"Laenora..."
"Princess?"
"Niece wake up!"
Laenora Velaryon shot up from the warmth of her bed like a white Walker from it's frosty grave. Her eyes were hardly accustomed to the dim light of her new chambers, and so with the same blindness her Uncle Aemond possessed, she reached for her grandfathers stolen dagger at her bed side. She knew from the second her eyes opened that something was amiss.
It was rare she ever was awoken in the night, not unless Joffrey had had a nightmare and crawled into bed with her, so it was a strange occurrence to be woken at the hour of the wolf, especially so by her eldest uncle Aegon.
The Prince crouched before her, concealed in a grey cloak and what looked to be peasants clothing; and yet Laenora still did not relax at the sight of him. Her fingers found the blade in the dark.
"What do you want?" She hissed
"Come with me." He whispered, his hand upon her knee. "You must come quickly and quietly-"
"But why?"
"And without question... Now if you'll put your blade down, I won't cause you any harm."
"Perhaps I should get Aemond-"
"And what will he do for you that I cannot?"
Laenora froze, a world of possibilities threatened to spill from her lips, despite Aemond's reluctance to defend her, but still she kept them sealed tightly shut and instead followed Aegon's hand.
She swallowed not just her pride but her honesty too that night.
The dark haired girl threw her cloak upon her shoulders and allowed the future usurper to guide her through the hidden passages of the red keep, the same ones her mother had taken with her own uncle so many years before. Laenora hardly even sensed herself being watched beneath the light of Aegon's candle.
"Where is it you're taking me?" She pondered, poking the man in the ribs.
"Think of this as your final night of freedom my princess. It is my duty to provide you with such."
"Your duty?"
"Live a little, Laenora." He told her though a crooked smile. The same one he'd flashed Aemond when he lead him to a whore house at the age of fourteen.
Laenora had never once ventured into the streets of Flea Bottom, she'd heard stories of it from her step father, but she'd never imagined it to be nearly quite as down trodden and somewhat forgotten as it truly was. The streets were arife with both peasants and the filth that they couldn't afford to rid themselves of, small children sat at every corner, begging on behalf of their family either for sympathy or due to their parents ill health. Cattle roamed freely and elderly gentles sold bread made with sawdust and other sleight handed items. It broke the princess's heart at the sight.
"What is it?" Aegon asked, his blue eyes concealed beneath the hood of his cloak.
Lae wished she could do something to change it all. To return with a large pouch of gold and give out as much as possible, she wished she could persuade the crown for change, to push them, but deep down she knew none of it was a possibility, not until she took the crown herself.
And so she said, "Nothing."
And faded into the noise once more.
As they descended deeper into the winding streets Laenora couldn't help but notice how dark it became, the streets feeling the loss of light and laying forgotten under the red keep's shadow. The shops and stalls of vendors too became darker, rotting fruits and baked goods exchanged for ale houses and the houses of pleasure. The girl prayed to herself that she wouldn't experience the latter.
"My Prince."
"Hello."
A woman with a voice like velvet approached the pair, her hand found Aegon's shoulder in seconds and she caressed his skin through his tunic as if they were lovers from a past lifetime. Laenora couldn't help but hide a laugh beneath her hood, knowing exactly what this woman knew and wanted of her uncle. Word travelled fast, even to Dragonstone.
"It has been many a night since we last saw you, almost seven. Shall we be expecting you tonight?" She hummed in his ear
"I-uh... No, you will not."
"Embarrassed my prince?" Laenora mimicked the woman smugly as Aegon ushered her away, "Surely if you're going to venture into whore houses you mustn't be embarrassed by them."
"I'm embarrassed because you are here niece. You don't need to know of my habits."
"All of Westeros knows of your habits uncle, and your whores."
"Shut up." He grabbed her hand in an instant, interlacing their fingers together.
Before she knew it, the Velaryon found herself crossing the threshold of an ale house in the darkest corner of all of Kingslanding. Her hand was still encapsulated by her uncle's much to her dislike, but she didn't allow his action to bother her much, and instead kept her bewildered mind on the occurrences inside the tavern.
