𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨 ; act one

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     HOUSE REED HAD PLEDGED THEIR LOYALTY TO HOUSE STARK LONG BEFORE THE CONQUEST, IN THE YEAR 121 AC, IT HAD BEEN NO DIFFERENT. Lady Erena of House Reed would be traveling with Lady Nymeria Stark into the Dragon's den as her new lady-in-waiting. Reluctantly, Bennard Stark had agreed to halt the departure of Nymeria on the order of her elder brother in order for Lady Erena to arrive in Winterfell.

  Once Lady Erena arrived in Winterfell, three days after the death of Lord Rickon Stark, the new Lord Bennard Stark ordered a horse and carriage to whisk Nymeria away.

  "I am sorry I couldn't stall longer, sister." Cregan's voice was the softest it had ever been, his lips were curled in a sad frown as he looked down at Nymeria.

  Nymeria looked up at him, a heavy sigh ringing through her body as she blinked away the hot tears that threatened to burn her eyes, "I will not be alone, brother, I have Kalea and Lady Erena."

  "You should not be leaving Winterfell in the first place, Nymeria." Cregan replied, his tone holding gentleness and frustration, "You are a child."

  "I will not be a child when we meet again, Cregan." Nymeria's heart was heavy as she spoke the cold truth to her older brother, this was the moment Nymeria had always been dreading — the marriage. The pact that had been made by her father and King Viserys, the pact of ice and fire, "And neither will you. When we meet again, you shall be a Lord, and I shall be a wife."

  Cregan didn't speak a word, he simply leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to the crown of his baby sister's head. The boy had never been one to cry, but in this moment, he could feel his heart squeezing and the salty tears beginning to pour into his eyes. He was supposed to be protecting her, not letting her be shipped off by his uncle. Cregan had promised his mother to protect Nymeria, and yet, he had failed her.

  Nymeria's brows furrowed together when she felt Cregan's hand slip near her hands, slowly dropping a heavy object into her palm. It was tiny enough to fit in her hand without being openly seen, but big enough for her to feel the weight of the item.

  "I shall see you soon, Nymeria."

  "I love you."

  "I love you too." Cregan replied gently, taking a small step backwards with a heavy sigh. Nymeria's face was pulled into a frown as she slowly walked towards the carriage where Kalea and Lady Erena were waiting on her.

  Nymeria's lip wobbled as she took a seat inside of the carriage, the door slammed behind her, but as she looked down into her hand, Nymeria could feel the ghost of a smile washing over her face. A small dagger laid in the palm of her hand, the handle gray, and the metal shining beautifully. On the handle, the Stark house sigil was engraved.

  Even while with the dragons in the South, Nymeria would always be in the North of Winterfell. 

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     Dragonstone was beautiful, even under the circumstances. It was a stone castle, on a volcanic island. It had been built by the Targaryen's when they fled Old Valyria to escape the doom. Everything about the castle screamed to be the House of the Dragon.

  Nymeria began to feel her palms sweat as she looked towards the sandy beach of the island, she could distantly see dragons flying in the air, and stood on the beach was a small family — one that Nymeria would soon find herself a part of.

  Lady Erena's hand was soon placed on her shoulder, eyes holding an immense amount of comfort in these fearful moments, "Do you need a moment, My Lady?"

  Nymeria sucked in a breath, dread swirling in her brown eyes as she searched the sand, trying to look anywhere but the family she would find herself married into, "No. I must do this."

  "You can take a moment."

  "No." Nymeria reiterated, voice firm despite her stomach swirling with emotions that made bile rise in her throat. Nymeria sighed once more before bending down to grab her snow white dire wolf pup, the wolf curling into her arms, tongue reaching out to lick Nymeria's face. Her head swiveled to the side to look up at the older woman, "Are you prepared?"

  "If you are, My Lady."

  "I am."

  Erena smiled gently, so soft and motherly it had Nymeria's throat burning with the memory of her late mother, "After you." Erena spoke softly, and Nymeria swallowed before her feet found themselves walking off of the port and towards the small family that stood in the sand.

  Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen was truly stunning in Nymeria's eyes. Her silver hair flowing elegantly down her back, complementing black and red dress she wore, silver stones were lined on the neckline of the Princess's dress. Her older sons stood beside her, the taller one on right, and the shorter one stood on her left. Ser Laenor Velaryon stood beside the shorter of the sons, holding a small child in his arms.

  A pinch of sadness clung to Nymeria like a dark shadow, she barely had six years with her entire family, and in passing years, she would soon forget those years. Princess Rhaenyra and her family seemed to have plenty of years ahead of them — happy years.

  Rhaenyra's smile was the embodiment of a mother, she took a few steps away from her children, looking down at Nymeria with such fondness, Nymeria could almost feel comforted — almost. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you," Rhaenyra's voice was softer than Nymeria would have assumed it to be for a Princess of her stature, her violet eyes flickered down to the wolf pup that rested in Nymeria's arms, "I did not realize that Starks kept dire wolves."

  Nymeria's brown eyes gleamed in despair for a moment, heart sinking, "She won't be a problem, Your Grace, I swear it."

  Rhaenyra's face hinted towards a frown, eyebrows furrowing in confusion, "We own dragons, Nymeria, I am quite sure a dire wolf will be of no issue to Dragonstone."

  The Stark girl blinked back surprise at the use of her name coming from the mouth of a Princess, "My apologizes, Your Grace, I did not mean to jump to conclusions."

  "Do not fret, my dear, I have not been offended." In any other situation, Rhaenyra may have jested with the girl in front of her, but deep down she knew of the peril that was shown through the brave Stark girl. Nymeria Stark had been shipped off like an animal to be slaughtered, and in a way, bearing children to a man could very well lead to said slaughter. In any other situation, Rhaenyra would have been the jester, but tonight all she could do was sympathize. "I wish for you to meet my sons and dear husband."

  Nymeria nodded slightly, head barely moving, but her eyes drifted up to Lady Erena, who offered a small, encouraging smile. Rhaenyra smiled, once more, turning around as she walked towards her small family, Nymeria, Kalea, and Lady Erena following her closely.

  "This is my husband, Ser Laenor, and the babe he cannot seem to let go, is my youngest, Joffrey," Rhaenyra's teasing words caused Ser Laenor to glance up, an amused smile adoring his face, "This is Lucerys," Nymeria's eyes drifted to the shorter of the elder sons, "And this is Jacaerys."

  Nymeria's skin had gone cold as she looked at the eldest son. Brown eyes clashed with brown eyes, and even with her future set in stone, Nymeria could only pray Princess Rhaenyra had raised her sons in the correct manner.

  "It's an honor to meet you, My Lady." Jacaerys' smile seemed forced as he spoke softly to Nymeria (yet, Nymeria couldn't blame the Prince for she too was in the same boat as him — being forced to marry a person they did not know).

  "The honor is mine, Your Grace." Nymeria's smile mirrored Jacaerys', her knees bending to offer the Prince a courtesy.

  The pact had been officially set in stone, the pact of ice and fire, the pact of the Southern Dragon and the Northern Wolf. The pact of two children.

─── NOTE ;
i love parallels 

so far, i like this version sm 
better than the last