VALEANA WOKE IN a cold drench, the same as she had every night for the past few months. Her nightmares had plagued her sleep, showing her nothing but darkness and a flame she could never reach.

She inhaled a deep breath as she threw the covers off, exposing her skin to the chill air that grounded her in reality. Valaena climbed out of bed, walking over and eying the dress laid out for the day. Her lips pursed as she stared at the long fabric, deciding she was going to choose her own outfit for the day as she found herself in her familiar trousers.

Her eyes landed on the familiar bottle on the table, unable to resist rolling her eyes as walked over to the table. She grabbed the bottle, face morphing in disgust at the rancid smell before turning it upside down to spill out all its contents.

Even months later her father's overbearing nature wouldn't leave, including the horrible medicine that did nothing but make her stomach twist unpleasantly. While Valaena appreciated that he cared, she was sick of being treated like a fragile doll. She had hoped Daemon out of all people would have understood that.

Valaena set the bottle down harshly, flinching when the glass shattered against the surface. The Valyrian curses left her lips instinctively as she raised a tired hand to her face. She bent down to pick up the glass pieces, careful not to slice the sharp edges against her skin as she heard the doors open.

"My lady!" her lady-in-waiting exclaimed, rushing towards her in worry at the glass shattered across the floor. "You shouldn't be-"

"It's fine," Valaena tried to wave her concerns away as she placed the broken glass on the table. "It's only glass."

Her lady-in-waiting didn't seem sure what to say to her words as she pursed her lips. Valaena was sure the newest addition to the castle had yet to accustom to the nontraditional ways she did things and yet she found some entertainment in it. Lady Elissa Lannister wasn't sent to just be her lady-in-waiting, that much was obvious.

She had arrived shortly after Valaena's miraculous recovery as a gift from King Viserys to help her recover. It was clear to everyone that Lady Elissa was not sent by the king, nor was she sent to help them. A spy in the most obvious of places, it was enough to make Valaena laugh for the first time since leaving her deathbed.

"Tell the other girls to prepare a bath for when I return," Valaena ordered as she walked over and grabbed her cloak, swinging it over her shoulders before heading out the door without waiting for a response.

Ser Donnel seemed prepared for her exit, waiting just as patiently for her as he followed her with long strides. Always six steps behind.

Despite the early morning, she was unsurprised to find her brother training in the courtyard. He was always pushing to prove himself, studying his Valyrian deep into the night and swinging a sword whenever he could get his hands on one. Valaena couldn't blame him. His training was lacking and it was obvious in the way he swung his sword.

"I've told you you'll never win with a grip like that," Valaena interrupted his training, watching the sword fall to his side in frustration as he turned to face her.

"Whatever you said, I'm sure Daemon has already told me a thousand times," Jacaerys muttered as his eyes landed on her.

"Trust me, I'm not here to talk," Valaena switched over to the familiar language she knew her brother would understand as she reached up to undo the clasp on her cloak, letting it fall to the ground as she approached the table littered with weapons.

"I'm not going to fight you," Jacaerys told her, his words only serving to annoy her.

"Then you'll lose," Valaena told him as she picked up one of the swords, feeling it in her hands as she turned to face him. "I promise I'll take it easy on you."

Jacaerys pursed his lips, clearly struggling to overcome the brotherly urge to prove her wrong. Valaena knew the only thing that held him back was the thought of her almost dying a few months prior, something she detested more than anything.

She decided she was sick of waiting, raising her sword as Jacaerys barely had enough time to block it. Valaena didn't let up as she swung again, barely missing as he dodged to the side to avoid the sharp blade. Her brother cursed under his breath as he scrambled to regain his footing as Valaena pressed forward, each attack as swift as the last.

"Seven hells, Valaena," Jacaerys breathed out as he moved to defend himself, lifting the sword to stop her attack only to be sent stumbling back again by the sheer force. "You call this going easy?"

"What, are you afraid of losing?" Valaena taunted with a smile, watching the annoyance flicker across her brother's face.

She released a short laugh as she easily sidestepped his sluggish attempt at a counterattack, sending him off balance as he stumbled forward.

"You fight like a knight," she commented as she struck him with the blunt of her blade, satisfied with the pained grunt he released as she pulled back. "Not a warrior."

"That doesn't make any sense," Jacaerys retorted as he whipped back around to face her, barely blocking her next attack.

"Perhaps you should return to your books then," Valeana suggested as their swords clashed against each other, filling the silence of the otherwise empty courtyard.

"I'm sick of the books," Jacaerys muttered as their fight transitioned into a steady rhythm.

"You can learn a lot from books," Valaena told him as she dodged the swing of his sword.

"Yeah, like how to be an annoying sister?" Jacaerys teased as he stepped forward to make an attack.

"More like this," Valaena retorted as she feigned to the left only to move the opposite direction, holding her foot out as Jacaerys tripped over it. His sword clattered to the ground as he followed soon after, glancing up to find the tip of a sword to his neck. "You're dead."

Jacaerys released an annoyed sigh, unsurprised that Valaena was able to defeat him so easily. It was clear Daemon had trained her since she was a child even when she was barely trying.

She extended her hand for him to take, waiting until he took it to help him onto her feet.

