Rhea

Rhea stroked the neck of the horse "Good girl." She whispered to the animal. Rhea quickly checked her saddle, fastening the strap again before checking her bow and quiver full of arrows, counting each one. 

"Rhea." A frail voice called out to her, she turned to see Perra walking towards her "How long will you be?" she whined slightly.

"I shan't be long, it will be just for the day only." Rhea assured her.

"Is Daemon going with you?" she asked.

"He is." Rhea replied "And remember what I said, use people's titles; it is impolite to speak to someone without addressing them as such."

"Can't I go with you both?" she whined "I can learn to hunt like you, I want to ride on my horse and travel with you."

Rhea knelt down slightly and embraced her sister "We shall, one day, I promise." Rhea kissed the top of her head. "When you are older."

"It's not fair, I want to be older and go with you, we can play that game of join-four that Daemon made." Rhea chuckled lightly; how the prince would always let Perra beat him and act the fool, yet when he had introduced it to Rhea he had strained himself to best her in the short time they'd get and had only done so a mere few times to Rhea's considerable number of victories.

Much the knight not the strategist it seems. 

The memory of that made her smile, yet every time she pictured his face she was met with two emotions; one of anger and suspicion after what he had done to their wedding and yet another of curiosity and some desire.

At times when she thought of that smug young face at the table who showed nothing but distain for her and her family, she would almost shake with rage, even now the memory seem to set her off and sour her mood if she let it. 

And yet…

"Lady-wife!" a voice called out, both her and Perra turned to see Daemon walking towards them, the reins of his horse in one hand as he waved at them with the other. "Lady Perra!"

Even the way he smiles is different.

Daemon at their wedding seem to have a way of looking and acting superior to others even when he tried to charm them, always so proud and never passing up a chance to act as such; to lords or servants, it did not matter, one of the many things that irked her about him.

Yet now, he almost acted like a fool or subject at times, humbling himself to others no matter whom; she quickly noticed that almost every time someone addressed him as Prince, he'd blink as if he wasn't use to the very word itself.

Even at it's worse, his smile is more of mischief than pride… and most other times it is tender.

"Prince Daemon, can I go hunting with you both?" Perra asked him.

Daemon looked puzzled as he looked at Perra and then to Rhea "I- I think you should ask your sister instead." He said.

"She said I could not, that I can only join when I am older." Perra said.

"My apologises Lady Perra, but your sister is the head of Runestone while your father serves at the Eyrie, we can not go against her word." Perra pouted, Daemon knelt down "What if, when I come back, I'll tell you some stories I've written, does that sound good?"

Perra nodded her head "Yes, that would be good, may I also have pizza too?"

Rhea almost laughed as Daemon acquiesce to her sister's demands "Only if you behave." Perra nodded her head. "Good, now head back inside, I'm sure you have lessons with your septon." Perra sighed heavily before walking back to the castle door.

Rhea could barely contain herself "I see my Husband has taken another woman into his life." She jested.

Daemon rolled his eyes and chuckled "One woman from House Royce is more than enough for me." Rhea slapped him on the shoulder gently, Daemon feign pain as he smiled at her.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

Daemon looked behind at his arrows, quivers and pack before then tapping on Darksister strapped to his side. "Looks as such."

"Good." She turned to the small troop of guards who would accompany them. "Be ready to ride." He called to them as she mounted her horse, sitting at the head of the group.

"So what are we hunting?" Daemon asked as he rode his horse up to her.

"Deer, elk, rabbit… maybe even dragon." She said, glancing at him.

"I must warn Caraxes then, doubtless he would not like to end up in a meat pie." He jested.

"I do wonder what dragon must taste like." She pondered aloud, trying to get a reaction from him.

Daemon leaned in to her "Would you like to try?" he whispered, his breath tickled her neck, there was a rush of excitement… yet when she caught a glimpse of his eyes, she could have sworn she saw just a glint of the Daemon she first married, a chill clashed with it.

Rhea whipped the reins of her horse and rode off quickly, Daemon quickly followed her, the two almost leaving behind their troop of guards behind them.

Rhea was far from a stranger to her lands; sitting on her horse she watched from a mound over the valley, her eyes tracking for even the slightest bit of movement from the land, anything and everything.

