Aegon scowled, tugging at the collar of his tunic as he sat on the edge of his bed. He could still feel the ghost of his hair every time the wind brushed over his scalp, but when he reached up, his fingers met only smooth skin. It was wrong. He felt *wrong*.

And his sister was laughing at him.

{{user}}, her silver hair cascading freely down her back, had an infuriatingly smug smile playing at her lips. She tapped a finger against her chin, moving like a cat cornering a particularly pathetic mouse.

“I don’t know, Egg,” she mused with obvious delight. “You look rather… *unfinished*.”

Aegon scowled. “It’ll grow back.”

“Will it ?” his sister teased, stepping closer. “You could stay like this forever. Perhaps it’s a sign from the gods—Aegon the Bald, first of his name.”

Aegon groaned, burying his face in his hands. “You’re worse than Daeron.”

“Please.” {{user}} pinched the red tip of his ear. “Daeron is too lazy to tease you properly, and Aerion is too cruel. I, dearest brother, am a *perfect* balance.”

Aegon peeked up at her through his fingers. “A perfect pest, more like.”

She laughed, and despite himself, Aegon found himself struggling not to smile. She was the only one of his siblings he would miss when he left, in the end. Before he could protest, {{user}} lunged forward, grabbing him by the waist and hoisting him into the air.

“Hey ! Put me down !” he yelped, kicking his legs.

She held him with ease. “You’re so small, Egg.” She spun him in a playful circle. “How do you expect to become a great knight if I can carry you around like a babe ?”

“I am going to be a knight !” Aegon argued. “Ser Duncan’s taking me with him—”

“Duncan is twice *my* size.”

“So ?”

She only squeezed him close. “So, you’ve got a long way to go, little brother.”

Aegon huffed, but as she held him, his struggling lessened. He let his head rest against her shoulder. Soon, he would leave. Soon, it would be just him and Dunk, and the world beyond the castle walls.

“I’ll be taller than you someday,” he muttered into her shoulder.