"LEAD THE WAY." Visenya ordered the young squire in the brown horse who immediately abided to her orders. He did not want to be humiliated like Lady Elise or the kingsguard made to wait in his undershirt. The princess's armor was heavy and large, the helmet continuously falling down her face and covering her arms. Visenya was enraged, her head clamored with the impact of hitting her head against the falling carriage. She knew this was no ordinary deed, it was not the gods forsaking her or playing with her life. This act was the treachery of men, who purposely sabotaged her carriage. Visenya was sure a man would die for his sins, and there would be no absolution for his crimes.

But what had she done to deserve this deed? She was nothing but kind to her people, she had no quarrels with anyone but the prince—and even that was settling down with their truce. Could it truly be that Jacaerys meant to kill her in such a cowardly way? Seven Hells, he was dishonorable as his nature. Her mother did warn her bastards are monstrous by birth.
Visenya would rather die with a sword to her chest, facing her opponent than being stabbed in the back if this was truly Jacaerys orders.

Visenya held the steel sword in hand, as she marched with the young squire boy behind her. She wholeheartedly wanted to kill someone, perhaps Aemond's impending influence had been passed on to her—he'd never been a peaceful person, no matter how calm he seemed. And that made him all the more terrifying.

The squire kept mumbling the places they passed, as if he himself didn't know the way. Visenya could only scoff at the incompetence as she eyed the boy. "Do you know the way or not?" She'd ask him and the boy would stutter an apology.

"I don't need an apology, I need direction." She'd reply, her horse overtaking the squire's as she rode ahead. Gods, things would be so much easier if her egg had hatched. Was she unworthy of claiming a dragon? She remembered her childish prayers, promising the gods she'd never harm the dragons the Targaryens were gifted with. That she'd take good care of her dragon and that she'd love him or her wholeheartedly.
But the gods never answered her prayers, and she wasn't able to claim one of her own in Dragonstone as her mother would not allow her.

They rode for hours, the squire often sang. "I was unaware I ordered a bard to accompany me." Visenya seethed when she had enough. There was an attempt on her life, and this boy kept singing? How ridiculous, Visenya wondered if it had been the squire himself who meddled with her carriage. Surely, he meant to kill her with the buzzing sound of his melodies! The squire blushed, "I-I'm sorry, my lady—I mean, your grace." He bowed his head, cursing himself mentally for being so stupid.

Visenya tried to conceal her snort of laughter, but as she kept glancing at the boy she couldn't help it. "You're incredulous? Are you aware of that?" she'd say with a warm tone in her voice. At first the squire was startled, but seeing he wouldn't be shouted at like the knights screamed at him he smiled brightly.
"What is your name?" Visenya questioned.

"My name?" He opened his mouth, forgetting the name he received at birth upon the question. "Jameswell, Jameswell Tarly, princess." Jameswell blushed, the princess renowned for her beauty had asked him for his name. Him, a simple featured Tarly that was often bullied by everyone around him.
"Jameswell Tarly...you are quite endearing, Jameswell Tarly." Visenya nodded her head. The Tarly squire was beautiful in his own way. He was thin, with brown hair and dark eyes that reminded her of someone she suspected.

"That is a compliment...? right?" The boy asked in confusion. At one moment the princess was cursing him, at the other she was calling him endearing?
"What else would it be?" Visenya looked at him with a grin. "Well..." Jameswell coughed, "there is no grander compliment, princess."

𓆰𓆪

"Princess!" Lady Jeyne Arryn would exclaim upon the sight of the princess with humid hair and a too large armor in her body.
"Seven hells, what happened?!" The wardeness of the Vale would run to Visenya as her squire lended a hand for her to dismount her horse.

"My carriage broke in the middle of the road. My men suspect it could have been an attempt on my life, so I came here for...answers that could be to my satisfaction, mayhaps." Visenya would answer, she could hear the roar of Vermax a mile away—good, that meant prince Jacaerys had not fleed.
"Where is Prince Jacaerys?" Visenya would ask Lady Jeyne, interrupting her questions.
"He's inside the Eyrie, with Lady Jessamyn. I shall take you to them." Visenya nodded, and allowed herself to be guided inside the walls of the white stoned castle.

"Leave us." Visenya looked at the two ladies, who could feel the tension in the air. But it was not the adolescent love brewing through various discussions, this was something serious. Something incriminating that could end lives and start wars.
"Princess Visenya?" Jace asked surprised she'd return to him—to the Eyrie.

"Did you plan to assassinate me?" Visenya accused outright, her face pulling into a scowl. "Because if it is so, then I must say you're the most cowardly man I've ever met. I would expect you to at least turn the blade into my heart, and not send someone to sabotage a royal carriage with not only me but my maid inside." Her hands clenched around the hilt of the sword she'd stolen.

