How long Daemon was awake for he did not know; the imposter still slept soundly and yet he was aware. Daemon could hear and feel everything around him; the soft and almost itchy tickle of the furs both underneath him and on covering his body, the feel of the morning chill coming into the cave. He could hear the sound of Caraxes deep breaths, gentle snoring and its body moving against the rock and dirt underneath it with each twitch.
He also felt the warm body of someone next to him; their arm draped around his chest and head nestled between his neck and shoulders, their breath against his skin and subtle movements of their body against his.
If he could groan or yell in frustration he would.
As the imposter opened his eyes to the cave walls he turned his head to Rhea, he felt a smile grow on his face before the imposter kissed the crown of her head.
Bastard… you evil bastard.
When Daemon had heard that the imposter would wait for Rhea to willingly come to his bed he believed that there may have lay a path on which he could still avoid consummating his marriage with the Bronze Bitch, he had hoped that she would keep the imposter waiting just long enough for him to think of something, some way he could regain control and be free.
Fulfil the destiny that had been shown to him and maybe achieve more; to consummate his marriage to her might cripple his ambitions… anything more to come out of it may be its death knell for his dreams… and the lives of the children he could have.
Baela… Rhaena, my Daughters…
Aegon… Viserys, my sons…
Yet as she lay next to him, he knew that path of his may now be closed. That their own fate was sealed.
No! this cannot be my life! I am a Prince, third in line to the Iron throne! I shall not be the consort to some vassal lord!
The line of kings, my House, it must tie back to me! It must tie back to them!
Rhea stirred in her sleep, stretching her arms and legs out of the furs, groaning softly and opening her eyes to Daemon, the two sharing a gentle kiss. "Sleep well?" the imposter asked.
"I slept well, surprisingly, sleeping in caves tend to be awful" She said, she pulled the furs over herself and pushed herself closer to his body. "Gods it's cold in here, the fire has gone out."
The imposter looked to the cave entrance; the distance chirping of birds hailed the coming of the day yet outside still remained dark. "I can help keep you warm." a smile crept on her face which must have matched the imposter's. "How long do you think we have until the guards arrive?"
Rhea glanced to the entrance "No long, I'd say they may be on their way now, with the weather clearing." Her hands moving around him, squeezing his arm, gliding against his stomach and then to his… "Best not waste time." She quickly pulled him in for a longing kiss as he moved on top of her.
You bitch!
He could not forgive her so for the slights she inflicted upon him during his return to that dull holdfast of bronze; every attempt to wound his pride and belittle him, a Prince of House Targeryen!
Before Daemon could try and make his presence known to the imposter, he felt the long dark hands pull him back into the void and throw him once more into the darkness, succumbing to restless sleep; the imposter sought to remove him before he could strike at him and did so with ease.
When Daemon awoke from the darkness he found himself upon a horse, crossing the bridge back into to wretched castle of the Royces. The imposter turned his head to his side, Rhea rode her horse next to him; the two gazing at each other, Daemon could feel the longing within the imposter.
Disgusting…
He was about to strike at him when he quickly felt the dark hands hold him "I can do this all day." The imposter mouthed to himself with only Daemon listening. Every fibre of his being wanted Daemon to strike anyways, Gods be damned of the consequences. Yet knowing the dark slumber awaited him he held off, bending to the will of his captor despite what his pride demanded.
When the gates to Runestone opened before them, a crowd of smallfolk, servants and guards greeted them with cheers and smiles. As the two dismounted from their horses they were met with the surprise embrace of the little sister.
"I was so worried!" She cried as she wrapped her little arms around both of them.
The imposter ruffled her hair "Forgive us for causing you so much distress, Lady Perra." Daemon wanted to roll his eyes as he looked upon the face of the crying sister "I hope you were good in our absence, good-sister." He asked her, she nodded her head and wiped at tears. "Good, there is much I have promised you."
A small feast was held for their safe return; the great hall that welcomed guests to their throne was now hosting tables as members of this accursed family, some lords already attending and courtiers of note sat at the table with Rhea and the imposter at the head of it all.
If I could vomit…
He felt Rhea's leg brush against his as both her and the imposter shared stolen glances while eating their meals.
He leaned towards her and kissed her lips softly before whispering in her ears. "I want to set things right."
Daemon knew exactly what the imposter had in mind, yet when he felt himself being pulled just on the edge of darkness he knew that he wanted to make Daemon watch. Powerless to stop him.
The imposter raised his glass and tapped on it with his fork, catching the attention of those around him. "If I could have your attention for but a moment." Those in attendance turned to face him. "Let me first offer up thanks to the Gods for keeping myself and my lady-wife safe during our travels, truly we are fortunate to return home." The guests murmured their agreement "Let this be a lesson to all here, when a sheep herder tells you it will rain, you should believe him!" the guests politely laughed. "If there's one thing that must be said; some years ago I came to this castle and family and spoke in ways which were unbecoming of both this great house and of my Lady-wife, for that I could not be more sorry, I hope to make it up to this noble house one day." He turned to Rhea "Rhea, till my last breath, I shall be by your side always; I shall follow your lead and be your rock, your Leal servant and close friend, that I promise you. I have nothing to offer you but my love, you can have it if you shall have me."
