My Tears Ricochet // Alicent Hightower

22. Shattered

Davina didnt care for Rhaenyra she might just hate her after the past few weeks. Rhaenyra had gone silent.

Gael was the boys father, Davina was family and she lost her husband and Rhaenyra didnt say a word. After all Davina had done for Rhaenyra over the years... for them to end like this.

But her boys didn't deserve her anger. They lost Gael and Harwin too.

~

"Auntie, please, please you have to stay." Rhaenyra had begged her after Viserys collapsed over ten years ago now, Rhaenyra begged sobbing into Davina 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 snapped back. 

~

Now to think all this time later, Rhaenyra ran. She didnt write, didnt care to come back. After all Davina had done her whole life and now... Rhaenyra's betrayal hurt just as much, possibly more than Daemon's. Because Davina thought she knew Rhaenyra better than that. 

But they flew to driftmark all the same. Davina lay back feeling Fury's warmth under her.  Haezel and Vaera flew on Cookie together, Draeya took Valyria and Haenry took Rhaegar on Chama and Faea. 

+

"Do you think she's coming?" Criston pondered softly. 

"I hope not." Alicent admitted. "I want her here but..." Alicent's gaze shifted to Daemon. "He's bad for her. I dont want him hurting her, shes already fragile." 

"That is one word I never anyone would call Davina." Criston remarked. But it was true, Davina was so fragile right now. 

''Have you seen your father?'' Rhaenyra asked coming up to Jace. ''Your little cousins have lost their mother. They could use a kind word.'' Rhaenyra offered glancing to Daemon's daughters but Rhaenyra wanted to talk to Daemon, see him, be close as they boy wanted to be so many years ago.

''I have an equal claim to sympathy.'' Jace countered.

''Jace.''

''We should be at Harrenhal, mourning Lord Lyonel, Ser Gael and Ser Harwin.'' Jace countered. 

''It would not be appropriate. The Velaryons are our kin-'' Rhaenyra reminded him, Jace scoffed.

"So is Gael and Harwin. Ser Harwin was our uncle!" Jace reminded her.

"And Laena was your fathers sister... your father..." Rhaenyra looked around for Laenor but he was no where in sight. ''Look at me. Do you understand?''

''Hand turns loom; spool of green, spool of black; dragons of flesh weaving dragons of thread. Hand turns loom; spool of green..." Helaena remarked finding a spider on the ground she eased it into her hand

"She is so strange." Aegon remarked.

"She is our sister." Aemond reminded him as he saw Davina and her children walking up.

''Wench! Another!'' Aegon declared clasping his hands together joyously.

''Aegon.'' Aemond hissed picking Valyria. "Best behavior!" Aemond demanded. "Hi cutie." Aemond whispered as Velaria leaned into him.

"What did you find Helaena?" Haezel asked watching the spider. "Oh my mama doesn't like spiders." Haezel reminded her.

''...dragon's flesh, weaving dragons of thread." Helaena went on trapping the spider between her hand and a geode.

"Don't bring that home with you or my mama is going to flip!" Rhaegar added. Davina offered a sad smile as she came up to them.

"Are you alright mama Dav?" Aemond whispered, she shook her head slightly, letting out a pinched breath as she looked to Jace and Luke.

"Helaena caught a spider!" Haezel declared. Davinas eyes drifted to her.

"I'm not keeping it mama Dav." Helaena assured. Davina didnt have the energy to flinch away from the large spider, she just nodded taking the drink from Aegon. 

"Yes, that was for you." Aegon agreed as he hugged her. She held it back out to him. "I will get you another drink." Aegon offered looking into the empty glass before taking off. 

+

''Both my seat and High Tide will be yours one day, Lucerys.'' Corlys remarked. ''Your brother will be king, of course. He'll sit on endless councils and ceremonies, but Lord of the Tides rules the sea.'' But Luke shook his head softly.

''Sorry. I don't want it.'' He whispered.

''It's your birthright, lad.'' Corlys reminded.

''If I'm the Lord of Driftmark, it means everyone's dead.'' Luke corrected as he walked off.

''I'm very sorry." Jace said coming up to his cousins Baela and Rhaena.

''Thank you.'

''Thank you.'' The twins echoed. Rhaena grabbed Jace's hand keeping him with her as they sat in a sad silence. But Rhaenys came up to her granddaughters and Jace stepped aside

''Grandma..." Rhaena sobbed ''I don't want Mother to be gone.'' 

"Mama Dav!" Jace declared and Luke spun around.

"Hi babies!" Davina rasped kneeling before them and hugging them tight. "I missed you already."

"I wanted to go to the funeral for the Strongs." Jace remarked. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "I want to be there for you." She bit at her lip trying to become a crying mess as they held onto her. 

"I'm really sorry about Harwin." Luke whispered as she kissed his cheek. 

"Me too." Davina agreed wiping at her cheeks as she stood up. "Excuse me for a-" she couldnt even get the words out as she walked off feet dragging miserably. 

"There she is." Criston remarked. Alicent looked to Davina and she was past fragile, she was shattered in the worst ways.

Laenor stood in the waters he wouldn't move from the seas needing to be closer to his sister.

"Retrieve your patron." Corlys hissed to Qarl his sons protector.

"Brother." Vaemond said pulling Corlys back, he begrudgingly released ser Qarl.

"I got him." Davina offered as she headed down. 

"Davina," Corlys rasped and she just barely looked back at him. "I'm sorry about Ser Harwin." She nodded teeth chattering, vision blurred from tears trying to stay put in her eyes before they cascaded down her cheeks.