(please do not ghostread)

A warm golden hue set over the lush gardens of the Red Keep. Aelyna needed company, and Helaena was the safest bet. She had only been back in Kings Landing for a few days and already she had grown irritable of it all. Whenever she visited the king, he was either already asleep or in a trance of his own from milk of the poppy. Her visions were however piecing themselves together, a treachery was at play only she had no proof.

Shayna had hundreds of girls working as her little spies in the castle tracking everyone's movement. When Aegon wasn't sinking into his bed from wine, he was whoring through the entire Flee Bottom. Aemond kept himself busy, endlessly studying the ancient ways of Valyria or training. Helaena kept herself company along her with beautiful children, but Aelyna quickly realized who the Queen kept in her favor.

Ser Criston. When Aelyna was nine she always had Rhaenyra's minor attraction to him. She was too young to care much for her cousins love life, after all everyone loved Rhaenyra Targaryen.

She was known as the realms delight.

Ser Criston had changed significantly, he did not carry himself with the kindhearted demeanor he once had towards her. Granted she was a child, and was served a generosity to most likely served to impress her cousin. But now the knight was very strict, rigid and distant at least to her. Aelyna noticed the look of admiration and care he once carried for Rhaenyra, had now transferred to Alicent Hightower. 

It was as if she, and only she, was his beacon of honor.

None the less, theories were nothing if she could not prove them.

"The gardens are lovely at this hour, aren't they?" Aelyna asked as she leaned back in her chair. Her skin absorbing the warmth of the light. Her head titled up as she looked back to Helaena who's lap was covered in a green gown she was embroidering. Around them sat maid, who too were sewing and embroidering.

Like most times, Aelyna felt out of place and somewhat even jealous. She had never been able to be the perfect student for her septa. She struggled with the tiniest task when learning to be a lady, sewing was the worst. When she was seven, she remembered taking a lesson with Rhaenyra. So frustrated with the thread of spool breaking, she repeatedly struck with thumb with a needle. The white smock in her tiny hands were stained in blood, but worst she remembered how much she rather enjoyed harming herself then taking her lessons. The interest of blood peaked very early in her.

Helaena embroidered a beautiful golden dragon to the chest. All Aelyna could do was admire the beauty of Helaena's sensitivity and focus. "Did you enjoy playing in gardens much as a child?"

Helaena raised her head, a gentle smile of content on her face "Only by myself. Until I had my children that is."

Aelyna swallowed the twinge of pity she had "Yes, children are such a blessing. Even if they come with difficulties of their own."

To this Helaena laughed "What kind of difficulties when they are so small. They just turned five years old, cousin."

Aelyna shrugged taking a sip of her tea, she had sneakingly spiked with wine "Then I should applaud your motherhood. I remember what an extreme burden I was at that age for the king." Aelyna chuckled "I'd follow him like a shadow, one turn of the head and I would be gone."

"You were anything but." Helaena quietly said "He once confused me for you when I had taken Dreamfyre on dragonback. I smelled of dragon."

Another pitiful swallow she had to take "Helaena, I am-"

"It was not so bad." She shrugged "At ten it felt like a compliment to be compared to you. Especially from all the stories we had heard you. When we married, Aegon would never cease speaking of you."

"Really?"

Helaena's eyes shifted down to her embroidered work, continuing to work "Yes, even on our wedding night."

Aelyna's eyes gazed the handmaidens around them. She could not quite understand the look they shared to her under their eyes, it all felt like some unspoken secret she was never suppose to hear of.

"I suppose." Aelyna replied. She looked over the garden to see Jaehaerys and Jaehaera running and chasing after one another. So sweet and innocent to everything they were born into. The gentle and melodic laughter of children. She hoped they would lead happier lives than the rest of them, burdened by expectations and honor.

Helaena continued to sew quietly she muttered to only herself "A wolf, dragon bound by blood yet torn by flame."

Aelyna's breath hitched, her heart near climbed out of her chest. One glance back to Helaena, she could see the melancholic yet dreamlike state she was in. "Gods." Aelyna whispered to herself. A dream she herself had had in the last few nights. 

"One will rise, the other fall. Shadows remember both." She finished

Helaena's eyes widened in surprise. Her hand dropped the need, the gold thread fell to her legs.

