𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ; act two

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     "PERHAPS I SHOULD GIVE UP THE CHAIR FOR DRIFTMARK," Lucerys whispered softly, his voice softly cracking, head bowed, "The Gods know I am not made for the Velaryon Fleet. I know it."

  "You are made for the Driftmark chair and the Velaryon Fleet," Nymeria protested, hands folded on her lap, brown eyes searching Lucerys' crestfallen face as he refused to look her in the eyes. "Lord Corlys Velaryon believes in you."

  "He is the only one —." Lucerys' bottom lip began to wobble, tears pooling in his puppy brown eyes, cheeks heating to a teary red hue.

  "I believe in you." Nymeria cut him off, lips pressed into a thin line, hands desperately reaching out towards Lucerys' teary face, wiping them off gingerly, "Princess Rhaenyra believes in you, Jace believes in you, Prince Daemon believes in you, Lucerys. Driftmark is your chair, rightfully so, and you will do stunningly." Her voice was soft as if she were speaking to Lucera, her brown eyes holding his softer brown eyes.

  Lucerys could not answer his sister by law. His throat had tightened, words beginning to lodge themselves deep inside of it, instead he simply wrapped his arms around her middle as if she were his mother, tears soaking her gentle blue dress. This was his sister. The sister he had always wanted yet never received. There were few people in the Realm that Lucerys would run to in a crisis — Nymeria Stark fell into that pool of people.

  "You, my sweet brother, shall win this succession claim, and you will make an excellent Lord of Driftmark, dare I say the best behind Lord Corlys." A soft smile made its way onto Nymeria's often smiling face, her ring-coated fingers cradling his rose-colored cheeks in the same way his mother did, and soon, Lucerys began to smile back at her.

  "You truly mean it?" Lucerys' voice was a meek whisper, every insecurity shining through him, he was stripped bare of any mask he wore for the public appearance. He was simply himself when he was with his sister by law.

  "Truly." Nymeria nodded in confirmation. Her hands dropped to her sides as Lucerys began to calm his wave of emotions, yet her smile never left her face as she gently scooped up a six name-days old Aegon from the floor, "Come now, brother, we must gather Viserys and Lucera, then we shall go claim your chair, and squash this beast in that foul city known as King's Landing."

  Nymeria's curly hair swayed as she walked elegantly down the hall of Dragonstone and toward the training yard where her daughter and younger brother by law were to be training with Ser Vorian, the man who helped her train when she was a girl as well.

  With the passing years since gaining the title Princess, officially, Nymeria Stark had truly stepped into the role of a fantastic future Queen Consort. She was well trained, with both knowledge and sword-fighting, her allies in the Northern Region ran thickly, her winsome smile seemed to melt the harsh snow of winter, teeth becoming the sun for those who glanced towards Princess Nymeria Stark. She was becoming well versed in the language of High Valyrian, taking it upon herself to sit in on lessons with her first-born daughter. A woman of eight and ten years of age, she had proved herself a worthy Queen for the Iron Throne beside her King, Jacaerys Velaryon.

  Nymeria gently placed Aegon on the stone stairway, taking his small hand in her own as they walked toward Princess Lucera and Prince Viserys who were sparring against each other with tiny wooden swords, the two relatively close in their ages which allowed them to train together.

  Ser Vorian bowed once he caught sight of Nymeria and Prince Aegon, "My Princess, My Prince." He greeted, his voice was calm and comforting to Nymeria's ears.

  "Ser Vorian." Nymeria smiled softly, "I do hope the children behaved themselves properly today." Her brown eyes darted towards her daughter, a teasing glint in the mother's eyes, Lucera simply smiled mischievously up at her mother.

  "They did, My Princess."

  "Excellent. Lucera, Viserys, Aegon, go run along to Lucerys, we shall be leaving for King's Landing soon." Nymeria smiled down at the three children, watching with amusement as they darted towards their darling Uncle/Brother Lucerys. "Shall you be accompanying us to King's Landing?"

  "I am your sworn protector, My Princess, I go where you go." Ser Vorian replied dutifully, "I shall be joining you on the ship to King's Landing. Lady Erena shall be staying on Dragonstone, however, attending to Kalea and her pups along with other duties while Princess Rhaenyra is away."

  Nymeria sighed softly as the two began walking slowly toward where Lucerys and the children stood, her hands clasping at her front, rings clicking against each other softly, "I must admit my disappointment at that news, though it is understandable. Lady Erena is a loyal and hard-working woman as are you, Ser Vorian."

  The sworn protector couldn't fight off the smile that graced his face at Nymeria's words. While the knight was her sworn protector, he soon became a father figure that Nymeria soon began depending on when things became too much for her, when no one else could solve her endless torment. Lady Erena, while being her sworn hand-maiden and a dutiful woman to the crown, had soon become a mother towards Nymeria, a woman that she could run to when the burden of motherhood became too much for her own sanity.

