𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧'𝐬 𝐎𝐚𝐭𝐡

Baela Targaryen

"My mother died and I stood aside as the flames embraced her. Could I die the same way my mother did? Embraced by the flames? It would be my honor." Baela said as she looked down at the sea below her window.

"You won't die... Baela... Not before me..." Rhaena replied as she stepped beside her following Baela's gaze.

"I won't go back to Driftmark..." Baela turned to Rhaena, "I am from fire and blood, born from the ash... Not from the salt and water... That is not where I belong..." She said and Rhaena could only stare at her.

"Neither is our grandmother but she knows her duty..." Rhaena replied as she clasped Baelas hands into her and her stare turned into a plea.

Baela's heart ached as she listened to Rhaena's plea and she took a deep breath before speaking. "I hear you, Rhaena, and I know you're hurting. But I can't leave Thereya here alone. She's our sister, and she needs us now more than ever. And Father... he's struggling too. I can't turn my back on him when he needs us the most."

Tears welled up in Baela's eyes as she continued, "I know you want to chase your dreams, and I want that for you too. But our family comes first. I can't imagine leaving them behind, especially now. We've always been there for each other, through thick and thin. I can't break that bond, Rhaena. I just can't."

She squeezed Rhaena's hand gently, silently pleading for her understanding. "I hope you can see why I have to stay. It's not easy for me either, but I can't imagine leaving our sister and Father alone in their time of need. We're in this together, Rhaena. Please, stay with us... Don't go..."

Rhaena's words hung heavy in the air as she spoke, her voice tinged with bitterness and resentment. "Thereya isn't our sister, Baela. She's not of dragon blood like us. She's a stain on our family's honor... Father's weakness. And let's not forget how she slept with Aegon, tarnishing our family's reputation even further."

Baela's eyes flashed with anger as she listened to Rhaena's accusations. "No, Rhaena, you're wrong," she countered vehemently. "Thereya is our sister, by blood and by bond. She may not have pure blood, and she might not have grown up here, but that doesn't make her any less a part of our family. And as for those rumors about her and Aegon, they're just that...rumors. There's no truth to them, and you know it."

"Are they rumors or do you just wish that they were!?" Rhaena asked sharply.

Her voice trembled with emotion as she continued, "We may have our differences, but we are family. We stick together, no matter what. I won't stand by and let you tear us apart with baseless accusations. Thereya deserves our love, after all, she did... Aster all the valuable things she showed us and taught us... And she will stay! Like any other member of our family."

Rhaena's expression hardened as she pulled her hand away from Baela's grasp, her gaze turning cold as she raised her head to meet her sister's eyes. "Believe whatever eases your sleep, Baela," she said sharply, her voice laced with frustration.

With a swift motion, Rhaena turned on her heel and started to walk away. Before disappearing from view, she glanced back over her shoulder and added, "I will leave for Driftmark at dawn. Perhaps some time apart will help us both see things more clearly."

Baela watched her sister's retreating figure, sadness swirling in her chest. Despite their differences, she couldn't shake the feeling of loss as Rhaena distanced herself. But she knew that their bond as sisters was strong enough to weather any storm, and she vowed to prove Rhaena wrong about Thereya, and about their family.

She stormed out walking down the halls of Red Keep, she knew that Thereya slept with Aegon, she just couldn't admit it, she couldn't give life to those thoughts or they would become much more real than they were.