Hiya! This is something I came up with during the stress of finals season! The idea quite literally came to me at the worst time, and I had to write it down. Anyway, in the last month I've finished 50,000 words of this story, and when I'm done I suspect it will be about 70k-80k. It's only going to be five chapters, with around 15,000 words per chapter. I have already written chapters 2 and 3, but I only have 1/4 of chapter 4 finished and I only have chapter 5 outlined. Therefore, I will not be posting chapter 2 until chapter 4 is written, so that I have some cushion for updating. This story should hopefully be updated once a month. A warm thank you to amukay for pre-reading this story and helping me get all my thoughts straight! I edited this chapter several times, but if there are any serious errors, please let me know.

TW: Underage, Violence, Sexual Assault


Serenity straightens her back as Princess Venus escorts her into the transport pod.

Today is the day that she leaves the Moon for the gargantuan blue planet that it circles each day. Today is the day she says goodbye to most of her court, her mother, and the way of life she has followed since the day she came from Galaxy Cauldron.

Today is the day she meets her betrothed.


279.

She does not expect the response she receives when she arrives in Westeros. The kingdom is radiant, warm, and inviting. These people want her here, and they are loud in their boisterous desire to see the future Queen more closely. The colors are so vibrant, and the air she breathes is foreign to her lungs and to her senses. It is nothing like the Moon, where life exists only because Queen Selenity IX wills it to be. It is more than the stark grey landscape with artificial vitality. Her legs can barely carry her weight, she feels heavy, as though the weight of the world is on her shoulders. She thinks perhaps, that it might be.

She needs this marriage if her people are to survive the future that Princess Mars has prophesized. Serenity zi Lunaryon, Seventh of Her Name is the thirty-first Crown Princess of the Silver Millennium, and she has also been prophesized to be the last. After her mother traveled to the Galaxy Cauldron and asked for a child, she birthed Serenity with no help of a man and nothing but the blessings of the stars themselves. She had raised her daughter alone, and to be a woman who needed nothing from the universe. Princess Serenity had had a happy childhood, and had grown up with her guardians beside her. She did not know the true evil that existed in the hearts of men. Oh, she knew it existed, knew that to be mortal meant that to be touched by the dark; but she had ever experienced that darkness for herself. Princesses Venus, Mars, Mercury and Jupiter were the patron Princess of their planets and took a vow to protect Serenity from birth till death. They had promised to give their lives for hers. She was to live at all costs. That was the duty of the Sailor Soldier – to be the shield of the Silver Millennium and the wielder of the Silver Crystal. These women were Princess in their own right, but they gave up their crowns to protect hers, and keep the Silver Millennium safe from outside forces of darkness.

This had all been decided when the Lunarians realized that their civilization could not be contained on the Moon. Twenty thousand years ago, her people had colonized all the planets in the solar system, and had advanced their civilizations under the reign of the Queen of the Silver Millennium, Selene II. The fourth Queen of the Moon had encouraged exploration for her people, and they had taken to it beautifully. The Lunarians were a curious folk. They always seemed to believe that there was a new home waiting beyond their reach, and so their arms extended far to discover the boundaries of time and space. It was in their nature to love the Moon, to protect it, to cherish it. After all, their people were created when the Goddess Selene cried tears when her lover was slain. In her sadness she created a race in her own image to nurture the place where they had fallen in love. She took her own life and willed all of her strength to be sealed within a lotus flower. As her tears hit the flower, it turned into a beautiful crystal and a babe – Selene I – was born. She was the new Selene, but she was also herself; both mother, and daughter. And from that moment, the Moon was ruled by the line of Selene, the Goddess who took her own life and wept so many tears that the Sea of Serenity turned them into a the Lunarian people. The Moon was quite literally in their blood.

The Lunarians had colonized every planet within their view, and had established new societies with a philosophy of love, peace, and happiness. All was right and just until the last Princess Mars foretold the Doom of the Silver Millennium. The Lunarians, as skilled as they were had dug too deep into their new planets and could not stop the instability that followed. The planetary cores were all unstable, or close to being so, and the Silver Millennium was in a crisis.

The only planet in the solar system that had a stable core was the one that the Moon had revolved around and the Moon itself. But the Moon could not support a population of nine million. It was simply impossible given the little resources available on the Moon. Lunarians could make the most inhospitable land a home, but the Moon had not the space nor the resources to continue their civilization. That was part of the reason they had colonized the other planets in the first place. Worse, the Lunarians who had colonized other planets had evolved with new traits that gave them more advantages on their new planets. Lunarians were resistant to most extreme temperatures, but each race of Lunarian colonizers had developed key traits that would be useless on the Moon. They had created their own cultures, their own kingdoms, and their own families. How could they return to the place that their families had left so many years before?

