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𝐑𝐇𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐑 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐊𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐒 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄. The pair and Daemon had rode on dragon back to a village of Daemons choosing and let their dragons feast. Whilst the three men chose to raid a tavern and scurry out like thieves when they didn't pay their tab.

Aemma's passing still lingered in the back of his mind sometimes but it had not consumed him as it once had but it was certainly still a fresh wound. He could not think about her death in depth for he felt the darkness grasping at his limbs trying to drag him back without struggle, so he would continue to distract himself.

He was sharpening his sword with a rock in his room at his table when a nock at his door broke the sound of the scraping, "enter."

It was Rodrick standing in his night garments but he still had his sword strapped to his waist, "Rhagar," his voice was easily familiar and the Valyrian placed his sword aside and gave him his sole attention. "This king says he wished to see you," the mention of Viserys made Rhagar roll his eyes and groan before standing and sheathing his sword.

"Well you can tell Viserys that he can come and get me himself," he gritted out and turned to pour wine in his goblet.

"That the problem- it's urgent and Prince Daemon is there too," the sound of his friends name made him throw his head down with a sigh. Perhaps he should've stayed with Daemon, then he could've stopped him from saying something he'd regret.

"For fucks sake," he muttered and dragged Rodrick by his shoulder when the boy wasn't sure if he were to come or not.

With a shove the doors opened and hit the knights who were standing behind them who stumbled with a yelp. Rhagar walked through with Rodrick trailing behind him, "Rhagar!" Daemon cheered but dropped his arms back to his side when he received a glare from him.

"What did you do?" He gritted out and came to stand beside Daemon with a frown.

"He called my unborn child the heir who never was," the Kings voice boomed throughout the hall and Rhagar heard how angry he seemed, the way he was gripping the sword as though trying to strangle it.

Rhagar rubbed a hand down his face and turned to Daemon who was looking down at the floor and kicking a small rock with the toe of his foot. "Daemon," he warned and the man looked up at him only with his eyes he didn't turn his head, afraid he would see disappointment shining in his eyes.

"It just slipped out," he mumbled but it echoed to the King's ears and he fumed, "you said it in confidence!" He took a deep breath before turning to Rhagar, "I have called for you because I must speak with you in abundance."

His gaze snapped to his brother before he glared at him, "leave," he sneered. Daemon looked to Rhagar who was shaking his head at him leaving him to look back at the floor before turning away and shutting the door behind him softly.

Rodrick, who was slightly behind Rhagar, had his lips in an oh shape before looking at Daemons retreating figure that sulked away.

"You banished him, didn't you?" Rhagar stare burned the wall to his right as he knew Daemon wouldn't be returning for some time.

"He'll be back, he always is."

"What do you want Viserys?" He leant his weight on one side and placed his hands on his hips as he looked up at the King in irritation.

"I wanted to apologies," the voice he used to speak was now much quieter in shame, "I know you and my wife were close and you did not deserve to see what- what I did to her."

Viserys looked as if he were going to cry and his grip on the sword was slipping as if his own words made him quake in guilt. "I don't forgive you," Rhagar stared him in the eyes, "you made sure her last moments were in pain- I do not forgive you."

"Rhagar-

"You have no right to speak my name!" His our burst made Rodrick jump as he was nearly falling asleep on the spot. "I loved Aemma like she was my own mother. She was good! She was kind and you killed her!"

His spite made Viserys clamp his eyes shut and now Rhagar was sure he had made the King cry when the sword fell from his hand. "And Viserys," he called back to the king but didn't turn his head fully to show the King he had his full attention, "watch you cut yourself on the throne." With that he took Rodrick's shoulder who looked as if he was going to be sick and dragged him along to the door.

The guards opened the door in a haste and the two stopped once the doors had been sealed shut, "I can't believe you just did that," Rodrick squealed as he grasped Rhagar by the shoulders.

