flying

As Caraxes flew through the Vale, Daemon took the time to admire the landscape before him; at King's Landing he could see the city and the fields of crops and pastures with small towns, villages and hamlets dotted across it. But in the Vale it was almost dominated by mounds, hills and mountains capped with white crowns of snow which the late afternoon sun's light struck and gleamed off of.

"Beautiful." He murmured.

Moments like this, wish I had my phone with me.

He smiled as he looked back at Caraxes and patted him on the neck "Gevī, Caraxes! When we arrive I'm going to find you some sheep to eat, would you like that?" the dragon seem to hum in agreement "That's a good boy!"

His eyes then spotted a massive structure in the distant; built onto a mountain was a massive citadel like structure, a fortress with tall walls and domed towers with bronze caps which burned orange under the light and a large keep of stone and rock in the centre. And it looked as though the only way in was one bridge connecting the main gate to another mountain that levelled out onto flatlands.

As he approached he could see the banner of House Royce flapping against the wind. As he landed his dragon near the entrance of the bridge he was greeted by several armoured men in Royce livery. They stared at Caraxes as he dismounted from him.

"Prince Daemon." One of them greeted him, there was a tension in his voice.

"Hello ser." Daemon bowed his head with a smile.

"Lady Rhea awaits you in the Great hall." The rider told him.

"You have my thanks." Daemon said, walking up to the knight "If it is too much to ask, is there a cave for my dragon to sleep in? and sheep around? Caraxes has not eaten and taken leave since our stop at Gulltown."

The knight looked over to another "Lady Rhea has already arranged that, there is a cave less than a quarter league away from here." He said "For now, the dragon shall stay here." It sounded more of a command than anything.

"Of course." Daemon placed his hand on his chest and bowed, instantly he was hit by a burning ache in his chest.

Oh keep quiet! I'm dealing with your messes!

The knight handed him the reins to a spare horse, Daemon climbed upon the horse and took it by the reins. "Lead the way, ser." The bridge to Runestone was wide yet still daunting, tall towers were built along the bridge with arrow slits built in and iron gates hanging open.

The main gates were large and made from a dark wood were pulled open before them. As Daemon stepped inside he saw wooden and stone houses with servants coming in and out, blacksmiths working on a forge, a stables where horses were tended to and at the centre was the main keep of Runestone, towering over it all.

As he dismounted his horse, a stable boy rushed to him "My Prince." He said bowing before Daemon. "Allow me to take your horse for you."

"Thank you." Daemon smiled "What's your name?"

It's- it's Mychel, my Prince." He stammered.

"It's good to meet you, Mychel." He nodded his head to him.

"Thank you." Mychel said as he took Daemon's horse

Finally someone who just says thank you!

"This way, Prince Daemon." The knights flanked him as they marched him up to the castle. As the climbed the steps the doors to the castle opened before them; inside was a large hall, statues made of bronze with names emblazoned at the bottom of them lined the walls, each one carrying a sword, each one seemingly staring at him. Glass stained windows with bronze pressed onto the side allowed light into the hall while bronze chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

The Banners of Royce hung from the walls, tall and proud, with the two largest placed either side a stone throne with Bronze plated into the chair, as Daemon walked closer he could see runes etched onto the metal.

As he looked around the memories of a wedding came back to him; halls once filled with tables and guests from across the Vale and from his family with himself and Rhea sat next to each other in front of the throne.

As he approached the throne he saw a woman sat upon it, wearing leather armour with chainmail underneath, leather boots and bronze braces on her wrists. A sword in hand, unsheathed with its tip planted onto the ground, as its holder stared at Daemon with a look of calm anger on her face.

"Rhea." Daemon muttered, she looked upon the face of the woman who loomed over him, he tried to get a good look at her; dark chestnut brown hair combed back and held into a tight bun, slender eyebrows, broad ears, a button nose on a round face.

It's like she's ready for a fight.

"Prince Daemon Targeryen." Rhea called out, her voice booming off the walls. "Lord-Husband. Welcome home." Her voice was anything but welcoming.

