Darya had always loved the sea, her father used to take her out on his ship and they would spend months on end sailing and visiting foreign lands. That all ended the night her father's ship was attacked and Darya was taken to Astapor as a slave. Yea...
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Darya grunted with the effort of getting out of bed, her hand coming up to clutch at her still healing side. It had been days since they'd won against the Whitewalkers and yet she was still mostly bed-bound, as per both the Maestor's orders and Daenerys'. She had been stuck in the castle when all she really wanted to do was climb aboard the next ship to Pyke.
More than anything, she just wanted Yara. But she knew the woman would most likely hate her now. Darya had failed to protect her brother, Yara probably never wanted to see her again.
With a deep breath, the blonde got up and pulled a robe on over her nightdress. Rapid footsteps echoing through the hall quickly put her on high alert, even more so when they stopped just outside her door. Darya eyed the door suspiciously as a tense moment of silence passed before whoever it was knocked. The knock was odd, their fist against the door so much gentler than their footsteps had been.
"Darya, open the door," Yara's voice came from the other side of the door, tears welling in Darya's eyes at the familiar sound. "Please. Please be okay-"
The Greyjoy was cut off by the door creaking open, throwing herself through the gap and wrapping her arms around the blonde. Darya felt frozen in place as Yara's face buried itself into her hair, the arms around her somehow both tight and gentle. As if holding her any differently would cause Darya to disappear from her arms.
The normally comforting embrace, however, did nothing but make the woman's guilt grow. How could Yara still hold her like this? How could Yara still care about her when she was to blame for Theon's death?
"Darya?" Yara pulled back, confused by the other woman's lack of movement. "What's wrong? Was I holding you too tight? Did I hurt you?"
"How do you not hate me?"
Darya watched as Yara's eyes narrowed in confusion before a look of realization finally softened her features. The brunette's head shook softly, her hand reaching up to cup the other woman's face.
"I don't blame you, Darya," Yara whispered, her thumb wiping away a stray tear. "I would never blame you for something like this."
"You should. I should've been there, I promised you that I would protect him and I failed. I failed the both of you. It should've been me!" the blonde explained while taking a step back, her words leaving Yara looking as if she'd been struck.
"Don't. Don't you ever say that. Theon made his own choices and if you want to blame yourself, you also must blame me," Yara started, reaching up and wiping the tears from Darya's face. "I'm the one that let the two of you go, but in the end there was absolutely nothing I could've done to change either of your minds. Just like you couldn't change Theon's. So don't you dare say that it should've been you in his place. I... I don't know what I would do if I lost you."
Yara rested their foreheads together, her eyes closed as she just stood there and appreciated the touch. Appreciated that Darya was there with her. Alive.
"I love you," the Greyjoy muttered, pulling away slightly and caressing the other woman's cheek.
"I love you," Darya replied, wrapping her arms around Yara's neck and pulling her in for a brief kiss.
"You need some rest," Yara said as they pulled apart, starting to lead the blonde back toward the bed.
"I gotten enough rest for a lifetime," Darya argued, trying to stop the other woman but her body ached in protest. "Besides, don't we have to prepare for the attack on King's Landing?"
"We start sailing first thing at dawn but for right now, you are what's most important," Yara stated, not being able to keep her hands off of the other woman out of sheer relief of being by her side again. "You are the most important thing to me. Always."
"As you are to me," the blonde replied with a small, tired smile as she leaned her head on the other woman's shoulder.
