Once upon a time in Westeros, there lived a royal family whose dynasty had ruled for nearly three hundred years. They seemed a proud family to the smallfolk, untouchable and pristine upon the Iron Throne. But rumors were spreading about King Aerys madness and it was impossible to hide. The Targaryen dynasty was at risk and the heir to the throne, Rhaegar, had made a terrible mistake.
He had kidnapped Lyanna Stark and incited a rebellion. And when the rebellion found its way to King's Landing, no one was safe.
Aerys' other children, Viserys and Daenerys, along with his wife, Rhaella, were supposed to leave the Red Keep before Lannister forces arrived at the city gates. Until the king ordered that they stay with him. Rhaella had watched as her insane husband had been executed by Jaime Lannister and as the soldiers took the castle she held her children close.
She took Viserys and Daenerys through a darkened tunnel, urging them to move quickly and quietly as they ran through the corridor. The shouts of men echoed off the old stone walls.
"This is where we part. Viserys, take your sister, run for the harbor. Sail for Essos." the queen commanded.
Daenerys was too young to fully understand their situation. It hadn't been that long ago that the youngest Targaryen had been attending lessons and feasts in a perfect and sheltered world. Her father's crimes of madness hidden from her.
"But what about you, momma? What will you do?" the young princess asked, pulling her cloak tighter around her.
They dressed simply. Instead of brilliant silks and brocades, she and her brother wore rough spun wool and threadbare brown cloaks. With their brilliant hair hidden under hoods, their mother had ordered them to keep their eyes down.
"You mustn't worry about me. We'll be together in Braavos." Rhaella told her.
More shouts from the soldiers, their footsteps and the clanking of their armor bouncing off the walls.
"Momma, I'm scared."
"You mustn't be Daenerys. You must be brave and strong, like a dragon. Can you do that?"
Daenerys nodded as Rhaella took of her necklace and put it around her daughter's neck. She gave them a push to start them down the hallway.
There were no torches to light the tunnel, the children ran their hands along the wall to find their way. It wasn't long before the horrified scream of a woman filled their ears.
"Momma!" Daenerys cried as Viserys pulled her down the hall, a fresh crop of hot tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Be quiet Daenerys."
The dark tunnel ended soon enough and they were greeted with harsh sunlight. They were in an alleyway. There were people screaming and running in all directions, easily disguising the children as they moved through the hoards. The narrowly avoided runaway carts and the legs of horses as they ran through the cramped streets. Daenerys' legs began to ache with exhaustion as they tried to make to outpace the soldiers that consumed the city.
With the harbor in sight, Viserys charged on, but Daenerys couldn't keep up. The hole in the wall that would take them to safety was mere yards away. The uneven cobblestones made it hard to get an even footing. Daenerys' foot caught on one and brought her down. Her knee scraped against the stones, her head colliding with the dirty street as people swarmed around. She lifted her head to see if her brother had seen her fall, but he was gone. Daenerys was left in the dust.