[Please don't ghostread]

There was a beauty to dragons. Any man or woman in Westeros agreed to this, but there was an even greater beauty to those who tamed the beasts. Through centuries there was a belief that the Targaryens were closer to gods than man. They looked other worldly to the eye, with silver hair and violet eyes. This was a belief carried through years of the Targaryen bloodline through out the seven kingdoms, one that remained unchanged when Aelyna visited the North.

"Dracarys!" Aelyna explained on the back of Vermithor. With the cold wind blowing through the air, a storm of fire came from the dragons mouth as Aelyna flew through its remains unharmed. Her laughter bellowed as she rode her dragon. 

There was no greater freedom than to ride of dragonback. The adrenaline and euphoria it gave Aelyna, was unlike anything she could ever compare it to. The bronze fury's massive wings near eclipsed over the farms it flew past. The brim smell of fire and ash made Aelyna realize that had been too long since she had taken Vermithor for a flight. 

Aelyna patted Vermithor pointing upward, as a gust of wind blew past her when Vermithor disappeared into the clouds with her.

From up above Aelyna could see the many of Northern families stand outside of their homes as they watched the dragon vanish into an air of smokey clouds, with nothing but a silver haired girl on its back.

Dark clouds gathered on the horizon, a brooding symphony of thunder sounding in Vermithors ears. "Calm, Vermithor." Aelyna eased her dragon "This night is dark and full of terrors, but I will see you through this." Aelyna instructed him in Valyria. She held onto the saddle harder as they moved through the thick clouds. 

Her calm encouragements became deaf to her own ears as she saw a dream plague her man. Two dragon flying into storming rains. A shadow lurking amongst the sky, a smaller dragon flying through mountains as waves crashed against it.

A violet eye turned as blue as sapphire gems peering over the lurking shadow of the dragon.  

Aelyna's stomach turned to knots from fear and panic. Two dragons, a large one with a blue eyed figure looming over it, as the waves of an ocean as red as blood."Dragons of flesh, weaving dragons of thread. An eye turns blue, blood washing through an ocean."  Aelyna muttered to herself as she pulled the reigns of the saddle. 

As the fear and panic seeped into every fiber of Aelyna's being, Vermithor roared as he felt the sense of distraction and terror in his rider. He roared again, this time so loud it near deafened the storm itself. It wasn't until he felt Aelyna place her hand on the scales of his back that he understood he had saved her from her own mind again.

"Princess, may we enter?" A maid had knocked on the door. Night had fallen as the rain was pouring outside. Cregan had suggested that the handmaidens make sure that Aelyna was able to keep warm through the night, what he had not realized was that Aelyna had locked herself in her chambers for the evening. The only evidence of the princess in her chambers was the creak of the wooden rooms as she walked from one corner to the other. Silently whispering in a foreign language to herself.

"Princess?" the handmaiden called. She stepped closer to the door, an awful scent coming from it as the girl pinched her nose. She turned to the guard posted at Aelyna's door "What is that smell?" she choked over her question

The guard only shrugged "Don't know, all I can say is it has only gotten worse. It smells of wet dogs and mint. She's been going about it since she got back." he shook her head 

"Has she left her chambers since riding on dragonback?"

"Not once, not even to eat or piss." The guard replied "Whatever the princess is doing in there, I suppose it's a Targaryen custom."

"Why would you think so?"

"Because not even pigs shit is burning through my nose like her chambers are." The guard retorted back

"Perhaps we should call Lord Stark. I doubt we'll manage to have her open the door." The handmaiden suggested.

Aelyna's eyes stung from the tears in her eyes. Biting down on a cloth as she cut through the palm of her hand. She closed her fist as she forced blood to drop from her closed palm over a candle. The flame hissed as it was met with the tiny drops of blood. Aelyna opened her hand as she wrapped the cloth over her cut hand, rolling her herbs into a parchment as she lighted the tip to the flame. She slowly paced along the room, the smell of mint clouding the air of her chambers as she muttered to herself.

A knock on the door distracted her train of thought. "Roslyn, tell Lord Stark that I am unable to attend dinner please." She sighed walking back to the desk of her room. She blew out the sage the mint sage as she reached for her pouch of jewels. Taking a crystal out, wrapping a tiny rope around it and tying it around her wrist. Again a knock at her door.

Aelyna sighed in irritation and frustration, she marched to the door ripping it open "I said I'm not hungry-" She said sternly as she opened the door

"I know, but it would be dishonorable to have my guest have sleep for dinner." A thick and burly Northern accent flooded her ear instead of the timid voice of her handmaidens. Behind Cregan was Roslyn who carried a tray of food and dessert to her. Bowing to Aelyna, the handmaiden entered the chambers as she set the tray of food at the desk. Roslyn's eye caught the sight of shiny stones, herbs and burnt flower petals but shrugged it off. Perhaps another Targaryen custom she was unfamiliar with

"Princess Aelyna, Lord Stark." Roslyn bowed her head as she exited the room. As she walked past Aelyna she felt the princess squeeze her shoulder softly. She stopped to look back at Aelyna 

"Thank you for your efforts Roslyn." Aelyna acknowledged her. Roslyn smiled as she left the princess and the lord alone in her chambers.

