wicked games | aemond targaryen

𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚎

VALAENA HAD NEVER left the confines of Kings Landing, the bustling city with its narrow alleyways and towering keeps had been her entire world. The very thought of leaving had never crossed her mind. Kings Landing was home, whether in Flea Bottom or the Red Keep, and she had never dreamed of leaving it behind.

It seemed it did not matter what she wanted, for only shortly after Daemon's outburst she found herself in an unfamiliar place with even more unfamiliar people. The journey had been swift and uneventful, save for Valaena stewing in anger at being forced to leave a place she was starting to feel familiar.

Now she sat on the cold stone bench in Driftmark, her hands clasped tightly in her lap as they turned a deathly ghost color while she tried to ignore the raised voices that filtered through the thick wooden door.

"You can't just show up and expect everything to be fine, Daemon!" a woman's voice cut through the door like a dagger. "We have two daughters, and you've been gone for so long. You can't just waltz back into their lives whenever it suits you."

Laena Velaryon was the second-born child to Rhaenys and Corlys and Daemon's wife. Valaena had heard snippets about the woman in her time in the Red Keep, but not from Daemon. Her father was tight-lipped and had said nothing about his wife except that she had wanted to remain in Driftmark while he had not. Most of what she knew had come from Rhaenyra, who was close to Laena and often exchanged letters to keep in touch.

Despite knowing who the woman was, and that she had birthed two daughters who were Valaena's half-sisters by blood, the young girl had never thought about meeting the woman. Driftmark had seemed worlds away, and Valaena had never had any intention of leaving King's Landing.

But here she was, feeling as if she had been swept into a storm with no chance to find her footing as she awaited what would happen next. There had already been arguing about her presence between Daemon and Laena, mostly from Laena's side as she had been frustrated about Daemon's involvement in her own life when he had been so absent from their daughters'. Valaena could not fault the woman, but it only served to bring back the dread that soon she would outcasted from her newfound family and forced to be on her own once again.

The thought terrified her. Her nails dug into the palm of her skin as she tried to fight the overwhelming sense of doom that threatened to swallow her whole.

Valaena jumped as the doors slammed open, so lost in her own thoughts that she hadn't realized the shouting had stopped. Daemon did not even look her way, consumed in his own rage as he stormed off through the corridors of Driftmark while Valaena could only watch. Valaena had no desire to chase after her father while he was in such a mood, and she was still stewing in anger about their sudden departure from King's Landing to offer any kind of support anyway.

A soft sigh turned Valaena's head as Laena entered the hallway, seemingly lost in her own thoughts as she closed the door shut behind her and leaned against the wooden door. A few moments passed as she wondered if she should sneak away before the silver-haired woman noticed her, but it was too late. Valaena felt her heart skip a beat as Laena pushed off from the door, her eyes meeting hers as a surprised expression crossed her face.

"I'm sorry," Valaena rushed out as she stood on her feet, ready to run away from the woman's burning gaze as the fear of being an outcast once again crept back into the corners of her mind.

"No, wait," Laena stopped the girl from making her great escape as Valaena stopped in her steps, inhaling a nervous breath before slowly turning to face the woman.

Laena eyed the girl up and down, no doubt taking in her dark hair and plain features that made her look anything but Targaryen.

"It's Valaena, right?" Laena asked, although Valaena was certain she already knew the answer.

"Yes, my lady," Valaena muttered with a slight nod, wondering how Laena would react to her presence.

Laena hummed to herself, studying her face once again as Valaena shifted uncomfortably.

"You look just like him, you know," Laena commented, taking the young girl aback.

"Oh," Valaena blinked, wondering if it was meant to be a compliment or an insult.

Laena seemed to sense the awkwardness that had fallen upon them as she released a small sigh.

"I did not mean for you to overhear our conversation," Laena apologized as she gestured to the room that Daemon had stormed from only minutes before. "Daemon should have known better than to have left you out here to hear our fight."

"Daemon should know better on a lot of things," Valaena felt herself saying, watching a mix of humor and confusion that crossed her face simultaneously.

"Yes," Laena nodded, not acknowledging the fact that Valaena called Daemon by his first name. "He should."

There was a brief pause, as if Laena was thinking something over, before she spoke.

"How old are you?" Laena blurted out, the question seeming to have been on her mind their whole conversation.

Valaena did not have to question what Laena was asking. She had heard it well in their argument, the topic of Daemon's loyalty to his wife.

"I am seven years of age, my lady," Valaena could almost see the relief that washed across her face at the words.

"Seven years," Laena repeated, almost to herself to reaffirm what she now knew to be true. Daemon, unpredictable and reckless as he may have been, did not have a child during their marriage.

There was another awkward pause as Valaena found herself blurting the first thing on her mind.

"I know you do not wish for me to be here," Valaena immediately regretted her words as they hung in the air, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as Laena stared at her with surprised eyes.

"Oh, dear child," Laena stepped up to the young girl, kneeling to her height as she took Valaena's hands into her own. Her touch was gentle, her expression softened into one of understanding and empathy as she squeezed Valaena's hands reassuringly.

"I must admit, I was not expecting to be a stepmother when I married your father," Laena confessed with a heavy sigh. "But I cannot condemn a child on her father's actions. This situation is new to all of us, and we will have to adapt."

"You are welcome here, Valaena," Laena continued. "Baela and Rhaena will be happy to have another sister, and I will certainly be glad for the company."

Valaena felt her breath catch at Laena's words, glancing up into her eyes to search for any hit of insincerity but found only genuine compassion.

"Thank you," Valaena whispered, trying to hide the nervousness in her voice.

"Come," Laena stood onto her feet and offered her hand out for Valaena to take. "I'll show you around Driftmark, and hopefully you'll love it just as much as I do."

Valaena hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting from Laena's hands to her warm gaze before tentatively placing her own hand in hers. The warmth of Laena's touch was comforting as the woman offered a kind smile, leading her down the corridors of Driftmark that were unfamiliar and new.