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When Rhea Royce arrives back at Runestone after being taken by the mountain clans and missing for ten days she is bloody and scarred. Her clothes are in a ruined state. Her hands are covered in scabs and open cuts. Her left eye has been cut and is swollen shut. Her right arm is almost broken. She limps on a twisted and almost broken left leg. But still she rides the horse and grips a knife with a ferocity that surprises many. She refuses to say what has transpired. The maester attends to her wounds. She is told her leg and arm will heal. She will not lose her eye but it may never heal to what is was before her capture. The master also declares her no longer a maiden. Humiliated this declaration sends the castle into a panic. 

The Royces are furious over what the Royals have subjected their eldest daughter to. The King and Queen refuse to let the wedding continue as plan. The Crown Prince urges caution lest they alienate half of Westeros. The Houses of the Blood of First Men are all respresnted. House Stark and Blackwood bound by blood. House Dayne from Dorne has made a surprise appearance. House Arryn is also bound by blood and has made their support of Rhea known. In the Old Ways Rhea stands as a worthy successor of Runestone. She has been baptized by the blood of her enemies. She is now a warrior tested and found worthy of the gods. If she is spurned bye cause she dared to survive whatever the cost there will be hell to pay.

As for Daemon Targaryen himself? The boy of 16 is known for his talent with the sword and his bloodlust. So it should come as so surprise that when his would be bride rides through the gates covered in the blood of her enemies and wounds gained in her fight to survive the impossible happens. The enemies who fought like cats and dogs mere day prior. Now a ruined woman and the boy who could be free of her. Instead Daemon Targaryen falls headfirst into a hole of lust and admiration. Rhea survived where many men would fail. She proved her skills with a weapon, will to survive, and returned with the fire in her eyes burning brighter than ever. Daemon knows in that moment he will have no other. It does not matter that she is not Valaryian. He will have none of these frail fools. He wants this woman with steel in her spine. No others are worthy of his fire and blood. He is a dragon. He yearns and aches and hates and desires and needs her. And he will have no other. 

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Rodrick Arryn is seething. His niece Rhea has just survived hell and clawed her way back to Runestone. She is scarred and hurt. And now she is to be tossed aside by the King and Queen as if she is used goods!!!! The monarchs have just announced this to himself and to Yorbert. If his sister Anna was here she knows she would have tossed herself at the Old King herself and clawed his eyes out. Rickon Stark is also in the room as he is related to Yorbert by blood. Yorbert and Rickon share the same grandfather, Lord Benjen Stark, who married one of his daughter South to House Royce because the Lords of Runstone had never stopped following the Old Ways. And the Old Ways now demand that Rodrick stand with his kin. And so Rodrick does. 

In a calm rage Rodrick tells the King and Queen that the betrothal  between Viserys and his Aemma, is over and that he will be marrying her into House Royce after this insult. Voices are raised and the King and Queen protest but they know they can do nothing. It was written into law that the monarchs can not interfere with the matters of marriage or betrothals unless it concerns of the heir of the throne. And as Prince Baelon is the heir they can do nothing about this. Rodrick had promised Daella that he would care for their child. He had though marrying her into her mother’s house would honour the wife who died too soon. But now he can see it would just sully her memory. And so Aemma will marry William Royce, the son of Yorbert’s cousin, and she will remain in the Vale. He will keep his promise to Daella. These conniving and useless rulers will not get their hands on his blue eyed and blonde daughter.

Prince Balon, heir to the throne, watches as his parents unravel years of hard work and threaten the stability of the realm. Rodrick Arryn is well within his rights to end the betrothal between Viserys and Aemma. Rickon Stark has said nothing but he knows the North will stand with the Arryns. The Blackwoods will know by now the insult done to their kin. House Florent, one of the few Houses from the Reach, has also been dealt an insult. It was an unusual union when Yorbert’s father married a woman from House Florent. But while the house worships the Seven they are descendants of House Gardner. And Ella Florent was a fierce woman who adapted to the old ways and helped House Royce expand trade with the Reach and paved the way for Amanda Arryn to marry Lord Tyrell. So to have the granddaughter of Ella Florent denied a royal marriage because she dared to survive will send shockwaves throughout the Reach. 

