LAENOR

Gentle blows of wind caressed the surface of the Blackwater as their ship swung gently on the docks. Laenor was at his window, gazing at the horizon. It was finally his time to leave for the big city.

He remembered when Daena was invited to court by none other than Prince Lucerys, and how jealous he had been. Now, he could take part in small council meetings, go to balls, buy wonderful new clothes, perhaps even meet... someone special. He smiled at the thought, oozing happiness from every pore, and headed to his sister's room, eager to share his excitement. He pushed the ironwood door and found her at her boudoir, fixing her long, silvery hair.

"Is knocking at a Lady's room not the custom anymore?" She was turned around, but Laenor could hear she was smiling. He lied on her featherbed, smirking, and picked up her book, distractedly reading the pages.

"Just woke up from your beauty sleep, sister?" He asked, not expecting an answer. The book was an old tome titled The Red Keep, and other landmarks of the Great City of King's Landing.

"Interesting read?" he asked, noticing the Maester who wrote the book didn’t have much of a talent for brevity. Laena turned around, her big lilac eyes staring back at him, full of fire and excitement.

"Not particularly, but I want to know everything about King's Landing."

She picked up a golden crab-shaped broach, my broach, Laenor thought, pinning it to the shoulder of her dress. When around other people, she moved gracefully, with poise, with a certain fragility to her demure behaviour; but when she was alone with Laenor she showed her true colours, her passion and ambition.

"I want to walk in that city like I truly belong there." she continued, a fierce look in her eyes. "And while you'll be verbalising small council meetings, I'll be... creating a network"

"And who will be so lucky to be included in that network?" He teased her, albeit with a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"Everyone that matters" she replied nonchalantly. “We already are a well connected family, all I have to do is meet people. We have favour with the king: Papa was hand of the king for years after all, who knows, perhaps you might be too, one day! Our Daera has heaps of friends at court and is one of the Princess Rhaenys's ladies-in-waiting, our Aunt is married to the Frey envoy in King’s Landing, I wonder if he throws parties, and..." she paused, breathing in for a moment "Did you know the Royal Prince Valarr is two and twenty years old, extremely attractive and unmarried?"

"I never thought you’d love the prospect of marrying someone’s unlanded cousin." he said, shrugging.

"Oh, sorry... did you want to marry him?"

Laenor blushed. He had confessed his... preferences to his favourite sister, but they seldom brought the subject up. "Shut up"

"I'm sorry" she replied, twirling her hair with a finger, cruel dimples on her cheeks. "I'm sure we'll find you a girl who doesn't care much about wether you like her or not."

"I said shut up!" He said, much louder this time, looking at the floor. "someone might hear you."

She looked relatively sorry this time. "I was just teasing, Lae." she said, smoothing the wrinkles off of his silk gown. "At least, being a man, you have much less pressure. I wish I could wait till I was... five and twenty, at least but, by then all the good matches will be gone." She sighed, powdering her nose. "Look at Daera, she's twenty two already, like prince Valarr, but while he is a great prospect for young girls she is just… getting old." Laenor thought about it. He often envied women: they weren't forced to be strong all the time, they could simply lead tranquil lives in the gardens, chatting, drinking tea and wearing wonderful gowns, while men were called to war as soon as they were old enough. But, then again, they had to marry old strangers and give birth to their children, and because of that they lived with a sort of... expiration date. He silently thanked the gods, at least for that. One of their mother’s handmaidens knocked at the door Laenor left ajar.

"My Lady, my lord," She said with a curtsy and a soft voice. "We'll be leaving for King’s Landing soon. Your lady mother is calling for you.”

Laena raised from her chair, finally ready and stunningly beautiful. Her delicate skin was powdered just enough, her dress combined the right amount of elegance and simplicity and her long, silver hair was intricately plaited. Her lilac eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Shall we, brother?"