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CHAPTER TWENTY
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'IM SORRY' WAS ALL AENORA COULD say to Daemon. It was no one's fault that Aeva didn't know who he was. Yes, she has heard many stories of her father, but in her little mind that's all they were. Stories.

Daemon never felt a pain like this. It was a physical pain as much as an emotional one. He felt it in his chest and the only thing he could do was push it aside.

Daemon knelt back down to Jaelyx and Rhaemax. Though the pain of his daughter not accepting him was almost unbearable, his sons acceptance made it tolerable.

"Max and I have been waiting for you to come back... so we could meet you." Jaelyx spoke slowly.

Aenora grinned out of happiness. It was extremely rare for Jaelyx to speak. Not because he couldn't, but because he just didn't want to. Aenora didn't really understand this. The maester said he would grow out of this, but he wasn't yet. Jaelyx chose to communicate in other ways, like with his hands, facial expressions, and other movements.

"Is that so...?" Daemon frowned.

"Jaelyx." Lydia said. She, along with the other women, quickly figured out he didn't know which of his twin sons he was talking to by the way he trailed off.

Daemon gave a small smile to Lydia as a thanks.

"Maybe we should talk with the children in the morning. I'm sure they're tired as well as you." Aenora handed Aeva off to Emely. "Could take them back to bed?"

"Of course." Emely nodded.

Aenora saw how hard this was for Daemon. First, his daughter not wanting to even be held by him. And second, not being able to tell his own sons apart. She couldn't bear to watch it any more.

"But fathers here. Can't we stay up just a little long?" Rhaemax pleaded as he held onto Daemons hand.

"Your mothers right, you need your rest. I'll be here when you wake in the morning." Daemon assured his son.

"Alright." Rhaemax said.

Jaelyx hugged Daemons leg one last time before he and the others walked out of their parents chambers.

Aenora looked at Daemon as he watched the door shut behind Lydia.

"I've waited so long for this moment, to finally be whole again." Daemon said. "I have never felt a pain like this and I've felt a lot of it while I was away."

Aenora sat on the floor next to Daemon, bringing his hand into hers.

"I'm sure it could be worse, Daemon." She told him.

"Really, Nora? My own daughter, my blood, wants nothing to do with me. And my sons,.. my sons aren't even identical and I can't tell who is who." Daemon quickly wiped the tear that fell from his eye.

"My love, my sweet love." Aenora brought him into a hug and laid a kiss on his head. "Aeva will love you once she knows you. She just needs a little time to get used to you. As for Max and Alex, you will learn. They've grown in the time you've been gone. No one expected you to be able to tell them apart."

"I'm father, I should know." Daemon told her.

"You we're at war. There was no way for you to know." Aenora said.

Daemon sighed. She was right. There was no way for him to know, although he wished there was. He knew there was no way to change the past, all he could do was now was be with them and learn.

"Tell me of them." Daemon put his arm around Aenora.

She chuckled as she got comfortable in her husbands arms. "Well, Aeva, she's the sweetest, but very protective and territorial. She absolutely hates when I hold Aegon or hug anyone other than the boys or Emely or Lydia. She loves being held and sleeping with me in the bed. And she's very smart and in tune with people and their feelings. Aeva can tell whether you're sad, angry, happy, or anything else. She also loves baths, she hates being dirty."

Daemon smiled. He couldn't wait to get to know his daughter and see the things her mother is telling him.

"And our sons?" He asked.

"Max is very hyper and loves learning, specifically about the dragons, swords, and knights. He is very protective over his sister and brother. But, he is also very loving and kind hearted. When he's not being mischievous, like his father, he's letting Aeva win when they 'fight'. He also loves to eat, which he and Alex have in common. Maester Mellos said it's because they're both growing rapidly." Aenora smiled at the thought of her boys. "As for Alex, he's very quite and introverted. Usually he goes days without talking, when he spoke to you that was the first time in a week since he last spoke. We don't really know why, but that's just how he is. He communicates with moments and looks, and I don't mind it. I've always known how to read people without them talking. But, Alex doesn't really like people outside of the family, and even then it's a stretch. He, like his brother and sister, is very smart and loves learning. Though, he's more strategically and logically smart."

"They sound so alike yet so different." Daemon said.

"They are. They're also very smart for their ages. And they tend to stick together because of it." Aenora told him.

Daemon enjoyed hearing Aenora talk about their children. He loved how happy she was talking about them. She was a true mother and wife. He appreciated her more than anything.

"I'm proud of you for raising such amazing children, Nora." Daemon kissed her forehead.

"As I am proud of you for winning a war." Aenora smiled.

"You know, I am a king now, which makes you a queen." Daemon looked at her.

Aenoras eyebrows furrowed. "A king? Does my father know of this? Does he even know you're back?"

Daemon shook his head, causing her to look at him in shock. "King of the Stepstones and the Narrow Sea."

Aenora didn't know how to feel. She knew her father was going to be furious if Daemon just declared he was king of the Narrow Sea. She was also scared her father was going to take his head just to make an example of him.

"Daemon." Aenora looked at him as if he was insane.

"Do not worry, lady-wife, I am going to give him my crown." Daemon said, calming her nerves.

The only way Daemon would be king was if he were king of the Seven Kingdoms. Which he knew was very unlikely. But, he was satisfied with his family and only being a prince with his princess.

"Good. I do not want to go to war with our own family." Aenora laughed.

"You'd go to war for me?" Daemon inquired.

"Obviously, I'd go to war for you, Daemon. If marrying you, bearing three of your children, and waiting for you for years doesn't indicate that I would burn an entire city for you, I don't know what will." Aenora said as she stood up.

Daemon gave the girl a devious smile before getting up off the ground. He thought for a moment about how much he wanted, needed, loved, and admired the woman that stood before him.

And in one swift movement he brought her into his arms, kissing every inch of bare skin while untying the back of her dress.

He's waited years to feel her, and after she told him she'd go to war for him, he was not going to wait another moment.

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AUTHORS NOTE
omg i wrote again, what a surprise. anyways go drink water and go to bed. or if it's morning for you, good morning darling, have a lovely day.
thoughts?