With this decision they have alienated two Great Houses and ended two would be unions that would have tied them to the North and the Vale for generations. But this is not what worries Balon the most. He knows his son. Daemon is a dragon through and through. He saw the way Daemon looked at Rhea when she rode through the gates bloody and bruised. And he knows that if anyone had asked Daemon his son would have met Lady Royce in the godswood already. He knows in his bones that Daemon will has made his choice.  And Baelon know he must make his. So when that night his son does not return to his rooms he says nothing. And when the next morning Rhea Royce and his son are missing he knows that they have lost Daemon. And House Royce has gained a son and a dragon. 

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Aemma Arryn does not look like a dragon. She has blonde hair and blue eyes. At fifteen years old she is the image of all of the other Arryn woman before her. She shares the same eyes with her father, brothers, and sisters. Aemma loves her family more than anything. She is content being an Arryn. The Vale is all she has ever known. King’s Landing with it filth and corruption is nothing she wishes for. Viserys is three years her elder and Aemma knows deep in her bones that he will be the death of her. So when her lord father tells her than the betrothal between them is finished she sigh in relief. Instead she will marry William Royce and remain in her home. She is an Arryn; a falcon. She is not a dragon no matter who her mother way. As High as Honor. These are the only words that matter to her.

But Fire and Blood also echo through her veins. The anger and hatred for the King and the Queen towards her beloved cousin Rhea. Rhea who has survived what many men could never withstand. Rhea who helped Aemma learn how to shoot a bow. Rhea who told Aemma she would come to Kings Landing and face the wrath of dragons if her younger cousin was ever mistreated. It is for Rhea she chooses the blood in her veins. The blood of the Andals and the First Men. The blood of the Vale and the mountains. When the Queen seeks her out Aemma coldly tells her that never again will she look upon the old crone and the old bastard as family. It was them who forever broke those ties. It them who have lost a granddaughter. Now the weak Gael will have to marry Viserys. And it is the weak Gael who will one day be cut open for a dead boy. But no one knows that now. All any of them will know is that the King and Queen never expected this when they decided Rhea Royce was broken and no longer fit for their grandson. 

Aemma Arryn sleeps that night. She dreams of bronze mountains and children. She dreams of dragons and a fury. She dreams of herself flying the the Old bastard of a King begging at her feet. She feels a tug in her mind and heart and soul. But she ignores it. She is not ready yet. Her fury is great now. But soon in the distant future it will be much greater. And it will carry her into the skies and do something that had not been seen in Westeros. A king will be left broken, distraught, and devastated before the entire realm. Much like Rhea Royce is now. That will happen. But not now. Instead soft yet hard raps on her door awaken her. She opens the door and sees Daemon standing before her. 

He asks for her help. He says he needs to speak with her cousin. Aemma wants to refuse him and spit in his face. For everyone knows how much he hates Rhea. The fights and the taunting. But she stops short when she sees the look in his eyes. The reverent way he says her cousin’s name. And Aemma knows how thin and line between hatred and love is. She knows now that Daemon has dug his claws into Runestone and nothing will remove him from these halls now. Not dragons nor kings and queen. 

So Aemma decides to help him. After all they are to be kin now. Aemma will marry William. If Daemon has his way and convince Rhea their children will share blood. So Aemma dons a cloak and old dress. She uses to passages to awaken William. She uses to the dark hidden ways to get to Rhea. And by doing so Aemma gains Daemon’s friendship forever. She does not know it yet but the bond between cousins will shape a dynasty. It will lead a Dance. But for now Aemma looks at grumpy and tired William. William who will be her husband. Who is two years her elder and is more of a man than Viserys will ever be. William who has been fighting the Mountain Clans since he was nine years old. Who fought viciously and maimed a man who dared insult Rhea. Who is old beyond his years and sighs more than he smiles. 

And Aemma chooses this night to be brave. Brave for Rhea and for Daemon. Brave for Her House. For herself. And later she finds herself on the back of the Blood Wyrm with William’s arms around her. Vows said before a weirwood tree will echo for generations to come. 

