Surviving

Chapter 41: The Girl Who Would Be Avenged

TW: Death, violence.

The hour was late and not a single person roamed the darkened halls, save for one. Ser Harwin Strong. A brave, courageous Lord Commander of the City Watch to the realm, but a whore in the whispers of the Red Keep. However, the knight did not care for such unfortunate titles as so many did.

Not when his decisions led him to a silver princess with a guarded heart, nor a dark princess with his eyes.

A glorious celebration was held earlier that day for the realm after the birth of the princess' first child. A girl, a princess, an heir.

A bastard.

Whispers had spread quickly of a newborn girl born with dark hair and dark eyes, a polar opposite to the Valyrian features he'd seen so many times before. The king was overjoyed as well as Princess Rhaenyra, but nobody's joy would ever come close to the knight's.

A daughter.

His first child.

His only child thus far.

He had only seen her for a moment upon her birth before the king and queen had him excused while they were introduced to the child. Though the king seemed overjoyed for the arrival of his granddaughter, it seemed the queen was more interested in the color of the child's hair rather than the child herself.

Now while the Red Keep remained asleep, Harwin would finally meet his daughter. He could hardly contain the redness in his cheeks from his excitement. His daughter, his little girl. He almost couldn't believe it to be true, but when he looked over Rhaenyra's shoulder and saw two tiny brown eyes barely opened and looking up at him, he felt his heart swell with pride.

His little Naerys.

Harwin snuck into the nursery quietly and could hear a distinct babbling coming from across the room. He walked over to the two bassinets next to each other, and his eyes instantly went to the sleeping dark haired newborn curled up next to a bright orange dragon egg.

Though his eyes narrowed slightly with confusion as they traveled over to the wide awake silver babe in the bassinet beside her. The child wasn't fussy or crying, but simply babbling incoherently and squirming on his back. Two small purple eyes looked up at him in wonder and Harwin couldn't help but smile down at the little boy.

"You should be resting, little prince." Harwin softly chuckled as he wiggled his finger underneath the boy's chin, but then he glanced back over at his daughter for a moment and playfully smirked. "Or were you keeping my little princess here safe while she sleeps?"

"No, that would be me actually." A low voice spoke from behind him, making Harwin turn to see the Rogue Prince emerging from the shadowy corner of the room.

"My prince, what a surprise indeed." Harwin tried to remain as calm as possible as he spoke. He stepped closer to Naerys' bassinet as Daemon strutted towards her, but Daemon stopped just in front of Harwin with a hint of a smile in his violet eyes. "I had not heard of your return to the Red Keep."

Daemon smirked to himself, shaking his head slightly. "Most never do, Ser Harwin."

The prince's eyes traveled down to the bassinet with his eyes focusing on the newborn girl. Harwin's hand went to hold onto the edge of it, which made Daemon's eyes fly back to the knight curiously.

"May I...?" Daemon arched his eyebrow tauntingly and the knight had no choice. What could he say to a prince of the realm? To the man Princess Rhaenyra truly pined for in secret? Harwin cleared his throat, taking a slight step aside with a nod, though caution lingered in his brown eyes.