CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
DAEMON watched his wife from across the room, upon entering their chambers he stopped when he noticed his wife still laying in bed — it was midday.
The events of the previous night left her disheartened. She didn't want to pick sides and she wasn't going to but what kind of mother . . . what kind of person would she be if she let Alicent do something she would come to regret or worse, killed? Hence why she stepped in the way.
"Rose, love", Daemon strolled forward to see her looking ahead of her blankly, watching the beads of sunlight coming through. "You should have something to eat, this isn't good for you . . . or for the babe".
"The babes fine", she croaked, "I just want to be alone". Daemon stroked her hair back and nodded, lifting her hand to kiss it before standing to leave room and head toward the kitchens to have something made for his wife when she was ready.
Roseva laid peacefully in her bed, the covers hiding her body was from the world as she stared into the nothingness. She felt a lot of regret and grief over what had happened.
But she was only human and humans made mistakes, she didn't want that to be held against her.
A knock on the door made her groan, "What?", she called and shifted to see who had come in when the door opened. She turned to see Steffon with a small smile.
"Cousin, a boy is here for you. He says his name is Rewan — you know him?", Steffon watched as Roseva blinked and sat up.
Rewan was the little boy who came to her chambers one night and told her of the affair Otto was having behind her back, she told him when she was leaving that if he was ever in danger go to Driftmark and ask for princess Rhaenys — knowing Lord Corlys and Rhaenys were the kindest and would allow him to stay in Driftmark until they were able to contact Roseva.
The woman got up from the bed, Steffon helped her put her dress over her shift and brush her messy hair — he often did that when he was a child because of Roseva's trouble sleeping, it soothed her.
Roseva walked down the hall in a hurry and pushed open the throne room hall that held Lord Corly's chair, she turned the corner to see the Lord and Princess with the small boy.
"Little dove?", she called and the ginger—haired boy turned to face her with a big smile.
"Lady Roseva", he ran toward her and she opened her arms and let him fall into them.
Roseva cared deeply for the children who were spying for her, even now while she was living in Pentos or in Driftmark — she had spies and they were payed generously by Steffon who took the children under his care after she left but he never met Rewan, he was too loyal to Roseva to suddenly trust the man.
"What has happened? Are you hurt?", she asked the boy and held him arm—length from her and checked his body and face but he shook his head, his curls bouncing in the movement.
"No, lady Roseva. I was in danger, I came here like you said", the boy stumbled over his words, Roseva had tried teaching him some better English but he could never really get the hang of it.
Roseva furrowed her brows, "Why are you in danger, little dove?".
"Someone took me in my sleep, Lady, and threw me into these pits. The children's pits. They make us fight . . . to death".
Roseva's face paled and she swallowed harshly, she turned to Steffon who also seem to grow rather sick upon hearing the words, "Have you heard of such pits?", she asked him but he shook his head. The time he had spent on Kings Landing was always by Rhaenyra's side, he never ventured further than that.
"I have", princess Rhaenys spoke and Roseva stood to her fall height and held the boy by his shoulders to her chest — he was a tall lad now compared to what he was when he was a child. "It's brutal and unseemly. But the children do fight to the death. I spoke with Viserys once about having them banned but he said the Kingdom wouldn't be able to afford to feed it's people if they took away their sources of income outside of the Kingdom".
Roseva held Rewan tighter and shook her head, "Vile. Rewan, you will stay with me and my family".
The boy looked at her, "I can't stay for free".
"And you wouldn't be, you will be trained to be a Knight and when that is done you will protect my children as their sworn guard".
"I like that, Lady Roseva", the boy smiled and as did she but then her face fell when she looked at Steffon.
"You will hold no titles, nor lands . . . nor father any children", she looked away from Steffon when he looked down and turned to the boy who was listening. "Do you understand? If you wish for these then I can place you somewhere else".
"No, Lady Roseva. I will do my duty to you", Rewan then stood tall and nodded making her smile.
Roseva looked to Lord Corlys and Rhaenys who nodded, "Fine agreement, this is", Corlys clapped and stood from his seat and held her shoulder in comfort before leaving the room.
"Come, little dove. I have so much to show you", she took his hand and followed Lord Corlys out.
The boy looked around the building in intrigue it made her heart blossom but she stopped dead in her tracks upon seeing Alicent. Her face fell as did the Queens. Roseva looked at her for two moments before looking down at her red scar on her arm.
"I'm . . . so sorry, mother", Alicent said but made no movement. The Queen had tossed and turned all night, remembering her mothers words echoing in her head and the look on her face when she saw the cut on her arm.
"We will speak no more of it", Roseva spoke quietly as she blinked away her tears, "I understand why but this hatred you have inside of you is only going to get you killed", she then walked passed her, hands nearly touching but both too scared to reach out . . . so they didn't.
⸺
Once Roseva introduced Rewan to her children, Daeron and Robert began training with him as Rhaegar and Rhaena sat together watching them.
The woman stepped outside for fresh air to see the Kings Ship in the distance returning back to Kings Landing. She heard quiet voices and walked down the cobblestone steps to see Rhaenyra, Steffon and Daemon talking amongst themselves but stopped when they saw her.
"What is the matter?", she asked and joined her husbands side, his arm came around and wrapped around her waist. Rhaenyra looked met Steffon's eyes and nodded.
"Laenor . . . needs to go", he spoke plainly and Roseva looked at him confusion.
"Go? Where? I'll make him some biscuits for his travels", Roseva said and went to walk away but Daemon pulled her back by her waist gently which made her even more confused.
"No, Rose, like go", Daemon said this time and her face fell.
"No! Absolutely not. This— we cannot speak of this", the woman looked between the three in disbelief but Rhaenyra places a hand on hers in comfort.
"He's not actually going, we are just going to make it look like he is".
"I do not understand".
Rhaenyra sighed and began speaking their plan, "I will not be a Tyrant and rule through terror".
"A Tyrant only rules through terror. If the King isn't feared, he is powerless. If she is to be a strong Queen, she must cultivate love and respect, yes, but her subjects must fear her", Daemon entwined his words.
"I do love Laenor, Roseva, and I must grant him this kindness to set him free. This will cost Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys their only remaining child. And the realm will whisper that I was somehow responsible".
"Let them whisper", Steffon muttered. "We will know the truth of it and our enemies won't".
"They will fear what else we might be capable of".
Roseva looked out to the sea in thought, "Steffon and Rhaenyra must then wed".
"What?".
"I made our sons bastards, Rose, you don't know the evil things they get called before of me", Steffon shook his head.
Roseva then turned and grabbed the top of his tunic, "Then wed her! Laenor will be gone, make things right or you'll never forgive youself".
Rhaenyra then nodded, "It would make sense. Laenor will be gone and so I'd have to remarry".
Steffon looked between his cousin and his lover before nodding, "Okay".
Roseva let him go and stood straight, "Then let's get this done".
* baby Rewan has been introducedddd, I'm so excited for him and Robert honestly.
Side note on the last chapter — I've been reading the comments and know some are mad and Roseva and Robert which is fair but Roseva has always felt like she owes Aemma because of what happened there is a lot of shame and guilt there that she never got over and she has been raising Rhae since she was a child therefore she's always more inclined to help Rhaenyra over Alicent — Rose never really picks a side more so it's decided for her so please remember that and also, Robert it literally twelve and has never met his cousins before he doesn't owe them anything hence why he tells the truth when Viserys asks and says nothing else because it's not his place to make the feud between the two sides worse. But your opinions are your opinions but I won't tolerate nasty comments about team black OR team green*