Alyssa couldn't lie and say she wasn't afraid when Laena was labouring. It sounded scary; so incredibly painful. To hear her groan and yell from the pain of it.
She hid herself away while it was happening. Alyssa hoped it would go by fast, that she'd have her siblings and it would be over quickly. But to her dismay and surprise, it went on for hours.
Daemon was always near, was checking in with the Maester and midwife, in the room when she wanted and out when she didn't.
He found Alyssa with her knees pressed to her chest and cowering in Laena's room. It was a comfort while she was in pain and labouring. She was the only mother Alyssa could fully remember, felt comfort from.
"Is she okay?" Alyssa asked finally, looking up at her father.
"Everything is going well, little dragon. This is normal. Laena is strong and she is brave. She's going to be fine." Daemon caressed Alyssa's hair but watched her face pale.
"This is normal?" That was what she would have to do. At least, that's what she'd been told. Marrying.
Daemon gave a small chuckle and pulled Alyssa from where she sat. "Come. Rest and when you wake, it will be over."
Alyssa was put to bed by Daemon. Tucked in and kissed on the forehead, he left her to sleep while he returned to his labouring wife. Not much longer, they'd assured. But that could mean anything.
It was early morning when Laena finally delivered both of her twins. After many hours and exhaustive efforts, both babies were safe and alive.
"Twin girls, my prince."
Two more daughters. Both with the same beautiful silver hair as their mother and golden umber skin.
Many men would have been dejected at the news. That they'd had a second and third daughter, not a son. But Daemon Targaryen wasn't most men.
He didn't care about his children having cocks. They were beautiful. They were perfect and they had his blood. That was all that mattered.
Baela and Rhaena. For Daemon's father and Laena's mother. Perfect twin girls.
They sent the news by letter. That she'd delivered two healthy baby girls. And subsequently, the two dragon eggs that had been sent as gifts were placed in the cradles.
Alyssa wasn't woken to meet her sisters. Daemon and Laena left her to rest while they did the same. Got Laena cleaned up and cared for after her hours of agony and exertion.
And when Alyssa did finally wake, with maids helping her dress, they took her to see Laena.
She was extremely quiet when she entered, a little nervous she would disturb what peace there was.
Laena smiled when she saw her stepdaughter; she was laying in the bed holding one of the babies. Daemon was standing next to her with the other in his arms.
"Sisters, Alyssa. You were right," Laena said, a contented smile on her face when she noticed those mismatched eyes light up. "Rhaena," in reference to the baby she held, "and Baela." Laena gestured with her head to Daemon.
Baela and Rhaena. Her sisters.
Alyssa slowly sat on the bed and Daemon approached. He leaned down and carefully handed Baela to Alyssa, settling the baby in her arms.
It was a strange weight. A baby, a child. Alyssa was only a child herself. But she felt nothing but love when she looked at her sister. A life. A Targaryen, a person for her to protect.
Two people for her to protect.
"Do we all start this small?" Alyssa asked after a moment, glancing from the baby to her father. It was unbelievable, holding a being that small.
Daemon laughed. "Most of us. But then we grow." He ruffled Alyssa's braided hair, messing up the work of the maids.
Her sisters.
***
Having two newborn babies was much of a task. Even with the help of maids and servants, they had to do double of everything.
It meant that Alyssa was a little neglected as she helped to care for her new sisters. She knew why, understood the purpose, and she didn't blame her father and mother. But it was a little disheartening. Just for the first year of their lives.
Because when they were so young, they required attention around the clock. And it was a crucial time for bonding.
Alyssa liked to help care for Baela and Rhaena. But there wasn't much she could do when they were babies. She entertained herself while her parents were occupied with the babies.
Often, Alyssa read Valyrian histories like her father. She was extremely proficient in the language thanks to his teaching, so she liked to read what he read. To make him proud.
As well, Alyssa spent a lot of time continuing to bond with Cannibal. Her massive beast that let her claim him as just a girl. All she wanted was to be able to ride him. He had a saddle.
But Daemon knew he was too big for her to ride when she was so young. He'd always said 8 as a precursor, hoping she would bond herself enough to Cannibal that he'd listen when it was time.
So finally, when the twins were one and just a little bit more capable of being alive, Daemon and Laena agreed it was time. Alyssa was eight, approaching nine quickly.
Besides, the girls already had a good relationship.
They often found them in a little pile in Alyssa's bed. She liked to read to her sisters. Baela, Rhaena, and Baela's dragon, Moondancer.
Her egg hatched; Rhaena's hadn't yet. There was still time, of course. But it was looking more and more likely the egg wouldn't.
Regardless of her lack of dragon, Baela, Moondancer, and Rhaena often curled up beside Alyssa as she read to them. Then they fell asleep. And Alyssa followed because she couldn't move.
"Look at our girls," Laena would say fondly, standing beside Daemon as they watched their daughters sleep. She saw Alyssa as her daughter just as much as Baela and Rhaena were.
She very much hoped that he didn't have regrets about their gender. Especially since the person he'd wanted to marry had given birth to two boys.
But all of that was disregarded when Daemon finally told Alyssa she was going to learn how to ride her dragon. She was going to become a dragonrider.
With her brand-new riding leathers, Daemon took Alyssa out to a large open area around their residence. They both called their dragons, Caraxes and Cannibal, and had the both of them called to heel in front of them.
Laena was standing back a very fair distance, one twin in each arm. She wanted to watch Alyssa ride for the first time.
"Do you remember what I told you?" Daemon inquired, standing beside Alyssa in front of Cannibal.
Usually, Dragonkeepers would assess when a Targaryen was ready to ride. And with a dragon of Cannibals size, they would most likely tell Alyssa to wait. But she didn't want to. And Daemon was her father.