She watched focused, noticing the slight moving of shrubbery just half a league away, the dark brown deer,

"Do you see anything?" Daemon asked, his voice made her jump slightly.

"I had, before you interrupted me." She snapped at him, she turned back towards the shrubbery as Daemon rode next to her "You see there?" she asked pointing at it's direction "Looks like a deer, must have been grazing there to break it's fast."

Daemon leaned in a bit closer to her, Rhea bit her cheek and tensed slightly. "By the Gods, how did you see that?" he asked, wide eyed. "I could barely make that out."

"My father would take me hunting, before he left for the Vale." Rhea said "Taught me how to notice and spot even a hare from half a league away and to predict one's moves." She proudly said, hoping to sting the Prince's pride. 

Daemon was silent "My father taught me how to ride a dragon." Rhea narrowed her eyes at him, Daemon smiled back. "Oh you fell right into that one." She slapped him on the arm.

"Get moving." She commanded, pulling her bow from the holder on the saddle along with an arrow. She whipped the reins of her horse and galloped off, leaving Daemon and the guards behind her who tried to catch up.

As she moved closer to the deer, it turned its head to her and began to sprint away. She pulled back the string of her bow and fired the arrow, striking the animal in it's rear.

Daemon released off his arrow; the shot harmlessly landing meters and meters away from the deer as it continued its escape. "I see your father had not taught you archery." She teased, she had hoped to get some kind of shamed or flustered reaction from him, yet he chuckled at that.

"He had not." He laughed, he grabbed his chest and shut his eyes, leaning forward in his horse.

"Are you well?" she asked, perplexed, she almost reached a hand towards him.

"I am fine, truly." Daemon said through pained breath "This… happens now after my accident." He took in a sharp breath and straightened his back. "Please, don't let it trouble you when it happens." He tried to assure her.

Rhea raised an eyebrow "I shall try." She said "Let us move, the deer looked to be heading north." She pointed towards the deer's general path. "Shall we race, my Prince?" she said, in an almost mocking tone, before Daemon could say anything she kicked her horse forward, galloping off.

She readied her arrow and bow once more, spotting the deer in a clearing between two small mounds; she released her arrow, striking the deer in the neck this time. The wounded animal frantically galloped around.

Daemon fired his arrow, again his arrow missed it's mark yet landed just a little closer this time. "You are awful bad at this, did they not have deer in King's Landing?" again she teased him, looking to get a reaction, almost hoping to frustrate and humiliate him… draw out the Daemon she knows he is and not the one he pretends to be.

He grimaced. And grabbed his chest, taking deep breaths before laughing "We had deer, it was just served to me before hand." Rhea could not help but smile at the jape, though it irked her. 

He does not react…

She thought back to that moment she kissed him, trying to draw out that person who looked at her with disgust, expecting to see such a face when she pulled away. 

He just looked bewildered instead…

The deer pranced around in a circle, its crazed frenzy of movement growing slower and slower before it collapsed onto the ground. The two rode their horses to it; the deer lay on the ground, blood seeping from its wound stained the grass as it's breathing slowed down.

"Perhaps now you can release your arrow and hit it?" she jested to him, looking at the deer. She turned her head towards him. "Or should we use Darksister?"

He instead stared at it, she could tell from how his jaw tensed and hands clenched on the reins he seemed apprehensive. "Perhaps you would like to do the honours?" he suggested "It was your arrows that had wounded it." He unbuckled Darksister and handed it to her. Rhea stared at him, wondering if he was truly being serious.

Surely this is a trick…

As her hand touched the hilt of the legendary sword, did she notice the shaking in his own, when she took the sword did he quickly place his hand on his chest, shut his eyes and took in a deep breath.

Is it always that frequent?

She climbed off her horse and towards the deer, its dark pleading eyes staring at her. She looked at the legendary Valyrian blade in her hand, wondering how many hands it had passed from before reaching hers. She pointed the sword at the neck of the deer and ended it's misery.

Why would he hand me the blade to do this? Why did he not want to do so?

She took a clean cloth from her satchel and wiped the blood from it's blade, even under a grey sky the sword seem to gleam, and handed it back to Daemon who placed it back into his scarab.

She wondered if perhaps the Prince had a fear for blood, yet as she handed him a dagger to skin the animal he helped her in peeling back the skin and cutting the animal into smaller pieces for themselves and their escorts to transport back to the castle.