Daemon wanted to be sick, as the imposter spoke his craven words and verbally grovelled at the feet of these lesser nobles and the Bronze Bitch, he stuck at his chest again and again before being dragged to the edge of the abyss, the imposter pressing one hand against his chest.
Rhea looked to be wiping away tears from her eyes, she was dressed almost near identically in a dress similar to their accused wedding day; a suggestion of the Imposter, done no doubt to spite him.
"I shall." She said, he could feel his puppeteer smile as he lowered his cup to the table and offered his hand to Rhea, she took his hand eagerly and the two pulled each other close for a kiss to the cheers of those in attendance.
Daemon wanted to hurt him, he wanted to take back control and berate everyone in attendance and the bronze bitch, yet the long dark hands held him just over the pit. He was powerless to stop himself.
As the imposter pulled away from the kiss, he smiled at her and then looked back to the attending guests "This is a new day for us, and a new dawn for our family" he declared, the attendees raised their cups to them.
No! I cannot be tied to this place, I will not be tied to some lady of a minor house!
My blood is the blood of Kings! Not simple lords!
You have lowered me to them! I could be a king! Not the consort to some Lady of rocks and bronze!
The following weeks had been an annoyance at best and then agony for Daemon; from the crippling boredom of the imposter either writing whatever had come to his mind, attending meetings with the Bronze Bitch about the tedious happenings around this castle or in some village or hamlet in the mountains, attending the imposter's own meetings with unimportant smallfolk or lowly merchants about some useless contraption he had thought up of and even trying to entertain that sister of Rhea, as if he was nothing more than a fool to serve for her pleasure.
And if it was not that, it was the endless amount of time he seemed to spend with his 'Lady-wife.'
Those stolen glances that she and the imposter shared soon became kisses either alone or in public which soon became locked doors away from prying eyes.
You will not even demand that the Bronze bitch you call your wife give us a solar befitting of my station! Demand that she beg for forgiveness for spiting me!
Daemon had hoped that he may at least gain some respite from her with the imposter taking his own apartments, however the bastard seemed insistent in mainly staying at her one, so much so that even the servants had moved his clothes and some of his items in there.
You act like a dog, a servant to this woman!
How he despised it; he despised how weak willed and subservient to Rhea he was to her, so quick to bend to her will or go with her suggestions, quick to comfort her. The Bronze Bitch has well and truly had this imposter wrapped around her finger.
I am a Prince!
In his mind the only ones he could think of that deserved even consideration for such treatment were Rhaenyra and Laena; they were children and grandchildren of the dragon, of proud Valyrian families and of royal bloodlines, those more worthy of him.
That is who I should be wed to!
The proud rider of Vhagar! The daughter of a Princess!
I should be the consort to a Queen! One who will grant me titles and honours!
My sons and grandsons should rule the Seven Kingdoms! Not these hills and mountains!
He desperately tried to hold onto to the memory, to the hope and belief that he could still fulfil that dream.
In his mind the Iron throne was still there, he could still reach it; the future that was his, that should be his and could be more must still be there, still within his grasp.
But for now he was recently freed from the dark clutches that had thrown his away just moments ago, awakening from the darkness and finding himself with the arms and legs of the Bronze Bitch draped over his body amidst her tangled bedsheets after he could assume was yet another passionate night between the two.
Perhaps I should be grateful, at the very least you spare me from seeing such a horrid sight.
Yet in some moments his irritation that the imposter had gotten Daemon now truly tied him to her was at times replaced by a kind jealousy; while the devotion the imposter made to her was pathetic and yet, it was equal to her own this him. How quickly acts of spite turn into works of love, harsh glares to swooning and disgust of him turned to a kind of want and lust that would make a Septa faint.
It made him wondered if perhaps he could have used her to help his rise in another life. Yet he knew that the imposter used her as a way to keep Daemon down, to stop his rise and continue a descent into irrelevance. And that he would not want his rise to be joined with her.
"Forgive me for saying this husband, but I think that brick falling your head was the best thing to happen to you." Rhea said, resting her head on his chest.
Had Daemon control over his arms…
That was the worst day of my life… that was the day my life may have well of ended!
He could feel the imposter's discomfort at Rhea's comment and yet he laughed politely at it, far too weak to challenge her or tell her what he had lost because of it.
Have you no tongue to speak? Have you no spine to stand up for yourself? Are you so weak that you can not take offence?
"You are forgiven my love, but best not tell my father that." The Imposter jested "He would be rather upset with you."
Rhea hummed in laughter as she pulled herself closer to him. "I shall not." She breathed in deeply, her breath tickling his chest "Gods I couldn't imagine how scared he was when that happened."
