Oaths and Ashes
The warmth of the fire flickered gently against the cold stone walls of Celeste’s chambers, its quiet crackle the only sound in the still room. She sat on the edge of her bed, her eyes fixed on the embroidery Helaena had given her earlier. Vines and flowers stitched with delicate care. Her fingers brushed lightly over the threads, tracing their intricate patterns.
Her mind wandered, thoughts circling endlessly. The king was dead and the Keep in disarray. No amount of quiet could wash that away. The stillness of the Red Keep felt too sharp, too controlled. It wasn’t peace—it was silence waiting to break.
And it broke.
Her door flew open with a loud bang.
The heavy wooden frame slammed against the wall, jolting loose a small cloud of dust from the ceiling. Her heart leapt into her throat, and in one swift motion, her hand darted toward her wand she’d hidden in her sleeve. Her eyes shot to the door, sharp as steel.
Sirius Black stood in the doorway.
His breath was quick and shallow, his shoulders rising and falling like he’d been running. His wild black hair framed his face in tangled waves, his eyes wide with something between urgency and frustration. His eyes burned. Not with rage—but with warning.
“Dad?” Celeste rose slowly from the bed, her fingers still curled tightly around the hilt of her wand. Her heart was already racing. “What are you doing?”
“Get up,” Sirius barked, his voice rough and commanding. No charm. No grin. No playfulness. This wasn’t Sirius the rogue. This was Sirius the survivor. He strode into the room like a storm rolling in. “Get your things.”
Her brows drew together, confusion flashing across her face. “What? Why?” She stepped forward, watching the way his eyes darted to the hall behind him before he closed the door. Not gently. Firmly. With purpose.
“Get. Your. Things,” he repeated, his voice lower this time, quieter but no less sharp. A command, not a request. He stepped into the room, glancing over his shoulder like he expected someone to follow him inside. His eyes flicked to her, his face hard as stone.
“Not until you tell me,” Celeste said firmly, crossing her arms. Her stance was unyielding. She’d seen him like this before—frenzied, wild, and desperate. But this wasn’t Azkaban’s ghost haunting him. This was something else.
He exhaled through his nose, stepping forward. He didn’t want to say it. She could see it in his eyes, the way he clenched his jaw, like the words tasted like ash on his tongue.
“They’re naming him,” he muttered, his eyes flicking to the fire before meeting hers again. “Aegon.”
Her breath caught in her chest.
Her eyes widened, disbelief flooding her features as she stepped forward. “No.” Her voice came quick, sharp, like the crack of a whip. She shook her head, her eyes fierce with certainty. “No. Viserys named Rhaenyra his heir. Everyone knows it.”
“Apparently, not everyone agrees,” Sirius snapped, his voice louder than before, his frustration boiling over. He paced, his boots thudding softly against the stone floor. “They’re gathering lords and ladies to witness it. They summoned me this morning.”
Her jaw tensed, her gaze burning with disbelief. “To do what?” she demanded, stepping into his path, forcing him to stop his pacing. Her eyes scanned his face, her voice low and cold. “To bend the knee?”
His eyes flicked to hers, his expression hard.
Her heart dropped into her stomach. “Dad,” she breathed, her voice sharp with quiet disbelief. “Don’t tell me you did it.”
He didn’t answer right away. His lips pressed into a tight line, his eyes dark as storm clouds on the edge of breaking.
He didn’t have to answer. She already knew.
Her face twisted with anger, her eyes narrowing on him like a predator locking on its prey. “You bent the knee,” she hissed, her voice sharp with betrayal. “To him? To Aegon?”
His face hardened. “I did it to protect us.” His voice cut through the air like a blade. He took a step forward, his gaze locked on hers. “If I didn’t, they’d call me a traitor, Celeste. A traitor.” He pointed at the door like the threat was still standing outside. “And you know what happens to traitors in this place.”
Her breath was sharp as she exhaled, her eyes narrowing to slits. “You think bending the knee to that coward protects us?” she shot back, her hands curling into fists at her sides. Her heart pounded. Her blood was hot. Too hot.
“It buys us time,” Sirius snarled, his voice low but steady. Not shouting. Not yelling. Just truth. “Time to think. Time to plan. Time to run, if we need to.”
“Run?” Her voice cracked with disbelief, her eyes burning like silver fire. “That’s your plan? Bow and run?”
He stepped forward, his face inches from hers, his eyes sharp as broken glass. “Yes.” His voice was low, fierce, raw. “Because living is better than dying for pride, Celeste.”
She didn’t back down. She never backed down.
“Is it?” she hissed, her eyes locked on his, her lips curling into something like a snarl. “Is it better to live like that? Hiding. Running. Crawling to men like Otto Hightower?” Her voice rose slightly, her eyes fierce. “You swore fealty to a lie, father.”
His gaze flicked down to the floor, his jaw tight.
Her heart was a storm. Her breathing was too fast. Too fast.
“Viserys wanted Rhaenyra, you are the one who told me that” she said quietly, her voice harder now. “Not Aegon.” Her fingers flexed at her sides. “They’ve gone against his wishes. They’ve broken everything.”
“Alicent said he whispered his name as he died. We can’t contest that.” he muttered, his voice quieter now, raw and hoarse. His hand ran through his wild hair, pulling it back from his face. He looked older. Tired. Worn.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The only sound was the quiet crackle of the fire. The warmth of it didn’t reach them.
Finally, Sirius looked at her again, his eyes steadier now. Resolved. Set.
“We have to leave,” he said quietly, stepping toward her, his voice calmer now, but no less firm. “Essos. Braavos. Pentos. It doesn’t matter. We leave before they drag us into this war.”
Her eyes stayed on him, her gaze unwavering.
“I’m not leaving.”
His brows lifted in disbelief. “What?”
“You heard me,” she said, her voice clear and certain. No doubt. No hesitation. “I’m not leaving Helaena. I won’t abandon her.”
His lips parted like he couldn’t believe what he’d heard. He stared at her like she’d just declared war.
“Helaena?” he barked, stepping forward, his hands gesturing wildly. “You’d die for her?”
Her eyes narrowed. “If I have to.”
His face twisted with frustration, his hands raking through his hair again. “She’s not your family, Celeste!” he snapped, his eyes wild. “She’s not your sister! She’s not your responsibility!”
Her chest rose sharply with a deep breath, her jaw tight, her eyes sharp. “I know.” Her voice was quieter now, but it cut just as deep. “But I’m not leaving her. I abandoned my friends once, I will not make it a habit by doing it again.”
He stared at her, his eyes filled with quiet disbelief. “You stubborn girl,” he muttered, shaking his head, his voice more tired than angry now.
Silence.
Finally, his shoulders slumped, his breath coming slower. Resigned. Relenting.
“Fine,” he muttered, his gaze softening just slightly. “But if danger comes—” His eyes locked on hers, his voice firm, his words deliberate. “If they come for us, we run. You promise me that, Celeste.”
Her lips curled into a faint smile, small but real. Her eyes didn’t waver.
“Deal,” she whispered, her voice quiet but certain. “But only if you can keep up.”
Sirius huffed out a laugh, soft but real. “You’re fast, but I’m faster.”
They stood there in the quiet, the fire behind them, the world outside waiting to burn.
But for now, they didn’t move.
Because for now, they had time. Time to think. Time to plan.
Time to fight.