𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 - jacaerys velaryon

six

The journey to Driftmark was quiet and uneventful. Evaelysse sat on the top deck of the ship, watching her dragon play in the waves. Luke was curled up at her side, as he had gotten very seasick about halfway through the trip. Not a very good omen for the future Lord of the Tides.

When they arrived at Driftmark, the rest of their family was already there. Daemon opened his arms as soon as he saw Evaelysse, and she ran into them, holding her father in a silent embrace. After he let her go, she engulfed Baela and Rhaena. Their eyes were both as puffy and red as Evaelysse's, and the two younger girls burst into tears as soon as their sister pulled them to her.

Laena's sarcophagus was loaded onto a mechanism next to the water. Evaelysse stood next to her father, clutching onto the fabric of his shirt.

"We join today at the Seat of the Seas." Vaemond Velaryon spoke, as everyone else lined up and watched. "To commit the Lady Laena of House Velaryon to the eternal waters, the dominion of the Merling King, where he will guard her for all the days to come."

Evaelysse blinked away tears, as she stared at a random point in the distance.

"As she sets to sea for her final voyage, the Lady Laena leaves two true-born daughters on the shore." No mention of Evaelysse. "Though their mother will not return from her voyage, they will all remained bound together in blood."

He was making a dig at Rhaenyra's children, Evaelysse realised. Vaemond knew them to be bastards, and he was stating that here, of all places.

"Salt courses through Velaryon blood. Ours runs thick. Ours runs true. And ours must never thin."

At the end of Vaemond's speech, Daemon let out a loud, amused laugh. It caught the attention of Lord Corlys, and Princess Rhaenys, not to mention almost everyone else there. Evaelysse flushed bright red, embarrassed of her father's behavior.

The ropes around Laena's sarcophagus were pulled as Vaemond finished up his speech, and Laena was returned to the sea. Evaelysse did not watch; instead she stared at the ground, watching her boots kick up the dusty sand.

All the dragons circled above the castle as the family gathered on the terrace. Evaelysse sat between Baela and Rhaena, her arms wrapped around the younger girls. She felt out of place here. Everyone knew Laena was not really her mother; one look at her could tell them that. So she sat with her sisters, comforting them, whilst Daemon stood apart.

Evaelysse only left when a member of House Velaryon approached, to tell Baela and Rhaena how sorry they were for the loss of their mother. It didn't feel appropriate for Evaelysse to stay, so she went to find her cousins, Aegon and Aemond.

It wasn't difficult to find them; all she had to do was look for whoever looked the most bored. She found them stood beside a curtain, staring at Helaena.

"We have nothing in common." Aegon said, in his usual bored tone, as Evaelysse stood beside him.

"She's our sister." Aemond replied.

"You marry her then."

"I would perform my duty," Aemond still watched Helaena, as Aegon nodded at Evaelysse in acknowledgement. "If mother had only betrothed us."

"If only." Aegon scoffed.

"It would strengthen the family." Aemond replied. "Keep our Valyrian blood pure."

"She's an idiot!"

"She's your future queen." Admins was starting to irritate Evaelysse; Rhaenyra was the future queen, not Helaena.

"We actually do have one thing in common." Aegon chuckled slightly. "We both fancy creatures with very long legs." Aegon laughed, and wrapped an arm around Evaelysse's shoulder. "I would much rather marry our sweet cousin here."