BLOOD WARS | VII.
DAENERYS TARGARYEN
King's Landing | 300 a.c.
DAENERYS WAS USED TO EATING BREAKFAST ALONE. Her family was always busy, her brother and nephews were often training and Rhaenys liked to take her breakfast in the gardens with her mother and Daenerys never wanted to intrude. There was Selena who often switched between eating with Rhaenys and Elia and sitting silently across from Daenerys, but now that she had her ladies, Daenerys saw her less and less.
However, she didn't have to eat alone anymore, not with Missandei around. She'd learned that Missandei was the youngest of four, but one of her older brothers had died. The other two had escaped slavery and made their way to Westeros and Missandei left her home to find them. She had also learned that the girl was fluent in 19 languages, including Dany's native tongue of High Valyrian, something that had impressed Rhaegar.
Simply, Daenerys didn't feel alone anymore, which is why it was a large surprise when Selena and her ladies joined Daenerys and Missandei for breakfast that morning.
"Hello Daenerys," Selena said as she took a seat beside her, "Is it alright if we join you?"
Daenerys looks at Selena wearily, and then to her ladies. Daenerys had mixed feelings about each of them, the only one she truly liked was Jessamyn, she came off as genuinely kind and it was her smile that made Daenerys feel at ease.
"Sure," she said, "Everyone this is Missandei."
"You're from Naath, correct?" Allara asks and Missandei nods.
"My father has sailed there before. He only stayed for a day out of fear of the butterflies," Allara tells her, and Daenerys raises an eyebrow curiously.
"What butterflies?" she asked.
"There are butterflies in Naath and they carry a deadly disease. Naathi are immune, but outsiders will fall prey if they stay too long," Missandei informs her, and Daenerys nods slowly at the information. Never in her life did she think she'd have reason to be scared of a butterfly.
"What are you two doing today?" Selena asks, eyes dancing between Missandei and Daenerys. She glances over at Missandei and she shrugs.
"I guess we were going to go to the tourney," Daenerys answers, "Missandei's never been to one before."
"It's a bore," Larrisa says, "Though it will be interesting to see who will be crowned the queen of love and beauty."
Ashara rolls her eyes, "It isn't going to be you."
"You don't know that," Larrisa tells her.
Allara smiles and nudges Selena, "It's a good thing Lyanna isn't here. Wouldn't want another war to break out."
Daenerys expects Selena to laugh, but instead, she frowns, "That wasn't Lyanna's fault. It was Rhaegar's."
Daenerys avoids Selena's gaze, there was no point in arguing that. Even she could admit that Rhaegar was foolish to crown Lyanna, especially in front of his wife. But it had already been done and the consequences had been suffered.
"Aegon will win and crown Margaery," Daenerys finally voices, "There will be no scandals."
"As I said before, a bore," Larrisa mutters.
Selena smiles kindly at Missandei, a smile she has never really seen before, "I hope you enjoy your first tourney in Westeros."
"Thank you," Missandei tells her, and Selena nods.
"Well we'll leave you two alone," Selena says standing. The other girls follow her lead and Daenerys becomes aware of the power that Selena has. It's small, but it's there. She speaks a command and they obey her. It was impressive.
"She seems nice," Missandei says once they're alone again and Daenerys sighs.
"Trust me, this is new," Daenerys tells her, "Selena hates me."
"Oh," Missandei says, "So do we hate her?"
Daenerys looks up at Missandei after she speaks. The we she had spoken showed that whatever was happening, that Missandei was on her side and had her back. A small smile graces her lips.
"We don't hate her," Daenerys answers, "I'm not sure how I feel about her."
After their eventful breakfast, Missandei and Daenerys make their way down to the tourney. While walking, they find Viserys and Jessamyn having a conversation. Her brother is wearing black and red armor, a three-headed dragon decorating his chest. He towers over Jessamyn, but he doesn't invade her space, the way Daenerys was used to him behaving around women.
"May I have your favor, Lady Jessamyn? For good luck?" Viserys asks and Jessamyn lets out a soft laugh.
"Viserys you know I can't do that," she tells him.
"Why? Because Selena forbid it?" Viserys asks.
Jessamyn shakes her head at his words, a smile on her lips. She stands on her toes and presses a gentle kiss to his cheek, "Good luck today."
Daenerys and Missandei shared a glance before they set off to find Elia and Rhaenys already seated in the royal box and joined them. Since Viserys, Aegon, and Jon were taking part in the tourney, the box felt emptier than usual.
Daenerys's eyes easily found Selena and her ladies who were seated in a box beneath them. Jessamyn was just taking her seat beside Larissa, who seemed to ask where she had been, but Jessamyn shook her head, telling her she had to deal with something.
Selena had forbidden relations between her ladies and Viserys. Understandably so, Viserys wasn't known for commitment and he had plans of joining the Kingsguard someday so it wasn't as though he could marry. So, what was Jessamyn doing with Viserys? Was it a simple flirtation or more?
"I gave Steffon Lannister my favor," Daenerys heard Rhaenys say. Elia hums thoughtfully beside her.
"What inspired you to do that?" Elia questioned her daughter, Daenerys listening in as well. When Rhaenys had spoken of Steffon she had been so flippant about him, was this her attempt of moving on from Willas?
"Selena," Rhaenys answers, "She spent some time with him the other day and she told me that he had taken an interest in me."
"That would be an interesting match," Elia says.
"Very," Rhaenys replies, "Though father may not agree to it."
Elia looks at Rhaenys and places a hand in her lap, "Do not worry about your father. I'll handle it if it is what you wish. I will not allow a repeat of what happened with Willas."
Rhaenys smiles, "Thank you, mother."
Daenerys looks ahead as the men prepare to ride. She wills herself not to cry. Elia was fiercely protective of her children, even Selena. It left Daenerys wondering if her mother would have fought for her the same way that Elia fought for Rhaenys and Aegon.
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.