i. Anger burned a rose upon her smooth skin. Aegon watched in fascination as her dark violet orbs glinted in warning. Tousled hair fell about her face, Lysene curls having lost their bounce. Soft lips twisted in dismay and brows knitted together, he was still sure she was the loveliest woman to have ever graced the Seven Kingdoms with her presence.

"What in the name of the Seven are you going at my door?" she hissed the question, threateningly pushing her weight against said door.

Aegon merely shook his head at the distrust. "I want you to come with me," he said. Something about her very being made his heart beat quicker. He knew not what folly that was, but he knew she was the cause of it.

ii. "You are mad, brother," she replied acidly, "if you think I shall take even one step outside of my room." The heat in her cheeks bespoke not of anger however. The very fact that Aegon Targaryen should make her blush for any reason other than rage produced revolt in Visenya's breast.

"Either you come out or I come in and make you," came his answer.

She could have shut the door in his face and barred it. Or she could have laughed and sent him on his way, yet in that moment, the Queen's words rang in her mind. Was it better to be innocent and scorned, or was it better to be scorned with good reason?

"Well, what shall you do, Visenya?" Aegon urged her for an answer.

iii. She looked back towards where Aegon presumed Robyn Snow slept. At least she was considering the whole matter before giving him her answer. Visenya had always been thus, forever ready for an attack. He supposed it was understandable, given that bastardy was a heavy burden to carry. Yet in the past, even if she acted slightly belligerent towards him, she had not avoided his company.

Something had changed and Aegon did not like it at all. Whatever had made Visenya desire to be far away from court, he would find out and he would convince her to return. For it was truly no fault of hers to have been born out of wedlock. She should not be punished. If only he could convince her of it.

iv. The door closed softly behind her. Visenya shivered lightly in the coolness of the hall. A draft chilled her further. Planting her hands on her hips, she stared inquisitively at her half-brother, a demand upon her lips. "Well? Why do you disturb me in the middle of the night?"

By rights he should have been somewhere in his rooms doing whatever it was he did. Visenya did not know if she oughtn't to do the wiser thing and return to her bedchamber. Aegon, however, secured his hold on her by taking her arms and bringing it through his own, pressing down upon her limb.

He gazed at her with a strange look in his eyes, something between tenderness and triumph. Visenya tensed. He parted his lips and spoke. "Visenya Blackfyre, become my wife."

v. Robyn gaped at her, quite unable to hide her surprise. "He truly demanded that you wed him?"

"That he did," Visenya nodded. She bit her lower lip, her manner thoughtful rather than cruel.

"And what did you reply?" Robyn prodded, light blue eyes still wide and betraying uncertainty.

"I did not. I fled his presence and hid away." She shrugged as if uncertain that she'd done the right thing. "What mad schemed run through his mind I cannot tell, yet I will not allow myself to come under criticism from the Queen merely to satisfy a whim of Aegon's."

"You think it a whim, but it might well be a different matter altogether," Robyn warned. Visenya thought she saw a hint of hesitation in her companion. But then it was gone.

vi. Daenerys stood before her brother, a smile upon her face. Rhaegar looked at her with something that suggested both benevolence and affection. "I was wondering why the letters were no longer coming," she disclosed. "But I am now at ease."

"There is another matter I wish to discuss with you, sister," Rhaegar spoke. "You are two and ten, are you not?" A year his own daughter's junior, Daenerys nodded her head solemnly. "The Queen desires your company. She wishes to visit the home of her brother and would desire to have you with her as well."

Daenerys frowned. "Brother, why should she?" There was only one reason for which a female member of the royal family remained in a home not her own. "Is it necessary?"

vii. "Summerhall? Does Dragonstone agree no longer with you, daughter?" the King demanded, watching his youngest child with curiosity. "Or have you perhaps grown born of the company?"

"'Tis not that, father," Visenya answered, looking with great, feigned, interest towards the embroidery on the table. "Mu uncle and aunt have been kindness itself, yet if Daenerys should leave, I would feel better at Summerhall."

"I see," came his reply. "You do not wish to tell me what had prompted this. Very well then. To Summerhall you shall go, if that is your will."

Visenya breathed out in relief. "My gratitude, father." She approached him and planted a soft kiss upon his cheek. She had hoped he would listen and he had. For that she could only be grateful.

viii. Rhaenys scoffed softly, confusion shining in her eyes. "I do not understand you, brother," she confessed, fond exasperation colouring her tone. "You claim your mood to be no worse than ever, yet you sulk like a thwarted maiden who has been refused her token."

Aegon glared at her and she laughed. "There now, no need to frown so. I've seen merrier beggars than you."

"I shall look however I see fit," Aegon answered her, a reproach on the tip of his tongue. "Is there nothing else to occupy your time but tormenting me?"

"Tormenting you," she laughed once more. "I will show you torment." And upon him she charged, finger tickling every spot she could find until tears of laughter filled his eyes despite his frustration.

ix. Elia looked upon her husband's face and felt a twinge of disappointment in her bosom. "Am I to conclude then that my absence shall not cause too much trouble for you?" she tested him, more to satisfy her pride than anything else. Her heart had long since recognised that Rhaegar did not demand affection from her.

"Whatever trouble arises," Rhaegar replied, his tone light, "shall be taken care of, my queen. Think no more on this matter. Better yet, speak to me of your brother's proposition."

"He offers his oldest son, husband, to be good-brother to you. Quentyn is his name and last I saw him, he was but a child. I would not speak of that which I know not of."

"Well, let us hope your visit will enlighten you."

x. "You should have accepted," Viserys said, sitting down next to her on the stone bench. "At the very least it would have induced a severe headache to our most esteemed Queen."

"You are always so cruel when you speak of her," Visenya observed.

"She herself is not without her own brand of cruelty," her uncle offered by way of explanation. "She, along with her house, pushed and pressured to have your mother sent away."

"I have not forgotten," she let him know, "not am I likely to."

"Then avenge yourself," Viserys instructed her. "It is within your power to do so."

But was it within her heart and conscience to do so? Viserys spoke so easily of vengeance, as if such actions did not leave stains upon the soul.