She has a good reason…

"Thank you, lady-wife." Daemon said bowing his head.

"We had received your letter some time ago, I see the Gods were merciful to grant your life after your accidents." Rhea spoke "And were 'good' enough to bring you back to me."

"The Gods have been… kind."

I guess Jaehaerys hasn't announced Gael's death yet.

"Runestone welcomes you, Prince Daemon." Rhea announced "You must forgive me, I have not been able to prepare any feast or celebration for your arrival."

Oh she's really mad.

Daemon could feel hostility burning inside of his chest, independent to how he actually felt, like a need or craving to berate and argue with her. "There is nothing to forgive, I would be more than happy to take my meal with you instead." He said.

Her eyes narrowed at him. "Very well." She said "I shall meet you at my apartments." She stood up from the throne, on the elevated platform she almost towered over him. "You have my leave, Prince Daemon." She walked off to the other side, leaving him and the knights.

Daemon placed a hand over his chest and sighed, letting out a deep breathe trapped within his lungs.

That went better than expected.

He was escorted back to the other side of the bridge; Caraxes had stayed put, a few armoured riders and servants watching him, some curiously and other with certain fear. "Caraxes!" Daemon called out waving his hand at the dragon. Quickly dismounted his horse and handed it to the knight before jogging to him, the dragon hummed to his touch "Gevī! Gevī!" he said, he turned to the knight "Which way to the cave?" he asked.

"Follow me, my Prince." The knight led both him, Caraxes and the small group through some hills and towards a decently sized cave just a couple meters off of a dirt path. Caraxes quickly entered inside and made himself at home, curling into a ball with his wings wrapped around himself.

Daemon stepped inside, all around were old runes "What are these?" he asked.

"Ancient inscriptions, from the time of the Bronze king." The knight said, both he and the group stayed outside and then some from the cave and Caraxes. "It was an old mine."

Daemon traced his fingers against the etchings "You have my thanks." He walked out of the cave and towards a man holding some sheep. "You are all free to leave, I shall be back soon" he told them "I shall feed my dragon and then meet with Lady Rhea, I wish not to take up too much of your time."

They all bowed before him and returned back to the dirt path heading back. Daemon took the sheep, picking it up and carrying it towards the mouth of the cave.

Damn this sheep is heavy. How did Nettles do this every day?

He placed the sheep down and quickly left the cave as Caraxes bathed the poor animal in fire, turning it into charred meat and devouring it's carcass, had his horse not been tied to a nearby tree it would have ran off. The smell of burnt flesh lingering the air. Daemon sat down on a rock outside the cave and took out his notebook. "Welcome to your new home." He mumbled to himself as he took in the peace and serenity of the countryside and checking there was no on around.

"You know you're a dickhead right?" he said out loud, trying to speak to Daemon "You should have just learnt to keep you mouth shut and then majority of your problems would have not existed, instead you had to go around waving your dick like you own the place." His chest began to ache "Is that all you got?" his chest now burned with fury as the old Daemon quickly took up the gauntlet and tried to inflict as much pain as he could.

Daemon dropped to his knees, almost hunched over as one hand clutched his chest and another held him off the ground. "Agh- Ahh-" Daemon it seemed was giving it all he could give. Daemon allowed the old one to have his time wailing on him "My turn" he muttered. He focused within himself as the feelings of pain began to recede further and further away, flaring up at times but still being pulled deeper into himself.

I'm dragging him kicking and screaming.

He stopped, just allowing the ache to exist as almost an itch. "You listen well." He told Daemon "I. am going to be cleaning YOUR messes so the least YOU can do is keep quiet or I swear to God I will keep throwing you into whatever void, abyss or sunken place I keep putting you in. Got it?"

The ache seemed to stop and Daemon allowed himself to breathe.

Before instantly doubling over. Daemon fell to the ground, rolling onto his back as he tried to get through the furious onslaught of a defiant Daemon "Oh fuck you." He grabbed at his chest and focused inwards, pushing away the pain and Daemon into his chest, silencing him.

