Gold Rush // Harwin Strong

17. In Love

'The Step stones were meant to be won for the realm, but over the past few days, it seems we have traded a crabfeeder for a sea snake. This is clearly a rebuke for passing over Lady Laena for Queen Aelsa.' Tyland Lannister remarked as the council listened intently. Although Aelsa was his preference for queen, the Velaryon's thought it theres and there was no stopping them from seeking justice where they thought was deserved.

'Years have passed since the business with his daughter. Certainly, he cannot still be wrathful?' Viserys pondered

'The Sea Snake is an over-proud man, to be sure, Your Grace. That pride has been injured. Perhaps we can salve the wound?'

'I fear Lord Corlys's pride is the least of our worries. I don't wish to cause you further distress, Your Grace, but my brother has sent disturbing word from Old town. Lord Corlys is said to have engaged in negotiations with the Sea lord of Braavos. He plans to wed his daughter Laena to the Sealord's son. If House Velaryon entered into an alliance with the Free Cities... then... we would have to seek our own marriage pact.' All eyes turned to Rhaenyra. 

+

'Good night, Ser Criston.' Rhaenyra said as she retired for the night, she heard the cries of Aelsa's new daughter, her screams echoed.

'Sleep well, Princess.' She closed the door only to see a bag in her room, she dumped out the contents and it revealed dirty clothes, rags really and a scroll. She opened it up and it wasn't a note but a map. She looked at the wall paneling. She pushed the bench away and a hidden passageway opened up she stumbled in.

' Whoa!' she said breathlessly as she looked down at the staircase. She changed into the clothes following the passageway she wasn't surprised to see Daemon waiting for her. he grabbed her hand leading her down the steps.

'Where are we going?' she questioned as they wandered through the streets, Rhaenyra had never been out after dark, not like this. She was surprised and amazed at everything and everyone. She got to be no one.

'fսck off, boy.' A drunk man said stumbling into her. Rhaenyra gasped giddy

'He called me boy.' Her laughter echoed as she followed daemon through flee bottom.

'Do you wish to know your death, child?' a blind witch cackled down at them but Daemon pulled her along.

+

'Let me take that.' Aelsa said taking the sponge from a healer and looking back at the other servants standing ready. 'Leave us, all of you.' She knelt before Viserys as he lay in the tub his wounds spreading, the infection growing.

'You have a far kinder touch than they do.'

'Thank you, husband.' Aelsa looked down at him as she brushed her hair over her shoulder to keep from getting wet. He looked different. Not just the wounds but his eyes. Tired and sad, worn down. Sure Viserys wasn't her type but he was a kind and smart man. She felt bad, she loved Harwin. She could never have Harwin but she loved him. She looked to Viserys, her husband, the father of her children and felt a wash of pain. Her becoming queen although it was what she wanted once upon a time things changed. She changed.

But doesn't what everyone wants and needs change? Their preference, their ambitions... Aelsa wanted to be queen because her family wanted her to be queen but having Aegon and Helaena, although cute she couldn't help but want more from life, an adventure, a lost that burned through the sky in a blazing fire. She didn't just want stolen kisses and staying up all night examining every inch of each other with their hands and tongues. She wanted to scream it from the highest tower that she was in love. She was in love with Harwin Strong.

+

'And now we come to the matter of the great Iron Chair... and whose bum it might bear. Our good King... names his daughter, a girl, his heir.' Daemon had brought Rhaenyra to a play, the crowd was enthusiastic. 'But then to him, a babe is born.' The actor portraying Aelsa was grunting and groaning delivering a fake child for the audience.

'A son!' the speaker declared. 'To which heir might the chair bear? Who will it be? The brother? The daughter? Or the little princeling of three?' Daemon stared down at Rhaenyra as she watched the play of their lives.

'Rhaenyra... the Realm's Delight, a girl so young and so slight... loved by all of her people, but would she make a powerful queen, or would she be feeble?'

'Feeble!' the crowd shouted and Rhaenyra's face dropped.

'Though Aegon, the babe Prince, might long for a claim, he has two things Rhaenyra cannot: a conqueror's name... and a cock.'

'Lies, slander! Boo!' Rhaenyra tried but their cheers outweighed her one measly voice of objection.

'Jest if you will, but many of the smallfolk are like to believe that, as a male, Aegon should be the heir.' Daemon reminded her as he led her away.

'Mm. Their wants are of no consequence.' Rhaenyra reminded him and Daemon laughed as the crowd continued cheering, and whistling in amusement.

'They're of great consequence if you expect to rule them one day.' Daemon reminded her.

'For one night, I wish to be free of the burdens of my inheritance.' Rhaenyra remarked picking at some food a vendor was selling.

'Four coppers, street rat.' The man shouted at her.

'In King's Landing, we pay for our pleasures.' Daemon told her and she threw the food back at the man and ran.

'Hey! Stop! Boy!'

'Wait, I'll find him.' Daemon assured heading off with a chuckle on his lips.

Rhaenyra had never felt so alive she was breathing heavily as she ran but she collided with a knight with a grunt.

'And who might you be running from, now?'

'Ser Harwin.' Rhaenyra said kindly and he stared down at her confused

'Princess.' He grumbled

'Don't.' she begged as he daemon coming up behind her.

'You take care, boy. Next time, you might not be so lucky.' Ser Harwin remarked.

'Enjoyed that, did you?' Daemon questioned coming up behind her.

'Who knows when I'll next taste freedom?' Rhaenyra reminded him.