Renegade// Criston Cole / Davina Targaryen

2. Tears in the Starlight

Ser Criston was going to kill himself after what he had done, the dishonor of it all. He couldn't live with himself but the news of the kings collapse made him drop the blade.

''Criston.'' Davina called out her voice weak as she stared down at him. "I need you... alive preferable."

"Davina I-" Criston began.

"Don't." Davina warned. "There has been enough death and sickness and mourning."

"Princess I have dishonored myself and I can't." Criston begged.

"Criston. You are a good and honorable man." Davina told him taking slow steps towards him. "If you wish to leave Rhaenyra's service I will allow, it but you will be on my service or the queens or someone else in the capital instead."

"You want me?"

"Criston, I know you and Rhaenyra were close, perhaps that is what... lead to such strong actions." Davina said through a heavy breath. ''Some distance might be good. For the both of you." Davina offered, knowing distance from Daemon was what she needed. "Especially with her being married to Laenor now. If that is what you want... you have too much life to live to end things now." Davina told him confidently.

"Is the king..."

"They are preforming surgery on him now." Davina told him softly. "I want Daemon here to tell me everything is alright but I don't want to lean on him. Because he is an awful human being that uses people." Davina practically sobbed out. "I want him to stay but he won't."

"Davina," Criston whispered stepping closer to her, he saw her tears in the starlight.

"I don't want to go back inside just to come out here and find your corpse in the morning." Davina told him. "It is purely selfish." Davina informed him and a sad sob escaped her lips. "I like these gardens and I don't want to see your dead lifeless body every time I want to take a walk out here." Davina told him stiffly.

"Dav-''

"Criston." Davina demanded silent tears fell from her eyes. "I will... move Harwin to Rhaenyra's service and you will be on mine. I don't mind if you hurt cunts like Joffrey for me but know you won't need to." Criston nodded as he approached her. "You think you can handle me?" Davina mused softly.

"Everything is going to be alright." Criston offered and Davina nodded she felt the tears drip down her chin. Criston reached out and grabbed her hand before pulling her into a hug.

+

"Auntie, please, please you have to stay." Rhaenyra begged sobbing into her as they worked on Viserys. "I can't do this without you, please Auntie!" Rhaenyra sobbed out. Davina nodded but she caught Daemons eye as he marched out.

"A word Dav." Daemon demanded. "Let's go."

"Go?" Davina countered. "Rhaenyra needs me."

"I need you." Daemon corrected.

"Daemon, Viserys needs us!" Davina shouted as Daemon pulled her along.

"I need runestone." Daemon countered as Davina yanked his arm back.

"DAEMON! Our brother might not survive and you want to run off and claim your land?"

"Davina you don't understand-'

'I understand that Viserys is family, Rhaenyra is family, I'm not leaving my family,'' Davina sobbed.

"Yet you gladly took my cock." Daemon reminded her and Davina shoved him back.

"Lapse in judgement." She hissed out 'but you don't care about that, do you? You just want power. You don't give a damn about me either. You used me too."

"Davina that's not true you know that's not true." Daemon assured holding her face in his hands.

"Then you are going to stay here and help me, Daemon help me." Davina demanded and daemon let his hands fall to his sides. "Daemon if you walk out this door I'm done giving you second chances." Davina warned.

"Davina don't be like this." Daemon sneered. "This could be us our moment!" Daemon reminded her, their conversation now on full display for anyone passing by, Criston stood back ready to step in if need be but Davina could handle her brother.

"I can't stay." Daemon countered.

"Yes you can." Davina spat. "You can you just don't want to!"

"I want you. I want you to come with me!" Daemon demanded. "Tonight didnt have to be the last of us..."

"They are taking Viserys arm to try and stop this infection from spreading any more and you want to up and leave? He could die! Don't you care about Rhaenyra?" Davina shouted her arms flailing. "Don't you care about me?" Davina sobbed.

"Of course I care, I love you, but Rhaenyra doesn't-'

'She needs her family!" Davina hissed. "Maybe you forgot what that's like being gone for the past few years but my family is important to me.'' Davina demanded the tears to stay in her eyes. She couldn't be weak.

"I'm family too, or am I just a cock to you Dav?" Daemon taunted, davina shoved him back again and he chuckled as he faltered back. "Then start a family with me." Daemon declared.

"Fuck you." Davina hissed.

"YOu already did that love.' Daemon reminded her and she punched at his chest.

"Stop just stop. Think about this." Davina begged.

"Baby, come on, we can't stay. Lets go, marry me and we go." Daemon told her but she didnt budge. "I'm leaving Davina." Daemon told her. "With or without you."

"You don't care about me." davina muttered. "You never have." She spat. "Gods I was so stupid." she declared marching towards him.

"I do, but-"

"Not more than you care about you. You always loved yourself more." Davina clarified. "You care about what you need. You don't give a damn about me!" Davina hissed shoving him back. "I wasted so many years in love with the idea of you but Daemon i'm done."

"What do you mean you are done?" Daemon questioned.

"I'm fucking done." Davina hissed pushing him again. "I'm done waiting for you to be that person that I'm have in my head. I'm done waiting for you to be the man you never were."

"Davina don't do this."

"I'm staying for my family. You are the one running away." Davina reminded him. "Go. Run. But know that I won't be waiting for you when you pull your head out of your ass when you decide you just missed out on the best thing in your life."

"Davina don't do this, come with me." Daemon begged.

"Fuck you." Davina hissed. "I'm done wasting my breath on you."

"Davina love don't do this, it has always been me and you."

"Me, im done diminishing myself, making myself feel smaller while you keep getting bigger and higher." Davina spat. "Viserys was right, you hold to much power over me. I'm done."

"What about our great love story?" Daemon offered.

"It's about damn time I treat myself right, that I loved me."

"davina don't'' Daemon begged.

"Are you leaving?"

"Yes." Daemon answered.

"Then I will be fine without you. I will thrive, THRIVE!" Davina shouted through the tears. "I will thrive without you."

"Then I guess this is goodbye." Daemon remarked stepping back.

"I guess it is." Davina agreed. Daemon nodded through a thick breath as he turned and left. A shaky breath escaped davina's lips as she tried to get back inside but her legs gave out and she crumbled to the ground. Criston ran up dropping next to her holding her as she cried.

Nothing had ever felt so final.