To Take What Is Rightfully Ours

Chapter 23. Taking Back The Right Perspective

Rhaenyra couldn't have been able to predict that even if she had tried but their honeymoon ended up lasting for almost two and half months. It was obvious that Daemon didn't plan on being away from Westeros for this long as well but they just caught up with all the places they wanted to visit and all the things they wanted to do that they just lost track of time. Plus, according to Diane, there wasn't much happening in King's Landing anyway so they didn't really miss anything.

And yet, it was obviously time to go home. Despite how much Daemon and Rhaenyra liked their honeymoon, they knew it wouldn't be wise to stay away from King's Landing for much longer. Diane was holding "their fort" pretty well but they had already changed enough in the timeline for new events to start occurring so they didn't have as much leverage as they used to and it meant all three of them had to focus on ensuring Rhaenyra's position as an heir and future Queen.

On their way to King's Landing, they decided to stop at Dragonstone for the night because Daemon wanted to check out all the changes that he had read about in Diane's letters. And if they were lucky, Diane would be there as well. After all, they both missed her. In the last year, Daemon got used to seeing his daughter daily, so it was strange not to speak to her for the last two and a half months. Rhaenyra, on the other hand, also terribly missed being able to chat and gossip with her best friend about all sorts of things and she had so many things to tell her about her honeymoon that she couldn't possibly relay in letters. The princess decided Diane and she should have some girls' time as soon as they were able because there was just so much to discuss!

As they landed and got off their dragons, it became obvious that Diane was at Dragonstone as well because Silverwing flew right to Caraxes and Syrax, sending one of the dragonkeepers to fly with her sheer excitement and the wind from her wings. After checking in on a poor man and making sure he didn't earn anything worse than bruises, Daemon and Rhaenyra left their dragons to socialize and went looking for Diane.

They encountered Gerardys in the Great Hall who was apparently informed about their arrival and was coming to meet them.

'Prince Daemon, Princess Rhaenyra! It is such a pleasure to have you here.'

'We are very pleased to be here as well,' Rhaenyra smiled.

'I've read my daughter has been keeping you busy during our absence,' Daemon pointed out with a small smirk on his lips.

'You have no idea! But if I may say, she just might be the gift from the Gods,' the maester said.

It made Daemon smile, 'Don't I know it.'

As if on cue, Diane appeared from one of the corridors. 'Father! Rhaenyra! I missed you both so much!' she exclaimed with a wide smile on her face and pulled them both into a hug as soon as she reached them. Even if Daemon and Rhaenyra did not expect it, they easily went along with it, hugging her back.

'We missed you too!' Rhaenyra smiled. 'Letters are just not enough.'

'Even though, they were great entertainment,' Daemon chuckled as they broke the hug. 'You doing alright?' he then asked, putting a hand on Diane's shoulder.

She smiled and nodded, 'Yes. I have been busy but I like being busy. I fixed some things here and there,' Diane added, absently worrying a dragon bracelet on her hand.

Perhaps, it was the only secret that she was yet to tell Daemon and Rhaenyra. Of course, they didn't know her whole life story, which would have taken ages to tell, but all the other things from her past that they didn't know weren't exactly relevant. This, however... Diane felt like it was relevant, very much so, but she just didn't know how to breach the subject quite yet. After all, usually when someone told you they had seen and spoken to dead or non-existent people, it was a cause for concern. And not like Diane thought they wouldn't believe her - they believed her when she had said she was from the future, after all - but she was not ready to open the can of worms this conversation would surely open. So she decided to sit on this information for a little while. After all, she didn't want her father or her friend to worry without any real reason.