"I think you are the real warrior here, my Lady" Daemon stroked her cheek with his free hand and her swollen lip with his thumb.
The invitation to the wedding of Princess Rhaenyra makes Aruna travel to King's Landing with her family. Old friendships...
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Adrik had been the first to arrive at Aruna. He quickly took the crown from her hands and examined her bleeding hands.
"What is the meaning of all this?" asked Viserys loudly through the hall. There was complete silence in the room and all eyes were on the royal family and the two Tyrell siblings. But Aruna did not notice any of this. She was suddenly in a state of shock and the flowing blood on her hands hypnotized her.
Rhaenyra stepped up to the two siblings and provisionally wrapped two cloth napkins around her friend's hands. "Take her to a healer, not to a Maester." the princess instructed Adrik. Adrik nodded and put an arm around his sister to support her as they walked.
"There is nothing to see! Turn on the music again!" ordered Rhaenyra in a serious tone and quickly the musicians played their instruments again.
Rhaenyra escorted Adrik and Aruna out of the hall, but turned in the other direction. Aruna looked after her friend and she knew immediately to whom she was going.
~~~
The healer treated the cuts on Aruna's hands and bandaged them properly. "You look like a fighter now, sister," Adrik smirked, trying to cheer Aruna up.
With trembling hands, Aruna held a cup and slowly drank the water. Her hands ached with every movement and the bandages made it difficult for her to hold the cup. She felt as helpless again as when Daemon had knelt before her.
"Brandon will break the engagement." Aruna's voice was monotone and she stared at the floor in the treatment room. With Daemon, her vulnerability and heartbreak had returned. She had missed him very much and had been saddened by his departure, but she had been feeling much better the last few weeks without him.
"He won't." Her brother sat down next to her on the couch and took the cup from her. "Ser Brandon loves you, or he wouldn't have proposed."
"But how must it have looked to him? Another man kneeling before his betrothed at the Engagement Celebration." She retorted bitterly and sarcastically. She couldn't get Brandon's look out of her head. "I'm sure he thinks terrible things of me now. Something immoral!"
Adrik put his arm around his sister and immediately Aruna rested her head on his shoulder. "You must tell him the truth if you want to go into marriage without secrets. You should talk about everything tomorrow, but not today." Aruna had to agree with her brother.
The two siblings remained seated, hugging each other tightly, for a moment before they got up, and left the infirmary.
Outside the room, a person was already waiting, and Aruna was afraid of him. Brandon stood leaning against the wall and immediately approached the two.
