116 AC
After nineteen years of marriage, Diana still wasn't used to the feeling of her stomach rising into her throat as Caraxes made yet another death-defying dive towards the sea, shrieking with happiness as his webbed feets skimmed the tops of the waves. Diana leaned back into her lord husband's chest, basking in the warmth he gave off as the chilly air bit at her ears and nose.
Perhaps she had gone soft after her many years spent further south. Hell, Westeros hadn't seen a winter in almost five years but going by the bite in the air, there might be another on its way. Staring forward, Diana held back tears as she took in the familiar coastlines of The Vale as they flew over the Bay of Crabs towards Gulltown and, beyond that, Runestone.
It had been five days since her eldest son was wedded and bedded, ready to take his position as Rhaenyra's husband and consort. Thankfully, the wedding had gone off without any more hitches, and the couple seemed blissfully happy, despite the sharks that circled them, searching for blood.
Every day, Diana heard the news of the queen searching for allies, sending messages and invitations to her Reachling relatives, offering them positions within the court to bolster the young queen consort's strength. A Florent ladies maid, a knight from Ashford, bit by bit, the Hightowers sought to gain ground by sheer size alone.
But Alicent Hightower wasn't the only one working to advance their faction. Even now, Diana was working, inviting young maidens from around the realm to become Rhaenyra's lady's maids and companions. With large doweries and royal connections as incentives, they came in droves, with lords sending offers for their daughters and female relatives.
The princess consort had narrowed the list down to seven possible ladies; Helena Strong, daughter of Lyonel Strong; Annebeth Tully, daughter of Elmo Tully; Sara Stark, daughter of Rickard Stark; Thalia Lannister, sister of Jason and Tyland Lannister; Sansara Tarly, sister of Alan Tarly; Vaella Velaryon, daughter of Vaemond Velaryon; and Bethany Baratheon, daughter of Boremund Baratheon. All prospective ladies had been sent ravens with invitations and dowry agreements for their male guardians to approve.
Within two moons, all of the ladies would be in the Red Keep and starting their roles as Crown Princess Rhaenyra's official companions and ladies in waiting, and through them, create new ties between the crown and the Great Houses of Westeros. Unfortunately, House Tyrell had no ladies of age to be a companion, but House Tarly was the military might of the Reach and was more than willing to step into the role.
Diana was pulled from her plotting when Daemon reached down to rub where her stomach bulged slightly, full of life. Before leaving King's Landing, Diana had sought out the maester to confirm her suspicions; She was with child. Her first child in over a decade and a half.
At almost five and thirty years of age, the maester had warned her that carrying a child to term and delivering successfully would be a challenge, but Diana could admit to missing the feeling of nursing a babe at her chest and hearing the pitter-patter of tiny feet.
Soon, with any luck, she would be a grandmother, but she missed having a child of her own.
Smiling sadly, Diana rubbed her hand over her husband's, clasping their fingers together while Daemon nuzzled at her neck. He had been thrilled when Diana told him the news, eager to celebrate, but Diana had wanted to hold off until she was showing when there was less chance of miscarriage.
As they began their descent back down through the clouds, Diana lost her battle against tears as she took in her childhood home. So large and grand, yet sombre and bleak with all the recent losses. Her parents had been dead for several years, her father going first of a burst heart, and her mother was not far behind with how lost the new widow had been in her grief.
She'd been forced to attend two funerals in just as many moons before heading back to King's Landing to support her husband in his ventures. Rhea hadn't been unwelcoming as she'd taken the mantle of Lady of Runestone, but the sisters had never been close, and Diana had not wanted to intrude. She had built a life for herself and her family in King's Landing; she didn't need to impose upon her sister for comfort.
And now her sister was dead. Gone. Leaving a young son alone with only his drunkard of a father for comfort. Not for long, not when Diana still had breath in her body; she would not abandon her blood to the wolves as they feasted on her sister's still-cooling corpse.
As they landed with an earth-shaking thump, Caraxes let out an ear-piercing shriek at the watching welcome party. Guards carrying bronze banners stood tall around what remained of House Royce. In the centre stood a red-eyed Jon Belmore, his hand clamped down on the bony shoulder of a young boy with a head full of dark brown curls; on his left stood Ser Gerald Royce, Diana's cousin and only living relative by blood other than her nephew.
Daemon got off first, jumping down so he could hold out a hand to assist Diana. Usually, she would make the leap down herself but with the pregnancy and appearances to be kept, Daemon played at being the chivalrous prince. The skirts of her black gown only hampered her slightly as she was gently lowered down by her husband, smiling softly at him as he took a step back to allow her to take the lead.
Clasping her hands in front of her, Diana strode forward, eyes locked on the young boy who would one-day rule Runestone. He was tall for his age, but his limbs were gangly, his eyes wide and fearful as he took in the massive red dragon who quickly took to the skies and headed towards the nearby mountains to roost.
He was so timid, not anything like how Diana pictured Rhea's child being. The boy shrank back, eyes glued to the floor as he curled away from his father's paw of a hand that was obviously squeezing him hard, knuckles white.
