"And everything's easier way out west
Wholly mad and half undressed
I love the way it always feels to miss you
I tell all my friends every thing you do
A sick obsession that I still try to prove
And it's no good, 'cause who am I without you"
🖤Enemi...
Two large pyres with Arrax's wrapped remains stood before Rhaenyra and her family. What remained of her family. The funeral felt like dejavu to the queen. The same place she'd laid her stillborn daughter to rest. The same place she'd laid her mother to rest.
And now her daughter and son.
Her eldest children with Ser Harwin.
It felt like his memory was quickly ripped from her, at least most of it. She lost his kindness from their oldest son, she lost his fight with their only daughter. She lost so much of him.
The worst part was she wasn't allowed to grieve her losses ever. Even with the loss of her children, they all still looked to her as their leader, as their queen. She'd save her tears for her chambers, but they never came. No matter what she did it was like the pain was trapped inside her, never allowed to see the light of day.
By the end of the funeral, everyone looked at Rhaenyra to give Syrax the command, but she made the mistake of locking eyes on the youngest of her children with Harwin. Little Joffrey had been a blubbering mess since he'd heard the news of his siblings.
He didn't want to believe it for one moment. He couldn't do this without them, either of them. He couldn't be alone. His black cloak concealed the small dagger he clutched tightly at his side. His sister's dagger.
Joffrey knew the dagger meant a great deal to his sister and it didn't feel right for him to have it. She said she wanted it back the moment she returned. But she didn't return, and neither did Lucerys.
Tears streamed down his blotchy face as Joffrey tried to even his breath. He couldn't ignore his sister's wishes. He couldn't let her down. Without another thought, Joffrey took off towards Naerys' pyre, but not before Jace managed to get his arm around the boy's waist to pull him back.
"No, stop! Mother! Please! Let me go!" Joffrey pleaded through his tears, solely focused on his sister's pyre and not the concerned gazes surrounding him. "She wanted this returned to her! It has to go with her! It has to, it has to!"
Daemon marched over to the two boys when he noticed a silver dagger shining in Joffrey's little fist. Jace had managed to get the blade out of his brother's hand, but Daemon quickly snatched it away.
"Let me go, Jace!" Joffrey screamed as he stomped his heel onto Jace's toes, breaking free from his hold as Jace let out a grunt.
Daemon snatched Joffrey into his arms tightly as the boy collapsed into violent sobs. Rhaenyra had to look away from the sight before she fell apart. Syrax whined pathetically by her side and Daemon's head snapped over to his wife, and he knew he had to calm the boy down.
Daemon knelt down, holding the boy close to him as he whispered in his ear. "Shh, it's alright. It's alright."
Joffrey wept into his step father's shoulder, muffling the noise from Rhaenyra enough for her to turn around, but not enough for Daemon to keep it all together. His hold tightened as he felt tears of his own prick at his violet eyes, but he shut them tightly, hiding his face in the boy's dark curls.
"You have to be stronger than this now." Daemon whispered in a shaky breath to the little prince, whose little fists pulled harder on Daemon's tunic. "You have to be strong for them, Joff."
"Dracarys." Rhaenyra's voice cracked before Syrax blew her flames down onto the two pyres and Joffrey went limp in his step father's arms.
*
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