BLOOD WARS | D. Targaryen

vii.

Her eyes drifted over to Selena. Was this how she always felt? Did she ache with loneliness when she saw Rhaenys and Elia? Did she long for the mother she had hardly known as well? The difference was that Daenerys had Rhaegar and Viserys to tell her about their mother. Selena had no one.

Perhaps she had been too harsh on her.

Selena was alone in King's Landing and she'd be alone in Storm's End as well. That wasn't something to be grateful for.

"Shall we begin the tourney?" she heard her brother say as he arrived in the box. He approached the edge, a charming smile on his face, "Lords and Ladies! Thank you for gathering for this momentous occasion! For the next five days, we celebrate the engagement of my son and heir to Lady Margaery of House Tyrell!"

She notices an uneasy shared gaze between Rhaenys and Elia but says nothing. Were they against the engagement?

"Let the jousting begin!" Rhaegar shouts.

Viserys puts his helmet on, a determined look on his face. He's going up against Margaery's older brother, Garlan. While Viserys looks determined, Garlan looks calm and collected, as though it doesn't matter whether he wins or loses.

"Viserys is going to lose," Rhaenys states from beside Elia.

"He's been training," Elia tells her, "Don't count him out so easily."

Daenerys watches as Garlan and Viserys ride past each other during the first past and is surprised to see Viserys's lance making contact with Garlan's shield, knocking the knight to the ground. Viserys takes off his helmet, shaking his silver hair free. He grins over at Selena's box and she already knows who he's looking at.

"That will be his downfall," Rhaegar mutters from behind her. She turns to look at him and her brother's indigo eyes meet her own.

"What will be?" Daenerys asks Rhaegar.

"Nothing," Rhaegar tells her. Everything on Rhaegar seems to soften as he looks at her, "Are you enjoying the festivities so far?"

Daenerys nods, "Everything is lovely."

"Glad you think so," Rhaegar smiles, "Steffon Lannister is at court, perhaps I could introduce you?"

Daenerys's eyes drift over to Rhaenys, but there's no hint of emotion on her face, in fact, she doesn't even look at Daenerys or Rhaegar. She instead keeps her eyes on the next riders, which happens to be Jon and Willas.

"If you think that is a good idea," Daenerys says. In all honesty, she didn't care much for marrying, not in the way that Rhaenys did. When it was time for her to marry, then Rhaegar would make her a match of someone that was worthy of her.

"Then it's settled," Rhaegar tells her with a smile.

Jon's armor had always fascinated Daenerys. It was black, but there was no dragon on it like Viserys, instead, there was a wolf. Targaryen colors with a Stark sigil. He paid homage to the side of himself that he had yet to truly discover. Daenerys wonders if he'd rather be in Winterfell right now with his mother.

"Jon will win," Rhaegar narrates, "Willas Tyrell is a sloppy rider. Almost damaged his leg in a match against your brother."

Elia hums in response, "Oberyn did tell me about that."

Rhaegar and Elia share a look. The queen's eyes are as cold as ice and Rhaegar's eyes seemed equally as cold. There was no love between the two of them, not anymore. They were simply keeping up appearances, you were a fool to think anything else.

The royal box was far too tense. Daenerys looked over at Missandei who also seemed to share in her sentiment.

"Can we be excused?" Daenerys asks Rhaegar.

"Of course," he tells her, and Daenerys smiles thankfully at him before rushing down the stairs and leaning against a wooden beam. She had never seen the cracks in her family, but now it seemed that they were everywhere. Was this a consequence of change?

"Are you alright?" Missandei asks and Daenerys nods as she exhales.

"I'm sorry, I'm sure you wanted to watch the rest of the tournament," Daenerys apologizes and Missandei smiles at her.

"Not at the cost of your discomfort," Missandei tells her, "Besides, there's always tomorrow."

"Thank you," Daenerys says before getting an idea, "Actually, we could sit with Selena and her ladies."

"Would you be comfortable with that?" Missandei asks her and Daenerys shrugs.

"Only one way to find out," Daenerys says as she walks over to the box that held the Tyrells as well as Selena and her ladies. They sat in the very back so they could whisper amongst each other without disturbing those that sat in front of them.

"Is it alright if we join you?" Daenerys asks and the five women share glances with each other. Selena looks at Daenerys curiously before nodding her head and scooting over, creating room for her and Missandei.

Daenerys sits beside her and glances over at Selena with a tiny smile, "Thank you."

"What brings you down here?" Selena asks in a low whisper.

Daenerys really doesn't want to give Selena the satisfaction of knowing that there are issues in her family, but she wants to confide in her. She wants to be her friend, and if she's being honest with herself, that's what she's wanted her entire life, for Selena to like her.

"Things were tense with Elia and Rhaegar," Daenerys says, watching as Jon and Willas get on their horses.

Selena's lips quirk up in a small smile, "Things are always tense when they're in the same room."

"Why did you talk to us this morning?" Daenerys asks and Selena looks at her, quirking an eyebrow.

"Am I not allowed to speak with you?" Selena teases.

"I mean you've never wanted to before," Daenerys says, "So forgive me if I'm a bit confused."

Selena exhales, "I've grown tired of hating you. I'm going home soon and I've realized that I've never truly given you a chance."

"Wait," Daenerys says unable to help the girlish giggle that escapes her, "Are you asking to be my friend?"

Selena scoffs, "You're getting ahead of yourself, Princess. I'm simply saying that you won't have to dodge arrows any time soon."

Daenerys can't help but laugh at that, "Fair, and I do owe you an apology. I can't imagine what it must be like, spending your entire life in King's Landing alone, or what it'll be like in Storm's End."

Daenerys watches as the walls Selena built fall away for a moment, unable to believe what she's hearing. However, it's gone just as quickly as it came. There's a smirk on Selena's lips as she averts her gaze back to the match.

"Was that a royal apology?" Selena asks, "You know how much I love those."

Daenerys rolls her eyes, "It was the first and last royal apology you'll receive from me."

"That's fine," Selena tells her with a smile.

Daenerys finds herself unable to tear her eyes away from Selena. The small smile painted on her lips was something that Daenerys rarely go to see up close. She had also never been the cause of a genuine smile on Selena's lips and she liked it.

"Seems Jon won, just like expected," Ashara says, breaking Daenerys from her stare. She had missed the entire match between Jon and Willas, not that she minded.

"Aegon is next," Allara says, "He'll win."

Selena glances over at Daenerys and smiles kindly at her, "Will you be joining us for the rest of the tournament?"

"If it isn't a bother," Daenerys says, and Selena shakes her head.

"It isn't," Selena answers quickly and Daenerys can't help but wonder if perhaps Selena had felt the same way that she did. That she had always wanted to be friends as well.

"Then I'd love too," Daenerys says with a smile, one that Selena returns.