She forced herself to keep smiling, eyes fixed on her sister's husband and how he swayed slightly, face red and eyes dazed as he stared into the distance. Either the man had become a complete simpleton during her long absence, or he was drunk. The once conventionally handsome man had changed dramatically since his marriage to Rhea. His once-trim waist bulged out above his belt, and his once-luscious brown hair was thinning in the middle, showing off his bald head underneath. Laugh lines crowded around the man's watery, bloodshot eyes and his face looked almost wax-like from a distance.
Her blood boiled as red slowly covered her vision; Diana had never been a paragon of patience, and her nerves were already frayed by the reason for her visit. If that drunken idiot gave her cause, she'd feed him to her husband's dragon.
When Belmore failed to step forward to greet the approaching monarchs, Ser Gerald stepped forward, his face pale and with dark circles under his tired eyes. "Your Highnesses, we welcome you to Runestone."
"Yes," Diana said, stepping forward and holding out a hand so her cousin could bow and kiss it, "If only it wasn't for all of the wrong reasons, cousin. I hope the funeral processions went well."
"Lady Rhea was well loved; the small folk mourn for her just as we do. Unfortunately, her kind is not one seen often."
Diana nodded, fighting back tears as her cousin stepped aside so she could take in her sister's widower and son, "Lord Jon, I am so sorry for your loss."
The man nodded slowly but made no move to bow to a prince and princess of the realm; his blatant disrespect met with quiet gasps and narrowed eyes. Diana's eye twitched in irritation, but she moved on without comment, eyes locking on the boy who stared at her with wide, brown eyes through his thick fringe of hair.
Choosing to forget propriety, Diana knelt, ignoring their audience, who whispered in horror as she sullied her delicate gown to get onto the child's level. "Hello there," she murmured, eyes soft, "Do you know who I am?"
The boy audible gulped before nodding hesitantly, whispering, "You're Princess Diana, Mama's sister. Your husband is the rider of the Blood Wyrm."
Diana giggled as she heard her husband snort slightly in amusement behind her, stepping forward so his warmth seeped through her gown and to her back, his hand reaching down to tousle the boy's hair.
The boy jumped slightly at the unexpected touch, but a sliver of a smile curled his lips as he stared in awe at Daemon. Diana also took the opportunity to show the child affection, reaching forward to cup his cheek in her hand and stroking his soft cheek with her thumb.
"I am very sorry about your mother. When we were children, she was my dearest friend and confidant, and I know she loved you very much." Diana whispered through a clenched throat, fighting back tears as the boy began to cry softly.
The boy's face fell at her words, his eyes brimming with tears while his face crumpled. "I didn't get to say goodbye," he whimpered, "She always went hunting before I woke up so we could have something for breakfast she caught. She always came back before I awoke, always." The last part was a keening sound as the boy lost the battle with his tears and began to sob in earnest, making Diana pull him into a deep embrace on instinct, ignoring how the action pulled him from his father's firm grasp.
Shushing the boy as his tears quickly soaked through her dress, Diana made expressive eyes at her cousin, who began to disband their audience. The staff soon returned to their duties while the guards took their posts further away and out of earshot. Until only the five of them remained, Belmore looked annoyed as he shuffled in place, watching his son with beady bloodshot eyes.
Only after the boy calmed slightly did Diana pull away, rubbing the tears off his face with a handkerchief and standing up, keeping his hand clasped in hers. She forced herself to smile as she said, "Why don't my good brother, cousin, and I head inside to talk. Daemon can keep an eye on little Ryan here. Perhaps he can meet Caraxes?"
At her words, the boy's face lightened considerably, gaze darting to Daemon with starstruck eyes before searching the skies for the elusive red wyrm. Tears still stained the boy's red cheeks, but his eyes brightened at the prospect of meeting a dragon.
Jon's eyes narrowed, and his mouth opened to most likely refuse Diana's offer, but his eyes caught onto something over her shoulder, and his face paled considerably, gaze dropping to the ground in submission. "That is fine." He muttered, voice petulant like he was the child, not a full-grown man and father.
Diana hid a smirk as she felt Daemon's warmth at her back; no doubt her husband had done something to change Belmore's mind. His infamous flame might have dimmed slightly with age and fatherhood, but Daemon Targaryen was and always would be the 'Rogue Prince,' no one fucked with his family and lived to tell the tale. Not for long, at least.
"Come lad," her husband said, voice jovial, "Let us face the dreaded Blood Wyrm together."
Ryan giggled as he took Daemon's hand and allowed the roguish prince to lead them away, trotting towards the nearby mountains with glee. Diana shared a small, sad smile with Gerald before turning to face her good-brother, her smile dropping into an impassive mask.
The boy would be safe with her husband, and Daemon would be able to report any misgivings he had about her nephew's wellbeing to her later. First, however, her focus needed to be on ensuring her childhood home stayed running and was well managed until Ryan came of age. Again, something she feared might be in jeopardy going by the stressed lines around Ser Gerald's eyes and the drunken sway of her good brother frame.
