Wolves / Cregan Stark / Davina Targaryen

25. Preston

"You know my cousin... her guard was RIckard Stark when she was younger. She always spoke highly of him but I think that was before you and your sister came along." Davina remarked.

"I remember pops telling me about that..." Cregan remarked as he measured and cut the leather for the saddle. "Wanted her to marry Brandon... said she couldnt talk to boys when she was little but thought her and uncle Brandon would do well together." Cregan recalled.  "Presley? Was that his name?"

"Gods I remember Preston." Davina laughed out. 

~

When avalon was 11 she had her first real crush. He was tall and handsome. Preston. Even his name was fancy. Avalon bit at her lip nervously as she watched him pass. She tried to align her schedules so she could see him between lessons and riding but no matter when she saw him and he saw her, her brain shut off.

She didnt know how long she had been admiring Preston from afar. She had been at the capital with her cousins, she was proud of Viserys, she was the royal cup spiller as Daemon and Davina deemed her but Viserys said she was doing a fine job. But Viserys always thought that Avalon was a little angel, he used to think similarly of Davina though, so his angel radar must be off.

Avalon sat in the courtyard as the knights got back from their hunt, she picked up her book to try and act like she wasnt waiting for him to return but was failing miserably at being discreet. He smiled over at her and her book slipped between her fingers and landed with a thud.

Sure she was a princess and she should have been confident and brave, she was in most things but when it came to boys she wasnt as suave. She was an excellent dragon rider, she bonded with all the dragons quite well but boys... boys. This boy in particular was one of great struggles of her little life. All she wanted to do was talk to him.

"Good morrow Princess." Preston said and Avalon opened her mouth to speak but her brain turned to mush and her tongue went numb and by the time she remembered how to speak he was gone. She turned around staring at his back as he turned the corner.

"Hi." Avalon whispered, her shoulders slumped and her head tipped back in disappointment. "Damnit!" Avalon muttered. No matter how many times she saw Preston how many conversations or lack there of conversations it was like her brain just malfunctioned and avalon was left with so much to say and never able to form words around him.

"What's with the long face, gorgeous?" Daemon asked seeing Avalon slumping back to the castle.

"I can't talk to cute boys!" Avalon declared and Daemon scrunched up his face.

"I'm the cutest of boys and you talk to me just fine." he countered.

"You don't count." Avalon informed him.

"No?"

"No! You are my cousin, and Davina is going to marry you. I'm not trying to impress you!" Avalon told him confidently.

"Well..." Daemon scoffed. "I'm.... a tester how about."

"What do you mean?" Avalon asked sitting down next to him.

"Pretend I'm whoever it is you have a crush on and I can pretend to be some pompous knight." Daemon offered.

"He is not pompous, he is perfection!" Avalon declared leaning into Daemon. "I love him and I don't think I have ever said more than hello to him without my face going red and hyperventilating!" Avalon declared miserably.

"Well then lets fix that."

"HOW!" Avalon declared. "Daemon I see him, okay, I see his handsome face and my brain just stops." Avalon informed him. "By the time my brain remembers how to be a human he is long gone and I'm left looking like an idiot!"

"You could never look like an idiot." Daemon countered.

"I feel like an idiot." Avalon murmured.

"Who is it?" Daemon asked nosily.

"His name is Preston." Avalon whispered.

"Preston!" Davina declared with a cackle. "Oh he's fine, careful Dae you have some competition and thats saying something because I know who his family is."

"Preston." Daemon repeated trying to figure out who this preston person was. "Preston what?"

"I don't know!" Avalon shouted defensively. "I can't say more than hello, how would I know!"

"You know his name." Davina countered.

"I overheard when my brain was malfunctioning by his gorgeousness." Avalon answered covering her face with her hands.

"Who is he?" Daemon questioned.

"A lady never tells." Davina mused.

"You are a princess, my princess.'" Daemon coed.

"That work on all the girls?" Davina teased.

"Gods I'm so pathetic!" Avalon declared while they were having their little flirting session.

"You are not.' Daemon assured.

"Rickard!" Avalon declared jumping up and moving to her guard. "Am I pathetic? Tell me the truth." Avalon demanded and Rickard looked back to Daemon and Davina confused. "Rickard, I must know. I need the truth and I need it now."

"No, Princess you are not pathetic, who told you such a thing? You are perfect." Rickard assured but that didn't make Avalon feel any better though.

"But if I'm perfect why can't I talk to cute boys?" Avalon reasoned.

"Preston again?" Rickard remarked and Avalon nodded.

"You know this preston person?" Daemon said moving to them swiftly.

"Ser Preston Lannister." Rickard informed him.

"Gods they can make them handsome." Davina agreed. 

"A knight, at ten and one?" Daemon questioned.

"Oh no Preston is ten and six I believe." Rickard corrected.

"Avalon, you don't need to be talking to men. You are my little avalon." Daemon reminded her.

"That's my problem!" Avalon declared. "I can't talk to cute boys!" she shouted in complete and total agony. Davina laughed out as Avalon stomped off, Daemon heard the thud of her chamber door before he heard it creek open and her little footsteps come back down the hall. She looked between Daemon. Davina and Rickard. "I'm sorry, that was very aggressive." Avalon remarked. "Please excuse my outburst." Avalon said as she headed out again and closed her door gently. They couldn't help but laugh.

~

That was a long time ago because Davina still thought she was going to marry Daemon, everyone did. How the idiocy of her youth clouded her from the truth. 

"She sounds lovely. Next time targaryen royalty drops in the Godswood I will hope for a nicer more polite princess." Cregan mused and davina slapped a hand at him.

"Rude."

"Says the woman slapping me." Cregan countered.