TW-Domestic abuse.
Annerys wakes to Joffrey's incessant little taps. As she opens her eyes she wakes to see him smiling down at her. "Morning." She says groggily.
"I'm so happy that you're here," Joffrey exclaims to her perhaps a little too loudly for the early hour.
"That's nice." Anne smiles however.
"Will you come see Tyraxes with me?"
"It's very early Joff."
"I know, I want to feed him his breakfast."
"You can't just go climbing around the caves of the dragonmount by yourself."
"I know, that's why I'm bringing you." He says brightly.
Anne sighs and says "Fine. But go find your cloak and put on sensible shoes."
Joffrey bounds off to do as he was told, happy to be getting his way that morning. As Annerys slips her feet into her slippers and pulls a small embroidered blanket from the bottom of his bed and wraps the cloth around her shoulders like a shawl. As despite it still being summer the sun had yet to fully rise and warm the air.
"Come on. Let's go." Joffrey says both impatiently and excitedly.
Anne's not sure there's a thing Joffrey loves more in this world than dragons, especially his own. She can still remember Luke picking out the small red and blue egg the day of their brother's birth. Anne hadn't been so bothered about getting to choose the egg unlike her two brothers who were quite giddy about it. Joffrey had been a week earlier than forecasted by the maesters and Anne hadn't the chance to complete the blanket she was embroidering for him, so whilst her brothers, or Luke, had picked out an egg she had focused on completing her stitching. She remembers her mother sat in her pretty blue dress and Ser Harwin holding Joff and Luke's incessant questions aimed towards their father as he brought them back to the dragonpit.
"Do you think that Tyraxes will grow as big as Caraxes?" Joffrey asks.
"I sure do, sweetling."
"I'm going to conquer Dorne." Joffrey tells her as they make their way through the keep.
"Are you now?"
"Well not today." Joffrey corrects slightly misconstruing her words.
"That's good. I would miss you if you went away to war." Anne tells him rather than correcting him on his little mistake.
Joffrey giggles as the guards open the doors and let them outside towards the path that leads to the dragonmount.
"If our mother asks where we've gone, tell her to the dragonmount." Anne tells the sentry guards.
"Yes, Princess." They reply.
As Joffrey lets out a little betrayed "Anne!" Before he looks up to the guards and says conspiratorially "only if she asks."
"Do you think Jace will let me, when he is King?" Joffrey continues once they're outside.
"Conquer Dorne?"
"Yes, Tyraxes should be big enough, when Jace is King you can come too with Merax. He's very fierce isn't he?"
"He is." Anne agrees "But we shouldn't look for war, Joff and you shouldn't seek it out."
"But I want to be brave and strong like Uncle Daemon." Joffrey tells her.
Anne crouches down and holds her brother's shoulders "War isn't brave and it isn't to be sought after. There are other ways to prove yourself."
"But how?" Joff complains. "Uncle Daemon said that he went to war at the Stepstones to prove himself because he has no...lands...or titles of his own, only his name. Just like me." Joffrey recites Anne's not sure whether Daemon has been telling him bed time stories of his time at war or offering the five year old sage advice but she'd rather he not do either if it put her brother in harm's way.
"I don't know, Joff." Anne sighs. "But I do know true bravery comes from the heart and war does not. So one cannot be the result of the other."
Joffrey shrugs at her and Anne kisses him on the forehead "Come on." She tells him as she takes his hand and they continue their journey.
"Is that Aegon?" Joffrey asks as he points towards the figure in front of them. Anne turns to look at where he's signalling to and he's right, that is Aegon making his way to the Dragonmount.
"Aegon." Anne calls he turns at the sound of his name and when he spots Anne he walks faster.
"Shit." Anne sighs under her breath "Go back to the castle." Anne tells Joffrey before she hastens to catch up to Aegon. Naturally he ignores her and Joffrey runs behind his sister.
"Aegon." Anne says as she catches up with him, she grabs ahold of his upper arm and says "Stop, where are you going." But Anne already knows.
"Home." He tells her.
"Just stay." Anne tells him.
"I don't want to be here any longer, but I give you leave to stay as long as you like Anne."
"Look, Aegon if it's about last night..." Anne says as she looks down to Joffrey and then says quietly "i spoke to Jace and he said..."
"You told Jacaerys?" Aegon spits out.
"Yes?" Anne says.
"So you crawled out of my bed and into his."
"No!" Anne argues apparently all the men she knows are determined to call her a whore. "You're not being fair. You told me to leave."
"But you weren't supposed to actually go."
"How am i supposed to figure that out when you don't tell me anything?"
"You're my wife, you're supposed to know that you can't fall into bed with other men. It shouldn't need to be said, Anne!" Aegon shouts at her.
