"Princess!"
The two turned towards the sound, one of the maids loyal to Naenya was rushing towards the two at quickening speed.
Elden Baratheon had done many things the moment he stepped foot on Kingslanding soil, one of the most important being the finding of young men and women from within flea bottom, the ports and nearby villages, and giving them jobs in the Red Keep.
Elden Baratheon held a sort of charisma and likeability about him that seemed to make even the most cold-hearted of individuals warm to him. Elden had used such skills to seek out many of these men and women, plenty from despairing backgrounds, and helped them out of their bleak conditions by hiring them as cooks, maids, servants, stableboys and similar low positions in the Red Keep. Through such endeavours, these men and women fell into complete loyalty for Elden, especially after the many times Elden saved them from the cruel hands of certain guards and lords. Elden, with a charming smile, had handed the loyalty over to Naenya ensuring his wife had people within the Red Keep that would act as her eyes and ears until their death.
"Lucia, are you alright?" Naenya asked, reaching her hands out for the younger girl who came to a halt with a large huff, "You look as though you're about to collapse,"
Lucia was a young girl of thirteen that Elden had saved from the clutches of the Street of Silks. She seemed far too porcelain for the coldness of flea bottom, with her ivory white skin that was adorned with freckles and her velvety red hair.
"Yes, princess, I just-" Lucia paused, her hands falling to her knees as she caught her breath, "It's Rhaenyra, there are whispers she was..."
Lucia paused, her large eyes finally taking notice of Tyland Lannister. Standing up straight, she performed a clumsy curtsy.
"Leave us, Tyland,"
Tyland nodded, though his eyes betrayed a strong sense of curiosity. Naenya grimaced, while Tyland was a useful man to have around with his intelligence and strong understanding of politics he was also a man of insatiable curiosity. When there were things Tyland did not know, he would go to the end of the known world to find it out.
"I didn't see him, I'm sorry," Lucia said, glancing down at her dirtied shoes.
"That's alright Lucia," Naenya said softly, giving the girl a squeeze on the shoulder, "Now tell me what you know, and shall we head for my room so I can fetch you some water?"
Lucia nodded, swallowing hard at the mention of water. Naenya smiled, the girl had likely forgotten about fatigue in her frantic search and was only now experiencing it as she slowed down.
"Gregor, he's a stableboy your husband rescued from the same brothel he found me in. He's my age actually, he was always really sweet and he's got-" Lucia blushed, shaking her head as she focused back on her purpose, "Sorry. Anyways, he's been going down to flea bottom to give some of his payments to his close friend, she was recently pregn-"
"Lucia, what does this have to do with my sister?" Naenya asked.
"Sorry. Anyways, he saw her run out of a brothel on the street of silks," Lucia explained, her hands moving around as she spoke quickly, "So he went in to find out more, for you and Elden, and he found out she was seen trying to partake in activities there,"
Naenya's jaw clenched, as the grip she had on her dress tightened. Still, she did not pause as the two continued their walk.
"Was she with anyone?" Naenya asked quickly.
Lucia nodded, "Daemon Targaryen,"
Naenya finally halted, stopping abruptly in the middle of an emptied hall. Lucia paused with her, waiting for the princess's next instructions.
"Has she returned?" Naenya's voice was cold and steely.
"I'm not sure, Naenya," Lucia said, glancing around as though to look for Rhaenyra, "It seemed she was heading back to the Red Keep but I can-"
"Thank you, Lucia, I do appreciate you taking the time to tell me this," Naenya said, her breathing scarily even, "Please head up to my room, Elden should be in there with the twins. Let him know what you told me and that you were told to have some water and food in our room, do you like lemon cakes?"
"Oh yes, they're very nice-"
"Good, you should have some, there should also be sweetened cinnamon apples," Naenya spoke, slowly turning around, "I will be a moment, there are things I must attend to,"
Naenya paced back and forth in her chambers, anger rising and rising again. Each time her anger would come to a boil she would attempt to stuff it back down until it came to a boil yet again. The dance had been occurring since she had returned from her pathetic attempt to silence the rumours from the beginning.
