𝐂 𝐇 𝐀 𝐏 𝐓 𝐄 𝐑 𝐄 𝐈 𝐆 𝐇 𝐓
𝙒𝙀 𝙇𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙒𝘼𝙔
There is a resounding level of bravery to be found in being a person who believes in the light, even when they can not see.
It's not weak, it's courage.
We are taught that when a man falls he stands up and fights back. For his family, for his home, or his pride. When we women fall we are taught to stay still. Waiting for a knight in shining armor to save us from ourselves.
As my mother used to say I'm not the kind of person who starts problems, I'm the person who knows how they will end.
When it comes to wars, kingdoms, or powerful houses it's not the man the mastermind, it's the woman. We are raised to know them, to satisfy them. We know what they want, what people want.
I knew my father's priority was to marry Rhaenyra and me to some powerful man. It's part of our birthright as he would say. But it doesn't define me.
Queen Aemma Targaryen fought for her life during our birth not to rise spoiled and naive girls. To raise the future Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and her powerful Lady Hand.
To take whatever we want with fire and blood.
The maids run a warm bath for me. Warm was being modest, it was boiling. The semitransparent steam danced across the ceiling of my chamber. With slow movements of my fingers, I was creating a mesmerizing representation of dragons that flew over me and ladies dancing in a circle around the edge of the bathtub.
"When I thought you couldn't impress me even more you go and prove me wrong." A low and deep voice whispered in my ear.
I closed my eyes at the feeling of soft lips leaving a trail of kisses on my wet neck. His long hand cupped my warm cheek.
"Will you ever stop using the secret passages?" I giggled because of the tickling that his caresses caused me.
"Never." He whispered in the crown of my head before leaving a soft kiss.
I took his hand on mine while I observed him get the small chair that the maids left close to my bath in case I needed it after it. He settled the chair the closest he could to me. We were facing each other. His hand traced invisible lines up and down the leg I had out of the tub.
"I brought you something."
It was an antiquated book. Its cover was made of leather and its pages were slightly brown and broken.
"Ānogar ānograro," I said, the gem of my fingertips caressing the golden ink, "Blood of my blood."
"It was written by the old sorceress of Old Valyria─"
"With their blood." I irrupted him to which he smiled brightly.
"My mother kept it as one of her most precious objects." He said, his stare speaking more than what he wanted to. "She would always find joy when Viserys or I asked anything about our ancestors."
"She must have been such an inspiring woman," I whispered in awe crawling closer to his body. "Father always told Rhaenyra and me stories about her. How she was so fierce, wise, and strong."
"She indeed was." He whispered, eyes locking on mine and caressing the apple of my cheeks. "She would have loved you. You remind me of her."
"Is that good?" I whispered with a smirk plastered that slowly turned into a loving smile.
If someone had seen us, they would have sworn it looked like the tales Lord Corlys would tell about the mysteries of the deep ocean he so dearly wandered. The tales he would tell of enchanting women with tails that tried to seduce his men into the water and drew them.
My left hand caressed his jaw and played with his short locks. Men, he was leaning as much as his position let him, his nose nuzzling against mine.
"You have bewitched me." He whispered in a husky, lower and deep voice. "What are you doing to me, ñuha jorrāelagon?"
I connected our lips in a gentle but passionate kiss. His hands roomed to my neck and waist as mine drew him impossibly closer to me by the neck almost pulling him underwater with me.
"Avy jorrāelan." He whispered against my lips as we parted slightly to catch our breath.
I gazed up at his intimate and loving eyes. I nuzzled my nose against his without breaking eye contact and pulled him again in a deep, lustful, and passionate kiss after pulling him underwater with me.
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"Mals!"
Bizarre moments like those healed my pained soul and heart. Spending afternoons walking along Rhaenyra by the sunsets of King's Landing or making love with Daemon under the light of the candles and thousands of stars.
"Nyra!" I giggled running towards her, soon I was enveloped in a warm and caring hug.
