i. Robyn swallowed her laughter as soon as the Prince entered the room, on his arm the Princess. She looked towards Visenya only to see her cousin struggling to mask her amusement. She nudged her with the elbow gently. Visenya gave her a look and sobered. She could become a mummer if she actually put her mind to it, Robyn reckoned.
Alas it was much safer not to reveal such talents before present company, for the sole reason that one must always keep a talent well hidden to use only when necessary.
Besides, they could finally begin their meal. Robyn put a stuffed tomato on Visenya's plate before the other could stop her. "It matches your face," she whispered mischievously.
They both chortled only to stop when the Queen set down her cup of wine.
ii. "Sometimes I wish I could sail far, far away from this place," Visenya confessed. "I dream of taking a ship to Essos and finding my brother."
"I daresay you also have a brother here," Robyn soothed her gently, pulling the comb through her hair. "We must make do with what the gods have seen fit to give us."
"I cannot," the other whispered eliciting a gasp from her companion. "How can they be so cruel?"
They remained in silence for a few minutes, Robyn concentrating on her task and Visenya considering her earlier words. Whatever else could be said about the gods, they were in fact cruel creatures. Else why would they heap so much strife upon creatures they were supposed to protect?
Visenya sighed.
iii. "A word, Lady Visenya," the Queen addressed her, beckoning her over.
"Your Majesty," Visenya nodded her head and stepped towards the woman. It was her own opinion that Elia Martell had always felt some resentment towards her. The Queen's indifferent, sometimes even cold manner towards her had strengthened that belief until it became a certainty in her mind.
"Come, sit with me," Elia invited softly. Visenya complied, though with much fear in her heart. "You are a maiden flowered, is that not so?" At her nod, the Queen went on. "And you shall soon be ready to take a husband and sire him children and like a happy life. You wish for that, don you not?"
"I do, Your Majesty. I should think it only natural," Visenya replied.
"Then you and I shall have to come to an agreement."
iv. "Uncle," Visenya cried, sprinting towards the tall figure of Viserys Targaryen. He picked her up with ease and held her off the ground, laughing with her at the look of bewilderment Daenerys threw them.
"How," the young Princess spoke, "you would give your affection to my brother, but not to me?" she asked in jest, a mock-insulted expression morphing her features.
"I shouldn't dream of it," Visenya answered. Once Viserys placed her feet back on the ground, she engulfed the younger, slighter girl in her arms. "For I love the both of you in equal measure. I would not dare do otherwise."
"Fear waking the dragon, don't you?" Viserys jested.
"I am a dragon as much as any other," Visenya claimed, "thus I fear no other dragons."
v. The Dowager Queen lied on the bed, her slim frame entirely hidden beneath a pristine blanket. She looked at Visenya with kind, unknowing eyes. It was truly the strangest thing. At some point Rhaella Targaryen had started forgetting, small details at first, until it reached the point where at certain times she knew not even her name.
Father had sent her on Dragonstone, hoping that the peace and quiet would restore her. Visenya approached the bed carefully. "Grandmother," she greeted, leaning in to kiss one wizened cheek.
Rhaella continued to look at her without saying one word. Visenya sat on the edge of the bed.
vi. "She has always been very kind to me," Daenerys offered, placing a comforting hand upon Visenya's shoulder. "I daresay 'tis a big misunderstanding is all."
"How good and kind you are, my dear aunt," the King's bastard daughter complimented. "But 'tis no misunderstanding between us. We are kind to those we want to be kind to. And I am proof that your brother preferred another woman to her."
"What of it? Kings have had mistresses before," came the rejoinder. "To my knowledge, Rhaegar has not been unkind to her, nor has he treated her children any harsher."
"If it were a perfect world," Visenya sighed. "I pray you never lose this sweetness that now rules you, aunt, for 'tis dear in this world of ours."
"But still to send you here so you mayn't tempt Aegon. 'Tis a bit premature."
vii. "I trust she means well, the Queen does," Robyn offered not without a hint of sadness in her voice. "She fears her daughter should suffer a marriage that lacks affection."
"Why are you making excuses for her?" Visenya rebelled. "She fairly kicked me out of my home."
"I am not," Robyn denied, keeping her calm. "But I also cast no judgement. You yourself accepted that it would be best to come here. You know very well that should you have refused her, she could not have forced you."
Shoulders dropping, Visenya threw Robyn an angry stare. She was right, of course. "Do you truly think he loves me?"
"Who can tell, my lady, what is in the hearts of men?" Robyn laughed lightly. "If he does, you shall know it if you are meant to."
viii. Viserys pulled on the reins of her horse. "It is dangerous to go out there alone. Let me join you." Visenya gave him an odd look but nodded her head nonetheless. Her uncle nodded back and left to get his own horse.
They were off on their ride before long. Visenya glanced at Viserys from the corner of her eye. "Uncle, what is this about?" she questioned, noting his tenseness.
"Your Robyn, what sort woman is she?" came his unexpected query. "She is the daughter of Lord Brandon Stark, is she not?"
"She is but Lord Stark's bastard," Visenya replied.
ix. "What does my brother write?" Daenerys asked, plucking a small flower from the blooming bush. She caught it in her hair with deft fingers then bent down at took another one for Visenya. "Here, this is a very pretty bloom."
Visenya took the flower and caught it in her own silver tresses. "Very pretty indeed," she agreed. "Father is to come visit with us upon the new year."
"I see," her aunt nodded.
"Were you hoping for other news?" Visenya could not help but question.
"'Tis naught, niece, but that he has not written to me in a long time."
x. As he'd said he would, Rhaegar Targaryen did come too Dragonstone to celebrate the dawning of a new year. He had brought half the court with him too. Visenya, taking delight in seeing her parent once again, could not help but be merry and joyful.
It made no matter to her that Rhaenys was sullen or that the Queen herself regarded her with thinly veiled suspicion. It was enough that the one most dear to her had come.
Visenya shook the thoughts away. A soft knock on the door brought a frown upon her face. She glanced at Robyn to make sure she was sleeping.
With careful steps she went to the door and cracked it open.
Aegon's faced greeted her sight.