court of lies | robert's rebellion

the funeral

Now Arthur Dayne was feeling the same way.

Old Atera would enjoy it too much. He had rejected her in the most humiliating way and chose to be celibate than to marry her. And now he had lost the person he had sworn himself to. But she was not a cruel person, her enjoyment would last for one second. This Atera didn't even have time for that.

She knew the knight was not alright either. He was wounded too and then had to do enormous amounts of physical work. He should be on the verge of breaking down, both mentally and physically. But he hid it a lot better than Atera. Her eyes were as purple as the banners of the knight's house and describing her as 'pale' was not suitable any longer. She probably was even whiter than the milk. She had lost too much weight and doubted if her old gowns would fit her at all. But the Dornishman next to her stood tall and the only difference in his appearance was his growing beard. Normally he was clean-shaven just like the prince. A small part of her decided that she liked the beard better. He was more appealing this way.

She also realized that she was thinking about everything to avoid the unthinkable.

"I am so glad you are here and well.", he finally broke the hug but still kept her close and held her arms with both hands, looked at her sincerely and she was not sure due to the candlelight, but she probably saw tears in his hazel eyes. "You scared us all."

"Are you going to cry?", she asked with the faintest of smiles, hoping for Paxter to take the hint.

She would fall apart if she would let herself be emotional.

"Because of the smell of your hair?", he sighed at first but then his face crossed with understanding, his features softened and he mocked her back. "You are lucky that you returned back to civilisation. I'll order the girls to prepare you a bath.", his eyes found Arthur. "And for you, Ser. Eat and rest and we'll talk later.", Arthur only nodded. "I must thank you.", Paxter said, hands still around Atera's arms. "You brought her here."

"I only followed my orders.", his face was blank and his voice sharpened and Atera might have felt sorry for him if she had any compassion left. They took it away from her. "I did my duty.", still, she couldn't help but hear the subtle pain in his voice.

"Your duty is to protect the royal family, Ser,", she pretended that she didn't see the very subtle flinch in his strong face. "I am thankful for what you did. She means the world to me.", he smiled at her. "The sister I never had."

"Can we please stop pretending like I am some kind of a long-lost puppy who just returned home?", she shook his hands off of her. "I am here because I wanted to be here."

Paxter knew the determination in her eyes too well -just like the tiredness in them. Still, he tilted his head and sent her a questioning look. "Please tell me you have the fucking ring. Because Mace would tear apart the whole region if you don't have it."

Atera frowned playfully. "I think the opposite. He would be able to tear it all down if I had the ring."

"This means you don't have it in your possession, I wager.", he raised his eyebrows. "Why?"

"It is on its way to his owner.", she shrugged. "To Baelor."

*

Twelfth moon of 280 AC, Highgarden

"Why is he crying?", Mace entered his mother's chambers with great worry and saw the way Olenna tried to calm Garlan down.

"He hasn't calmed down since the morning.", Olenna answered with the same worry. She was a tough mother to her three children but not so to her grandsons. "Ever since Alerie locked herself to her chambers, he barely eats anything Mace, you know it. It affects his health."