The Joker and The Queen // Daemon Targaryen // Harwin Strong

22. A Pet

 '...the wall Blackhaven are unscalable vassalstone. And the castle is surrounded by a deep, dry moat. It is well fortified against any future Dornish incursions.' Beric Dondarrion began. Rhaenyra sat bored as she was to choose from suitors. The line was endless and the options were still awful. 'And though my seat may be lesser in size, it is situated most pleasingly.' He went on clearing his throat he moved to pour himself a glass of wine. 'The view across the Marches is inspiring, so said Queen Alysanne herself when she honored my father and I...'

'And tell me, Lord Dondarrion,' Rhaenyra spoke up. 'did you think my great-grandmother as beautiful as they say?'

'This was half a century ago, Princess.'

'Yes, it was.' She agreed and the crowd of spectators laughed in agreement.

"Nyra that was mean..." Vaera mused but she couldn't help the smile on her face. They had been gone moons looking for a match for Rhaenyra. Viserys said if Vaera happen to find a match for herself, even better. But that was not the purpose.

'That was unseemly, Princess.'

'The man is older than my father. It's unseemly for him to put himself forward as a contender for my hand.' Rhaenyra corrected her guard. 'Next!' she demanded. 'And now a child.' Rhaenyra shook her head, this was useless.

"He's cute, like a puppy." Vaera suggested.

"Should we keep him as a pet?" Rhaenyra countered.

'The Black woods are an ancient house with a formidable army.' Boremund Baratheon began. He stared up at her hopefully.

"Look at him, looking at you like you are the sun, the moon and the stars all in one." Vaera remarked.

"He is a child." Rhaenyra told her again.

"You don't want grandpa, you don't want the baby, you are hard to please." Vaera remarked softly.

'In the River lands, they once ruled as kings. The blood of the First Men still flows in their veins.'

'Go on.' Rhaenyra agreed.

'My Princess... ours is a bond that has long endured, since Lucas Black wood, the grand sire of my grand sire, aided the Dragon in his war of conquest...' Boremund reminded her.

'Aye, the Black woods truly turned the tide on that one.' One of the men in the crowd shouted and Boremunds confidence flickered as the crowd laughed again

'Coursed with the blood of the First Men, our history is deeply rooted in this land, which your house has made its home. If chosen as your match, Princess... your days shall be easy and nights safe under my protection.' Boremund went on.

"Protection"?' the man spoke up again. 'The Princess has a dragon, you dumb cսոt.'

'Bracken!' he was scolded but he kept on laughing

'I could learn to like that one.' Rhaenyra remarked. 'Ugh, let us have the next so we may go to supper.'

"Yes!" Vaera declared. "What is there to eat on this blasted island?" Vaera asked Criston. After the prince Aegons name day incident, Viserys had assigned both Harwin her current guard and Criston to Vaera's service, in hopes to keep a better eye on her. Especially with them sailing around westeros, he wanted an extra set of eyes on her.

'Craven.'

'Ooh!' the crowd declared as Bracken and Boremund faced off.

'We're leaving.' Criston told Vaera and Rhaenyra leading her away.

'Sheathe that steel, you twats!'

'Send word to the harbor and have Captain Oswin ready the ship.' Rhaenyra said as they walked.

'Princess, we're due in Bitter bridge in three days' time.' Criston corrected

"I want to go home Criston." Vaera begged. "This is useless and all of Nyra's options are shit." Harwin chuckled as he kept a hand on Vaera's back leading her away.

'I would happily row myself back to King's Landing if it brought an end to this ridiculous pageant.' Rhaenyra told him. Bracken grunted, falling to the ground, the child Boremund had taken him down.

'Don't look, Princesses.' Criston said leading her outside.

"Damn, the baby has skills." Vaera remarked as Harwin closed the door.

+

'We should make landfall inside the hour, Princess.' Criston told Vaera as they sailed.

"Thank you Criston." Vaera smiled back at him sweetly.

'How do you think he will take it?' Rhaenyra questioned looking out at the castle in the distance.

"Oh he is going to be thrilled.' Vaera teased.

"If you would have come back with a match perhaps he would not be mad." Rhaenyra suggested.

"I like my men like I like my cookies." Vaera told her and Harwin chuckled.

"How is that?'' Harwin questioned.

"Hard on the outside,' she traced a finger down his arm. 'and gooey on the inside, of course." Vaera told him, he licked at his suddenly dry lips as she smirked up at him.

"Seriously, Vee." Rhaenyra whined. "How do you think he will take it!'' Vaera chuckled leaning back against Harwin, she felt his hands trailing gently along her sides.

'Do you speak of how you rejected every suitor His Grace put before you, or how you abruptly ended the tour with two months remaining?' Criston mused but a dragon shrieking and rumbling caught their attention. Caraxes flew overhead, rocking the ship.

'Take cover!'

'Princesses!"

"Vaera!" Harwin shouted holding her to him. Rhaenyra tumbled to the ship deck as Vaera was clutched tightly to Harwin's chest. Criston stared a moment before looking to a stumbling Rhaenyra.

"You all right? Are you? Fetch the maester!' Criston said as he helped Rhaenyra up she clutched at her head as she stared at Caraxes.

'I'm fine.' She assured.

"Daemon is here." Vaera said happily, Harwin kept his hands on her as she got her footing once the ship stopped shaking. "Nyra, DAEMON!"