The Pyre for a hero

Appendages

During breakfast, Alyssa's leg kept bouncing. The tap of her shoes against the floor, she picked at her fingernails until they bled. She was desperate to tell her siblings about what she heard when she eavesdropped on her parents.

"Alyssa, my sweet. What is wrong?",

"Nothing mother".

"Are you sure?",

"What! What do you want from me?".

"Alyssa, do not raise your voice at me", Shaera spoke, oddly calm.

"Why, will you push me away like you tried to do with father?",

"What do you mean?", Baelon asked.

"Nothing, my boy. Would you mind taking your siblings to your chamber and then I will speak to you all after your father and I have spoken to Alyssa",

"Yes mother".

Baelon took Visenya and Rodrik by their hands and left with them.

"Aemma, you aswell. Your mother and I will be there soon", Daemon told her, his voice left no room to argue with.

"But father-",

"No, we must speak to your sister by herself".

"Alright".

~
Shaera went to shut the door whilst Daemon sat infront of their daughter. Fittingly, Alyssa resembled his mother whom he missed and remembered everyday.

"My sweet, why where you listening to your father and I?",

"I saw how you were looking at each other when we got back from Dragonstone. I saw you, mother almost lose yourself in your feelings when you thought father left with that bitch. I had not intended to listen but I couldn't help myself, you were going to push each other away and i- I'm sorry", Alyssa explained, her eyes welled up with tears as she looked up at her parents.

"Tis alright, my sweet girl. I had a momentary feeling of fear, I thought it would be easier to push your father away but I now know that it was never going to happen. I let my own insecurities cloud my judgement, I am sorry that you had to have heard it",

"Why did you seek to push him away?".

"Your mother was afraid of what could happen during this war", Daemon reassured.

"We could all die but shouldn't that bring us closer together, so that we may not separate ourselves from each other?",

"Perhaps". Shaera was hesitant to fully believe in what Alyssa said but she wanted to for the sake of her family.

~Thinking about Alyssa's words; Shaera was reminded of an earlier time in her life when she and Aemma were having tea after the celebration for Rhaenyra's eighth nameday. They were in the queens quarters resting after the dancing they had done per Rhaenyra's request.

"What a joyous day it has been", Aemma mused.

"Indeed. I must say, Rhaenyra is perfect",

"Yes, she is", Aemma sighed.

"What is the matter?".

"Nothing-",

"You cannot lie to me little sister, what is on your mind".

"Rhaenyra is perfect but I feel that Viserys is too blinded by his need for a male heir that he neglects our daughter. He is a wonderful father but-",

"But he does not pay enough attention to her".

"I understand that he is the king and he has duties to attend to but I cannot help but feel I am raising Rhaenyra by myself as of late",

"Father once told me that sons are heirs and spares to inherit assets whilst daughters are for the mothers. I told him he was wrong, children should be loved and cherished by both parents. Mother agreed with me, she had a gentle heart that should not have been crushed by fathers beliefs".