he made no motion to stand , no movement at all save a strange smile that sliced the corners of his mouth .
index finger ran the length of the blade along the smooth , gleaming metal — a swift swipe , hilt to point , to make the steel ring .
…
boots struck stone in
an angered stride that
led him towards the
youngers chambers .
shoving the doors open
wide and stepping
inside . immediately
gaze fell to brother
seated near the hearth ,
then to the steel resting
upon his lap .
୨⎯
then so slowly , he extended his arm — the blade pointed at his brother . his eye gleamed a sudden dark light and a strange tension turned the room electric . the air was still like a vice .
but he dropped his arm and the tension broke .
…
“ the roseroad south , then . i will fly above as escort . ”
then, quieter : “ you are fond of helaena , this i know . how you feel about the dowager queen , i cannot say … ” he paused , turning to look at the other in earnest .
“ will you watch over them ? ”
a hum in reply . he leaned his weight forward , palms flat against the table .
“ the men are weary . the river route is hilled and cliffed , treacherous even for a rested army . ”
index finger traced a winding path along the map .
fingers light against elbow, shoulder brushing shoulder. a gentle intimacy belied by the sharp, poised focus of him, the way his gaze wanders over the map.
"i know little of the riverlands, except that any force fights fiercest in their homes. ser criston would be wise to —
ᅠ
𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑓𝑦𝑟𝑒 gleamed in its bracket .
the steel seemed to writhe in the glow of the hearth .
how far it had come … carried across the narrow sea , doused in the blood of qhorin volmark , passed to each r̲i̲gh̲t̲f̲u̲l̲ king …
ᅠ
ᅠ
he leaned over the low table , fingers hovering above the the other’s notes and maps .
“ lord ormund marches north with the hightower army . cole must make for the reach , link our host with theirs . ”
face to face , the sharp lines of him were softened by the pale tricks of light . and in reply , a look that seemed to say : near me , close to me .
“ we number thirty-six hundred , ” said instead , turning away . night still clung to his voice , a quiet rasp .
disagreement pulls the corners of his mouth. wisteria trembles along the windows in a light breeze.
he slides free of the covers, to his feet. he does not hound upon his worries. no point, with aemond.
"where will you have me, today?" eyes brighter, awake and catching sunrise.
a glance over his shoulder . sheet of white hair obscuring half his face . and so it began … the weight and worries of day .
“ then let them look . ”
whispered , his voice air-light .
he wakes soon after, while aemond is mid-dress. he is, for once, not so much the painting of the perfect prince. blue eyes hazy with sleep, hair in more bunches of curls than normal.
He pushes upright, watching Aemond move, draped in the morning light as if vaguely aglow.
—
no words yet to break the hush of dawn . tenuous peace , so still you could almost imagine a future . eyes cast down , he touched his left forearm . bandaged , stained red .
he stood and dressed . morning was coming , followed by the unrelenting day .
a child, once, of chilled stone and mist-wreathed mountains, hazy light and cool breeze. these are the mornings he prefers. the hearth of these chambers sits barren, unlit. sheets half-strewn off of him, tangled by legs. he is... serene.
he has never slept beside the body —