river of fire | DAEMYRA TARGARYEN

chapter 3: goodbye

"I am torn, so very torn. Alicent lied to us, to Rhaenyra. For months we thought she was coaxing us through our grief, helping heal Rhaenyra and Viserys's relationship. She lied. This isn't her, it was her father. We are ladies, it is our duty from birth to be married but this, I pray that she remains Alicent not just the Queen."

"I know you've refused once before," Rhaenyra mumbled, she clutched onto your hands with conviction. Please say yes. "Ride with me to Dragonstone."

"On dragonback?" Your eyebrows furrow as you cease your mindless folding of handkerchiefs. That wasn't an odd request, denying her however would prove to be impossible.

The court was to gather together this evening as a sail for Dragonstone to perform Aemma's final rites. The stay would be for two days, though Rhaenyra insisted on remaining on Dragonstone for a week. It was good, Viserys agreed. She could use a change within her drill monotony of receiving condolences and stiff-lipped smiles to the congregation for she was a princess of the Realm, she had duties even when she must mourn her mother.

You placed down the last handkerchief by the mirror of your vanity as you turned to look at her. "You won't let me fall?"

"Never, please duck." The dropped lids of her eye, red and bruised from her spurts of cries. You nodded, walking over to engulf Rhaenyra once more, having predicted the soon wobble of her lips before the tears yet again came.
Rhaenyra couldn't fathom the agony that persisted within her chest, weighing it down so heavily that if she were to lay in bed, she couldn't breathe. Gasping and face red until her lady-in-waiting Enorah would pull her upright, she would then realise that she had been sobbing so hard there was no room to breathe.

Those moments were so aching and yet fleeting as she would soon find herself whimpering and sniffling in Alicent's or your arms.

Rhaenyra and Alicent together had mourned Aemma, you'd find Alicent often, wiping at her eyes. Memories of her own mother consuming her so heavily, she couldn't find it in her to hold the onslaught so she may soothe Rhaenyra. You, nought is to be said about your mourning, even Daemon appeared to be tearful at breakfast the last morrow but you. Not a single drop of tear split to patter on your bath water or wet your pillow.

Sleep however had evaded you entirely, Rhaenyra had stopped consuming Nightshade after the third night, finding that her spurt of sobs lulled her to an exhaustive uncomfortable sleep. You however laid flat against your bed one moment, a book meant to read laying on your tummy untouched and nothing. The first night you turned to the window and realised the Hour of the Nightingale as you heard them chirping, this followed the second night. Rhaenyra curled asleep next to you and you, nothing.

Oberya had appeared concerned, nought had shifted in your demeanour and that precisely tickled her irked. Yesterday when the court convened to the Throne Room, you set eyes upon Viserys for the first time in three days. He announced for the court to set sail to Dragonstone to perform Aemma's last writ of fire.

Your head was so heavy, you profusely blinked your eyes to wash away the clouding in front of your eyes. The figure of Viserys's white hair was merely spot within your vision as you stood in the gallery with the other young ladies.

When the court dispersed, you lingered in the galleries for a moment. Letting the fog cut from this sticky slack it had found itself into. You grew tired walking back to your chambers, legs heavy, fingers heavy, head heavy. You climbed the stairs only to stop four floors below yours and rest for a moment. One moment your head rested on the cool red rock of the walls, the next—nothing.

Oberya had found on her way up to your rooms, she called your name once and then twice more but you were beyond the line of consciousness. The impetuous change from the colour of your skin, she yelled for the attendants to call for the Maester. Lack of sleep was your diagnosis, from the night after Aemma's death.