CHAPTER ONE.
Nine Years Later
Daenaera Velaryon was nine years of age when she was unofficially labelled as the troublemaker of King's Landing.
A carefree and affectionate child she was described to be by people that loved her; a nuisance and unhinged child to those that did not. The feeble opinion of others that did not matter to her, however, was of little care to the only daughter of the heir to the Iron Throne.
Daenaera spent her days running amok the hallways, helping servants clean despite their consistent polite refusals, creating daisy chains for her mother to don, and by far her favourite: sneaking into the dragon's den to accompany her dragon, Rhaegon. The dragon was a large one for his youthful age, his scales the colour of an emerald, dark green; it was a beautiful shade to admire, but the lethality underneath was not so hidden. Rhaegon was often enamoured by people on just how different he was from the rest of the dragons inhabiting the underground of the dragons den, for Daenaera knew he was commended for his beauty by citizens when flying over the buildings of King's Landing. He was fiercely protective of his rider, and he had no kind bone in his body for anyone for strangers alike, especially those who dared threaten Daenaera.
Her brothers trailed after her fondly, always admiring her with a keen eye as to how they could follow in their big sister's footsteps. The Queen disregarded her as a wild offspring, one that Rhaenyra could not keep in check. This was completely inexact, however, as the only person that could scold and reprimand the girl was her mother. So in turn, Aegon viewed her as an insignificant rebel, one he nor Helaena gave much thought to. The king in his own right chortled off any allegations that his granddaughter was a spitfire of a child, fondness for the girl was his reason for his abundance of ignorance. But Aemond ... Aemond was different.
When Daenaera demanded to the dragon keeper's that she and her dragon were ready to take the skies despite their constant refusal, Aemond admired how she did not once raise her voice but spoke in a final manner. "I will ride Rhaegon today. As Rhaenyra Targaryen's daughter, I demand it."
All the guards should have laughed it off, mark her as a disdainful child who had no place directing them to follow orders. But as he and the rest of his cousins and siblings watched in awe as Rhaegon was saddled and Daenaera mounted her dragon that day, flying alluringly amongst the wind, he knew she was to be no follower to anyone but her mother. A leader even at her youthful age.
Aemond had a fondness for admiring her from the sidelines, her fanciful hobbies intriguing him with the want to befriend her. However, he did not think he could bear the disgust or rejection from her that was inevitable to come if he asked. In his mind, no one wanted to get to know him as a true friend, only his mother seemed to be alone in that department. That was what he thought, until one methodical day showed him different.
Aegon and his dragon, Sunfyre, were in the commandeering mood that day. Pushing the boundaries of their authoritative tone more and more in the manner of making the guards and anyone who got in their way uncomfortable. It wasn't until Aegon turned to him with a glint of malice in his eye, however, that Aemond gulped with the knowledge that this day would not go smoothly for him.
"Why don't you come over here, Aemond? Command my dragon as you please since yours clearly seems to be amiss?" Aemond did no such thing, seeing as Sunfyre's teeth shimmering in the daylight from the windows nearby was not a pleasant sight to be near.
Aegon, however, did not take kindly to being ignored. Moving to charge at his younger brother, he demanded, "Did you not hear what I just said-"
And quite suddenly, as if she was just waiting for her turn to pitch in, a young girl's voice perked up from the right of them, seemingly bored of hearing Aegon's infuriatingly vexing tone. "If you spent half of your time worrying about how much your mother loves you, Aegon, instead of taunting Aemond, you would surely be less of a conceited, insufferable swine."
And at that comment, the room went quiet, as if the power of truth was too grand that no one dared even move an inch. Aegon, flushed with embarrassment, could do nothing but rage his frustrations. "How dare you think you can speak to me-"
As he moved forward with the sure intention of causing harm to Daenaera - not caring he was basically a teenager and her a young child - her dragon, Rhaegon, moved his head in front of her, completely covering her body and snarling with the warning for Aegon to surrender on his fruitless mission.
As everyone in the room became unsettled and the dragon keeper's called off the lesson for the day, securing that the dragons be nestled back in the underground keep, Daenaera approached Aemond after consoling her younger brothers worry and ensuring them she was indeed fine. He had to double take when he realised she was indeed making her way towards him, but he was sure she was just going to ridicule him as his brother would have done.
"He should not speak to you that way."
Aemond, surprised and having nothing to say, turned to Daenaera with a rage that was all directed at Aegon. He knew he should've been this incensed towards his older brother and not at the girl who had reached her hand out to help, but the young boy did not understand yet how to discern his anger. He spoke, "I do not need you to defend me, I don't need you at all."
And with that, he walked away, regretting the sentences the second he uttered them. He had a chance to speak to her, right there and then, a golden apple dangling in front of his face and all he did was chew and spit it out with ungratefulness. But if he went back and apologised, he didn't think he could suffer the pity up close that glazed over Daenaera's eyes every time she looked towards him.
