Modern (GoT) : Her older brother

Modern (GoT) : Her older brother

A/N : Memories of Rhaegar: this song has been tearing my heart apart. I remember this anime, it was quite something, really. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oedAqSpze7I

It was just so tragic.

Xxxxx

Bäahal was at the private gymnasium of the Targaryen's palace. Since Rhaegar's death, her siblings rarely went to the gym -although perhaps once a week to maintain their physique- so she was most of the time alone. In the room dedicated to her, Bäahal was doing backflips. Just as she was doing the fourth in a row, her feet slipped and she fell on her back. The fall was quite hard and brutally cut the air in her lung, shocking her body a little bit and triggering a memory. Years ago, when she was still a teenager, Bäahal was trying to learn how to do backflips. She always failed and found herself on her ass quite often, much to her frustration. After yet another failure, she hit the floormat with her fists and growled lowly. Hearty laughter could be heard and made the young girl collect herself and sit on the floor.

Rhaegar was standing only a few steps away from her. How come she had not heard him enter the room? Was she too absorbed by her training that he was able to slip into her most sacred place? Blinking, she lowered her head and crossed her legs, taking a meditative position on the floor. Bäahal had always been on the fence with Rhaegar, never quite knowing what he wanted or who he'd defend. He usually and clearly loved his siblings and she had seen him laugh with the sociopathic angry pile of nerves that Viserys was. Yet, she also saw him protect her from said Viserys and his violence. The injuries he gave her with the metal tip of his boots left scars that were now smoothed out by time but very visible for whoever took a good look at her ribs. The crop top she was wearing didn't conceal those scars but she didn't mind when she was alone.

« Did you come here to mock me, Rhaegar ? » -She asked, feigning to be detached from his presence. But he could tell she was tense.-

« No. By the gods old and new, no! I came here because I was wondering where you've been. I know you like to train here sometimes. » He added, outstretching his arm just so she could grab his hand and stand up. « What are you trying to learn this time? »

«......No, seriously. Did you come here to mock me? » She asked, looking at his hand for a minute before holding it and standing back up. « Because I won't allow you to, not in /my/ space. The others would never bother entering my room anyway, so why do you? »

« I'm not like the others. They have their issues but I know your heart, Bäahal. » He smiled at her and grinned when she accepted the hand he gave her to stand up. « I repeat my question then, what are you trying to learn here, little one? »

« Little one ? » -She wrinkled her nose before she gave him a crooked smile and stroked the tip of her nose. It was said in an endearing way, similar to when their father called her.- « Mmmhh.. I am trying to learn how to do a backflip. » She finally told him, shrugging a little bit as he grinned even more widely and smacked his hands together.

« I'll show you how. » -He chuckled at her dumbfounded look.- « Come on, Bâahal. It's one thing I know how to do. You'll see. »

Back in the reality, Bäahal was looking at the ceiling, her breathing became more regular so she was able to sit on the floormat. Her heartfelt a pang, tugging at the strings of nostalgia. She was missing her older brother. Rhaegar was patient, loving, and caring. He spent as much time as possible with each of his siblings, including Bâahal. Her fingers traced the scars on her ribs, remembering the horrified voice of her brother as he grabbed Viserys by the collar and pushed him away from a bloody Bäahal. The incident was so horrific that even her step-mother, Rhaella, acted kindly towards the young girl and had her injuries tended by the Targaryen family's doctor.

She remembered the sharp pain, the coughs, and the tears mixed with her drool smeared over her bruised face. She remembered the anger in the voice of her older brother, who punched Viserys for what he did, much to everyone's surprise. She remembered his words as she was being stitched back together, how he said in front of everyone to treat her with respect because she was just like them, a collateral victim of all of this. She remembered the faint voice of people around her, and then just like that, the face of her departed brother flashed back in her memory. He'd just showed her how to do a backflip and was smiling, a smile so bright that it could have blinded her if it were a little brighter. He then helped her do it, first with his hands placed on her back and behind her knees so she could flip safely. After a few attempts, she finally did it with his help, so he removed his hands and took a few steps away.

«You're a good kid Bäahal. » He finally said, as he was catching his breath.- « You're a good kid. I know, I reacted badly when you first came. I was upset at dad for not telling us about you, then mom freaked out so we all did. » He then paused and put his hands on his waist. « But you're a good kid, you're a lovely sister and I hope you'd allow me to get to know you better. »

« Rhaegar.. » She tilted her head to the side, considering his words. « Let's say, that if after what you taught me I can do a backflip, I let you in. »

« Deal ! »

She did one and screamed her joy before she waved her hands and tried to do another one which failed. As she fell on the floormat, the air being cut off of her lungs, she opened her violet eyes and stared at the ceiling. A grin crept on her lips and she started to chuckle before she patted on the floor and her brother came and sat next to her. Her eyes were deeply looking at his face, a strange warmth overwhelmed her and she tapped the floor with her fingers. She had a brother, one who would look after her. She then went on and listened to how he met this Lyanna Stark and how she'd made him understand that the world wasn't only about Targaryens and he understood their father in more than one way.

It was enough to make the real one shed her tears as she felt the pang in her heart become more intense. Rhaegar was gone now, killed by a car accident. All that was left after he was gone was her dying father and then nothing. She pursed her lips and let a couple tears fall onto her cheeks. She bit her bottom lip hard and dropped her head, allowing the disheveled white locks to fall onto her chest and the floor. She simply wept, still smiling through the tears as the memory of her brother reminded her of a good day she had in these walls. She understood that loss was meant to remind the living of the dead and that in a way she was celebrating him.

-TBC-