Stolen Heir

Chapter 11

"Lykirī"

"Lykerī"

"Lykirī"

"Lykirī"

"Good, next is Dra..."

"What's the meaning of that word again?"

"Be calm."

Jace and Luke were teaching Celine some basic commands in High Valyrian, because apparently according to dragonkeepers a dragon only listens if you speak in High Valyrian. Celine scoffed at that idea and even mumbled bullshit which Daemon heard resulting him to chuckle.

"Drakarys"

"Drakarys"

"It's a command that will encourage the dragon to breathe fire."

Luke explained, Celine nodded her head. For someone who didn't know the language, Celine was quick to learn and a natural, Daemon thought as he listened and looked at her.

"I will certainly remember that word." Celine muttered and mumbled the word over and over again, earning a smirk from Daemon.

Rhaenyra was standing inside her bedchamber, a solemn look on her face as she turned around hearing the door open and saw her children and Daemon. Celine furrowed her eyebrows, her heart began to beat faster, her hands began to sweat and a feeling of dread hit her body as Rhaenyra looked at Celine.

"What happened?" Celine immediately asked, ignoring how she forgot to address the princess.

"Daena." Rhaenyra mumbled and closed the gap between them, engulfing her in a hug.

Celine was at loss for words as she stood still. After a few minutes, Rhaenyra let her go and placed both her hands on her cheeks, a tear slid down Rhaenyra's cheeks as she looked Celine in her eyes.

"A raven arrived from the North..." Rhaenyra started, even she didn't know how to say it to Celine, "A news about your brother arrived..." She continued, Celine blinked and gulped, the dreadful feeling only increased, "An ambush happened during your brother's way to Winterfell." She added.

"How is he?" Celine asked, worriedly, hoping for Rhaenyra to say that her older brother got home safe with Rickon and Aliah and happily playing with Dorran, anything but that.

"They were outnumbered, my sweet. No one survived... including your brother." Rhaenyra answered.

Celine shakes her head, "No... No... Tell me he got home safely, that he is at home with Rickon and Aliah, playing or telling Dorran some stories." She mumbled, tears starting to fall from her eyes.

Rhaenyra bit her lips while Luke and Jace were shocked at what they heard.

"No... No... That can't be. Don't fucking tell me lies. He got home to Winterfell. Bennard knew how to defend himself. He's alive, right? Tell me... please... TELL ME FOR FUCK'S SAKE!"

"He's dead, my darling."

Celine felt like her whole world crumbled down, turning upside down as realization dawned on her. She can't hear anything as it went silent, the noise completely tuned out. Her breath became uneven as she stepped back, shaking her head. Celine stumbled and kneeled down, bowed her head as tears hit the ground. Continuously calling her brother's name, reliving her memories she had with him flashed through her eyes. How she can no longer see his smile or hear his voice.

"Leave me alone." Celine mumbled, but was loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Celine." Luke whispered.

"Leave me the fuck alone." Celine stated, her voice full of rage when she stood up and looked at him.

Luke flinched, Celine's gaze softened as she saw the fear in his eyes. She turned around and walked across the room.

"My dear." Rhaenyra was about to approach her when Daemon held her arm, averting her eyes to him, he shook his head.

The four of them left, closing the door, and that was when Celine completely broke down. She felt her legs lose their strength and bawled her eyes out. She didn't even care whether someone heard her cries, all she can think about is her brother. Her sweet and strong older brother. Bennard was everything to her, he was the one who stayed by her side when everyone deemed her to be worthless and the one who saved her. He wasn't just a brother to her, despite knowing who Celine really is, he became her protector, a shoulder she can lean and cry on, he knew Celine better than herself.

Celine blamed herself, if she wasn't stupid enough to reveal who she is, they would've been in Winterfell right now, back to their home. Celine didn't belong here, she was a wolf not a dragon. Bennard didn't deserve to die like that. She continued to cry and cry, mourning for her brother. Cannibal, as if feeling his rider's emotions, roared loudly which was soon followed by the other dragons. His loud roar was full of sadness, grief, guilt, and despair. He was mourning with her.

Luke and Jace never left her chambers, only standing outside, hearing her call her brother's name over and over again, her voice filled with so much grief, breaking their hearts, repeatedly blaming herself. Despite knowing Celine only days long, they already considered her as one of their family.

It was nighttime when Daemon went to check on Celine and was shocked to see them, Jace and Luke, standing outside instead of the knights that the Queen assigned. He was proud, very proud, that they never left her side.

"I can take it from here, go rest, both of you." Daemon said and patted both their shoulders. Nodding their heads, they bid their goodbye and left.

Daemon knocked, but no one answered. He heaved a sigh and slowly opened the door, inviting himself in, his eyes looked around as everything was in chaos. Shattered glass from the vases dangerously scattered on the floor, some very little – books thrown around the floor, and sheets were also on the floor. What caught his eyes was the droplets of blood on the floor following it, his eyes widened as he saw Celine laying inside the tub, her body submerged in bloody red water.

A curse escaped his lips as he called a maester, Rhaenyra who saw the running maester immediately followed him. She soon realized that he was walking toward Celine's chambers, she fastened her pace, fearing something happened to her daughter. She just found her, she can't bear to lose her again.

"What happen..." Rhaenyra gasped as she saw Celine's bleeding wrist, she covered her mouth and quickly went to her side as Daemon laid her unconscious body on the bed.

She wandered her eyes around the room and noticed that everything was in complete mayhem. Daemon immediately went to Rhaenyra and let the maester tend Celine.

"What happened, Daemon?" Rhaenyra asked.

"I was going to check on her when I saw her body in the water." Daemon replied, Rhaenyra averted her eyes and found the tub filled with bloody red water.

"Is she going to be okay?" Rhaenyra asked the maester.

"The wound will heal, Princess." The maester replied.

After a few minutes, the maester approached the two, "Did you forget how to speak?" Daemon said, impatiently.

"I already tended her wrist. Aside from that, I noticed multiple faint scars on her wrist which indicates that this isn't the first time she did this..." He paused and exhaled a sigh.

"What is it?" Rhaenyra asked.

"Upon further examining Lady Stark. There were scars littered on her back, whipping scars, Princess." The maester answered.

Daemon was speechless turning his head towards the sleeping Celine while Rhaenyra cried, the maester dismissed himself, not before Daemon turned towards him and ordered him not letting anyone know about this matter which he immediately nodded his head, scared at the look the rogue prince gave him.

Rhaenyra went to Celine's side while Daemon grabbed a chair and placed it right beside her bed, planning to stay and watch over Celine. Rhaenyra gently grabbed her bandage-free hand, scared to break her, and placed a kiss on the back of her hand. Leaning her forehead to it, Rhaenyra didn't want to imagine what Celine went through whereas Daemon wanted to know who did this to her and planned to kill them mercilessly.