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William Royce is a man of House Royce. He has bled for it. He would die for it. He is a descendent of the First Men. He belongs in the godswood, his feet plated firmly on the ground, and a sword in his hand. But in the course of the last twelve days everything he has known has been changed forever more. 

When Rhea went missing William was one of the men who went looking for her. But she was gone and he feared the worst. He feared that he had lost his cousin. His best friend. William even as child was an old soul. He has been so ever since he killed his first man in defence of his mother and younger brother when he was seven. He does not have the time for tourneys and all of frivolous things of Kings Landing. 

So when his uncle Yorbert tells him he will be marrying Aemma and Lord Arryn confirms this William knows the simple life he had planned for himself is gone. He was to be the Master at Arms for House Royce. He would serve Rhea and be her trusted right hand. He would marry a woman of the Vale, have children, and raise them to be loyal vassals of House Royce. But now his bride to be a dragon with blonde hair and blue eyes. Aemma will insist she is only an Arryn. A falcon. But William looks into those blue eyes and sees the rage and the fire. And he knows that one day Aemma will fly. He knows he also must choose if he will fly with her or keep his feet firmly on the ground. 

Later that night a man deep into his cups insults Rhea. And William moves before anyone can stop him. He pushes the man to the ground and swings his fists. He breaks a nose and some fingers. His knuckles are bloody by the time he is pulled off by his younger brother Nathan. And when he finally looks up he sees Daemon Targaryen. The former betrothed of Rhea who had fought against their union with every bone in his body. Daemon now looks at the man William has just beaten with murder in his eyes. His hand is on Dark Sister and William knows if had not acted first the man would be dead. And as Maester Liam cleans his wounds William sighs. Just another complication that he did not need. 

When the sun sets and Aemma knocks on his door William knows now he must choose. Flight or the trusted ground he has walked for all of his life. He stares up at the heavens through his window. He helps Aemma navigate the hidden passages to talk to Rhea. He knows if anyone can convince Rhea to speak of Daemon it is Aemma. And so he waits with Daemon. He does not know that by this act; standing by the man’s side outside of the walls of Runestone by the Blood Wyrm he has done something. He has proven to the Rouge Prince that he has what it takes to keep up with him. When he meets Carexs and does not flinch. When he sneezes at the small of the dragon’s sulphurous breath. The foundation has been laid for a friendship and brotherhood that will inspire legends. 

Hours later William will be in the weirwood. He will witness vows and say his own. The night will end with him on the back of dragon flying off into the unknown. William Royce has chosen flight. He flies now. Years later he will fly on with his wife and children. And when he sleep at night and dreams of flying he will eventually find out it is something he shares in common with his cousin. 

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Nathan Royce is the kind of nobleman who has to chart his own course in life. A second son of a second son of a second son Nathan knows he will never inherit everything. He knows that he will always have a place at Runestone if he wishes it. But Nathan, seeks more than just the familiar embrace of the Vale. Fostered in the North by Benjen Stark when he was ten he came back eight years later with Lord Stark for the wedding of Prince Daemon and his cousin Rhea. Nathan holds the ruling family and all its member in low regard. Nathan is man who doesn’t believe in much. He prays to the Old Gods and bleeds in the godswood when sacrifice is called for. He knows dragons are proof enough of magic. But he is not sure how long this magic is for this world. 

The destruction of the so called Empire holds enough proof for him. He is not sure how long these dragons can keep their hold on the throne. But he knows that if Rhea and Daemon marry Runestone will be forever tied to that damned throne. He wished it to not occur. He wished it in from of more than one weirdwood as they travelled South. But then Rhea was kidnapped, went missing, survived, and the wedding was called off. He wonders if this is the way the gods answer prayers? When he pulls a William off a man he decides then that this if this is the way the gods answer prayers he wants nothing to do with them. He decides that he will be the kind of man who extract blood for the insults dealt to Rhea. 

Runestone is a ancient fortress of First Men. It has secrets passage ways that only those with Royce blood know of. So when he spots William with cousin Aemma he decides not to get involved. Instead he uses the passage ways to get to the room of the Targaryen retainer who insulted Rhea. He knocks the man up, ties his up, and stashes his away for safe keeping. 

