KING'S LANDING 

Despite months passing, the warmth of Aemond's hands still lingered on hers. 

After their dance Hira was left confused and mildly irritated at the foreign emotions triggered by Aemond and yet they only grew. So she did what she knew best, she bottled every bit of it and locked it away. 

Yet moments before she drifted to sleep, Aemond's face appeared behind her closed eyes and Hira found herself falling asleep to his voice in her ear. 

It must be the work of poisons, she concluded. That, or worse. The work of their Westerosi gods, playing tricks and wreaking havoc on her. Hira knew she was being silly, but no one had plagued her mind until Aemond.

Helaena was of no help. Oftentimes she invited her younger brother to their weekly flying sessions. 

Lately, Hira found it difficult to say no to her, so Aemond joined when he wasn't busy learning philosophy and the histories, or at the yard with a sword. Hira went through great attempts to avoid him, making sure not to frequent the library when he had his lessons. 

Her Sapphire Guards had taken to training in the gardens rather than the actual yard when their princess wanted to practise her daggers. Shouta wasn't impressed with her at all, Hira recalled the trademark frown and crossed arms. 

Despite being a few years older than her, Shouta perfectly embodied the Elders back home, the disappointed look suited his face well.

The goal was to dwindle the emotions festering inside her whenever Aemond made an unwanted appearance. Yet Helaena was sneakier than she let on. 

Here she was in the girl's room with Aemond perched on the sofa next to her, close enough to touch if she dared, with her ladies plotted around the chamber.

Helaena wanted to try Lengii traditional gowns, to which Hira's ladies eagerly agreed. Being the overachievers they were, all four girls stitched a beautiful yellow baro't saya for Helaena. It was their project of the month, completing the piece in a little under three weeks. They even went to the markets outside the Keep and bought different materials and thread to produce it. 

Jade was adding the finishing touches to Helaena's face, applying a bit of kohl to the outer edge of her eyes, making them appear bigger.

"It's lovely, isn't it Hira?" Helaena beamed, her face a replica of sunlight.

The baro't saya was floor length, lined with a flowy skirt paired with a blouse. The kerchief draped over Helaena's shoulders had embellishments of a blue dragon inspired by Dreamfyre.

"It's the person wearing it that makes it so lovely." Hira answered, pleased at the wide smile Helaena was sprouting.

"Yellow compliments you well." Linh said. "Hira chose the colour for the material."

"It reminded me of the kerria we have back home."

The tilt of Helaena's head was adorable, much like a confused puppy. "What's kerria? I've never heard of it."

"Kerrias are deciduous, yellow-flowering shrubs that belong to the rose family. Native only to Leng, often found on mountain slopes." Ming replied.

"Wouldn't it be lovely if we grew them here, Aemond?" Helaena mused to her brother.

"A piece of Leng would surely please the princess and her household." He answered amicably, turning to gaze at Hira.

"It would." She replied, holding his stare. "A pity it wouldn't grow in such conditions here in King's Landing."

"Perhaps in the Reach then. They're known for their fertile and rich lands, the Tyrells have bountiful harvests every year."

"A farmer as well as a scholar and swordsman." Hira jested.

"I aim to be well versed in extracurriculars, always prepared for the worst of situations."

"I suppose that's a given now." Hira made a point to stare at the eyepatch.

"Do you think the markets are selling bluebells? We'll need them for Hira's name day!" Linh exclaimed, reverting Hira's attention back to her ladies.

"Name day?" Helaena gasped, "It's your name day already? Why didn't you tell me?! I have nothing prepared."

"In two days." Hira announced offhandedly. "And there's nothing to prepare for, dear cousin. I grow old every year. This is no different to the last."

"Oh shush, cousin." Ming disapproved.

Jade continued, ignoring Hira altogether. "It's tradition for families to weave a crown made of flowers for the person celebrating their birth. Bluebells are Hira's favourite."

"I'm biased to anything blue." The princess explained, evident in her choice of jewel, the naming of her guards and dresses she wore at court.

"Considering we're the closest Lengii kin Hira has, we'll weave the crown."

Helaena asked curiously. "Does this tradition have a meaning?"

Hira nodded, "It does, but it's a terribly sad story."

At Helaena's pleading, Hira told the tale. "My ancestor the God-Empress Taliah the Vengeful had a Lengii husband named Jotaro who she loved dearly and deeply. Their love was pure and everything little girls dreamt of having. During the civil war between Leng Ma and Turrani, both God-Empress and Jotaro fought side by side in battle. When she slit the throat of the leader of the rebellion, she was crowned victor. As she rejoiced, a stray arrow pierced the heart of Jotaro meant for Taliah and he was slain that very day."

Aemond moved his arm to rest on the back of the sofa and unconsciously Hira settled into it.

"In her anger Taliah decimated the entirety of Leng Ma and beheaded every rebel, whether they be man or woman. Even the children were not spared. When she returned to Leng Ma years later, the ground where Jotaro died had sprouted a field of flowers now nicknamed blood lily. Her youngest son, who resembled a father he never met, made a flower crown for his mother's name day. Weaved from blood lilies to honour his father. Since then we've been gifting crowns made of our favourite flowers to honour our kin."

"Blessed Taliah and Jotaro, from their love came peace." Linh spoke softly in Lengii, the girls in the room reciting the words.

"In Leng we have very few happy stories." Hira lamented, thinking back to the scripts the scholars had her read when she was younger.

"History is made of sorrow and war." Aemond pointed out, "Often written by the victors, whether it be truth or lie."

