To Take What Is Rightfully Ours

Chapter 10. Getting A Visit From The Past

'Okay, tell me again,' Daemon asked, joining Diane on her walk.

'Tell you what?' she glanced at him.

'About the ladies-in-waiting and why you chose these particular ones.'

After Rhaenyra found out that Diane came back from the future, she gave her the last say in her ladies-in-waiting because Diane knew better than anyone which houses were loyal and which were not, and they could use this whole ordeal as an opportunity to make some connections and maybe prevent some houses from supporting the Greens.

'I wrote you a list,' Diane reminded.

'And I- uh- burned it. Accidentally,' Daemon answered reluctantly, and he sounded almost embarrassed.

Diane stopped and looked at her father, 'Really?'

'Yes.'

'But how...'

'Do not underestimate my ability to misplace and accidentally destroy things.'

Diane snorted, 'Okay, fine. But walk with me because I have a horrific amount of things to do before Velaryons arrive tomorrow.'

'Sure.'

'I think you should have already guessed about Laena Velaryon. There is no bad blood between us and Velaryons now and Corlys and you fought in the war together, but we need to secure their support for Rhaenyra. And if Rhaenyra not only takes Laena under her wing but also helps her secure a good match, they would remember.'

Daemon nodded. Corlys and Rhaenys weren't the ones to forget: neither bad things nor good ones.

'Then we have Elinda Massey. She is only three and ten now but she was very devoted to Rhaenyra the last time around so I decided there was no harm in bringing her in sooner. And besides... life is unpredictable, I want Rhaenyra to have a friend to confide in if I'm not here,' Diane added. She had no intentions of leaving the King's Landing any time soon, but a small voice in the back of her mind kept whispering that her road in life was always bumpy and full of turns and she hadn't reached a clear, straight passway just yet.

'Is she here already? I think I have seen her,' Daemon asked, trying to remember.

'Yes, her father and she arrived yesterday. She is already looking at our princess as if she hangs the moon and the stars so with that we are in the clear.'

Daemon couldn't help but smile, 'Rhaenyra has such an effect on people, doesn't she?'

'Of course. She is called Realm's Delight for a reason,' Diane smiled too. 'Okay, the next one is Ellyn Baratheon. I don't like Baratheons as a rule but they are a big house and it will be nice to have them on our side. Boremund is still the head of the house, but he will pass away soon most likely, and his son Borros is a miserable man who tries to compensate for his small dick by being a dumb jerk who doesn't know how to keep his word.'

Daemon snorted, 'Okay, we don't like Borros, got it.'

'Also...' Diane suddenly stopped again, her face thoughtful. 'He has four daughters but none of them were wed, even by the time I died. Well, except for the one who was promised to Aemond but only because the Greens were trying to get Baratheon on their side. I wonder why.'

'Well... maybe he wants them to find love?' Daemon suggested, though even to him this sounded highly unlikely.

'Not Borros. He will sell them in a heartbeat for personal benefit which means no one is offering. That's suspicious, don't you think? I mean, they are not ugly, they are legitimately born and Baratheon is a big enough house to offer a big dowry so I'm just... confused, I guess. Does everyone else know something we don't?'