#chainsofduty

“And Prince Valarr, he is so sweet and charming. A true prince,” your sister, Keira, rambled. Talking endlessly about her courtship with Prince Valarr. You had both been sent here, as daughters of the archon of Tyrosh, you were both deemed valuable to the protection of Westeros, and your father, ever looking for a chance to boost his power, eagerly sent you both. Praying for two princely matches. Your sister had easily been swept up by Valarr, he had met her first and hadn’t cast you a glance since meeting her. To you, he was rude and vain. Not worthy of your sister's hand and definitely not the gallant prince your sister saw him as. 

You nodded along to her ramblings, your eyes searching the keep's gardens for a means of escape. “Though I am sure Prince Daeron is also-“

“Keria,” you interrupted, stopping her from her endless attempts to get you interested in one of dragon princes, “ I have no desire to talk of men, and there prettiness or to be so glad for their galanteness,” you hummed, “we have no knights in Tyrosh, why would I care to know he is a good one,” you huffed, your eyes darting to the entrance of the garden, where the very man you had hoped to avoid started to appear. 

“Gods,” you muttered, watching as your sister jumped with joy, switching from Valyrian to the common tongue as she greeted the young prince.

He was handsome, you supposed. Entirely vain, though, so you should never admit it. He would most likely spend most of his marriage to your sister fussing over his hair to ensure his silver streak is prominent, rather than fussing over the care of your sister. You weren’t sure what she saw in him. He lacked a personality, any joke you made was met with a blank stare, and the few times you had tried to be nice and laugh at his dull joke or pay him a compliment, you were met with a grunt and the swift turn of his head. He was rude, and you hated him. Hated more so the fact that you would be forced to watch your sister wed the man and no doubt soon after be forced to marry one of his boorish cousins. 

He greeted your sister with a smile on his face, his eyes, however, drawn to your form as you moved to slump on a nearby bench. 

“Is the prince Daeron coming?” Keira asked, taking the arm offered to her as she looked about for the other prince. She seemed more obsessed with the idea of him courting you than her own courtship with Valarr. 

Valarr cleared his throat, sending you an annoyed look, no doubt a sneer on his lips at the sight of you, “No, I believe he is…busy,” he drawled, tapping Keira's arm as he began to lead her away from you. 

“Oh, such a shame, isn’t it, sister?” She called, watching as you began to remove invisible dirt from your fingernails, trying desperately to ignore Valarr's presence. 

You sighed, moving to follow your sister and the prince, rolling your eyes as Valarr's back straightened in your presence.  “I am sure we shall see him later at dinner.” You moved to grab your sister's other arm, leaning in to her as your hair, dyed pink just like hers, fell across Kiera’s shoulder as you leant into her as you walked, letting the couple drag you along as they droned on about whatever dullness Valarr had chosen to speak of that day. 

Valarr's eyes flickered to yours as he spoke, drawn to you and no doubt praying for you to leave, but as he continued his stroll, Kiera's grip on you tightened, forcing you to remain by their side. 

Valarr did not understand you. Did not understand why you occupied your sister's entire time, why you rejected the advances of every lord and prince. And why, since the second he laid eyes on you, had not once left his thoughts. 

Your every move, every word from your lips. Every laugh and throw of your head, had haunted him. He had been inexplicably drawn to you since the day he met you and hated every second of it. He knew he was to marry Kiera, had been told as much since the alliance was still in the early throes of negotiation, and being the good and dutiful prince that he was, he had cared for your sister, paid her his every attention, courted her in a way that the princes in fairytales would envy. And yet despite that, it was you that he dreamed of, your pink hair, darker than the soft blush tone of Kiera's head, that appeared in his dreams; your voice echoed in his mind, and guilt ate away at him. He hated it. Hated you.

Or at least tried to. He chose to ignore you, gave you blank stares whenever you talked about your interests. Interests he too had but knew that to stay loyal to Keira he had to ignore the endless similarities between you. 

But the one thing that did help in his attempts to hate you was the clear annoyance you had towards him. And well, most things. You seemed to take every kindness offered to you with a grain of salt. A hand offered to you in greeting was met with a blank stare, until Kiera whispered for you to take the hand, as if common courtesy was something you needed to be reminded of. 

You were rude. That's what Valarr told himself. He chose not to notice how your eyes darted to look everywhere but someone’s eyes, how you grew uneasy when no one replied to

Your comment or a conversation strayed into a topic you did not know. And most of all, he pretended your unease did not bother him. That it was better for you to believe he hated you rather than craved the air you breathed. 

It was cruel for the gods to create you, to dangle you in front of him only to bethroth him to your sister. 

Kiera was a sweet girl, kind and in truth a little naive. But a perfect lady. She would make a perfect queen. The very words your father and his had both said to him when she had been introduced. The words he replayed like a mantra. And the words that made him resent you. For being so perfect for him and not his. 

