Damned sheep

Daemon rested on the flat rock, sitting just by the entrance to Caraxes' new home, he peered inside the cave to still see his dragon asleep, the sound of it's heavy breathing weaving itself into the sounds of the rustling tall grass, trees and the birds chirping as the chill morning air brushed against his hair gently.

It had been something of a routine for over a week; get up early, take a stroll over the bridge and catch the sun as it peaks over the mountains in the distance before heading off for a jog to see Caraxes and feed him some sheep, well buy the sheep from a nearby shepherd.

Daemon sketched the runes in the cave with piece of black chalk as he waited, when his eyes looked onto the ridge and spotted the shepherd. He shut his book and placed it back in his satchel. Standing up from his seat he waved at the shepherd and jogged over to him, climbing over some rocks and up the mound.

It's a workout just to get somewhere on foot.

"Good morrow, Albar!" he called out to the man, a flock of sheep behind him.

Albar bowed his head "My Prince." The first encounter with the shepherd had been a tense but fortuitous meeting in the end; Albar had been scared by the Prince's appearance in the countryside and even more terrified by the dragon Caraxes who he had run into first and may have lost his flock of sheep had Daemon not intervened.

"I told you before, it's just Daemon when it's you and I." Daemon smiled as he offered Albar his hand, the shepherd grasped Daemon's hand firmly "Same as before?"

"One for three sheep." He smiled, Daemon took out the silver coin from his pocket and handed them to the farmer.

"Don't suppose you'll help me take the sheep to the dragon?" Daemon asked with faux innocence.

"Afraid not, Daemon." He laughed as he handed him the three sheep on a leash.

Daemon patted him on the back as he laughed with the shepherd. "Worth a try, take care and I shall see you again, give my regards to Kella for me!" Albar bowed his head and waved Daemon goodbye as he heading back down the other side of the mound.

Daemon wrapped the leash over his hand and dragged the sheep down the hill, the first time he had done this he felt pity for the sheep; seeing them struggle against him to not be eaten. A few times after however it became more tedious.

He had tried to kill them once with Darksister, yet as he tried he hesitated. Not able to bring himself to strike down the animal… even when Daemon almost seem to urge him to. 

"Damned sheep" he exclaimed as he dragged them just a few meters away from the entrance "Caraxes!" he called out, the heavy breathing quickly ceased and the hum of it's throat croaked against the cave walls.

He tied the leash to a stake in the ground, one he had hammered in after a few attempts at bringing the sheep into the cave, before standing back.

As Caraxes breathed fire on the poor sheep, Daemon lay on the side of a mound catching his breath, wiping the sweat from his forehead, a cool breeze offering him some slight relief. Now the sounds of his dragon devouring the charred carcasses of the sheep were the only thing he could hear.

Daemon got up "Dokimarvose! Caraxes!" he commanded "Clean up your mess." He said, pointing to the charred bones. "You're expensive to feed." He jested, the dragon hummed back as it munched on the bones. "Gevī! Caraxes, very good." Caraxes moved back into his cave.

When Daemon arrived back at the bridge to Runestone he was greeted by Cley, a guard serving as his escort yet Daemon felt acted more as a watchful eye for Rhea than anything.

Let him see, I've got nothing to hide

Daemon shifted the satchel by his hip and itched his chest.

"All done, Cley." He said to the guard.

"Very good, Prince Daemon." Cley said. "Will you be needing a horse."

"It won't be needed, I much enjoy walking." Daemon said as he began to walk the bridge "It's beautiful is it not?" he asked Cley as he rode his horse alongside him.

"Yes, my Prince." Cley said "Nothing can compared to it." He said, the sunlight now washing over them.

"Will you ever come and see Caraxes, Cley?" Daemon asked grinning.

"If the Prince demands it of me I shall."

"But do you want to?"

"No, My Prince." Cley admitted. "I fear I am not brave enough."

"One day Cley, you'll see." He said tapping him on the leg reassuringly. "I have faith." He wanted to tell him how terrified he had been when facing Caraxes, if only to strike up a conversation but held off.

At Runestone, for the most part Daemon had been left to his own devices; he made a point of making sure to ask the names of each servant or worker he ran across and addressing them as such as part of his 'Charm offensive' in trying to convince them that while he may be Daemon Targaryen he was not Daemon Targeryen.

Less the rouge Prince and more the team player.

