The Shadow Queen of Tywin Lannister

CLVII. Ghosts of the Past

Visenya could not remember much after falling off the dragon. Her vision had blurred and her senses had long given up on her before she made contact with the ground, and that if she ever did.

She was not sure, as she was not sure where she currently was.

The place around her was bright but blurry, making it impossible for her to truly make out any structures or items or even the location she was in.

The light was so bright, that she had to blink a few times in order for her eyes to adjust. When they did, she noticed someone walking her way. For a moment she tensed but then relaxed upon seeing a familiar face.

"Ser Barristan" she exclaimed, a smile forming on her lips. She took notice that he looked different, younger even; like she remembered him when she was still living in the Red Keep. "Where are we?" she asked next, although something at the back of her mind seemed to already know.

"I don't exactly have a name for it" the knight confessed. "But I thought it would be better if I were the one you see first. To ensure you were not startled"

This made her arch a single white eyebrow. "I don't startle, let alone that easily"

Suddenly, a third voice joined the conversation. "Told you she would say that"

The voice was very familiar to the Dragoness but it had been so long since she last heard it, that she swore she had almost forgotten it.

She turned towards the source of it, only to see someone approaching her.

Their white hair had the same shade as hers but deep purple eyes were visible. A charming flirty smile spread upon their lips and Visenya felt her heart beating faster within her chest, to a point she swore her ribs would break from the force behind it.

"Rhaegar" she exclaimed, her voice cracking.

"Hey Auntie"

In the very next seconds, she had spread her arms and embraced her nephew into a tight but also very much needed hug. She felt his strong arms against her body, keeping her close and Visenya could not help but let a single tear escape her eye.

"I am sorry, my boy. I should have protected you better" she confessed, her eyes closed and her arms tightly locked around him; afraid she would lose him again if she dared to let him go.

Rhaegar placed his chin on top of her head. "You have nothing to apologise Auntie" he reassured her. "You did everything you could. I should have listened to you from the start"

Eventually, she dared to pull back and stare into his eyes. Not a day had passed since that hellish battle where she lost him. Not a day had he aged since the last time she managed to hug him, unknown to her; for the last time.

"You were never good at listening when you put your head into it, let alone your heart" she commented, barely able to chuckle while her emotions were threatening to drown her.

He smiled. "What can I say, I had to take it from someone" he replied, throwing his own innuendo.

In a way, he was right. Visenya was very stubborn and did not listen when she was determined to do something, an evident thing by now. Yet, it was still amusing to hear it from his words.

She cupped his cheek with her hand, sensing the warmth coming from his skin. This all felt like a surreal dream, perhaps one of the most beautiful ones she ever had.

However, there was a part of her that could not just settle for the good dream. There was a part that kept asking the right questions and eventually putting the puzzle pieces together.