𝐑𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐝𝐞 ━━ HOUSE OF THE DRAGON

𝐱𝐯. 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭

(thank you for 1k votes. remember to vote on each chapter!)

warnings: mentions of death and grief!

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"YOU'VE been preoccupied, father," Daenys stated, dragging her eyes to his as they stood out on the green.

Daemon corrected, "Grieving."

"Avoiding."

A humourless laugh escaped the Prince as he leant against a cobbled wall and stared at his eldest daughter. Sleep had yet to return to her eyes as he caught her idly walking through the halls of Driftmark, but that was not all. Whispers carried through the island, and his eyes had confirmed what had been said. The Lady has been seen fraternizing with Prince Aemond Targaryen: his nephew, son of a Hightower, and a leach in his eyes. Aemond would stare at his daughter with a look that held so many words.

"He's fond of you, that boy," said Daemon, as if the Prince was small folk and not his nephew. 

Daenys glanced away, feeling the heat rising to her cheeks, "I know."

"Why do you waste your time on him?"

"Because he's kind," Daenys caressed her hands. She remembered that Callus littered over his fingers.

Daemon couldn't help but smile at her naivety, "My sweet girl, no one is kind."

Her face fell, "You say I am."

He countered with a nod, "You are also spoilt."

"Such insults wound me." She feigned offence as her violet eyes saw her uncle with squires, one in particular started at him with tenderness, Ser Qarl she believed was his name.

Daemon straightened up, "A boy must be kind to win your heart?"

"No, they must be pretty."

"And why is that?" a smirk teased his lips.

"I do not wish to be scared every time I gaze upon them."

"And what if they have scars from battle? It would be unbecoming if they did not," Daemon took a few steps towards his daughter.

"Scars are pretty, they tell stories," her fingers traced over her scarred palms before her hands dropped to her sides. "They hold history."

"That they do," he agreed, joining her, watching some Velaryon knights train with Laenor watching.

Daemon fought the urge to join in, his hands itched to be active as his heart was torn and emotions pulled him in various directions, a feeling he was not fond of. And so he needed a cup in his hand, or to unsheath Dark Sister. At times he felt empty, and he had an inkling that the emptiness had been passed down to his eldest daughter.

It gnawed at them both, but she was far too young to experience such confusion, such void.

"You question Prince Aemond's appeal, as if he's unsightly, what do you think of my uncle Laenor's children?" she dared to ask, as they were alone.

Daemon looked down at her, "They are Targaryens."

"They're brown-haired and plain-featured, traits that don't match someone of Valyrian blood," a cunning tone clung to her voice...it was inherited. "Think of our children," she jested.

He chuckled, "They'd certainly lack your determination. Terrible."

"I'll be positively bereft," he raised an amused brow at her response, reminding me of words he'd once said.

"But the Hightowers..." he trailed off, capturing her attention. When her head raised, a ringlet fell out of place, Daemon caught it between his fingers, "You should steer clear of them."

Daenys rapidly blinked, "I don't like the Hand."

His jaw clenched at the mention of the man, "The Hand, Aemond, They're nothing to gaze upon." Aegon and Daeron hadn't registered in his mind. But the Rogue Prince was familiar with the ambition of the second son, it was nothing short of deadly. Daemon wanted nothing more than to tell his daughter not to engage Prince Aemond, that she should maintain her distance and so he did. "The boy will bore you. Think of them like elephants in Cyvasse."

Her head tilted to the side, "Because there are so many of them?"

"No, because only Dragons can take them off the board," he dropped the strand but traced a finger over her cheek, "So keep your distance. I would hate for my daughter to become so... simple-minded with company like that."

"And Jace and Luke Velaryon?" she asked, watching as his hand dropped to his baldric, "I've heard the idle gossip, and if it's true, then wouldn't I be entitled to Driftmark? Luke would be taking my future throne," her eyes linger on his eyes, hoping to see a sign, confirmation of the truth. "Shouldn't I see him as another elephant?"

"He's a Targaryen," Daemon decided to repeat, earning a sigh.

"And so you've said," she took a step back, "I'm off to find Grandmother, she suggested that we spend some time together."

His tongue grazed the side of his cheek, "Daenys..."

"I told her of my favourite flower, she said to wants to acquire its seeds so I can plant them in the gardens."

"Your Grandmother is a clever and capable woman."

"Fierce and fearless, like mother," she uttered, eyes dropping at the mention of her late mother. Daemon took a step forward but she shook her head. "I hope the roses flourish here."

"The climate here is not nearly as cold as needs be," he did not want her getting her hopes up.

Daenys stiffened, "Well, Grandmother promised to show me and the twins portraits of Mother."

"Your mother was a beauty and she remained that way until the end."

"You slaughtered a man to marry mother, did you not?"

Daemon wondered where she apprehended that piece of truth, seven fucking hells. "I saved your mother from a dull and uneventful marriage to a man who was unequipped and beneath her."

"And then she went on to have a happy and fruitful union with you," A merry glint shone in her eyes, drawing Daemon to look away. "Kepa..." she found herself saying, "I have time before I join Grandmother. Shall we go and ride Caraxes?"

"I can't," her expression fell, and Daemon cleared his throat, "You'll do well to stand by what I said."

And with that he walked off without turning back, choosing to keep his gaze to the ground than see the frown deepening on his daughter's face.

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a/n:

i hope it's clear that daenys doesn't think of rhae's kids differently, nor does she hate them, but considering the various whispers she's been hearing, she's trying to choose carefully when discussing what she already suspects. and then deduce when she isn't the number one claimant to the driftmark throne. it's confusion mixed with a sense of injustice for her.

how are people finding daenys and daemon's relationship?