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𝐋𝐀𝐄𝐍𝐀 𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐘𝐎𝐍 was no stranger to the sounds of the ocean in her ear as she woke every morning. Whenever she looked over her life she could not once remember a day where she didn't wake up to the sound of the drums of water pounding against the golden shoreline in the dead of night and the light of day. The ocean took it's a cue from the wind, in gentle breezes it kissed the sand with saline lips of blue, There were also days when wind-torn peaks crashed on the beach and rocked with indomitable fury.
The fact that there was no sound of the ocean lapping at the sand leaving its lacy foam to trail the waves as they retreated in the morning should've probably alarmed Laena of how the day was going to go. Instead, she simply brushed off the silence. She slowly shed the sleep from her brain, so that she was able to allow the visions of the night to give way to the day, In a few minutes She be able to greet the sunlight, The aromatic sea air filling her nose.
The egg yolk sun poured through the cracks in the window and awaited entrance into Laena's eyes. Laena's nightgown fell to her knees, it was a light blue silk fabric. There are were no signs of another person. As far as she could tell she was alone with the birds who made their carefree song around her, and in that sweet melody she felt more alone but that loneliness was soon interrupted by the faint sound of her silver door creaking open. "Sister." She heard a deep voice say softly.
It was her twin brother, Laenor. "Yes." She answered back tiredly. He opens the door walking in slowly. "We're needed in the Great Hall. Urgent business, Valaena says." Laenor says. Laena's mouth purses but slightly open and loose. Her eyes are fixed as if she looks up at her brother.
No normal day in Driftmark started in the Great Hall. She nodded at her brother before scanning through her many silks for something to wear. Grabbing something quickly she rushed into it and out of her door. She had wondered what had been so important, that they were skipping breakfast. The Great Hall of their castle was filled with diamonds all blue and silver, her family's colors, The castle is more ancient than any bone left in the soil. The once smooth rock is pitted and scarred. The cold damp air wrapped around her like a heavy coat of chain mail as she descended through the tight spiral staircase to the Great Hall. A maid scurried towards her, Her blonde almost white hair was poker-straight and pulled back into a low ponytail. Laena knew this maid to look often stern, she had fair pale skin and gestured for Laena to walk towards the Hall.
She looked more Valyrian then me, Laena thought, she hated that she would think this way. She wasn't insecure she was actually comfortable in her looks. Or at least she thought she was. But she knew that she wasn't the traditional Valyrian beauty. I mean how could she be, her mother wasn't a Valyrian, her mother wasn't even a lady. She was a maid that her Lord father, Lucerys Velaryon had fallen in love with. Laena and all 4 of her siblings should've been killed as soon as they exited their mother's womb, but their father made sure they were all legitimized so he had children to leave behind when he returned to the dirt.
After Lucery's death by the hand of Eddard Stark during the Battle of the Trident, The only one left to take care of them was their mother. But their mother only lasted 5 years with them before she killed herself. the eldest Vaelena, was the only one old enough to process the death of their mother and for that, she envied her siblings. "Laena, come along quickly." Laena heard Valaena scolds.
Laena glances over at Valaena's face, she was still scolding Laena underneath her stony expression. Valaena's attitude seemed pointless to Laena, although she never said so.
Laena scurried past the maid taking a seat, she slumped at the table, her brows creased and face tense. "Now that everyone is here We can finally discuss what we're here for." Vaelena eyes Laena. "We've been called upon... By the King." Valaena says, Laena confused face traced towards her sister, Laena could've sworn she had seen the slightest bit of fear in Valaena's face. Laena's face twisted into shock resembling her older brother Laenor's. Her younger brother, Daemon sat back scoffing. Daemon was never less than arrogant. If he could do half the stuff he thought he could maybe "confidence" would have been a better word. It wasn't though. He'd been brought up with a belief that he was superior to everyone else by virtue of his birth.
It wasn't any secret that Daemon despised the king, Visenya would joke that he was nothing less than jealous of the King. King Joffrey had all the power in the world and Daemon was 4th in line to rule in his words 'The most boring kingdom to ever touch the soil.' Next to Daemon, Visenya sat back annoyed, "This is what we're missing breakfast for." Visenya scoffed, Valaena sent a glare her way ignoring he ignorant and childish comment. "Why?" Laena finally spoke up.
"He wants our resources, our army. He wants our soldiers to help fight the North, he also wants a representative, someone in the family, to come along with the soldiers." Valaena says. "And by him, you mean Tywin Lannister." Daemon remarks. "It doesn't matter who, the King calls, we answer," Valaena says. "Gods." Visenya sighed. "So who's going, you?" Daemon asked, "No, actually. You." Valaena smirks, the sly grin on her face was like a punch in the gut to Daemon.
"And Laenor." She adds the faked smile on her pristine face made her appear all too arrogant, like any high lady. Daemon jumps out of the seat fires of fury and hatred were smoldering in the small narrowed eyes as he weighed the pros and cons of the various and creative ways available for him to escape this fate, "I refuse." He bellows, "You don't have a choice." Valaena smolders. There was no heat in her voice, as if her heartbeat so steadily, even though she took a different view from Daemon's own. She simply said this was her way of doing things. Laena could see Daemon balk at first,
He and Valaena always went back and forth but in the end, it always ended the same, Valaena won. "Says who? Why do you get to choose every aspect of our lives." Daemon exclaims irritation in his anger, a sort of impetuousness. "I am the eldest. Father and Mother left me in charge. I make the decision, and that will never change." She said sternly but surely. Valaena never argued with her fists, (Unlike Visenya who much enjoyed that approach to things) but her words packed a powerful punch. Carefully spoken, without drama, her words had an air of finality to them and no matter how hard Daemon or any of her other siblings railed against them, nothing would change her mind. "Must you always have such a stick up your arse, Valaena?" Visenya scoffed.
"You two will go to the capital. And that is that." Valaena replies. Daemon groaned in reply and Laenor who hadn't said a word since Valaena made her... decree, just sat in wonder, he did always want to go to the capital, he had heard tales of how the fruits were always ripe and lush. How the days passed slyly, creeping past all the citizen's knowledge and how flowers would sprout on trees, lighting the scenery with pastelly old lady shades mixing with the vibrant emerald shades of the grass. "You will leave tomorrow," Valaena said abruptly interrupting Laenor's thought.
It was times like this Valaena cursed her mother for leaving her in charge of her siblings. She had to make the hard decisions, not only did she hate it but it also segregated her from her siblings, she could no longer be one of the children.
While Valaena was having an internal conflict in her room, her siblings were conversing. "You know this is bullshit right? I don't know how Valaena could trust the King. We all heard how he had slain Eddard Stark. The hand of the king, I mean he fought right next to his father in war." Visenya stated. "If it even is his father," Daemon says harshly. "It isn't about trust. It's about power. And King Joffrey is in power." Laenor replies simply. "Anyways, We shouldn't even step foot on the capital. Valyrian's history there is well, godawful." Daemon sighs.
