An evil eye had fallen on the peace and the prosperity of the seven kingdoms. The royal court was divided into two factions - 'The Greens' and 'The Blacks'. The seeds of war sown long ago were sprouting.
Naerys Velaryon was the daughter of Princess...
Princess Rhaenyra had just taken a bath. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was alone in her chambers, as naked as her nameday. On the other days, her handmaidens would help her bathe and then help her get dressed. But on that day, Rhaenyra wanted to do it all by herself.
She dressed herself in a black silk gown. The seamstresses in the Red Keep had carefully embroidered red roses into the gown. It was the result of several sleepless nights. How could it not be beautiful? She then sent for her lady-in-waiting, Elinda Massey.
Elinda entered the chambers and curtsied. She said, "You called me, Princess."
"Oh yes," Rhaenyra said. "Braid my hair," she ordered.
When Elinda had finished braiding her hair, Rhaenyra picked a ruby necklace from her dressing table and wore it along with ruby earrings to match it. She took a bottle of rare spiceflower and cinnamon perfume that was brought from Lys, and sprayed the perfume on herself.
"It is time to go to the court," saying this, Rhaenyra stood up and started walking towards the door.
When she reached the door, she met Ser Harwin Strong and gave him a smile. Her lover returned the smile and looked at her with a penetrating gaze. The princess did not notice that, but her handmaiden who was standing just behind her, looked at him with disgust.
Elinda had known several men in her life, both good and bad. Ser Harwin Strong was a man whom she could not testify as a good man. She knew what happened between the princess and her sworn protector behind the closed doors. The princess trusted and loved him, she knew. But she did not trust him at all. "Paramours of a married woman cannot be trusted," she used to tell herself.
"You look as beautiful as the rising sun, My Princess," Harwin said. The princess smiled at him again and continued to walk towards the throne room.
Elinda was observing Harwin carefully. The smile on his face looked forced and his sweet words seemed poisonous. She did not even like the way he was walking. "Is he angry because the princess dressed up for her uncle today?" she thought.
Rhaenyra had always been more than fond of her uncle. Daemon might commit a hundred sins but it never made any difference to his niece. Elinda thought, "She might have missed him a lot. If not, then why would she dress up so beautifully today?"
Oldtown :
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Ser Otto Hightower was sitting with his Lord Brother in the high hall of High Tower, the ancient seat of his house.
Lord Hightower said, "I hear that His Grace has allowed Daemon to return to the court so that his daughters may receive the royal blessing."
"It is true. The Lords in the council advised him against it. But the king was adamant," Otto replied.
Lord Hightower was not pleased with the answer. "Then what is your daughter doing? Why did she not convince him to accept the counsel?" he asked.