"Yes," Alyssa assured, tightening her gloves. "Go slow and hold on tight." That was the gist of the lessons he'd taught her. Other than the commands.
It was a little unsure, however, since Cannibal was a wild dragon. That's why Caraxes was there. In case Alyssa needed help from him up in the sky.
"Good. Go on."
With his encouragement, Alyssa walked toward Cannibal. She wasn't afraid of riding him; she'd waited for as long as she could remember.
Alyssa started at his head. Holding what she could of it in her hands, speaking soothing words in Valyrian to him. He was only ever calm like that with her.
"I want to fly," she said to him, giving him fair warning of what she wanted.
Immediately, Cannibal turned away from her. Alyssa dropped her hands as she watched him turn his body, the ground shaking with each step he took.
But he was doing it. Cannibal turned his side toward Alyssa and leaned down as far as he could go. He offered his wing to her, so she could climb his side and get onto the saddle.
Without a moment of hesitation, Alyssa jogged forward and climbed onto Cannibal's wing. She used his various spikes and claws as handholds, pulling herself further up the dragon.
Until she got to his back and neck. Alyssa mounted the saddle, throwing her leg over and pulling herself into it.
A bit big. Room for her to grow. But it felt comfortable, it felt right. Alyssa was meant to be up there on her own dragon.
She took a breath and reached forward for the reigns. Alyssa took the rope in her hands, holding onto the front of the saddle, and glanced at Caraxes.
Daemon had already mounted his dragon in the time it took Alyssa. He nodded at her, letting her know that she could give the command.
Alyssa gripped the saddle tighter. "Fly, Cannibal."
Even though he was wild, Cannibal knew what that meant. Alyssa had done much work with him to make sure of it.
He pushed himself off of the ground and shook the dirt and sand off. Because he was so big, the movement was jarring and Alyssa was already grabbing onto the saddle.
She remembered what Daemon told her as Cannibal began to run forward. It was especially important for her; to lean down low when he was taking off. If she didn't, the force of the wind would be too much.
So Alyssa grabbed on as tightly as she could and leaned low. It felt so strange not to have someone at her back. The only times she'd ridden had been with Daemon behind her, holding on to make sure she didn't fall.
No longer did she have that assurance. And she was riding a much bigger dragon.
But it was hers. Her right as a Targaryen. Both Daemon and Laena did it; Laena with an even larger dragon. Alyssa could do it too.
She hadn't been afraid before. But when she felt that familiar feeling in her tummy when Canibal began to lift himself off of the ground, Alyssa felt a twinge of fear.
Still, she gripped the saddle and squinted her eyes to keep them open as he went vertical. His wings were like the clap of thunder as he climbed into the air, a growl leaving his mouth.
When they were high enough, Cannibal finally straightened himself out. Alyssa slowly let herself sit up and look around, hands firmly grasping the reigns.
It was breathtaking. She'd flown before, of course. But never on her own and never on her own dragon. She didn't get to see that view, get to feel the wind rush fully around her.
Alyssa smiled and laughed, taking a breath of the ever-fresh air. "Beautiful," she said in Valyrian.
She looked back over the side of her dragon when she heard the whistling roar of Caraxes. Alyssa saw her father flying towards them, a little faster with how lanky Caraxes was.
For the first time, Alyssa could fly beside him instead of with him. With that in mind, Alyssa took the reigns and encouraged Cannibal forward.
It truly was a sight to see from the ground. Cannibal and Caraxes weaving between one another in the sky. Roaring and growling, playing.
Alyssa was born to be a dragonrider. One could say that every Targaryen was born for it. But she was meant for it. Comfortable on her beast at 8, weaving around the sky, guiding her dragon to turn and dive low and then pull back up.
And the command. The one command she'd been waiting so long to give while she was in the air. Her House words.
Fire and blood.
So as Caraxes followed Cannibal, Alyssa gave the command.
"Dracarys!" She yelled as loud as she could, climbing higher, flying faster.
That might've been Cannibal's favourite command too.
With a grumbling roar, Cannibal reared his head back and shot green flame out of his mouth. Alyssa felt the intense heat as she flew threw it. Daemon followed right after.
It was everything he'd ever wanted from his family. To ride dragons with them. His Alyssa, his little dragon was finally riding her own.
They stayed up in the sky far longer than they needed to. Alyssa laughing as she rode Cannibal, Daemon following along on Caraxes. Perfect father-daughter bonding.
But they did eventually have to land. Alyssa held on tightly again, giving Cannibal the command.
He took her back towards the ground. A little more careful as he lowered them, wings flapping and hovering, until they touched down again.
Alyssa climbed down the same way she climbed up. She threw her leg over the saddle and climbed down off of his wing.
She was a little wobbly on solid ground but Alyssa was elated. It was amazing. She could have spent every day on dragonback.
That's what Daemon was worried about. But it would give her something to do. And he couldn't blame her; she was his daughter.
He landed Caraxes and returned to her as they walked back toward Laena, the twins squirming in her arms.
"Now you're a true dragonrider. It gets better with age. I promise," Daemon said, ruffling her hair like he usually did.
"That was wonderful!" Laena exclaimed when they got closer again, both girls in her arms laughing. "You were born for this, Alyssa. I cannot wait to see what a fine rider you become."
Alyssa smiled and took Baela from her, hugging her sister close. "I hope to be the best. My dragon will eat all the others. Isn't that right?" Alyssa asked, looking down at a giggling Baela.
Daemon and Laena looked at one another. A knowing look passed between them.
It was very clear their lives would become more... hectic as Alyssa aged.
They couldn't even blame her. She hadn't been raised like a lady of her status usually was and the influences in her life never had much care for tradition anyway.
And she hadn't even reached double digits.