Disclaimer: I disclaim.

A Dragon Reborn

Chapter 1

The huge purple eyes were staring at her with admiration. The small hand reached for her pearl earrings and she was quick to draw her head back before he could reach for her ears. She knew from experience that the tiny hand with nails that had finally grown fully could have a grasp that was too firm. She took her sapphire bracelet of rose gold off and gave it to him. Fascinated, he started shaking it, thrilled with the delightful clinking noise it made against the marble floor.

Daella Targaryen smiled and looked at the other child who had just slipped in. Little Rhaelle tripped over her curtsy but managed not to fall down and Daella clapped her hands. Quite proud of herself, Rhaelle ran to her aunt and threw herself in Daella's lap. "I am a pony!" she announced and started whinnying and rocking. Daella held her tight and started rocking along, wondering whether ponies had become her niece's new interest. Before, Rhaelle had been a toad for two weeks straight.

Jaehaerys was looking at his sister, amazed. "Stupid," he finally said. "Elle… stupid.'

"Not stupid!" Rhaelle cried and stuck out her tongue at him before shooting upward and out of the hall, no doubt remembering that she had something important to do.

Daella looked at Jaehaerys and laughed. "She isn't stupid, my dear. Rhaelle is happy. It's such a lovely day, we should all be happy. Try to say Rhaelle, little one."

Jaehaerys nodded. "Elle," he said again, unable to pronounce his sister's name the right way.

Daella laughed again but this time, her laughter was a little sad. A little envious. Lately, it had started to become clear that while Jaehaerys' premature birth had some lasting effects on his health, it had not harmed his intelligence. Not quite two-year-old, he was a darling and smart one… and he should have been hers. They all should have. Especially Duncan, with his dark hair and indigo eyes, completely unlike his parents' colouring. And exactly like Daella's.

She shook her head, trying to chase off these thoughts. She had forgiven her siblings long ago. She had. And if she wanted to be fair to herself, she had to admit that in many ways, Egg and Rhae made a better couple than she and Egg. They were quite a rarity for a royal couple, Targaryens who had wed for love…

Still, it hurt. Maybe it would stop in time, when she had a new husband and a family of her own. Now that she was back at King's Landing, she was the most sought woman in the Seven Kingdoms… and yet, when she looked at all the lords who were presented to her as prospective husbands, she felt nothing. No, that was not quite right: in too many of them, she found things that brought on memories she'd rather forget: a booming voice, an overconfident stagger, hairy hands able to squeeze until she screamed…

She sighed and stood up. She'd better leave if she were to attend the Queen before dinner, as she was expected to. She had come without warning, hoping to find her sister here but Rhae and Aegon had gone out for a ride… and then little Duncan had spotted her and she couldn't leave. Not that she didn't like the children – they were sweet, and amusing, and impossible not to like. She just avoided them because it hurt too much. Her son would have been Duncan's age if he had had a different father… or maybe if he had had a mother of a stronger constitution.

Jaehaerys had stopped playing with her bracelet but did not make any noise to get her notice. He was so serene that he amazed his attendants who claimed they had never cared for a less troublesome child. Daella reached for him and helped him rise and lean against her shoulder. Then, she kissed his hair. "You are such a dear one, Jaehaerys," she whispered and quickly pushed him a little away. I want to have a son like him, she thought. His face fell a little, as if he had felt her resentment.

The echo of footsteps made her look up. To her utter astonishment and hidden displeasure, it was not Rhae or Aegon who entered the small hall. She immediately tensed. For all her simmering resentment toward her youngest siblings, she had never felt the dislike and fear that Aerion evoked in her with his very presence.

He gave her a mock bow that made her frown. What was he doing here? Haughty, ill-tempered and frankly, quite the monster, he was never on good terms with any of his siblings. He wouldn't be found here too often even if Egg and Rhae were home but the fact that he had come when they were absent defied any belief.

Alarm shot through her like an arrow. "They are not here," she blurted out. It was the first thing that came to her mind.

Aerion smiled. "I know."

He made a step forward. Daella jumped to her feet and stepped in front of Jaehaerys, as if she could shield him. "Then what are you doing here?" she demanded.

