There was one thing about Daeron's arrival that had Nyra on edge, something that she knew she would eventually need to explain to her other family, and she could only pray that they would understand. If anything, it was a good precursor to understanding the other's reaction to him, a way for her to try and soften the blow. Her aunt and uncle had welcomed him in with open arms but Daeron was different, he had seen what effects Rhaenyra's children had on court - how they had been allowed privileges that Nyra was not granted, even as a trueborn daughter.
"You're nervous." Ness noted after a while, Nyra's eyes lost as she was toying with white sage, the leaves look tattered as they kept slipping from the twine. It wasn't often that Nyra was nervous but seeing her fiddle with something she was so used to doing with ease surprised Ness; she knew by now that the young girl was thinking deeply. "Share your thoughts." She told her, a kettle in hand.
Nyra dropped the bundle, sinking back in her seat as she shot a look to her aunt. "I'm not nervous." She muttered defensively.
"You've got half of that smudge stick on the table," Ness pointed out, Nyra looking down. She had made a mess of it. "Don't try to lie to me, I've known you for far too long for you to be dishonest in this house. Spill it."
She swallowed. "I'm going to have Daeron meet Harwin later." The act itself was making her nervous, her brother having developed a distaste for the Knight that had been bold enough to all but claim those children in the training yard that day. She could still see it, the way his fist kept pummeling into Criston's face, the way he had defended them so fiercely. The King would never have done such a thing for her, and Harwin had done it because of some teasing.
Her aunt paused, pouring the hot water into a pot, watching the steam curl from the bowl before glancing at her niece. "And that is a problem because...?"
She had never told her aunt this, though she was sure she had heard some of the rumours - Ness had visited King's Landing a handful of times. Nyra went back to picking at the bundle. "He is the father of Rhaenyra's children." The room fell silent, a deep breath rattling through Ness.
"And you think your brother will not understand?" Nyra shook her head. How could he understand that at the age of nine, she had asked Ser Harwin to swear to her? That part of her knew a war would brew in the future between the two factions of her house, that by having Ser Harwin at her side, she would have the upper hand over her sister?
Ness left the side before coming around and sitting beside her niece, taking hold of her hand. "Do you know, Naenyra, I was there the day your mother decided to reclaim her house?" She began, Nyra's dark eyes lifting to her aunt. "It was Rhaenyra and Laenor's wedding, Harwin Breakbones was there as well - I remember him well, he carried your sister from the fight when Criston killed that boy." Perhaps then it should have been seen as an omen for the years to come.
"She was late to the feast - most considered it an insult, but when those doors opened and she entered in that green gown... All the whispers died." Her aunt muttered. "Do you think she was nervous?"
She shrugged. "I don't know."
"She was. I could see the shake in her hand, the way she tried not to pick at her nail beds as she crossed the room. But at that moment, your mother knew what she needed to do. Of course she could have cowered underneath what everyone else would think but she did what she did for her." Ness said, patting Nyra's hand. "You should do the same - if you truly believe having Harwin as your sworn sword is what is best, tell your brother."
Nyra rolled her eyes but smiled. "That was a rather dramatic way to tell me to get on with it."
"But you needed it." Ness bit back. "One day, Nyra, your entire life will change and I want you to be able to trust those you have around you. Your mother was alone in King's Landing with only her children, and she has done well to build the life that she had from that. I don't want you to be in the same position."
She could remember when it was just her mother and Cole, maybe a handful of maids. Alicent always seemed so in control, so certain of everything that she was doing. She had bit back at the King enough times that it didn't seem like she cared where she stood in the Keep, and brushed off the comments that the court made like they were nothing. Nyra didn't think that she could possess the same grace that her mother had, the same iron spine that kept her head high.
"I'm never going to be as good as my mother is." Nyra admitted, staring down at her hands. "Perhaps that is why they choose to keep me here."
Ness sighed, reaching out to rest a hand on Nyra's shoulder. "They keep you here to keep you safe, don't forget that." She said, softening her tone. "Eventually, a decision will be made over who should marry Aegon. If you are lucky, it will be your sister. If the realm is lucky, it will be you." She tensed. "It may not be what you want but you are strong and willful, Nyra. If anyone could fill your mother's shoes, it would be you."
"But I don't want to be Queen." She admitted. She wanted... The very flash of the boy with a scarred eye flashed through her mind, as quick as it came. Nyra banished the very thought.
"No one wants to be Queen, there will be no woman alive who desires a crown like that. A lady, yes. A princess, of course; but a Queen? Never." Ness uttered. "And anyone who does should not be Queen."
