(One month later)
The trip back to Kings Landing is currently one filly with sorrow, Lord Tywins wife Lady Joanna was found dead having fallen from a balcony in Casterly Rock, while it makes look as if Tywin was not affected by those who knew the man knew the truth, he loved his wife deeply. She was the only person to ever make the Lord smile and she had even talked him around to show his love for Tyrion despite the boy being a dwarf, though some whispered that he wouldn't even bother now.
Before he left Daemon spent a lot of time comforting Jaime who took the loss of his mother hard, while Jaime would never want to admit it to anyone else he cried in the elder boy's arms on more than one night. And Daemon felt a little sad as well, from the little he knew about Joanna being a good woman and an even better mother, he felt lucky Tyrion was a bit too young to truly understand as he had his hands full with the people he had to comfort. Even the times that the King did not visit Rhaella he still went inside and sat by her bed, he would use 'Poppy's Embrace' and take away her pain. Sometimes he longed for physical pain as the emotional pain that Rhaella felt at Joanna's loss was hard to bare. But he did it, and he watched he drift to sleep with a peaceful expression on her face.
There was one man who felt the guiltiest amongst all present and that was the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard Gerold Hightower. He was the one who was on shift for the King last night and he had seen Joanna go into his room. He had heard her scream and then never come out, the next morning he was commanded to keep his mouth shut by the King. What else could he do? He was sworn by his vows to obey the King, and yet it felt wrong to do so, he felt as if his cloak was stained, stained red with blood.
'I am no Knight...' he would think to himself as he stood guarding the king once more. It was amusing, to say the least, the greatest Kingsguard since the first seven and most did not feel worthy of the title, some not even worthy of being a knight.
At the moment Daemon was with the person in charge of their supplies, at the moment he was going over the wine they had "So you say this is the King's favourite wine?" Daemon asks as he palms a bottle of Arbour Gold.
The man nods his head "Indeed Ser, his grace drinks it in like a fish" He says as he continues sorting different supplies.
Daemon smiles "I see, thank you for letting me know I'll make sure to fleur her it to his grace," he says getting a polite bow of respect back from the man something Daemon still wasn't used to, but word had already gone around that he was the King's squire and he was personally grooming him. Though some of the rumours were a bit outlandish, they say he was going to be his weapon to launch an invasion of Essos, or that he would be conquering north of the wall. Though the most outlandish one by far is that he was being made the next heir to the throne or he'd be replacing one of the Great families as a warden.
Daemon scoffed at all of these ideas, he didn't want anything like that, he just wanted a keep not necessarily a big one, overlooking the ocean. A place where Lysa and Lyanna could live out their days until they grew old. Mayhaps Rhaella could join them there if she could manage to disappear. He didn't think the king would care too much if Rhaella disappeared, but even if she didn't want to come with him he'd take her somewhere else, if he was to be a knight then he must earn that right and one of the vows is to protect women and the innocent.
This is what led Daemon to the Queen's tent, he activated 'Suppression' and stood next to a cart a dozen metres away, he saw Barriston was on Guard duty, he'd be taking over for the man soon enough but by then it would be too late. That's when he finally saw it, the King walked over to the Queen's tent with all the smugness and attitude befitting of his station. Daemon stood and started walking towards the tent, he had the bottle of Arbour Gold in his hand and he got a questioning look from Barristan as he approached "Arbour Gold for the King, Ser Barristan" Daemon explains however he channels a small amount of aura so that when he hands it over before Barristan can grab it, the glass cracks and makes a loud shattering sound.
Daemon puts his hands to his head "Oh no! What have I done? The King's Wine!" He says loudly shouting.
Barristan who looks nervous tries to whisper to the lad "Lad be quiet the King will hear you, just go get another" he said but it was too late the king had walked out of the tent still dressed. He looked down at the broken bottle in the grass and a scowl marred his face, he walks to Daemon grabbing him by the throat "Tell me, boy! Does it give you pleasure to waste my precious wine" Aerys asks with venom dripping from his voice.
"No my lord, it was just a mistake," Daemon says, Barristan can't help but bite his cheek at what Daemon called the King.
"My Lord? You think of me as simply a Lord?" Aerys asked with anger as his Aura started to activate, Daemon hastily activated his own just in time to be punched in the stomach so hard that it launches him from the camp into the surrounding forest. He can't help but feel surprised as he soars through the air above the camp, though his awe-filled moment soon ends as he roughly crashed into the ground, next to him the King lands as he had jumped from the camp in an amazing feat of aura use. The king walks to a tree and kicks it completely knocking it down, he then rips it from the ground "Since you so obviously lack discipline we shall begin your training tonight" the King states as he drags the tree towards his squire.
Daemon stands up on shaky legs that punch had don't a number on him and he coughed blood onto the grass when he landed "Hold your arms up!" He commanded, Daemon did so and had to catch the tree that was thrown at him.