Aelyna looked down the hall to see it empty, with no guards posted at the door. Cregan brushed past her to into her chambers. Aelyna felt her stomach drop when she closed the door, suddenly aware of her appearance.

Her hair unbraided, disheveled hanging down her back. Her left hand wrapped in a thick cloth, her skin glowing from sweat and tears. Cregan walked around the room, but finally stopped at the desk covered in parchment, herbs, flowers and crystals. "Lord Stark, I-"

"Seven hells, what is that smell?" He scrunched his nose "Surely, the North can not smell this awful for you?"

Aelyna shook her head "No!" She argued back "It's for my-" she scoffed "You would not understand."

"Be that as it may, I can see it was necessary for me to see you." Cregan observed the desk, he turned to meet a pair of exhausted eyes "You seem in some sort of distress. Is it anything I can help with?"

"I doubt it." Aelyna muttered as she walked towards the desk. She brushed past Cregan as she started clearing the desk, out of the corner of her eye she could feel and see Cregans' wandering eyes on her. "But it is nothing I can not manage myself." she attempted to reassure him. Aelyna breathed in deep as she took a seat at her desk, gesturing for him to join her. She looked down at the tray to see the food, her stomach growled but her throat remained dry. She was in no mood to eat.

"I'm told by my men, after taking off on Vermithor you had them accompany you to some farmers."

"Cregan-"

"They said you personally sought to paying them for the cattle they've lost." Cregan continued.

Aelyna nodded her head as she bit the inside of her cheek "Having Vermithor and I as your guests has costed the North. I have a dragon who never says no to eat, I can imagine some of the Northerners have grown irritable to their crops and sheep being burned or eaten." Aelyna explained as she played with the desserts "It seemed only fair that I see them myself and pay them for the damages. I hope I haven't offended you."

"On the contrary. It was a very honorable and kind thing of you to do." Cregan acknowledged "It is rare to have a highborn look back on the lowerborns."

"And by lowerborn, you mean the royal family?" Aelyna sarcastically remarked back  "Well, rest assured, I am not here to eat, shit and whore my way through your lands." Aelyna chuckled as she pushed the tray of food from her.

Cregans eyes closely examined Aelyna. It was the first time he had ever seen her in nightwear. Her hair fell down her shoulder, unbraided. Her posture slouched in hear set but her eyes were strained and red. Unlike most days, this was not a sight he enjoyed. To see in her eyes how unhappy she was.

"You've been crying. Has someone said something to upset you?" Cregan asked, watching with a straight face as Aelyna shook her head in disagreement. She held breathe as she loosened the blood stained cloth around her hand. 

"No, I am fine."

"Aelyna, if you're going to lie, at least make it more believable." Cregan said. Hearing her name come from his mouth always surprised her, so used to only ever being referred to her title. She would be lying to herself if she said she did not enjoy hearing Cregan Stark say her name.

"You wouldn't understand it Cregan." Aelyna replied "Besides after having done what I have done, I will feel better. I can assure you of that." she placed her hands on the desk reaching for her pouch of crystals. Taking out another as she played with it in her hands.

"And what is that you have done?" He asked as he sat forward in his chair. "Is it why the room smells of-"

"It's something I was taught in Braavos." Aelyna sighed "Something to help me fall asleep, especially if I wish to not have nightmares." 

This time she was not lying, Cregan noted to himself. "How long have you struggled to find sleep? Has it been this way since you've arrived?" He wondered out loud. Her tired and puffy eyes, softened by his words.

"No, I always struggle to find sleep, since I was a child." Aelyna confessed "You are perhaps the first to have actually asked me that." 

Since making her peace with the Lord of Winterfell, she had caught herself in various moments too relaxed and at ease in his company. Too many moments where Aelyna could feel herself blush when her eyes met with his. Her palms become sweaty each time he stood or sat near her. Aelyna let go of the crystal as she pushed her chair away from the desk. She walked toward a window, looking out to the storm outside.

She had hoped to create separation between the two of them. Her heartbeat quickened when she heard his footsteps behind her. Aelyna's face felt hot when she felt Cregan stand next to her, his fur cloak grazing the thin layer of her nightgown.

"How is it?" He asked "That I am the first to ask if you struggle to find sleep?"

Aelyna shook her head "You just are." She answered. Crossing her arms over her chest as she kept her eyes on the window. She laughed as a distant memory played out in her mind "I am the eldest sister of my family. When my sisters, Rhaena and Baela were younger I used to be the one that tucked them in at night. There were so many nights where I would be the last one to enter my chambers as they used to beg me to sing them to sleep or tell them tales of old Valyria my uncle had once taught me." Aelyna explained 

"After my father had married my cousin Rhaenyra, our family only grew. She herself had three boys. Whilst they enjoyed the pleasure's of newly weds, I became the one my siblings flocked to especially at night. There was not a single morrow where I did not wake up in one of their beds. They helped me as much too. I eased them through the night and they distracted me from dreams and nightmares I suppose."

