Karma // Criston Cole // Aemond Targaryen

29. Undead

Daemon had asked Daelia every time he visited what her price was to get her to like him. What's your price? What's the price to earn your love? What can I do to make you love me?

"I want to walk you down the aisle, I know you are to be wed to Aemond." Daemon remarked following after Daelia. "Come on Daelia what can I do make you like me?" He didn't know why he needed her approval, her blessing, her to like him damn it but he did.  He wanted his daughter to love him. Rhaena and Baela were too much like their mother, they were weak. They were whiney. They missed their mother, boo hoo, Daemon didn't want to hear their whines.

Instead, he was whining about how Daelia was being mean to him, about how Daelia didn't like him. Instead of spending time with the daughters that wanted his approval, that wanted him to love them. But maybe it was their eagerness for him to love them that turned him away. He missed the fight, the challenge. Rhaenyra got her knees for him, she didn't stand up to him.  Daelia stood up to him, she challenged him. She tormented him. Could anyone really blame him for wanting Daelia in his life and she was a mini version of himself with just as good a head of hair.  So what could Daemon do to get Daelia to love him.

When Daelia was 16 she finally gave him an answer.

"what can I do make you like me?"

"Kill my no good mother for killing my father." Daelia decided. "Then we talk about the wedding between me and my beloved."

"Daelia-"

"What? Karma's a bitch but don't worry, me and karma vibe like that."

So to get into Daelia's good graces Daemon went home and murdered his wife. He was good at it.

Yes killing rhaenyra lost him a crown but viserys seemed to be living forever.

💋

"I..." Daelia didnt know what to say, she thought she had been joking but she really hadnt been. Joffrey, Luke and Jace came back to the capital for Daelia's wedding. Daelia stared down at Rhaenyra's wrapped corpse.

"We wanted to do it with you." Luke remarked. Daelia stared back at little joffrey, he was a stranger to her now.

"Thank you. I would like to be the one to... if thats alright?" Daelia agreed.

"Yes. Of course." Jace agreed as the maesters and septas placed Rhaenyra's body  in the same spot Rhaenyra's own mother had been burned.

The ceremony was part teary eyes, part resting bitch faces. Alicent didnt know what to think of this while Viserys wept for his daughter. Daelia felt bad for Jace and Luke and little JOffrey, they were closer with her, because Rhaenyra chose to love them. Instead she pushed Daelia away, the world was better with Rhaenyra, Daelia had to keep telling herself that because he was the cause of this, by proxy at least.

When the ceremony was done, Daelia excused herself to her chambers and didnt come out for a day. She let Aemond in and no one else... until Aemond left for bed and Criston slipped in holding her close.

When Daelia woke up the next morning, got dressed and headed to break her fast. Criston had already gotten up and was standing at his post. Daelia shook her head when she passed him. Criston chuckled reaching out, running a hand down her back.

"How are you doing Daelia?" Criston questioned.

"I'm okay." Daelia assured. "I just feel bad for my half brothers-"

"Your brothers." Criston agreed.

"Yeah, yeah." Daelia teased. "I feel bad for them, they actually loved her."

And you didnt, Criston agreed with a single look, Daelia knew what he was thinking because she was thinking the same.

"Well?" Daemon questioned falling into step with Daelia.

"I dont know if I should be impressed or horrified." Daelia admitted.

"You asked and delivered."

"She was your wife."

"And you are my daughter." Daemon reminded her. "Rhaenyra kept you from me for too long. We could have been a family- Now I know you liked Laenor but he wasnt -"

"He was my father. He was my father!" Daelia demanded jabbing a finger at Daemon's chest. "You were a stranger."

"Rhaenyra kept you from me." Daemon corrected. "The moment i found out about you, you were off to the capital and wanted nothing to do with me. Then the nonsense with your Laenor..."

"Nonsense? He is dead!" Daelia shouted.

"He isnt. At least he wasnt." Daemon countered. "He fled in the night. It was that for death, he chose-"

"You killed him?"

"Were you not listening?" Daemon countered. "I let him live."

"He might as well be dead, I will never see him again either way! You came around and fucked everything up! My father and I were happy-"

"He left you, he didnt fight for you-"

"You just said you gave him an ultimatum! Flee or die!" Daelia spat back. Her shouts gathered a bit of a crowd. Aemond and Daeron moved swiftly to her. Jace and Luke hesitated, they were a bit scared of Daemon. Daelia had no fear it seemed as she shouted back at him.

"That was your mother's doing." Daemon assured.

"You claim to be my father but a father wouldnt hurt me like that. My father wouldnt... hurt me..." her breathing became jagged. She sobbed out turning around her father wouldnt have left her. He just wouldnt. Aemond ran to her holding her close, she hid her tears in his chest.

"What did you do?" Daeron demanded. Daemon rolled his eyes marching off.

"We are not done, Daelia."