In less than twenty years, the planets that the Lunarians inhabited would be so unstable that they may kill anyone in the vicinity if one imploded. Venus was dangerously unstable, and the acidity in the planet had become so vicious that Venusians were already leave to seek refuge on Mercury and on the Moon. If her core exploded, Venus would destroy, the Moon and throw Mercury and the Earth off their axes in one fell swoop. If that occurred, then Mercury would be flung straight into the Sun, and life as they knew it would end. Princess Mars, the 27thProphet of the Silver Millennium had foreseen the entire thing and it had caused mass panic that led to Queen Serenity commissioning investigations on how they could successfully decolonize the planets and avoid the Doom.

Mercurian scholars had figured out that if they removed all traces of their presence on the planets they could heal and in ten thousand years they could be hosts for the Lunarians again. It was important information. After all, if Venus was destroyed they would all soon follow into an icy demise of death and darkness But they could not sacrifice the nine million souls that lived in the Silver Millennium, and so Queen Serenity had sold her only daughter – a maiden of only three and ten and heir to her throne - to a powerful family on the blue planet that they rotated around.

Serenity could not be angry at her mother's decision, because it was saving the lives of her people. They are her people. They are her strength. It is her duty to preserve the life that was given when the Goddess Selene shed her first tear on the lifeless soil of the Moon.

Serenity is roused from her thoughts when the smallfolk begin to huddle around her transport device. Jupiter steadies her from the rough landing and Venus is wary of the crowds of people who clamber to see the new Princess as she arrives in King's Landing for the first time. They throw flowers at her feet, and some are bowing on their hands and knees, worshipping her very presence. They have heard the stories, she thinks, that say that she is something more than a Princess; that she is a Goddess in her own right. It makes her uncomfortable to be worshipped so openly, but she ignores it. These are their customs, and now they will be her customs. These will be her people.

The cry of a child grabs her attention and Serenity's neck snaps at an almost inhuman speed to hear the source of the distress. This child had fallen, with flowers in his hands to greet her. Against the will of her guard, and the Kingsguard who have come to escort her to the Red Keep she pulls the child up at his feet, and smooths his dirty hair, "Please, be careful," she says, before putting her dainty hand to the cut on his cheek. When she pulls away, the crowd realizes the boy isn't bleeding, and the Princess is gone.


She is met by the entirety of court when she arrives in the Red Keep. She is self-assured. She has braved court many times, and truly there is no difference between the whispers of the ladies here and the ones on the Moon. She knows of the deceit that lingers within the hearts of courtiers. But her new good-father has stricken fear in her heart. He is the thing that she truly fears.

He is mad. This she knows.

Reports have been coming in of his insanity for many years. She hopes it will not linger in her husband-to-be, but Princess Mars tells her in her all-knowing way that the madness has passed Prince Rhaegar.

When she bows deeply to King Aerys II, her ladies follow suit. Princess Jupiter does it unwillingly, as do the rest, but the pinched look on her face says she is more shamed by bowing to this man. Serenity gathers the voluminous white skirt of her chiffon gown and is careful to keep her eyes down. It kills her to bow to this beast of man – for he is haggard, dirty, and as sinister as the dark side of the Moon.

But this land, Westeros, is not the Moon. They do not follow women here. She is not the Crowned Princess of the Earth. She is not the Crowned Princess of anything here. She is to be the Princess Consort, a far demotion from her position as Crowned Princess of the Silver Millennium. She is not surprised that their King is a beast, because their ways make no sense to her. A mother births a child. Should she not be the one to make the decisions for her people? Women bleed but do not die, but here they cannot wear crowns.

King Aerys had sent a Knight to find a Valyrian beauty and when he came back empty handed, Rhaegar had narrowly convinced him not to kill the man. Rhaella had been the one to suggest they contact the Lunarians in a last ditch effort to pacify her violent husband, and it had been a difficult task. After all, the Lunarians had colonized every planet that moved around the Sun, and that included the Known World. They had settled in Valyria, and the blood of Old Valyria was once the blood of the Lunarians. Intermingling with the human population in Essos until their blood was red and their lives were no longer a millennia long. They had retained some of their heightened abilities – namely the ability to withstand fire, and had kept the Lunarian visage. That was when the Valyrians begun to keep the bloodlines pure. But their culture had progressed differently, for the Valyrians were only one of many civilizations on the blue planet. They followed the Queen loyally, and their destruction four hundred years ago had been a moment of true sadness for her Queen mother.

