9- Melantha
When the Queen walked into her chambers to see Melantha's fitting, the room quieted abruptly.
She had a serene look on her face, but even the best actor could not disguise the painful looking scratches that ran across the once soft skin. They looked more like claws than nails, running from her hairline down to her jaw. Melantha wondered how she hadn't lost her eyesight.
The Queen played the fool, pretending not to notice the stares of horror from the seamstress, her assistants and the servants. She walked up to Melantha, a big, warm smile on her face. She forced herself to smile back.
"Oh dear, you'll make the most beautiful bride!" She exhaled, taking one of Melantha's hands in both of hers.
Melantha dropped her head.
"Thank you, Your Grace."
"I trust you've already been given a few new dresses. Did you like them?"
Melantha nodded, not wanting to confess that even for the southern weather, the fabrics felt too thick.
The dresses were beautiful though. Her favorite so far was of a deep red with black direwolves on the bodice and black fur around the cleavage.
"Thank you for the dresses, Your Grace. They're all exquisite."
"Do you think she's lying, Ashara?" The Queen asked, head turning to look directly at the other girl.
Lady Ashara, sitting next to a red-faced Lady Catelyn, seemed unfazed.
"I think she's being honest. And she did look beautiful in the other dresses too." She said, taking a sweet from the table to her left.
Melantha had invited her to the fittings after their dinner two nights prior, thinking she might offer more honest opinions from her. Lady Catelyn was kind, but she'd never dare tell the future princess if she looked ugly or if a certain color didn't agree with her complexion.
Ashara had walked into the room just in time to see Melantha step into the small pedestal that had been placed in the center of the room, took a long look at her, and suggested they leave the tail but shortened the dress slightly at least; she also had the idea to use some semblance of armor.
Melantha stared at her reflection in the mirror. She looked beautiful, and she knew she'd be even more so on the day of her wedding, but as she ran her hands down the dark fabric of the dress and helped Miriam adjust the unfinished metallic piece, she couldn't help but compare herself to Maegor's black brides.
She shook her head, scolding herself for being so silly. Rhaegar would not torture her, nor would he have her and her family murdered. He might be a bit of a prick, but he was not cruel.
She thought back on the previous night, when he had walked in on her in the gardens. He had gone back to the knightly prince he had initially presented himself as, and although she played along for her sake, she remained unsure as to how to define his character.
Melantha was pulled from her thoughts as the queen walked up to her and moved her dark hair behind her shoulders.
"She's to be a princess, not a septa." She said, examining the cleavage.
The seamstress nodded and got one of her apprentices to work.
As they tugged and prodded at her like a rag doll, Melantha went very still. She liked new dresses, especially if they were pretty; what she didn't like was having so many hands upon her body, touching and feeling, pinching and moving.
"I hear your brother has arrived." Ashara had come to stand by her, and when Melantha looked at her companion, all she saw was a wide eyed, expectant face. She smiled, thankful for the question, endeared by the simple gesture.
"He did. I hadn't seen him in almost two years and missed him terribly."
"Has he matured some since you last saw him?"
"Do brothers ever mature?" She asked, to which Lady Ashara snorted in an unappealing way. "Ned has always been the one with a steady head about him; so I don't worry much about him."
"I wish I could say the same for my own brother."
Melantha giggled.
"I'm afraid Ser Arthur might feel the same way about you."
Lady Ashara showed her offense openly on her face.
"Would you prefer this, Your Highness?"
The queen and the seamstress looked over to see the alteration.
"Aldana, that's most u-"
"Perfect!"
"Oh, yes, yes. You're right, Your Grace. Well done, Aldana."
Ashara snorted again as she walked away, snatching a piece of cheese out of a plate.
Shooting the blushing apprentice a swift wink, the Queen approached Melantha once more.
She took a dark tendril of hair and ran her fingers through it with delicacy, admiring the way it'd curl back as she let go of it before repeating the process.
"I always wanted hair like this." She said quietly, and Melantha's eyes roved over the Queen's silver head, each hair falling perfectly straight, shining when the sun hit it. Melantha would've gladly traded her scalp with her if she wanted the hardships of her curls. "And I've always wanted a daughter as well." She smiled up at the younger woman.
Melantha felt her own lips turn up as her cheek was pinched affectionately.
"Well, one of those wishes can be a reality. And the wedding is still on, so you might get all of your heart's desires."
The queen laughed, delighted, and Melantha felt some ease upon lifting the woman's spirits.
"Aren't you precious? I was intending to ask you to dinner tonight, if you don't mind keeping company with this old lady. My sons will be there, so it'll be a nice way to get you and Rhaegar in the same room. It's about time you two get to know each other; that foolish boy forgets himself too often with matters of the realm."
Melantha tried not to blush as she recalled her late night in the gardens with the prince the previous night. It had been most improper for them to be together alone, especially at night, but she had been too dumbstruck by his sudden interest in her to leave, not to mention it wouldn't be wise to upset him. Besides, she would have to spend the rest of her life with him, so she'd rather be on amicable terms with Rhaegar.
He hadn't been so bad. At least he enjoyed knowledge. Had she been forced to marry a dimwitted man, she would've flung herself into the ocean before the first night was through.
She shuddered at the thought.