He sat alone in his solar; it was a small office space, smaller than his room, both in King's Landing and in Runestone, and likely had served as a storage place for items and wares before Rhea had cleared when he had asked for a quiet space to do his work.

His chest had burned with indignant fury at this; he felt that burning desire to argue roaring inside him and yet Daemon smiled, thanked her for fulfilling his request and got to work clearing the space, much to her own confusion and frustration.

Some shelves, a few cupboards with draws and a desk had filled the room with a small window looking out into a river flowing out into Gulltown, it felt very cosy and private. On a small stack of parchment he had the workings of some early and short-term ideas; nothing grand or costly he resolved.

They'll probably never trust me if I asked them to spend Gods know how many golden dragons on building a canal or something.

On one sheet was a design for paperclips, a small idea and almost seemingly insignificant yet he remembered how dozens of his colleagues at work requested boxes of them each month in the stationary orders.

Before that though…

He stretched out on his chair, clicking his joints before getting up, taking a few sheets of parchment and walking out of his office, locking the door behind him.

Daemon wondered the halls, he had spent a bit of time trying to map out the layout of the castle after getting lost a few times only to be shepherded away like a lost child by a servant and once even Rhea herself, bumping into her after attending a meeting with Runestone's treasurer.

That had been a funny encounter.

As he continued wondering around he pushed opened two wooden doors to reveal chamber filled with shelves and shelves of books.

"Ah that's where it is!" he said out loud.

He stepped inside, his eyes scouring around him at the large selection of books and journals before him. He walked up to a shelf and began taking out books.

"Ah Prince Daemon!" someone exclaimed behind him, he turned to see Maester Hugo "I was not expecting to see you here." He walked up to him, carrying a stack of books himself.

"Maester Hugo! Just the person I wanted to meet!" he said turning to see the Maester "I wanted to speak to you about a few things."

"I would be honoured to hear it, Prince Daemon." He said, placing the books on a table.

"Firstly, do you know where I can find any books relating to the history of House Royce?" he asked.

"Of course, if you shall follow." Hugo led Daemon a different corner of the room "This is where I have kept the books relating to this house's history, no doubt when I am gone my successor will change it."

"I imagine each maester will have their own preference in how this library is organised."

"Oh quite, it was rather tedious and I still find books out of place by those who take them out and not put in the correct place no matter how many times I tell them." He said, some exhaustion emanating from his voice.

Daemon took out some of the books from the shelves as he listened to the Maester "What if we changed that?" he asked "What if we made a new system which all learned people can read?" 

"Forgive me, my Prince, if could then I would have done so many years ago."

Daemon then took out the pieces of rolled parchment he had and smirked at him "What if, I had a new system of organising we can use." He unrolled the parchment and laid it flat onto the table; on it was a list of numbers spanning from one to ninety nine, one hundred to one hundred and ninety nine and so on until it reached up to one short of one thousand.

Hugo scratched his wispy beard as he looked at the parchment "How would it work?"

"Simple, books based on certain matters or studies will go in one category and so on." Daemon rushed off and picked up a pot of ink and quill from one table and wrote on the parchment "We can have all book relating to House Royce between one and ninety nine. We just need to write the number on the first page."

Hugo's eyes widen, his expression going from considerate to seeing a small revelation "My Prince, this would be a clever way to organise the library."

Daemon smiled "Well Maester Hugo, when do we start?"

It must have been a few hours since he proposed the idea did both Daemon and the Maester get to work in sorting through the History of Runestone between the first set of numbers. Both he and the Maester had been working for a few hours until they were disturbed.

"Maester Hugo." Rhea spoke, catching their attention "Am I interrupting something?"

Hugo glanced from Rhea to Daemon quickly "Not at all." Daemon spoke first "Maester Hugo was just helping with an idea on how to organise the library."

Rhea approached them, caution in her eyes and caution in how she moved, picking up a book "The Life of the Bronze King?" she said looking over at Daemon "When did you have a fascination for the history of my House, lord-husband?"

"Since I returned home." He said bowing his head. "I thought it best to learn about your House, it will be the yours which our children would carry." He fought back the pain in his chest at the comment, remembering how much of a sore point it had been for the other Daemon.

Rhea narrowed her eyes at him "Maester Hugo, please attend to my solar, I would like you in on a meeting." She said, her eyes not once leaving Daemon "There is a matter on which I would require your council on."