King Aerys had agreed to contact the Moon but there was only one communication stone left in Westeros and it was at Dragonstone. It wasn't hard to reach, but nobody had tried to use the communication stone since the Doom. Rhaella and Rhaegar had spent days trying to figure out how to use it before they finally realized that they needed the light of the Moon and blood.

Queen Selenity had been negotiating a contract with the Prince of Nemesis, and Serenity had been fearful it would be successful, until her mother informed her that she had secured a far better deal for the Lunarians and for her only daughter. Princess Serenity would wed Prince Rhaegar, and when her Queen Mother died, Serenity would become Queen of Silver Millennium. It was a title more in name than in practice, as her marriage to Prince Rhaegar on his planet meant that her title would be consolidated with his. Her mother would rather that than hand their kingdom to the Nemesi, and so their contract had been signed in blood.

When the wedding happened, the Lunarians would follow their Princess and colonize Westeros to escape Venus's demise. The Lunarians had inhabited the eight for thousands of years, and their resources were running dry. The core of Venus was unstable, and the Jovians and Martians were losing their water resources faster each day because they were sending what little they had to Venus. If Serenity married Rhaegar, King Aerys had agreed to allow her people to follow. This wedding must be a success, and she must ensure the King favors her, distasteful as he is. This man holds her kingdom in his mad hand and she has little influence except her sweetness.

When she is done bending the knee she stands, shoulders squared, chin straight, and eyes forward, as she has been taught.

The King is interested, that much she can tell.

"You are prettier than expected," he says, "Good enough for my son and better than the other useless women here."

She knows this is not a compliment. He is trying to create chaos between the ladies in court. They will hate her now, if they didn't already hate her before. Regardless, she thanks him in slightly accented Common Tongue. She has learned the language of Westeros, and thanks to the emergency tutelage of Princess Mercury after the process of their betrothal, Serenity is fluent in High Valyrian. She knows enough of the Old Tongue to read ancient texts but cannot speak it as easily as any other language she has studied.

"Come forward, my son," Aerys says, and this is the moment that Serenity meets the man she will marry for the first time. He is radiant, the sun and the stars. His intricately braided hair is almost as light as hers, but a white gold rather than an icy white. His complexion is rosy, warm and his violet eyes are full of an emotion that Serenity cannot place. He is twenty and one name days, and he is glorious. They are as different as night and day. She is the Moon and he is the sun and the stars.

He is standing by the throne, and when he is called he moves forward without delay. Dare she say her fiancé looks eager to meet her?

But this man – this man. He is not his father, that much is sure.

She does a quick curtsey, nothing fancy, and she barely bends her knee. If she is his wife, she will be his equal. She will not be subservient to a man, when she has come from no man. Her ladies follow suit and bend before the Crown Prince of the Seven Kingdoms.

She shifts her hand forward and he kisses it and it is probably the most lovely thing she's ever experienced. His lips are soft, and they tingle when they touch her fingers. She thinks she might be smitten, if that's what the tingling means. The giggling of her ladies behinds her shows her they agree.

King Aerys orders her to be locked within the Maidenvault and both Queen Rhaella and Prince Rhaegar look alarmed. Then she recalls that the tower her soon good-father is locking her in is used to keep virgin brides separated from their betrothed. She is not worried about staying in the tower until Aerys announces she will stay there until her moonblood and Serenity's heart sinks. It will takes weeks for it to come, because it's only three days gone. And not only has everyone in the Keep heard about her flowering, now they will think her a whore when she is locked in the tower for nearly an entire turn. Plus, her soon good-father has managed to insult her by questioning her virginity in front of the entire court. She tries to brush it off, but Serenity can't help but mourn the fact that she must marry into this family at all.

This is but the first time that Serenity is publicly disgraced by King Aerys.


As soon as her moonblood arrives, the wedding is expediated because her good-father desires heirs for his heir. She knows what this means, as her mother spoke to her about the bedding before she came to this strange place.

They speak their vows, which both excites and terrifies Serenity, and she can't help but to be amazed by how violet the Prince's eyes are. The High Septon bonds them and Serenity feels his lips against hers. It tingles, and it is over almost as quickly as it begins.

She is married now, and when the evening is done she will be a maiden no more. At ten and three, she is ready to be a woman.

