The hour was late. Visenya had spent most of it violently crying into her pillow, reminiscing about her father and thinking of all the ways she could have, no, should have saved him. Finally, exhaustion overtook her, and she drifted into a fitful sleep.
The castle was shrouded in silence. Vermithor soared above the towers, while the sea waves whispered their lullaby along the shore.
A boat stealthily approached, hidden behind the rocks.
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"I have to."
A cloaked figure stepped onto the beach, moving quickly to find shelter among the castle's familiar entrances, the same paths Visenya had used to sneak into the town.
As he navigated the castle's corridors, avoiding encounters with maids and guards, he eventually arrived at Visenya's chambers.
The door was guarded by Ser Axell, a young knight appointed just before the princess's arrival at Dragonstone.
Time was of the essence. The intruder seized one of the lamps that illuminated the hallway and hurled it in the opposite direction of Visenya's chambers.
"Who goes there?" Ser Axell, roused from sleep, demanded.
No response.
The knight, wary of potential danger, cast a glance around to ensure no one was approaching and hurried down the hallway to investigate. Seizing the opportunity, the cloaked man slipped into Visenya's chambers.
A hand covering her mouth roused Visenya from her sleep.
Before she could open her eyes, she instinctively grasped the dagger she always kept within reach. With her eyes squinted, she aimed it at—
Familiar deep purple eyes stared back at her.
It was a dream. Her father had come to bid her farewell in her dream.
The dagger slipped from her hand as if it were a feather.
The cloaked man gently removed his hand from her mouth, signaling her to remain silent.
He removed his hood, revealing a bald head.
A weird dream, then.
"Father?" she reached out, half-expecting him to vanish within her grasp.
But he did not.
She touched his chest, his cloak, his face.
Was this real, or was it a cruel trick of her mind?
"I don't have much time, my love."
"How... I thought you were..." Visenya stammered as she struggled to make sense of the situation.
"I know, I know. I shouldn't have come. But I had to. I had to see you. I had to apologize."
"But why?" Visenya's voice trembled, nearly loud enough to alert the guard.
"My dove, my daughter. Your mother will explain everything when the time is right. For now, I needed to come and bid you farewell in person. I couldn't bear the thought of our last goodbye being unsaid."
Visenya's eyes welled up with tears, her cheeks still damp from the ones she had shed just hours ago. She embraced her father tightly, unable to let go.
"I failed you as a father. I should have been there for you and your mother more. I see that now, but my regret cannot change the past seventeen years," Laenor spoke, tears streaming down his face as he held his daughter.
YOU ARE READING
The Black Death
Fanfiction"You look just like your mother." "I guess I do carry her tenderness well." "You both have the same eyes." "We are both exhausted." "And the hands." "We share the same wilting fingers." "But that rage... Your mother doesn't wear that anger." "You'r...
