Stranger - hotd

15

Valaena again got dressed with the help of her mother, as the older maid servant had surely scared her by hatefully staring her down this late morning.

She wore another lilac gown, long puffed out sleeves adorned her arms, and on her neck she wore gold encrusted with a pearl and amethyst hanger. Rhaenyra smiled at her daughter, recalling how fond she herself had been of jewels and dresses.  However it seemed her own daughter had an even more elaborate taste in both.

"Am I not to be wed in our own customs also?" Wondered Valaena as her mother braided her long hair once more. She had just bathed, and little strands of her hair remained damp, despite the roaring hearth in front of them. "I suppose, they'll expect me to adopt their faith, the old gods, but I could not in good conscience-"

"My sweet, you need not adopt their faith, ours is just." Reminded Rhaenyra her daughter. "If you wish to be wed in the traditions of Old Valyrian, or those of the seven, you need only ask."

Valaena bit her lip, she had never been as religious as the Greens were. Her mother never bade her to pray as a child, however it was Alicent who stuffed prayer and religion down the throats of everyone, at every chance she got. It had been a form of solace to the Queen. But to Valaena, faith had been nothing more than a duty. For she sought only comfort in the Valyrian gods of old.

Perhaps it was of the way the Targaryens sought a godlike presence withinthemselves, people revered them as Gods, because of their Dragons. But who were they without their dragons, if not only mundane.

"I do not think I care much." Confessed Valaena to her mother, before looking up at her through the mirror. "Good."

"I do however care, well- the weather, gods I detest the cold. So do expect to see a lot of me."

"You must Valaena, but do not stray from your husband within the first few weeks." Warned Rhaenyra.

"I do not think he would care to mind."

"The smallfolk will, and his men, the servants. Northerns do not like outsiders, so try to fit in, then as you've gained their trust, come to me. We'll visit the beach with your new brother or sister."

Valaena chuckled, glancing at her mother's pregant stomach. "That would be good." Though her smile faded, as she realized that perhaps soon she would be facing the same challenge, childbirth.

"Perhaps you must allow me to be present for the birth, as I was with Aegon the younger."

"Darling, you need not worry, I've done this four times already, what struggle is a fifth?" Said Rhaenyra placing a shoulder upon her daughter's shoulder, hoping to reassure her.

"Does it hurt much?"

"Terribly, but that does make up for the feeling afterwards, when the Maester's laid you and Jace upon my chest, I felt the happiest in all of the seven Kingsdoms. Despite vowing to never birth a child again only moments before."

Valaena grimaced. "That does sound rather terrible."

She glanced at the hearth, were earlier Aemond's letter had burned. It had lomg turned to ash, still she felt her throat burning and her insides twisting, reminded of the betrayal.
He loved her, oh he did, yet he sought to posses her as a pawn, in name of his family's power.

And should she have kept the letter and shown it as proof of theft. Then Otto Hightower would have the hidden ink declared a farce. A means to allow for Rhaenyra to position herself and it would deem her mother weak. Desperate.