As a child, you would wait and watch from far away
But you always knew that you'd be the one
That work while they all play
In youth, you'd lay awake at night and scheme
Of all the things that you would change
But it was just a dream
Here we are, don...
"Princess" Raina jerked forward, abruptly awakened from her sleep. Her hand instinctively reached for her dagger while the other reached for her son's, as she fixated her gaze on the maid standing before her. "I... I'm very sorry, but the Queen is requesting your presence," the maid stammered. Raina swiftly rose from the bed, slipping into her dress.
"What does she want?" Raina inquired, her voice laced with concern, as the maid carefully fastened her dress.
"I do not know, Princess, but it doesn't sound promising," the maid replied. Raina's eyes snapped back to her, a sense of urgency taking hold.
"Stay with them," Raina instructed firmly, and the maid nodded in acknowledgment. With resolute steps, Raina exited her chambers and traversed the corridor until she reached the grand hall. As she pushed open the doors, her eyes fell upon Daemon and Rhaenyra, both with teary eyes. Raina cautiously approached the two, her heart pounding with apprehension.
"Pyronyx flew with Luke" Rhaenyra said. Raina tilted her head, not considering it a cause for alarm as their dragons often flew together.
"Okay?" Raina replied, looking at Daemon, who seemed downcast before shifting his gaze back to Rhaenyra. "What is it?" she asked, sensing the gravity of the situation.
"Luke went to Storm's End," Rhaenyra revealed. Raina nodded, already aware of that fact. "And... Aemond was there," she continued. Raina's heart sank, a sense of dread creeping over her.
"Luke?... Where is he?" Raina inquired, desperately searching their faces. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes, the fear gripping her. They remained silent, and panic began to consume her. "WHERE IS HE!?" she screamed, unable to contain her anguish.
"He's gone, Raina," Daemon said, his words hitting her like a hammer. Tears streamed down Raina's face as her hand instinctively covered her mouth. "And both dragons are gone too," he added. Raina staggered backward, feeling a wave of nausea wash over her. Luke, dead? Vanished? This wasn't supposed to happen. The whispers didn't even give her a hint, did they?
"Why?" Raina muttered, addressing the whispers that had plagued her thoughts. She believed she had fixed everything, and now Luke was dead, and one of her dragons was gone. She was certain they hadn't told her about this.
"We did, Raina. A great fall in the storm," the whispers echoed. Raina's eyes shot up, realizing they had indeed warned her after her encounter with Aemond. Yet, she had failed to comprehend their message or prevent the tragedy. "Raina," they softly continued, but she abruptly cut them off.
"Shut up!" Raina yelled, striking her head in frustration.
"Raina?" Daemon's concerned voice reached her ears, but she paid him no attention. She needed to be alone, away from the room that held the painful reminder of her loss.
"Raina?" Alden called after her, but she kept walking, her steps determined.
"Watch the children," was all she said as she walked toward where her dragons were. Drakonis and Seasmoke both looked at her, their eyes conveying a depth of understanding that Raina couldn't fully comprehend. Drakonis and Pyronyx had been inseparable since the day they hatched. Not a single day had passed without Raina witnessing their flight together. Raina had lost her brother, and Drakonis had lost Pyronyx, his brother.
Raina approached Drakonis, gently placing her hand on the side of his head before resting her forehead against his scales. "I'm sorry," Raina whispered, her tears cascading down her face and onto his scales. "I'm so sorry." Raina didn't know if she was apologizing to Drakonis, Pyronyx, or Luke. All she knew was that she was sorry.
Raina pulled back, giving Seasmoke a comforting stroke before climbing onto Drakonis' back. Together, they soared into the morning sky, toward the rising sun.
She didn't know where she was going; she was simply allowing her dragons to guide her. Her eyes followed the mesmerizing sight of water and land whizzing past as they flew. Eventually, the dragons turned, gracefully landing on a nearby cliff.
Raina slid off Drakonis' back, taking a moment to survey her surroundings. It was a breathtaking spot, with long grass swaying in the wild breeze, and the sound of crashing waves against the rocks below reaching her ears. The open view offered a clear expanse of the boundless sea.
Raina walked toward the edge of the cliff, peering down as the waves relentlessly met the rugged shoreline. She then turned her gaze to the water, contemplating its vastness, before shifting her attention back to her dragons, who had settled down.
Moving closer to them, Raina sat down and observed her surroundings one last time. She lay back in the soft grass, her eyes fixed on the sky above, seeking solace in the quietude of nature.
Luke might have had a dislike for the sea, but he loved this. When Raina had first returned to Dragonstone, just before she and Daemon were wed, they would lie in the grass together, gazing at the sky. Luke would weave tales of the clouds, pointing out shapes that resembled dragons in flight or knights locked in combat.
Raina knew Luke made up those stories, but it didn't matter. It was the joy in his eyes and the warmth of his smile that she cherished, and those were things she would never experience again.
Raina's gaze shifted upward, focusing on the clouds drifting across the sky. A small smile tugged at her lips as memories of Luke and their shared moments flooded her mind. She allowed herself to indulge in the bittersweet nostalgia, finding solace in the beauty of the sky and the memories it held.
~~~ ↓
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