Illicit Affairs // Harwin Strong // Criston Cole

22. Delight

Midnight Rain // Aemond Targaryen // Aegon out now!!

The throne room was filled, whispered voices echoed Daemon's name. Viserys stood ready to reprimand his brother.

"Come on Nyra!" Vaera whispered pulling her inside.

Daemon walked forward with confidence though, the kings guard unsheathed their swords ready to attack, to protect their king. A crown on Daemon's head he threw down his sword before them.

'Add it to the chair.' He offered the sword clattered before Viserys as the crowd murmured with anticipation.

"That's good right?" Vaera questioned hopefully but Viserys didn't look happy.

"Shush Vee." Rhaenyra said grabbing her hand keeping her back.

'You wear a crown.' Viserys noted. 'Do you also call yourself "King"?' he sneered

'Once we smashed the Triarchy, they named me "King of the Narrow Sea." Daemon informed him and the crowd murmured again, Daemon was no king. Everyone knew of his reputation. 'But I know that there is only one true king, Your Grace.' Daemon assured. 'My crown and the Step stones... are yours.'

'Well, where is Lord Corlys?' Viserys questioned hesitantly, Daemon was not one to bend the knee willingly.

'He sailed home to Driftmark.' Daemon told him

'Who holds the Step stones?' Viserys countered his eyes shifted seeing the smile on Vaera's face, she always adored Daemon but that was because Viserys didn't tell his daughters of the chaos Daemon ensued.

'The tides... the crabs, and 2,000 dead Triarchy corsairs, staked to the sand to warn those who might follow.' Daemon informed him. Viserys got closer to him and the crowd held its breath.

'Rise.' Viserys said hugging Daemon as he rose and the crowd applauded, there would not be war, but peace. 'The realm owes you a great debt, brother. Come. This is our chance...'

"Uncle Daemon!" Vaera pulled away from Rhaenyra and ran up to them.

"Peanut look at you!" Daemon declared pulling Vaera to him. "All grown up. So beautiful." Daemon remarked a finger trailing down her cheek. Viserys cleared his throat. "What is it a crime so notice how beautiful my niece is?" Daemon countered innocently.

"She doesn't need the encouragement." Rhaenyra added walking up to them.

"I like to hear it all the same." Vaera assured clinging to Daemon.

"Come, we have much to celebrate." Viserys declared.

+

'Daemon, he would venture off, abroad, winning tournaments...'

'No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.' Daemon said immediately a smile on his face

'I will not revisit this debate. You were always mother's favorite.' Viserys told him.

'No, it's no great mystery.'

'You were.' Viserys assured 'Our mother, she had no regard for custom or tradition, rules. And I, sadly, was no great warrior.'

"Vaera love I saw calypso when I arrived." Daemon remarked. "You have raised him well." Vaera beamed up at him.

"Way to her heart, her dragon and Cookies." Viserys reminded Daemon as he pulled Vera back to him.

"He does look good doesn't he?" Vaera agreed. "I think he needs another..." Vaera offered.

"Another what love?" Daemon questioned.

"Dragon friend."

"I'm sure Aegon and what's her name will be pals." Daemon mused.

"Helaena." Vaera corrected. "She doesn't do much now, her egg just hatched actually, its cute and little like her." Vaera informed him.

"so sweet my Vaera." Daemon remarked. "After all this time you haven't lost your smile."

"I like not being the baby anymore." Vaera assured him.

"You are certainly not a baby." Daemon agreed, he couldn't help the stern looks from Criston and Harwin though. "Your friends don't seem to like me." Daemon waved over to them. Vaera spun around.

"Oh that's Harwin and Criston." Vaera told him as though that explained it.

"Her guards." Viserys added. "it is their job to be hesitant with new faces."
"I'm her uncle, I wouldn't hurt my Vaera." Daemon smirked touching her necklace. "Looks good on you... your guards... why two?" Daemon questioned.

"I don't know I'm an angel." Vaera offered innocently and Daemon chuckled looking down to her. "What? I am. Ask them I'm no trouble at all." Vaera turned around. "Right Harwin?" Vaera called. "I'm no trouble right?" Criston snorted a laugh.

"No, no trouble." Harwin agreed.

"I sense sarcasm and it is not appreciated mister." Vaera called back to him. Harwin smirked as he ran a finger over his bearded jaw.

'Congratulations on your victory.' Rhaenyra said walking up to her family and Alicent.

'Thank you, Princess.' Daemon said kindly.

'Perhaps Prince Daemon would care for a tour of the gallery? He hasn't yet seen the new tapestries gifted to you by Norvos and Qohor.' Alicent offered

'Oh, oh. Would you like to see the tapestries?' Viserys questioned and the siblings burst out laughing. 'He has no interest in such things.'

'I'd like to see them.' Rhaenyra said, for she had been gone on her royal tour of looking for a suitor for many moons.

'Oh, well, then you should not deprive yourself.' Viserys told Rhaenyra bitterly. He wasn't happy about her early return with no husband to be.

"Father." Vaera hissed.

'I shall enjoy them alone.' Rhaenyra said heading off.

"I will go with you Nyra." Vaera offered but Daemon kept a hold of her.

'More wine. As I said, you were the favorite.' Viserys went on happily

'Just as Vaera is the favorite." Daemon mused.

"I wouldn't say father has favorites." Vaera offered and Daemon chuckled running his hands over her arms.

"I would. The realm would. I think Rhaenyra's title of the realms delight has turned into Vaera's delight." Daemon entertained.

"Nyra... she just doesn't want a marriage with a man that doesn't love her." Vaera offered. "Is that not what all women want? To be loved."

'I surmise the tour did not go well.' Alicent said walking over to Rhaenyra as she sat along on a bench staring at the gardens.

'I endured it for as long as I could.' Rhaenyra told her stiffly.

'To have every young knight and lord in the Seven Kingdoms fawning over you... What misery. It is rare for girls in this realm to get a choice between two suitors, no less two score of them.' Alicent reminded her.

'Those men and boys don't fawn over me. They only want my name and my Valyrian blood for their offspring.' Rhaenyra corrected

'I think it's rather romantic.'

'How romantic it must be to get imprisoned in a castle and made to squeeze out heirs.' Rhaenyra heard it as she said and looked over at Alicent with a pinched gaze. 'Sorry.' She murmured 'How angry is he?'

'The King went through great effort to arrange your tour. He is... frustrated. But I am glad you are home.' Alicent told her 'I find I have... few friends lately. I like to believe I'm still the Lady Alicent, but... all anyone sees when they look at me now is "The Queen." Alicent told her as Rhaenyra grabbed Alicent's hand

'I've missed you, too.'