Forever and Always // Aemond Targaryen // Daemon Targaryen

24. Agony

"So I was wed. Life was perfect. Her youngest brother died and her mother went psycho. Her father killed...'' Daemon sighed taking a step back. ''Her own father... murdered Beka and her siblings.''

''Why would he do that?'' Rhaenyra countered confused.

''He was a mad man.'' Daemon muttered. ''Then they fled westeros. No one ever saw Mikael or Ester again.''

''Oh Daemon,'' Rhaenyra whispered she had never seen him so broken about a woman long dead for over 30 years. It made her feel like she was competing with a ghost.

~

Many years ago...

Daemon had been coming to supper that night. He was giving Beka the space to tell her family of their elopement but he was ready to meet her family.

He had so many plans for them. They would move to dragon stone. The next egg from the pits would be theirs and he would consume his bride every day and every night.

But then he saw Mikael stab Beka and Daemon froze. Paralyzed in the moment as she whimpered out before dropping down bleeding onto the floor.

Daemon wanted to scream. To fight to kill him for taking the only person he loved away from him. Daemon watched, sobbing silently as Mikael killed the rest of his children. Viciously.

Daemon went to get help, get Caraxes, burn that man to the ground. His hands were shaking as he ran. He felt like a coward but he was young and stupid and his mind was so clouded with hate and pain. Seeing Bekas lifeless body before him he forgot how to breathe. He ran on shaky legs. His hands trembled and he choked for breath.

He demanded Mikael Mikaelson be put to death. But when they got back to the Mikaelsons house it was empty. Blood on the floor the only indication that Daemon didn't imagine it.

He felt like a coward but he couldnt breathe. He couldnt function. Beka was gone and his heart seemed to stop as well. 

~

"After all this time, her name still hurts." Daemon remarked. 

Rhaenyra truly was competing with a ghost. SHe didnt think he ever once told he that he loved her. She knew he did, he had to. But seeing the emotion covering his face, Rhaenyra didnt know if Daemon was capable of love. True love. 

When you lose someone, it stays with you. Always reminding you of how easy it is to get hurt.

"The worst day of loving someone is the day that you lose them." Davina remarked seeing Daemons face and knowing. She hated that she couldnt tell Daemon. She loved him, he was family but so was Beka. 

"Hey Dav." Daemon whispered as he hugged her tight. 

"Hello Davina." Rhaenyra offered.

"Can you give us a minute?" Davina questioned pulling Daemon with her. "Your wife is jealous." Davina remarked gently as she poured Daemon a tall glass of wine. 

"So?" Daemon countered. 

"Most women like it when the man they love, loves them back." Davina offered. 

"Are you here to cheer me up or make me sad?" Daemon countered. 

"Both." Davina offered as she sat on the arm of his chair. "Tell me what you are thinking so I can help you Dae." Davina begged as she ran a hand through his hair. 

"It doesnt matter." Daemon corrected. 

"It does matter to me. I love you." Davina urged. 

''What difference does it make? Because in the end, when you lose somebody, every candle, every prayer is not going to make up for the fact that the only thing you have left is a hole in your life where that somebody that you cared about used to be." Daemon whispered.

"Would you erase her from your mind if you could?" Davina pondered. 

''No matter how much I miss her or how much pain I was in, I never would have erased everything we ever had. Even if I was drowning in grief, I'd rather hang on to every moment that I ever held her, or every laugh I ever heard, every shred of happiness that we ever had. I would rather spend every moment in agony than erase the memory of Rebekah Mikaelson."