They sing, drink, and dance well into the early hours of the morning, a considerable feat as the wedding occurred midday. Princess Venus sings the traditional Lunarian wedding song, and although most of the courtiers have no understanding of the words she sings, there is not a dry eye in the house. It is a shame, Serenity thinks, that these people will never hear of Selene and Endymion and how their love created her people. Serenity is even more dismayed when she realizes that Rhaegar hasn't understood any of what Princess Venus says in her song, in their wedding song. After all, Valyrian derives from Lunarian, so she is surprised that he has neglected to learn her mother tongue. Nonetheless the Lunarian courtiers in the audience are moved and they celebrate their Princess's marriage in this foreign land.

Her mother kisses her on the forehead, and her sisters congratulate her and thank her for saving them all in the same breath. Her new husband is polite to her sisters, and respectful to her mother, and Serenity hopes that this means he will treat her with care while they are married, rather than the way she has seen the King treat Queen Rhaella.

Her ladies hug her deeply and wish her luck before she is carried towards her husband's bedchamber. It is humiliating, she feels, and barbaric. But this is their tradition, and now it is her tradition too, so she doesn't cry when she arrives at her destination nearly nude but for the slip she wore underneath her wedding gown.

She feels warm, and she knows that she's blushing from head to toe because her husband is waiting for her and he is gazing at her. Gazing is not the right word, if she is honest. Analyzing would be better. He is staring at her as though he is appraising the finest piece of art he has ever seen. The way he looks at her is the way the Venus says that Adonis looks at her. He is looking at her with a fire in his eyes -desire- and she has no idea how this night will be.

He worships her. She has heard stories, from girls who were dishonored at court, and from one of the maids who cleaned her chamber pots about how men had used them, given them pain, and then left them in bed.

But this was nothing like that. He kisses her, all over her body, from the toes on her feet to the hairs on her head, he is gentle, loving. He is reverent, and Serenity hopes it will always be like this. She knows she is meant to produce at least and heir and a spare – and that she should produce a daughter for each son she births. This disturbs her, for she has no love for the traditional practices of her husband's family. No matter this duty, she hopes for happiness.

She sees stars twice before he is pressing himself into her. It hurts, but only for a moment and then the pain is gone. He is moving into her and as she becomes more comfortable she meets him where their hips are joined.

He spills inside of her and his face is pressed into her heaving breasts. He is breathing heavily and Serenity thinks she is too. Her vision is darkening, and her body is tired. She feels boneless, exhausted, as though she's swam the entire Sea of Serenity.

But she cannot sleep yet because the chambermaids strip the sheets from her bed and she is forced to put her arms around her nudity as she huddles near the bed, skin tingling under the summer evening breeze. When the sheets are on and the maids are gone her husband pats the space next to him. She slides back into the bed and is amazed that he is not tired at all.

She sees stars thrice more before she sleeps that night and she falls asleep gazing at the cherry blossom tree outside of her window and dreams of the past.


When she wakes up, Prince Rhaegar is looking her in the eyes. She is startled, and is ready to push him away before she remembers that they are married and this man is her husband.

She is a maiden no more and this glowing man is the reason she is now a woman.

She opens her mouth, "Your Grace-"

"Just Rhaegar," he says as he puts a finger to her lips, guides her out of bed and then they make love in the bath.

By the time they enter the Great Hall to break their fast, the entire Keep knows that Serenity zi Lunaryon, daughter of Selenity IX, granddaughter of Selene VII is no longer just a wife in name.

King Aerys presents their sheets in the Throne Room like a trophy, and demands that it fly from the Keep so the smallfolk may see. Rhaegar convinces him that this is unnecessary, and eventually the King demands they be burned instead. Serenity sends her husband a silent look of thanks, and he squeezes her hand tightly under the table.

Serenity admits that she is terrified of her good-father. He is unpredictable, dangerous, and violent. This is reinforced on her third night outside of the Maidenvault when Aerys has a petty thief burned alive in front of them at the dinner table for stealing bread.

Serenity thinks she might lose her supper, because she's so disgusted. Rhaegar is squeezing her hand painfully tight, and Serenity thinks he must also be worried. The King is unstable, and he is killing people left in right. That evening Rhaegar tells her that his father is displaying the same symptoms that Prince Aerion showed before he drank a cup of wildfire thinking it would make him a dragon.

Serenity is shocked by the King's cruelty, but knows that she cannot stand against him. She has no child yet, and her place in court is not secure. If she acts against King Aerys her people will perish along with the unstable planets they are stuck on. The Silver millennium needs this alliance in order to save their population. Serenity must be the perfect Princess to her good-father. He cannot question her allegiance.

Unfortunately, this becomes more difficult when her good-father turns his restless eye upon her. She is wearing the tradition dress of her people, a simple white frock with a beaded bust. It's a heavy dress, and the wings that fall from the back to mimic her own slow her down, but it is comfortable and covers her bosom. Until her good-father stares at her, she has never felt naked in her gown.

