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Rhaenys rounds on him. “It’s not fair, Vissy.”
Rhaenys had been saying that all week.
He understands…sort of. He was little older than Rhaenys was now when she came around. Rhaegar rarely had time for him before then. Once Rhaegar married Elia and started living on Dragonstone, he saw Rhaegar even less. And that was before Rhaenys was born. Now, Elia was with child again. He absolutely understands.
He points out, “I had to share them with you.”
Rhaenys pouts. “It’s not the same.”
He huffs, but, Rhaenys was not wrong exactly. They are not brother and sister.
She scowls again. Even though he is on the receiving end of it, he is smug in the knowledge that he isn’t the reason she is upset. As though he had not heard this diatribe for what seems to be the hundredth time, she next tells him, “Papa is always in his solar now and Mama won’t play with me anymore either!”
He bites back a smile at the way her hands started to flail. That is what his silly niece would be concerned about!
He sobers quickly though. He knew that Elia and Rhaegar were already busy with a lot of things. Rhaegar was the Crown Prince after all. They had a lot of duties. Mother said so. Even Father did.
It was true, though, he doubts telling her Elia could not play with her for Elia’s own sake would help. He was old enough to know Elia could not do much for Rhaenys right now. Mother had rarely been in a condition to play with him when it was “her time”. Father always blamed her when she tried and there would be no child after. And well, he knew that Rhaegar wanted a boy. Most men do. Elia had been sick last time and Rhaenys turned out to be a girl. Of course, they had to be careful.
He could not tell Rhaenys any of that! Besides, it won’t solve the problem of his niece’s pouting.
Remembering his purpose, he perks up. It is a good thing that he already had a solution. Mother always said good princes are prepared and he is a good prince! And he’s an even better uncle!
People rarely did nice things for him. The tourney Lord Tywin had in honor of his birth did not count. He couldn’t remember it, after all! So, he wanted to do something nice for Rhaenys.
He orders Rhaenys, “Wait here!”
Her pout turns into a frown. “Vissy?”
With all the sternness he can muster, he tells her: “I have something for you. You must close your eyes though, cover them until I tell you. It ruins the surprise.”
“Surprise?”, she squeaks, eagerly going to close her eyes with her tiny hands.
He warns her: “No peeking.”
He holds in a chuckle as she easily agrees.
Once he is certain she has not positioned her hands so that she could not see, he rushes to his rooms and bring back the basket containing her surprise. He hopes she likes his gift. It was hard enough trying to convince Elia and Rhaegar to let him give Rhaenys this. It had taken him weeks! Rhaenys had better appreciate this.
Before he can even say, “You can open your eyes now” a soft sound comes from the box.
Hoping Rhaenys had not heard that, he sets the basket down on the floor. He tries not to glare at the box as Rhaenys opens her eyes.
She looks down at the box and then back to him full of curiously. He warns her, “You have to be gentle.”
Before he can reach down to open the box, the little black ball of fur pokes his head out.
Rhaenys squeals, “Kitty!”
He lets out a small breath. She likes it!
She takes the cat out of the basket, looking at it in awe. “For me?”
Silly thing, he thought. Of course, the kitten was for her. He said so, didn’t he? “Yes.”
She asks, again: “Only for me?”
He rolls his eyes and confirms, “Yes.”
He was not prepared for her to hurl herself at him, kitten in hand. He hopes they don’t squish the thing. He just got it for her. He doubts he convince her parents or his to get her another one if they ended up hurting it now.
With Rhaenys’ chin poking into his stomach, he’s slightly out of breath when he asks, “Do you like him?”
She pulls back, her eyes wide. “Yes.” She shakes her head so much he wonders how it remained attached to the rest of her.
For some reason, she pouts again. Again, she asks him: “I do not have to share Balerion?”
She named the tiny kitten after the Black Dread. He wants to laugh, he really does. But, he does not because he is a proper prince and that would be rude. He shakes his head and assures her, “He is yours.”
Just to be sure, he adds imperiously, “I said so.”
She beams at him.
But, there was one thing that was bothering him. He prompts, “Are you going to going to thank me?”
She giggles and hugs him again repeating the words, “Thank you” three times.
“That’s enough now!”
He says it trying to push her off him. He likes being thanked. That does not happen often enough, in his opinion, but still. He must think about his dignity, just like Father says. He flushes. What if someone saw that? Rhaenys was his niece but that would be embarrassing.
She looks up at him with big brown eyes that are so unlike his. “But, Vissy, I have to say it. Balerion can’t talk yet.”
He frowns a bit. “Balerion can’t talk at all.”
With all the seriousness she could muster, his niece tells him, “I know. He’s a baby. You’re being silly, Vissy.” Then she laughs.
Silly? Him? After all the trouble he’d gone through to arrange things. Not a chance. Rhaenys is the silly one.
In answer, he growls at her and curls his fingers into shape of claws. “You call me silly? You woke the dragon now!” He growls.
She gasps and bolts upright. He takes a step forward and she races out of the room. Because he’s being a good prince and a better uncle, he lets her have ten seconds before following the sound of Rhaenys’ giggling and Balerion’s meows.