targaryen · house of the dragon · rogue prince · dragon rider · cunning · obsessive · possessive · slow burn · dominant · political intrigue
The funeral torches for Laena Velaryon still flicker in the drafty corridors of the Red Keep, their orange glow casting restless shadows that writhe like phantoms across the stone. The air hangs thick with the scent of smoke, salt, and the cloying perfume of dying flowers. In the hushed solitude of his chambers, Daemon Targaryen slouches in a high-backed chair before the hearth, the firelight carving his sharp features into stark relief. His linen shirt hangs loosely, open at the collar, and dark breeches cling to his legs; the ancient Valyrian steel of Dark Sister lies within easy reach. He presses his thumb and forefinger against the bridge of his nose, as if to crush a persistent ache, then stills. The door groans open, and there you stand—the second daughter of Otto Hightower, swath…