Serenity scrubs herself with scalding hot water and leaves the bath red that night because his leering makes her so uncomfortable that she isn't sure she can even be in his presence.

If that isn't bad enough, her good-father seats her damningly close to him at her wedding celebration tourney. Rhaegar is participating, and Aerys demands that Serenity, Rhaella, and Viserys come to each event to honor the dragon.

Her good-father seats her on the higher chair to his right, and his wife in the lower chair to his left. The implications are not lost on Serenity, Rhaella, or any of those who see how the King cuckqueans his wife. Serenity is sitting as far away as she can in her chair, and Rhaella, sensing her discomfort, hands Viserys to his good-sister for protection. Serenity gives a silent look of thanks and tries to focus her attention on her good-mother's toddler. Viserys' chattering in Serenity's ear manages to keep her good-father at bay for most of the tourney until the fourth day, when the boy is left to the nurse-maids with an aching stomach. Aerys is drunk, and angry that Rhaegar is not participating in the joust. He leans over and Serenity can smell his decaying breath. His hands reach out and suddenly her good-father's hand has slipped into the top of her dress and he is cupping her bare breast, his wickedly long nails digging painfully into her flesh. Serenity shudders and then gags when he puts his putrid tongue in her ear.

The crowd cheers, and it distracts her good-father enough that Serenity can push him away. Rhaella is horrified on her good-daughter's behalf and both of them are relieved when the King drunkenly spills his red wine all over Serenity's white gown simply because it means that Serenity can escape the clutches of her good-father.

Serenity feels dishonored and vomits into the privy until the nausea subsides and she can hide the shame. When she tells Rhaegar, he is furious and spitting fire. Serenity cries the entire night, miserable because her breast is bruised and bleeding from Aerys' nails; she is home-sick for her mother and the Lunarian people; and she's hating herself because she wishes she had never come to Westeros or met Aerys Targaryen.


It takes everything in Rhaegar not to strangle his father after he accosts his wife. He had known it was a possibility that his father would behave inappropriately towards Serenity, but he had assumed he would have violent, not sexual. Aerys was unable to keep his hands to himself, but Rhaegar never thought he would lay a hand on his son's wife. Although he'd never claimed to sire a bastard, his father was known for his adultizing ways. Rhaegar knew he had been conceived in rape. His mother once admitted she had no care for Aerys as a brother, let alone as a husband. After he had heard that he vowed to never be like his father.

Princess Venus had comforted his wife for days, and Rhaegar couldn't help but feel he was responsible for the mess. He knew that his father was unstable, knew he was dangerous, and a year prior he had begun to very discreetly gain the loyalty of the noble houses. He hoped they could peacefully remove his father, claim his insanity was a danger, but then he had begun to burn those who disagreed with him alive, and Rhaegar was left in a dangerous position. If he acted against his father, there was no doubt that Aerys would kill him too. After all, his father had Viserys to take the crown if he killed Rhaegar. And he had no doubt that his father would think nothing of dishonoring both his mother and his wife by taking Serenity as a second wife.

He doubles the guards that stand outside Serenity's rooms, and confers with the virgin priestess, Princess Mars about never leaving his wife unattended. The Martians, Rhaegar knows, have no Royal House. Instead, they are ruled by a Priestess in each generation that is given the gift of foresight by the Gods. Princess Mars' affinity with the sacred flame should be invaluable to keeping Serenity safe.


That afternoon her handmaids, Selena, Serena, and Seraphina, pack a trunk full of her white dresses and silver sandals, and an abundance of other things she is sure she hasn't seen before. She and Prince Rhaegar are traveling for some time, to celebrate their wedding, and to introduce her to the noble houses of the Seven Kingdoms. Aerys is particularly wary about the Vale and the North. The North has no love for the Targaryens, but they respect her Lord husband. Truthfully, Serenity is thankful they will be leaving King's Landing and Aerys' madness.

Their entourage leaves only a fortnight later. They travel by carriage and by sea. They visit Dragonstone first, where Rhaegar shows her the bones of his ancestors.

"We conquered this land on the backs of dragons," he explains, and then informs her of the prophecy – that the dragon must have three heads.

Serenity is skeptical. She knows his people are tolerant of fire, after all, they inherited that trait from the Lunarians. She believes in prophecies, after all she is here because of one. But humans are not like her people. They cannot tell the future.

