The Dragons Daughter

chapter eight

Time passed in Driftmark and a funeral ended with a wedding, between Daemon and Rhaenyra. Laenor was found dead in the hall mysteriously. Rhaella began to fear what was to come. She stood next to her half sisters and now step brothers as the pair was married in the tradition of Old Valyria. They were bound together with fire and blood.

Rhaella stood on the shores of Drifmark wearing a dress of black and red, gifted to her by her new step mother. Daemon had told her she was to come to Dragonstone with them. Where he claimed they could be a family. Her hair was done in braids, not how she usually wore it but her father insisted she dress the part in Dragonstone. They would be leaving today but she wanted to relax on the shores of Driftmark one last time.

Rhaella was making her way back up the steps when she ran into Aemond. Aemond was shocked at the sight of her, she looked like a true Targaryen now. His mouth hung open while Rhaella tried to get his attention.

"Prince Aemond??" She was almost yelling at him now. He cleared his throat and looked down at the stone steps.

"Apologies, I thought you'd be gone by now." Aemond answered quietly. Rhaella sighed.

"I am on my last walk before my father forces me to Dragonstone. The boat leaves as soon as I return." She said sadly, she feared life in Dragonstone would be worse than Kings Landing. Aemond noticed she wouldnt look up at him. Perhaps his scar frightened her and she was afraid of him. Everyone seemed to stare at him now, and not in a good way.

"Mayhaps you can claim a dragon yourself, come visit Kings Landing." He said with a crooked smile. Rhaella glanced up at him and nodded.

"We shall see, my prince." She gave him a slight bow before going on her way. Aemond watched her disappear behind the walls of Driftmark. He wouldn't see her again for many years.

The first few weeks in Dragonstone moved slowly. Daemon would send Rhaella to her studies and in the afternoons he would take her to the Dragonmont where she would often get burnt and cut across her back from the dragon glass that stuck out in the pits. Dragons were not so friendly to strangers either and she was one. Rhaella would collect dragon eggs for her father. He seemed obsessed with hatching dragons. She continued these chores for her father for the next many years, along with serious training of the sword. Daemon was obsessed with creating a useful soldier out of the girl.

"Keep your abs tight! Or you will be dead in a minute." Daemon hissed, shoving young Rhaella onto the ground. She huffed, quickly standing back up. Rhaella was growing used to her fathers rath. Everyday he pushed her past her limits, saying one day it will all make sense. Rhaella was clueless to her fathers dark plan for her. She would be a soldier, for a war that had not yet begun.

"I am tired father, please can we finish!" Rhaella was out of breath as their swords crashed together once more.

"We will be done when you are perfect!" He said, grabbing onto her shoulder frustrated. Rhaellas eyes went wide with fear. Daemon sighed, releasing her from his grasp.

"I will be perfect, I swear." Rhaella said with confidence. Holding up her sword with the last bit of her strength the pair continued to spar until the sun began to set.

While Rhaellas relationship with Daemon was still rough, the young girl grew close to Princess Rhaenyra. Rhaenyra had always wished for a daughter and she gained three after marrying daemon. Rhaenyra helped Rhaella in learning Valyrian and often helped the girl dress properly as a Targaryen child. After long hours of training Rhaella was met with a smirking Rhaenyra in her chambers.

"Sweet girl, you must tell me if he is going to hard on you. I could send you to train alongside Jace and Luke." She said taking her arms in her hands.

"I would rather keep training with Daemon, he knows what is best for me." Rhaella said looking at the floor. She so desperately just wanted to fit in. She was tired of feeling so different. No matter where she was Kings Landing, Dragonstone, it was all the same.

Dragonstone was where Rhaella would spend the next many years of her life, learning how cruel a father could be. But she would also gain a dragon.