"Is that why I'm still here?" Nyra asked, wondering if the King would allow a marriage between Aegon and herself. He thought her a bastard, there was no way he would let his firstborn son marry a bastard. Unless they were trying to wait out his death, then Otto would be able to control them how he wishes.
Ness shook her head. "I don't know why you're still here, darling. There is clearly more at work, and I am thankful that it is otherwise you would not be anywhere near as ready as I want you to be." Nyra looked confused. "Either I will die or you will return home, Nyra, and you will be the only one to possess the knowledge of Hightower's magic. I have such a short amount of time to teach you everything I need to to be able to understand the texts and scriptures that sit in this room. We're barely even scraping the surface."
It shocked her to hear the words come from Ness' mouth, the very thought taking Nyra back as she stared at her aunt. "Why are you dying?"
"I'm not dying, I am simply telling you. I will not live forever and you will not be here forever." She jabbed. "So I need to teach you everything now before you become Queen or you return home, and worrying about Harwin Breakbones should be the very least of your concern."
Nyra rolled her eyes. "I am tired of you, Ness. You know that?" Always the dramatics, even if they were important dramatics.
"You jest, darling niece. Now, are you going to tie the smudge stick properly or do I need to send you out to Daeron now?" She grabbed the stick. "Very well then."
Her talk with her aunt made her feel far better than she would ever admit, even if it did put new worries on her shoulders. She had always thought that it was clear that Helaena would marry Aegon, but the more that Ness pressed, the more it made it clear that it wasn't certain that it would be Helaena that would marry him. But that also didn't make it clear that it would be Nyra either, especially not with them being so adamant that she remained in the Reach.
Nyra knew that Ness knew that she was preoccupied by thoughts of the future. It's why she had made her read her own tea leaves, seeing the shapes form within the cluster at the bottom of her cup, watching with disappointment as she read them out to her aunt who seemed to nod like she already knew what they would say.
It was a quality about Ness that Nyra was sure she was lying about. Ness had opened up a world of magic - or energy manipulation. She had made it seem realistic, like intuition and feeling the change in aura and presence in a room. But Nyra was sure - almost completely sure - that her aunt was hiding elements to it.
Ness knew what was going to happen in the future, with an accuracy that frightened her. If a bird was to land in the garden, she would already be turned to see it flutter on the grass or if someone was going to turn up unexpectedly, she would already have whatever it was ready. That was without the wordless conversations she was having with whatever was in the room - something that Nyra couldn't see.
She didn't want to address it, rather keep her suspicions silent. Perhaps her aunt knew that she had these thoughts, that's why she tried to keep her busy but it wasn't working well. Nyra ensured to watch her while doing her own work, feeling something was off with her aunt.
When Nyra finally plucked the courage to speak with Daeron, she had dragged him out to the garden - far away from swords and dragons and anything else that could potentially cause harm. Nyra stood nervously to one side as dark eyes focused on Daeron, crossing her hands behind her back. "You have to promise me you won't hit me." She uttered, the younger boy caught by surprise as his head cocked.
"Why would I want to do that?" He asked, half confused over what she was chatting about.
"Just promise!" She hissed, glaring.
Pale blue rolled, his head shaking. "Fine, I promise." He muttered, no idea as to why this was so important. Nyra let out a deep breath, nerves building in her stomach as she turned to the guard behind her. Daeron had noticed him for days now, he would go where she would - like a shadow, almost. He would always be wearing his helmet but he would know with a look what she needed.
Now, it seemed like one of those times. All she did was send him a look and the guard reached up, tugging on the Hightower helmet before freeing curling locks from beneath the metal. It took Daeron a moment, his eyes blinking as he took in who exactly the guard was. He looked familiar but he just couldn't place him.
Nyra turned back to Daeron. "Are you going to be mad?" She asked, raising a brow.
"I don't even know who this is, Nyra. Why would I be mad?" Sure he seemed familiar but there was nothing that could make him place the Knight. Not the dusting of the beard or the soft look in his eyes, or even the huge stature against his sister.
"Daeron, this is Ser Harwin Strong." The name was unforgettable, even if the man was to him. His brow deepened, his head shaking as he glared at his older sister.
"Why is Ser Harwin Strong here, Naenyra?"
Nyra rocked, biting at her cheek as she grimaced. "I may have asked him to become my Knight..." She trailed off, unable to look at her brother. "Before he was sent to Harrenhal."