Dragonstone is unusually bare. Considering it is the ancestral home of the Targaryens, there is little comfort within its stone walls. Unlike the Red Keep, and the ruins that remain of Summerhall, Dragonstone is a fortress meant to keep others out. It's drafty, and the common folk on the island subside on the worst of diets.

On their third day at Rhaegar's ancestral seat, Rhaegar agrees to take Serenity to the market. Serenity is excited to enjoy the sun and the breeze of the Narrow Sea but she knows that this is still a state affair and so she asks Selena to prepare her traditional dress and her favorite tiara. She slips into her silver sandals and her guardians walk her to the gates where their carriage is waiting. She enters and waits only a moment before Rhaegar joins her, hair in a messy half up braid and a crown of his own placed on his head. If they had been in King's Landing they might have been able to sneak through the market unannounced, but there are no other noble families on the island and the commoners had thrown a celebration when the Crown Prince and Princess arrived. They would know Rhaegar immediately. He cannot hide here.

Rhaegar helps Serenity out of the carriage a while before the market because she asks to walk. She wants to feel the wind she says, and smell the salt water, so they walk down the port and are bowed to by the people. They reach the market and it's small, less than a quarter of the size of a small market in King's Landing, and has less than two dozen merchants selling goods. The market is located on the harbor and the people are elated to see their Prince and their new Princess.

But, Serenity's heart breaks when a child rushes towards her and a Knight raises his sword.

"Please, Ser Arthur, she is only a child."

The little girl has fire-red hair and she is very dirty. She's most likely an orphan, or maybe she is one of Varys' little birds. Either way, she raises her palms and opens them to present a sharp piece of dark stone.

"Is this for me?" Serenity questions as she moves to kneel. They've begun to gather a crowd now, since the townspeople have spread that the Prince and Princess are at the market.

The girl nods in the affirmative.

The townsfolk are whispering, now, because the Princess has her white dress in the dirt for a ragamuffin.

"Why thank you," Serenity says as she opens her own dainty hand. "What is your name, my darling?" she asks with a wide smile, and that is when Princess Venus inwardly rolls her eyes.

Serenity is always like this – almost too nice, and King Aerys knows this and is banking on keeping the kingdom's loyalty through Serenity. He is mad but he is not stupid.

"Mya, Your Grace," the girl says, stumbling over her words slightly. She can't be any older than five or six name days.

"Thank you ever so much, Lady Mya," Serenity says and the crowd gasps that the foreign Princess is as kind as good Queen Rhaella, "Are you very hungry, my lady?" Serenity asks, "I am quite ravenous but I have never tried any of these foods before."

Mya looks apprehensive, and Serenity supposes that this girl has had a hard life. Then Mya nods. She is hungry, and Serenity can see it in her eyes and in the way the girl's belly looks bloated in starvation.

"Lady Mya, would you like to show me where to eat? I adore spending time with new friends."

Mya's smile is radiant and when Serenity straightens up and abandons her husband's arm to hold Mya Waters' hand. Rhaegar smiles pleasantly, and walks beside his wife as she coaxes the girl to speak and makes her feel comfortable. They visit every stall and Mya admits that she's only tried the baker's loaves because when they start to stale he gives them to the children but that she likes to watch Mr. Whiteland grill the fish he catches on skewers.

Serenity responds that they simply must try it and tries to eat the shellfish in a dignified way and fails. Mya gets it all over her face, and out of nowhere, Seraphina has a handkerchief to the girl's face in only a moment. Mya finishes showing them around the market, not realizing that Rhaegar knows his way around with ease. She tells them stories of things she's done ("I caught a crab and Jon lit a fire and we cookeded it" and "A big ship came and they threw lots of barrels of mead off the side and I tried to get one but I couldn't lifted it" or "the shoemaker gives me leather scraps if I does his sums") and finally they get to the last stall. Mya looks disappointed when Serenity declares she is too tired to continue to walk, because she's excited about having spent hours with the Princessand now she'll have to go back to begging.

Mya moves to sneak away but Serenity has a firm grip on her hand. "Lady Mya, how would you feel about never having to beg for food again?"

Mya's eyes open wide, bulging almost, when the Princess calls over Princess Mercury, "Mya, this is the Princess of Mercury."

"Where's that?" asked Mya in confusion. One of the knights huffs at her lack of respect but Serenity seems unbothered.

Serenity points into the sky, "As close to the sun as your eyes can see. Princess Mercury has no handmaidens, Lady Mya, because they are all back at her homeland. But, she needs someone who can help her do arithmetic, and to drink tea with."

Mya's eyes widen even further when Princess Serenity asks herif she would like to stay with Princess Mercury. She says yes and she cries so hard she can't breathe through her nose.