He stands witness that night to two marriages. He watches as a dragon flies away and then he goes back to his earlier work. He drags the man to the godswood. He strings the man up and begins. Eventually the man awakens but his tongue has been cut out. Nathan has been North for eight years. He has fought with wildlings and read the ancient records. The Old Ways demand vengeance for his cousin. So he gets to work. The peoples of Skagos are fond of this way of torture and execution. North of the wall it is still practiced. He spreads the man’s spine, carves out his lungs, and eventually his heart. The man dies in the worst kind of pain. And Nathan is barely satisfied. But still, this certain debt has been paid. He takes the man bloods and paints the Runes of his cheeks and forehead. The Runes for justice, blood, and sacrifice. If the gods are so slow for justice Nathan will do it for them. 

He leaves the man strung up for them to find in the morning which will be in a few hours. He takes the passageways and goes the chambers of Lord Royce. He will face whatever his uncle deems necessary. If he makes it out of this Nathan vows he will go to Essos. He will make the name of House Royce glorious. It will be something to be envied and feared. He does not know how but by the gods he hates he swears this vow. 

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Magda is a healer. She has served House Royce since the old Lord Yorwyck saved Magda from the savages that raped her mother and tried to raise her in the hills. She was forced to be amongst her mother’s killers for almost nine years before the Royces found her. Lord Yorwyck had killed all of the monsters. And so a young girl had come to Runestone were she found a home and a place to rest her head. As much as the times in the hills were hell she has to grudgingly acknowledge the monsters were good for some things. Magda can fend for herself, hunt, skin her prey, and learnt all about the native plants in area. She can set a bone and poison a man. She can deliver a babe and make a man rot from the inside out. Magda can do many things. But one thing she can not do is help heal the outrages that have been done to the young Lady Rhea. 

The girl who Magda helped bring into this world and now the young woman who Magda set her bones held her as she finally cried. For this old woman knows what it is like to be amongst the savages. Rhea killed as many as she could in her escape. But there are more still left alive. A fire is burning in the lady’s heart now. And Magda knows that if the young dragon is careful he could make that fire either a dangerous wildfire or a steady burning hearth fire. Magda knows many things. Just as she knows that the Old Gods are angry. Justice must be done for her lady. But it will not be quick. No. Lady Rhea was gone for fourteen days. And that is how long they will suffer. 

It is easy enough to get into the kitchens. And it is easy enough to gather the appropriate things. The Old King eats his food and Magda watches from the walls grinning. The old passages are filled with cracks big enough to see. The king with his dishonour will die. Magda thinks he will last a little more than a year. And in two weeks it will begin. It will be a slow death. His veins will burn and every breath will fill his lungs with fire. The burn will never cease. She will have to administer another dose in six moons. But her veins sing with her act. She smiles savagely as the truth fills her. The monsters of her youth shaped her to the very bones of her marrows. She hates them but knows that this is gift left from that pain. A gift that will please the Old Gods with the slow and steady sacrifice. 

Meanwhile Prince Baelon and the Old King have gone into damage control. Aemma is lost to them for Viserys. Baelon knows that the Vale is lost to them now. His son will marry Gael in less than a moon no matter how much his Mother protests. Their once great House is dwindling and no amount of dragons will protect them from all the death and what will happen if not one child survives to carry on their name. 

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As she lays in the bed in the room she has lived in since infancy Rhea Royce mourns. She mourns for the time lost amongst the mountain men. She mourns what they took from her. She did not cry in the fourteen days she was gone. She did not cry when she stabbed more than one man to death. She did not cry when she had to drag her broken body onto a horse. And she did not cry when she saw the reactions of the people when she rode to the gates of Runestone. Only when she is alone in the bed she slept in before that fateful day does she silently weep. But when she is with other people she refuses to show any weakness.

