CHAPTER FOURTEEN
❛fire to ash.❜

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EARLY 130 AC ⸻ Kings Landing ⸻

SER Leon had sat guard since the early hours of the morning, and not once had he laid eyes on Lady Basalia. After a night of rest, which he rarely got, he stood his usual post. The guard mentioned that Lady Basalia had left once, and for hours he had been waiting for her return.

Soon, an anxious feeling ate at his gut.

Giggles let Ser Leon know that Jahaena and Lyria had now entered the hall.

"Good morrow, Ser Leon." Jahaena spoke in passing, just before Ser Leon had cleared his throat.

"My Ladies," He began, stopping them. The two women stopped, their smiles slowly dimming as they saw the state of seriousness this conversation would be.

"Yes, Ser Leon?" Jahaena answered, moving to stand in front of him.

"Has either of you seen the Lady Basalia today?"

Lyria's head clocked backwards a bit. Knowing such secrets as she did— panic set in her a tad quick.

"What do you mean? Are you not her personal guard?" Lyria spat, the seriousness of the matter becoming all too real.

"Yes, my Lady, but I was given strict instructions to take the night off." Since he became in charge of Basalia's safety, the man barely slept. It was well deserved... but now, he was regretting it.

Jahaena's body tensed, "I haven't seen her since yesterday."

Lyria nodded, "I haven't either . . . " The last time she had seen her friend, they had shared tears over an important secret. One that was now gnawing at her.

"How long have you stood post?" Jahaena asked, looking at a panicked Lyria. Sure, Basalia wasn't here. But she was safe, right?

"I arrived here six hours ago."

"SIX?" Lyria shrieked, a hand flying to her heart. "Six hours!" She lowered her voice, "And this is the first I am hearing of her disappearance?!"

Ser Leon held a defensive hand up, "I was hoping she would arrive—"

Lyria gave him no time to scramble for words, "You should have come for me! You know exactly what she's—" Lyria cut herself off mid sentence as Jahaena stared at her curiously.

It was then that Ser Leon knew that he was intimate with Basalia. His body relaxed, "You're right. I am sorry. I should have came to you."

It was also then that he realized the dangers that she could be facing right now, due to their intimacy. Ser Leon's blood ran cold. "We must find her."

Lyria nodded, "You two search the west, I shall search the east." Her pace quickened with each step as she shouted, "Go!" Behind her.

⸻

Jahaena and Ser Leon had been searching every room for the past two hours with no luck.

"It is quiet today . . ." Jahaena noted, attempting conversation in hopes to calm herself down.

Ser Leon nodded, "I have noticed that."

"Forgive me, Ser," Jahaena began, pursing her lips out as she attempted to find the correct words. Ser Leon simply looked at her, hand rested on his sword as always. "Do you care for Basalia?"

"Of course I do," Leon was quick to answer, "She is under my protection."

"No—" Jahaena shook her head, stopping in her tracks, causing Leon to do the same. "I mean," Looking around to make sure there were no spiders lingering, she continued on. "Care for her?"

Ser Leon spoke nothing. His throat went dry as his hands clammed up.

"I see the way you share looks with her." She began, taking steps again. "Ever since she was little, all she wanted was love." It had seemed that she had started a new topic, but Leon knew this was connected.

"She was born . . .  different, perhaps." Her eyebrows furrowed, replaying memories of their shared youth. "With no friends to play with, she sought solace in her family. She talked of growing old and finding true love. A love that was written in the stars." She giggled, remembering the moment that she squandered to savor. "Quicker than she would have liked, I became all she had."

Their walk continued on, "Then she had to grow up immediately, quicker than most. The life had been sucked out of her— her childlike manner was gone." A moment of silence fell between them.

"That's when the rumours started. I'm not sure how it happened, but she . . .  changed. That was when The Mad Lady took over." Her dark eyes fell to the ground.

"Around you," She began to be careful with her words, "You bring her back to who she really is." She stopped again, turning to face him. "To who she was before Bloody Basalia and The Mad Lady. You turned her into . . .  Basalia again."

There was a ghost of a smile upon Jahaena's lips.

"Your secret is safe with me."

Ser Leon only smiled, fearing that if he spoke, his feelings would pour out. With each passing moment without knowing if Basalia was okay, and now knowing what he knew, he felt the strings of his heart, snapping with each minute.

It was then that a small figure came plummeting towards them, on accident, of course.

"Whoa," Leon spoke, holding his arms out to calm the frazzled woman. "Aurelia, what's wrong?"

Aurelia looked over to Jahaena, and knowing who she is, she spoke nothing.

Jahaena took in the woman's appearance. She was small, wearing the fabric of a dragon's keeper, and covered in soot and slight burn marks. It didn't take a scientist to put two and two together.

"Nothing, Leon." Aurelia spoke. Jahaena noticed her eyes burning holes into her own.

"Do you know my cousin, Basalia? Do you know where she is?"

It took Aurelia a moment to respond as she attempted to play her options out in her head. She adored Basalia— she couldn't betray her by telling Jahaena what had happened. She wasn't aware of the connection between them. However, Leon was Basalia's guard, and a long time friend of hers. No— she could not betray Basalia.

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you." Tears began streaming down her face as she looked between the two. "Oh Leon," She cried, "I am so sorry."

It was then that she slipped from Leon's grasp and headed back into the dragon pit. She was doing a search of her own.

"So she was here? In the pits?" Jahaena questioned, looking towards Ser Leon.

He only nodded, "Let's hope Lyria is doing better than we are."

⸻

Lyria also had no luck finding her friend.

However, she did find a certain Targaryen who hated the person she was looking for.

"Aemond!"  Lyria called, running towards him as he was halfway out the door.

Aemond turned, irritated at his name being called until he realized who it was.

"You need me?" Aemond smirked.

Lyria shrugged him off.  "It's about Basalia—"

Aemond shook his head, "Enough about Basalia." His eyes quickly darted around the room before grasping her shoulders. He turned on his heel so that she was pressed against the wall in the darker corridor. "I want to talk about us."

"No— Aemond, I—" She began to plead, placing her hands on his chest to push him off. But, she didn't. She let them rest there.

"You are a lady. I don't want Basalia— I want you." Aemond spoke honestly, which scared him, even though he spoke with confidence.

Aemond was not one for emotions. He never was. Lyria was different . . . perhaps, she was worth the emotions.

"We can't—" She tried to argue once more.

"We can. Trust me." His eyes were dark, yet held hints of yearning. He wanted her — he needed her.

"What about—"

Aemond quickly pressed his lips against hers, bringing his hand to the side of her cheek. He pulled away slightly and just momentarily, "Enough of that." Kissing her once more, he held her desperately.

His mind was plagued and she was the only freeing moment of it.

Pulling away, Aemond looked at her. "Be mine," Tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear, he smiled slightly, "Please."

Lyria couldn't help the smile that pulled at her lips.

"You know I am not a man to beg." But for her, he would. Aemond knew it. Lyria knew it.

As their current worries slipped to the back of their minds, Lyria pulled him closer by the hem of his shirt. With a nod, she bit her lip, fighting the grin that was plastered on her face.

For once, she would be selfish.

"Yes." She began, noticing the smile creeping up
on his face as well. "I will be yours."

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