"Your ancestors had sorrowful pasts and their deaths were so cruel." Hira remarked. "The Conqueror Rhaenys perished along with her dragon, far from home and alone. Shot down by a bolt from a scorpion that pierced Meraxes' eye."

"The records say she was crushed by Meraxes yet her body wasn't found. Some accounts claim that she survived the fall and died a slow death, after enduring torture by the Ullers. History isn't kind and the world is unforgiving. I look towards building a better world."

Hira, unable to help herself, smiled softly at him, "I wish you all the luck then."

"Is this how they flirt?" Jade whispered to the girls, slightly embarrassed at her princess' lack of suave.

Helaena snorted, unable to hold her laughter. "It's terrible, isn't it?"

A blush appeared on both Hira and Aemond's face, unable to look each other in the eye after having been caught. Hira folded her hands together and straightened her back, whilst Aemond removed his arm from behind her, finally realising the position they were in. As they spoke, the boy unintentionally leaned towards Hira, so engrossed in their conversations to notice anyone else.

"It's a little sad in all honesty." Linh teased, as payback for all the times she and Ming were the blunt of their jokes.

"Oh leave them be, they're still young." Ming added.

"We weren't flirting, it was a casual conversation." Argued Hira.

She stood up quickly and walked to Helaena who finally stopped giggling. Wanting to change the subject she plucked a petunia from the flower vase and tucked it behind the girl's ear.

"I believe this is our best work."

"Thank you, cousin." Helaena whispered, radiant as ever. Loudly she said to the room, "Thank you everyone for making such a beautiful dress. I'll wear it with pride."

"We have no doubt you will."

[ x ]

The next morning the king and queen visited Hira's room for breakfast. Not an unusual request, for the king enjoys a morning meal with his niece, yet the queen's arrival was unexpected. A large table in the middle of her quarters held cooked meat, fruit and pastries. More often than not Hira and her household ate the food made from the Keep's kitchens, but they craved their grains of rice with bits of meat and sweet honey sauce from time to time.

"A grand feast! And a tourney! We'll invite the knights of the realm to participate and the rewards will be -"

"Your Grace." Hira interrupted before he got ahead of himself, "Uncle, as lovely as that sounds, I have no need for feasts and tourneys."

"It's your seventeenth year, you're a grown woman. It would be an injustice not to celebrate the birth of a princess of the realm."

"Has your father presented you with marriage options yet?" Alicent interjected, seemingly interested in Hira's prospects.

Viserys barked a laugh, before coughing grimly. Alicent patted his back. "Daemon would rather feed himself to Caraxes than arrange a marriage for his firstborn. A tad bit possessive, my brother."

"Whilst that is true regarding my father, fortunately it's my mother who arranges marriage proposals."

"Not unheard of for a mother to have a say." Viserys said, catching the frown on Alicent's face.

"The agreement of my parents dictated that my mother would have sole custody of my person. My education, upbringing, marriage proposals and such. As her second born daughter I'm next in line to rule if anything happens to Atarah." Hira explained. "If she had left that responsibility to Daemon, well I fear what I would've become. Perchance a Rogue Princess to match his Rogue Prince title."

"Dear gods, if there were two of you the realm wouldn't survive." Viserys jested.

"Then thank the gods for my mother's wisdom."

"That aside, Daemon would be thrilled if I hosted a tourney in your name."

Her uncle was adamant on this and she wondered why. Was it because he saw Daemon in her and wished to reconcile the bad blood through her? Or was it because of the love he bears for his brother? Or maybe the King was lonely. Both his daughter and brother only a sail away, yet they were living a life that no longer involved him. His health was another issue to factor. Each month his condition became worse. A dying man with nothing to lose but only his dreams is a deadly one.

"Daemon could care less."

It was the truth, they all knew it. He had low opinions of the Hightowers and he cared little for Alicent. Daemon would always be loyal to Viserys, deep down their love was a brotherly one, but as ambitious as Daemon was, he was also stubborn.

"A feast sounds wonderful. I will agree to an intimate feast consisting of only family. A tourney in my name is expensive and I have little to do with them. When I lived in Leng my mother celebrated the day with a trip to the coast where we would chase crabs when the tide was low and swam for hours. During lunch we'd have a large spread of everything I loved to eat and when it came to nightfall my family and I watched the stars."

Viserys nodded, smiling at her childhood memory. "A fine argument. Right, a small feast then. Tell the servants what dishes you want made. They'll make everything and more."

"Thank you, uncle."

"You're an excellent addition to the family, Hira." Alicent commented, patting her hand lightly. "Helaena is in brighter spirits. Just yesterday she was showing off the dress you made to everyone at court."

"Helaena is a jewel, she deserves all the good in the world."

Alicent's smile faded, sighing a little. "I know Aegon can be a little..."

"Drunkard?" Hira suggested in a slight mocking tone.

The queen scowled. "Difficult and uncooperative, but he is your cousin. Aemond too. You should share your time equally with them, perhaps your good nature will help them see reason."

"I adore Haelaena, she's the best of your children no doubt but..." Hira trailed off when she caught the disapproving look on Viserys face.

"For the sake of this old man, niece, make peace with the boys. A friendship would do them well."

She sighed, accepting her fate. First Helaena, now her uncle. Why was it getting so bloody difficult to say no to these Targaryens?

"Aemond did invite me on a dragon ride. I suppose I can grant him my presence."

"I'm sure he'll appreciate it."