Gold Rush | Ser Harwin

11.

Daerla

  Rhaenyra is marrying Ser Leonor. I'm happy for her, he is a kind man. Rhaenyra couldn't find much better.

  I sit beside Harwin and my brother Daemon as Viserys gives a speech to the hall. I look over at Daemon and see that his eyes are on Rhaenyra. I kick him under the table and he audibly yelps.

  "Oi!" He says and swings his head round to face me.

  "Stop eye-fucking her," I whisper shout. "If you wanted to be the one she was marrying then you should've tried harder, idiot."

  "I'm going to have a bruised shin now," he says with annoyance. "So thank you, dearest sister."

  Viserys stops talking and I see that everyone's eyes have gone to Lady Alicent as she enters the hall. Wearing green.

  She may as well have walked in bearing a sword. Alicent is declaring war. On Rhaenyra. On Rhaenyra being the heir.

  I'm angry. Of course I am. The heir to the throne is Rhaenyra. Alicent's children don't hold a candle to Rhaenyra.

  Everyone is watching her in shock. I send her a glare as she walks past me and sits beside her husband. I should've kept a closer eye on her. She was a young girl married off to a middle aged man. I should've cared for her like I cared for Rhaenyra. I almost feel responsible. She is alone, I know how it feels to be alone and I didn't do anything to help her.

  I look down at the floor in shame. It's not to late to help her. I know that. When I see people step onto the floor and start to dance, I know what I have to do.

  "Excuse me for a moment, my love," I whisper to Harwin before walking over to Alicent. She looks up at me. "My Queen, may I have a moment of your time."

  "Is it truly necessary," she says and I grab her by the arm and drag her into an empty corridor. "You cannot touch me, I am the queen. You would do well to remember that."

  "Alicent," I say. "I have failed you. You were a young girl and you needed the love of a mother. You were a child."

  "I'm not a child anymore," she says. "I am the queen, I am a mother. My son will be the next ruler of the seven kingdoms."

  "Rhaenyra is the heir," I grit out. "She was your friend once. I was your friend once."

  "But you chose Rhaenyra," she says. "You chose your blood, just as I am." She turns to walk away but then she pauses. "You caught me that day, in your brothers room. You could've stopped it. You could've saved it. Viserys would've listened to you. But you were too bitter to help anyone but yourself. You are selfish, Daerla. You always have been, always will be."

  She walks away and I'm left alone. That didn't go how I planned. I take a moment to gather myself before walking back into the hall.

I see Rhaenyra dancing with Ser Isaac Strong, Harwin's brother. I watch as Daemon interrupts them and starts having a conversation with her. I walk onto the daise, up to Harwin.

"Are you alright?" He asks and I look at Alicent who is sat looking miserable at the table. I remember her as a child, she was so happy. It hurts me to think that that child has grown into this woman.

I sit in my chair beside him. He looks over at me before pouring me some wine and handing it to me. I drink it in one go before handing it back to him. He smiles at me.

"Did you see your brother dancing with Rhaenyra?" I ask him and Harwin nods. "It seems the Targaryens have a thing for Strong men." He laughs and I smile at the gesture. He looks so beautiful when he laughs.

I hear a scream which instantly breaks my smile. I stand up out of my chair and try to look for where the screaming is coming from.

"Stay here," Harwin says before running off into the crowd. I see Rhaenyra being crushed in the crowd. Ser Isaac looks towards me and I motion my head towards her and he goes into the crowd. He punches through the crowd and reaches Rhaenyra. He throws her over his shoulder and wades through the crush. He puts her down on the daise and she falls into my arms.

"It's Ser Criston," she pants. "And Ser Joffrey." I see the chaos clear and that's when I see the body. It's face smashed in and Ser Criston continuously hitting him, even though it's clear he's dead. Harwin grabs Criston and pulls him off.

"Is he dead?" Rhaenyra asks as Ser Leonor crawls along the floor to Ser Joffrey. In that motion I see so much. In my cousins cry I understand, he loved Ser Joffrey.

"Yes," I respond. I look towards Alicent and see that she is already watching me. She looks jealous. I look away. I can't help her if she is planning to go against Rhaenyra. I choose Rhaenyra. I choose my blood.

A few moments later Rhaenyra and Leonor are facing one another. Viserys thought it would be best to get the wedding over with now. I think it was a poor idea. Leonor looks heartbroken and Ser Joffrey's blood is still pooled over the floor.

Harwin stands behind me with his arms around my waist and I'm trying everything I can to not look at the blood. So instead I stare at my feet.