The Joker and The Queen // Daemon Targaryen // Harwin Strong

1. Cookies

"I don't wanna!" Vaera shouted over at her sister.

"It's been long enough, they will worry." Rhaenyra called back.

"Nyra!" Vaera whined. "What can they do? They don't have dragons, they cant come and get us!" Vaera called back.

"You wont get in trouble, because you never get in trouble but I will." Rhaenyra reminded her.

"I can tell father it is my fault." Vaera offered.

"He will say I am the eldest and I should know better." Rhaenyra countered.

"I can take the blame, he wont get mad if I say its my fault." Vaera reminded her.

"No, Vee." Rhaenyra told her. "He wont get mad at you because you get away with murder."

"I haven't killed anyone." Vaera said defensively. "Calypso either. Well not on purpose at least." She added softly.

"Come on." Rhaenyra demanded and Vaera groaned but followed her elder sister down.

Rhaenyra and Vaera came swooping down on their dragons, Syrax and Calypso. Much to everyone's dismay the princesses were as wild and vibrant as a dragon itself.

'Welcome back, Princesses. I trust your ride was pleasant.' Ser Harrold Westerling remarked as Rhaenyra slide from the dragons back. Vaera was such a little thing it felt like a ride sliding off of Calypso's back. Ser Harwin caught her and she smiled happily up at him.

'Try not to look too relieved, ser.' Rhaenyra said with a grin as she walked past him and her dragon was brought back into the cave. Targaryen's and their dragons.

"You scare me being up there." Harwin remarked.

"I'm a dragon." Vaera reminded him. "I'm fine."

"You are so little," Harwin told her as she lead Calypso back following her sister. "I worry you are going to go flying off. Then I lose my job." Harwin teased.

"Ha. Ha' Vaera said dryly. "You would miss me if I was gone." Vaera told him confidently.

"Yes. I would.' Harwin agreed.

'I am relieved. Every time that golden beast brings you back unspoiled, it saves my head from a spike.' Westerling called after her but she ignored him as she always did when it came to his or anyone else's concerns with her dragons. As did Vaera.

'Syrax is growing quickly. She'll soon be as large as Caraxes.' Alicent remarked as Rhaenyra came back out.

'That's almost large enough to saddle two.' Rhaenyra told her closest friend. But Rhaenyra was the wild one and Alicent the tame. Vaera didn't like Alicent. She wanted to be Nyra's best friend and Alicent held that title currently. Vaera thought it was because she was younger and smaller than Nyra that she wanted elder friends but Alicent didn't like dragons so that was Rhaenyra and Vaera's time together uninterrupted.

'I believe I'm quite content as a spectator, thank you.' Alicent assured her as the dragon keeper Elder started speaking in High Valyrian talking to the dragon trying to get her calm and inside.

'Dohaeras.' Syrax grumbled and gave little roar of distaste of being stuck and not flying around with her master. 'Naejot!' he demanded and Syrax roared again as she was moved into her holding.

"Calypso is much better trained than Syrax." Vaera boasted walking past Rhaenyra.

"Shut up!" Rhaenyra hissed before realizing how late she was.

"Race you to mother!" Vaera declared and the girls took off. They made their way quickly to their mothers side, the baby was due any day now. The sound of horses neighing, birds cawing as she got inside caught her attention. The closer she got the slower she walked, a pace suitable of a princess. But Vaera ran ahead.

"Hello my baby!" Aemma declared as Vaera hugged her. "Were you riding today?"

"Calypso really wanted to mama." Vaera told her.

"Oh... did he?" Aemma questioned with a chuckle.

"Yeah, he told me." Vaera agreed as Rhaenyra walked in.

'Ah... Rhaenyra. You know I don't like you two, to go flying while I'm in this condition.' Queen Aemma told her daughter.

'You don't like us to go flying while you're in any condition.' Rhaenyra corrected. "Did you scold Vee as well?" Vaera chuckled. She was never disciplined. Vaera was the baby of the family and got away with sin. Rhaenyra resented her for it.

'Your Grace.' Alicent said curtsying before the queen.

'Good morrow, Alicent.' Aemma said kindly.

'Did you sleep?' Rhaenyra questioned her mother.

'I slept.'

'How long?' she pushed and Aemma chuckled.

'I don't need mothering, Rhaenyra.' She reminded her as she held Vaera to her.

'Well, here you are, surrounded by attendants, all focused on the babe. Someone has to attend to you.' Rhaenyra told her confidently.

"I can stay,'' Vaera told her. "I can make you tea and cookies, you want a cookie right? I want a cookie too." She whispered.

"I always want cookies." Aemma agreed.

"I will get them!" Vaera declared jumping up.

'You will lie in this bed soon enough, Rhaenyra. This discomfort is how we serve the realm.' Aemma told her solemnly.

'I'd rather serve as a knight and ride to battle and glory.' Rhaenyra told her and there was a murmur of laughter around the room to which Rhaenyra shot a glare back at them. She was meant for things bigger than marriage and babies.

'We have royal wombs, you and I and Vaera. The child bed is our battlefield. We must learn to face it with a stiff lip. Now take a bath. You stink of dragon.' Aemma said kissing her daughters cheek.

+

A/N
Alternative version to Illicit affiars Harwin// Criston.

You were vocal of your love of vaera and Daemon but were rooting for Harwin the whole time so you have ily3000_91732 to thank for suggesting this at the right time!
Adapted and expanded. It is the Vaera you know and love but with new Drama!!