When Serenity and Mya walk hand in hand back towards their carriage, Rhaegar notices that the smallfolk are tearing up and that is when he knows that Serenity has won their love.


There is a celebration when they begin to depart Dragonstone. The townspeople are cheering, and throwing flowers as they board their vessel that is heading towards the Stormlands.

The sea is calm and Rhaegar beds her four times before they arrive at the Stormlands. Serenity is unimpressed by the Baratheons, even though they are Rhaegar's cousins. The oldest of the boys is a few years older than her, and she's convinced he's got a few bastards, because while they are there all he does is drink and whore. Princess Jupiter seems to like the Stormlands though, and goes on many a long walk to enjoy the terrain.

They spend only a fortnight at Storm's End before they travel by carriage to Dorne. Serenity loves it in Dorne. The weather is warm, and the beaches are sandy and beautiful. She gets on well with the Martells, and she adores watching the sunrise in Sunspear. The women wear far more revealing clothes, and the people are looser with their affections, but it reminds Serenity of Venus, so she enjoys it. Princess Venus' father as her mother's brother, and so Serenity spent many a year enjoying the blistering heat of Venus.

Princess Venus and Ellaria Sand become fast friends, and Serenity suspects that her guardian-cousin has been loose with her own affections in their bed. She says nothing about her belief to Rhaegar, but Venus readily admits that she has spent each night in passion with the Prince of Dorne and his lover. When they leave Dorne, both Serenity and Venus are disappointed – Serenity because she enjoyed the weather and the culture and Venus because she misses the tongue of Ellaria Sand.

From Dorne they travel north to the Reach and Serenity cannot believe that she may love another place as much as the loved Dorne but the Reach is almost as beautiful as the Moon.

Rhaegar warns Serenity that she must make the Tyrells love her, "The Tyrells are loyal to the Crown, veryloyal, and behind the Lannisters they are the second most wealthy of the noble families."

After seeing the Reach, Serenity cannot help but agree that with the fertile lands and the rich culture in the region, the Reach could have the capability of rising an army against the Crown. They spend an entire turn at the Reach and Serenity vows to go back, for she loves it so much that she cannot imagine returning to King's Landing at all. She turns her charm on its highest setting and the Tyrells are even more loyal to the Targaryens when she leaves than they were when she arrived.

They are in the Westerlands for less than a fortnight because most of the important Lannisters are at King's Landing. The Westerlands are the wealthiest of the regions of Westeros, she learns. Their mountains contain gold, and the Lannisters have mined it and become the wealthiest family in Westeros behind the Targaryens. Rhaegar tells Serenity that this is a danger, because the Lannister wealth and the Lannister cunning go hand in hand to created Lannister Lions. But Serenity is interested in their mining, and after Princess Mercury and Princess Mars do some digging, they confirm that the Lannisters do not have nearly as much gold as they have spread.

Serenity and Rhaegar reason that they are spreading false discussions of having flowing mines in order to sustain their political power over the Westerlands, and to prove a point with the Tyrells.

When they head to the Iron Islands, the atmosphere is decidedly colder. Euron Greyjoy has no interest in her, or Rhaegar, and when they leave, Serenity asks her husband if she made a mistake.

"No," he replies as their carriage travels towards the Vale, "The Ironborn have always been that way. If they could be their own kingdom they would, but they can't survive on their own."

Mercury adores the Vale, and Serenity enjoys the peace she achieves there.

As they leave the Vale and arrive at Winterfell, Serenity realizes her moonblood never came.


They are welcomed at Winterfell with open arms, and Serenity leaves with her secret close to her chest. They've been away from the Red Keep for six turns and she missed her moonblood thrice, and they are not due back to Kin's Landing for another two turns.

Her people do not suffer from the issues that pervade humans. Lunarians are stronger, faster, and more resilient. Nary a woman has died from birthing since Queen Selenity III reigned the Moon.

But Westeros is behind the Moon – they've yet to understand how to cure most diseases and their people drink unclean water. Serenity becomes frightened, paralyzed with fear because this is not the Moon, and there is no army of healers from Mercury ready to assist her. She sits in the bath as her husband calls her from where he stands on the other side of the door and she is too petrified to move. When she doesn't answer he sighs and tells her he'll be back in the evening.

She didn't mean to upset him, but she's terrified. If the rumors are to be believed, her good-mother has had eight of her children die. It is because of that that Serenity married Rhaegar. They married because he had no sisters to wife.

Serenity cries in Venus's arms, and her lady-in-waiting holds her while Princess Mercury assures her that she won't suffer the same fate. They shower her in love and affection and Princess Mars says that she has Seen Serenity older than she is now with all three heads of the dragon alive.