"I want you to hold that tree with only the aura in your fingertips, you will do this by the time the sun rises tomorrow" Aerys commands getting a nod of understanding from Daemon. The king then stomps off muttering something about no longer being in the mood which puts a smile on Daemon's face. He wasn't that much of an idiot that he couldn't control his own Aura not to smash a bottle, though it could be argued what he was doing was something only an idiot would do. He wanted the Queen to have some peace so instead of taking away her pain he would take away the King, and deflect his attention from her.
While most might consider this stupid and could easily end in his death it wasn't something that Daemon even considered, he'd do it and that was that 'I'm the same person I'll always be' he thought to himself as he lifted the tree. While the task he gave Daemon wasn't easy he knew he could do it, it wasn't an exercise in the strength of one's aura but the control. He spread his aura throughout the tree though not completely engulfing it, something more akin to laying a foundation within. Though this took some time as it was an exercise in 'Archery Type' aura and 'Alchemy Type' aura as he had to project his aura outwards way from his body as well as shape it into a foundation for which he could hold the tree without using much strength.
While he did this Rhaella sat in her nervous as she usually was this time of night 'Mayhaps it will be like some of the nights when he never came'. she heard the commotion outside but did not know what it was, all she could do was sit and wait patiently for the king to return as to do anything else might invite his wroth. Though in the end, she has to accept that he isn't coming and so she relaxes a little "Ser Barristan, can you come inside please" she says to her protector outside. The knight comes into the tent right away and bows respectfully "Did you need something, your grace?" Barristan asks though Rhaella can see the solemn look on the grizzled knight's face.
Rhaella nods "What happened outside, I heard a commotion and the King had not returned," She asks with a slight hint of worry though not aimed at the king.
Barristan sighs "It was Daemon your grace" he says with a morose voice.
Rhaella's eyes widen as she stands up "Is he okay? What happened!" She says as she grabs onto Barristan surprising the man completely, Rhaella had never shown such worry for someone outside of her children.
Barristan nods his head "He's alive your grace though I imagine he's being punished by the King, he broke the king's special Arbour Gold Reserve which is why he left your tent" he explains.
Rhaella can't help but feel worried for the young boy who had done so much for her, though she looks at Barristans face and sees that he has more to say that has remained unsaid "Barristan if there is more than I would hear it" she states in a firm tone.
Barristan nods his head stiffly "I've trained the lad, his aura control is immensely good for someone of his experience, so if he broke the wine it was on purpose" Barristan states with a grim expression.
Rhaella looks at him with a hint of confusion "Why would he do such a thing, bringing the king's ire on himself is nothing short of madness"
It was at these words that Barristan can't help but laugh self-deprecatingly "Because he is a Knight, and he is more of a Knight than all of the Kingsguard combined, he is but a boy of 13 name says and yet he is braver than I" Barristan can't help but find the humour in it. The truth was he was terrified of the King, most who had seen him in the Ninepenny kings war would be.
Rhaella's eyes still show confusion so Barristan explains "He did it for you so that you might be free of the King's attentions if only for a night"
Rhaella's eyes finally widen in realisation, for the entire month she could count on one hand how many times Aerys had visited her and she did not know the reason why, she covered her mouth with her hand as tears started to flow from her eyes. This entire month he had subjected himself to the King's wroth and when he couldn't be there he would sit with her and take away her pain letting her drift off to sleep. Rhaella hadn't felt her heart hurt in such a way for a long time, she had never had someone do something like this for her, even the Kingsguard wouldn't do something so honourable and yet so damn stupid.
"I have to go to him... please escort me Ser Barristan," Rhaella says with a shaky voice as she puts on more appropriate attire adding a few more layers to her nightgown. Rhaella walked out of her tent, the night air stung the wet trails that had been left on her face, Ser Barristan had followed after her and she gestured for him to lead the way.
She followed him and eventually, they left the camp and went into the surrounding forests they eventually got to the small crater where Daemon had landed and a bit further away was Daemon who stood with his whole body shaking as he held a tree above his bed with Aura only focused in his hands. Rhaella gasped and ran over to the boy "Daemon! What're you doing? Put it down!" She shouted her voice full of worry.
Daemon can't help but smile as Rhaella doesn't look at all injured "I'm
Sorry your grace but this is the King's command, he wishes for me to master this aspect of aura manipulation by dawn"
Daemon looks to Barristan and for the first time since he had known the man he had a worried look on his face "Lad, the king wants you dead, but it's clear he wants you to suffer before you do" Barristan states with a grim look on his face.
Rhaella's eyes widen even further "Had the person he gave this task to not been you, then you'd undoubtedly fail and would be killed by the King at dawn" Barristan stated.
Daemon chuckled though he coughs up a bit of blood while doing so having not completely healed from the punch the king gave him "Barristan please give us some privacy" Rhaella asks, the knight nods and walks further away into the forest though he keeps a vigilant look out.
Rhaella walks closer to Daemon, seeing him in such a state because of her almost broke her heart "How can you smile at a time like this" she asked with a trembling voice.
"Because you're uninjured," he says with a smile still present on his face. Rhaella couldn't help but be taken back in time to a person who had said the same thing to her.
(AN: Can anyone figure out what Daemon is doing? I don't think I'm that subtle. Anyway hope you enjoyed.)
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