The Dragons and Their Sun (aemond/oc)

rhaenys II

She flew directly to Haystack Hall, not even bothering to go all the way to Storm's End. If Nicolas' supposed daughter was in Haystack Hall, he should be too. Corlys wanted to get there through the sea, so he had left a few days earlier than she did. She offered, more than once, to fly him there, but he denied each time. She never understood why he declined every offer to ride Meleys with her.

It wasn't surprising that armed guards were the ones to greet her; she was sure they had never even seen a dragon before. Long ago, she mastered the perfect mix of coming off as harmless, but not to be walked all over. She made sure to keep Meleys calm as she dismounted and greeted the guards, "I am Princess Rhaenys Targaryen Velaryon. I'm here to see Lord Nicolas Baratheon, if you would take me to him."

She made sure a small smile was plastered across her face as she spoke, trying to distract them from the giant red dragon behind her. One of the guards stepped forward with a bow, "Princess. I can take you to him if you'd follow me."

She nodded, turning back to send Meleys off. She trusted her dragon enough not to get into too much trouble while she was gone. Meleys would most likely end up flying back to Driftmark during Rhaenys' time here. Though, Rhaenys had no doubt the dragon would be there before Rhaenys herself even realized she needed her.

Meleys flew off and she turned back to the guard, nodding at him to let him know she was ready. He bowed back and led her inside. Haystack Hall was kind of an ugly place, Rhaenys thought to herself as they led her inside. Perhaps she visited during the wrong time of the year, but everything was so bland and lifeless here. Or maybe she had just been to so many more beautiful places that this just seemed ugly? She didn't know which one rang more truthfully.

Theming seemed to be very important to the people here because the seat she was met with in the Great Hall was stacks of hay. Not real hay, of course, but metal that was carefully carved to look like stacks of hay. She looked at the chair with an amused smile before finally looking at the people gathered around a table in the middle of the room. She recognized him instantly. Bushy black hair and deep brown eyes that almost appeared black. His grin was the same as well.

Every head turned at her entrance, and it took a second of staring before they realized just who was standing in their Hall. Frantic bows and greetings were thrown into the empty silence with Rhaenys accepting each one with a nod of her own. Nicolas, she noticed, was just staring at her with slightly wide eyes, like he didn't believe she was truly there. She smiled at him and slightly lowered her head to him, keeping eye contact. It seemed to break him out of his trance because he snapped, "Leave us."

She watched as the guests exchanged weary glances before slowly exiting. She exchanged smiles with those brave enough to meet her eyes. It was only her, Nicolas, and a woman that Rhaenys assumed to be Lady Helen Tully if the way Nicolas grabbed her hand had anything to say about it.

"Leave us, my love," he told her in a hushed tone. Rhaenys fought a frown. The woman opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by a look from Nicolas. She sighed and started to walk to the door.

Rhaenys quickly sidestepped in front of her before she could get to the door, "Lady Helen, I presume?"

The woman blankly looked at her for a moment before nodding, gently tugging at her hands which Rhaenys had swept into her own. Rhaenys wouldn't let her go just yet, "Nicolas, dear, were you not going to introduce us?"

She needed to put on a cool appearance, but already she was feeling her heart break. Nicolas, even in the minute or two she had seen him, had clearly changed. Her Nicolas would have jumped at the opportunity to introduce the pretty woman he was betrothed to. Rhaenys held onto the hope that he was also simply putting on a cool appearance.