Best Mistake || AEMOND TARGARYEN

ix. a clash of swords

[a/n: italicized text indicates high valyrian dialogue]

four years later

SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Visenya Targaryen stood in the training yard with her father, Daemon Targaryen. Over the last four years since her confrontation with Aemond on Rhaenys' Hill, she told her father she wanted to be adequately trained. She knew what her duties as a woman were; one day she would have to take a husband, which her parents were learning towards marrying her to her brother, Jacaerys, although neither sibling wanted that. They loved each other, of course, but not in that extra way that some Targaryen siblings have.

But she told her father that as heir after her mother, she would be well-equipped and know how to defend herself past dragon riding. She brought up a good point that sometimes she may find herself in a situation that Rhaegon cannot get her out of, and if she cannot defend herself on her own, then what use is she? Since that moment, Daemon has trained his daughters alongside her brothers, Lucerys and Jacaerys.

She was very skilled with the sword, Daemon told her that she was as fierce as her namesake Visenya I, sister-wife of Aegon the Conqueror who aided in the Conquest of bringing the Seven Kingdoms under one rule... Targaryen rule. As a young girl, Visenya had also been trained in the arts, singing, dancing, histories of the arts, and architecture. Shifting that knowledge into her training, she found training with the sword was much like a dance. Defending yourself was all in how you moved.

Visenya was quick and light on her feet.

Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey gathered around the training yard with the other knights to watch Visenya and her father spar. Ser Erryk was among the spectators; when Visenya wasn't training or sparring with her father, she would be with Ser Erryk. He was proud of her growth and saw that she was formidable with the sword. Ser Erryk was also proud of Visenya; he felt the pride of an older brother who had watched his younger sister rise from her heartbreak and remake herself into who she wanted to be. Ser Erryk was honored to be her protector and her friend.

Rhaenyra sat on the balcony above the training yard with her two youngest sons, Aegon and Viserys who were born in the last four years. She was also pregnant again. Visenya was hoping that her mother would have another daughter, she told Rhaenyra that they were far too outnumbered by men and they needed another girl in the family. Rhaenyra laughed and agreed that another daughter would be nice. But secretly, Rhaenyra loved that Visenya was her only daughter. Visenya being her first-born child and her only daughter made their bond special.

But Visenya was grateful for her half-sisters, Baela and Rhaena Targaryen. In the last four years, after getting over the deterioration of her relationship with Aemond, she started to reach out to her sisters more. Since they were raised in Pentos due to Daemon's exile, the girls weren't raised together, but they wanted to know each other. Baela and Rhaena were delighted when Visenya first reached out to them, and the girls had become close ever since.