"Again," she told him, signaling to the sword a few feet away.

"I feel like there should be some prize for winning," Jacaerys commented as he picked up his sword and turned to face her.

"Your prize is not getting your ass kicked by me," Valaena told him as she waited for him to attack, sword at her side.

It only took a moment for Jacaerys to drop his sword, charging at Valaena before she could react as he tackled her to the ground. The sword dropped from her hand as they hit the ground with Jacaerys grinning down at her victoriously.

"Now you're fighting like a warrior," Valaena told him, a grin on her face that disarmed Jacaerys for only a moment before she attacked. His eyes widened in surprise as she flipped him over, now holding him as a knife pressed against his throat. "You're dead. Again."

"That's no fair," Jacaerys whined as he stared up at Valaena, knowing she had grabbed the knife she kept strapped to her leg.

"Fair? Who said this was fair?" Valaena questioned as she pulled the knife away but remained holding him down. "This is me saving your life."

"I'd rather just kick your ass," Jacaerys retorted, earning an eye roll from his sister. "Can you get off me now?"

Valaena stared down at him with narrowed eyes, as if contemplating it before she rolled off him.

"Another round then?" Valaena questioned as she picked up her sword, earning an annoyed groan from her brother.

⁂            ⁂            ⁂

"Don't you think they're being too rough?" Rhaenyra questioned as she stared over the balcony, watching in worry as she watched Valaena and Jacaerys fight in the courtyard. She glanced over her shoulder as Daemon joined her side, seeming less worried than his wife.

"They'll be fine," Daemon shrugged away her concerns as he glanced down at the courtyard to find his daughter kicking down Jacaerys as his sword clattered to the ground again. "Valaena knows not to draw blood."

"That's not what I meant," Rhaenrya rolled her eyes as she gave her husband a look. "Should Valaena even be exerting herself like this?"

"There's only so many times one can say no to her," Daemon responded despite his agreement with her. "You know how she is."

Rhaenrya hummed at his words, eyes trailing back to the courtyard as she watched Valaena help her son back on his feet.

"I've been thinking," Rhaenrya started with sigh, reaching up to play with the necklace around her neck. "Valaena is of marrying age."

She had barely finished her sentence before a snort escaped Daemon, the amusement clear on his face as she turned to look at him.

"I find it impossible to believe you could convince Valaena to marry any man of the sort," Daemon told her.

"Well, what if you convinced her?" Rhaenrya prodded hopefully, her hand falling back to her side.

"I'd have a better chance claiming the Cannibal," Daemon retorted, the smile dropping from his face at Rhaenrya's unamused stare. "Don't tell me you already had someone in mind?"

"It's not just her marriage I'm thinking about," Rhaenrya admitted as she turned her gaze back to the courtyard as she watched the Valaena throw her arm around Jacaerys playfully. It seemed their training had come to an end and now Jacaerys was simply trying to avoid Valaena as she ruffled his hair affectionately.

Daemon followed her gaze, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion as he realized where Rhaenrya's thoughts had drifted.

"Jacaerys?" he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief as Rhaenrya looked over at him.

"They already have a bond," Rhaenrya explained. "It would strengthen both their positions and keep Valaena close."

Daemon was silent for a long moment, his eyes never leaving the courtyard as he seemed to mull over her words.

"She would never accept it," Daemon finally responded, his gaze firm on his daughter as she remained unaware of the eyes resting on them. "And neither would I."

"You don't want her to be queen someday?" Rhaenrya seemed taken aback by his response and lack of ambition.

"If I thought I could make Valaena do anything, don't you think I already would have tried?" Daemon questioned as he turned to face his wife. "Being queen would destroy her."

"You don't think she could handle it?" Rhaenrya questioned. "She's stronger than you give her credit for."

"I don't think she would want to handle it," Daemon defended. "She's better than that. Better than us."

Rhaenrya scoffed as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Besides, marrying Jacaerys off to a bastard would only weaken his claim as it is," Daemon continued. "He needs someone reputable to defend his claim."

"She's titled," Rhaenrya stated like she was reminding him of his own daughter's status.

"You and I both know they don't care about that," Daemon shook his head, watching as Rhaenrya failed to find a response to something they both knew was true.

The doors opened before they could continue, the maester entering with a respectful bow as he approached the pair.

"A letter from your daughter, Lady Baela," he informed as he held the letter out for Daemon to take. "It's urgent, I fear."

Daemon furrowed his eyebrows as he snatched the letter from the maester, opening it before quickly scanning its contents.

"What is it?" Rhaenrya asked, watching the concern grow across her husband's face.

Daemon's jaw tightened as he crumpled the letter, his eyes darkening with each word that replayed in his mind.

"Daemon?" Rhaenrya pressed, stepping closer to him as she reached up to grab his arm. "What's happened?"

"Vaemond Velaryon is making a claim for the Driftmark throne," he growled as he tossed the letter to the ground. "And he's going to King's Landing to petition the court."

"What?" Rhaenrya questioned. "No, Lucerys is set to inherit Driftmark."

The slow realization seemed to dawn on Rhaenrya as she shook her head.

"War is coming," Daemon told her, pulling away as he began barking orders for them to prepared for King's Landing.