As a child, you would wait and watch from far away
But you always knew that you'd be the one
That work while they all play
In youth, you'd lay awake at night and scheme
Of all the things that you would change
But it was just a dream
Here we are, don...
Raina leaned back in her chair, her eyes fixed on Daemon, who cradled their twin daughters, Visenya and Rhaella. Her other children gathered around him, gazing at the newborns. Raina shifted her gaze to Ser Alden and Ser Roderick.
"What do you plan to do?" Roderick inquired as she stood up and moved to the window, with the others following her.
"I'm going to claim it," Raina declared, her eyes surveying the scenery beyond the window before turning back to her knights. "I have given them the seeds for the three heads, and I have entrusted they have the flame holders to carry the line until the next chosen one is selected," she explained. The two men nodded slowly as she turned her attention back to the window.
"I sense that the time is drawing near," she murmured, her hands resting on the windowsill. After the births of her daughters, she felt a shift. "The throne will be mine by the end of the moon cycle," she declared, looking back at them.
"What time is coming?" Alden asked. Raina shook her head. She didn't know yet, but she sensed that something was on the horizon.
"Are my army, Roderick, are they here?" Raina inquired, her gaze fixed on the horizon. Her army's formation crossing the Sunset Sea should be here by now. If not, they should be close. She needed them to execute her plan.
"They've arrived," he replied, causing her to snap her head up. "They came a day or two ago. You were still recovering, but they are to the east of the island. No one else has seen them, but they've been asking for you," he explained. Raina frowned as her jaw clenched.
"You should have informed me the moment they arrived," she hissed lightly at them, her eyes darting between the two. "Why didn't you tell me before now?" she asked.
"You were unwell when you returned. You couldn't have done anything if you knew," Roderick said, looking down. "You needed to recover, and if you had known, you wouldn't have allowed yourself to heal," he reasoned. Raina let out a breath, understanding his perspective.
"I understand, but something like this should not be kept from me, no matter my health," Raina stated, looking up at them as they nodded. She then walked away. "Prepare my dragons," she commanded as she exited.
"Raina," she heard Daemon's voice, but she didn't stop until she reached her room. He followed and closed the door behind him. "Should you really be riding now?" he asked. Raina just looked at him for a moment before turning away.
"What you think or want me to do does not matter," Raina asserted as she turned back to look at him. "What do you want, Daemon?" she asked. Daemon's eyes snapped up to meet hers, his expression dark.
"I want to know everything you're doing, everything you're planning," he said. Raina let out a small laugh as she shook her head.
"No," Raina said. Daemon moved quickly, his hand shooting up to grab her neck, pushing her body back to hit the table behind her, and Raina let him.
"No is not an option for you anymore, Raina. You will tell me because, one, I am your husband, and two, I don't think you're thinking straight right now," Daemon hissed. Raina simply looked up at him and said nothing, prompting him to grab her neck tighter.
"I'm thinking just fine, Daemon," Raina huffed as her hands came up to his wrist, but his grip tightened. Raina only gave him a small smile. "Does it make you feel big, thinking you own me in a way? Just because you're my husband doesn't mean anything," she hissed, and that was it.
Raina had never seen such anger in him before. Daemon was not gentle as he pulled her away from the table by her neck and led her back until she fell onto the bed. Straddling her waist, he kept one hand on her neck and used the other to grab the back of her head, pulling her closer to his.
"I do own you," he hissed. Raina's jaw clenched as her arms came up to push his away. She pushed her hips up to dislodge him, and once she did, she flipped over and tried to get away.
Her hand reached for her pillows, and she grabbed the dagger from beneath them. Raina didn't waste any time and threw her arm back. Daemon grabbed her arm and twisted it, making Raina hiss as she pushed her body back to try to get him off.
Raina was certain Daemon wouldn't have done this if she hadn't pushed, but she wanted him to feel what she was feeling. She threw the first hit.
"Raina! Damn it-" Daemon started, but was cut off when she hit him with her elbow in the side. Daemon grabbed her waist and pulled her up from the bed. Raina pushed her legs out and away from the bed, causing Daemon to stumble back and knock over the table.
Daemon hissed in anger as he held her in place, but Raina kept fighting, trying to get away. Eventually, she managed to escape his grip, but she fell to her knees, gasping for breath, her body trembling.
When she felt his hand gently grab her waist, her first instinct was to push his hands away, but Daemon steadied her and gently pulled her up.
"Your body is still weak, Raina," he mumbled in her ear as her head fell back onto his shoulder. "I will handle everything. You just have to tell me what to do," he said. Raina didn't say anything as she closed her eyes and let sleep overtake her.
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