Daemon sat up off the ground and shook his head and turned to his dragon "Sorry you had to see that, Caraxes." He said, standing up from the dirt he walked over to his horse "Goodnight, I'll see you on the morrow- I'm mean tomorrow."

He mounted his horse and rode back towards Runestone as the night approached. Inside the castle he was shown to his own quarters; the room was less lavish than his living space in King's Landing it did have a more warm feeling to it compared to the opulence.

There was a hearth already burning, a large bed without the ceiling or curtains to it, a few draws and chests pushed against the wall and a desk in the centre of the room, near the hearth and a bath already filled with water.

He walked towards the water and placed his hand in it.

"Cold." He chuckled.

She REALLY does not like you.

He shook his head, removing his clothes and stepping inside the bath to quickly scrub himself, shaking as his body tried to acclimatise to the cold. Afterwards he quickly got dressed; combing his hair and tying it into a ponytail and changing into some dark breeches and black and red tunic. He checked himself in the mirror one last time.

When was the last time I went on a date?

There was a knock on the door.

That must be my escorts.

"One moment please." He called out, he rushed over to his bed and grabbed his satchel filled with his journals and Darksister, tossing them into a large chest and locking it. The knocking continued "One moment!" he sprinted to the door opening it.

"Prince Daemon." A young maid greeted him, lowering her head "Lady Rhea is waiting for you in her private quarters."

"Many thanks." Daemon said "I should ask for your name, we will no doubt run into each other in future."

"Edith, my Prince."

"Many thanks to you, Edith." He smiled.

Edith bowed her head and smiled back "Thank you, my Prince, allow me to escort you." What memories of Runestone Daemon had were far and few between; images of stone halls and orange banners. In that moment Daemon cursed his previous self for his lack of curiosity. Edith brought her towards double doors, two guards on either side.

"Prince Daemon, Lady Rhea awaits." One of the guards said as they opened the door.

"You have my thanks." He told them, walking into the apartment as they shut the door behind them.

If the colours of house Targaryen was black and red then for Royce it was Bronze and black, with an emphasis on the Bronze; the windows of the living space, much like the windows in the great hall, were lined with bronze with brass coloured curtains, at the end of the room was a fireplace with bronze plates at the side, runes written going downwards.

At the centre of the room was a table, covered in white cloth with copper vases holding flowers inside it and plates laid out on either side.

I haven't seen this much orange since I went to a club in Essex.

Suddenly he felt a bout of… elation? As if he wanted to laugh at his inner joke. 

Fuck he's back already.

Daemon clutched at his chest, ready to banish the other Daemon when another door opened, with Rhea stepping out. "Wow…" Her hair once done in a small bun now flowed with a curl to her shoulders. The leather armour were now replaced with a regal dress of orange gold with black seams stitched in it, along her skirt were runic words woven with black thread. A necklace of black jewels hung from her neck and the only thing that remained of their first encounter was the bronze braces around her wrists.

Rhea narrowed her eyes at him "Prince Daemon?"

He had not noticed his mouth was slightly agape "You look stunning." He said

"Stunning?" Rhea asked.

"Beautiful I mean." Correcting him "Pardons, I had read many books during my recovery, some foreign; it seems I've picked up on their vocabulary." He felt a pang of embarrassment and he didn't know if that was him, Daemon or both of them.

"How surprising, I would not have assumed you had the patience for it." She commented as she took her seat at one end of the table

"It seems the accident has changed me." Daemon said as he took his place. Three servants walked into the room, two carrying trays of food and the other jugs of wine and glasses. The dishes placed before them was pheasant stuffed with herbs and carrots, potatoes served on the side with strips of cabbage. The servants quickly left, leaving them alone once more.

"Quite, I was surprised to read your letter to me." She said, cutting into her pheasant, staring at him. "Tell me and speak true, were you the one to write that?"

"Yes."

Rhea scoffed "Forgive me but I find that hard to believe." Before taking a bit of her meal and drinking from her cup.

"That is understandable." Daemon admitted.

"Is it?"

Daemon nodded "I know that how we started this marriage was, to put it generously, bloody awful."