"Don't you shout at her!" Joffrey intercedes on her behalf.
"It's alright, Joff." Anne knows she should take her brother back to the keep that she shouldn't let him watch her argue with Aegon but she isn't yet prepared to walk away from their disagreement she still has more to say and despite it all she doesn't want Aegon to leave. So she pushes Joffrey behind her back as though that alleviates the situation somehow.
"Do you think I'm a joke?" Aegon asks her.
"What? No."
"I bet you and Jace find it hysterical."
"Aegon." Anne sighs.
"I...You let me think I made you happy."
"You do."
"You think I don't see the difference. How you look at them, at him. You think I can't see the difference in your smile Annie. I make you miserable and I'd never noticed before."
"Aegon. Please just come back inside."
"I'm going home." And he leaves her standing there.
"Anne." Joffrey says quietly beside her. "Tyraxes can wait for today. I'll see him later" Anne smiles at her younger brother before he wraps his arms around her thighs and embraces her. "Don't be sad." He tells her.
"Alright then." Anne placates.
...
She's dressed for the day and is reading in her chambers when she decides to stretch her legs. She's strolling around the castle when she notices Luke standing on the balcony staring out at the sea. This part of the castle was built on the edge of the cliff. Anne's not quite sure how that works with erosion and all. Had it been built by any others it wouldn't last through the ages but Dragonstone was built by the Dragon lords of Old Valyria, their ways lost to time and the doom. All that's left is their language, a few swords and this spectacular view. And them. Perhaps the doom was a message or an omen sent from the Gods. Perhaps they should have died too with the rest of Old-Valyria. Perhaps all their misery is because they had wrongly escaped their fate and now they must pay the price.
Luke is so lost in thought that he doesn't hear his sister approach him. "Don't jump." Anne says into the shell of his ear. In response to this Luke almost jumps out of his skin in fright.
"Don't jump out at me like that." Luke complains.
"Are you alright?" Anne asks once she stops laughing at his expense.
"Are you?" Luke counters.
"I asked first."
"Where do you think that ship is going?" Luke asks as he points to a large ship in the distance.
Anne shrugs and says "No idea."
"Me neither."
"This is a terrible game, Lucerys."
"It's not a game." Luke says, clearly upset about something.
"I don't understand." Anne says, a little confused as to where this is going.
"Grandfather would know."
"Ah."
"I'll make a terrible Lord of the Tides."
"You'll learn Luke. I dont think it's something you can study. I think this type of knowledge is only found with experience."
"Is it not wrong?" Luke asks her in Valyrian.
"Luke!" Anne turns her head to see if there are any servants or lodging Lords that might hear him as there are still people that understand their mother tongue. She knows the Celtigars youngest son is squiring for Daemon and one of their many Valaryian cousins is a Lady in waiting for her mother.
"But am I wrong?"
"Yes. Yes you are, Luke." Anne says sternly before she looks at her brother's worried face and her heart softens. "Grandfather knows and yet he still chose you. He believes in you, as do i, you just need to believe in yourself too."
Luke turns quickly and wraps his arms around her and tells her "I've missed you so much."
"I've missed you too."
...
Anne feels markedly less miserable after spending her day with her younger brothers so she does end up supping with her family that evening.
Jace makes a point not to look in her direction for the duration of the meal.
Annerys decides to face the elephant in the room and she says "Aegon's gone." which is obvious due to his absence from the dinner table.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Rhaenyra tells her.
Anne scoffs and says "No you're not."
"Anne." Rhaenyra says softly.
"You don't like him. You never have. And he's not even done anything to deserve your ire."
"Anne. Let us just finish our dinner." Rhaenyra says.
"Oh of course. If we don't speak about it then it's not an issue."
"Anne, if you're searching out an argument you're not going to find it here."
"I hate it when you do this. When you act all calm and make me feel as though I'm being hysterical."
"Anne. Just take a deep breath. You're upsetting yourself."
"See." Anne exclaims.
"Fine. Would you like to tell us all why Aegon has left." Rhaenyra says understanding her daughter's anger at being told not to talk about a glaring issue but she also needs her daughter to understand why she does not. At her age Rhaenyra knows all the unspoken injustices grated at her but as a woman worn down by experience she knows how often things are better left unsaid.
At Anne's shocked gasp Rhaenyra also can't help but think about how remarkable it is that her eldest son and daughter do not realise what goes on between them, the two truly exist in a world of their own. Perhaps she should have done more to disparage their closeness but they both found such comfort in each other that she could not bear to.
Anne averts her eyes from her mothers gaze "I thought not. Now eat your peas."
No one least of all teenage girls enjoy being outwitted by their mother so Anne sits their silently fuming when Joffrey angrily says
"He shouted at Anne."
"Joff not now." Annerys says irritatedly.
"Anne don't speak to him like that." Jace says.
"Oh so now you're speaking to me."
"He's five." Jace says a little patronisingly.
"I know." Anne snarks.
"That's enough. The pair of you." Rhaenyra says.
"Am I supposed to believe you've got nothing to say?" Anne directs towards Daemon. Which he shrugs at in response. Anne scoffs and stabs at her carrots with her fork.
...
Anne is resting in her chambers before she settles into bed. She's in no mood to draw or embroider, so she decides to read instead when there's a knock at her door.
"Come in." She calls.
When Daemon walks in she stands and says "No." which Daemon laughs at. "No, I'm tired."
"I won't be long."
"Please go away." Anne says defeatedly.
"Why put off the inevitable?"
"Fine." Anne reluctantly acquiesces.
Anne sits back down on her couch and Daemon sits besides her and places a cup on the small table in front of them. .
"What's that?" Anne asks. She already knows.
Daemon ignores her question "How long have you known?"
"Two weeks." Anne lies as despite herself she finds that she doesn't want to disappoint him.
"Liar."
"I'm not. I found out when I hurt my head."
"How many moons did the Maester say you were?"
"Five." Anne answers
"You've known for three at the very least then."
Anne shrugs at him, disliking feeling caught.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Daemon asks.
"I did not realise I had to."
"Of course you do."
Anne scoffs. "I hadn't realised you'd been so interested in my courses. Was this a pre-existing interest or a recent one?"
"Don't be a child Anne." Daemon reprimands.
"Don't treat me like one." Anne argues a little petulantly.
"I'm not. Would you rather I coddled you. Told you how brave you are or what a good girl you've been." Daemon taunts.
"Stop it."
"Why?"
"None of this is my fault. You all keep pretending like I asked for it. Or like I had a say in any of it."
"I'm not blaming you, Anne. I'm offering you a way out."
"What?"
"There are ways a woman might dislodge a babe from her belly." Daemon informs her.
Hearing his words Anne's hand instinctively falls to cradle her ever so slightly rounded stomach.
Watching her Daemon sighs a little sadly before he says "gods, Anne, you must have realised you can't keep it."
"Why not?" Anne whispers full well knowing why and the reasoning he's going to offer her.
"You know why. It puts your brothers and mother at risk."
"Daemon I'm...do I have to decide right now?"
Daemon doesn't understand how it can even be a difficult choice for her right now choosing the prospective life of a thing she's never even met and doesn't even know over the lives of those she loves, the people that love her.
Daemon picks up the cup and offers her the moon-tea. "Think of Jacaerys."
"What?" Anne asks.
"It can't be easy for him to know you carry another man's child." Daemon says.
Which Annerys scoffs at before she stands up and walks away from her seat to gain a little distance from Daemon.
Daemon remains seated and says "Annerys just drink it. No one will know. Just us." Before he rises from his seat and follows her to stand in front of her. "I'm doing this for you Anne."
"But what if I want it?" Anne asks quietly.
"The babe? Anne, don't be foolish if this child is born a son it will embolden the greens."
"But what if it's a girl?"
Daemon picks up the cup from the table before taking her hand in his and then places the cup into her palm. "There's no way to know so I know you'll do the right thing." He tells her then he strokes a strand of her hair behind her ear "Since you're so many moons gone, there will be a great deal of pain but you'll be fine once it's out. I promise." and walks away leaving her with the illusion of choice.
Anne looks down at the liquid then back up at Daemon as he exits the room. When she realises this is what he does, gives her impossible choices and frames it as the only option, as the noble option.
As if any of it is for her.
She's spent all her time despising Alicent for trying to control her life when Daemon has been there this whole time needling away at her. Anne's not even sure what it is that she wants any more and can no longer tell the difference between Daemon's requests or her own desires any more.
Anne finds that she's so very fucking angry at him so without thought she throws the pot of liquid at him narrowly missing his head and smashing against the door frame as he exclaims "Fucking hell," in suprise.
"Don't fucking walk away from me!" Anne screams at him. "It's all your fault."
He scoffs at her his back still facing her.
"You've ruined my life. I used to know who I was...what I wanted and you've taken it all from me."
In the blink of an eye Daemon strides over to her and grips her cheeks with his hand. Anne can feel his fingers and thumb harshly pressing into the plump skin of her face. His entire hand spans the whole of her face.
Anne always liked looking at his hands.
You'd have to be a blind fool not to understand why her mother is so besotted with him. He's beguiling in a way only Valyrian's are but all of the things that make him so attractive: his height, his ferocity and his quiet strength are also what makes him so fearsome.
Perhaps that's half of the allure or the fun. Knowing that he could harm you if he wanted.
Or at least it is until it becomes a reality that he might want to.
Daemon has never frightened her before but Anne can now see why he's reviled by as many as he is revered.
"You think that you hate me. That I'm terrible and cruel and to blame for all the bad things in your life. Hm? You need me, Anne. You think a child is going to make your life easier. I offered you a way out. I gave you the opportunity to make your life simple and you wasted it. You think I'm the monster hiding under your bed? The bad man in your dreams, he's the one warming your bed. And you are just going to let him murder your family. All because you don't like me?"
Once he's finished berating her, he lets go of her face and once she's shaken of her shock she pushes her hands against his chest although he's hardly rocked by the meek force created by her small frame.
"Don't touch me." Anne tells him shakily and for the first time she realises she's crying as she says the words.
"Was I wrong in my assumption that you'd like it rough? Is your husband gentle? Is that why you love him?" Daemon mocks.
"Anne?" She hears her mothers voice call from the doorway. And the two turn to look at her. Once Daemon realises his wife is there he takes a step away from her daughter.
Rhaenyra skirts past the broken porcelain on the floor as she makes her way into Anne's room and asks "What's going on?"
"Mother, it's fine." Anne says.
Once Rhaenyra reaches the two of them she sees Anne's tear streaked face and says "Anne you're crying."
"I'm not, it's fine." Anne says as she swipes at her cheeks.
Rhaenyra moves so that she stands in the small space between Anne and Daemon and cups her daughters face and strokes the apples of her cheeks still holding onto her daughters face and turns to her head to face her husband and angrily accuses "what did you do?"
"Rhaenyra." Daemon breathes and moves to place a hand onto her shoulder before she shrugs him off.
She turns away from her husband and places her attention back on her sobbing daughter "What has he done, Anne? What's he said?"
"I've not said..." Daemon begins to lie.
"Get out." Rhaenyra tells him.
Daemon sighs before he leaves the room.
"Shh. Shh you're okay it's okay." Rhaenyra consoles as Anne sobs into her mothers neck.
Anne drops to the floor, her mother following her down. Once they're sat on the cold floor Rhaenyra pulls Anne into her arms so that Anne is practically sat on her lap.
Anne had been a difficult babe. Laenor had always said she had a lot to say. The wetnurse had called her fussy and her septa had called her mared, Alicent had referred to her as 'the brat'. But Rhaenyra had adored her petulant little girl who wanted everything just so.
Her children had all needed to be soothed in their own special way. Viserys, so new to the world, settles best at the breast, Aegon seems to settle best in his fathers arms. Joffrey had enjoyed being bounced. Luke would settle if you gently blew air onto his face. Jace would only sleep if he was being rocked side to side and Annerys had always preferred to be soothed by rhythmic pats to the back. So that's what Rhaenyra does in an attempt to soothe her weeping daughter.
"I can't do this." Anne confesses.
"Shh. shh. You don't have to do anything Anne. Nothing at all." And Rhaenyra means that she'd sit here on the cold stone floor with her only daughter in her arms for as long as Annerys needs. Forever if she must.
up until this point Daemon has found Annerys relatively easily controlled she's never once told him no or refused him and so now that she has in this he's reacted
And his go to tactic is to intimidate people and I think he quite likes doing so.
I think objectively the argument that Daemon makes at first isn't wrong having Aegons baby not only makes it harder for the blacks but for Anne because its the first time that her loyalty will be properly without question will be divided and so it's both politically terrible for her to give him an heir as well as emotionally difficult for her to have a kid with Aegon/ the greens. But ultimately it's Anne choice.
I've definitely made Daemon darker than I see him especially his show counter part but someone has to be the villain you know😂🤷♀️
Also it's only now that Anne is seeing through the way Daemons manipulated her to do what he wants because its the first time he's suggested something that's not in line with her desires. Because she wants her mother to be Queen and she wants to protect her brothers so she's agreed quiet easily to Daemons requests. It's not until Daemon tells her to do something that would result in something that she doesn't want that she sees through him. Also in his own way Daemon does care about Anne and he does think that he's doing what's best for her in this situation. Because what is the best for Anne at this point? Daemon has very strong feelings that her having Aegon's baby would be disastrous for them all so he does think he's doing what's best. It's just that he's a tad insane😂
Also I just want to emphasise that just because Anne wants to continue her pregnancy and I've presented Daemon and being cruel for suggesting she terminate it doesn't mean that I'm placing any moral superiority over either option. Your body your choice.