still clasped the back of the chair.

"Of course not!" she justified herself, quickly letting go of the chair and taking a few steps forward. "Not according to you, at least..." she added softly.

"Then I am reassured." The young prince smiled at her and sat down on the foot of the bed she had made, without asking, not that he needed to ask permission to do anything.

"What are your plans for today?"

To be honest, Edith hadn't given it much thought yet. The day was still young and yet it couldn't go by fast enough for her.

"I don't know yet... maybe I'll go to the garden with Helaena?" she answered him a bit uncertainly.

"No you won't." Augmented the young man, who was only a few weeks older than Edith. "You will accompany me." He said resolutely.

"Where to?" the woman with brownish hair wanted to know.

She hadn't spent much time with her cousin yet, so she couldn't judge him yet, whether his intentions could be good or bad for her. But the most important thing here was to get along with as many people as possible and get their support when everything was going under.

Daeron got up from the bed and reached out both hands to her. "I want to show you something." He explained to her and as soon as her hands touched his, he pulled her out of the room with him.

The princess knew many of the corridors in the Red Keep very well by now, but not the rooms that were hidden behind the heavy doors.

Daeron led her to a bright and large room. Warm curtains hung in front of the windows, and the walls were almost as brilliant a blue as Daeron's Tyrell eyes. There were seating options throughout the room, such as chairs, armchairs, and couches.

It was the brightest and most inviting room Edith had seen here so far.

With wide eyes she looked around and only then noticed the many canvases on easels, on the walls or on the floor. Some were still empty, but on many were true works of art.

"Do you like it?" he asked her almost shyly. He was standing in the middle of the room with his arms folded behind his back.

"Did you paint all these?" she asked in amazement, carefully stroking the dried brushstrokes. The painting showed dark rocks and a vivid sea and next to the clouds you could see a dragon in the sky. The colors were perfectly chosen and you could literally hear the storm in the sea, it looked so realistic. "This is incredible, Daeron."

"Thank you for the kind words." Immediately his shyness was gone and his ever grin was back on his lips.

Edith continued to look around the room, taking time to look at and contemplate some of his paintings. "I didn't know the Red Keep had an art room." She commented thoughtfully.

In all the books and stories about the Royal Family building, she had never heard of such a room. To be honest, it didn't fit in the Red Keep either. It was bright, friendly, creative and seems warm, so very different from most rooms and hallways.

"That's my little secret." He explained himself, and it made sense, because really hardly anyone knew about the hidden atelier. "My father made it for me. At first it was just a small room, then it got bigger and bigger, and now it's my place of retreat by which I can express myself."

"When did your father arrange this room to be made for you?" Edith lifted her skirt slightly to climb a small flight of stairs to a podium. There she sat down on a chair. From up here there was a beautiful view of this dreamy room.

"I think after my eighth name day... I don't remember exactly, but I think this used to be the private room of the king himself." Daeron shrugged his shoulders as he spoke, not caring what he had just said.

Edith looked down at him and eyed the handsome prince. His dark hair nestled in perfect waves around his face, then she looked at his nose, which was very similar to hers, and then she looked at his perfect pink lips. She felt he was extremely handsome at that moment, but that could also be because of the atmosphere.

"Sir Adrik remodeled this room for you? I didn't realize my uncle could be so creative." Commented Edith, shifting her red-cheeked gaze away from him to look at the colorful ceiling wall instead.

"He prefers reading and fighting, although he is also a good artist."

"A wasted talent." She replied, smiling softly at the thought of her uncle. She stroked her brownish curly hair and then got up from the chair, however she remained standing on the podium.

Though Adrik Tyrell had claimed this room for his illegitimate son, the walls and canvases screamed the prince's name loudly. Everything here had been painted by Daeron and decorated with love over the past few years.

Daeron now avoided eye contact with the young woman as well, but for an entirely different reason. "So you know?" he asked quietly.

"I think everyone knows, but no one will ever say it out loud...me neither." Edith promised honestly, because she would never reduce him to his origins. "Daeron... my legitimacy was also accepted not too long ago, so I have no right to judge anyone else."

Daeron smiled gratefully for her way of dealing with things. He really liked Edith and was afraid about her reaction regarding his legitimacy, but now he knew the fear was unfounded. "Thanks." He smirked almost sheepishly.

"So what now? Are you going to paint me too?" she asked with a smile on her lips, crossing her arms behind her back.

"I would love to paint you someday, but I don't think today is the right time." As he spoke, he retrieved his favorite easel from the corner and placed it in front of the podium. To it he placed his cart with a large selection of colors on it, then he placed a second easel next to his. "First I want to see you painting, Edith."