She does not react when her father tells her that the King and Queen have called off the wedding. She refuses to let these vile serpents get anything more out of her. Daemon, the vile little worm, is probably dancing for joy at no longer having to be tied to her for the rest of their lives. Rhea is willing to acknowledge her part in their fights. She is just as proud as he is in her heritage. She refused to give him a chance. She may not have thrown the first insult but she gave just as god as she got. She does not think Daemon is evil enough to take joy in what was done to her. But she does think he does not mind the consequences. 

At night when she dreams is Rhea truly free. She dreams of flying. It has been this way since she was child. Sometimes she dreams of being a cat or a hound. Once even a mouse. But most of the time it is of being a horse of a bird. She dreaming of flying all across the Vale. Sometimes even as North as the Wall. Other times of the ocean and the deserts to the South. Sometimes even of the dark beaches of Dragonstone. She has always loved to read a child. Her mind has always been one for dreaming. But it one of the things she clung to when she was captive. She longed for when she could close her eyes and fly away. Her family also kept her going. As did the desire for bloodshed and revenge. Even now the fire in her chest burns for the death of every man, woman, and child who was there. All who stood by and let this happen. And Rhea knows that she should be better. But she still hungers for blood. She worried she is damaged beyond repair. She worries that nothing good is left within her. But she refuses to let this break her. She will rise above all of this. Even if she has to crawl and wear she skin down to the bones. Because if this has taught her anything it is this. She can survive anything that comes her way. 

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The sun has just begun to set. Rhea is propped up with pillows and trying to pick a stone on the wall to look at. She has been seen by Magda and Maester Ronan. She arm is propped up on other pillows and her leg is aching. She has refused milt of poppy. The pain is horrid but it is nothing she can not handle. She prepares for another long night. But then she hear the knock of the wall. The familiar knock of the secret code of the cousins. So she knocks on the wood of the bed frame waiting. And in a moment the wall opens and she sees William and Aemma. 

Steady William and gentle Aemma. Betrothed now due to the fury of her father and Lord Rodrik. In William’s eyes Rhea sees a trepidation. And in Aemma’s eyes Rhea sees a fury and a fire that was not there before. It seems Rhea is not the only one who has changed in such a short time. a comfortable silence fills the room as Rhea waits for her cousins to speak. 

“Rhea I am sorry to disturb you.” Aemma pauses here and then turns to look at William. He nods and then Aemma closes her eyes and continues. “I will cut right to the heart of the matter. Daemon wishes to speak with you. He insists on it being tonight. I am sorry to bring this to you now. But something tells me his intentions are sincere. I know you may doubt me because of my blood ties with him. But know this cousin. My loyalty lies with the Vale and with you. None of the dragons have any say over me now.”

Rhea remains silent and looks at William. He sighs. “I don’t know what to tell you Cousin. I do not know the boy as well as you or Aemma. If you wish to be left alone I will make it so. But knowing the dragons I think it best to get this over with now before it escalates.”

Rhea closes her eyes and everything aches. Even now with their betrothal ended the spoilt brat is still causing her grief. But it is still a distraction from the long night that awaits her. It takes her away of her dreams of flying. But at least they can end this now. Whatever this constant push and pull of barbs and clash of wills between them. Even if she hates him Rhea can admit her life will be boring now without him in it. So Rhea still says nothing but just looks at the pair and nods. 

Aemma nods and head back into the passages. William sighs again and goes after her. But before he does he looks at Rhea. “I think the peaceful days around here are long gone.”

At that Rhea manages a smile and laughs. William gives one of his rare smiles and then closes the hidden door. Rhea closes her eyes and braces for what is to come. But at least after this night Daemon Targaryen will be out of her life forever. Or at least that is what she tells herself despite the nagging feeling in her gut. Little does she know their entanglement is far from over. In fact it is just beginning. 