He smiled again. "Why, I wanted to see you, of course. I saw you coming in and thought I might visit you. I don't recall the last time the two of us were alone."

Daella's heart was racing wildly. The implication in his words was unmistakable. He knew as well as she did that they had never been alone – not in years, not after they had grown up. She had always done anything she could to avoid him.

"I was just leaving," she said. "Her Grace expects me any minute now."

He laughed. "Aunt Aelinor? She's so off, she wouldn't know what time it us unless her ladies come to dress her for meals…"

He wouldn't dare be so insolent if their father were here. And it was not true. At King's Landing, the Queen was subdued and miserable all over but she was not off. In fact, it was quite arrogant of Aerion to call anyone else off. He was as mad as… Baelor the Blessed. Or their uncle Rhaegel. At least, Rhaegel had been a good man. Mad, yes, but gentle and kind.

"The Queen is not off," Daella said as coldly as she knew how. Maybe if she showed him that she did not fear him…

Aerion grinned. Of course, he could see right through her. The truth was that Daella was scared, desperately scared and he could smell that. It only steeled his resolve to take what he had been deprived of. Only the Seven knew why his father had deemed appropriate to deny him a sister to wed. Besides being the only ones worthy of him, both of his sisters were quite stunning. He wouldn't touch Rhae with a stick, not after Aegon had had her, but Daella was another matter. And both Maekar and the King seemed ready to do anything for her, to make up with all they had for selling her to a husband who had mistreated her so. Aerion himself was not in their good graces but she might just change that. Besides, right now she looked quite lovely with the horror that made her indigo eyes black.

"Come here," he said and made another step forward.

Daella made a step back so hastily that she almost stepped over Jaehaerys. "No," she said.

His eyes flashed. "I said, come here." His voice was low and dangerous and she started panicking. Suddenly, she was at Storm's End again, with that thrice damned husband again. She saw herself in his power again, helpless, shaking, frenzied with fear. Any moment, the strikes would start raining all over her and she could suffer and count them no longer. She opened her mouth to scream.

"Delle?"

Jaehaerys' voice ruined the spell. Aerion looked at the boy with disdain. Daella shook her head to clear it and bit her lip. No, I won't let it happen again, she thought. This was the Red Keep, not Storm's End. And Aerion was not Lord Baratheon whose loyalty the Targaryens needed. Aerion, she could fight. She had to fight him because she couldn't let him achieve what he wanted.

"Stay away from me," she spat. For a moment, he really stopped, looking at her, stunned by her defiance. In this brief moment, Daella grabbed Jaehaerys and shot past Aerion, through the door and down the hallway. He followed fast.

"Don't you dare run away from me!" he bellowed.

She held the child closer and kept running, grateful that she wore only a loose robe and not a heavy gown.

Behind her, Aerion's footsteps echoed closer. Daella looked around desperately and glimpsed a servant. "Help me!" she screamed but the man only looked at her and then Aerion before scurrying away terrified.

'You can't escape. Stop right now!"

The few servants she encountered quickly dispersed, not daring to take side. Now, Daella had to fight off the fear mounting in her and blinding her with despair. She needed to escape. Somehow, she needed to get to safety. But where would she be safe? With the servants? By now, it was clear that they wouldn't take a side. Should she try to find a member of the Kingsguard? Surely, they could not fight against Aerion but they would not let him assault her either… maybe. She just didn't know. Her father or the King? They would never condone such a behavior and they would stop Aerion but right now, they were with the Small Council.

Without thinking, she threw open the first door she saw on her left, ran in, and slammed the bolt in place right in front of Aerion's furious face. Only when she looked around did she realize that she was now in Aegon and Rhae's bedchamber, the one that opened into a bathchamber and was located at the third floor of Maegor's Holdfast.

The door shook under Aerion's kicks.

Feeling suddenly weak, Daella placed Jaehaerys on the bed and collapsed next to him.

She had taken them into a trap.


A/N. Hey, anyone else thinking that we need the characters from Dunk & Egg stories added to filters? I certainly do.