"I'll be happy to attend, Your Grace, and to meet the young prince."
She didn't actually look forward to meeting prince Viserys, but from what she had noticed, everyone always expected women to be eager to be around infants.
She still remembered how the two year old Dacey Mormont had been thrusted into her lap not a minute after meeting her, and how anxious she had felt as she tensely held the child. She jumped when she began to cry, completely startled and uncomfortable, and handed her back to her laughing mother with a little too much vigor.
Ned had jokingly asked what she'd do when her own children began to cry, and Melantha had turned to him with a dark look.
"I'll never have any, if the gods are good."
She doubted that the gods were good or merciful, but she refused to think on the subject until absolutely necessary.
She turned back and took Aldana's hand, stepping down and going to a separate room to take off the gown.
The maid barely got to finish the lacing of Melantha's dress when there was a knock on the door.
When the maid opened it, Melantha was surprised to see her betrothed waiting on the other side.
He smiled at her, kind and warm.
"Forgive me for my forwardness, but I thought we might arrive together for dinner." He offered her his arm.
She walked towards him without a word and locked her arm around his, starting their descent down the hallway and the endless stairs.
He seemed surprised by the way she had entwined their arms, staring down with a slight frown. Melantha suddenly remembered that in the south, ladies would place their hand atop the one of their intended instead. She tried to pull her arm away, but Rhaegar placed his free hand atop of hers, halting her movements, and smiled. His gaze turned forward as they advanced.
"Did you come all this way for me?" She asked.
Rhaegar shrugged, looking away.
"Oh, no, not at all, don't worry. I was just in my chambers and I passed by yours-"
"Your chambers? In Maegor's holdfast? Much closer to your mother than I am?" She asked, head tilted to the side.
His pale face gained a faint, pink tint.
"Well, yes. Exactly. I see we understand each other."
Melantha giggled, and he mediately turned his gaze to her.
"I suppose it's a good thing I have a decent sense of direction. One of us needs to."
He nodded, hiding his own faint smile.
Melantha looked back and smiled at the guard walking a few paces behind them.
"Good evening, Prince Lewyn. How do you do?"
"Just fine, My Lady, thank you."
She focused her attention on her betrothed once more, countless questions swimming in her head.
She chose not to voice any at the moment, just in case the wrong person might overhear them.
As they crossed a small bridge from the Maiden Vault to a small garden, she noticed a small shadow blending in with the tilted her head, a wheel beginning to turn in her head.
"I hear there will be fifty courses served at our wedding feast." she commented, keeping her gaze ahead.
Rhaegar nodded, seeming uncomfortable with the notion.
"Yes; in fact, my mother's original idea had been six-and-sixty, but I managed to talk her out of them. I aimed for thirty, but she would not budge."
"There is not one single person in the seven kingdoms who could go through all those plates."
"I usually stop at the third one myself."
She didn't tell him how she could manage up to seven if her father didn't pay her any attention and her gown was loose enough.
"What will happen to the rest of the food? Will it go to waste?"
They passed a few servants and she greeted them briefly, even if she had no idea what their names were. Rhaegar, on the other hand, seemed to know them very well, as he stopped for a moment to ask them each about their families, his questions very specific. He knew these people, he cared for them.
He looked at her as he introduced her and told her what their duties in the Red Keep were and how long they had worked there for.
She felt a little intimidated by this. Back in Winterfell, she knew every servant and what they did to keep the castle from crumbling, but she had no idea of their names, she didn't know their interests nor anything personal about them. She never mistreated any of them; and if she had to talk to one of them she'd always be polite, always say "please" and "thank you", but she never cared for them beyond their chores, not the way Rhaegar seemed to.
She wondered if he was genuine or not. How could someone have so much consideration to spread around? Wasn't it tiring, act or not?
They kept going after a moment, the smile on her face tense.
"How many people tend to the Red Keep?"
"Nearly a hundred and fifty, although there are some more who have been hired to help with the wedding and the tournament."
"And do you know all their names?"
"Yes, of course. I believe it's important to show the people under your protection that you care." They came to a stop in front of the Queen's chambers and he looked into her eyes.
She felt frozen in place, the fear trying to overtake her. How could she ever hope to be more adequate? Was she as dismissive and egotistical as the other lords and ladies? She had always wanted to believe that she was liked enough back home, but how could she when she didn't even bother to register the people around her?
Rhaegar frowned, as if sensing something off with her. His free hand came up to rest against her cheek.
All he had done was ask two servants about their families, and it took no more than that simple gesture to make her tumble into an ocean of shamefulness.
"It's alright, you know," he said softly. "You're not terrible for not knowing."
"I-I-"She cleared her throat, looking away. "I think we should give the leftovers from the feast to the poor." She pressed her lips together as she thought. "And we could do it in person, the two of us."
Rhaegar beamed at her, eyes twinkling.
"I think that's an excellent idea."
She tried to smile back at him, wishing she could say she was doing this out of the goodness of her heart and not because she was terrified of her new home.
The doors opened and they stepped inside, and before they closed again, Melantha spied a small shadow flickering around the corner.
A/N: Hi there! Thanks for taking the time out of your day to read this ? ゚メユHope you liked it and have a nice rest of the week
Till next time!
