love and duty | daemon targaryen

three

92 AC - High Tide, Driftmark

The hall of the High Tide was filled with laughter and joyful chatter the later summer of 92 AC. Nobles from across Westeros and even the Narrow Sea had gathered in the sandstone walls of the castle to celebrate the newest generation of Targaryens set to be born.

The large hall was lit by torchlight, a golden glow coloring the crowd as the moon outside rose high in the sky. The tables were filled with the finest foods the coffers of High Tide could offer, and treasures from Lord Corlys's famed Nine Voyages lined the walls. Bright melodies filled the air from the musicians playing in the corners, and the center of the hall was filled with dancing couples, their faces stretched into joyful smiles.

At the end of the hall sat a long table made of driftwood. Eleven seats were set up along the table, filled with members of the House of the Dragon who had descended upon the castle of High Tide, a great honor no keep outside of Dragonstone and the Red Keep had ever been afforded before.

Rhaenys Targaryen sat at the center of the table, her hands resting on the swell of her stomach that separated her and the table. She was dressed in a dark golden dress, the color of her lord husband's house, but beautiful red rubies decorated her neck and ears, gifts from her grandmother desperate for Rhaenys to hold on to her heritage. Rhaenys' black hair was pinned up around her head like a crown, the princess looking radiant as the glow of pregnancy clung to her skin. Her violet eyes sparkled with the purest joy, a wide smile stretched across her lips as she spoke with her mother at her right.

Jocelyn Baratheon's silver-streaked black hair was tied back into an elegant bun, her usually stern expression gone and replaced with one of love and unending happiness for her eldest daughter beside her. Her fingers were adorned with an expensive array of rings, each jewel glimmering in the torchlight as she reached over to rest a comforting hand over Rhaenys's.

On Rhaenys's other side sat Corlys Velaryon, the famed Sea Snake of House Velaryon. The sailor was nearly too large for his chair, his tall and muscular body easily filling the wooden chair, his knees awkwardly bumping up against the edge of the table. His silver dreadlocks had grown long in the past years, hanging loose around his head. He listened idly to his wife's and good mother's conversation, bright blue eyes sparkling with happiness and a certain satisfaction in knowing that his unborn child had garnered such attention and honor from the throne.

Beside Jocelyn on the other end of the table sat Aemon, the Crown Prince deep in conversation with his father and younger brother. Jaehaerys and Baelon listened closely to what Aemon said, the father and two sons conversing in whispered High Valyrian that no one at the table could pick up. Alysanne sat on Baelon's other side, the Good Queen laughing as she ran her hand idly through Gael's hair and listened to whatever story Viserys was regaling her with from his seat at the very end of the table.

Maera sat on the opposite side of the table from Viserys, her mouth screwed into a deep frown as she played boredly with the half-eaten food on her plate, glaring over at where Viserys sat. Daemon sat beside her, sporting the same expression as he stabbed his fork over and over again into the fish on his porcelain plate, every once and a while glancing forelonely to the dancing couples at the center of the hall.

The two youngest Targaryens had been punished, ordered to remain in their chairs at the head table while the rest of the hall celebrated and danced. They had been caught earlier in the day attempting to sneak out of the castle to Spice Town. The nine-year-olds had been desperate for some fun as the sun shone brightly outside, bored after having spent the majority of the last days helping prepare for the feast that night.

They had nearly made it but had been caught halfway across the beach outside the castle by Jocelyn, who had spied the cousin pair from where she had been peering out of the window of her quarters. Maera and Daemon had just made it to the town square of Spice Town when two members of the Kingsguard found them and practically dragged them back to High Tide.