The Gentle Queen: HOTD

Family|7|

"I don't want to go; please don't make me." Luke begged as he hugged Lillian's waist; he didn't want to go to Dragonstone; he wanted to stay here, not in a gloomy old castle most likely haunted by ghosts.

"I know Luke, but think about it: Arrax will be able to fly free on Dragonstone, letting him grow much bigger than he would here, and that means you will be able to visit more often when you can ride him; this will always be your home, and you will always be welcomed here." She assured him as he pouted.

Rhaenyra and Alicent stood not far watching their children say goodbye to Lilly, who saw the two standing there, and it reminded her when she found out Alicent was leaving for months with Rhaenyra when she needed her eleven years ago.

"You will write to us, right?" Jace asked, making her smile and ruffle his hair.

"Of course I will, Jace. Now you two best get going; the quicker you get there, the safer for Joffrey; he was only just born." She whispered, kissing both their heads and watching as they nodded before walking to their mother.

"Aunty Lilly, will you still make me dresses?" Evelyn Alicents daughter and firstborn asked, making her chuckle as she kneeled down.

"Of course I will. I have fabrics coming in from Dorne and Pentos, so expect many new dresses, my dear girl, just because your a day away does not mean we will never talk again."

"Good because mom isn't good at sewing and we were going to be stuck in a castle surrounded by the ocean with no way to escape."

Lillian laughed at that she loved the wild spirit her niece had; she was always saying what came to her brilliant mind, never holding her tongue like a 'lady should' and it was amusing.

"Can I get a duck?" Theodore Evelyn's younger brother asked his aunt, who shook her head.

"Still not something I can answer for you; why don't you ask your mother that?" Lilly countered, making him sigh.

"Because she will say no like she did earlier today. I even tried to guilt trip her, you know, but mom, your taking me away from my home. The only place I have ever known, the least you can do is let me get a duck, and it didn't work," he argued, but she just shook her head, kissing his head.

"Off you both go," she gently demanded, watching the two run to the ship.

----------------------------------Driftmark

"Do you love me any less than Baela?" Rhaena Targaryen's small and timid voice met Daemon's ears as he stood in the library of Driftmark.

"Rhaena, what are you on about?" He asked the question, which took him back. He tried to recall anytime he may have made her feel like that, but he couldn't find a single one.

"Baela has a dragon. I don't, and her egg hatched where mine didn't; you both are so close, unlike you, and I and I just couldn't help. I couldn't help but feel like you love her more than me because you have more to be proud of when it comes to her."

"Rhena," he sighed, shutting the book he held and setting it down before walking over to her.

"It was never my intention to make you feel like that. I love you and Baela just the same. You have not disappointed me at all; not every egg hatches mine didn't, your mother's didn't. But that doesn't make us any less than you will have a dragon; you will just have to claim yours as did I."

"And if I never do?" Her question made him scoff as he shook his head.

"Then you never do that; that is your right, but I know you and I know that you want a dragon; perhaps we can go to Dragonstone. It is said that Siverwing, the most gentle of dragons, resides there," he suggested, making her smile.