court of lies | robert's rebellion

the bells

"it is dangerous when too many men in different armours think they are right"

282 AC, Oldtown

"Atera,", Paxter sat in front of her door, crossed his legs, leaned his head back to the door. "please, speak to me, I missed you.", she did not answer. "I cannot even imagine what you are going through but my love, please.", he begged, closed his eyes. "One word would save me from this agony, just one word, I beg you, please."

She was not speaking to anyone ever since she stepped a foot to Oldtown and it has been moons last Paxter seen her properly. He was told she completely locked herself into her chambers. Barely eating, barely sleeping. Every Maester at the Citadel has visited her at least twice, with the orders of Leyton, worrying something deeply was wrong in his sister.

As much as Paxter knew, Leyton spent hours with his sister, trying to make her talk, offer her some comfort. Most of the time he forced her to eat, or take medicine so she would not become seriously ill -which Alerie blurted out in her puerperium confusion that Atera had been seriously ill more than five times ever since she returned back. Her body was weak and fragile but her stubbornness was thick.

Some whispered she had finally lost her mind but Paxter knew better than that. She just needed a moment to completely digest what has happened at Harrenhal. Gods knew Paxter himself did not do so himself yet. She was outsmarted, outplayed, lied to and conned by the people she risked her own life for, she risked her family's life for, by the man who she let into her bed. Given this happened twice, fist being Jace, Paxter knew exacty why she was not able to move on.

Her pride was wounded and it stung more than a broken heart.

Atera was defeated, she, for the first time in her life, has lost. Not even Rhea managed to do that, not Doratien, not Walburga nor Lythene, definitely not Jace but Arthur Dayne done so and Paxter had serious concerns and beliefs that perhaps she did love the man, in her way. While everything he knew about Atera screamed bullshit to that idea, he couldn't understand why else she would take such greater risks just for physical intimacy. Perhaps this time she truly gave her little dark heart into someone that was impossible and it getting broken damaged her further because Atera was not angry. They knew her anger, they could work with her anger but she simply was not angry. Baelor declared she did not feel a thing any longer, Paxter didn't know what to believe.

He just missed his best friend and wanted her back but Atera was just out of reach.

"Come here.", he flinched when Leyton snapped his fingers at him in a summoning manner and started to walk without waiting for him. Frowning, Paxter sent one last look to the marble door and stood up, followed Leyton quickly. "With every passing day, Atera gets away from us, Paxter.", Leyton said once they entered to his chambers. "I feel like we are resisting against the fate itself."

"You should not lose your hope, Lord Hightower.", he did not even entertain the idea. "One day, Atera will come back to her senses."

"Yes, yes, she will.", Leyton sighed. "But you will not be here to see that, at least not for a while."

Paxter frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I know that you gave a promise to my sister and accordintly waiting for an opportunity to rise for years now, to get revenge from Jacaerys Velaryon.", Paxter slowly straightened his spine, he was not expecting this. "He betrayed my sister, caused great disasters for us and not only that,", he shook his head. "it was Corlys who betrayed us and told Robert Baratheon where our troops were placed in Ashford.", Paxter took a step back. "I got this information from someone I trust so very much. He is the reason why my son is acting as if the world has ended.", he gritted his teeth. "I have shown nothing but mercy to those leeches for they were the family of my children but enough is enough. Both have a debt to pay."