The Dragon Of Harrenhal - H.S.

Her knight

It had been quite some time since Daella dressed quite this nicely. Sure, as a princess of the realm, she had at her disposition, fancier dresses than most, but still... This was better than most of her fancy dresses.

That evening, Daella wore fine silks - black and red as the colors of her house. Her corset was tight, her skirts flowing, her hair tied up in an intricate braid with some jewels stuck to it. She was not too sure she liked it that much, but she knew that was what she had to do. After all, it was not everyday one's sister was to be named heir.

"Princess." Ser Harwin bowed as soon as Daella stepped out of her chambers once her maids were done pampering her and getting her ready. He raised to his full height again and, as soon as his eyes fell on her, he stopped, his breath getting caught in his throat at the mere sight of her. "You look ravishing tonight, my princess."

As it always did whenever Harwin called her my princess, she blushed furiously, looking down at her shoes as she tried not to show just how affected by the man she really was. Harwin watched her fondly, however, attentively. He smiled at the image in front of him: Daella in her finest silks and prettiest jewels, with her silver hair and violet eyes, shining against the light coming out of her chamber's window behind her as the sun set on the horizon. She looked like a dream - she was a dream, in Harwin's opinion - but what really sold it out to him was the way she smiled shyly as she looked up at him and blinked slowly, her big, innocent eyes.

"You are too kind, ser." She mumbled, to which Harwin held back a comment that would surely make Daella blush even more.

And you are too beautiful, he wanted to say. Instead, he just smiled and nodded his head once.

"I am meant to escort you to the throne room." He said. "Are you ready?"

Daella only nodded at him then, starting to make her way down the familiar corridors of the Keep from her chamber and toward the throne room where, Daella supposed, all the lords were already reunited, only waiting for the arrival of the royal family. From behind her, Daella could feel the protective presence of ser Harwin Strong following her close behind and, that evening, it didn't bother her at all. In fact, as she toyed with some of the laces of her sleeve, having him there suddenly made her feel a lot more secure.

"Ser Harwin?" Daella said eventually, slowing down her steps so that Harwin could get closer to her while still maintaining a respectful distance between them as they talked without being overheard - they had mastered that art, by then, having done that for the better part of the almost four years they have known each other.

"Princess." He said, his way to let her know he was listening.

"May we speak plainly?" She asked.

"As you wish, princess."

"I worry for Rhaenyra." Daella admitted in a whisper.

"The princess Rhaenyra will be put in a vulnerable position, princess." Harwin nodded once, stiffly. "But his grace, the king, has some of the best knights of the realm in his guard. And the princess has her sworn shield as well. She will be well guarded at all times."

"That is true, yes." Daella nodded. "Which is why I worry for something else."

"What is bothering you, my princess?" Ser Harwin asked.

"The only reason why this is all happening... The only reason why father called in all of these lord to have them bend the knee and swear their fealty to her is because she is a daughter and not a son." Daella said, stopping her walking for a moment to spin in her heels and end up face to face with her sworn shield just before the last door that would take them to the throne room. "Is it not, ser?"

"I suppose so, princess." Harwin nodded.

"Heir, queen, princess of Dragonstone, the realm's delight... No matter how many titles my sister holds, none of them will be powerful enough to protect her from men who might want to see her fail." Daella said, her face scrunching up in that worried little frown she had sometimes.

"The lords are coming to swear their fealty to your sister, princess." Ser Harwin said. "They are here to swear an oath. Do you truly believe they will break it, eventually?"

"I do not believe any word said in that throne room." Daella admitted.

"That would be treason." Ser Harwin frowned, the mere idea of breaking an oath sword to the princess herself making him feel almost angry. "It would be dishonorable."

"Not every knight of the kingdom protects their honor quite as much as you do, ser Harwin. And even less lords, I'm afraid." Daella smiled slightly. "I just worry whatever happens in that room tonight... It is all for show."

Daella looked up at Harwin then, her violet eyes full of apprehension and anxiety. It made Harwin's heart squeeze in his chest. Once again, the knight sent up a prayer to his gods wondering why his sworn princess didn't fear things he could punch away from her.

"I cannot vouch for the honor and loyalty of the men inside that room." Harwin said, nodding a head toward the door before him before taking a look around to check if they were alone before grabbing her hands in his as he looked down at her. "But I can vouch for mine. And, as your sworn protector and your- your knight, I pledge my life to yours. My loyalty is yours to have and my sword is yours command. I shall fight for you and lay my life down for yours if needed be. I am yours to command, my princess. And for as long as you are loyal to your sister, so am I."

Looking up at him, Daella felt her eyes watering, her hands instinctively squeezing against Harwin as she nodded, her heart finally beating a little lighter for the first time ever since that meeting had been called. She believed him. She believed ser Harwin, more than she believed half of the people from her own family. She knew he was honest when he promised his loyalty to her and Daella had never had reason to believe otherwise. So, even if her worries had not been completely cast away, at the very least, she knew now that, come what may, Rhaenyra would always have Daella by her side and, therefore, her knight, just behind her as well.

"I trust you, ser Harwin. And I believe you." Daella said, feeling stupid for being only able to string that single coherent sentence together to thank you for his loyalty when he had been so eloquent in giving it to her. "I trust you with my life. And my sister's as well."

Oh but if Daella only knew how much those simple words meant for her knight. He would die for her, he had known it for a long time. But to know that she knew it as well? Harwin realized whatever it is that he was doing with this job, he was, thankfully, doing it well.