"Halt!" one of the guards called out, drawing their sword. The rest of their escort circled around them, weapons in hand. Rhea turned to see a lone sheep herder with his flock stop before them.

"Albar!" Daemon called out, jogging towards the sheep herder and moving past the guards. "My friend!"

"Prince Daemon." The herder called Albar greeted him as he bowed his head, he then spotted Rhea who approached them too, her guards moving just behind her. "Lady Rhea."

"How are you? How is Kella?" Daemon asked, the smile that had disappeared quickly brought back.

"She is well, Prince Daemon, we have only recently found that she is with child." Albar said.

Daemon clapped his hands together "That is wonderful news."

"Congratulations." Rhea said to Albar.

"Thank you, Lady Rhea, Prince Daemon." Albar bowed his head. "Truly the Gods have blessed us and I shall pray that they bless you both soon."

Both Rhea and Daemon looked at each other "We thank you, Albar." Daemon replied. "I have been meaning to feed Caraxes, I might as well do so while I am still out."

"I can give you the sheep without need for payment." Albar noticed his eyes glance at both her and then the guards around them.

"Nonsense, you have a growing family now, how would you support them by giving away your sheep?" Daemon said as he took out two three silver stags from his satchel.

"My Prince, this is too much." Albar said, almost pushing Daemon's hand away.

"Children are costly to raise." He placed the coins in his hand and closed them. "You are my friend, we shall look out for each other."

"Thank you, Prince Daemon." He bowed his head and Daemon dipped his, the herder then handed him three sheep, each with a leash around their necks. "I should warn you, I fear the weather may worsen as the day passes." Albar looked to the sky "Many times I have seen these clouds, heavy rain shall follow."

Everyone looked to the sky "We thank you, Albar." Rhea spoke "We should head back then."

"Safe travels to you Lady Rhea, my friend." Albar spoke, addressing first her and then Daemon who grasped at his hand and then headed his own way, waving goodbye to them.

Daemon tied the leash to of the sheep to his horse "And here I was thinking I would leave this empty handed." He jested.

A drop of water grazed Rhea's cheek and the cry of thunder echoed across the sky "We should move." Daemon nodded his head as he mounted his horse once more.

Daemon led the group towards the cave where Caraxes, trailing through faint paths. Rhea recognised the lands; an old mine of the first men who settled on these lands and formed Runestone.

Rhea had picked the area specifically to house his dragon because of its history and the Runes that decorated that walls of the cave.

If it upsets him… he does not show it.

Daemon quickly dismounted his horse, now the rain was almost pouring down on them; she could feel the water seep through her armour and into her clothes. "Soldier, take the deer and head back to Runestone." She ordered, giving the meat to a few of the guards who quickly left back for home.

Daemon wrestled with the sheep "Do you want to see him?" he asked, he sounded genuine, without a hint of challenge or condescension in his voice.

Rhea clenched her jaw, her hands tightening on the reins of her horse; her mind told her not to trust him "Looks more like you need help." She said, dismounting her horse and then grabbing one of the leashes of the sheep and helped Daemon pull them to a metal stake in the ground surrounded by a burnt patch of land.

Now the rain was pouring down as they tried to tied the leashes to the metal stake, her hair and now her clothes and hair were soaking wet. Daemon approached the cave "Caraxes!" he called out. "Kisās, Caraxes!" he ran up to the entrance of the cave, looking inside.

Rhea moved away from the sheep and held her breath, her eyes focused solely on the cave ahead of them, waiting and bracing herself for the dragon to appear. "Is something the matter?" she called out.

Daemon turned his head "He's not here!" he called back.

Suddenly a deep roar, almost as loud as the crack of thunder, echoed across the sky, everyone looked upwards to see the shadow of a dragon above them. From the sky, the dragon looked small but as it got closer to the ground, did the size almost dwarf everyone around them.

The dragon crashed on top of the entrance to the cave, it's shadow seemingly blocking out the light from the sky as it raised its neck over them.

The dragon looked around at them; as it turned it's head from the sheep and towards the horses. Possibly against the will of their riders, the horses began to panic at the sight of the dragon, many of them had thrown their riders off their backs, the riders quickly getting up and running away or simply ran off. Including Rhea's horse.