It was filled to the brim with drunkards, all of which were familiar to her Prince uncle, men rested in dark corners, receiving felatio from ladies of the night who had travelled the short walk from the closest pleasure house to be of service. On the far side of the room a small group of men and women sat, eating raw meat and playing cards, a small few stood by the door, fighting one another bare knuckle until their maws were bloodied. Aegon quickly swept Laenora beneath his arm, out of harms way, and ushered her fervently in the direction of the bar.
The future usurper nodded to the barkeep as they brushed by and the woman quickly got to work pouring the pair both a tankard of their cheapest beer. Aegon walked his niece to a barrel on the farthest side of the room and pulled up a stool for them both. Laenora sat haphazardly, trying with everything in her to ignore the sights surrounding her, the crude stench, and the grim stickiness atop of their makeshift table.
"There's no need for that." The Prince dropped his hood, and only a moment later he too pushed Laenora's to her shoulders.
"Aegon!"
"No one will say anything of us down here."
With all but a moments notice, the stout barkeep had shuffled over, placing their drinks before them, spilling the dark liquid upon the already stained surface. The betrothed woman smiled curtly.
"Princess." The barkeep whispered, nodding her head
"Aegon you said-"
"Do not worry, she can keep a secret." He chuckled, stirring his beer with his finger before sucking some off the end. "Want some?"
"I have my own." She grimaced, knowing exactly where his fingers had been. There weren't many who did not.
"Thought you may want to try it first but I understand. You haven't seen me in years."
"No I haven't." She agreed
"Have you missed your uncle?"
"I haven't seen you since we left for dragonstone six years ago. We weren't much close, there was little to miss."
"Well I beg to differ." He told her as a matter of a fact, "Your Aunt Laena's funeral? We had a wonderful time, you can't tell me you've forgotten that?"
"Of course I haven't, that was the night you almost had me watch my brothers skulls be caved in."
"We've all done things were not proud of."
"I could've stopped it."
"Is that what you tell yourself?"
"Aemond could have kept his sight." She mumbled, her mind no longer present but with a younger, bleeding, Aemond.
"Laenora." He'd begged for her in the dirt.
"And there is the truth of it... You feel guilt."
"Guilt?"
"For not fighting me, for not stopping Aemond from provoking your brothers, from not being able to save his eye. He isn't your problem Laenora."
"He's my betrothed, I have no choice in that... Besides, we've all done things we regret. I do not regret that night. My brothers will always be first, always."
"Even though Aemond lost an eye? And you broke my nose."
"I could not care little more about your nose."
"It was you I was protecting Laenora."
She laughed, taking a gulp of her beer before cringing at the bitter taste. "We both know that is a lie."
"You always have to be the hero. Even when we were children. We were both still drunk, there was a knife. I did what had to be done." He shrugged, "My mother would've had me killed if she thought I wasn't protecting the little twat. I had to make you believe it too."
"You're not clever enough for that type of scheming Aegon."
"Slander." He chuckled, emptying his cup. "Truthfully Laenora, I did not want to see you hurt."
"I still do not forgive you."
"It would not have changed things. You must know that niece. You mustn't kick yourself."
"Perhaps." She shrugged too, still kicking herself.
'Things change, flowers grow.'
***
"So you shall be my sister in marriage soon? Tell me, how disgusting does that feel to you?" He laughed, throwing back another tankard.
"To marry Aemond would be an easy life, but I worry it would be similar to marrying my step father."
At least I would be fiercely protected. She thought, unbeknownst to how truly different Aemond could be upon her call.
"Do not put that image into my head!" He chuckled, "But tell me does it not feel wrong to you?"
"Why should it?"
"Come on Laenora." He rose a brow.
"What?"
"Do not play the fool."
"I am not!"
"You know that you and I shared a spark when we were children. You must have felt it too."
"Yes." She rolled her eyes, "For all but a night, before-"
"Aemond lost his eye blah blah, you still felt it."
"I am sorry but are you not married to your own sister?"
"Yes?"
"Aegon."
"What?"
"Something makes me feel that I am not the fool here."
"But surely my father could have chosen a better husband for you?"
"Like who? Daeron?"
"Gods no!"
"One of your sons? Joffrey? Otto? There were not many options left within the family."
"Well I too sat at that table."
