Ever since Rhaena was taken hostage in Kings Landing, she was surprised to be treated so...well. Her father had told her stories about how she would be tortured or worse if she ever came in contact with her cousins or the Hightowers again. To distract her from worrying about her sister, she spends most of her time taking a walk in the gardens, knitting, reading, and drawing. Today she decided to take one of the pug puppies in the Red Keep and draw him. "Hold still little one" Rhaena said softly to the puppy as she leaned down to feed him a small piece of jerky. The pup continued wiggling on the rug trying to get comfortable while she tries to shade his ear correctly.

The sound of the ink hitting the parchment and dragging mixed in lovely with the birds chirping from the open window. Rhaena cherished these moments of serenity she got. She finally got the peace and quiet she had always longed for and she laughed at how ironic this was considering everything outside her chambers was chaos.

She sat there thinking of her situation and how she got there. She had been in the Vale feeling alone and surrounded by strangers. It wasn't so different from the isolation of Dragonstone. Though they had allowed her to live there, there was a bitterness in the air every time they spoke to her or looked at her. Rhaena had gotten used to this venom as her father had made plenty of enemies. This time it had been Gerold Royce as he had informed everyone Targaryens can't be trusted.

Aemond had arrived with a small army but Lady Arryn assured her they couldn't get in. Rhaena couldn't help but shake her head at the woman's naivety knowing that a Targaryen like Aemond wouldn't let mountains and high walls stop him. He had flown Vhagar to the top of the castle and immediately gained entrance. Everything had happened so fast.

Aemond and his general hostility had withered as the weeks past in King's Landing. Just like in the cave, he initially spoke to her in a short and animosity filled tone.

'He sounds just like HIM'

Rhaena thought of her father. It was the same way her father treated her at Dragonstone. Rarely speaking to her but at her and with occasional annoyed glances. Her tranquil afternoon had been interrupted by her mind as her tears started to well up. What had she done to deserve this? Why isn't she able to get the empathy everyone is getting? What is it about her that makes them see her as unworthy of affection and tenderness?

She thought back to her aunt holding Aemond that night in Driftmark. She had wished her mother could come back and hold her the same way. Rhaena stopped drawing and envisioned her father being on the other side of the room instead of with her and Baela. She just couldn't stop picturing her father and his smirks on the worst day of her life.

'Aemond would never do that do his mother'

She envied the way everyone else had someone to protect and cherish them. Baela had Jace and she wouldn't burden her sister with her negative thinking. She kept it all in and dreaded the gloom that disrupted her peaceful alone time. Every time these thoughts came to her, she would go to her bed and cry into her pillow.

'Not today'

Rhaena thought as she wants to cheer herself up. She shifted her focus back onto the pug who was now plopped down and snoring on the floor.

The second try at her attempt to remain unbothered was immediately disrupted as the door opened. The guard walked in and announced Prince-Regent Aemond. Rhaena sighed as she prepared herself for his potentially unpleasant mood and straightened her back. Expecting the worse, she was dazed to find he had a softened look on his usually harsh face.

"I'm going to the Sept to pray", Aemond said gently and looked down. She was surprised to see him hesitating.

"You can join me if you wish".

Rhaena let out a soft sigh and relaxed. She couldn't help but wonder why he was inviting her. She stared and paused to make sure he was sincere and slowly stood up. Aemond finally lifted his head back up and offered his hand for her to join him. She couldn't help but feel a poke of guilt at the euphoria she felt that someone was finally being tender to her and sought out her company. As they quietly walked through the halls, Rhaena offered a kind smile to show her gratitude, still curious why he asked her along.