Stepping into the dimly lit bar, Rhaenyra found herself enveloped in the soft melodies of jazz, while the mingling scent of liquor and cigarettes filled her senses. She approached the counter and swiftly ordered a whiskey – downing it in one bold gulp – her gaze scanning the room in search of her uncle. Eventually, she spotted him at a corner table, surrounded by a group of friends, smoke wafting around them as they played cards and laughed boisterously. Summoning her courage, Rhaenyra strode resolutely toward the table, her voice barely above a whisper as she called out his name. Daemon glanced up briefly, his penetrating gaze meeting Rhaenyra’s eyes. He studied her for a moment, his expression inscrutable. He is surrounded by bitter, weary men whose leering stares she defiantly disregarded. Be brave, she silently reassured herself. This is for Laena. “Rhaenyra,” he finally acknowledged. “I-I need to speak to you... alone,” she stammered. Amidst the clamor of raucous laughter that erupted around her, accompanied by crude and unsettling remarks, a chilling and sharp glance from her uncle silenced the room in an instant. “It’s about Laena,” she continued. Daemon raised an eyebrow as his friends at the table resumed their game. He hesitated for a moment, then let out an exasperated huff. “I haven’t seen her since your high school days,” he said, tossing a card from his deck. “Go home.” Suppressing a surge of fury, Rhaenyra knew she couldn’t afford to back down. The authorities hadn’t taken Laena’s disappearance seriously enough. Time was of the essence, yet she also understood her uncle’s stubborn nature, as far back as she could remember. Determined to make him grasp the gravity of the situation, she persisted. “She’s missing. Please, just give me five minutes.” Finally, Daemon set his cards down, and the room grew momentarily quieter as his friends paused in anticipation. He took a long drag from his cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke, before fully redirecting his attention to Rhaenyra. “You always know how to spoil a good time, don’t you?” he muttered, his voice tinged with frustration. “Fine, let’s step outside. We’ll talk.”
Laena goes missing while hunting down Rhaenyra’s stalker, prompting Rhaenyra to take matters into her own hands. In her quest to find her friend, her first step is to seek out her uncle, Daemon Targaryen, who had just been released from prison.
