CHAPTER TWO

DAEMERYS had been off the whole day. The halls of the castle were filled with nothing but whispers. A mothers last breath a flame arise. On repeat, her mind was going mad.

Her father had told her that her stepmother had begun her labours and the young girl was nothing but ecstatic as herself and her sisters awaited their new addition to the family.

But Daemerys must have felt something was wrong because Daemon watched as she exited the room to venture to where the lady was screaming in pain. "A mothers last breath a flame arise", she whispered.

The prince looked down at his child before walking to the room, the man helping his wife came out as he arrived and the two spoke in hushed tones, not noticing Laena leave.

The girl didn't often think of the things she were told, never really thinking the things she were told had meaning.

But after her stepmothers death, the way in which she died — she couldn't help but thinking maybe something was going on with her. Maybe she was broken.

"Sweet girl, gather your things. We are leaving", her father entered her chambers with her handmaidens. The bags under his eyes were more than noticeable, he had lost a wife and a child.

"Where are we going, Father?".

"Driftmark".

Daemerys had heard stories of Driftmark, when Laena would try and get the girl to sleep when her father was busy with pressing matters and she awoke from the many nightmares she had.

The young girl took to comforting Baela and Rhaena whilst on the way to the place they were going. She may not have been Laenas daughter but she may as well have, but for her sisters it was different. They lost their real mother and that had to hurt.

It didn't take long after their arrival for them to hold the late woman's funeral. "We join today as the Seat of the sun, to commit the Lady Laena of House Velaryon to the eternal waters, the dominion of the Merling King where he will guard her for all the days to come. As she sets to sea for her final voyage, the Lady Laena leaves two true-born daughters on the shore. Though their mother will not return from her voyage, they will all remain bound together in blood. Salt courses through Velaryon blood. Ours runs thick. Ours runs true. And ours must never run thin".

Daemons chuckle made Daemerys look up, her father gripped her hand softly in his as he looked from Rhaenyra to Vaemond before looking down. The family looked at him, some in shock and some in confusion but Daemerys merely rolled her eyes at his not unusual behaviour.

"My gentle niece. May the winds be as strong as your back, your seas as calm as your spirit, and your nets be as full as your heart. From the sea we came. To the sea we shall return".

Daemerys closed her eyes as the stone coffin splashed into the ocean, a single tear rolling down her face.

People began gathering, talking about the woman and how great she was even if they never knew her. The young girl didn't understand. Daemon kept her close by him, not trusting the people around him even if some were his blood.

She couldn't help but notice a woman staring at her, her hair white, just as her fathers. It wasn't a mean stare, like the ones people would give her before they'd utter that one word — it was a kind stare, she wasn't used to that.

A gruff voice then called for her, "Daemerys", the young girl looked from her father waist, where she had been laying her head on to look behind her to a man with a huge crown on top of his head. The girl furrowed her brows and looked up at her father as the man came forward, "Look how big you've grown".

"Careful brother, she doesn't remember you", Daemon uttered and Viserys nodded in realisation.

"Uncle?", she asked, seeing if she got the right title. The man smiled and nodded before taking a few more steps toward her, heaving a painful breath. The young girl smiled shortly before holding a hand out.

Viserys chuckled as he shook her hand, his cold and hers warm. Daemon watched the interaction with a soft heart before kneeling down to her height, "Why don't you look for your sisters, sweet girl?".

"Okay, father", she kissed his cheek before waving to her uncle, who waved back — the pair watching her leave as Daemon stood to his true height.

"You've raised her well, Daemon", Viserys complimented.

Daemerys walked amongst tall people, trying to look for her sisters but tripped and fell into a back.
Rhaenyra stumbled forward a bit before turning around, looking down to see Daemons daughter.

"Apologies", the girl bowed her head quickly and that made the woman smile.

"No need, it is hard to see amongst greater beings than you", Rhaenyra smiled and crouched to the girls height. "I'm Rhaenyra".

"I'm Daemerys", she smiled to the woman. Raising a hand to push a piece of Rhaenyras hair out of her face, "He'll have to close an eye".

Rhaenyra furrowed her brows in confusion, "I'm sorry?".

Daemerys seemed to snap out of her trance and looked back to where her father was still talking to his brother. "Nothing", she turned back to the woman.

"Is there something on your mind, little one?", Rhaenyra asked, holding the girls hands gently.

"I—".

"Hello", the two girls looked towards a boy. His face soft, eyes slightly covered with brown hair. "I am Lucerys".

"Hello. I am Daemerys. Is this your mother?", she gestured to the woman still holding her hands.

"Yes. Where's yours?".

Rhaenyra gaped quickly at her sons words, watching as Daemerys looked to the floor. "She died when I was a child".

The princess was shocked by her words, Daemon must not have told her the whole truth, but did not blame him for though she was just a child.

"I'm sorry", Lucerys frowned. "Mother, someone called me a bastard again".

Before Rhaenyra could speak, Daemerys cut her off, "I get called that too". The princess frowned down at the girl. "I do not know what it means".

"Perhaps we can be bastards together then?", Lucerys offered with a toothy grin.

"I'd like that very much", Daemerys smiled back, hand still clutched in Rhaenyra's as Lucerys clutched the other. Rhaenyra smiled at the children brightly, heart warming despite the circumstances.

Daemon was quick to look for his daughter once his conversation with Viserys was finished, only to find her with his true love. Rhaenyra.

"Daemerys, my sweet girl", he called and her face lit her, letting go of Rhaenyra to run into her fathers arms — the man picking her up and walking towards the princess.

"How about you and Lucerys go play whilst me and your father speak?", Rhaenyra offered to the girl, eyes softening at the sight before her. Daemon truly loved that girl.

Daemerys looked to her father as though she was asking for his approval, only moving when he nodded and stood her back onto the floor — Lucerys whisking her away, hand in hand to where the other children were.

"You have not told her".

Daemon looked from her daughter to his love with a confused expression. "You have not told her what bastard means yet she is being called it by many".

The prince sighed under his breath, "I do not wish to hurt her".

Rhaenyra softened at his words, "You will only hurt her more by not telling her the truth", she reasoned before walking towards the children that were running around in fits of giggles — leaving Daemon to watch his daughter smile in the arms of Lucerys as they spin each other around.