"At once, my lady." Maester Hugo said, quickly moving away from both of them.

"Do you believe flattery will gain my affections?" Rhea questioned.

"Everyone likes a bit of flattery, wife." Daemon said "But I am reading this because my interest in your house is sincere." Rhea tilted her head, still wary of him. Daemon sighed "To know one's history is to have pride, to know another's history is to be wise." He said.

Her face soften "Did the old king tell you that?"

"It was my mother who said that." Not a lie, Alyssa Targeryen had never said anything like that to him when Daemon was a child, other than encouraging both Viserys and Daemon to take pride in their Targeryen heritage. It was his mother in his first life that had told him that.

Rhea turned away from his gaze "She sounds wise." Rhea said "I shall leave you to your work, husband." Before Rhea could leave, Daemon quickly grabbed her hand. Rhea turned back to him, a look of cautious anger on her face.

"I would be overjoyed if you could have dinner with me again." Daemon asked, almost blurting it out. "If it pleases you, wife."

Rhea rolled her eyes "If you wish, have you decided to end this mummers farse of yours and instead do your duty?"

Daemon almost lurched back at the comment, he let go of Rhea's hand "No, nothing of the sort, and its not a mummer farse, I meant it then and I mean it now."

Rhea blinked at him "So be it, meet me at my apartments and we shall-"

"If you would allow me and be so kind, can you meet me in the kitchen instead?"

"The Kitchen, and why is that?" she questioned.

"I… I plan on cooking myself." He said sheepishly.

"You? Cook?"

"Yes, there was a recipe I had read when I was recovering in bed that I would like to try out, it's mine own version of a dish from the free cities." He explained "I would be honoured if you would try it with me."

Rhea was silent for a couple seconds, for Daemon it had felt like an eternity when she spoke "So be it, I shall meet you at the end of the day, I am curious to see 'what' you create."

Daemon wanted to laugh out in relief "You have my thanks, lady-wife." He bowed his head as Rhea walked away. He quickly sorted through the books and raced back to his office, snatching from other parchments he left on his desk before jogging to the castle's kitchen.

The kitchen of Runestone was large, there was no denying that but it was nothing compared to the one in the Red Keep. When he stepped in the kitchen, everyone turned to face him and bowed their heads quickly.

"Prince Daemon, you honour us with your presence." The head cook said.

"Please, everyone, do not stop working on my account." Daemon said to them "Pretend as if I was not here." Everyone slowly turned their eyes away from him as they got back to their work, he turned to the head cook. "I must ask of a favour from you, if you may."

"Of course, My Prince."

Firstly stop saying 'My Prince.'

"First I need a list of ingredients." Daemon said, listing off a selection of foods and items he needed.

I hope that olive oil will be a good enough substitute for tomato sauce.

"Consider it done, My Prince."

"Secondly I need a space to work and cook." He looked over to unused oven "Can I use that oven for the night and I would require some aid if I need it though hopefully not, I have no desire to disturb your cooks."

"Consider it and our aid yours for as long as you need it."

"Excellent." Daemon said "Third thing, would Lady Rhea arrives can the cooks take their leave? She will be here at the end of the day."

The head cook smiled "I am sure we would all be more than pleased to have an early finish later tonight."

Daemon got to a corner of the kitchen, an empty table and his ingredients; he took in a deep breath, the air was the smell of cooking from different dishes and foods. He tried his best to recite and recount the memories of his past life, the fog of time clearing.

He remembered his mother standing before him and his sister in the kitchen at him as she had them make dough, a tradition of theirs from childhood into early adulthood before he moved out.

It was a way to keep her and us connected to her home.

He took a bowl and mixed in the flour, olive oil and salt together, mixed the yeast, water and sugar together; praying that it would work as he had done in his previous life. He kept his eyes closed as he tried to remember himself doing this, he tried to remember his sister beside him and then his niece and nephew trying to do it while making a huge mess.

He tried to remember his mother watching him, almost judging him as he tried to do it perfectly.

As he kneed the dough in his hands, his heart that belonged to him and not Daemon ached for the memory them, it longed for it to be more than a memory. Past the fog of the cooking he could smell the wet dough in his hands.

It almost brought him to tears.

Yet he shook his head and continued on, stretching out the dough before it became a flat surface.

