The Dragons and Their Sun (aemond/oc)

rhaenyra XI

 "There will be many young eligible men here for her to choose from, Rhaenyra. She's a Baratheon Lady; marriage is expected of her," her father had said once again. She hadn't even been here a full hour before he started talking about this. She and Laenor had explained multiple times that they would not force the girl to marry. They would not sell her like cattle to enter a prison when she spent half of her life in her own personal prison. That was cruel, and they were not cruel, not to their daughter.

"Father, Aurora will marry when she wants to marry. We will not force her into anything," Rhaenyra told her father for the fourth time.

"Your boys are within marrying age. Why not betrothe them?" He asked her.

She sighed, "They don't wish to marry each other."

She didn't bother mentioning that she was sure they would never view each other as more than brother and sister. Besides, she's seen the way her son looks at his aunt. She wasn't going to marry him to someone he views as his sister when she's fairly certain he wants to marry someone else. He tended to avoid the conversation if he sensed Rhaenyra was bringing it up. Helaena was more of an open book, though. The smiles and blushes that came from her were harder to hide.

"Your Grace, was there anything else needed for the festivities? Is everything settled?" Laenor cut in to save her from this conversation.

She shot him a grateful look as her father's attention was brought from the topic of marriage to the upcoming ball, "I believe everything is settled. The last of our guests will arrive by sunset tomorrow, and then we're set for the day after."

"Who else is to arrive?" Laenor asked, exchanging a look with Rhaenyra. Everyone they knew was coming was already here.

"I know you've said no, but I want her to have options. A Lady with gifts like hers deserves to be married," her father spoke resolutely.

Rhaenyra bit back her initial retort before going with the gentler option, "A Lady like her deserves the choice."

She knew he wasn't going to get it. He was an old man living in a world where women were second class citizens. Where they were prizes to be won. He was trying to auction her daughter off to the highest bidder, and she would die before she let that happen. She was certain Laenor would too.

Viserys made a noise of dismissal before changing the subject, "Tell me, how did she manage to tame that magnificent beast?"

Rhaenyra smiled as she thought back to that day.

6 YEARS AGO

The castle practically shook with the roar that sounded. Rhaenyra was up in an instant, terrified about what was happening. She rushed out of her room to see everyone emerging from their chambers in their sleep clothes and rubbing their eyes. She moved forward to check each child and make sure they were all okay. She did a quick head count before her heart dropped realizing two of her kids were missing.

"Aegon and Aurora? Where are they?" Laenor voiced her thoughts. She felt like her brain was stuck with worry as she began to panic. That should've woken everyone up, so where were they?

Jace turned to run to their rooms, and he emerged from both within a minute, shaking his head, "They're not in their rooms."

She felt a hand grab hers, and she looked down to find Luke clutching her hand with a scared look on his face, "Are they okay?"

Rhaenyra schooled her features to answer him, "I'm sure they're fine, sweet boy. They're most likely together, you know them."

His worry lessened slightly as he nodded at her. Then, she heard something. Someone was yelling. She couldn't make it out, but she knew who it was. Exchanging a quick glance with Laenor, she was off down the hall, running towards the sound. It was coming from the beach. Other residents of the castle were making their way outside as well. Rhaenyra's heart was racing as she tried to piece together a reason her child would be screaming on the beach after being unconscious for three days. She couldn't lose her. She wouldn't.