The True and The Brave

𝔖𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔫: 𝔄𝔫 𝔢𝔶𝔢 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔠𝔩𝔬𝔰𝔢𝔡, 𝔟𝔲𝔱 𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔬𝔭𝔢𝔫𝔢𝔡

[IMPORTANT: I've seen the views and likes on my story in such a short time since I published it and I am truly honored by it, but please, if you really appreciate it (and the hard work it takes anyone out there to write from the bottom of their heart) I ask of you—no ghost reading]

"It was wonderful, father. Truly. I did miss you, but the Starks embraced me into a family I never had. I am not saying I did not appreciate you, because you were the only person keeping me from breaking at King's Landing. But I needed distance. From my mother, from my brothers. I grew up, father. I will not apologize for how I forged myself anew. For now, I changed", Aemma's voice was unfaltering.

Laenor was beyond proud. His little daughter, now almost a woman grown. A stronger woman, stronger than he could ever imagine. He reminded himself to write to repay for the kindness and hospitality his daughter was shone. How the North seemed to embrace her, even if she did not belong there.

"I do not fault you for that, little love. If anything, I admire you more now. Now tell me about Lord Cregan. I heard from a little bird that you are quite the pair"

And Aemma tried not to blush. But she knew to always trust in her father. Her fiercest protector and confidante.

"I do have feelings for him, and he returned them tenfold. He just knew I couldn't stay. And I can't stay, although I did love Winterfell, and Seafyre fared surprisingly well too. I could not find in my heart to leave you. And when I heard of Aunt Laena, I could not imagine Baela and Rhaena. It was time for me to finally come home", she smiled softly.

"And what did you think of it, of your home?", Laenor pressed, smiling at his daughter's revelation. She put the people she loved first. He knew that if fates allowed it, Cregan and she would reconnect.

"It is beyond what I imagined. Your words did not give it any justice. I flew near Spice Town and the shipyards. I saw the massive fleet. And, Seafyre was immediately taken by the sea. When I left her with Vhagar, she truly looked as if she was home too—"

"Wait, Vhagar? As in Laena's dragon? How are you alive? She has a temper and last I heard, she doesn't fare well with strangers—"

"I sang in Valyrian. Remember the dragon book you gave me for my fifth nameday. It had a song that Queen Rhaenys would often find singing to Meraxes, calming Vhagar too. I hoped it worked for all dragons. Besides, you haven't seen Seafyre. She is bigger than Seasmoke now, perhaps even more so than Caraxes".

Laenor laughed in glee, feeling whole again. His daughter. How he had missed her. From long conversations and still feeling drained from the funeral, Laenor was fast to fall asleep on her shoulder. Aemma smiled softly at her father, who looked tired. She tucked him in, pulling the sheets to his chin.

She decided to head outside, searching for Seafyre. Her eyes narrowed at the beach. There stood Rhaenyra, her mother, and Daemon. She had heard the rumors of their... encounter... at a brothel in Flea Bottom. Knew that there was uncontrolled lust. Frankly, she could not care. But Daemon was now without a wife, and if he was like Baela and Rhaena described him, then he was ruthless and relentless.

And it scared her.

She did not have time to personally thank Haelena, nor talk with Aegon and Aemond. She had been relishing in the unique warmth she knew in her father's embrace.

Aemma walked towards the hill she last left Seafyre, clearly not paying attention to her surroundings. At least not enough that she found herself yanked to the ground to hide behind a dune of sand.

She looked up at the pale hand that gripped hers. Her heart already soaring with that same emotion that she had started to feel two years ago.

"Aemma"