"Yes, already married and with three children."
"Technicalities."
"Do not play the fool." She mimicked him.
"I am not!" He let out a laugh, standing upon his vulnerable feet only to almost topple to the floor.
"I believe I may be quite drunk Laenora."
"Gods be good."
It was some time before Lae was able to get her uncle up on two feet without him stumbling into any strangers. With her arm tucked beneath Aegon's shoulders, they wandered home with the drunk of the two giving faulty directions, mumbling hazy words into her neck as she desperately tried to keep him upright.
"Oh my sweet Prince..." another voice called as they ventured by the same pleasure house they had at the dawn of their night.
A different woman stood upon the steps this time, much more scantily clad, but much prettier than the last. She approached Aegon without a care for the princess beside him and placed a hand to his sweaty chest, running it all the way down until she was squeezing at his crotch. Laenora wanted to be sick at the sight.
"He is incapacitated you fool! Leave him!"
"He normally shows up on our steps in this state, isn't that right my Prince?" The girl stroked his hair with little rebuttal, the drunk could only throw his head back against his niece's shoulder and laugh.
"If you touch the Prince Aegon again I shall have you thrown in the dragon pit and fed to Caraxes. Do you understand?"
The girl nodded with a tense jaw and fear in her eyes at the heiress's scorn. She hurriedly stepped away, returning to her post outside on the stone steps.
"Come along Aegon."
"Oh niece! Your words have warmed me!"
"Be quiet and walk."
***
"Get yourself to bed."
Laenora was practically exhausted after having all but dragged her uncle through the back streets of flea bottom, back through the hidden passages and all the way to his chambers. He had been an utter nightmare, talking as loudly as his lungs would allow him and pinching and poking her wherever he deemed fit. Not only was the man a drunk but he was too a menace.
He stood, slumped, against his doorframe. His eyes were glazed over and they barely allowed him to focus on his dear niece. His drunkenness drove him, and Aegon could hardly stop himself as he yanked his door open and grabbed Laenora's hand, almost pulling her right in with him.
She slammed her foot in the door, quick to stop him, but still he gave a tug on her palm.
"Come with me." He'd begged
"No."
"Why ever not?"
"My Aunt Helaena is asleep in your bed, and besides that you can hardly stand uncle-"
"I had almost forgotten about her." He cut her off, chuckling deeply.
"And what about Aemond? Had you forgotten him too?"
"What about him?" He laughed, louder than before if it were even possible.
"Aegon you must be quiet."
"You have grown so beautiful." He touched her cheek.
"And you are drunk." She removed his grasp.
"And yet I see so clearly!"
"It is time for bed uncle."
"I would never view you as an object niece."
"What?" Her words came before she'd even though them.
He'd listened. The whole time, he was listening to every word they'd said.
"I would never view you as an object." He repeated through his slurred tongue. "You are a woman and must be treated as one! I would never..."
His voice faded away as she thought on the insult Aemond had called her. An object. She had once been his closest friend in their childhood, his only friend among family. How could he call her such a vile name? And Aegon had overheard every word of it, knowing exactly what to say and what wound to press upon simply to get a reaction from her, the reaction he wanted.
"Goodnight uncle." She cut him off, walking back to her room without another word.
Ser Cole was already awaiting her arrival at her chamber doors when Laenora returned to greet him that eve. He'd known that she'd crept away under the watch of the night, that it was his fault she had disappeared in the first place if only he'd been more diligent. He was ill pleased of the matter, but still, seeing the princess return unharmed made his anger falter, before it all collapsed ever so completely beneath her soft touch.
She briefly grazed the knights hand with a smile, holding a finger to her lips. He could see the pain and unkemptness behind the softness in her eyes and he wanted to ask her of it, to ease her woes, but before he could she entered her chambers and ever so quietly locked the door behind herself. Bidding him the same earnest farewell she had only hours earlier.
"Gods..."
The knight knew there and then that he would forever be under Laenora Velaryon's spell, whether they were on opposing sides of a wooden door or on opposite sides of Westeros. He could never keep his anger, not when it came to her, and he'd never been able to explain it, but part of him deep down had always known why, somehow.
He would always be under her spell, just as he had once been under her mother's.