Resent your presence and your likeness to him. 

He watched you closely now: how you laughed at Kiera’s jokes, how you avoided him entirely, didn’t even look at him as he spoke, your eyes never on him but also not entirely on your sister either. Watched how your face crinkled when his cousin Daeron was mentioned, more specifically the prospect of your betrothal to each other. 

“Oh!” Keira gasped, watching as a bird landed on the fountain in front of them. She moved forward, breaking away from you both as she went to greet the bird. Valarr's eyes darted toward you, watching you stumble slightly from her sudden movement. Kiera followed after the bird as it flew off the fountain and towards the garden’s hedges. 

You both lost sight of her quickly as she followed after the bird, leaving you in one another's company.

“Will you-”

“Do you-” 

You both spoke at once, fumbling into an awkward silence as both of your questions died in your throat as you both continued the walk of the gardens, your eyes searching for her sister who had run into a few ladies of the court, all admiring the bird she had convinced to rest on her arm. As if she were a princess in a child's story.. 

You sighed, causing Valarr's gaze to flicker over to you, watching as you moved forward, tripping over your dress as you did so. His hands reached for your waist to steady you. 

“I don’t need your help,” you scoffed, steadying yourself, paring daggers into Valarr as he looked at you, his annoyance clear on his face.

“My apologies, I just wished to help.” He sighed, looking from you back to where Keira and the ladies had last stood, only to find neither them or the bird had remained. 

“Where did she go?” You asked, looking for the familiar blob of pink hair.

“Mayhaps the maze?,” Valarr shrugged, following after you as you began to head there, his arm itching to offer itself to you. “My lady, wait!” He called, following after you as you walked the maze in hurried steps, “We need not search the maze for her, I am sure you sister is content with the ladies, we may wait for her..”

“I do not wish to wait, I wish to search the maze,” you interrupted, continuing in your path, Valarr hot on your trail, hot enough that he caught the ends of your dress, causing you to fall and he with you. 

He lay atop you, your face pressed against his, his leg between your thighs. 

“My lady I am sorry,” he gushed positing his hands to get up.

“I it is -“ you began flushed red from the position, your mind scattered as he Valarr seemed to hesitant in moving, “it is alright, I-“

“Oh my!” A voice called at the entrance to the maze alcove you had tripped into. 

“My prince!?” Another voice called, starling Valarr enough to turn from where he lay, his face turning red as he caught sight of Kiera and her now seemingly endless horde of ladies. 

“Valarr, sister?” She asked moving closer as Valarr finally began to move up from your form, “what is this- I” her eyes darted between you both, understating, of the wrong kind adorning her features, “oh I see…well” she breathed in slight ire though a small confused smile did appear asshe took in the sight before her. 

“What is this?” A voice called, Daerons familiar voice though it lacked its usual drunkenness , “cousin, my lady?” He seemed to laugh, looking to Kiera “it seems the prince has chosen his bride, rather passionately,” a few ladies laughed behind them, as Daeron made his way over to Kiera offering her his hand to lead her away.

“Chosen my bride? What-“

“You had the chose between the two of us your grace,” Keira interrupted, taking Daerons hand as she began to turn away, “I had hoped you would choose me over my sister but alas if you are both this…passitonate about one another…i- I cannot fault you for your decision,”

“No!” Valarr called out crawling after Kiera, “ I did no such thing I -“

“I need no explanation my prince,” Kiera sighed walking off with Daerons and the rest of the ladies. 

“No?” You questioned as you got up from the floor, watching as Valarr rubbed his face furiously, “I know you favoured my sister but surely you cannot hate me enough to leave me ruined?” 

“I did not mean that my lady I-“ you cut him off walking away swiftly not bothering to hear his excuses.

The betrothal was set in stone by the time Valarr arrived back at the castle, his father had greeted him with disappointment clean in his face. Not over the decision, his father had made clear this match was good and needed and that both you and your sisters where good lady’s and would make good queens, but they had wanted Keira. She was older, more poised, the perfect lady who it was clear had been groomed to one day marry a Westerosi Lord or Prince. 

“I understand how love and lust can overwhelm your sensibilities, my son, but-“ Baelor let out a sigh, his hands resting on his sons shoulders as he spoke, gaging his sons full attention. “But to act so rashly, to take her so publicly, so close to her sister…especially after we were all of the belief that you would choose Lady Kiera.”

“Father I-“

“It was rash, reckless and dishonourable,” Baelor carried on, ignoring Valarr's interruption. “Now we had all noticed that she was more than shy, and may need more obvious advances for affections to be known,” Baleor spoke, “and though I do not doubt that you and her have a great deal in common, going forward I must ask discretion. If you are expressing your…fondness of one another, please refrain from…physical fondness.”