"What? No! Why would I turn to treason against a member of my family?" Jacaerys would stand up at the accusation. "Why would I ever kill a woman in such barbaric manner?!" He spat, his own rage brewing into surface. He'd danced with Visenya not a night ago! He'd given her his cloak and brought her inside the safety of the Eyrie's walls arm in arm.

"You are the only one in this place who's been my enemy long enough to wish for my demise." Rhaenyra will kill you and your siblings once your father dies. They'd tell Visenya her entire life, this could also be an entire order from her half-sister. After all, Jacaerys was sent to the Vale at the same time she was, they'd tour in the same route. Paranoia set in the princess's veins, consuming her whole.

"I have never once wished for your demise! I do not know what lies they spew inside your brains in King's Landing, but I do not wish for you to die.  I do not wish for your head. We talked yesterday like allies rather than foes for once! Why would I turn and order some measly miscreants to sabotage your carriage?!" Jacaerys shouted, his blood ran hot as he clenched his fists to the point his knucles turned white.

Yes, that's right. Visenya had shown vulnerability to someone other than Elise and Helaena for once in many years. And the show of her vulnerability had caused her to weaken herself, she led herself to be misguided.

"Rhaenyra and her bastard children would soon place their hands into the throne of Iron, but for that to happen without a truly worthy heir, you and your siblings must meet your fate earlier than inteded."
They'd whisper, not only the people but the voices that spoke with her in sleep like spiders crawling on her flesh.

"If it is not you, then who?" Visenya shouted in confusion. Her hands shook, waiting for her to unsheath her blade and spill bastard blood.

"How on earth would I know?!" Jacaerys retorted. "I am not a spy, Visenya! I do not have eyes everywhere to know every single thing!" The two shared a look of equal hatred, but a part in Jacaerys could understand her. Her life had just been tempted, and he was the only one who was her rival. Jacaerys walked closer to Visenya, causing the girl to hold the hilt of her sword tighter.

Jacaerys took Visenya's soft cheeks into his calloused hands, "I did not do this, the gods and men alike are my witnesses." He'd reassure her. Visenya looked down, she was going crazy. She was certain of it.
But nonetheless she nodded along his words, buying into sincere words of an unworthy bastard.

There was a knock on the door, and in came Lady Jeyne with her adored companion following behind.
"We've found a stableboy attempting to run away."

"Speak. Boy." Lady Jeyne sat upon her seat in the High Hall. Prince Jacaerys and Princess Visenya stood by her side. Jessamyn Redfort leaned against a wall, her eyes traveling to the court that had gathered.

"I...I did not do it!" The stableboy would shout from his small seat, the knight punched his stomach. Blood spilled from Wyle's head onto the floor from the previous assault. He was aware of the Moon Door behind him. He knew of his impending death. Visenya looked at the blood pooling down the floor below the main suspect. Her eyes traveled to Jacaery's side profile. That could've been him, she could've sent him into this barbaric situation when he was indeed innocent.

"I was ordered!" Wyle relented, coughing blood that stained his beige clothes.

"by who?" Jeyne asked. She did not like this, the blood that stained her floors and a crying boy who was an adolescent all the same as the princess and the prince.

"A woman! Her name is Lady Ganna from what I'd gather! She told me, she told me she was the princess friend! That the princess had ordered her to break her own carriage, so she could gain sympathy of the people!" Wyle cried. "I did not know! I did not mean to harm the princess, I did not wish to disobey her orders!"

"Princess Visenya, are you acquainted with a...Lady Ganna?" Jeyne questioned.
"I have heard the name, though I am not a friend of the lady, nor have I met personally with the lady during my time in the Vale." Visenya stated without emotion. She'd not show vulnerability, it was enough she had no dragon—yes, that raised sympathy from the common people. But it was a vulnerability all the same.
Lady Ganna, Jacaerys' dance partner the night before. The one who stared at her with hatred in her eyes. How on earth could Visenya have forgotten?! She could have orchestrated this, but for what reason, to what end?

"She forced herself upon me! I...I did not want it, my Lady. She asked me for a favor, she asked me to sabotage the princess's carriage and said it was ordered by the princess." Wyle cried again, choking in his blood and tears.

"My daughter would never dishonor herself to lay with...with a vermin!" Lord Grafton shouted from his place. Some lords laughed at the idea, a lady taking a stableboy to lay with? How could he not want it? Lucky was the boy, they'd whisper.

"Quiet!" Jeyne interdered. "Lord Grafton, is your daughter present at the timebeing?"

"My lady, you could not seriously think that my daughter would commit such a dishonorable act and treason!" Lord Grafton furrowed his brows as he stepped further.
"I did not ask you that. I asked if the Lady was present." Lord Grafton cowered. "My lady, my daughter resides at Gulltown with my wife after yesterday's festivities."

"Bring her at once, we shall rejoin when the lady arrives." Jeyne proclaimed. "Take the stableboy back to his cell."

———————

Jameswell Tarly >>>>

also, Jace and Vis are serving ANGST this chapter