Helaena Targaryen kneeled on the soft grass, surrounded by beautiful hues of red and pink flowers blooming within the Godswood. Her green dress shimmered like a giant emerald. In her gentle hands was the head of a fresh rose, a calm butterfly resting on its petals.
" . . . and then the Dawn's sun split open . . ." Helaena whispered to the tiny creature's sky-blue wings as they basked under the afternoon sun. The rest of her words tapered off in an airy whisper.
She was too lost in her own mysterious world to sense her two brothers standing feet away behind her.
Aemond watched her introspectively. His sister's obsession with insects fascinated him. As for Aegon, he was rather disgusted. His nose wrinkled when witnessing Helaena raise the winged insect into the air as if it were sacred.
"We have nothing in common." he proclaimed while taking a swig of his fresh wine. It was his fourth glass and he was already beginning to feel the fuzzy joy of a buzz wash over his young body.
He had just recently heard of the Queen's desire to betroth him to Helaena. She must've been crazier than her own odd daughter.
"She's our sister," Aemond protested.
"You marry her then." said Aegon
"I would perform my duty, if only mother had betrothed us."
"'If only'," Aegon mocked before another greedy sip.
"It would strengthen our family, and keep our Valyrian blood pure." Aemond explained.
"She's an idiot." the older brother remarked with repulsion.
"She's to be your Queen." Aemond told him.
"Actually..." Aegon was saying before downing the last drop. He snapped his skinny fingers and a nearby serving girl hastily approached him with a tray of drinks. He firmly switched his empty cup for a full one, eyeing the servant with annoyance. She bowed her head and left quickly.
"That may change." he said in a matter-of-fact tone. Aemond peered over at him with slight confusion.
"According to our grandsire, I may be promised to our sister Rhaenyra." he grinned before swallowing nearly half the cup already. The confusion in his younger brother only worsened.
"She's already wed." he brought up as he picked off a nearby golden cup and began tearing away at its soft petals.
"Oh dear brother, how you fail to catch up with the most basic news, even when whispers are flying everywhere in the Red Keep. Gods, you're a twat." Aegon giggled, alcohol influencing him.
A look of resentment replaced his younger brother's perplexed expression. He crumpled the remains of his golden cup and flung it elsewhere.
"Cousin Laenor couldn't get it up for her. He prefers swallowing swords. A bit too much. Father had their marriage annulled after he was found passed out in a tavern with some filthy sailor." Aegon revealed. There was an undertone of delight when sharing this information.
Aemond was shocked, yet unimpressed. He knew Laenor had always preferred the company of men. He had heard about it plenty of times whenever Alicent would gossip bitterly about the marriage between him and the Princess Rhaenyra. But annulment was almost unheard of. There had to be a good reason.
Disrespecting his wife, the 'Realm's Delight', by falling drunk with a lover in public sounded like a good enough reason. Good enough for the Gods mayhaps. Aemond admitted to himself.
"No wonder sister was barren. Her husband couldn't even do his duty. What a pathetic match." Aegon spat with a hint of aggression.
"You'd rather be wed to our...older sister?" Aemond questioned, emphasizing Rhaenyra's age and the gap between them. He knew it wasn't anything major, but his mother's distaste for the Princess had perhaps rubbed off on him a little.
"I'd rather wed a woman." Aegon told him before another sloppy slurp.
"Helaena will grow into one soon enough." Aemond defended.
"But you don't grow out of being an idiot." Aegon laughed. "Nyra, our dear sister, is smart, elegant, beautiful, bold..." special, Aegon withheld while twirling his now-empty cup, an infatuation warming in his gut.
He had seen his older sister many times when he was young and still growing. He'd always take notice of her long, curvy figure. Her developing hips grew wider each time he caught sight of her. As a small child he was of course innocent of the purpose of these womanly features, but his eyes (and many others) would always fall on the Princess Rhaenyra's tall stature whenever they were in the same vicinity. The Realm's Delight, indeed. He felt honored by just being in her presence. Inhuman Valyrian beauty ran thick in her blood.
Aegon took a long glance at the sister before him. "And she doesn't talk to nasty insects. The fire in her burns hot. And it would, as you said, keep our Valyrian blood pure."
"This won't go over well with the Velaryons." Aemond mentioned. Even at his age, he knew all too well of the political mess that this annulment could bring forth. But even so, Aegon laughed.
"Who cares? Those fools Corlys and Vaemond are always going on about how proud they are to be one of the last living legacies of Old Valyria. Truth is their house wasn't even wanted in the capitol centuries ago. They weren't important then and they aren't now. They're beneath us." Aegon spouted arrogantly. Aemond eyed the ground before sighing.
"They should've never been allowed access to our dragons..." Aegon added and drank heavily. Aemond said nothing more.
"Wench!" Aegon snapped his fingers again, "Another!" he demanded. But unfortunately his serving girls had moved into the kitchens to start preparing lunch for the royal family. None of them were around to hear the Prince's querulous words.
Offended, Aegon snorted and began stomping his way through the Godswood, passing Helaena who still hadn't noticed his existence.
A little wobbly from wine, Aegon hurled his useless empty cup when crossing the Middle Bailey, nearly losing his balance a couple times. He knew there'd be drinks in his grandfather's quarters. He'd seen several serving maids going in and out earlier this morning.
Targaryen Knights stood tall in the hallways, bowing to the Prince as he passed by. He paid no acknowledgement while loudly requesting for more wine, bent on peaking his afternoon buzz.