Her eyes began to light up at his words and excitedly she descended the stairs from the pedestal, paying no attention to her elegance.

"I haven't painted or drawn in years." She told him and when she realized that, she became kind of sad. In the last few years she had focused on other things and had forgotten about this passion entirely.

"That statement alone just hurt me." Daeron joked playfully.

The youngest prince picked up a clean painter's apron and gestured with his hand for her to turn around, and Edith complied with his request. Daeron then helped her put the apron on over her dress and tied it tightly at her back.

"How is it that you don't paint anymore?" he wanted to know from her as he struggled a bit with the laces of the apron.

Edith had to grin when she realized he was struggling, but decided not to say anything because of it and just laugh a little. "Back in Winterfell I often spent my days reading and painting, but since I've been living on Dragonstone... I've been focusing on other things like fighting and my education about the Kingdoms." She told him, sighing at the end. She didn't like to talk about her time from Winterfell, because the memories make her uncomfortable.

"But now you're here. Think of it as a fresh start and find your way back to the things you once liked so much." He advised, placing a hand on her shoulder and gently turning her back to him, as he had managed to tie the strings by now.

Daeron was not only a creative mind, he was also a poet and his every word sounded so wise that Edith believed him every word out of his mouth.

Instinctively, Edith acted and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck as she hugged him. "Thank you for bringing me here." The young princess was grateful for his efforts and kind words. Daeron had managed to distract her from all the problems outside this room.

After the intimate embrace, he too put on an apron to protect his clothes, then placed his cart of brushes and paints between the two easels. "Shall we?" he asked with a grin.

They each grabbed a paint palette and mixed the colors they needed, and while Daeron was already grabbing a large brush and applying a primer to his canvas, Edith stared at her colors. She really didn't know what to paint and admired him for his creativity to start painting right away.

Edith looked over at him and watched as the canvas turned blue and green. Daeron held his brush lightly in his hand and moved it in smooth and deliberate motions.

"Close your eyes." He instructed her in his gentle voice.

"Why, can't I stare at you?" she joked with a laugh, nudging him with her clean brush.

"Of course you can stare at me." Daeron shook his head slightly, laughing as well. "But that would only distract you now. Close your eyes, Edith."

The young woman stood upright in front of her screen again and then closed her eyes. From now on, she let only his voice guide her.

"Empty your mind and shake off all your worries." The dark-haired man put down his paint palette and brush and then stood behind her to place his hands on her shoulders. Gently, he then began to massage her shoulders. "Just relax."

Again, his words worked magic on her and she really began to relax. Her mind went blank and she became calmer. All she could think about now was his magic hands.

"Imagine a place where there is only peace, a place where you can only be you." He breathed into her ear and grabbed a paintbrush dipped it in a random color and placed it in her hand.

Feeling the thin wood in her hand, Edith opened her eyes again and, without thinking further, stroked the brush across the canvas, coloring it gray. Again and again she dipped the brush into the gray paint and began to paint, then she added a second and a third color.

Daeron stopped massaging her shoulders when the first structures and shapes could be seen on the canvas and turned his attention back to his own.

The two hardly spoke while they painted, but when they did, it was with a smile on their lips. It was a peaceful moment and Edith drew as much energy as she could from the day. It had been a long time since she had felt such an inner peace within her as she did right now.

"Life could be so peaceful..." she murmured softly to herself. By now you could see what Edith was painting. The waves crashing against the stone rocks, the green tall grass on the rock, and the gray clouds with the bright sunbeams behind them were unmistakably Dragonstone. Her home.

"In dragon stone? Certainly. It seemed very beautiful there." Daeron remembered the recent trip to Dragonstone all too well. He had really enjoyed it there and had enjoyed his time, likewise he had gotten to know the residents there better and had made a special connection there.

"I don't know how much different my life would have been in Dragonstone...I like to think of it as peaceful and simpler there, but I'm not so sure by now."

"Why?"

"Whether here or there, I would have had to marry someone to keep the peace. That's just the way it is as a woman in Westeros..." Her parents had promised her that she could choose her own husband, but she had always known that she would never have the chance.

Now she was married to Aemond and lived with him in King's Landing, to be the eyes and ears for her family in Dragonstone and to prevent a war. No matter who she would have married Edith's life would have gone either way, just in a different location.

"May I ask if there were any other candidates for marriage?" he asked cautiously, not wanting to go too far with his question or hurt her.

"None that I knew of." She answered him honestly. Her gaze was still fixed on her canvas, while Daeron had his full attention on her. He now ignored the artwork he had started of his dragon.

