The Seven Kingdoms princess danced in the middle of the ballroom. She looked especially ethereal, bathed in the moonlight from above. For the occasion, Bäahal wore a silver dress, embedded with Lapis-Lazulis and a few amethysts that conjured up the image of a silver butterfly to anyone who set their eyes on her. Her head was crowned with silver braids, adorned with blue jewels, that cascaded on her back like rain on her body. To the onlookers, the princess was a work of art. The striking contrast of her ebony skin with the silver strands of hair and the bright color of her dress left an everlasting impression. Poems and songs written about her did not do justice to her beauty, they did not do justice to the gasps of awe and admiration she got from the crowds of peasants and nobles she got to meet. They did not do justice to the sight Theodore Tyrell saw at this instant.
She captivated him when he saw her on the horse she was riding. A woman of her standing would have taken a carriage, and she probably should have traveled in one but given the impressive number of soldiers that rode by her side, it was safe to say that the princess was not in fear of an ambush. She appeared as a fearless creature, a woman of grit and strength that befitted her reputation as the princess who survived a siege. Theodore was mesmerized when he saw her on her horse, a fierce battle-worn black mare that lost an eye to battle but who was the most trusted among the horses she rode. She was even more beautiful in this nightgown, moving gracefully as if she were walking on clouds. Theo watched as Bäahal Targaryen executed her routine perfectly and when she finished, he stood up and applauded with the rest of the audience.
She smiled and bowed before her audience as a way to thank them for their appreciation. She then walked back to her seat in an attempt to catch her breath and that was the moment Theodore chose to get close to her. He sat in the chair next to her, enchanted by the sight before him. Bäahal tilted her head to the side, as she noticed the new presence next to her. He grinned at her and grabbed her hand to press his lips against its back. She didn't recognize him - as a matter of fact, she didn't know who he was- but gently smiled at him as he seemed friendly. He kept his thoughts to himself, for it wasn't the right moment to talk about the hottest topic of Westeros: Her betrothal to Jaime Lannister. Before he met the Princess, Theodore didn't understand why she would choose a traitor like Jaime Lannister as her husband. Was it love? Was it a promise made to the Lannisters? He couldn't tell. He imagined that she had no other choice but to honor the queen. She might have been given to Jaime as a reward for his loyalty during the Last War.
Seeing her was different. Words didn't do justice to the young woman. She was far more beautiful than he imagined her to be and found himself mesmerized by the sight of her amethyst eyes. Her warm smile made him feel warmer and he refused to release her hand. Bäahal looked at him and politely asked for him to release her hand. Once... Twice... and only on the third time, when she raised her voice a little bit, did Theodore release her hand. He made up his mind. He would challenge her choice. He would not, could not allow a miscreant like Jaime Lannister get away with his crimes and marry the princess. He hated the man -that was a given- and he hated the family. The Lannisters killed his grandmother Olenna Tyrell. The Lannisters killed his cousin, Margaery and the list of their crimes kept on getting longer. Jaime was to be hanged, not married! Jaime was to be humiliated, not revered and he certainly wouldn't accept that the princess wasn't his. He released her hand and introduced himself with a light bow.
"Theodore Tyrell, princess, at your service."
-TBC-
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