wicked games | aemond targaryen

𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗

VALAENA LISTENED TO the waves crashing against the rocks as she stared out onto the sea from the highest window of Driftmark. Her eyes glided across the skyline before falling down below where she found the familiar sight of silver hair. They huddled together in groups as Valaena's eyes trailed to the coffin they surrounded.

Her head turned away as she squeezed her eyes shut to stop the tears that threatened to burst at the corner of her eyes. She leaned her head back against the wall, inhaling a deep breath before opening her eyes. Valaena turned away from the window, pushing herself onto her feet as she wandered away from the very thing she sought to forget.

She paused, waiting a moment before glancing over her shoulder.

"Is this really necessary?" Valaena asked her sworn knight, who glanced down at the ground as if ashamed to be intruding when she was clearly grieving.

"I apologize, my lady," Ser Donnel bowed his head in shame. "You know I must."

Valaena turned back around as she released a knowing sigh. She had grown all too familiar with her knight's sworn oaths over the years and why he could not leave her side without repercussions.

She tried to push it to the back of her mind as she continued her path through the familiar halls of Driftmark, long as it might of been since she had visited. It seemed Ser Donnel was not a complete rule stickler as he increased the number of paces he walked behind Valaena, and for that she was grateful. The corridors of Driftmark were suffocating, a reminder of the last time she had been there with her stepmother, and she felt her pace increase until her feet led her to the shores of Driftmark.

The water was up to her waist when she was snapped out of her daze by the frantic grab of Ser Donnel as he lifted her out of the water.

"Let me go!" Valaena begged as she fought against his firm hold to no avail. She was ignored, her fists ineffective as he carried her back to shore. "I am ordering you to release me this very instant!"

Her knight did not listen as her protests weakened, ensuring they were a safe distance away from the water before placing her back down.

"I apologize, my lady," Ser Donnel bowed his head in respect, but he had only been doing what he was sworn to do. Protect whom he was sworn to with his life.

Valaena glared at him with tears in her eyes. She released an angry cry as she pushed against Ser Donnel, who stood firm on the ground. He did not say anything as she tried again. It was no use. He was bigger and stronger, no matter how angrily she pushed.

She had not cried once since Laena's death, but the tears seemed to flow freely as she abandoned her attempts to take out her grief on her sworn protector. Her legs gave out beneath her as she fell towards the ground, stopped only by Ser Donnel catching her as she collapsed. He lowered her to the ground gently, kneeling beside her as sobs racked her body.

Ser Donnel went to move away, unsure of the appropriateness of the matter, but was stopped as she threw her arms around his neck and buried her head into his chest. The young man was taken aback, frozen for only a moment before allowing his arms to wrap around her in a comforting hug as he found himself stroking her head.

"It's not fair," Valaena mumbled as her sobs became shorter and less frequent.

Ser Donnel did not respond, glancing over the brown locks that infiltrated his vision to the large keep of Driftmark. He was well aware of what was occurring beyond its walls at the moment, the Targaryens coming together to pay their respects before another power struggle began among them. Yet in his arms was one of them, a child of conquers and power-hungry royals that he had watched grow up. Of whom was currently grieving the only mother figure in her life.

And for a moment, he felt the beliefs in his oaths waiver. To serve the king with even more loyalty than whom he was sworn to.

"Come," Ser Donnel spoke, standing back onto his feet as Valaena's confused doe eyes looked up at him. Her pale skin was red and puffy as the purple flecks in her eyes glimmered with tears and he could not bear to look any longer.

Valaena watched as he began to walk away, confusion spreading across her features but she did not hesitate to follow after him as he led her towards the mountains away from Driftmark. A silence fell over the pair as she struggled to keep up with his long strides, fighting to catch her breath as he strode ahead of her.

"Where are we going?" Valaena finally asked halfway up the mountainside, pausing to inhale a deep breath while Ser Donnel walked several paces ahead.

He paused when he realized she had stopped, glancing between her and the peak that was almost in reach. Ser Donnel walked back down to Valaena, who was still attempting to catch her breath. He hesitated before reaching down to lift her into his arms. Instead of protesting like he expected, Valaena almost seemed relieved as she relaxed into his grasp. Ser Donnel remained silent and stone-faced as ever as he continued to carry her the rest of the way to the peak.

What awaited them was beyond compare. The mountains stretched out further than the eye could see as the sun began to disappear beyond the peaks, painting the sky a canvas of bright colors.

Valaena stepped forward with wide eyes as Ser Donnel set her down, amazed at the beauty. She wondered how she had never seen it during her brief time at Driftmark. She felt her heart lift in her chest for the first time since Laena died.

She whipped around, wrapping her arms around her knight tightly in a hug. Ser Donnel panicked, expecting the girl to start crying again.

"Thank you, Donnel," Valaena whispered, taking the knight off guard at the informality of the use of his first name.

"Of course, my lady," Ser Donnel responded.

Valaena did not comment anything further as she simply pulled away, turning back to the view and stepping towards the edge of the high mountain they stood upon. Ser Donnel watched her back as she sat down, head resting upon the top of her knees as she stared out in silence.

Again, Ser Donnel was left to his thoughts as he felt another doubt creeping into his mind regarding his oaths. Only for the briefest of moments before he shook them away.

But they had still been there.