The sheep that was once tied to the stake struggled against it, pulling the stake out of the now soft soil and almost escaping. Only for the dragon to quickly crush two of them under one of its claw and biting at the other.

Rhea fell to the ground at the sight, her eyes still staring at the dragon, her breathing as rapid as her heart.

"Caraxes!" Daemon voice cut through the rain and thunder. "Daor!" he commanded, the dragon looked at him as Daemon pointed at it, as if chastising a child. "Lykirī! Caraxes!" he pointed to the cave "Get back inside, now!" the dragon hummed and then turned to look at Rhea.

Every part of her urged her to run, yet her breathing quicken and her head became light as she collapsed to the ground. "Rhea!" was the last thing she heard.

When she awoke she found herself inside the cave; she lay on a bed of furs, her armour and boots set to one side, a fire near her illuminating the cave. And a sleeping dragon only a couple meters from her. Rhea panicked, quickly crawling back when she felt a hand grasp her shoulder "It's me." Daemon said as his hand gave her's a reassuring squeeze "Calm." He told her "You are safe, you are safe." His hands clasped gently around her face as she grabbed him.

"I need to leave." She told him.

"We can't." he shook his head, speaking to her in a deep whisper.

"We can't?!" she exclaimed loudly, regretting her tone as she turned back to the still sleeping dragon.

"He's a heavy sleeper, he'll only wake up if I tell him." Daemon said, as Rhea looked at him she noticed both his hair and clothes were still soaked "I tried to see if the way was clear, the storm has created a flood on the path, it wouldn't be safe to move now" he told her "We have to wait out the storm here for tonight." Rhea looked back at the dragon, in her mind she weighed up the risks of staying and leaving. "All is well, I promise."

Rhea closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down.

Daemon moved to the side, placing himself between her and the dragon, sitting beside her, placing the blanket around her and then handing her some dried meat. "Sadly it's all I have." Rhea took a bite of the meat, she scowled at the bitter taste. "Dragon fire, I guess you know what dragon taste like." He jested lightly before turning silent "When I awoke from my long sleep I had to relearn how to ride a dragon, when I met Caraxes again… I fainted like you." He told her "You're not the only one." He gently touched her hand. "You're braver than most… braver than me."

She looked at him, his violet eyes seemed soft and his smile homely; even if she hated it, Rhea took comfort from it. "I want to trust you, Daemon." She admitted to him "Truly I do but-"

"What I did to you… Even I can not forgive myself." He said. "I know what you've been trying to do; you wish to hurt me, humiliate me as I had done to you." Rhea tensed, wondering if perhaps she was in danger if he knew of her intentions "I wish I could be offended if it meant you took comfort from it." He said gently "I wish I could rage and hate you as you desired but I cannot, because I will always believe I deserve it and more; you cannot hate Daemon as much as I hate him now." Daemon bit into the strip of burnt meat "Gods this tastes awful."

As she looked at Daemon, it felt as though the boy she hated had melted away to show a new man before her. She took his hand in hers and rested her head on his shoulder as the two took in the near stillness; the pattering of the rain outside, the deep rustling of the wind into the cave, the crackling of the fire and soft breathing of the dragon for what seemed like an age. Her body became less tense as she looked at the sleeping dragon.

She looked up towards Daemon and stared at him; she had hated him, yet now she couldn't think of anyone she 'wanted' in that moment. As Daemon turned to look at her she leaned forward and kissed him; gripping his neck as he placed his hand on the small of her back, both of them pulling the other in closer.

This time there was no one to disturb her, disturb them. Rhea placed herself upon him as he slid from the wall and onto the furs. Their hands roaming their bodies as their passion grew as heated as the fire near them, fumbling with each other's clothes and tossing them to the side between starving kisses.

Daemon then placed his hand on his chest again, this time he winced in pain "Are you well?" Rhea asked concerned, holding his cheek in her hand tenderly.

Daemon remained silent as he clenched his hand and squeezed his eyes shut before it seemed as though a calm had settled over him as he looked back to her smiling, he gently touched her hand and then cupped her face.

"Perfect." Before Rhea could reply he pulled her back into a deep kiss and rolled himself on top of her, throwing some furs over them.