Desires Be Damned • Aemond Targaryen

Chapter Four

Rhaenyra

The comfortable silence that followed after Laenor shut the doors was very much welcomed by Rhaenyra. She had just wanted to relax after her labor, a wish that had painfully not been granted.

She had no choice but to comply with the Queen's wishes. Rhaenyra knew her children weren't Laenor's. She knew everyone else knew as well, except for the one person that mattered most; her father, whether through ignorance or not, had no interest in entertaining the idea that his grandchildren were bastards. Alicent wasn't blind, but it was Rhaenyra's thinking that as long as she stayed in the Queen's good graces, Alicent would not be as keen to have Viserys see the truth that was right before his eyes. If that meant having to climb staircase after staircase to the Queen's apartments not even an hour after giving birth to satisfy her request, so be it.

Ser Harwin was admiring the dark haired newborn in his arms, a smile upon his lips, and Rhaenyra wondered how badly Ser Harwin wished he did not have to hide his affection for his children every day.

"You're asleep in front of the Commander of the City Watch. Terrible lack of respect," he joked.

"A certain insolence runs in the family, I'm afraid." Rhaenyra smiled at him.

"Pardon my curiosity, princess," Ser Harwin's voice was barely above a whisper in order to not disturb the babe, "but why do you not permit Dyaena going to the Dragonpit with her brothers? Excluding today, of course. Prince Aemond is also dragon-less, but-"

"Prince Aemond is not my child. Dyaena is." Rhaenyra sighed. "After years of fruitlessly trying to find a dragon that would let her claim them, I didn't want to add jealousy and painful yearning on top of her disappointment. I thought that if she would instead spend her youth taking extra lessons from a governess, and staying away from the Dragonpit for a time, that it would distract her, and that she could try claiming a dragon when she is older. But, it seems I have only succeeded in making her yearning greater while cruelly separating her from her brothers."

The knight's rocking ceased before he walked over to the tired princess and sat next to her. Joffrey was still sound asleep in his arms.

"There have been nights when I would check on her," she continued. "On some, I saw her holding her unhatched egg near the flames in the hearth, almost burning herself in the hopes that she might see it crack. On others, she would be fast asleep while clutching it to her chest. I thought that she would eventually stop, but she hasn't, even after all these years."

"May I speak freely, princess?" Ser Harwin turned towards Rhaenyra who nodded in response. "You wanted to protect her. You're her mother, it's your right. But, I think Dyaena might surprise you, if given the chance. She's strong, in mind and will, much like her parents." Both smiled knowingly at that. "I think she just wants to be included, even if it pains her to be reminded."

"I do wish for her to continue attending her lessons, she's still a princess after all," Rhaenyra concluded, "but, perhaps she could take some time away from them to go to the Dragonpit with her brothers. I won't rob her of that any longer."