Reputation // Daemon Targaryen // Viserys Targaryen

55. Lonely Prospect

'Daemon, he would venture off, abroad, winning tournaments...'

'No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.' Daemon said immediately a smile on his face

'I will not revisit this debate. You two were always mother's favorite.' Viserys told him. 'No, it's no great mystery. Mother adored you both, Davina was her angel her little golden girl and you were her golden son."

"I was." Davina agreed, "But she didn't know half the shit we got up to." Davina added softly. Viserys ran a calming hand over her back as she leaned into him, she refused to look at Daemon. Refused, although he couldn't take his eyes off of her.

'You were.' Viserys assured 'Our mother, she had no regard for custom or tradition, rules. And I, sadly, was no great warrior.'

"You don't have to be a great warrior to be a great king." Davina told him confidently.

"Thank you love." Viserys saw Daemon grit his teeth as Viserys kissed Davina, But Daemon held his tongue, he was making peace he couldn't do that if he lashed out and stole Davina away. Couldn't do that if he killed Viserys either so he was stuck biting his tongue.

'Congratulations on your victory, uncle.' Rhaenyra said walking up to her family.

'Thank you, Princess.' Daemon said kindly.

'Perhaps Rhaenyra would care for a tour of the gallery? You have not yet seen the new tapestries gifted to Viserys by Norvos and Qohor.' Davina offered, anything to run away from Daemon right now.

'I'd like to see them.' Rhaenyra agreed.

'Oh, well, then you should not deprive yourself.' Viserys told her bitterly. He wasn't happy about her early return with no husband to be. Davina pinched his waist as she pulled away from him.

"Let's go now then?" Davina suggested hooking her arm with Rhaenyra's, Viserys and Daemon pined after Davina as she left.

'I surmise the tour did not go well.' Davina remarked as they walked through the gallery.

'I endured it for as long as I could.' Rhaenyra told her softly. "I wish you were there." Rhaenyra added.

"I would have burned the contenders to the ground." Davina told her bluntly.

"Would have been an improvement." Rhaenyra assured and Davina chuckled.

"Oh that's a pretty one, I don't see the tapestries anymore, they are just there..." Davina admitted her hand trailing down the frayed edge.

"Davina." She looked to Rhaenyra. "I hate the tour."

"I would too...' Davina agreed. 'To have every young knight and lord in the Seven Kingdoms fawning over you... What misery. It is rare for girls in this realm to get a choice between two suitors, no less two score of them.' Davina added with a sly smile.

'Those men and boys don't fawn over me. They only want my name and my Valyrian blood for their offspring.' Rhaenyra corrected

"How romantic, they want your blood.' Davina chuckled pulling her along.

'How romantic it must be to get imprisoned in a castle and made to squeeze out heirs.' Rhaenyra heard it as she said and looked over at Davina. 'Sorry.' She murmured patting Davina's stomach and Davina laughed out.

"I'm actually liking this mothering thing." Davina admitted. "I didn't think I would be any good at it but... they are fun." Davina admitted honestly. "I like them, I like that I made them and they are my little monsters or angels in the making."

"Only you would call your own children monsters." Rhaenyra remarked.

"Or Angels." Davina reiterated. "Alyssa has grown fond of bugs since you left, Aegon is adorable but I can tell he is going to be a shit."

"Aunt Davina!'

"What? All children got through a shit phase, Daemon is still going through a shit phase it seems he never grew out of it." Davina said nonchalantly.

"You mad hes back?'

"I love Viserys." Davina told her.

"Are you mad Daemon is back?" Rhaenyra repeated.

"I am happy with Viserys and I am happy with our children and I am happy... I am happy." Davina told her sincerely.

"but?"

"But Daemon is a cunt and I want to burn him but I cant." Davina admitted.

"I'm sorry Auntie."

"Me too but perhaps we can try and be civil, for Viserys sake." Davina offered.

"You don't want him back?" Davina tilted her head in contemplation.

"He broke me." Davina reminded her. "He is good at getting what he wants and stomping on everyone else to get it." Davina told her gently. "I'm happy with Viserys."

'How angry is he?'

'Vis went through great effort to arrange your tour. He is... frustrated. But I am glad you are home.' Davina told her 'I find I have... few real friends lately, Harwin is great, you met Ser Harwin? I think you would like him." Davina offered. "But otherwise, I don't know I guess I never had any friends just family... Daemon was my whole world and I used to be trouble, I was just Davina but... all anyone sees when they look at me now is "The Queen." Davina remarked. "It is less fun to be trouble when no one makes a fuss." Davina admitted.

"I missed you."

"And I you." Davina agreed.

+

Daemon stood basking in the sun when Rhaenyra found him.

"You seemed so content on Dragonstone.' She remarked. 'Why did you come back?' he opened his eyes and looked down at her. 'There is surely more to your return than simply taunting my father and Davina.' She remarked. 'So... what do you want?' Rhaenyra questioned.

'Only the comforts of home.' Daemon assured as he moved to a buffet line and started picking at the food. Comforts of getting Davina back would be nice too but one step at a time.

'I had not thought you particularly comfortable in this home. Though I do suppose you seem changed by your adventures. More mature, perhaps.' Rhaenyra offered

'You've matured yourself these last four years, Princess.' Daemon told her 'You'll get used to the attention.'

'The attention I can endure. It's the rest I could do without. My father seems content to sell me off to whichever lord has the biggest castle.'

'There are worse things to be sold for.' Daemon remarked sitting down. "marriage is only a political arrangement.' He informed her. "Once you are wed you can do as you like.'

'For men marriage might be a political arrangement.' She corrected 'but for women it is like a death sentence.'

"It doesn't seem to be for Davina." Daemon remarked.

"She is happy with my father." Rhaenyra agreed. "She is a good queen." Daemon nodded stiffly. "But not all marriages can be so lucky, it will be a prison for me."

'Would that it were. I would have been rid of my bronze bitch ages ago.' Daemon told her. He handed over his glass, she looked down at it.

"Your wife has been fortunate,' she remarked taking a drink and Daemon chuckled 'you have not put a child in her.'

'Oh...' Daemon mused. 'I doubt a child would grow in such a hostile environment.' He mused.

'My mother was made to produce heirs until it killed her.' Rhaenyra reminded him. "I wont subject myself to the same.'

'What happened to your mother was a tragedy.' Daemon confirmed. 'But this is a tragic world. You cannot live your life in hear or you will forsake the best parts of it.' Daemon told her confidently.

"I have no desire to live in fear. Only solitude.' Rhaenyra corrected.

'Such a lonely prospect.' Daemon remarked seeing Davina across the courtyard. "Excuse me."