Familial relations could be tricky at times, to put it mildly. In-House bickering was always a problem - and inter-House politics could be far, far worse, even when the Houses were relations or indeed, the last remnants of Old Valyria.

And yet, for you - no squabbles or courtly intrigue could ever be worse than dealing with your uncle, Aemond.

He was cruel to all of your siblings, snide looks and sly comments hinting at your being bastards weren't uncommon occurrences. Yet, for all the times he seemed to relish picking on your brothers, he seemed to hold a special love for tormenting you. Even when you were younger, the boy had been almost obsessed with following you when you visited the Red Keep, appearing when your guard was down, only to challenge you to some stupid competition, or trip you or make some cruel jab at you.

And today was no different.

Visiting the Red Keep to play nice with your kin wasn't fun, but it was your duty. You'd avoided Aemond all day, but your luck failed you when you went to hide in the gardens. You'd found a more private space in an isolated part of the grounds, hidden by grand, flowering bushes and well manicured trees. A nice place to sit and forget your troubles for a time.

And yet Aemond had tracked you down. As you sat in your safe place and looked up to Aemond, it was plain to see that the boy who'd tormented you had become a man who yet wished to continue on with the tradition.

And so your uncle approached with a slow, mean confidence in his step, a smug smirk on his lips and a vicious look in his eye.

"Well, well. Look at where we are hiding. I do recall this was one of your old haunts, yes? Ah, such good old days."

He spoke, getting close enough to tug on a section of your hair - hair that didn't match his own conventional, silver Valyrian locks. But he didn't tug your hair like he used to. He simpy ran the strands through his hands. He spoke on, his tone casual, as if remaking on the weather.

"What are you doing out here, hm?"