The Blood of Old Valyria

XII

~The Blood of Old Valyria~
Chapter XII

Dayraena returned to King's Landing at the hour of the bat. The sun was already sinking into the sea, the bright rays slowly fading away, taking with them the euphoria that filled the woman's heart after the night and day spent with the prince.

The hustle and bustle that had reigned in the castle for seven days had been replaced by silence. Wandering the corridors without encountering the court lords and ladies who always had to start small talk gave Reyena a pleasure that showed on her face in the form of a meek smile. The clatter of her boots on the floor, the rustle of her hem, and the crackle of flaming torches could be heard in the void. Dayraena headed leisurely to her chambers, intent on resting after her tumultuous time with Daemon. Her thoughts revolved only around her soft bed until, as she passed the queen's chambers, she heard a child crying. The woman stopped in front of the doors, listening and trying to see if anyone else was in there besides the poor child, or if he had been dared to be left alone. Footsteps were heard on the other side and Dayraena had just managed to move away from the doors when they opened and a tall, slender maid stepped out into the corridor. She gave Lady Galarion a look of suspicion.

"Would you like to come in?" The woman asked as she held the door open.

"Yes, thank you," as soon as Reyena stepped into the royal chambers, the door closed.

"Why? Why are you always crying?" Gelarion heard Alicent's voice, in which irritation was clearly audible. Dayraena took a few steps and saw the young queen standing by the window, nervously rocking the baby.

"Talisa?" Alicent turned around upon hearing the footsteps and froze, even as she stopped soothing her child. The queen had not expected to see the Dowager Lady Gelarion in her chambers at all. The girl looked around the woman confusedly. Hightower had never seen the always gorgeous-looking Dayraena so disheveled and in a crumpled dress. Alicent put it down to the recent loss of her husband, not noticing the lack of grief on her beautiful face.

"What brings you to me, Lady Gelarion?" The queen wrinkled her nose as little Helaena sobbed with redoubled vigor.

The woman's whitish eyebrows twitched as she looked at the child. The way Alicent was roughly rocking, no, rather shaking her daughter made her angry. Such actions would surely do nothing to soothe the little one.

"The cries of your sweet daughter, my queen," Dayraena said softly, but there was a chilling coldness in her eyes.

She did not understand how a child could be treated like this. If it was the same with queens' firstborn, Dayraena could only pity Aegon. Even Dayraena, who had no children of her own, understood that the young queen's actions were wrong. With her beloved niece Ainerya, the woman had always handled with care, gentleness and patience, which helped to keep the little one quiet.

"May I?" Dayraena held out her hands to the queen's daughter.

Alicent gave the baby girl Helaena without a second thought, which made Gelarion even more displeased, which of course she didn't show. The desire to run away from responsibility for the child and shift her worries to someone else overcame her maternal instinct, and Alicent, silently thanking Lady Dayraena, stepped aside and sank heavily into a chair, putting a hand to her head.

Reyna gently hugged the crumb and looked into the princess's tear-drenched, swollen face.

"Sȳrī, sȳrī, ȳdra daor limagon, dōna riña... (well, well, don't cry, sweet child)" the woman whispered affectionately, smiling at the girl. A warm palm touched the little girl's head. "Mirre iksis sȳz, ao ȳdra daor jorrāelagon naejot limagon (All is well, there is no need to shed tears.)"