"That is rather generously put, you humiliated me." Rhea accused him "You stood up at our table, raised your cup and proclaimed to all the lords in attendance that I was your, how did you put it? 'Bronze Bitch' did you not?" she said taking another sip of her drink.

Daemon wanted nothing more than the floor to swallow him whole while an awful feeling of pride swelled within him.

You're such a dick…

"I do remember." He said meekly.

"Good, I am glad you remember because I remember." Rhea declared "And in the words of my house, 'We Remember.'" Rhea glared at him "And I will not easily forget the slight on my pride."

Daemon was silent, he knew Rhea deserved to berate him, yet inside he wanted nothing more than to tell her.

That wasn't me! That was him!

"And you should not." He replied calmly "You have every right to be angry with me, your father would have every right to detest me, so would the rest of your family." Daemon looked up at her, a glance of confusion passed her face yet her resolve never wavered. "If there is anything else you want to say than do so, I shall not argue back, you deserve that much at the very least."

"How kind of you." She said before drinking from her cup again. "You are most gracious, I am surprised you called me beautiful or 'stunning' after what you had said to some of the lords in attendance, what was it? 'In the Vale men are said to fuck sheep instead of women?'"

Daemon pinched the bridge of his nose.

Fuck he did say that…

There was that feeling of elation again, writhing around his chest.

Enough.

He pressed his hand at his chest and closed his eyes, forcing the old Daemon once more into where ever he sends him off to.

If I deny then I'll look dishonest.

"Do you own words trouble you?" Rhea questioned.

"Yes, my lady, they do." Daemon replied "To hear you repeat them, truly makes me hate the person I was not so long ago; those words are of a petulant child." Daemon sighed and looked back at Rhea who took one more sip of her cup.

Is she getting drunk?

"And what makes you think I do not see that 'petulant child' before me now?" she questioned.

"Before I left for Runestone I had gone to visit my grandmother, what she had asked of me was forgive for arranging our marriage; Her Grace, one of the greatest Queens this realm has seen and she asked for my forgiveness when all she had done was for my sake…All I could ask from the Queen was her forgiveness." Daemon said "Forgive me, my transgressions, lady Rhea; I could ask for your forgiveness a hundred times and it will not undo the dishonour I had inflicted upon you, but I will do more than tell you, I will show you; I meant what I said in the letter even if it takes our entire lives."

"Our whole lives?" she questioned, more softly spoken "You will be showing me for a long while then, are you sure you can do that?"

"I have awhile." He said smiling with a wink, he swore Rhea almost smiled back at him. Daemon took a sip of his drink, celebrating his small victory.

"Since I can speak freely, I am sure you are aware I take no pleasure in being in your presence." Rhea said "But since you are here I suppose there is no better time than now to consummate our marriage." Daemon choked on his drink, holding his hand to his mouth and nose. "I know the feeling between us is shared, but we have a duty to perform."

She got up from her chair and walked towards him, her hand gliding on the table, as if to steady herself.

No.

Daemon quickly stood up from his chair and met her, she stumbled forward into him "Lady Rhea I- we-… we cannot." She stood at just a head short of Daemon, staring up at him.

She narrowed her eyes "You cannot?" Daemon shook his head "And why is that?"

"You are drunk."

"And what of it? I need to if I plan on getting through this, I suggest you do the same and quickly."

Daemon breathed in "If we are to do this… if I am to lay with you, it cannot be as this." He looked into her eyes, they were a light hazelnut brown. "We should not do this out of duty but because we desired it."

"Do you desire me?" Rhea questioned, Daemon nodded. Rhea scoffed "There was I time I believed myself to be fortunate to wed you; many women in court called you a maiden's fantasy, there was a short time I desired you."

"Rude behaviour is unattractive." Daemon said sympathetically "I understand why you would no longer feel that way."

"Then why not just do our duty and get it over with?"

"Because I want us to be willing, truly willing." Daemon reiterated "I have put you through so much, I do not want to put you through this too."

Rhea sighed deeply "So be it Daemon, but I shall ask, what if I never becoming willing to you?"

"And now my watch begins." Daemon jested, this time earning a smirk from Rhea he knew to be true.