𝐈 𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐒 | aegon targaryen

𝐢. blood of my blood

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Shiera watched from the balcony as her daughter wandered the garden's of their motte and Bailey castle in the city of Lys. Arianna did this often, finding solace in the silence. She loved solitary places, vast views and to feel herself forever and ever alone.

Perhaps that was what came with being practically exiled from the place of your birth.

In all she said and seemed open, Shiera knew her daughter better than anyone. There was something hidden in the Targaryen girl. In all she did, there was something concealed. The clearness was only outward; within was a wandering flame.

Shiera watched as Arianna knelt down to a small wounded bird, caressing it's wing carefully before snapping it's neck. Mercy. Shiera knew her daughter was not cruel unless needs be. Never would she harm a thing that didn't need harming.

Often Shiera would think of the fate of Arianna's true born mother in moments like these and how remember how reluctant she was to let her go. But she also knew that no matter howl reluctant, Shiera would have snapped the girl out of her hands a million times over and swept her away to Lys.

More than anywhere else in the known world, the blood of Old Valyria still runs strong in the Lyseni, who are regarded as beautiful. Even the smallfolk in Lys have the pale skin, silver-gold hair, and purple, lilac, and pale blue eyes of the dragonlords of old. Many of the nobility in Lys have produced infamous beauties, and the Lysene nobility values the purity of their blood above all. Targaryen kings and princes are known to have looked at Lys for wives and paramours, for their blood as well as their beauty

Arianna was safe here. Amongst her people.

And yet so very far away from where she was supposed to be.

But that would soon change. Particularly after the letter Shiera had received from Jon Connington earlier that day. It was time to enact Aegon's dream. The promise of the Targaryen line, of their blood.

Shiera had never thought of herself as a mother. But now she would be nothing but the protector of her darling girl. For to be a mother, is to be a sacrifice.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Shiera watched her daughter in the mirror.

"Jon Connington?" Arianna asked carefully as her mother unbraided her hair carefully. "Of the Stormlands?"

"Once, yes." Shiera said, gently pulling the silver golden hair to fall in cascades down her back. "But now he is merely a servant to our house. He is protecting your brother."

"Brother." Arianna said carefully, still testing the word on her tongue even years after being told of her true heritage. "Why was there no one to protect my sister then?"

Shiera sighed.

She had never lied to her daughter, she claimed to be her mother because she truly felt she was. But Arianna knew of the woman who gave her life and of her father who stole that life. She knew of the brother she had shared a womb. She knew of the sister she once had. She knew of the aunt across the narrow sea. She knew many things.

"I have asked that question myself many a time, my darling." Shiera said. "Thy hurt little girls in every corner of the world, not all can be protected."

"But this Jon Connington..." Arianna spoke once more, breaking the silence that fell upon the momentarily. "He protected my brother?"

"Yes, as I did you." Shiera said with a loving smile, leaning down to rest her chin on Arianna's shoulder. "They will be arriving within the week."

"But why, mother?" Arianna asked as she met Shiera's eyes through the reflection. "We have been living in secrecy, Targaryen's among a slaving city of Valyrian's who have forgotten their noble blood. It has been ten and seven years of this masquerade-"

"And now is the time to break it." Shiera said, kneeling now beside Arianna. "You are the saviour of our house, you carry the blood and magic of Old Valyria my darling girl. Now comes the time to reclaim our Kingdom and put an end to the long night. The way Aegon dreamed it."

"Aegon." Arianna said, her face falling into a mask of realisation. "He is the prince who was promised. Who my father... who Aegon the conquerer dreamt of?"

Shiera was silent, staring up into the violet eyes of Arianna Visenya Targaryen, first of her name, true born heir of Aerys and Rhaeger Targaryen. She swallowed any doubt, though there was none to swallow.

"Perhaps." Shiera said with an elegant little shrug." But what I say now must stay between us, my darling."

"I have no other confidants but you, mother."

"What a lucky girl you are then." Sheila teased her before falling back to the stoicism as she leaned forward to whisper so not even the gods would hear. "Arianna Targaryen, I believe you are the Princess who was promised. You will save our house. You will save us all. You are not a creature who was born, you are a fire that was set."

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Shiera watched the ship make its way into the harbour.

Ever since that day seven and ten years ago when she first held her daughter in her arms as the Dornish princess watched over her shoulder from the exit of Varys' rooms, she had awaited this day with a sense of foreboding. She knew one day Arianna would not belong to her but to everyone, that was the curse of a Targaryen. 

Not even on your dragon can you outrun people's expectations of you.

She glimpsed a man of what looked about seven and ten years of age jump from the ship to help moor it on the harbour. Aegon.

It all changes now, Shiera thought to herself, nothing will ever be the same once the three headed dragon joins as one.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.