#princessofdriftmark

Velaryon Chambers, 26th day of the 4th moon, 131AC, Winter

As dusk spilled lavender shadows across the floors of the Velaryon chambers at The Red Keep, Princess Rhaenys knelt on a pillow beside the bathtub, guiding fleet of toy ships through water. Her young daughter, Nyssie, giggled, her cheeks flushed with delight as her tiny fingers sent ripples across the water’s surface, making the little vessels dance.

“See Mua. Sea Snakey!”

“Yes, tala. That one does look like Kepa’s Sea Snake,” Rhaenys said with a gentle smile. Nyssie was ten-and-six moons now and Rhaenys was pleased that she babbled in both High Valyrian and Common Tongue.

“Sea Snakey go wooo!” Nyssie said with a wide grin towards Rhaenys, which make Rhaenys laugh softly.

“Yes, The Sea Snake is Kepa’s fastest ship.”

As the water cooled, Rhaenys scooped Nyssie up into her arms and wrapped her up in thick cloths to dry her. As Nyssie protested Rhaenys reminded her that Joffrey was coming by to spend time with them.

“Goff-goff?” Nyssie said and tilted her hair.

“Yes, your Goff-goff is coming. I’m sure he’ll want lots of kisses and help you build towers with your blocks, before bedtime,” Rhaenys said tenderly as she dressed her daughter.

Rhaenys knew she had been breaking standards for a royal mother’s duties, but she couldn’t care less. She didn’t want to miss a single thing when it came to Nyssie. She had breastfed her for ten moons and unlike royals of the past she did not make use of the shared nursery. Instead, she had had one of the chambers they occupied transformed into a nursery for Nyssie.  

Once Nyssie had been dressed Rhaenys put her down and straightened her own clothes before she joined her husband in their sitting room. “Has he arrived?”

Rhaenys chuckled softly as Nyssie once again manged to untie the string holding her white braid. Nyssie had developed quite the habit of setting Rhaenys’ hair free.

“Now now, little Princess, that won’t do,” she said softly and took the strong from Nyssie’s grip. “It’s muña’s,” she added and leaned in placing a tender kiss to Nyssie’s dark curls. Rhaenys handed Nyssie one of her toys and straightened up again.

They were seated on the bed, Nyssie was due for a nap soon, but Rhaenys was awaiting the arrival of one of her oldest and dearest friends, her cousin and lay in waiting Alyssa. Due to shear bad luck it had been moons since the two of them had had a chance to talk and since Alyssa had seen Nyssie.

Seeing the Baratheon branch of the family tree felt different after the death of her mother. Rhaenys daily debated whether or not she was still mourning, but she had left most of her black mourning clothes behind on Driftmark, only bringing a few, should the winter be as harsh as predicted.

Rhaenys looked around at the crates and chests that still stood side by side along every wall of the main bedchamber of the Velaryon apartments within The Red Keep. Rhaenys had not only insisted on bringing Velaryon and Targaryen heirlooms and sentimental items, but she had also brought along the crates she had inherited from her mother, which she had not gone through since they arrived from Storm’s End. She hoped Alyssa would help her and ease the difficulty they might find within.

Despite the difficult relationship between Rhaenys and her mother when Rhaenys was young, the two had mended their bond in recent years, however, Rhaenys did not know what her mother had left her, other than the Targaryen jewels her dear kepa had gifted her mother over the years.

Rhaenys gave up and let the braid unravel as she watched her young daughter play with the toy hippocamp Corlys had commissioned for her.