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When Daemon Targaryen opens the door to the rooms of his soon to be wife his dark amethyst meet those bronze ones and he feels a little bit more of his heart swell with something great and terrible for the woman in front of him. And Daemon curses himself for being a fool. For so long he has been searching for a woman worthy of his fire and blood. He had scoffed at House Royce and their First Men blood. But now he sees the truth. Only the woman in front of him is worth his time and love. She bathed in the blood of her enemies and survived. She has always scoffed at him and called him a dickless lizard. She had stared Caraxes down and asked what was so impressed about his red worm? She had beat him at a spar. She will not bend and she will not break. Daemon has made the decision. She will be his; body and soul. Just as he will be hers. The Crown has dishonoured her. Spat on the vows the monarchs made. Just because she dare live to see another day. Daemon will shed his name and blood to be with her. He will become a member of House Royce. Rhea will rule and Daemon will be her sword and shield. His blade and dragon will destroy whomever stands against her. If his wife desires he will gift her the Iron Throne. He will deliver her the head of every living mountain clan member even if it takes years. Every man, woman, and child will have their heads placed on a pike to life the torrents of Runestone. A gift for his mighty wife. And a warning to all those that oppose them. A warning that a dragon has come to roost in the Vale. 

Daemon can see it now. His children with Rhea will be fierce, bloody, and great. With his cousin Aemma marrying William Royce the blood of the dragon will gain ground here. Theirs will be a House to rival the throne. Eventually House Royce will be the envy of all of Westeros. Daemon will not let his bride have anything less than what she deserves. The world will tremble in the face of their love and wrath. Yes. He sees it now. He will embrace the trees his wife worships if they give him what he wants. He trembles in anticipation of what the future will bring. He wants and aches and yearns. For the woman in front of him and for what will come. But first he must convince the heir of House Royce of his worthiness of her hand. 

And so The Royce Prince approaches the bed where a scarred and wary woman awaits. She thinks he has come to insult her before he leaves the Vale forever. But instead Daemon Targaryen unsheathes Dark Sister, kneels before her, and cuts his left hand on the edge of the sword. And then he speaks the words that alter the world of Rhea Royce forever more.

”I Daemon Targaryen, have been a fool. I am sorry it took me so long to see the truth. You are the only woman worthy of me amongst the sheep of this realm. You are made of fire and blood. You survived and came back covered in the blood of your foes.” As he speaks Rhea sees the obsession and pride in his eyes. “You may not have the blood of the dragon but you have the fire. Here in these mountains I will be your sword and shied. I will be your husband despite what the Crown and says. I will renounce ever tie I have to the Iron Throne. I will take your name. I will kill whoever stands in our way. I will reign down fire and fury on whoever questions your place and worthiness. I will marry you beneath the weirwood. I will be yours and you will be mine.” 

“Your expect me to believe your would give all that up? You have long said to whomever would listen that you are the blood of the dragon.” He looks up and meets the sceptical gaze of Rhea Royce. 

“You are right to question me. But even now before a Prince of the Blood you do not quiver. You do now shake in fear. You stand tall and proud. I will spend the rest of my life proving myself worthy of you. But marry me. Tonight before the weirwood. William, Aemma, and Nathan will witness it. And after I will fly with Caraxes. I will burn down the valley where the worms kept you. This will be my first gift to you. The smoke and blood will run thick in the Vale tonight. Caraxes and I will destroy any who would harm you and ours.”

Tension is thick in the air. “I killed as many as I could. But they took what was not theirs to take. They laughed and tried to break me. I slit their throats and cut off the manhood of the next one who tried. They thought me weak. But I would not let them win. I finally had a chance when they thought me broken. One was balls deep in me when I took my chance. I bit his throat and freed my hands. I took out his eye and grabbed a knife from his belt. He was so easy to kill.” 

Rhea confesses this to him and Daemon feels the rage within him grow. “I took moon tea as soon as I could. But a child of these monsters may grow within me yet. But this child would be mine. MINE!! I would raise it as the heir of Runestone after me. If I carry a child I would kill whoever looks at them wrong. I would poison your dragon and slit your throat in the godswood. No one will ever hurt what is mine as long as I live. Aemma is to marry William. They are of my House and my blood. If the King and Queen try to take them from me I would rain down hellfire on them. Do you understand Daemon i have lived through what would be enough to break anyone; woman, man or child!! If i can survive that than what is the wrath of a dragon???!!!” At this points tears are dripping from her eyes and she closes her eyes. 