But the Gods must have heard his regret, as that night when he was strolling the library corridors, he viewed a small figure perched in a corner, nothing save for a lit lantern huddled close by and quite a large book settled on her lap keeping her company. Aemond did not mistake her for one second. Before he could prepare himself on what to say, or if he should just leave altogether, Daenaera spoke without even looking up. "If you've come to further lecture me, uncle, I'll let you know my mother has already apprehended me for my outburst and the choice of my words. Despite them being true as Aegon is an unbearable imbecile-"
"Thank you." He spoke before he even realised what words had left his mouth. As silence fell with the only sound being that of the candle's flickering flame, he closed his eyes and lingered in the embarrassment of admitting - what was in his eyes - weakness. As he turned to make exit to cut short the embarrassing encounter he would surely put out of his mind, Daenaera quickly spoke once more.
"Wait," as he turned back around, his eyes locking with hers, he could see the sincerity hidden within them. "You do not need to thank me, Aemond. In truth I should've spoken up long ago, but hopefully now Aegon will second guess himself on insulting you."
Letting a small smile slip, he tried to convey his gratefulness once more without speaking, as he wasn't even quite sure what he would reply to her statement. He tried for a different topic of conversation, "What are you reading?"
He watched as her eyes twinkled with delight, as if she were just waiting for someone to ask. "Oh! Just about our ancestors, I love reading about the battles and such. Would you perhaps like to join me?"
Aemond stumbled with uncertainty, not quite believing where his at first quiet stroll in the library was leading. Other than his mother, Aemond didn't have friends. He was not one to simply accompany another in reading or in conversation, he was alone almost all of the time, and he thought he was okay with that. Until now.
Not daring to speak, as he think he would run on the spot if his voice shook with acceptance of Daenaera's offer, he nodded and sat by her side, making sure to keep a respectable distance. The other girl, however, did not seem to understand the concept of personal space as she moved closer so their sides nestled together; she moved the book so it was placed upon both their laps. Aemond thanked the Gods Daenaera could not see his face flushing in the poor candle light, his heart racing with the unexpected warmth her body radiated.
As the two read on, Daenaera making comments on whoever she thought was interesting, Aemond turned to look at her. He had never noticed just how pretty his sister's daughter truly was, or maybe he just didn't appreciate it enough. From this angle, he could see a faint spray of freckles decorating her face, and her eyes that were filled to the brim with excitement as they moved back and forth with her narrating were a pleasant sight to witness. He tried to ignore the way his heart picked up speed as he gazed on, but he failed quite tremendously. For the first time in his life, Aemond smiled with the comfort that he was not alone in this world.
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When Daenaera returned to her quarters that evening, her guard following her in tow, she opened her bedroom doors to view her mother pacing the length of her bedroom, worry etching her features and her hands clutching at one another. "Daenaera!"
Immediately crouching so she was on eye level to the younger girl, her mother began her sure lecture. "You're usually back by this hour, your brothers are already abed! What kept you?"
It wasn't until Daenaera studied her mother's worry that she realised the implications of her and Aemond's newly found friendship. It wasn't a secret that Rhaenyra and Alicent Hightower were foes in secret, the fake natured politeness that emanated from them whenever they were near did not go amiss by people closest to them. Daenaera didn't even begin to wonder what the Queen would have to say about her and Aemond becoming closer, for she already knew the woman's opinion of her.
"Mother, you must forgive me. If you disagree with this, know that I will follow your wishes but..."
Rhaenyra, sensing the animosity, stood and led her daughter towards her bed, sitting beside her and placing a hand upon her delicate cheek. "What is it, my sweet girl?"
"Aemond has become my friend, if you will." As she began to describe her nights venture, she couldn't help not withholding the smile growing on her face. But as she switched to seriousness, her face darkened with displeasure. "But I know that the Queen wouldn't be pleased, it's no secret the way she feels for me and my brothers with her bigoted opinions-"
"Daenaera." Her mother warned, despite the slight smirk begging to release at the corner of her lips. She never liked to keep secrets from her children, the only truth she withheld were the correct facts of their parental lineage to protect them as much as she could. Besides, they had yet to come to the discovery themselves, so she still kept that particular candour locked away.
"Right. Sorry." The girl was not sorry at all. "And if you will it, I will not continue my friendship with Aemond, mother. It's my last wish to upset you-"
"Upset me?" Rhaenyra raised her eyebrow at the girl's statement, she moved her hand to her daughter's hair, tucking it behind her ear as she continued to stroke her cheek, "Daenaera, my only wish in this world is for you and your brothers to be happy. If being close with Aemond fulfills that, then you should pay no mind to what anyone else thinks."
The girl looked up at her mother fondly, loving her with every inch of her being in that moment. Daenaera was often likened to being an exact carbon copy of her mother in looks, but truth be told, she strived to share the same similarities in personality to her. For in her mind, Rhaenyra was what a true Targaryen was supposed to be. "But I am glad to know you love me so fiercely, my dear daughter, because that's exactly how I feel for you."
Throwing her arms around her mother, Daenaera buried her head in Rhaenyra's shoulder, craving the loving touch of her only caring parent in that moment. And that night when her mother tucked her in bed and she gazed at her in the candlelight, she knew she would follow Rhaenyra Targaryen anywhere.