Queen of Ice and Prince of Fire
Author: @akittenwrites
Summary: Lady Y/N Stark of Winterfell has declared herself Queen in the North. That means war, against King Viserys, and also against Prince Daemon. But the Rogue Prince doesn't want to fight her.
Type: multichapter series
Pairing: Daemon Targaryen x reader
Word count: 2181
Warnings: swearing.
Tagging: nobody yet. If you want to be tagged, send me a message.
The commotion in the small council chamber was such Daemon wondered what the hell had happened this time. He had been summoned for an emergency meeting by King Viserys himself and had just arrived to see the King sitting at the head of the table, with noticeable bags under his eyes and his silver hair messier than ever.
As Daemon walked down the few steps into the room and made his way towards his seat at the table, some maidens hurried to light the candles and serve their cups. The matter was urgent, but not urgent enough to wake the cupbearer, it seemed. It made sense, it was the hour of the owl and Princess Rhaenyra was still young.
As he moved his chair to take his seat, he made eye contact with Otto Hightower. The slithering snake met his stare, yet didn't stare back as he usually did. No, he was worried. He could tell from his furrowed brows and the tapping of his fingers on the table.
Once the Master of Ships, Lord Corlys Velaryon, took his seat, the servants exited the room and they were left alone, only the silence of the night and the dancing flames of the candles making them company. The Kingsguard stood outside, guarding the doors.
"An... issue... has arisen," Otto was the first to speak. Usually that courtesy was granted to the King, but at this point Daemon knew better than to expect something different from his brother, and the hungry leech stuck to his shoulder.
"What is it, then?" Daemon mocked. "No need for dramatic pauses. We're all very curious."
The Hand of the King glared at him and was probably thinking of some quick comeback, but this time it was Viserys' voice that cut through the silence.
"We have received a raven from Winterfell," he explained, leaning his elbows on the table. "It had a message in it, signed by the Lady of Winterfell herself."
Viserys took his cup in his hands and had a taste of wine before continuing. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife.
"The North has declared itself independent from the Seven Kingdoms."
Those words were enough for a discussion to erupt, with everybody talking on top of each other and nobody understanding what anyone was saying. Daemon watched silently as Viserys placed his hands on the sides of his head and closed his eyes just for a moment.
"Are we sure the message isn't fake?" Lord Corlys asked as loud as he could.
"Unfortunately we are," responded Lord Lyonel Strong, who had also been sitting in silence next to him. "The message has the stamp with the sigil of House Stark, the direwolf."
He reached under his cloak and placed the small rolled-up piece of parchment on the table for all to see. Corlys was the first to get his hands on it, only to read it and toss it back, clearly displeased.
"We couldn't have predicted Lord Stark's death almost a year ago would lead to this," added Otto. "It is an unexpected turn of events."
Then he fixed his eyes on Daemon, brown meeting violet, fighting for dominance.
"I remember Lady Stark used to be close to the King's brother when she was in court, before her father's passing. Did she ever mention wishing for the North's independence?"
"Don't you think I would've told my brother about it if she had, Hand?" he snarled, his hands reaching for the parchment. "You have a web of spies that follow me around Flea Bottom just for gossip, yet you failed to notice half the realm getting ready for war?"
"Her father was an honorable man. I expected he would've passed that on to his daughter, but I should have known better. Just because they are family doesn't mean they are both to be trusted, after all."
Otto's eyes remained fixed on Daemon as he whispered the words.
"If you want to insult me I'd much prefer you do it directly, my Lord," Daemon said, his hands unrolling the paper. "Why go to such lengths to be a cunt?"
Otto was just about to answer when he was once again interrupted by Viserys.
"Stop. Put aside your personal differences for one night and do your job," he stood up, his hands on the table, and his eyes looking at each of them intently, the sleepiness already gone. "This is a real threat. War. We can't afford a war right now, and I will not be the King that lost what Aegon conquered!"
Viserys was furious, the flames dancing in his purple eyes. Daemon smiled slightly. There was the dragon. It often refused to come out, but when it did, nobody could deny its commanding presence.
While the council stayed silent, mulling over the King's words, he looked down and read the message Lady Stark had sent.
"It is my pleasure to announce The North will no longer be reigned by a King, but a Queen. We are willing to form alliances. We are willing to go to war if need be. It's your choice.
Y/N Stark, Queen in the North."
"If we lose the North we risk the other kingdoms following their example," Otto breathed out.
"Then we'll torch them to the ground," Corlys interjected. "We have dragons. We have ten of them. Aegon conquered Westeros with three. And this is a child pretending to be Queen. She may have been the heir of Winterfell, but she is not prepared to rule over the North by herself. It's too much territory if you don't have dragons."
Viserys swallowed, clearly having considered that already. It was the truth, they had plenty of dragons and armies. But the North was cold, large, and unforgiving. And its people were more loyal than Viserys' entire court combined. Y/N knew that. She knew many things, as far as Daemon was concerned. He used to join her in the forest, under the Weirwood tree, while she read about the history of Westeros. The history of the conquest. Dorne. They spent hours together, reading in silence, just as she liked it. Sometimes she would put the books aside and rest her head on Daemon's lap, her long dark hair touching the ground, as she let her mind wander.