The groan was unmistakable, his feet stalking over to her before grasping her arms and shaking her. "Are you an idiot?" He asked. "What would possibly possess you to ask that?"
Harwin took a step forward, placing a hand on Daeron's shoulder and shaking his head. "Step back, your sister was only doing what she thought was right."
Daeron barked out a laugh. "What was right? You were in our sister's bed for however many years, how do we know you're not sending information back to her?" It was a valid question, one Nyra had thought about many times but she trusted him - as stupid as that may have sounded.
"Daeron." She cut in, shaking her head. "I trust him, he's been here for years and hasn't given me any reason why I shouldn't." She was sticking her neck out for him, something that she was sure she would do if she was to ever return to the Red Keep.
But Daeron's gaze was caught on Harwin, wanting the answer to come from his lips. "The only correspondence I have is with my father, who wants to wash his hands of everything I did in King's Landing." He settled himself. "I understand the severity of my actions in King's Landing, I can't change them, only accept them for what they are."
"And what are they?" Daeron asked, his eyes alight in wanting to hear the word. Even as a young boy, he was sharp and quick witted, knowledgeable on almost everyone around him like he knew every secret they possessed. It would have been unnerving to Nyra if he hadn't been her brother, especially when that glint took his pale eyes and a jest in his smirk - he held power over people.
Harwin kept still, knowing there was only one word that would satisfy the young Prince. "A mistake."
Daeron nodded, turning to his sister with a smile. "I hope you know what you're doing with this one, sister. He isn't one I'd take to court with me."
"I've got this, Daeron." She promised with a nod, a small smile. At least, she hoped she had this.
Life seemed to settle after that, Daeron begrudgingly letting Harwin trial behind them as they went into life the same way they had when they were together. It was like no time had passed, glued to the hip and speaking in words that only they knew. She liked to lay beside him at night, the pair watching the stars through the window. "You're different, you know." He said after a while, Nyra was close to being asleep on his shoulder. Her head lolled, dark eyes daring a peak at him.
"What does that mean?" She asked, unsure if she should be offended or not. Normally when someone says that, they don't often like the changes.
"You've lost the way you used to speak." He said. "You spent so much time around the Valyrian teachers that you sounded like them, now you just sound like Westerosi."
She frowned. "Is that a bad thing?"
He shook his head, huffing out a laugh. "I used to like the way you spoke, it's why I still call a butterfly a bubberfly." She cracked a smile. "You sound fine now though, at least the people at court will be able to understand you now."
"Are you saying they didn't before?" He shot her a look. "What? You're honestly saying they couldn't understand me?"
"Valyrian is a hard language to mix with Westerosi words, Nyra. It wasn't your fault they never focused hard enough on what you had to say." Nyra hit him. She could have lived her entire life ignorant to the fact that people didn't overly understand her. Looking back, the only people that did have coherent conversations with her were her family and the Valyrian teachers.
She groaned. "How embarrassing." She admitted, covering her face with her hands. "Was it really that bad?"
"We chalked it down to you just speaking Valyrian in honour of the ancestors - everyone understood." She could never go back, it was decided. "Aegon did try to make it easier for you, he did only speak to others in Valyrian when he saw the Velaryon boys laughing."
Aegon, her chest warmed, head shaking. "That's because they don't understand Valyrian, I remember watching you have whole conversations in the training yard in Valyrian because you knew it would confuse them."
Daeron laughed. "We still do that now when there's people at court we don't like, and when mother irritates us..." He trailed off, lost at the thought of home. "She misses you a lot, you know. She has Helaena but it isn't quite the same."
"Why hasn't she ever visited?" It was a question that had always lingered in her mind, always wanting to be answered but never finding the right answer. Was it because she had four children in the Keep? Because the King kept her there? Nyra had always been close to her mother, always been part of her soul. At first the distance from Alicent felt like she was drowning, now it was a dull ache in her chest.
"Mother does her duty to the crown, Rhaenyra is no longer at court so she and Otto need to secure Aegon's place." He uttered.
"Is Aegon's place in court not secure? He is the first born male, surely that secures what should be his birthright." Perhaps then her mother would not be so busy that she had to keep herself in court.
"There are some that still remember their vows to Rhaenyra, they are the ones that are not so easily swayed." Daeron muttered. "Do not think that a day goes by where she does not wish to see you, you have always been mother's favourite, we all know that."
"I just wish she could." Nyra admitted. He grasped her hand before lacing their fingers together, both falling into quiet contemplation. "How long do you think it will be before we can go back?"
He shrugged. "I hope it's not long."