the thing about dragons

chapter five (I)

in which there's cats and blood.

part I

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warnings: war, blood, bad life decision, Otto Hightower, Daemon Targaryen, murder, menstrual cycle

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The parchment crinkles under his fingers as Otto reads it, the slightly-lopsided childish scrawl, yet in oddly practiced hand, inked into words on the dried parchment. The crease on his forehead depends as he reads into it.

For a child, Daelyra Targaryen's written words are surprisingly eloquent, and subtly threatening in a childlike way that everyone would tell him is just excited childhood babble he should not look to deeply into—or Rhaenys Targaryen's guiding hand. He cannot be sure.

Either way, the letter is barely acceptably polite and very vaguely threatening. Nothing he can hold over the girl or Rhaenys or anyone, really. Just an upset child being upset and at least being kind enough to write him a letter about why before taking off on her massive blasphemous beast in the direction opposite than she was meant to go.

And it took Otto months to convince Viserys that the girl ought to have been sent to her mother in Runestone, where Daemon wouldn't have wanted her, only for it all to be ruined.

Viserys was sent a letter of his own, too, and it sent him into a morose spiral, cursing the idea under his breath. And yet, just like Otto knew he would, the king had no spine whatsoever, and refused to rescind his order.

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Otto did not think that Daelyra would want to have anything to do with her lady mother. It's why he pushed for the girl to be sent there, to be easily monitored and away from Daemon's heretic teachings of dragon lords and dragon gods. And yet, when barely a fortnight later, a very politely scathing letter came from Runestone, he learned better.

Lady Rhea Royce has written, in official capacity and in no uncertain terms, that Daelyra Targaryen was to remain with her father, or with the guardians appointed by her father at all times. She stated it nowhere in her letter, but the message was very clear; the girl—and her father as well—was not welcome in Runestone. And, Royal Order or no, Daelyra would be sent back.

It was Rhea's right as her mother to override the will of her uncle, king or no, and Otto knew Daelyra's meddling for what it was. Rhea Royce would not have known ofher daughter's planned arrival; unless said daughter informed her in advance.

Viserys had a sour look on his face when he read the letter that effectively rendered his order moot. King or no, he couldn't actually tell Lady Royce to keep the girl if she didn't want her there. That was the power the lords had, after all.

"She went to the Stepstones," Viserys says. "A girlchild of eight. Otto, she's eight. I will rescind the order after all. She was much safer with the Velaryons—"

Otto grimaces. Daelyra and Daemon are cut from the same cloth, he thinks but doesn't say. Daelyra will stay in Stepstones out of spite, and Daemon will let her.

Then he grimaces harder. He spent months convincing Viserys to have the girl sent to Runestone, only for the brat to do whatever she wanted anyway; and Viserys did not see the problem with her blatant disregard of royal orders at all!

He hates this family. But with Alicent for a Queen, he very well won't have to suffer them much longer. As soon as she births and heir and pushes Daemon and his spawn further down the inheritance line, he will sleep easier.