Stranger - hotd Cregan Stark

10

Valaena screamed and cried, arguing that none of that would ever happen, and that she was to marry Aemond, and how it wasn't fair how she had been raised so far away from her fanily, for all of it to be in vain. She came up with a million solutions. Urging her mother that she and Aemond would move away from the Capital, that they couldn't interfere that her mother would be Queen. But still they refused. Otto and Alicent Hightower would use whatever means they had. There was no way around it.

The crying and arguing went on for an hour, and eventually Valaena tried to storm out, only for Daemon to guard the door, reminding her that they needed to talk this out.

Valaena had grown desperate, eventually confessing that Aemond had to marry her as he had taken her maidenhood. To which Daemon threw a cup across the room and the Princess started crying louder. She screamed that perhaps if they had fought harder to let them keep her, then perhaps she would have complied and married whomever they wanted her without a second thought.

Valaena pushed her face into the breakfast table as spilled wine dripped across her skirts. Crying softly, her ahoulder shaking, breath hiccuping as if she were a small child.

"We... we expected to find trouble with arranging a good betrothal, because of how long you remained betrothed to my half-brother." Confessed Rhaenyra as he reached put a hand to touch her daughter's arm. Valaena flinched away, glaring at her mother instead. Who exchanged a worried look with her husband.

"We've arranged for you to wed Cregan Stark, in six days time to quell any rumors." Finished Daemon without emotion.

The hall fell silent, and Valaena swallowed, "Are you not all going to be present for my wedding then?"

"I'm pregant, heavily pregant Val, but I'll be there, as will Jacaerys and Lucerys. I- I am so sorry Valaena, I've only ever wanted the best for you. But us Princesses do not get many choices."

Valaena shook her head, letting out a bitter laugh. "I'm not going."

"You will." Exclaimed Daemon angrily. "We understand that this is difficult, we do. But you must understand that we've got little choice Valaena. They are conspiring against us. They want to take the throne, and we might as well hand it to them with you on their side."

"But I would never bend the knee to Aegon!" Exclaimed Valaena, her eyes pleading with tears once again. "I wouldn't! I'd rather-"

"But your children would, and your husband will. We need an ally Valaena, and the Starks will be a -"

"I don't fucking care!"

"You're going, we're leaving and you're doing as you're told."

"So I'm not even allowed to bid Aemond farewell?"

"You've done more than enough damage giving him your maiden-"

"Oh shut up!" Exclaimed Valaena angeily as she slammed her fist down.

"These past years, I've been raised to become Aemond's wife, every stupid lesson Alicent had put me through has been to prepare for this marriage, and I hated the thought and now that I love him. You tell me that I am to marry another man in six days time? Don't do this to me..."

"Don't talk to your mother like that." Hissed Daemon as he angrily grabbed Valaena by her arm.

Valaena shuddered as tears formed in Rhaenyra's eyes. She frowned at her mother before getting to her feet. "I'll do my duty, but do not expect me to...."

Valaena fell silent as she looked at the broken dishes on the table, she shook her head, walking away as her body shook with more tears. Not finishing her sentence.