Rhaegar didn't want to face Rhaenyra's wrath, so he quickly decided to throw his stepmother to take the blame.
"You think I'm a fool?" Rhaenyra snorted, her eyes growing more and more hostile.
Rhaegar's cold sweat ran down his back as he recalled childhood memories of being at the mercy of Rhaenyra's temper.
He coughed lightly to cover his nervousness and tried to sound profound. "The red carpet was just something we couldn't use. Giving it away seemed practical."
Rhaenyra was silent, but her grip on the soft flesh of Rhaegar's waist tightened. It wasn't about the red carpet's value but the principle of giving away her gift.
"Sister, I also prepared a gift for you," Rhaegar said, trying to defuse the situation. He held her small hand at his waist with one hand and pried her fingers off his collar with the other.
Rhaenyra bit her lip lightly and listened to his explanation, curious about what he could come up with.
Rhaegar held out his hand, opening five fingers in front of her eyes. "Look!" He shook his arm, and when his fingers opened again, a delicate, square gift box appeared out of thin air.
Rhaenyra lifted his cuff, revealing a silver-gray space bracelet. After years of living together, she knew about Rhaegar's magical bracelet.
Rhaegar smiled sheepishly and placed the gift box in her palm, saying softly, "Open it and see; you'll definitely like it."
"Hmph, let's see what trick you're playing now," Rhaenyra said, her mood lightening slightly as she pressed her lips together in a hint of a smile.
She opened the gift box, which was padded with black soft cloth, but found it empty. She pinched the soft cloth, thinking the gift might be hidden in a compartment. However, after examining the box thoroughly, she found nothing.
There was a short silence. Rhaenyra glanced at Rhaegar, who was all smiles, and gently closed the box without saying a word.
"Do you like it?" Rhaegar asked.
Rhaenyra closed her eyes, crossed her arms, and leaned back in her chair. She didn't want to talk to him. Just take it as received, she thought.
Seeing her reaction, Rhaegar restrained his smile, reached out, and waved his hand in front of her eyes. He whispered softly, "Look again; you'll definitely like it."
Rhaenyra's knuckles turned white as she suppressed her anger. Perhaps she had been away from Rhaegar for so long that he had forgotten what the wrath of a sleeping dragon was like. Her hands itched for action.
The sound of bells jingled softly in the air, and Rhaenyra's breathing quickened as she heard the crisp ringing.
"No more teasing. Open your eyes," Rhaegar urged gently.
Rhaenyra turned her head away in anger, refusing to open her eyes. She had already decided to punish Rhaegar tonight and a gift would not change her mind.
Seeing her stubbornness, Rhaegar smiled and took action. Rhaenyra kept her eyes closed, still angry, when she suddenly felt something cold against her cheek.
Unconsciously, she opened her eyes and tilted her head back to see an exquisite silver and gray necklace. The necklace, made of forged Valyrian steel, consisted of tiny links forming a slender chain.
Rhaenyra's eyes were immediately drawn to it. "A Valyrian steel necklace?" she asked in amazement, turning to Rhaegar.
"That's right," Rhaegar replied, smiling as he gently shook the necklace between his fingers. He had specifically instructed the blacksmith to keep some of the steel to create a piece of jewelry for Rhaenyra after forging two weapons.
It was as if the necklace had been forged just for her.
Rhaenyra was mesmerized. She relaxed her arms and touched the Valyrian steel necklace in front of her. She hadn't realized that Rhaegar had prepared such a precious gift for her.
Suddenly she remembered something. "You said you wanted to forge two weapons. Will there be enough Valyrian steel left after you make this necklace?"
Rhaegar hung the necklace on her fingertips and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, it's just a piece of jewelry."
"A piece of Valyrian steel for a necklace? How extravagant," Rhaenyra said, giving him a reproachful look. But the corners of her lips betrayed her, curling into a smile as she caressed the necklace like a treasure.
The necklace had its own pendant, designed by Rhaegar himself, with three tiny dragon heads to honor the first dragons of House Targaryen: Meraxes, Balerion, and Vhagar.
Meraxes had sharp horns and half-squinted pupils, exuding an elegant and luxurious demeanor. Balerion's fierce expression and rounded eyes emanated a solemn authority. Vhagar, with a dense crown of horns and closed eyes, appeared as if in a deep sleep, drawn from the dragon's prime.
The three dragon heads, one low and two high, hung from the necklace, carved with such precision that they seemed to host the soul of a dragon.
"It's beautiful!" Rhaenyra exclaimed, marveling at the intricate details of the necklace. The craftsmanship of the Qohor blacksmiths was truly top-notch.
"I'm glad you like it," Rhaegar said, resting his hands on the back of her chair and admiring her profile. He remembered how Daemon had given Rhaenyra a Valyrian steel necklace, and despite her hatred for Daemon's actions, she had kept the necklace in the bottom of her jewelry box.
With that in mind, Rhaegar leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Now you have a new family heirloom."
Rhaenyra looked at him in amazement, then smiled sweetly. "Rhaegar, put it on for me!"
"Okay," Rhaegar agreed, removing her old necklace and skillfully placing the new one around her delicate white neck. He casually tossed the old necklace out the window.
Rhaenyra looked down at the necklace, its three dragon heads like a talisman. The more she looked at it, the more she loved it.
Rhaenyra clasped Rhaegar's neck and planted a kiss on his cheek.
As he buried his head in her hair, inhaling the fresh scent of lavender, he said, "Rhaenyra, Father has prepared a list of partners for me."
"What are your plans?" Rhaenyra asked quietly, tilting her head as she played with the necklace.
Rhaegar said, "You know what I mean."
Rhaenyra laughed out loud and smiled, her eyes glowing as she encouraged, "Just tell father who you want. He has always spoiled you."
"Yes, but I am greedy," Rhaegar replied, his eyes playful and pretentious.
He knew that Rhaenyra cared for him as much as he cared for her. Thinking about it, he propped his hand on the rocking chair and caressed the solid wood.
Outside the window, the fish-beam tree stood tall, its thick trunk teeming with anticipation. Two little green creatures moved in tandem, one ascending with eager determination while the other descended with deliberate intent.
The climber reached a branch and discovered a tender, succulent leaf, its vibrant allure impossible to resist. It eagerly mounted the leaf, savoring each bite with the hunger of one who had waited far too long.
Meanwhile, the lower creature inched with relentless effort toward a tantalizing ball of soft, sticky sap. It approached its prize with bated breath.
Splat...
Just as it was about to indulge in the sweet resin, a pair of small hands intervened, thwarting its feast and leaving it quivering with unfulfilled desire.
"Rhaegar, no!" Rhaenyra exclaimed.
(Word count: 1,219)