“Father you have misunderstood, I merely fell-“

“Fell?” His father laughed, thinking Valarrs words were a jest, “my dear I may be your father but I was young once, I know how love can cause rashness, you need not lie about the circumstances…in truth I am happy you have “fallen” for your bethroth so thoroughly,”

“Gods I-“ Valer sighed, frustrated, “I did not plan for this at all father, I did instead to propose to Kiera, as planned I just merely fell-“

“For the wrong sister,” his father misinterpreted, “it is understandable , and in truth the archron offered either of his daughters, Kiera on paper seemed the best match but your heart spoke differently.” Baelor nodded, moving away from Valarr and to his desk, reaching into his draw and pulling a ring, “this was your mothers, I wish for you to give it to your lady,”

“Father I-“

“Take the ring, and visit your lady, I am sure she is feeling guilt ridden over how this betrothal came to be.” 

“Father i-“ he tried again, only for his father to shoo him out the door and slam it in his face. 

“I wish you had told me you shared affections for Valarr,” Kiera spoke, watching as you stare at the letter Valarr had sent you.

meet me in my chambers for dinner tonight, my squire shall escort you.

V

You stared at his words, you had no desire to talk to the man let alone fine with him. And certainly not marry him. 

He had ruined you. A mere accident and you were bound to him against your will. You had hoped to escape back to Tyrosh after your sister's wedding but now you were fated to die in these stones shores and never feel the heat of Tyrosh again. A fate worse than death in your eyes. 

“Are you even listening to me?” Kiera snapped, walking towards you and sitting beside you with a huff.

“I am I just, I am so sorry Kiera I never meant-

“Never meant to kiss Valarr in a secluded maze the second I left your company?” She spoke, though she had no malice in her words, she spoke flatly.

“I did not kiss him.”

“No? You mean to make me believe he merely lay on top of you and did not kiss your pretty face!” Your head snapped to hers, her face now red with anger, “oh do not look at me like that! You are clearly prettier than me! It is why he chose you, that and well you and he are one and the same!”

“I am not prettier than you! And I am not like Valarr I do not like him I wish you were marrying him not me!”

“Stop arguing with me!” She shouted,  “you are prettier because you look like mother and I’m stuck with fathers face!”

“You do have his nose,” you agreed, causing Kiera to snap her head around to you, eyes widening before a loud snort fell from her lips, causing you both to descend into a ball of laughter. 

“I am being truthful Keira,” you said after a moment, both your laughter easing as you settled beside each other, “none of this was meant to happen, I have no desire to marry Valarr,”

“And yet you are,” Kiera spoke, softly, “I just wish you had told me of your affections I- I did like him but I would have…”

“Would have what? Stepped back?” You asked, knowing your sister wouldn’t have, and in truth she knew you never would have asked her to. You and always been second best and even if you did truly covert Valarr you would have blindly ignored it for your sister and her happiness. 

“Yes…well maybe I-“ Kiera sighed, “I just I don’t know how I missed it, he clearly favoured you and he just…”

“Sister, I promise none of this was meant to happen -“

“But it has! And you- you knew I liked him and still you and he I- I don’t know if you’d elsk the truth if it being a mere accident and a matter of circumstances, but when I came across you he seemed perfectly convent between your thighs, both of you flushed red I- he would have kissed you and lady Reyne not gasped I-“ she stood up suddenly, leaving your sighed, her face flushed, “I need time I - I cannot…” she stuttered her mind switching between the common tounge. and Valyrian as she grew flustered.

“Kiera-“ you began eyes following her as she stormed out of your room. 

You had already felt emended guilt over the situation. But to have your sister fail to understand the mistake? It hurt, it hurt you both and you feared you wouldn’t be able to fix it. 

Your maids dressed you, with much more care than usual. And with more pomp that a typical dinner required. They seemed to act as if this were your coronation, not a dinner with your Bethrothed who you had no doubt would be casting you aside, leaving you to ruin so he may marry your sister. 

Your sister had ignored you for the reminder of the day and you suspected she may ignore you until long after the wedding. If Valarr did not candle it, you very much doubted he would , believing that he would rather leave you in ruin than be bound to you

“You look every picture of a princess” the maid spoke as she added the last touch to your hair, “prince valarr will be begging for the marriage to happen even soon!”

You shook your head, your eyes snagging on your reflection on the mirror. You looked every part the lady, dressed in one of Kieras lavish gwosn, your hair twisted and braided in to a delicate and complex pattern across your head, your mothers jewels resting on your neck. You were the image of a perfect lady, and yet you felt entrily like a cheap rendition of Kiera.

“Are you ready my lady?” your maid asked, as Valarrs squire stood at the door a shy smile on his lips as he awaited you to follow him. 

“Only if i have to be,” you scowled, moving to follow after the young squire.