Trials of Fire

Chapter 7

Baelon and Rhaegon talk about what is happening with Alyssa. Alyssa and Jaehaera talk. Alyssa finds a surprise in her chambers.

                                                          Baelon Targaryen (27 years old.)

                                                      Rhaegon Targaryen (27 years old.)

He was going to lose his mind, or his father would kill him. He had been trying to fight his feelings since his sister arrived in Kings Landing, but every day was harder and harder. The way Alyssa kept teasing him was going to drive him to the edge. He still could not believe that he had just grabbed her and kissed her in the sept. If he had been discovered by his parents they would have probably killed him. His father had made it clear that he wanted him to stay away from Alyssa. Baelon had tried, he had wanted to ignore her, or at least ignore her as a woman, but he was unable to do it. A few days ago his parents had spoken to him, they wanted him to be wed. As soon as they mentioned a wedding the first person that had come to mind had been Alyssa, which was laughable since he had told her that he would never wed her. When Alyssa had come to him three years ago he could not imagine wedding anyone, even less his little sister. He had never seen Alyssa as a woman, all he could see when he looked at her was his youngest sister, there had never been any other feelings. Now it was the opposite, he could not see his little sister anywhere, all he could see when looking at her was a woman, a very desirable woman.
Looking at Alyssa he could see why he would desire her, she was beautiful and sensual. The way she walked, the way she moved, even the way she smiled was sexual. Every time he looked at her all he could think of was throwing her on the nearest surface and burying himself inside her. If it had only been physical he would be able to get past it, he had desired several women before. But it had never felt like this, all-consuming. He loved Alyssa's personality, the way she acted around people, and how sweet and caring she was. He loved how sure of herself she was, how she was comfortable in her skin, and did not apologize for her way of being. Baelon was sure he was being punished by the gods, for how cruel he had been to his sister. He had just wanted her to forget about him as a man, he did not want her to spend her life pining after him. He did not want her to suffer when she became of age and he still did not return her feelings, he should have waited.
"You are thinking awfully hard." Rhaegon sat beside him, there was a mocking smile on his face. "You look like an idiot pining after a lost love."
"I love how you always try to make me feel better." Rhaegon laughed and Baelon just shook his head. "Please stop trying to lift my spirits, you usually do the opposite."
"You love me." Baelon punched his brother's shoulder, not that Rhaegon was faced by it. "Are you going to tell me what is wrong with you? You have been pining nonstop since I got here."
"There is nothing wrong with me. I have just been tired."
"Baelon." Rhaegon's face was not amused any longer, he was looking truly concerned. "We are twins, two halves of one soul. We have never lied to each other, not even when we have done truly awful things."
"Like sleeping with Jaehaera and spending over a fortnight not speaking to her?"
"Yes, also like telling our thirteen-name-day-old sister that she was not pretty enough for you." Rhaegon shook his head. "Tell me what is bothering you, I might be able to help, and even if I am not, then at least I can listen."
"Is Alyssa," His brother did not say anything, just looked at him, waiting for him to keep talking. "She is driving me insane. I cannot get her out of my head, she is haunting me."
"When you say you are unable to get her out of your head, do you mean because you feel guilty for what happened or because you want her as a woman?"
"I have always felt guilty for what I said to Alyssa all those years ago, which is one of the reasons I drown myself in women and alcohol." Baelon shook his head, feeling his heart constrict as he remembered the look on his sister's face when he said those awful words to her. "I had always planned to apologize to her and beg for her forgiveness, but when she arrived she made it very clear that she did not want anything to do with me."
"Can you blame her?" Rhaegon was not intimidated by his glare, just shrugged. "You hurt her deeply and then you left for the free cities."
"She left first."
"It is not a competition Baelon, and she was still in Westeros at least." Rhaegon looked towards the ocean, taking a deep breath. "You should also understand that Alyssa was still a child. But that is not important, I want to know why you cannot get her out of your head."
"Because I want her, I cannot stop myself from wanting her, and believe me, I have tried."
"I cannot say I blame you, Alyssa has become a beautiful woman." Rhaegon lifted both hands when Baelon glared at him. "Do not look at me that way, I do not have that kind of feelings for her. To me, Alyssa is just my little sister. But you have to agree, there is nothing of the lanky child that left here for the Vale."
"Is not just the way she looks. She also acts differently, the way she acts is completely different from how she was before."
"Well, before she was a child."
"No, is not because of that. I am aware that her change of character is my fault." Baelon also looked towards the water. "She is her same sweet self with everyone else, but me."
"So she is ignoring you?"
"Most of the time, until I make her speak to me." Rhaegon lifted an eyebrow. "Then she teases me, I do not even want to think where she learned to act that way."
"Maybe she was involved with one of the Vale knights." Rhaegon jumped back at the glare Baelon gave him. "Do not look at me that way, is not that hard to imagine. She lived there for three years, she must have met someone she liked."
"She did not. Alyssa is mine."
"Is she aware of that fact?"
"Why are you here?" Baelon wanted to punch his brother, which was not that unusual, but still. "You are not helping."
"I am not here to tell you what you want to hear. I am your brother, I will always be honest with you, just like you have always been honest with me."
"I do not know what to do."
"Beg for her forgiveness." Rhaegon slapped his back in a comforting manner. "You will have to make up for all the horrible things you said. I do not think our little sister will forgive you that easily."
Baelon was already aware of this. He did not know what to do to get her forgiveness.
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