Sweeter Than Evil ||| Cregan Stark

thirty-seven

Daenys and Lord Cregan had two separate goodbyes just as they planned to have two separate weddings. One was for them and one was for the Realm.

The goodbye for them was Lord Cregan having told the maidservants not to bother him nor Daenys in the morning, as he wished for the Princess to be well-rested before her journey home.

In reality, he spent the extra time he bought them that morning with his face buried between Daenys' thighs. He gave her something to remember him by. The sting of his scalp where Daenys pulled his hair, that was his reward.

Their goodbye in front of the Realm contained less muffled moaning and gasping breaths and more sweet words exchanged while they were standing beside Ēdrurys. With Daenys' hand in his, Cregan bowed his head to the woman he had married in secret.

"I will pray nightly for your safety, Princess," Cregan said, raising Daenys' hand to kiss her knuckles. The thing that started her spiral for him when she arrived. "You have the full support of the North at your back. You need only call."

Daenys smiled at him. "Thank you, my Lord. We will win this war swiftly so we might soon reunite and marry to honour our families." Daenys hated the political talk but it was required in her position. She was thankful for the much more personal goodbye earlier in the day. In front of his court, she bowed her head to him and mounted her dragon.

She had everything she'd brought with her to Winterfell packed away and attached to Ēdrurys as well as the newly written marriage pact as evidence of what she agreed to. Daenys mused that she might tell her mother, if it came up, that she had technically already married the man but that was a problem for another time.

It hurt her heart to depart from Winterfell. Daenys knew she had stayed far longer than was necessary and she had achieved the best possible outcome. Her family knew she was safe, as she'd written a letter informing them of that fact, and she knew Jace had returned safely in the one letter she got from Dragonstone while she was at Winterfell. Daenys missed home and she missed her family but she knew she would desperately miss the peace Winterfell allowed her and the man she married. For more than just the late-night benefits being with him provided.

Still, there was a war to be won and Daenys reminded herself of that. She could spend all the time she wanted with her husband when Rhaenyra was seated on her rightful throne and Cregan's support would ensure that it happened. Daenys, above all, was always dutiful to Rhaenyra first. Even with how happy she was in Winterfell, that didn't change. She'd waited long enough to hear of the results of her treat.

"We're going home, Ēdrurys," she said to the white she-dragon, leaning down to pet the side of her neck. Ēdrurys didn't hesitate to let out a deafening screech and take flight, obviously tired of being in a spot that wasn't Dragonstone for so long. More than likely, Ēdrurys was annoyed that Daenys didn't take her into the sky nearly as frequently when they were in Winterfell as she did in Dragonstone. It was simply a shame Ēdrurys didn't know they would be returning eventually. For many years if things went to plan.

Not knowing that, Ēdrurys took off from the cold of Winterfell at a brisk pace, never needing a command or direction to fly for Dragonstone.

Home. Finally.

***

When the sky began to warm, Daenys was relieved. For all of her grief about leaving Winterfell, she had missed her family, her home, and the warmth dearly. She couldn't even imagine Winterfell in the thick of winter but then again, she didn't have dresses specifically made for the type of cold up North. Daenys would take the victories she could get and being warm was one of them.