The Dragon Of Harrenhal - H.S.

Sworn shield

Daella kept her head high as she walked out of her mother's chambers and down the hallways of the Red Keep. She walked in silence, just barely acknowledging the people who bowed at her as she went by. Her conversation with her mother kept echoing in her head and every time one of the servants stopped what they were doing to whisper once she passed by, Daella felt her chest growing tight. Behind her, her guard kept a safe distance from her, but Daella could feel his constant presence looming around her. It all felt very suffocating and, without even realizing it, Daella was running. She held her skirts up as her feet smacked against the floor and, with every ragged breath she took, she could feel more and more tears gathering around her eyes.

"Princess." A deep voice rumbling from behind her, but Daella did not stop. "Princess, slow down, please."

She did not. Daella kept running out of the Keep and into the gardens. The footsteps behind her never faltered, her guard hot on her tail. He only slowed when the princess did as well. Daella stopped once she reached a secluded area of the garden, as from away from the Red Keep as possible. She stood there for a moment, just breathing in and out as she tried to calm her beating heart and racing thoughts. Her guard's steps echoed in her mind and, as much as she knew he was only doing his job, it made her angry that had to.

"Princess?" The young man called again. "Are you well?"

"I need a moment, Ser." She said.

"Do you wish me to call for a maester?"

"No! I need to be left alone!"

There was silence after that, and Daella sighed guiltily when she realized her guard still stood nearby, but had taken a quiet step back from her. She shouldn't have yelled the way she did. Shouldn't have raised her voice like that. It was unbecoming of a princess and the man behind her had done nothing to deserve such a treatment.

"Forgive me, princess." The guard said, to which Daella shook her head.

"No, forgive me, ser Harwin." She said, crossing her arms over her chest as she spun around in her heels and lifted her eyes to meet his. "I should not have yelled like that."

Ser Harwin said nothing, but nodded his head once to let Daella know all was forgiven. She nodded back at him and looked away from his face to look up at the sky instead.

"Sometimes I wish I had a dragon." She admitted. "I imagine it would be nice, flying off with it whenever I please. Have a moment of peace without anyone to bother me."

"Am I that much of a bad company, princess?" Ser Harwin asked, playful, and Daella snorted a laugh - something she only ever really allowed herself to do around him.

"Not you, ser." She said, looking back down at him as she smiled slightly.

"Do the whispers still bother you, princess?" Ser Harwin asked, to which Daella shrugged. "I could have a talk with the servants. Make sure they stop."

"You cannot protect me from words, ser." Daella said, to which Harwin shook his head.

"I can try."

"I cannot ask that of you." Daella insisted. "That is not your job."

"What is?"

"To protect me from enemies and bloodshed." She said. "Not pitiful words and ill-intentioned whispers."

"Forgive me, princess, but I must disagree." Ser Harwin said, as Daella frowned. "As your sworn shield, my job is to protect you of anything that might cause you pain."

"I am not in pain, ser Harwin." Daella said, as ser Harwin raised an eyebrow at her.

"Are you not?" He asked.

Daella bit her lip then because, no matter how much she tried to twist the situation around, she knew he was right. She was in pain. She was scared and she felt alone. She longed for protection but she knew it was a kind of protection not even the strongest knight in the Seven Kingdoms, sworn to her and only her could offer her. After all, no matter how much ser Harwin seemed to believe otherwise, he could not, in fact, protect her from the curse of being princess Daella Targaryen. No one could.

"I wish not to talk about it anymore, ser." She said, her arms crossed tightly over her chest as ser Harwin nodded tightly, even if his expression told Daella he was not at all pleased with that.

"As you wish, princess." He said. "Do you wish to stay here for a while longer?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"Very well." He bowed slightly. "I shall leave you to your thoughts, princess."

And without another word, ser Harwin turned around and moved to walk away, to stand further away from Daella, but still close enough to be there when she needed him.

"Ser Harwin?" She called, making the knight stop dead in his tracks as he turned around to face her again.

"Princess."

"Thank you." She said.

And when Harwin nodded at her, she knew he knew she wasn't talking only about his protection.