When Daemon awoke, he stretch his arms only to realise he was alone. He looked around confused until he saw Shaera stood looking out of the window, the sunlight reflected on her hair like a golden halo. Her deep blue dress flowed gently in the soft breeze.
"You needn't worry",
"I am not".
"You cannot lie to me nor do you need to, my flame".
Daemon got up from the tangled sheets to walk over to his wife, he held her hands in his as she looked up at him.
"I- I have a feeling",
"A feeling?".
"I feel that something bad, something truly awful if you leave and it is tearing me apart",
"Do you think I cannot handle that Hightower spawn?". Daemon scoffed as he began to get dressed.
"You know that is not what I meant. You are a skilled warrior and I do not doubt your ability but I also fear for your safety",
"Shaera-".
"Don't do that",
"What?".
"Don't call me by my name, you never do. You only call me my name when you are angry at me and I cannot bare it",
"I am not angry at you, my flame. I want you to believe that I will end him and then come back to you".
"Tis not that simple, nothing ever is. That is why I cannot believe you, i fear I am destined to have a cursed life",
"You are not cursed, that is superstition".
"But what if it isn't? Why does my life always seem to be ruined after finally having something good?",
"You must calm yourself, my flame".
"Do not!- do not tell me to calm myself as if that will resolve my feelings",
"I meant only that should you continue to act this way, it will inevitably get worse".
"Why must you disagree with me on this when all I am doing is trying to ensure your safety?",
"Because I do not need you to! I do not need mothering, you are my wife and should respect me".
"Respect is earned and the way you are acting does not deserve my respect. I am acting as your wife by showing concern and you disregard me in favour of what? To claim I should respect you when you do not do the same for me",
"If respect is earned as you say then why did Alicent Hightower betray Rhaenyra whom she had known since she was a girl; why did the Hightower bitch betray you after you helped her in her youth. Respect is demanded when someone deserves it".
"Gods, why can you not admit that perhaps you are wrong? That perhaps people act as if they respect you because they are afraid of your recklessness, they are afraid because you crave the feeling of when you do something irrational",
"I am never wrong, everyone else is just incompetent".
"I cannot bare you at this moment", Shaera began to walk out of the room.
"Where are you going?",
"Away from you".
Daemon scowled as he began to follow her. Shaera walked in to find Visenya trying to brain her hair. Despite being angry at each other, any feelings except pure adoration for their daughter melted away.
"Munā! Kēpa! Look, look",
"I am looking, little dragon, would you like some help?".
"Yes please munā",
Shaera stood behind her daughter and began to finish the braid before kissing Visenya on the forehead.
"Gevie", Daemon spoke as be watched Visenya's face beam at seeing the intricate braid in her hair.
"Gev- gev", Visenya tried before looking up confusedly at her father.
"Gevie", he pronounced.
"Gevie means beautiful which you, our little dragon very much are", Shaera added.
"Beautiful like you and Nyra and Aemma and Alyssa?",
"Yes indeed. Shall we go see Nyra?".
"Yes!",
"We are not done with our discussion".
"I am aware but as of now, you are to spend time with the children before you leave",
"very well".
The two walked side by side and yet felt so distant from each other, only hours ago were they revelling in their love but now they were fighting like children.
They entered the room and sat down to eat, the atmosphere was tense. Whilst eating, Shaera thought over Daemon's words. Perhaps she was being overbearing about her worries but she would never give him the satisfaction after all he said to her. After breakfast, Shaera found herself entering the dungeons.
"I was beginning to think you would never visit me again", Alicent chimed. She had begun to descent into madness, the same dirty floors and walls that she stared at all day whilst she dwelled on how her children would not have suffered had she not upheld Aegon's claim.
"In truth I do not know why I am here",
"Yes you do. You would not come to the dungeons seeking my company for no reason".
"Always the perceptive one, dear Alicent. You cannot get all high and mighty with me when you damned us all by letting a man manipulate you",
"What would you have done in my position? I did not have everything that you had, I was just a girl".
"That did not stop you from developing a hatred for those of different beliefs, for hating children for their parentage",
"Say the word, say what you truly wish to say. Tis not like I will end up as Vaemond Velaryon because you all wish to keep me here to add to my torture instead of killing me".
"Killing you would be a mercy for all that you have caused because of your hatred",
"My hatred for whom?".
"For Rhaenyra, for me, for yourself",
"And for bastards".
"I find it odd that you claim that you hate Rhaenyra for having illegitimate children and yet didn't your son also have numerous bastards running around Kings Landing that he refused to claim or even provide for",
"That is not true-".
"Yes it is, you know it is but you also know that it would ruin your precious reputation if you ever admitted it",
"Get out! Get out you horrid wench".
"You are the one covered in filth trapped in a dungeon, if anybody is a wench it is you",
"Enjoy it while it lasts but mark my words, you are cursed for all that you and that awful man you call a husband have done. Enjoy every moment you wake up fearing it is your last".
"Same to you aswell. I wish you well knowing that the only reason you are alive is because we are going to rip your sons from this world and spill their blood until there is nothing left to spill. You always believed as part of your faith that a woman's job is to serve the men of the realm and I intend to do that when I bring you your sons head on a platter",
"You speak all of this to me but I can see it. I can see the worry in your eyes, it eats away at your mind".
"Oh thank you for showing your concern but I guess I should go and prepare the silverware for when your sons meet their inevitable end", Shaera spoke in a playful tone before she began to walk up the stairs laughing, Alicent recoiled into the corner of her cell as she felt a shiver from hearing Shaera's almost demonic laugh. Alicent screamed loudly, the sound envoked Shaera to smirk as she re-emerged back into the main part of the castle.
"Did you enjoy that, my flame?".
Shaera stopped in her tracks as she turned to Daemon who was leaning against the wall.
"Perhaps",
"Good, do it more often. Now, you cannot escape out discussion so let's finish it".
"Why must you ruin my mood?",
"You wouldn't even have gone into the dungeons had I not brought up her betrayal".
"That is besides the point, I am entitled to my own opinion. I do not need you to speak to me as if I were some stranger and not your wife",
"Then stop behaving like somebody I do not know, somebody I do not care to know".
Shaera felt her heart crack but she would never show it, though she knew he knew. She walked away from him. On her way outside, she ran into Rhaenyra.
"Aunt Shaera, you mustn't be devalued by uncle Daemon",
"I know that, dearest. Do you want to join me for a dragon ride".
"Is that wise at this moment?",
"I am not sure but sometimes doing something to make yourself feel better outweighs doing someone wise".