Rhea hates herself for revealing this weakness to him. She opens her eyes when she hears movement. Daemon has laid Dark Sister on the bed beside her. Quick as lightning he wraps himself around her avoiding her injuries. He takes her hand in his and kisses the front and back of it. He then kisses her wrist where he pulse thunders. He opens his bloody palms and dips his finger in his blood. He paints the Rune for bravery on her wrist. 

“William showed me how to draw this. You are worthy of it and more. As for if you carry a child. It would be now different from any others we would have. It would be your child. And so it would be mine. I will burn down all of Westeros if that is what it takes. For you are mine and I am yours. Nothing would keep me from you and ours.” At this declaration and and the devotion in his voice Rhea breaks down and pulls him close. His arms circle around her and he holds her as close as he is able. It seems like an eternity and he listens to her breath and heartbeat. But eventually she shifts. 

She grabs his bloody hand and interlaces their fingers. She kisses his forehead and then touches her lips to his. Fire roars within his veins as he surges to meet her. Careful of her injuries he places his hands on her back pulling them as close as he is able. Eventually the kiss ends. He is panting and by all of the gods he have never wanted anything more. Rhea looks at him and then says, “You’ll have to carry me. I can still barely walk and the godswood is across the castle. If we are to marry tonight we should hurry husband.”

Rhea Royce is not sure if she is mad in this moment. Mad to tie herself to a boy who is becoming a man. A man who will rain down fire and fury for her. A man who is willing to shed blood for a hypothetical child who would not be his. A man whose devotion seems to run as deep as the mountains. But she has told him more than anyone of what happened to her. He does not shy away from her rage. He held her and did not waver. So Rhea Royce will marry Daemon Targaryen. And no matter what happens she knows that she will be safe with him. 

So he gathers her in his arms and she guides him through the hidden passages of Runestone. And in the hour of the wolf Rhea cuts her hand and draws the rune for husband on his forehead. He does the same marking her as his wife. Aemma, William, and Nathan watch as they make vows before the gods. And as they kiss to seal their vows Rhea tastes their blood from the cuts on their lips to try and include some rites of HOuse Targaryen. Their blood mingles and she knows there is no going back. 

Aemma surprises them all when she insists she and William marry as well. And so under the full moon Runestone welcomes two dragons into its embrace. And Rhea gives into her fury when Daemon insists they all go to Caraxes so he can fulfil his promise to his bride. Rhea struggles to mount the dragons and worries if the Red Wyrm can carry them all safely. Daemon laughs off her concerns and tells her to guide him. 

And guide him Rhea does. And as the sun rises fire rains down on camp where she was taken and robbed of her choice and the worms tried to break her. None are spared as the sun rises red as the fire of her husband’s dragon. Rhea feels no sympathy or guilt. She leans against the strong chest of her her husband and feels at peace as he laughs in the face of the death and chaos. Rhea Royce feels safe for the first time in forever. 

Her husband looks down at her and she smiles at him. He returns the smile. Rhea is content. No matter what comes next and if this madness condemns her she is content and safe in this moment. And that is all that matters. 

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When the wedding between Rhea Royce and Daemon Targaryen is called off all eyes on House Royce. But aside from its current Lord all eyes on are one figure in particular. Lady Elena Royce of Houses Florent and Royce. The mother of Yorbert Royce, Rodrick Royce, and Yoren Royce. The onetime companion and friend of Queen Alysanne who had cut ties with the Royal family when she chose to marry a Lord of the Arryn instead of the union the Queen tried to arrange. A woman of the Reach with her auburn hair and green eyes. A woman who gained the respect of Vale when she killed survived an ambush seven moons pregnant and killed the man who tried to harm her first. Lady Elena who is the one responsible for the marriage between Amanda Arryn and Garlan Tyrell. A woman who is said to have spurned every attempt made by the Queen to reconcile and who advised against the unions between her granddaughter and Aemma. 

