(Baelon's POV)
I stood in front of the closed door, staring at it, "Hm....." I said as I tilted my head, "Is this a wise decision?"
"My Prince?" Ser Steffon asked, "Is everything alright?"
I glanced at the Kingsguard, "I hope so." I said seriously, "I just do not know if I should go in there."
He nodded, "Well, whatever decision you make, we of the Kingsguard will be here, standing guard." He said, "You need not worry about us..."
"I know." I said, "You are not like he was."
It was already nightfall and I was in front of Rhaenyra's chambers after Father had nagged me to come and see her. And while I did not want to at first, I figured that Helaena would also want me to do this. So I am a few steps ahead of her; she has not told me yet but I know she would do so later. I was going to spend some intimate time with my wife but before I do that, I went ahead and did something that I do not wish to do at a later time.
The only issue is that I have been standing in front of the door for a few minutes, debating if I should actually go in there.
Things are more complicated than they seem and Father might not understand that; I killed her husband in front of her and her daughter. What would she think? What would she say?
I really don't know.
I have been acting too cold, too harsh to her and while it is all over.....I really don't know how I should feel about her.
I sighed, "I'm going in."
"Very well." Ser Steffon said
I opened the door and walked in, closing it behind me as I looked ahead.
I saw that the chambers were mostly dark, except for a few candles lit on the table; She was not asleep yet.
I saw her sitting on the couch, wearing a nightgown with her hair let loose. She was holding some of her hair in her hand when she looked at me the moment I closed the door.
She was looking at me with a surprised look on her face, "B-Baelon...." She said softly, "W-What are you doing here?"
I slowly walked over to her, looking around, "I....." I said, "I wanted to check in."
"Oh...." She said
"I checked in on Aemma earlier...." I said as I stopped in front of her, seeing the table next to the couch, "She looks to be alright...."
"I-I have not left my chambers...." She said, "She has not come seen me yet...."
"I'll speak to her, I suppose." I said as I looked at the brush on the table, "What are you doing?"
"Preparing for bed...." She said, "Why are you here so late? P-People will thin-"
"I don't care." I reached for the brush and picked it up, showing it to her, "May I?"
She looked at me with an even more surprised look on her face, "What.....?"
"Just like when I was a boy." I said as I sat down behind her and gently ran my fingers through her hair, "Or do you not want to?"
"Fine...." She said as I began to brush her hair slowly and gently, "What does Helaena say about me?"
"I would not know." I said as I looked at her white hair, "Has she not come to see you?"
"No." She said simply
"She will." I told her, "On the morrow, probably. She is waiting for me....."
"Then you should go." She told me
"I will. After we talk." I said, "It has been a while, hasn't it? Since I've brushed your hair....."
"I suppose it has." She said softly
"I brush Helaena's..." I said, "Both of you... such beautiful hair. The Targaryen blood really pulled through with Helaena and our siblings."
"Right...." She said, "Yours used to be long."
"I cut it." I told her, "Helaena wanted me to....and she likes it."
"I...." She started as I kept brushing her hair, "I like it too....."
"Hm....." I said, "How are you feeling?"
"I....." she started before sighing, "B-Baelon.....do you hate me?"
I stopped brushing her hair, "What?" I said as I looked at her from behind, "What makes you say that?"
"Everything....." She said softly, "The way you have acted ever since our fight...."
I sighed and kept brushing her hair, "After what happened, I am wondering if you hate me." I said, "If Aemma hates me....You are worrying about the wrong things...."
"That's not an answer." She told me seriously, "Do you hate me?"
I kept brushing her hair, focused on the glow of the candlelight in her white locks. Her hair was beautiful, just like my wife's. I remember brushing it when I was a boy, every night before I went to sleep. She was so happy to let me do something like this.
"After Laenor's funeral.....Daemon will have Rhaena try to claim Seasmoke." I told her suddenly, "If she is not successful, I will have Aemma try. As her mother, I figure that you should know. These are the King's orders."
After a few more moments of silence, Rhaenyra looked down, her head slightly hunched over.
"I am not asking you again." She said softly, "I need to know...."
I sighed and stopped brushing her hair, standing up from the couch, "Rhaenyra...." I said before patting her shoulder, "What do you want me to say?"
"The truth." She said as she looked at me, tears in her eyes, "I need to know.....B-Baelon, please..."
I looked at her, "No." I said, "I don't hate you. I never hated you. I would never hate you. The fact that it is a question bothers me....but it cannot be helped...."
"T-Then why....?" She said, "Why do you treat me this way?"
"I am angry." I told her truthfully
"At what? Me?" She asked
"I was angry at you." I said, "But now? I am angry at him. He took your sons away from you, he tried taking me away from Helaena....he is dead.....but I am still angry....."
She didn't say anything, merely looked away.
"Give me some time..." I continued, "Eventually, I will no longer treat you this coldly. You should be fortunate that I came here."
"Go." She said seriously
"Have a good night, Sister..." I said as I set the brush down gently, "I will go now."
I walked over to the door but before opening, I looked back at her. She had a sad look on her face as her hands were on her lap. She was looking at the wall, the light of the candles were reflecting off her beautiful purple eyes.
"Rhaenyra." I said
She looked at me, "What is it?"
"Father is right.." I started, "We come from the same womb...You are my Sister. No matter what happens, I will never hate you. Know that...we are blood.....and if anyone dares turns against each other...."
"I will destroy them."