Desires Be Damned • Aemond Targaryen

Chapter Ten

Dyaena

The grim tidings of death reached Dragonstone not even a full turn of the moon after they had moved into the rocky stronghold. Their aunt, Lady Laena Velaryon, died due to childbirth complications. She left behind two daughters, Rhaena and Baela, and her husband, Daemon. They had set sail to return to Westeros in order to have the funeral at Driftmark, a funeral that would be gathering people that Dyaena thought she wouldn't be seeing again for quite some time.

Rhaenyra's company arrived a few days before that of the company from King's Landing. Their journey was a short boat ride across the gap between the two neighboring islands while the King and Queen, along with their children and others, had to travel from one end of Blackwater Bay to the other. The larger dragons followed their masters as well, with some taking to the air to fly around High Tide while others sat perched on the cliffs beside the castle. Vhagar made the journey home as well, but chose solitude on a far beach, away from her dragon kin to rest. Dyaena hadn't been sure if dragons could grieve, but after hearing Vhagar's woeful cries, she knew that the giant green beast had a deep connection with Lady Laena and felt the pain of her loss just as severely as her family.

The funeral itself was grim. Even the sea and sky mourned her aunt with exceptionally still waters and dark clouds that only occasionally allowed sunlight to filter through. Her father had much love for his late sister, this much Dyaena could see, for his eyes looked distant ever since the raven came, like they were seeing everything but not believing anything. But that raven wasn't the only one to bring news of death, for just a week prior, the Stranger had claimed others in a terrible fire at Harrenhal, one of them being Ser Harwin, the man she knew in heart to be her true father. So while everyone was mourning Lady Laena--a woman she had known only through stories--she wept in secret for the man who could no longer fulfill his promises to her and her brothers.

Dyaena wasn't entirely sure Luke had any notion of their true parentage--that isn't to say he hadn't been upset upon learning of Ser Harwin's passing--but she suspected her twin had come to the same conclusion she had. Their reactions mirrored one another, their grief falling heavier on them than that of their little brother. On the night that had followed, Dyaena ventured to her twin's chambers. She had wished to finally speak the truth of it and mourn their father properly, away from all other eyes and ears, and in Jace's comforting arms. They spoke through their tears for hours, recalling their memories of him. Dyaena even admitted to her secret trips to the training yard at night, and how on her final one Ser Harwin had appeared, wishing to give her advice on her archery. She kept the story he told her that night a secret, however, for that was for her ears and her ears alone.

But now they stood on the rocky shores of Driftmark, each of them clad in black, surrounded by family and friends all united in grief of varying degrees, as Lady Laena's casket was prepped for her final voyage. Dyaena stood on her father's left with Aegon next to her. Vaemond Velaryon gave the eulogy in High Valyrian, so Dyaena only understood bits here and there, but there was one part she had heard clearly.

"Salt courses through Velaryon blood. Ours runs thick. Ours runs true."

The slight wasn't subtle. Those who understood looked over to her and her brothers, and even the chill carried in the wind from the salty sea couldn't stop the heat from rising to her cheeks. But their attention was abruptly diverted to her Uncle Daemon, who's inappropriate laughter at Vaemond's words brought eyes to him and away from them. Dyaena remembered the story Ser Harwin had told her, and she wondered if there had been, and perhaps still was, something more between her mother and Uncle Daemon. Judging from the way she saw his eyes often wandering towards Rhaenyra, and hers to him, she knew her hunch couldn't be too far fetched. What else would prompt him to create such a spectacle in order to save Rhaenyra from Vaemond's insults?