Surviving

Chapter 2: The Girl Who Fought Back

A couple of weeks had passed with nothing but tragedy after tragedy. Laena Velaryon had passed away during childbirth and Rhaenyra and her family were to attend her funeral.

While another funeral took place many miles away from Driftmark.

Ser Harwin and Lord Lyonel Strong had perished in a fire at Harrenhal. Some say it was the curse of the castle, while many believed it to be an attack on House Strong.

Rhaenyra kept a close eye on her children since she delivered the news to them. But she couldn't get a word out of Naerys. Her eldest child was physically there, but everyone could see that distant look in her eyes. It never left her since the day her father left her.

Her mother noticed that once the eulogy was over, Naerys hid in a corner by herself, away from everyone else. Even her brothers.

The boys mourned Ser Harwin, though Jace was the only one of them to mourn him as a father since Luke still didn't know the truth. Jace became angrier, more resentful than ever. His father, his only true father, was gone. Not even their pretend father would care enough to notice.

A lurking, lonely figure spotted little Naerys sitting away from everyone and snuck up beside her with a mischievous look in his eye. "Shouldn't you be with your family, little one?"

"I do not believe my mother would enjoy attending another funeral." Naerys grumbled under her breath, not even bothering to look up at the man.

"Just as bold as your mother once was." The man giggled as he shook his head.

She finally looked up from her lap and was met with a tall, slender man with silver hair that stopped at his shoulder. He had small eyes, but the violet in them shined brightly through. She'd never met this man, but she knew exactly who he was. Even before the funeral, it just made sense that it was him. Prince Daemon Targaryen.

He gave her a small smile, but then his face dropped along with his eyes as he spoke quietly. "I am sorry for such a loss, princess. To lose something so close to your heart is just..."

"Shit?" She narrowed her eyes bitterly, but it only brought a dry laugh from him.

"That's one way to put it, yes." He nodded. "Why are you not with your brothers?"

"They don't care about me." She glanced past him to where Jace stood at the fire pit directly across from their uncle Aemond. "No one does."

Daemon pressed his lips tightly together as he saw the way the girl meant those words. It was like listening to his younger self talk. Bitter and alone. He could tell it wasn't just her family's deaths that made her so cynical. But he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was exactly.

She looked back up at the man and guilt started to fill her. Why was she burdening her uncle with her problems? On the day of his wife's funeral? He was probably grieving just as much, if not more. "I'm sorry about your late wife, uncle."

A twitch of a smile threatened the corner of his mouth, but instead he just hung his head and sighed. "Yes, it would appear life most certainly has its targets for misery."

Naerys frowned when she saw the humor fading from her uncle. It was like looking at another version of herself. Alone.

"Go on. You need not stay here if you wish to mourn your own losses privately, princess." Daemon whispered and nodded his head towards the door. She gave him a small, appreciative smile before shuffling back inside away from everyone. Family included.