"But since you have left and gone to travel?"

Aelyna shook her head, kissing her teeth as her right hand clutched her arm "Since my travels, I have found my own ways to find sleep. One of them using Braavosi methods to keep them at bay."

"Are these dreams that make you cry, as you have on this night?"

"Nothing my family is not used to." She answered. Turning her head to look back at him. A gentle smile spread from ear to ear as she patted Cregans shoulder "Nothing you should concern yourself too much with. I do appreciate your care though, it's not many that I allow to see me in the state I have been in. You should consider yourself lucky." Aelyna teased him. Cregan turned to look down at her, her rosy full lips taking all of his focus from the storm outside. His eyes glanced back to her green and violet eyes. 

Gods, she will be the end of me. Cregan cursed to himself as he felt himself unable to take his eyes off of her. He was far from used to seeing her hair hang loose as it did, her body not covered in black and red clothing. Her neck bare and unattended from jewelry. His eyes did notice the specks of ash on her face. Unknowingly Cregan extending his ungloved hand, his thumb gently wiping away the ash on her cheek.

Aelyna felt her breath hitch as she slightly pulled her head away, her eyes a dreamy confusion "What are you-"

"Your cheeks." Cregan said "They have some ash." He said, taking back his hand. He stepped back from her, forcing himself to ignore the tension between them. It was all in his head, his mind reasoned against every part of his body.

"Oh." Aelyna's voice chimed "Since arriving back at the castle I had not taken a bathe. It's been so long since I've had the smell of dragon me."  She smiled through the pain of her confession. Her cheeks felt warm as she could feel a wave of shyness wash over her "I have no idea why I said that to you." She blurted out "I do bathe very regularly. Apologies, I seem to be flustered and -" she blurted out again.

"You seem nervous." Cregan noted. He found himself enjoying the sight of Aelyna blushing, for once it was not him at a loss for words in her presence. "How rude of me to make the princess flustered."

"You wish it was you making me blush." Aelyna playfully swatted at him as she could see through Cregans humor and pleasure in his eyes.

"I said nervous, I never said blush Aelyna." Cregan quickly countered

Aelyna shook her head in amusement. She had always been the one to make her company blush by her quick remarks. Most of the men she had found herself in company with were always the ones blushing the hardest in her presence. It felt strange to have the shoe on the other foot with Cregan. Aelyna chuckled, enjoying the banter between them.

Aelyna shook her head in defeat, finding herself further trapped in his captivating grey eyes. "Oh." she quietly said. Aelyna stepped closer to lord Stark. Her arms still crossed as they grazed his cladded chest. She confidentially raised her chin as she felt his breath on hers "If I did not know any better, Lord Stark, I would say you are trying to toy with me."

Cregan's morality seemed to slip from him as he felt hand twirling her silver locks in between his fingers as he too stepped closer to her. His nose brushed against as her as the scent of herbs and smoke became the air he breathed. "A very dishonorable accusation of you to make princess." His voice coaxed as Aelyna found herself more attracted to his voice alone. "What would you suggest we do about your accusation, princess?"

Aelyna brushed her nose against his. Letting go of herself as she placed her palms against his chest. Her eyes in a deep stare with his as she smirked "The hour has grown late, my lord." She whispered "Perhaps we both should find sleep in our own chambers." she slowly stepped away, her heart pounding against her chest as she could still feel Cregans breath on hers.

"You are right." He agreed. Cregan once more stepped closer to her, his hand caressed her cheeks, his breath danced on her neck as Aelyna could feel his lips close to her ear "Perhaps this is a conversation we will continue another time."

The two broke away from another, Aelyna gripped the sleeves of her nightgown as Lord Stark bowed to her. He turned to exit her chambers.

When Aelyna lay in her bed, the smell of mint eased her mind to find sleep. The sound of pouring rain drowned out of her head as all she could think of was Cregan Stark so close to her.

☆ ࣪ ִ AUTHORS NOTE :l 𝆬 3

The guard to the handmaiden outside Aelyna's room:

I genuinely think I'm the funniest person in the world when I add these memes as authors note and I'm kind of not (I'm choking on the jokes)

but on a more serious note- DAMN- I didn't think I had it in me to write Aelyna and Cregan like that tbh. Also we already know Aelyna is a dreamer, but I am hoping yall are catching onto what direction I am also going with her. I personally am far from being done with Cregan and Aelyna, and I might wanna do some Cregan centered pov for the next couple of chapters, if yall are interested to read about that.

Also I am horrible , absolutely shit at writing ships. I don't even deny it but I feel with Baptism you can just tell that I have started watching Bridgerton because I swear I have NEVER had this much writing a ship like I am right now.

final note: this book is almost at 10K and honestly thanks to everyone who is actively reading, voting or commenting on this book <3