"Shut it!" Rhagar tried to calm the boy who looked like he was about to explode, "remember it's still night time and you should already be in bed," the Baratheon groaned no, "go."

Rodrick stomped his foot on the floor before treading slowly up the stairs, hoping Rhagar would change his mind, he didn't.

──◍─────❥❥──◍─────

The castle was eerily silent as the candle wicks burnt slowly and their wax dripped on the stone floor beneath them. No wind moved through as though it had been stolen and given to the sea so make the waves much harsher.

Rhagar walked up a pathway with a thought in mind- the princess, he hadn't spoken with her since the time he held her when she cried on his shoulder. He could either go left, to the princesses room or right to his own chambers and forget that he ever had the thought.

His feet were already carrying him before he decided and so he didn't differ against the choice and chose to stick with it until a force bumped into him.

Their arms hooked themselves to the stretched material of his tunic and his own held their hips gently, "I apologise I was not- princess?" He'd know that head of silver hair from anywhere but she wouldn't look up at him, something was wrong.

She was still gripping his shirt tightly and he saw her knuckles turning white under the candle light, "what's wrong?" Rhagar took a hand off of her hip and guided it up to her cheek to lift her head from his chest. Her eyes were brimmed with tears and the outskirts of her eye had been coloured red, "who made you cry?"

Rhaenyra had her eyes shut tightly before taking her hands off of his chest and roughly wiped them, "no one," she sounded timid. A completely different girl to the one who would tell him to go fuck himself if he even asked such a thing.

"Must be the pollen then," he mused to her and when she opened her eyes to glare at him she pinched up her lips and nodded gruffly.

"It is actually," she sniffled before abruptly freezing her body and looked up to Rhagar. "What are you doing here?"

Rhagar had been walking left to her chambers but something he took notice of was that he was only half way to them, Rhaenyra had completely skipped her room and kept on walking.

"I- I just needed to go to the kitchen for a late drink," he fumbled I've this words and needed a quick excuse.

But that made Rhaenyra even more confused and her eyebrows became scrunched as she thought about his answer, "but the kitchen is that way," she pointed back down the hall were he had just came from.

"I know I was just going to take the long way," he said like it was obvious to which Rhaenyra scoffed at before tilting her head slightly. "Well then what are you doing here?"

"Simply returning to my chambers," it was clear she hadn't thought when Rhagar gave her an arched eyebrow and pointed back down the corridor, "those chambers?"

Rhaenyra widened her eyes slightly before clasping her hands together, "yes I just decided to take the long way."

The two stared as of trying to challenge the other, trying to see who would break first and who would choose to spill the truth about where they were actually going.

"I would advice taking the short path princess, being seen with a man at midnight could be seen as scandalous." Her neck flushed as she knew about the relations of a man and woman but didn't know what they did with one another in the night and here Rhagar stood implying that she knew what she was doing.

"Idiot," she went to turn away from him but his voice stopped her from taking another step, "wait,"he called out lowly.

"I have something for you," she pinched her eyes in suspicion and cautiously walked towards him once more only to find he was holding a necklace. "You uncle got it for you and I was meaning to give it to you."

She held the necklace between her fingers and looked up at him with her mouth parted slightly, "turn around," he said.

Rhaenyra did so and pulled her hair to the side before feeling him press himself against her so his tunic fell flush against her black dress. He unclamped the necklace and drew it up the top half of her dress where the cool metal tickled her now hot skin. Her chest rose higher when she felt his breath fanning her neck and he clasped the metal shut before letting it stop onto her back.

He closed his eyes and forbade them from moving to the back of his head when vanilla and a stench of Dragon practically consumed him.

"Done," he took a step away from her and felt the tips of his ears burning and moved slightly to the melting candle so she would not be able to tell.

Rhaenyra turned round to him and looked down at the velvet gem that had been encrusted in the Valyrian steel.

"How does it look?" She looked at him through her eyelashes as she toyed with the metal between her nimble fingers.

"Gieve."