Capítulo 7: Ceryse
skipped between the alleys of Driftmark. The way was unfamiliar, but he only needed to head in the general direction of the harbor, and the narrow paths between the houses and taverns would lead him to his destination.
Some thug-like men looked at him and his plain but clean clothes, but Aerys's carefree and confident attitude gave them all pause long enough for him to get too far to bother. Soon enough, he reached the ship he was after and sneaked aboard it. He had been there before, so it didn't take him long to get to the living quarters.
He had wanted to surprise Ceryse, but what he heard through the gap in the door surprised him instead.
"You can't keep doing this, milady," he heard a man's voice. "You are not a girl anymore."
"And yet you keep treating me like one," Ceryse replied.
"It isn't like that, milady," the man protested.
There was some rustling, and he swore.
"By the Seven! Please put your dress back on!"
"Can't you see, Darwin?! I'm not a child anymore!"
"I have served your uncle since I was a squire, and you a babe at your mother's teats. I have seen you grow up in front of me. It simply wouldn't be right for me to desire you. Not as a man does a woman."
"Fine. Then I don't want you either! Get out of my sight!"
Aerys could hear Ceryse throwing something and footsteps coming to the door. For an instant, he considered hiding.
For an instant.
Aerys knocked on the door.
There was a moment of silence from the room, then urgent motion.
The man opened the door partly and peeked from behind it.
"Hello there!" Aerys greeted him brightly.
"Prince Aerys," the man said, likely for Ceryse's benefit.
Aerys grinned at the unintentional reference.
"May I come in?" he asked, knowing he would not be denied.
The knight looked at his lady, then nodded.
"Of course, my prince. It is... good to see you."
"The pleasure is mine. Lady Ceryse!" Aerys entered and greeted her.
Ceryse gathered her composure and curtsied.
"My Prince." She hesitated, then asked, "How much of that did you overhear?"
"From about when you took off your dress."
Aerys expected a blush or some embarrassment, but Ceryse's features only hardened. Not that he had a lot of time to analyze her features when the knight behind him drew his sword.
"Ser Darwin, wasn't it?" Aerys casually stepped towards the knight with a sword. "What an auspicious name!"
"Yes, my prince. And I hope you know how to keep a secret."
Aerys smiled wider and stepped towards his sword, making the older man hurriedly back off lest he harm a prince.
"Darwin, stop it," Ceryse scolded tiredly.
"But, milady!" he protested.
"You don't know Prince Aerys like I do. If you threaten him to not do something, he will do it just to annoy you."
Darwin sheathed his sword, then with some hesitation knelt in front of him.
"I am most apologetic, my prince. Please punish me as you see fit."
Aerys laughed. He knew there was a reason that he liked Ceryse's company.
"Punish you? No, no. I must congratulate you!" Aerys took the knight's hand and shook it vigorously. "Your Lord's hot niece is throwing herself at you, and you refuse her because you knew her when she was a child? Marvellous! What are you?! Some kind of a man with basic moral principles?! In this day and age?! Truly marvellous!"
"Th— thank you, your grace?" Darwin stuttered out in confusion.
Ceryse looked out the window and muttered in resignation.
"Why won't the sea just open up and swallow me whole?"
"Now, Ser Darwin." Aerys called. "Having a sword pulled on me has made me quite parched. Pour some water for me."
The knight went to fetch a drink for the prince, who was acting petty despite saying there would be no punishment. And Aerys turned to Ceryse.
"So is this why you agreed to come to Driftmark? A chance to get some private time with this knight of yours?"
She finally blushed like he had expected her to and nodded.
"And spending time with me in King's Landing?"
"It keeps my uncle from marrying me off."
He chuckled. "That makes more sense."
Ser Darwin returned with a glass of water, and Aerys took a sip. His arrival renewed Ceryse's courage, and she asked.
"So, about keeping this a secret. What do you want in exchange for it?"
He hummed. "Not much. Just keep my secrets in return. And do the task I brought you here to do."
She frowned. "We have been keeping an eye on the ships heading for Essos, especially the ones that decide to depart abruptly. Just like you asked. But we don't really know what we're looking for."
"Criminals, pirates, whatever. You have the Far-Eyes I gave you. Make sure there's one on each of your ships. Just keep an eye out. Especially if there's a commotion on the island."
"And you won't tell anyone about me?"
"Sure. I gain nothing from your ruin. You have my word." Aerys assured her. "Anyways, I'll be visiting King's Landing for a bit. Did you want me to bring something to eat?"
"Some proper fruits?" She ventured. "The constant seafood has gotten tiring. But how will you make sure they don't go bad during the journey?"
"Ah," he looked at her pityingly. "Truly a question that someone without a dragon would ask."
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