"You..." her voice whispered 

"You..." Aelyna replied back in a hushed tone. Helaena's eyes gleamed. A mix of relief and overwhelmed by emotions. For so long she had felt so isolated in her visions, burdened by knowledge she could not share or understand herself. Tiny pieces of a game she could not understand playing over and over in her head. Finally, to meet someone who understand what it was like to be trapped inside their mind.

"I do not know what to say." She whispered "Have you-"

"You needn't say anything."

A man approached the ladies. Pale in his face with wet curls, Aelyna noticed the noticeable limp he walked with, his foot weighed heavy on his steps. Turned inward it dragged against the pavement. Suddenly the demeanor of Helaena's handmaidens dropped. Their eyes sunk to the floor as Helaena looked back to where Aelyna's eyes were.

With a coy smirk he stood before Aelyna and Helaena. "Princess, princess." he bowed in respect "I had heard you have made your return to Kingslanding, princess Aelyna. I wanted to personally welcome you back. The city has been made brighter by your presence."

Aelyna's eyebrows furrowed "The city has been made brighter by-" she rolled her eyes. Just as she remember, they kiss your arse to gain a favor. Larys Strongs visit was of no pleasantries to her. "Is that your usual line, lord Strong? Where are the years you snuck in between high born lady's teas for gossip." Her head turned to the side between Helaena's sweet demur and her fearful handmaidens. "I suppose nothing has changed."

Larys kept a bright smile plastered on his face. The corners of his lips remained upward. Even as a woman grown, Aelyna still paid no mind to thought before she spoke. 

"To what do my cousin and I owe this visit?" Aelyna's head cocked to the side as she could feel the wine in her tea take over her impulse to not speak "Has word gone so fast that I am still unmarried? Have you come to seduce me Lord Strong?" Aelyna grinned 

"With little obvious you think." He rolled his eyes

Aelyna ignored this. Clearly she was starting to irritate him, so continue she would "Oh, no please. Seduce away it's been so long." She turned in her seat to bow her head to her cousin. "Forgive me, cousin but I must excuse myself. Thank you for this lovely tea." Helaena nodded her head in a light playful bounce, airy as though she was stuck in another dream. 

Aelyna nodded her head to Larys, as they walked along the gardens. Slow in her pace as she accommodated his clubfoot. "Tell me, lord Strong, have you come mincing all those way just to shower me in compliments?" she rhetorically asked "I favor gifts better. So?"

"Might I ask-"

"No." Aelyna quickly replied. A teasing smile still on her face as she nudged him "Come, I've heard such a clever man. Do you only speak in whispers and gossip? Is that why you have no sense in humor?" She asked "Though I am curious on why you sought me out. I remember all to well when I was a child, your referred conversations with me an act of duty and respect to the king, no favor to me."

Larys' face flush with a deep crimson. Eyes wide as he looked back to the grinning princess. A statement he once innocently made to his brother, how was it that she could have known. "Princess, forgive me I meant no-"

"It's all forgotten to me. I don't fret myself with the opinions of others." She boldly stated "I am far too old to care for others thoughts of me."

Larys only nodded his head. The continued down the garden. Lush and vibrant of color, carefully manicured hedges. The sound of the twins' laughter falling to the back "You have taken an interest of those at court."

"Have I?" Aelyna sarcastically remarked "Because I spent a night baking in the kitchens and befriended some of the servant girls and one of your little spies came running to you?"

To this even Larys smiled

"Why shouldn't I take interest in what they see? They serve the royal family and we serve them. It's a show of mutual respect, lord Strong."

"Might I ask, I heard rumors' of a confrontation between you and prince Aemond."

Aelyna rolled her head. His attempts too obvious for her liking "An altercation?" She asked "Harmless fun between cousins. He seemed interested in finding me, unlucky for him he did." She shrugged "But I will admit I have taken interest in my cousins, none of us are we were when we were children."

"Indeed, and you have made quite the name for yourself amongst court."

"I have." Aelyna agreed "I suppose it becomes more difficult to sully accusations and gossip to the girl who rides the Old Kings dragon." She continued "But you still have not mentioned why the need to speak with me. I know the walls have ears, as do the shrubbery. Nothing of what you say will stay between us, but what ever has in the Red Keep." 

