Opposition; Aemond Targaryen

𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓽𝓮𝓮𝓷;𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓲 𝓭𝓸 𝓲𝓽 𝓪𝓰𝓪𝓲𝓷?

Uncomfortable; causing of stress or discomfort; painful; irritating. That is how Naerys felt as she sat with the dowager queen embroidering fine clothes, pretending as if nothing was wrong. She was tense, probably the tensest she had ever been in her life. Her shoulders were wound tightly, her jaw was clenched, and she aggressively stabbed her needle through the fabric perhaps a little more excessive than she needed to. Alicent pretended not to notice but she couldn't deny that she flinched a little harder every time she heard the sound of fabric ripping. She was only thankful Halaena had decided to join the two on the sunny day.

No one had said a word, all too busy pretending to be enamored with their own works, all but Halaena. She only remained silent because no one else had spoken. Naerys was unsure if Halaena understood the tensions or if she just chose to not acknowledge them. When the girls were younger Halaena had confessed to Naerys that she often led others to believe she was nothing but a body as it worked in her favor, and she was left alone more often than not. Halaena learned things by faking her ignorance, no one would suspect that an idiot who appeared to not even understand her own doings would be capable of knowing things that no one else did. Naerys only wished she had followed her lead back then. Perhaps it would have saved her from the awkward situation she was in now.

Halaena had stopped weaving her thick purple thread through the soft satin. Naerys looked up at the girl as her hands dropped to her lap, a look of confusion on her face. Naerys' eyebrows furrowed at her sister-in-law, "The ghost of a king." Halaena announced, Alicent's head turned, her eyebrow slightly rising, "What does that mean, my dear?" Alicent hummed as she returned to her own stitchings.

Naerys bit her lip, focusing on the girl as she stared back at her, the faintest smile gracing her lips before she chuckled and returned to her work. The Queen to be hesitated but returned her focus to the fabric in her hands, her mind beginning to swirl in thought. 

Halaena was a dreamer, yes, however Naerys wondered if Halaena was just dreaming of what to come or if she truly knew the plan to come in detail. Whether she knew or not made Naerys nervous. She knew very well that Halaena would not share her knowledge purposefully but the idea of locking Halaena in the darkest parts of the castle until Daemon came for them all seemed rather tempting in the moment. She was not willing to let Alicent start questioning her daughter's visions all of a sudden.

Naerys felt as if someone was staring at her, so when she lifted her head, she was unsurprised to find Alicent looking at her with a cautious glance. Alicent blushed out of embarrassment of being caught, she offered the girl a soft smile before down turning her eyes. 

The sound of a throat clearing caught Naerys' attention, her eyes glanced upwards to where Alicent sat, "Your embroidery is mesmerizing." Alicent swallowed harshly, Naerys' eyes followed her own gaze, and she admired her own stitching, she had stitched a black and green flower, unintentional as she had not realized. 

"A gift for Aemond." Naerys smiled bashfully. Alicent's lips turned upwards at the mention of her son's name, "I am sure he will cherish it," Halaena looked around before gently setting her belongings down on the bench, "I think I would like to walk; this stone is harsh on my back." Her voiced drifted as she locked eyes with Naerys. Alicent nodded, casting a generous smile to her daughter as she began walking away.

Naerys mentally grimaced at Halaena's departure, she was unsure if she had done it on purpose but nonetheless wanted to release all of her very unladylike behaviors and chase the girl down before tackling her to the ground and screaming why, but she refrained because Halaena was Halaena, and she loved Halaena even if she put her in uncomfortable situations more often than not. 

Alicent had moved closer to the girl on the bench without her knowing, probably when she was focused on Halaena's shrinking figure causing her to stiffen slightly. Her eyes remained on her embroidery and as she was about to cut the thread, she felt the warmth of Alicent's hand on her own stopping whatever movement was about to come.