"It was… a dreadful time for him." The imposter said "Dreadful time for everyone in our family, for my father though, he looked to have taken it worse of all."
Do not dare, do not dare speak of him as if he is your father!
"My father… he has lost so much already; my mother and then his son, my sisters, his brother…" Daemon wished he could grind his teeth, to have the imposter speak of Baelon and his loss as if it were his family…
"I am sorry about your aunt Gael..." Rhea said, nestling her head between Daemon's neck and shoulder as she held him tighter. "If I had known you were arriving to Runestone just after her funeral-"
"You did not know, if you did I do not doubt it would have been different." The imposter assured her "But you needed to assert your authority over me after what I had done, I understand that." Rhea, pressed herself closer to him, planting a kiss on his chest.
You craven! you spineless fool! you would have allowed her to disrespect me after the death of a Princess? Truly had Daemon control over his own arms he would have strangled himself then and now.
"We are the same in a way." Rhea said "My mother died from a fever when both I and Perra were young, my father never remarried; said he could never replace her."
"What was she like?"
"She was… kind, loving and gentle, like any mother would be." Rhea spoke "My father was strict with my sister and I, when he would chastise us it was our mother who comforted us. When she died my father changed, he remained strict yet became kinder, as if he had to take on two roles from then." She was silent for but a moment "And when he left for the Eyrie it felt as though I had to take on his role."
"That must have been difficult for you, it saddens me you had to go through that."
"It is nothing you have not gone through too, Daemon." Her fingers tapping gently on his chest and then drawing circles on it.
"What was your mother like?" She asked.
"My mother? She…" the imposter grew silent for but a moment "She was brave, fierce and proud. Much like you, my love."
No… how dare you compare her to that… how dare you…
"Whenever she wanted something, anything, she would never hesitate to get it, and that included my father." that had gotten a laugh from Rhea but burning hatred from Daemon; for the imposter to use Daemon's memories for his own gain...
"My father refused to remarry too, said no woman could ever replace her." The imposter said, it felt violating for Daemon to have his captor search through his memories. "He and my grandfather would argue for hours about it until my grandmother would step in."
"Seems the women in their lives have left quite the impression on them." Rhea commented "I hope you can say the same."
"The imposter chuckled "I think you have left more than an impression on me."
"Good, if I die before you Daemon, know that I shall haunt you for all eternity should you remarry."
"Do not say that." He laughed "If anything you are more likely to outlive me." Rhea slapped his chest playfully. "You take anger at me for merely saying what might be true?" He laughed, she slapped his chest again.
"Would you be so cruel as to break your wife's heart twice, Daemon?" Rhea asked in jest.
"Never, I do not plan on breaking your heart again." the Imposter kissed her again, drawing it out far too much to Daemon's displeasure.
"It pleases me to hear as such." she said, resting her head on his chest as the two drifted to sleep, trapping Daemon in darkness once more as the hands pulled him over the edge and into his own slumber.
When Daemon had regained consciousness he found the imposter holding the Bronze Bitch as she began to be sick into a chamber pot; gently stroking her back and holding her hair as he whispered words of comfort to her, a robe placed over her once naked body trying to maintain her dignity as a servant brought an empty pot.
"Mayhaps it was the fish?" The imposter suggested "I shall speak with the head cook and ask if perhaps there was anything wrong with the food from yesterday." Rhea looked back at him and nodded, bits of sick around her mouth, Daemon wanted to gag and the imposter simply bared in his own uncomfortableness. "You need to head to Maester Hugo and tell him." Rhea was about to speak when she threw her head back into the pot once more.
Then a thought passed through the mind of the Imposter, one that shook Daemon to core and one that imposter did not dare wish to speak aloud.
Gods save me...
For the rest of the day, it was also if the imposter had been in a trance; taking meetings or council sessions, he acted like a dullard who would not pay attention to what was spoken or done around him. For Daemon this might have been the best time to strike, inflict some vengeance on him for all he had done and yet the thoughts of the imposter were enough to hold him down.
Please Gods... this can not happen...
After the imposter had finished he went back to the bedroom that he and the Bronze Bitch shared and sat on the edge of the bed for what must have been hours and yet for both of them felt like just mere moments, a million thoughts racing in each of their minds.
Then the door opened and Rhea stepped into the room, closing the door behind her, a look of anxiety and apprehension on her face.
No... please...
"Rhea..." the imposter muttered, it was just louder than a whisper but enough for her to hear.
"You look as though you already know." she nervously laughed, sitting next to him.
Baela... Rhaena...
"I think I realised in the morning what it might have been." he spoke "I was unsure but then when Yohn said the fish he got was fresh that day... I think I knew."
Aegon... Viserys...
Rhea smiled, letting out a weak laugh as tears welled in her eyes, Daemon could feel the tears in his own.
My Children...
"I am with child." Rhea announced, the two of bursting into tears and giggles as they held each other.
Daemon was glad at least the imposter could weep for him for he could not.