…Chapter Start
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"No one would understand, nobody would—neigh!!" Daemon's muttering would come to a stop with the sound of the horse he was feeding in the stable; The horse of his father is still his squire after all. A small smile would show on his face as he carefully caressed the neck of the white horse.
"Sorry for the nagging, Honor. Been one hell of a fucking day. I'll go and get your water." Daemon stopped caressing the neck of Honor before picking up a bucket and moving over to one of the barrels in the stable, fetching water and moving back towards the horse.
Daemon then placed the bucket of water in front of the horse who wouldn't waste a second in quenching its thirst. He sighed and then sat on a bench, waiting for the horse to be finished, leaving him to ponder.
"...The bastard of the Kingslayer. I wonder if that's all I would be in the eyes of everyone in King's Landing. -scoff- Grandfather always said 'Lions shouldn't mind the words of sheep,' but how can I?" Daemon said to himself remembering the words of his grandfather.
Daemon looked at the horse who was unbothered by what was happening with him internally before looking at his open hand and clenching it in cold anger, anger at the people in the Red Keep, anger at Joffrey, and anger at the Queen—he really needs to let loose soon as his anger was slowly reaching a boiling point.
He then thinks that what his father said about the prince would come around eventually, he scoffs at the thought, Joffrey frequently expressed his hate for him since that 'incident' and his status as a bastard so for his father to think that he must've lost himself in delusion even though he loves the man.
"Even fostering at the rock didn't take away the insecurities I've developed—at the very least, I can just focus on my goal of being knighted, and from there…from there-an I..don't know." Daemon, amid his pondering, was lost.
His goal was always being knighted, creating something of himself and leaving a legacy behind, shedding the skin of his 'title'
Was that all he wanted with his life? Being a knight and maybe holding some small land somewhere with the prospect of marrying a lady—an unlikely scenario unless she was low-born but still!
Daemon sighed as he was cut out from his pondering by the sudden sound of Honor neighing breaking him out of his pondering. Seeing that Honor was fed, he would reign him back into his 'quarters,' chuckling at the thought.
He then would leave the stable, walking around the Red Keep, bypassing Knights and handmaidens. Occasionally, he would hear giggles and whispers about his looks or…yeah, you get the picture.
While walking, he would have seen one of his other family members, his cousins Myrcella and Tommen, both with Lannister gold hair and green eyes, a trait that was shared by all the queen children, being followed by, dare he say, the greatest knight in the Seven Kingdoms currently—Ser Barristan 'The Bold'.
Ser Barristan was one of the only individuals in the Red Keep to treat him fairly regardless of the reason behind his birth and his attachment to his father and someone who frequently mentors him in his goal to become a knight and someone who Daemon himself looks up to and strives to be like—a man with honor.
"You're grace—Ser Barristan," Daemon replied curtly and bowed, respecting the traditions of the realm as he was faced with the prince and princess and the lord commander of the kings guard.
"Hel-hello cousin.." Tommen replied timidly, Daemon looked him in the eye and could see he was crying earlier—perhaps he had run into his brother earlier…which was probably what happened.
"Cousin Daemon, I hope you are doing well this evening. I had heard you left the training yard in anger?" Myrcella, upon seeing Daemon, would smile sweetly at him before giving him a hug, which Daemon would have reciprocated before swiftly removing his hand away from her.
The relationship between the cousins would be docile and even friendly, even more on Myrcella's side, as she frequently seeks Daemon out to talk to him or sometimes watches him train with Ser Barristan or Ser Jamie.
"Ahh, Daemon, you're looking bigger and more like your father every day. I heard of your little run-in with the prince." Ser Barristan said as he was aware of the crowned prince's behavior when it came to the child of Jamie.
"Yes, I'm fine, Princess and Ser Barristan, just frustrated at something unrelated to the prince. Enough about me—why was little Tommen crying?" Daemon asked, squatting down and Tommen's Height. "What's wrong Tommen?" He asked his half-cousin.
"It's Joffrey..he had the hound…ki-kill one of my cats," Tommen said, sniffling before Daemon patted his head and said, "I'm sorry, Prince Tommen…you know your brother has…certain tendencies -he then whispered- he's a cunt." Daemon and Tommen would then start to laugh, with only Myrcella catching onto the last bit, causing a small smile to be on her face.
"Cheer up, Tommen. Hopefully, his grace will get you another cat, and remember; princes, don't cry." Daemon said to Tommen, who would then reply, "Didn't Joffrey cry when you-" He was then cut off by his sister, who placed a hand around his mouth.
"Tommen! Shh, they are eyes and ears everywhere," she said softly so Tommen would get the memo.
Daemon himself smirked, catching at what Tommen was going to say before standing up and ruffling his head before looking at Myrcella. "Don't you have your lessons with the septa princess?" Daemon said. "Actually, I was being escorted by Ser Barristan; see you later, Daemon—come Tommen."
"See you later Daemon!" Tommen said, waving at him before following Myrcella.
"Daemon, just remember to control yourself against the taunts if you want to be a knight, now I must go—keep in mind what I said." Ser Barristan replied before following the prince and princess leaving Daemon to himself.
"Control my anger? If anything I would say I'm doing well in that regard." He said to no one but himself, a smile showing on his face as encountering his cousins had mellowed out his anger.
Daemon looked around before continuing his walk around the Red Keep now with a clear head but the lingering thought—what happens after he becomes a knight? How would he navigate his future and create a legacy for himself?
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…Chapter Ends