"Gods, finally we are having a sister day!" She exclaimed excitedly. "I have planned plenty of things."
"Care to share, dear sister?" I
"First we will traditionally sneak in the Small Council, later we will go to the kitchens and then we will hunt some knight?" She explained passionately.
"Hunt some knights?" I giggled sending her a look. "Nyra, did you hit your head while riding Syrax?"
"Trust me on this one!" She laughed while hugging my side. "It's not what you think."
"And what do you think I am thinking?" I asked innocently with a playful smirk.
"What I know you are thinking." She said with a knowing look pushing me playfully with her hip.
"Tell me, Nyra, how was the last year of the tour?" I asked thoughtfully glancing her way.
"Oh", she said, "It was okay."
"Why are you blushing, Nyra?" I smirked observing her chrisom apple cheeks. "Perhaps something happened with some handsome knight?"
"Stop it!" She exclaimed bewildered. She was such a blushing mess. "It may be true..."
"What dear sister?" I pushed giggling. "I am curious about what you may be implying."
"Ser Criston Cole, the handsome Dornish knight and I may have grown close during the journey back from tour." She beamed shyly while playing with the rings of her fingers.
"I'm happy for you, Nyra." I trumpeted with excited claps while jumping up and down.
"Now, it's your turn!" She said, "What's going on between Daemon and you?"
As comically as it sounds, we switched roles and at that moment I was the bewildered and blushing mess now. She gazed at me with a knowing look and a playful smirk plastered on her lips.
"Can I tell you a secret, Nyra?" I whispered with reddened cheeks as she nodded enthusiastically. "Name one Targaryen who was happy."
She considered thousands of possible persons along our family tree. Many of them had joyful moments such as their happy weddings, the birth of their children, or even when Aegon The Conqueror become the King of the Seven Kingdoms. But those were moments, some happy memories but with their life, they weren't happy at all.
"You can't," I said leaning towards her.
"I can't."
"I know. They never let you be a Targaryen and happy." I smiled widely. "I will tell you the secret."
"Tell me." I loved when she was like this, so eager of knowing about my deepest thoughts.
"I'm going to be first," I said taking her palm and holding it close to my beating heart. "Swear it."
"Why me?"
"Because you will help me. Swear it."
"I swear it." She said firmly.
Sometimes the kindest souls you know have lived in a world that was not so kind to them. Some of the best human beings you know have been through so much at the hands of others, and they still love deeply, they still care. Sometimes, it's the people who have been hurt the most who refuse to be hardened in this world, because they will never want to make another person feel the same way they have felt.
As much as I wanted to hate her for the following events I wish the gods would have prevented me. I couldn't hate her, I wasn't able to inflict her the same pain she caused me. I still loved her so dearly. She was my sister, after all, my future Queen and one of the people I trusted the most.
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I waited.
I waited for a long hour for Daemon in the Dragon's Pit. He promised to go with me on a flight during the astonishing midnight.
Caraxes nuzzled his snout on my middle gently. His hot scales warmed my cold body from the freezing night. At his right, Draxas and Baelon played with the bones of their recent feast.
"Princess," Ser Harwin made himself known.
He was wearing his Golden Cloak armor. His helmet is under his left arm. His wild curls were slightly messed up and wet from the sweat. I will never forget the look in his eyes. The sadness, the petty he felt for me at that right moment.
"The Prince Daemon won't come," he whispered letting out a shaky breath.
"Why, Ser Harwin?" I asked innocently.
"I just have seen him," he spoke hesitantly "He was with Princess Rhaenyra."
I smiled at him quite confused. I wasn't understanding. I was too naive, too young, too foolish, and too stupid. Too in love to understand.
But my heart panged from his choice. My heart was saddened by knowing he chose to spend the night with her when he already promised to stay with me.
"They were seen in a pleasure house together."
There I knew I lost him, my sister, and everything I was willing to fight for. The happiness I promised to cherish to Rhaenyra, and I found myself. And somehow that was everything.