When Elena had seen Rhea return alive and not broken she had rejoiced. She had not lost the girl she had helped raise. She had not lost a precious member of her blood. But when the woman had once been her most treasured friend had announced that the wedding was off a part of her heart had turned to stone. It was what she expected but Elena has hoped against her instincts that maybe Alysanne would prove her wrong. But instead Elena had watched with glee when Lord Arryn had announced Aemma would marry William. The horror on the looks of the King and Queen had brought joy to her heart. And when Nathan had come to her with blood stained hands Elena had embraced him and congratulated him. 

She had gone with her grandson to Yorbert’s chambers. Her son had raged against Nathan while Rodrick, her jovial and loud boy, had simply said Nathan had better have made it painful. It is times like this when Yorbert had begun to argue with Rodrick that she missed Yoren. Her youngest boy. The peacemaker and the voice of reason for his brothers. Her beloved boy who along with his wife Lara had died at the hands of the mountain clans. Leaving behind Gerald and Alyssa. Her beloved grandchildren whom had been raised at Runestone along with Rhea, William, and Nathan. Her grandchildren were her legacy and reason for living. For them Elena would do anything. 

And when her sons have finally calmed down does Nathan reveal the final nail in the coffin. Daemon and Rhea are wedded along with Aemma and William. The four have taken off for Daemon to deliver his bloody promise to his bride. It adds another layer of chaos to this storm. But it makes Elena smirk. She had hated the so called Rouge Prince when she had met him. More like a spoilt boy. And weak Viserys was not much better. But it seemed Daemon was more dragon than anyone had thought. A dragon would always guard its hoard and love with everything it had. And the rider of the Blood Wyrm had chosen Rhea are his to love. There may be some promise in the boy yet. 

Elena will mood the boy into a worthy consort for Rhea. She will help shape his fire. She will make a Royce out of him. Now House Royce has two members with dragon blood. Two more people for Elena to protect and love. She will take these dragons and use them to help her cripple the Targaryens. She will make Alysanne rue the day she ever betrayed her. She will make that hag regret the day she ever betrayed Elena. She will make House Royce the most power House in the Vale. 

After all was part of her desire already fulfilled. She remembers the night she married her husband Brandon. She remembers taking her blood stained sheets to the godswood, cutting open her palm, and burnin the sheets at the foot of the godswood. She had vowed to the Old Gods she would do all she could to bring them honour and Glory to House Royce if they would avenge the broken vows made to her. If they would taken vengeance upon Alysanne Targaryen, oathbreaker she was. And not a week later Daenerys Targaryen had died. And Elena, broken and betrayed by someone had loved more than anything, felt nothing but joy. 

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Gerold Royce is a simple man. He lives to fight, drink, and for his family. Nothing more and nothing less. He is not like his Grandmother Elena who weaves her political games like a spiders weaves its web. He is not like William, who has been called Old Man William by most in Runestone since he was young enough to talk. William who has been raised to be Rhea’s right hand. Or Nathan who has always questioned his place. His younger sister Alyssa is fierce and wants nothing more than to make her mark. No, Gerold has always been confident in his place and purpose. Give him a sword, point him towards the enemy, and give him mead at the end of the battle. He is to be the sword wielded by his family to protect their lands and people. He will marry and raise his children to be loyal to the Old Gods and House Royce.

Gerold had though once either he or William would marry Rhea. But instead Rhea had married a dragon. Gerold had been awaken in the middle of the night by a frantic Alyssa and dragged to the Lord’s Chambers where his family were harshly arguing in the Old Tongue over the actions taken this night. Nathan’s kill and the marriages between Rhea and Daemon; William and Aemma. Gerold is twenty name days and he knows that his time has come. His time to stand strong for his family and the time for his to live by the Words of their House. We Remember. Gerold will never forget who he is and and where his place is. The dragons will not accept this slight laying down. Never mind that the vile serpants began this long ago when the Queen had betrayed his grandmother. 

Elena Florent of House Royce never speaks of her past with the Dragon Queen. All he knows is that the Queen had tried to trick his grandmother into marrying a man of House Celtigar. He knows the rumours of how close the pair had been. How they had been lovers. He had dared to ask Grandmother only once if the whispers were true. And Grandmother had only said that her greatest love was reserved for her family. And that Alysanne Targaryen was nothing but a oatbreaker who would be punished by the Old Gods upon her death.