An empty platter flew across the room and into a standing mirror, which shattered at the impact, as Naenya let out a scream. She had not been fast enough. Someone, someone with little time left of life once she found them, had informed Otto Hightower of the occurrences of last night.
"I had told him, I had told Daemon to stay away," Naenya bristled, pausing every once and a while to regain the slight composure she had left, "And he disobeyed me, he ignored me! How dare he. How dare he defy me in such a blatant show of disrespect!"
Lucia had been sent away as soon as Naenya entered the chambers bristling, leaving Elden to enjoy the remaining lemon cakes by himself. Naenya had hardly any time to converse with her husband before she was hurling items across the room in a fit of rage. Elden however, seemed entirely content to lounge shirtless on the velvet lounge chair.
"Had it been about anyone else, he would have listened to you," Elden said, moving a nearby tray away from Naenya's reach.
"But not Rhaenyra," Naenya said spitefully.
"Not Rhaenyra" Elden agreed, stretching his arms upwards as he stood, "We all have one fatal flaw, one thing that causes us to fall,"
Naenya scoffed, running a hand through her hair.
"And what of Rhaenyra?" Naenya shook her head, "I truly thought her smarter than this,"
Elden made his way behind Naenya, snaking his arms around her waist as he peppered her shoulder with soft butterfly kisses. Soon, his lips travelled upwards towards her neck as he hummed against her grumbles.
"Your family is made of fire, wild and unpredictable fire," Elden murmured, his voice hot against her ear, "It's difficult to control unless you understand what causes the fires, unless you work with the fire,"
Naenya sighed deeply, turning around to face her husband. Elden grinned, resting his thumb gently but firmly on her chin as he began to trail kisses along her jaw. A smile slipped onto Naenya's face as she watched her husband begin to lead her towards the nearby table. He was caging her in, as her lower back hit the wood of their dining table.
"You're distracting me," Naenya murmured, lifting herself onto the table as Elden's hands leaned on her thighs as he focused on her collarbone, "I need to-"
"Deal with your family, yes," Elden agreed, pausing slightly, "Do you have a plan? Other than yelling?"
Naenya frowned, staring over Elden's shoulder with narrowed eyes. Elden's long fingers reached towards her hair, pulling the pins that had been painfully placed in her head to let her white hair cascade down her shoulders.
"They're both responsible," Naenya said, pinching the bridge of her nose, "And absolutely insane,"
"Rhaenyra's only semi-responsible, and Daemon's only semi-insane," Elden grinned, pulled Naenya closer to him by her legs, "You're bewitching when you're angry, do you know that?"
Naenya shook her head with a smile, rolling her eyes at Elden's lustful and conspiring gaze. Naenya had quickly learnt how much scheming and conspiring seemed to turn her husband on. Anytime Naenya had come to Elden to discuss problems with the council, had called for Elden to discuss potential problems with specific Lords or Ladies and how they would deal with it, or when Elden had come to her with new ideas to bring in allies, Elden always held this spark in his eyes.
"You're annoying me," Naenya said, playfully pushing Elden's face away, "Did Lucia mention anything else to you?"
"Yes, actually," Elden grinned as his eyes darted downwards. From his position, he was perfectly situated to glance down her dress, "Do I get something for it?"
Naenya let out a small chuckle, grabbing Elden's chin and forcing his eyes to hers, "You get to marry me,"
"Already have that, next," Elden said, smiling as Naenya pushed his chest only to become more serious as he remembered what was told to him, "They didn't have sex,"
Naenya straightened up, moving closer to her husband as she grabbed the sides of his torso, "Truly?"
"No one can prove she's lost her virginity," Elden confirmed, seemingly happy with Naenya's praise.
Naenya let out a gleeful sound, rewarding her husband with a deep kiss. Only when Naenya pulled away did Elden groan, as he stepped away to let her stand up.
"I need to go speak with her," Naenya said, smoothing out her dress, "This can be saved, I can save this,"
"Be careful," Elden warned, walking over to their bed and falling back on it, "Do not let your own fire control you, Rhaenyra will not respond positively to intense anger,"
Naenya turned towards Elden with a steadfast look, "I can promise I will not just shout at her,"
author typing...
Watch Naenya just shout at her.
Naenya about her family right now: