"No Alicent the matter is settled."
Boomed the voice of Viserys angrily as he dismissed his wife once more from his chambers. He gave a displeased look to Otto Hightower. His wife's father, who had now been restored as his hand. He didn't like how Alicent kept pressing that a price needed to be paid, and that Rhaenyra's sons wouldnt ever come to respect their children, where they to continue behaving as they had last night. They hadn't even properly apologized for taking her sons eye yet. In the case she made, only Valaena showed compassion, and thus it had sparked an interest to foster the girl in the capital as her ward. To ensure that she remains so, if she is to be wed to our son Said Alicent, though the insult towards his daughter hadn't gone unnoticed to Viserys.
"It would be good for the girl, your Grace." Added Otto Hightower carefully. "If she is to wed Aemond, then she might like to get to know him more, rather than grow a stranger. The strife that has occured last night might further push them apart. They'll be bitter when they reunite. It's an ill omen. Let us join our families in goodwill."
Viserys let out a deep sigh. He knew Rhaenyra would protest it. She would be angry, but again he did many things for his daughter, more than he liked to admit, and in truth he just wanted to rest and not think about what had happened. It had caused him too great of a headache. Rhaenyra, had caused him too great of a headache, perhaps it would do her good.
"Then send for her belongings and order her to come with us. I wish to leave Otto." Remarked the King bitterly as he turned to the window. He didn't like the ocean.
"Let me ask the Maester if Aemond is fit for travel. I'll send word for Valaena to be retrieved."
"Good, and let that be the last of it. Tell Rhaenyra her daugher may return for whichever nameday or celebration she seems fit."
On the other side of the castle. A worried Valaena rocked her baby brother Joffrey back and forth. Her mother had just been stitched up and Laenor had passed by Valaena and Joffrey to check on them as Rhaenyra, Lucerys and Jacaerys had went with the Maester.
She had just handed Joffrey to a maidservant when her mother burst through the door and pulled her in a tight hug.
"My love, my sweet love." Whispered the Princess as she kissed her daughters cheeks and hands.
"Mom?" A feeling of dread build up in the young girl's chest, the sudden affection and panic with which her mom stormed in worried her deeply. "Has anyone been hurt? Is Luce, Did Aemond not survi-"
"No darling, we are fine, come sit with me. There's something we need to talk about."
It has taken alot of hours to calm the crying, nearly screaming Valaena down when Rhaenyra broke the news to her. Valaena had went through all the stages of grief, feeling particularly angry at her mother for proposing the betrothal in the first place. However, when Laenor had gone to his knees to try and explain that he would fly over on seasmoke as many times as she wished him to, and that they would meet halfway in the sky on their dragons every week if she wished it, only then had she calmed down.
Valaena had been reluctantat first, crying again and again as she refused to let go of her brothers and mother when the Green's boarded their ship. Her hands shook as she refused to let go of Jacearys, her twin.
Viserys had long ago laid down in his private rooms, Aemond had been taken downstairs to be tended to aswell. As he had been sleeping under the influence of milk of the poppy.
Aegon rested his arms on the railing of the ship, his sister Helaena besides him as a sigh left his lips. "Why is she causing such a scene. She isn't six anymore?" Scoffed the Prince, a scowl forming on his lips.
"How would you feel if someone demanded to take you away from your family." Spat Helaena as she shook her head at her older brother and moved away. Her eyes followed her niece who now clung to the railing of the ship. Queen Alicent held a stern gaze as she moved to stsnd besides the girl. As if she were showing Rhaenyra that this would be part of her revenge.
You take my sons eye, I take your daughter
Aegon scoffed again as he watched Valaena being dragged onto the ship, away from the railing by an annoyed looking Ser Criston. He chuckled then, hoping to be able to torment Valaena for the rest of her life about her childish departure. He kne that he himself wouldn't cause such a scene, where he to be taken away from his family.
He rolled his eyes as they started sailing away, hoping to find a drink somewhere. He had wanted to fly back om Sunfyre, as Helaena and he had flown in on their dragons. But his mother wanted them all to stay on the ship due to Aemond's condition.
Valaena looked up at the sky, as Sapphire and Vhagar joined Sunfyre and Dreamfyre in the sky. She frowned. At the spectacle. Sapphire looked tiny compared to Vhagar, and for a moment she feared her Dragon would not grow, where she to reside in the dark caves of the pit. She had seen how much Sapphire enjoyed being allowed to roam free on the island of DragonStone. Even if it was just for a few weeks.
With a sigh Valaena, pushed herself away from the railing. If the Queen was forcing her to come with, then she wasn't going to be nice about it. Perhaps they would send her back.
In the capital however, Valaena found herself too tired to argue. She had expected to moved back into her old rooms. Where once her entire family had loved together. She had dined with her mother and brothers every night, Ser Laenor and Ser Harwin read stories to her when she couldn't find sleep and-
There the tears were again, they sprung up in her eyes like water jewels. Running down her cheeks as she rested her head against the carriage which was used to take the family back to the Red Keep.
"Don't cry." Rang the voice of the Queen suddenly. Valaena could feel the woman gripping her shoulders. "You and Helaena will have sewing lessons with the septa in an hour. One of the maidservants will take you to your new rooms."
Valaena frowned then, shooting a glare towards the tiled floor of the keep. "I don't want new rooms."
"Speak properly Valaena, you are a Princess." Mused the Queen as she softly squeezed the girl's shoulder before walking away and leaving the little girl standing in the hall. All by herself.
It took the young Princess weeks to settle in, and in those first few weeks she refused to leave he rooms, often she feigned being ill. Sending most of the maidservants away in a fright to collect the Maester. She'd refuse to attend dinner and purposely spill wine, or she'd refuse to eat but stuff her face with dessert. Alicent would scold her, and Valaena would roll her eyes and only behave when her grandfather yelled out her name in anger. Valaena took to ignoring the septa and ruining her needlework. She'd use all the wrong colors of thread and once even dared to spell a vile word that Aegon had taught her. (
Valaena had received countless letters from her brothers and mother, but in her anger, she refused to reply to them. Only once a week did she reply to her father, who said that, in a short time the family would leave to travel back to their ancestral seat, DragonStone, but first, he would make a stop on Seasmoke in the capital to visit his daughter as he had promised.
This caused her to be eager to reply, begging him to come to her faster and take her home with him. Kingslanding was even more dull than it had been when she still had been tormented by the presence of her brothers. She admitted to missing them, but she made her father promise not to tell.
At night Valaena found herself crying because she missed Ser Harwin so, and she wondered, perhaps, as she pinched her cheeks in front of the mirror and thought of her brothers brown curls, if he could have truly been her father. She looked so much like her mother that Valaena hadn't considered it much.
Before the passing of the moon, Valaena was allowed to return to her family, alas for a short time only, as Ser Laenor had been murdered by his good companion Ser Qarl. Valaena could only cry silent tears in shock as she clutched to her mothers skirts at the funeral. Screaming and kicking once again as she was ordered back to Kingslanding, not more than two days after the funeral.
She then lost all will to fight and would stay silent during dinners. She'd do her duties and attend lessons. She didn't think to feign being ill, nor did she spill wine or scowl at dinner.
Aemond had been ordered to stay in bed for a full moon, and when he finally emerged to join dinner for the first time, Valaena and Helaena had picked him a fresh bouquet of flowers, putting it in his empty chalice. The gesture had made Alicent lovingly stroke Valaena's cheek, as her own daughter did not like to be touched.
Aemond had been silent, and barely ate. Though Valaena noticed how something in his demeanor had changed. Where he had always been kind of sad and small in his demeanor. He now sat up straight and gave curt answers with sharp nods. He only seemed to become more confident with each passing day. Where she shrunk to blend in with the shadows more and more.
She watched from the courtyard, sitting besides her grandsire as she drew pictures of Aegon and Aemond training in the yard. She'd grow bored after a while, her fingers stained in charcoal and ink as she perched over the railing. Aemond had to be taught how to fight completely anew due to the loss of his eye, and so Viserys ordered Ser Criston to train with the boy alone, atleast twice a week. So that he would regain full confidence.
Valaena had been quiet, refusing to talk to anyone but Helaena. The two girl's often exchanged few words as they examined and drew Helaena's bug collection together. Though Winter had now set in, and there where few insects to find. Valaena also didn't enjoy how cold the grass felt underneath her feet. Usually she had been eager to kick of her shoes and plop down in the gardens to draw.
The loss of her father, both of them actually, as by now she had acknowledged that Ser Harwin very likely would have been her father. Hit Valaena hard, and it irked not only her aunt and uncles, but also the Queen to see how Valaena refused to partake in any conversation or other courtly matters.
By the turning of the third moon. Her and Jacaerys nameday was approaching fast, A date had been set for Helaena and Aegon's wedding, and the Queen had started picking out fabrics to fit Helaena for a dress. The elder Princess kept quiet and to herself as her mother planned her wedding. She wasn't raised any different than to know that it was not her place to question her mother's decisions. She hid the deep loathing she felt for having to wed her brother.
Aemond nor Valaena had made any gestured to talk to one another, and at a certain point this no longer could go unnoticed by King Viserys, so on one cold afternoon, King Viserys orderd for his son and daughter to spend atleast an hour every two days together.
When posed with the question as to what the children should do, Viserys called on his Hand, the boys grandfather to come up with something.
History lessons
Valaena had always liked history, Ser Harwin told her many tales, and despite more half of her lessons being swapped for embroidery, dancing and having tea with other ladies at court, she had always paid full attention. Unlike her brothers who fell asleep half of the time.
Luckily for Valaeana, her first lesson was to be held in the pit. Aegon was also supposed to be present, or so she had learnt, but he had snuck off and while the servants and Kingsguard were busy looking for him. Sending Queen Alicent in a frenzy. Aemond took the history lesson as a chance to whine if he could take his dragon to the sky.
Or rather demand,as he no longer whined since the loss of his eye. He held his chin up high and spoke with little emotion as he demanded to be set free.
Valaena watched quietly, her brows furrowed together as the teacher assigned to them allowed him to. So she too, tried to mimick his stance. "If my uncle is allowed to discard our lessons to ride, then so should I."
"Princess, You have been given clear instructions-"
She wanted to say something smart, and unnerved, perhaps that she had given him clear instructions as well, to let her, that she didn't require his permission. Sadly all that came out was a sigh and a pout of her lips. Valaena was to be a woman, not a man. She hadn't been raised to defy those that imposed instructions on to her.
"But-"
"No question Princess, we are to resume your lesson."
"If my betrothed wishes to take to the skies than let her, she is a Princess, not yours to order around." Spat the voice of Aemond Targaryen suddenly as he had turned around, no emotion evident on his face. Even at his young age. He looked unnerved to be talking to an elder in such a tone. Before the loss of his eye, he wouldn't have.
"Of course, My prince." Muttered the teacher before turning around, quickly collecting his scrolls and waking off. He wouldn't tell on Aemond, perhaps if Valaena had pressed him, the man would tell on her. Just a girl.
Aemond started walking away, not sparing Valaena another glance.
"Why would you even want to marry me if I'm a bastard." Spat the girl suddenly. Annoyed that he refused to look at her.
"I don't want to, but mother says I must and so I will."
"Well I'm not a bastard. I'm more Targaryen than-"
Aemond scoffed loudly interrupting her. As he whipped around. "I know you're not." Lied the Prince. "I just don't wish to marry you."
He lied then, only to avoid his father's wrath, as he had cried nearly every night for this first week. The pain of his father refusing to acknowledge that he had been maimed indeed, hurt him more than the loss of his eye did.
"Why?" Pouted the girl.
He shrugged then. "Just come ride our dragons. Stop being so sad."
"Your mother took me from my family and then my father died." Mumbled Valaeana as she pushed her hands into her hips. "I should be allowed to be sad."
Which one Aemond tried to hide the roll of his eyes, scoffing.
"You can be sad all the time, or you can choose to be brave."
"Oh."
"I just don't get why I can't go home." Whispered Valaena. "It's just a marriage, we don't have to like eachother. It happens all the time."
"We do." Remarked Aemond as he grabbed a torch to lead the way inside the caves. Hoping none of the Dragonkeepers would see and stop them. "You'll have to bear my children, so we can continue our Valyrian bloodline."
"Shouldn't have called me a bastard then."
"You are quite obviously Valyrian Valaena." Shot Aemond back as he handed Valaena another torch, which he then lit with his own.
"My brothers are not."
"No they're not, but that doesn't make you less Valyrian. You have purple eyes and Silver hair, you're quite pretty.-" The words came out all wrong as Aemond halted himself. His cheeks flushing. "Perhaps your brothers just came out wrong."
"They did not!"
Valaena shifted on her feet. Knocking her elbow into Aemond's side before continuing on their path, speeding up slightly so he wouldn't reprimand her.
"Ow!"
"You just called my brothers ugly, you're ugly."
Aemond fell quiet at her insult then, his shoulders lowered at her words. He had been unable to look into a mirror for most of his mornings. He couldn't stand the way the left side of his face looked. He wore an eyepatch now, the scar of his eye was still red, and a jagged line touched the top of his cheekbone, all the way up to his eyebrow.
"I didn't- you've always been ugly Aemond." Said Valaena in an apologetic tone as she lightly touched his shoulder.
"Oh... well thank you Laena." Mumbled the Prince before leaving her at Sapphire's lair. He let out a deep sigh before folding his arms together. "What ugly children we'll have then."
She chose to ignore him. "You'll need to depart immediately or the Dragonkeepers might see you."
"Alright."
"They've cleared you to ride? Have they not? The Maester?" Called Valaena out as she watched Aemond dart away. He didn't answer her, so she raised up her arms. "Aemond! They have right?"