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𝕸𝕰𝕷𝖀𝕾𝕴𝕹𝕰 Harclay had always feared the Targaryen court, nothing about it screamed appeal. To her at least. Filled with stingy old men who care more for the legacy of their name than their house's strength. But, nonetheless, her father saw it relevant. So under the guidance of House Strong, she was brought to the royal court at the tender age of four.
Her cousin, or so she called him despite the lack of blood relation, Harwin Strong had been there to accompany her. He was seven years her elder, though he could sometimes act just as stupid as she.
"Do you like it here?" Harwin asked, squeezing her little hand as she trailed slightly behind him.
"No," she muttered, shaking her head to emphasise her point, "it's too warm,"
Harwin chuckled slightly, shaking his head at the child, "and yet home is too cold?"
"Everything's too something," Melusine shrugged, as if her decision was final. Just as she and Harwin had began a conversation, they were cut off by a pregnant woman walking in front of them. If there was one thing Melusine remembered well about Aemma Targaryen it was that the lady was always pregnant. Never at rest. The four year old looked up to her, eyes marginally squinted, "hello,"
The woman had stopped, an ever-tender smile on her face as she looked down. Melusine supposed she should have recognised her, afterall she'd been there a few weeks now, but one tall lady seemed to be the same as the next tall lady and frankly she just couldn't keep track.
"This is Melusine, from House Harclay," he said, "she's with my brother, father and I," he stated, looking down to the girl who had gotten distracted. Never shocking really. Melusine was watching two girls, near her age perhaps, with silver hair in the courtyard. One, dressed in rich purples and golds, seemed to be the older of the two. The other, wearing lighter colours and seemed to have flowers in her hair, appeared just slightly younger. Their purple eyes were interesting however, Melusine had never seen such things, heard tales of it perhaps, but never actually seen it.
"It's lovely to properly meet you both," Aemma said before catching onto what Melusine was looking at, or seemingly admiring, "they're my girls, Rhaenyra and Aenera," Aemma told her, watching as the girl nodded, "do you want to meet them?"
"No," Melusine mumbled, "no thank you,"
Harwin bit back a laugh, lifting the girl so she rested upon his shoulders, "she isn't great with all this, the Harclay people are quite isolated," he told Aemma, "she means no disrespect though, your grace,"
"No of course not! I get it, I sometimes wish my girls were as shy instead of causing havoc over there," she chuckled, looking over to the girls as her hand rested on her swollen stomach, "I suppose I should see to them before they give Otto Hightower an early death,"
With that, the woman left. Doing just as she had said and taking her girls inside.
||
That had been years ago, by now Melusine was fourteen, she'd spent ten years in this court and liked it no more than she had to begin with. Now however, she was a close friend of Princess Aenera Targaryen.
"You are too quiet," Aenera said, watching the girl as she sat idly. Her thumbs rubbing her the fabric of her blue gown, nails sticking into the details of it.
"You are too loud," Melusine responded, a grin tugging at her lips, "what is it that's on your mind then, Nera," she half-asked, though Harclay knew the answer. It was the girls mother. Aemma Targaryen was once more pregnant, and just as weary as the last time, "how is she?"
"Bad," Aenera admitted, "worse than my father cares to admit, better I believe than I think she is in my mind," the fifteen year old sat down, opposite the other as her feet came to rest on the table, "I think this is her last though, she's told me that before,"
"I wouldn't be surprised," Melusine hummed, standing up and heading over to her. Resting her hands upon the Targaryens shoulders to silently tell her to relax, before she began braiding the girls hair. A simple act that often helped Aenera's stress die down, "have you seen her today?" she asked, "I hear she's resting in her room,"
"When isn't she," Aenera almost chuckled, turning her head briefly, "anyway, speak of something else,"
Melusine thought for a moment, "I hear Prince Daemon's returning, he's done some other war thing he needs to return for," she said, "and I hear Lord Corlys has had yet another child with a different woman,"
"Shock horror that one," Aenera chuckled, resting her head back once Melusine had stopped braiding her hair, "what of your family?"
"Haven't heard from them," she shrugged, "though I'm not surprised. Letters go to house Stark and get passed on to them, it'll take a while," Melusine said, resting her chin against Aenera's shoulder, "doesn't concern me, Harwin goes up North plenty, he'd let me know if something were to happen,"
"I hope you marry well," Aenera muttered, her hands moving up to gently hold Melusine's where they rested by her arms.
"I have no intention to marry," Melusine admitted, "my father has sons and daughters, what's one wed-less one," she smiled, "plus, if I married I wouldn't get to spent as much time with you,"
"Oh that would be torturous," Aenera joked, grinning as she looked to the girl. A hum left her lips before she rested her forehead against Harclay's. Only pulling away when there was a knock at the door, "I suppose that's the signal to get ready for this tournament,"
"You sound like your mother," Melusine teased, "but i suppose, we should,"
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a/n i love them more then life yall this isn't fair