"But I always knew that Princess Rhaenyra would have loved to marry one of her sons to me." She smirked. Edith loved the silver-haired princess and admired her for her courage and ambition. When she was little she always wanted to be like Rhaenyra and somehow she still did. Rhaenyra was not afraid of anything and stood up to anyone who stood in her way.

Something Edith had yet to learn.

Daeron laughed. "I can imagine." He smirked, before becoming more serious again. "And which one?"

"I don't think she cared, but certainly Jace and I would have married eventually. When we were kids he followed me everywhere I went." Edith watched Daeron curiously as she told him this, and she thought she saw his tense shoulders loosen.

"So Jacaerys was in love with you?" asked Daeron again, his own curiosity hard to ignore. "And what about Lucerys?"

"I only know about Jace's crush all those years ago." She purposely used the past tense in her sentence, because she didn't know what the current status of the two of them was. Jace had indeed tried to court her by offering to get her out of her situation on her last visit, but that was as far as she had thought about it or talked to him about it. Perhaps she should do so soon, before he had to marry her sister.

"Oh okay." Daeron turned his head back to the picture he had started of his dragon and had to stifle the relieved smirk.

"Is there something I should know?" she asked, visibly interested, putting away her palette and brush. Now it was her who turned to him.

"What, no! noo..."

"I saw you then... on our walk together at Dragonstone." Edith threw the obvious into the room.

"We were just talking." The young man quickly interrupted her, because he didn't want to talk about it any further. "There was nothing, because that would be very abnormal, Edith."

"Daeron..." she sighed, taking his brush from his hand to take his hands in hers. "There would be nothing abnormal about that. Please don't tell yourself such a thing. I've seen the looks you've given each other, and I know Luke likes you a lot, too. I like you too, Daeron. No matter who you like."

Edith had wondered about the two boys even then, but hadn't really given it much thought. At the time, she had been far too focused on herself, her family, and her mother. But now it all seemed to make sense.

"Maybe there is a future for you two?"

"I don't think so." Replied Daeron with drooping shoulders, squeezing her hands tightly.

"I'll pray for it. You deserve nothing but pure happiness." She breathed to him and gave him a quick hug. "And Lucerys, of course." She added with a grin.

"Thank you, Edith...your words mean a lot to me." Dimly, he now understood how much his words must have built her up when he heard hers. Deep inside him, hope was building again.

Daeron had really taken a liking to the younger prince. He had enjoyed the conversations they had had together and was happy about every letter the two boys secretly exchanged with each other. But he knew that a future would not be possible. Lucerys would marry Edith's other half-sister and he himself would have to marry someone someday.

It was almost as if Edith could read his mind, because she too slumped her shoulders barely noticeably. "There is always a way... Ser Laenor and Princess Rhaenyra have found it too." She tried to encourage him.

"You mean their arrangement?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

The marriage arrangement between Laenor and Rhaenyra was also no secret, just as it was no secret that their sons did not have her late husband as their father. But the secret was that Laenor was actually still alive and had fled with his lover.

"No woman, except Princess Rhaenyra, would allow such a thing." Concluded the prince disappointedly.

"I would have allowed it." Edith smiled encouragingly at him and nudged him gently.

"I know, but my mother would never have allowed a marriage between us." Daeron pulled two stools over to the two of them on which the two sat down. Painting had suddenly become uninteresting.

"But you were on her list as my husband too, weren't you?" It was almost ironic that Queen Alicent had ordained the marriage and the spouse, and Edith had agreed to it as well, to protect her family.

Edith well remembered the Queen's threats to marry her to one of her youngest sons. She also remembered the fear when she didn't know who it would be and what her future would be and all that was to come.

"Don't tell anyone, but it was a foregone conclusion from the beginning that you had to marry Aemond... I think she was just playing a little power game with you." Daeron loved his mother very much, but even he often didn't understand what she was doing or her motives.

"Did Aemond know about this?" she asked cautiously.

Daeron shook his head. "No. Sir Adrik trusted me with her plans." He explained to her honestly. Adrik had secretly told her, not even Alicent knew about that. "She probably didn't want me to marry my cousin." Joked Daeron and they both had to laugh.

"I get it, and I think it's because... you're her favorite." Replied Edith between her laughter. "It hasn't stopped any Targaryen from marrying their cousin or sister yet."

"How fortunate that my mother is a Hightower." Daeron ran a hand through his dark hair, then held his stomach with laughter. "Just don't tell anyone I'm the favorite! Especially not your husband!" he asked her with a grin.

"This will remain our secret." Edith shook his hand at him and still couldn't stop laughing.

***

Long time no see, but here was a new chapter! I hope you enjoyed it♡♡

I would be very happy about comments! :)

Have a good day/night
and have a good time ♡