Said drunkard shuffled on his feet before nodding his head sharply and muttering, "We can speak in the solar." Before turning on his heel and staggering away, his steps wobbly on the uneven terrain.
** Line Break **
The Lord of Runestone's Solar felt stifling as Diana took her seat in front of the massive desk. As Belmore took a seat in the lord's chair, she felt nauseous. This solar once belonged to her father and Rhea after him. It should belong to Ryan, but due to the lad's young age, his father was expected to be his regent.
The massive windows had been covered with dust-covered curtains, and the floor and desk were littered with empty wine bottles and used chalices. It felt more like a cheap brothel than a room for a dignified lord or lady to do business and handle the affairs of their keep.
"Why are you here?" Belmore asked as he picked up a chalice, looked inside for its contents and tossed it back. Diana felt her nose curl in disgust.
"My sister has died, leaving my family seat without a lord or lady to govern it -"
"I am governing it," Belmore growled, his beady eyes narrowing as his cheeks flushed red.
"Into the ground," Gerald snapped, his arms crossed and eyes filled with vitriol as he stared daggers at the drunken fool in front of them, "You have done nothing but hide away with your drink and the occasional whore since Lady Rhea's passing. Abandoning your son to the nursemaids."
"You can speak to me that way! I am Lord of Runestone! You are in my keep!"
"You are the Regent of Runestone," Diana snarled, her hold on her temper snapping, "As long as the Crown allows it. I wonder how Lady Arryn would feel knowing how you've sullied this once noble keep with your lickspitting and whores!"
Belmore's face paled at her threat, shrinking back into his seat like a coward, losing all of his righteous indignations in a second. His eyes dropped to the messy papers in front of him, and he was silent as he pretended to sort through them, his mind obviously racing for a solution.
Perhaps he would think so hard he'd have a massive stroke and save us all from his stupidity…
It was well known that Rhea had kept her husband on a long leash, preferring him away from her and her son in Gulltown with his whores and wine. All the better for the Lady to continue running her household peacefully with Lady Beatrice. Now that Rhea was gone and no longer funding his whoremongering ways, the cretin was scrambling to take all he could before the gold dried up.
"You," Diana snarled, her voice eerily cold, "Will pull your act together, or I will take over this keep as its regent until Ryan comes of age and is ready to take on the duties. And do not mistake my help for kindness. If I have to abandon my children in King's Landing to clean up your mess, you will be shipped back to Strongsong with your tail between your legs. Is that clear?"
"You can't-"
"She can and she will," Gerald snapped, his face red with fury, "With my blessing and support. And the support of Lady Jeyne, who I took the liberty of writing when you turned this once great castle into your personal lavatory!"
"I-I-! You can't-! This is-! Fine!" The man finally roared, his face red and eyes bugging out in embarrassment and wounded pride. Then, like the petulant child he was, he stood up, sending the heavy wooden chair he'd been sitting on crashing to the floor and stomping out of the room. He even slammed the door behind him with a resounding boom.
After his abrupt exit, the room was left eerily silent as Diana covered her eyes with her hand, sighing in exhaustion. Ser Gerald nodded sympathetically as he went and picked up the chairs and rang the bell for a servant.
It didn't take long for a young girl with red hair and freckles to arrive, looking nervous as she began cleaning the room up, trying and failing to hide the furtive glances she sent the long lost Royce daughter turned Princess.
Diana was silent as she watched the girl open the curtains, begin clearing out the mess and call for a chambermaid to start the empty fireplace and change the bedding in the adjacent lord's chambers.
Rhea had only been gone a couple of moons. How had this happened so quickly? Diana feared she and her husband would be needed in Runestone longer than anticipated.
"I want accurate ledgers on my desk by tomorrow morning," She said, standing up and looking around the solar with mournful eyes, "I will not leave until I know my childhood home will be cared for competently."
"Yes, Princess," Ser Gerald nodded hesitantly; after a moment, he spoke again, "Perhaps, you should be regent, Your Highness. I can think of no one better to prepare young Ryan for his duties than you."
Diana looked exhausted as she shook her head, "How I wish that was possible, Cousin. But my children are in King's Landing. The sharks circle them, searching for blood in the water."
The older knight's eyebrows knit in confusion as he said, "Your children are grown, Princess. Both of your boys will be bound in matrimony soon, and with Alycia being the beauty she is, she will be betrothed soon enough."
Diana opened her mouth to argue but found herself gaping instead. In all regards, the man was right. Her children were grown, and she didn't need to be in King's Landing to help Rhaenyra's cause. In fact, being in the Vale may help strengthen ties. And yet, her heart ached at the idea of abandoning Aelyx and Rhaenyra to the vipers' pit.
With a shaky hand, she rubbed at her slightly bulging stomach and thought hard. Could she do it? Would it really be that easy to find a little bit of peace at home before the time came to defend Rhaenyra's claim with Fire and Blood?
"Give me time to think, Cousin," she said, eyes distant, "But know that I will consider your words most ardently."
With that, the knight bowed in deference and left Diana to her own devices. Alone in her father and sister's empty solar, she'd never felt more comfortable yet alone in her life.
She had a decision to make that could shape her family going forward.