ELLIPSISM, aemond targaryen

[020] helaena's last letter

RHAENA TARGARYEN WAS walking that morning with a big smile on her face, one which clearly people didn't understand as word spread throughout the castle about another argument between Rhaenyra and Aemma. Therefore, everyone expected the second-born daughter of Daemon Targaryen and Laena Velaryon to be kind of gloomy that morning. However, even their strange looks could not spoil her good mood.

After she woke up and looked sadly out the window at the cloudy sky, her eyes lit up when she found out that her maids had left new letters on her table. And among them there were exactly two that had a well-known elegant font on them.

When Aemma dramatically left the dinner, no one talked about it and even though Rhaena wanted to go to Aemma, Jace and Luke told her she should be left alone to deal with her own anger. So Rhaena went to bed with her worries, hoping that Aemma would be all right and she would be able to talk to her in the morning.

She knocked on the door and in a moment it opened and friendly brown eyes looked at her.

"Lady Rhaena," Gwyn smiled at her kindly. "What a nice surprise!"

"Gwyn," Rhaena said, smiling back softly. "I came to see Aemma, is she here?"

Gwyn grew nervous. "Probably not the best idea for visits right now, Lady Rhaena. The Princess must prepare for her meeting with Ser Lannister and--"

"Who's there, Gwyn?" came a quiet voice from the room.

The maid looked behind her shoulder. "Lady Rhaena has come to visit you, my Princess. I will tell her to come later--"

"No need. She can come in."

Gwyn was still unsure but obeyed her mistress' command. As she turned from the door, Rhaena walked in and immediately felt a chill run down her spine due to the cold in the room.

Her eyes widened as she noticed the cause. "Aemma! What are you doing? You could fall and die!"

The huge window was open and cold air was coming in, Aemma was sitting on the window frame with her hair unkempt, still wearing her nightgown.

The girl was assembling a bird from a page she tore out of a history book. "Yes, I know. That's kind of the whole point."

Rhaena's eyes narrowed. "Don't be ridiculous, Aemma. If you die what will happen to Luke, Jace and Joffrey? What will happen to your mother?"

"She will probably have to choose another child to sell to whoever offers the most gold for him."

Rhaena sighed at her exasperated tone. Apparently she still hasn't gotten over the anger from yesterday's argument. She also didn't seem to sleep as much as she should have, her eyes narrower than usually.

"Well, if you decide not to commit dramatic suicide, I have a letter for you," Rhaena said, sitting down on a chair.

Aemma raised her head. "From who? Helaena?"

Rhaena's heart sank at the hope in her voice and she shook her head sadly. "No, I'm sorry. It is from Baela."

Even though Aemma's eyes were partly sad, she smiled and walked back into the room, sitting down next to Rhaena. She took the letter with her name on it from her and leaned closer to the light from the window to see the text.

Dear Aemma,

Jace wrote to me before the letter from you arrived, and I wanted to thank you for 'accidentally' shooting at Lord Tully with an arrow when you were training together. He was visiting Driftmark recently and his pride was getting on my and grandmother's nerves as well. We are both very grateful to you, it was time for someone to put him in his place.