  Dragonstone had given Nymeria Stark a family, one she once feared she would never get, and one she feared would slip through her fingers. 

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  "All hail Rhaenyra of House Targaryen, Princess of Dragonstone and Heir to the Iron Throne and her Royal Consort, Prince Daemon Targaryen."

  Nymeria blinked slowly at the pure emptiness of the courtyard, her arms tightened around Lucera's body, the only things calming her uneasy heart were Lucera and Jacaerys, the latter standing protectively behind her, almost as if he were her personal dragon, and Ser Vorian who stood with the ladies in waiting for Princess Rhaenyra.

  Lord Caswell came out of the large doors opening into the Red Keep, walking swiftly to meet Princess Rhaenyra with a small bow, gingerly taking her hands in his own, "Welcome back, Princess."

  "Lord Caswell."

  Nymeria had never been inside of the Red Keep, or really King's Landing for that matter, but judging by the looks on Prince Daemon's face, the castle had changed significantly. Yet, she could not stop her brown eyes from wandering across every surface that she could catch a glimpse of.

  "Lady Elinda is willing to take Lucera so that we might explore the castle." Jacaerys informed his wife softly, lips tilted upward slightly, eyes squinting in the tiniest form of happiness.

  Nymeria had no strength to fight off her own curious nature, tenderly handing off her daughter to Princess Rhaenyra's loyal lady-in-waiting, Lady Elinda Massey, and as soon as Lucera Velaryon was out of Nymeria's hands, Jacaerys hurriedly started dragging her towards the courtyard with Lucerys following them hot on their heels.

  Jacaerys head was held high as he descended the stairs leading toward the training yard, fingers still interlocked with Nymeria's, and Lucerys trailing behind them, fingers twitching nervously. Every eye seemed to be drawn toward them, like a moth to a flame, waiting for a single misstep of their characters.

  Jacaerys gently let go of Nymeria's hand, racing toward a dent in the stone bricks, tapping it excitedly, head snapping toward his little brother and wife, "See? I told you this would still be here." Jacaerys began walking back toward them, "And you thought you could swing Criston's morningstar. And you almost took your own head off." The eldest brother ruffled the younger's hair with a fond smile.

  Nymeria watched curiously as the younger began to glance around nervously, her fingers dancing across the cool steel, her eyes contacting with Jacaerys' before darting back toward Lucerys, an obvious message for her husband to receive.

  "What's your problem?"

  Nymeria internally sighed.

  "Everyone's staring at us." Lucerys whispered out his reply, leaning toward Nymeria for comfort as Jacaerys began to interest himself by jesting around with a sword. "No one would question me being heir to Driftmark. . . if. . . if I looked more like Ser Laenor Velaryon than Ser Harwin Strong."

  "It doesn't matter what they think."

  "You are a Targaryen." Nymeria chided in, her eyes glaring daggers at anyone who's gaze lingered for a second too long, "The Blood of the Dragon. Dragons have no care for what or where sheep flock about nor do wolves. . Mayhaps that is why our houses get on so well."

  The sound of clattering caught the boy's attention swiftly, and Nymeria hesitantly followed, a thought lingering in the back of her mind since they had arrived. Surely. . . feelings would not still be tense between Princes after the incident. . surely they could grow as men now. . . She could only pray.

  The Princess' throat caught when she caught a glimpse of the silver-locks, Targaryen hair, and while the boys seemed entrapped with the performance, Nymeria began to worry for an altercation that may occur lest they stay in the courtyard for much longer.

  The shield was knocked from Ser Criston's hand, the Targaryen Prince swinging his sword skillfully toward the knight, who seemed to counter every attack that the Prince had in store. When the Prince turned to face the crowd, Jacaerys' hand shot toward Nymeria's, desperate to cling to something. The incident had left the Prince with an ugly, deep-rooted scar, and an eyepatch to cover that scar.

  Ser Criston began to swing his ball and chain violently toward Prince Aemond, but with each swing, the Targaryen avoided. His body moved skillfully until his sword swung, gaining the upper hand, Prince Aemond moved quickly and carefully until his blade was hovering over Ser Criston's open neck, declaring Prince Aemond the winner of the spar.

  "Well done, My Prince," Ser Criston praised, "You'll be winning tourneys in no time."

  "I don't give a shit about tourneys." His eye stayed glued to Ser Criston, "Nephews, Nymeria," The eye snapped toward them, alarming Nymeria, "Have you come to train?"

─── NOTE ;
so, if my writing is off it's because i am
going thru major writers block for this
book and idek why bc i have SO many ideas.

chapters will be edited in the future no doubt
but i wanted to update because season 2 has
dropped and let me say, i was FLOORED.