Valera Targaryen: The Storm Bringer

058

114 AC
Kings Landing

Princess Valera spun into anothers arms and upon realizing who she now danced with, she instantly tore herself from the man.

Her once joyous expression turned sour, "I am done dancing," the Princess stated and sharply turned on her heel. She began to walk away from the tan man in front of her, but he caught her by the wrist, pulling her back.

"Val," Prince Qoren Martell called out.

Valera scowled at Prince Qoren and yanked her hand away from him before continuing to storm back to her place at the top of the hall.

"Valera wait!" Qoren called out again, pushing through the crowd of people as they began to dance. Valera easily maneuvered her way through the lords and ladies, as they quickly moved from her path.

The moment Prince Daemon saw Qoren grab Valera as she walked away, he stood from his seat and strode over to the crowd of people . He followed Valera with his eyes the entire time and grabbed her by her waist as soon as she emerged from the dance floor. Only moments behind her, Qoren Martell also emerged from the crowd.

"Leave," Daemon snarled. His arms snaked around Valeras waist, holding her tightly to his side.

Qoren only glanced at Prince Daemon before looking directly back to Valera, "why have you been avoiding me?"

Valera bit her tongue and grabbed the arm around her waist, pulling Daemon with her as she turned and walked away once more. Daemon glared at Prince Qoren and followed Valera back up to the top of the hall.

Qoren's eyes narrowed as he enviously watched Daemon and Valera go back to the long table at the top of the hall to retrieve their children.

Prince Aerion waved to Prince Qoren when he saw him and attempted to pull his mother to where he stood, watching them. Valera refused and continued to lead Aerion from the Great Hall.

Ser Erryk, Valeras sworn shield, followed after the family. Following him were Ser Steffon Royce and Ser Harlan Royce, who were brothers, and the recently appointed shield's of Prince Aerion and Princess Aemma.

All three knights looked at Prince Qoren as they followed the royal family out of the hall, through a small side door that led directly to a spiraling staircase.

That evening, rumors of a rift forming between Princess Valera and Prince Qoren, swirled through the court and into the streets of Kings Landing.

The last day of festivities, Princess Valera was walking through the fair grounds with her
daughter in hand when Prince Qoren approached her once more.

"Valera please talk to me," Qoren Martell begged the silver haired woman he had long adored and vied for.

"Leave," Valera gritted through clenched teeth, walking away from the Prince just as she had done every time he tried to approach her in the past sennight.

"I don't understand," Prince Qoren complained. The man lurched forward and grabbed Valeras fee  hand.

Valeras ripped her hand from his grip effortlessly, a sneer coming to play on her lips, "you are lucky to even be alive right now," she told the Prince, cheeks flushing in her frustration. "All I need do is say the word and Daemon would have you decorating the castle walls."

"Where is this coming from?" Qoren's eyebrows were knitted together snd he slouched defeatedly.

"You know," Valera hissed.

"I don't!" Prince Qoren defended himself, throwing his hands up in the air as if to surrender.

Valera only had to say was one word for the Prince of Dorne to finally understand why her love for him seemed to have evaporated overnight.

"Rhaenyra." Valera chewed on her younger sisters name.

Since the confession, the sisters seemed not to be as close as they once were. They no longer took their afternoon tea together and were no longer glued to each other's side. 

Prince Daemon believed Valera to be jealous of her sister, and that was why she was punishing her with a cold shoulder. Upon the mention of this, Valera extended her cold shoulder to her husband for almost a sennight.

"Rhaenyra..." Prince Qoren gulped and looked down to his feet, "she told you."

"She told me," Valera stooped to pick up Princess Aemma who had begun pulling at her skirt and repeating "bē" up. "The only reason you are even allowed back into this city is because of what you did for my son," Valera sighed. Her eyes glistened as if she was fighting back tears. "If you wish to keep any sort of relationship with me, I suggest you leave. Leave this city, and leave me alone. Leave my family alone."

Prince Qoren shook his head and combed his hand through his dark hair, "I can't do that Val..." he said, attempting to step closer to her but she countered his steps with her own.

"Stop it," Valera begged as she stepped back, her voice cracked as she did so. Princess Aemma began to whine with her head on her mother's chest, a large frown pressed into her face.

"Valera, please, I love you," Prince Qoren stepped forward again, this time reaching up to caress Princess Valera's cheek.

"No!" Valera snapped, her voice rising and causing Princess Aemma to begin crying. Valera caresses her daughter's hair and sways back and forth in an attempt to soothe the toddler. "Do not say that, it is a lie. You wouldn't have...you wouldn't have done that if you did." Valeras bottom lip trembled.

"Valera, I promise I only want you, I only ever wanted you... she is so much like you... in ways... I thought maybe..." Prince Qoren rambled on.

"Thought you could use her as a replacement for me?" Valera scowled, her sadness now forming into an anger that lit up her eyes. Qoren shook his head and went to speak but Valera didn't allow him the chance to. "You need to leave, now, before you say or do anything more to upset me."