Stranger - hotd

13

The next morning, Valaena woke up with her cheek plastered to the desk. She had fallen asleep on her arms. Her dress sat crinkled around her arms and her braid hung loose. The fire had gone out, and she shivered at the cold as she stretched awake.

She guessed it was still early, as when she walked back to her rooms, only servants filled the halls. Valaena yawned deeply as she stepped back into her rooms. Hoping to catch some more hours of sleep she decided to discard her dress. She found trouble when unlacing the back, and with a defeated sigh she fell back onto her bed. Her dress hung halfway past her shoulders as she closed her eyes.

"Val."

Valaena looked up, groaning as her eyes met Lucerys. He cast his eyes down, staring at the floor.

"You are supposed to knock Luke."

Valaena got the her feet, walking towards her brother as she wrapped him in a hug. "Jacaerys is -"

"Being an asshole again mhm?"

Valaena laughed as she pulled Lucerys into her arms. "I'll talk to him hmm."

"Are you coming down to have breakfast with us?" Questioned Lucerys his sister as he eyed her hair and dress. Curious as to why she wasn't wearing any night attire.

"I fell asleep in the library, would you fetch mother? I dont want the maidservants to aid me."

Lucerys nodded leaving her room without another word.

Moments later Rhaenyra walked in, she had already been dressed, her hair sat braided on top of her head. Her mogher rarely wore her hair up. So Valaena smiled. "I couldn't find sleep and- I just-". She felt her lip quavering again. Valaena took a deep breath. Trying to steady herself.

"I don't wish for the servants to- not while you're still here. I- I-"

"Come Val, let me braid your hair." Rhaenyra smiled as she took her daughter's hand. Her other palm resting on her stomach. Rhaenyra was due to give birth soon, and the Maesters had advised her not to travel North, not now. She had defied the orders, Rhaenyra wasn't about to send her daughter North, and then leave her there.

"You know as a child, you always cried when the Servants did your hair. So you would come to me." Smiled Rhaenyra as she untied her daughter's braid. She thought back on how a round faced and crying Valaena would clutch her mother's skirts as she demanded that no servant ever touch her hair.

"Old habits." Joked Valaena softly as she stared at her mother through the mirror.

"Cregan Stark is a good man. I'm seeing the Maester today. Daemon if taking Caraxed North. He wants to see the wall."

"Can I stay with you?"

Rhaenyra let out a sigh. "Try to get to know him Val, he means well. He- He wants to get to know you."

Valaena swallowed, nodding slowly.

But I'll have all the time in the world to get to know him.

"When I'm wed- and- Well I was thinking I could return on Sapphire every few eh days or weeks. Visit home. Seeing as I never got to. Alicent never allowed me to."

Rhaenyra hummed softly, ice seeping through her veins at how Alicent has taken her daughter, and then kept her as close as possible. "I want to be home more, more than just special ocasions. Sapphire would like to meet with the other Dragons also. I don't want her to get lonely."

"You're a Targaryen Valaena, take Sapphire to the sky, come see us." Affirmed the Princess as she finished her daughter's hair. She had pinned to braids together, allowing the remainder of Valaena's hair to flow around her back.