In his mind he remembered his mother trying to instruct him, him arguing with her and him still following her instruction. He would have laughed if he wasn't holding off the feeling of crying.

Through watery eyes he tried to go through the other steps; placing thin slices of cheese and ham on top of the flat bread, using a mix of olive oil and different herbs, replacing tomato sauce. He looked up from his work to see some of the servants and cooks staring at him curiously. He looked back at them, causing them to disperse.

He took what he made and placed it in the open oven on an empty metal tray; he watched and prayed that he what it made would work. As it began to rise so did his hopes. Now some of the cooks became more bold as they peered either behind him or to his side into the oven.

As the smell hit is nose did his eyes water and tears escaped from him, quickly he grabbed a cloth and wiped his face, trying to hide it.

I miss you guys, so much…

Being careful he took the metal tray out of the oven and placed it back on the table, everyone now crowding around watching him. "Knife and plate please." A cook quickly handed him one, he cut out a slice and placed it on the plate. "So… who wants to try?" he asked, cutting the slice into smaller parts, handing a piece to the head cook, a serving girl and another cook. "You can be honest." He told them before they ate it.

"My Prince… this is… good!" the head cook said, the others nodding enthusiastically nodding in agreement.

Daemon smiled and this time, he did laugh.

By the time Rhea had arrived Daemon was still being quizzed on his recipe by the head cook, Yohn, who wanted to copy it.

"Lady-wife!" he called out to her, the head cook turned and bowed before her.

"Take your leave." she commanded him.

"You have my thanks, lady Rhea." Yohn said before leaving them alone with a small table next to a window; a few candles with two plates and goblets, a jug of wine and Daemon's cooking.

"You look lovely." Daemon complemented her, Rhea was dressed in a simple and comfortable dress, nothing like the one she wore on this first dinner.

"As I had said, flattery will get you nowhere." She sat down on the other side of the table, looking at the food curiously "What is this?"

"I call it 'Pizza'" Daemon said as he cut off a slice and placed it on Rhea's plate "Try it." She looked at the slice then back at him "No I did not poison it." He took off a slice for himself and ate some to prove that to her.

Rhea took a bite of it.

Daemon began to chuckle at the look on her face "Oh." She said through the food in her mouth "Oh quiet." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Good, is it not?" he said with a smile as he took a sip of wine.

Rhea wiped her mouth as she finished her slice "Oh fine, you have amazed me here." A smirk, wider than the last one, appeared on her lips and inside Daemon cheered loudly.

The rest of the evening the two sat together; talked and at times laughing through slices of pizza and cups of wine. Daemon looked down at her plate "You dislike the crusts?"

"I just preferred not to eat them." Rhea said, shrugging her shoulder.

Daemon giggled, he remembered his sister not eating the crusts either, much to their mother's disappointment.

"Did you mean it?" she asked, her voice becoming more solemn "When you said you'll try to earn my forgiveness?"

"With all my heart." He replied. "I can not ask for forgiveness enough from you, but I will earn it somehow, someway."

"It might be the wine or mayhaps I have become a fool but I am starting to believe you." Rhea said admitted, she quickly raised her hand up "But know this Daemon, if you break my trust again I will not hesitate to remove you from my family's castle, that is my right as heir."

Daemon smiled warmly "I would not have it any other way." He looked down at the table "If it pleases you… Rhea, can we begin anew?" he looked back up at her, offering his hand to her.

Rhea was silent as she looked at Daemon's hand and then him. Daemon clenched his jaw, trying not to show his nervousness.

"I could try." She said, taking her hand in his, smiling softly at him.

"Lady Rhea." Maester Hugo called out.

Rhea dipped her head "Yes, Maester Hugo?" she replied, a hint of annoyance seeming through her tone.

"Forgive me for the intrusion, there is a letter from your lord father." He said "You will need to read this, alone."

She glanced at Daemon "You go, I need to clean up."

"The cooks can do that." She said. 

"That would be unfair on them." Daemon replied. Rhea nodded her head before getting up from her seat and moving towards the door.

"I'll have a servant fill your bath when you return."

By the time Daemon was done he was thoroughly exhausted, entering his room he flopped onto the bed, tempted to just sleep like this. He looked towards the bath sitting at the corner of his room, noticing the lines of smoke drifting from it.

With an aching body he got up and walked towards it, smiling to himself as he dipped his hand in the water, feeling its hot touch.