That was how they went from strangers who often crossed paths inside the Red Keep to friends who shared their love of literature and history and sword fighting... to lovers.
The first time she rested his head on his shoulder and looked at him with those bright grey eyes of hers, he knew he was done for. She was barely an adult back then, sent to court by her father to represent Winterfell and House Stark in matters it was concerned. It turned out she never needed to represent her House in anything, because as she put it, whatever happened in the South never reached the North, and she didn't care for southern issues.
Nevertheless, she enjoyed the Red Keep's library, and she enjoyed Daemon's company. They shared their first kiss under that old Weirwood tree, slow and gentle, getting to know each other's lips. She wasn't like any other woman he had been with before. And that one time, they both told each other it was just a kiss. Just curiosity. Yet a flame was ignited that day and it wasn't long until his hands were wandering up and down her thighs while she sat on his lap, moaning his name into his mouth.
Sharing their chambers became a routine they kept secret, with Daemon teaching her how to use the palace's secret tunnels, and using them himself to visit her at night. Long gone were his nights spent at the brothels. To the rest of the court, they were just friends who enjoyed each other's company. Perhaps they suspected more, yet nobody voiced it for fear of it reaching Daemon's ears. He was married and she was a maiden.
He smiled to himself, the memories bitter now that the matter of war was in discussion. Her being away for so long hadn't made the memories fade away. He missed her being around. Her voice, her embrace, her warmth, her touch.
"What are you smiling about, Prince Daemon?" Otto's voice interrupted his train of thought. "Perhaps you know something you would like to share with the rest of us?"
"I do," he answered simply, lifting a brow. "I know Y/N would love to cut your tongue out. That much she did tell me, repeatedly."
He laughed quietly to himself as he recalled her snarky remarks about the King's Hand. Many of their private conversations could've ended up with both of them accused of treason. Y/N appeared gentle and kind in public, which she was, yet there was a fierceness hidden underneath only he knew. She couldn't be tamed. The wolf was as wild as the dragon. So yes, he believed for some reason she had decided to pull this stupid stunt that may cost her her life. It didn't matter if she could use a sword, she had no way of fighting dragonfire.
"We have to end this before it goes any further," Corlys insisted. "We will make an example of them."
"We can't burn the North to the ground," interrupted Lyonel Strong. "House Stark and their bannermen are the only things standing between us and whatever threats may come from beyond the Wall. If their armies are gone, the rest of the Kingdom is vulnerable. We have to negotiate with her."
"She's a traitor. You would have me entertain her?" Viserys asked in disbelief.
"If we need armies in the North, we can eliminate House Stark and let one of their bannermen take their place in Winterfell," Corlys proposed.
"Northerners will not have it. You would risk war," Lyonel insisted. "She wouldn't be calling herself Queen in the North and sending us this unless she had their loyalty. Kill her and watch the rest of the North rise."
"We do not negotiate with traitors, Lord Lyonel," Otto seethed. "If the entire North wants war they can have it, the Crown has the power to end it in an instant. We will give Winterfell to the Lannisters if need be."
"You can't break my Kingdom and rearrange it like a puzzle!" Viserys growled. After a few seconds of silence, he sat down. "We need the North, that much is clear. You're my advisors. And your advice isn't helpful right now."
Daemon agreed.
"Your Grace, the mere threat of dragonfire and destruction may be enough... if enacted properly," Otto suggested.
Silence.
"Go on," said Viserys.
"Prince Daemon knows Lady Y/N better than he lets on. Before she left for Winterfell because of her father's passing, they spent hours together in the woods every day. Or even training in the courtyard, as unladylike as that was." Daemon's eyes were fixed on Otto, daring him to say something that would cost him his life, as he drank from his cup and let him speak. "I may be overstepping here, but I think Lady Y/N considered Prince Daemon her friend here in court. As far as I know, she didn't spend time with anybody else."
"Do you think I should ride Caraxes all the way to Winterfell and win her over with the power of my friendship?" Daemon asked, before draining the rest of his wine. "I think you're overestimating my charms, Lord Hand."
It seemed he was the only one that found that funny. Lyonel Strong cleared his throat beside him before speaking.
"I think Ser Otto's point is Lady Y/N has proved herself to be unpredictable, and if threatening her will be our approach, it would be safer if Prince Daemon did it. Alone."
"Why?" King Viserys wondered what the rest of them were thinking.
"If she is ready for war as she claims in this message, we can't ride up North on dragonback and not expect retaliation. They could have scorpions or other kinds of weapons we do not know of."
"So you would have me risk my dragon."
Silence.
"Daemon, would she order an attack on you?" Viserys looked at him, appearing to consider the council's suggestion.
He sighed, playing with his cup. He knew what Viserys was really asking. Are you in any way to blame for this uprising? Did you hurt her in any way? How does she feel about you?
"No, she would not," he answered after a few moments of silence. "She knows Caraxes. I took her to the dragonpit more than once. He... appreciates her company."
Viserys understood what he meant. If Caraxes, as temperamental as he was, never considered her a threat, then she wasn't one, at least not to Daemon.
"It is decided then. On the morrow, you will leave for Winterfell. You will represent your King and put an end to this nonsense."
Lord Corlys was the only one that didn't seem happy with the decision, but said nothing.
Daemon simply nodded.
"As my King commands."
Next part.