"Quite, princess." Larys said "I choose my friends and allies carefully and it appears I can not quite place you. It appears all too convenient that the Lady Shayna has had so many servant girls employed in the castle since you've made your return."

"You know Shayna?"

"Of course, her husband Lord Trelmar a well respected financier of the Iron Bank. It was of great surprise that a servant girl from the Red Keep, married so well. She has a great influence over many girls who work in this city. Saving them from whorehouses and the streets, how noble."

"And yet a bothersome to you?"

"Not of as late." Larys acknowledged "The hand is unaware of it but many of Lady Shayna's girls move in and out taking care of the king. I wonder if you have a hand in it?"

"He is your king, but he is my uncle." Aelyna eyes narrowed as she stood still. Larys turned around his eyes trying to catch her in a lie, to a fail "His health is slowly declining and if not me who sits in his chambers, even only to read ancient studies of Valyria- it would ease me to know my friends keep a watchful eye over him."

"Because you suspect he is not in good hands?"

Aelyna's eyes widened, a satisfied smirk "Why would you think that?" She held her hands over her chest, dramatically gasped at the notion "A vile accusation against the queen and the hand."

Larys flush in his face, irritated as he gripped his cane. He did not like being played for as a fool "An innocent thought." he brushed it off

"Indeed and yet, a strange thought to have at all. Let alone say." Aelyna crossed her arms "So strange, the hand, my cousin Aemond and now you. All so desperate to know why I take the kings health so serious. Sometimes, it feels like I've accidentally entered a room I wasn't invited to." She stepped closer to Larys "Why the suspicion for a niece who only cares for the health of her favorite uncle."

"He is your only uncle." Larys corrected her

"Even more reason to be concerned." She said, her eye took note on the firm grip he had on his wooden cane, at the head an engraved firefly "A word of advice lord Larys, you struggle to carry the same modesty as your father once did. May lord Lyonel Strong, be at peace. I know how difficult it must have been for you, taking over as head of your house. Lord of Harrenhall, if I am not mistaken."

Larys breath silently hitched, a vein popped under the collar of his dress shirt. He swallowed the look of disbelief and suspicion on his face.

"He was a kind and honest man. Very noble, much like I remember Ser Harwin was." Aelyna's voice coaxed "So tragic that they did in a fire, wasn't it?" She asked. Aelyna shook her head "How unfortunate to die by fire. We've all heard the stories of Harrenhall, but to die a fire. You must have been struck with grief."

"Quite..." he breathed "It was an incredibly difficult period for my family."

"Exactly." Aelyna reached for Larys hand. Her fingers brushed lightly against the back of his hand before wrapping around it. Her grip so soft yet firm "The same grief and pain I wish to release myself from should the king one day die. To make tiny memories that could one day comfort me."

But as Larys felt Aelyna's touch on his hand, the sound of her voice defeaned in his ear. A silence took over his mind and ears as all he could feel was the sensation of his hand. A shiver ran down his spine as he looked back to her. Aelyna's gaze softened. Larys couldn't hear her, all evidence of her speaking was the moving of her lips. His body ran cold, as though a shadow loomed over him. And then he heard it.

Screams and cries for help played out through his head. Their breathing staggering and choking, cough so aggressive as though blood could be spat. The screams of his father and brother the day of the fire. Each of Harwins screams played on  a loop, the sound of his fathers wheezing voice sounded like drums in his ears. Horrified as he took his hand from Aelyna.

Aelyna's softened eyes looked back to him, a slight frown on her face "Forgive me, lord Strong. I know death is such a sensitive matter to discuss. Perhaps I should have never tried to pay my respects, it seems to have upset you." She innocently suggested "Well, I should be on my way. Enjoy your day." Aelyna nodded her head.

Larys felt himself stumble back in his steps as he looked back. He gasped in horror and disbelief, his heart raced. The neck of his hairs raised as he looked to the princess walking along the shadow. With silver hair flowing down her back, he was horrified to see Aelyna shadow cascade in the sun.

Only she did not have one, but two shadows trailing behind her.

☆ ࣪ ִ AUTHORS NOTE :l 𝆬 3

Aelyna after scaring another man who wanted to intimidate her:

I am having so much fun writing Aelyna as a witch- this sick and twisted connection between her and Malena is so much fun to write.