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07/ WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS
"I am literally going to murder you." Maelora's firm voice cut through the air. "Stab you in the stomach. Slit your throat. Cut your head off. I haven't made up my mind on which way I am going to kill you, but I assure you, it will be bloody and violent."
Aemond's chuckle vibrated in the dining hall. "I wouldn't expect less of you, sister."
Alicent sent an unimpressed look to the twins before returning to her talk with her father. Aemond winked at his twin sister before continuing to chew the last piece of cake. Strawberry cake. Her favorite thing in the whole realm. Only served once in a moon.
"Mother," Maelora called out for backup desperately after pushing her plate, no longer feeling the appetite. A childish pout was visible on her face. "Aemond didn't save any cake for me."
Aemond let out a quiet laugh, eyes smudged with amusement. Alicent fetched a sigh, "Aemond, be nice to your sister." She squirreled out of the twin's argument. She had her hands intertwined, resting on her chin, her side face directed towards her children.
Maelora's pout deepened as if someone was pulling the corner of her mouth down. Aemond struggled to hold back his sneer before turning to their mother again, "Mother," He called out with a stern voice, making the Hightower woman look at him wearily. "Aemond didn't save any cake for me." He mocked, pitching his voice like a girlish squeal.
Annoyance pinching her features, Maelora reached for the closest thing she could find, which happened to be a grape and threw it to her twin brother's face without giving it much thought. The green fruit missed his remaining eye just in time when he turned his head; the grape hit his temple before dropping to his lap.
"Maelora," Alicent warned with a huff. There was a crease between her brows, her whole body tense like always. "That is unbecoming of a lady."
Otto Hightower narrowed his eyes before nodding. "Yes, your mother is right, Maelora. That is also unbecoming of a Princess." He scolded, making Maelora bow her head as if she was ashamed.
"My apologizes." Maelora mumbled before pursing her lips.
Her life was an unending theater scene and the curtains never got closed, there was no moment to drop out of the character that was given to her. The spotlight was always on them, the bright light following her family to observe their every move.
She first started thinking about this in Driftmark. When her trembling hands covered her twin brother's, Aemond grasping to her, squeezing her flesh subconsciously out of his own pain. He did not cry. He did not scream. He was too silent. Even though the pain was nothing anyone could imagine. And what did others do? Everyone just watched it. Like they were the audience and that was what they had to do. They all watched it until Queen Alicent broke her character and the scenario and attacked Princess Rhaenyra.