Serenity's mood improves and she retires to the chambers she shares with her husband and finally meets his eyes. She smiles at him triumphantly, and without even telling Rhaegar that she is with child, he knows. They make love well into the night and Rhaegar tells her in that moment that he loves her. Serenity says she loves him back.

They decide to sit on the information for as long as possible, just in case. Rhaella, after all, had had two of his siblings die in her womb.

By the time they are back at the Red Keep, Serenity is swollen, but her traditional empire waist gowns conceal all but the way her breasts have engorged seemingly overnight. Her people are naturally slender, but aside from her breasts, and the sudden roundness of her face, and the painful swelling of her feet, no one but her husband can see the differences in the Princess Consort of Dragonstone.

On a sunny morning, they arrive to feast in the Great Hall, and Serenity can eat nothing but fruit. Aerys is watching her with an appraising eye, and Serenity knows that even though he is mad, Aerys is no fool. He is paranoid, dangerous, and insane, but not foolish.

"Daughter," he commands, and all other discussion stops, "Maester Pycelle has told me that you have not flowered in five turns." It sounds accusatory, and Serenity's mind flashes back to the thief burning over supper.

Rhaegar can see Serenity stiffens, and her hackles rise. She does not like being put on the spot, and Rhaegar understands her discomfort. He moves to smooth things over by replying, "We wanted to tell you the good news in person rather than by raven father, that you are to be a grandfather in less than four turns."

Aerys harrumphs and then grumbles, "Being with child is no guarantee of an heir!" Then he swivels his head to Queen Rhaella and continues, "You would know about that, wife."

The courtiers are horrified, and both Serenity and Rhaella are holding back tears from the King's abuse. Rhaella looks miserable, and Serenity is sinking deep into her chair to hide from her good-father.

She mumbles an apology to the King about feeling ill and when he permits her to leave she rushes in a mad dash towards their solar with speed Rhaegar's never seen before. When Rhaegar starts to stand to follow her, he is harshly commanded to stay by his father, who talks nonsense for the rest of the meal. Rhaegar doesn't remember a word, because he's too focused on his missing wife.


She practices motherhood with Viserys. He is just like her husband, she thinks, with his radiant warmth and big smiles.

"Sister!" he calls as he races around her in the sand, "Look at!" and he places a small quartz, a seashell, and a broken piece of worn glass in her hands and kisses every part of her skin he can reach on his tiny legs. Serenity loves her good-brother deeply. He is only three name days but she feels they are kindred spirits. They are so close that Rhaegar hangs a portrait of the two in his study and gazes at it, wondering if their children will look more like his wife or him.

She dances with Viserys under the high sun as Rhaegar watches. Her ladies are watching from a safe distance, ready to protect her, even on the isolated beach. Viserys is in love with her the way only a child can be in love with his older sister. He idolizes her, and tries to mimic her almost as much as he mimics Rhaegar. Serenity hopes he will stay sweet and kind the way his brother has. She hopes he will inherit her good-mother's disposition and not the manic, crazed, madness of his father.

Viserys hugs his sandy arms around her leg and as he has done since he found out he would be an uncle he places his hand where she has begun to swell. He is nothing short of fascinated with the child in her womb.

"Sister, is mine when borned?" he questions aloud. That is when Serenity realizes that Viserys must have heard the same things that she had heard – that Aerys planned to marry Viserys to her child if it was not the son he desired.

"Perhaps, my love," she says, not letting her disgust with their sibling-marrying, incestuous practices show. She picks him up and he fits against her chest as though he has always been there. His bare feet wrap around her belly with some difficulty but his arms are a vice around her neck. She opens her hand and gives him a flower that morphs into a butterfly that disappears in the blistering sun.

"Again!" he demands, "Again!" until she has released an army of red and yellow insects into the sky.

They are happy.


Queen Rhaella and Serenity are soulmates, she thinks. She is sweet, and kind, and she reminds her of her own mother. The two ruminate on the next dragon, and Rhaella assures her that Serenity's future dragon will be fine.

"He will be the salvation of this family," Rhaella says, as they open wedding presents that had come from Varys' partner in Essos.

Inside of a golden box lay six large stone eggs, with a note.

"Dragon eggs," Rhaella marvels as she lifts one up, "But they are long turned to stone."

"Hatch, mama?" asks Viserys from where he sits, squirming on Serenity's lap.

"No, my darling," Rhaella replies, "These eggs will never hatch."

And in a shocking display of fluidity for only three name days, Viserys replies, "Fire cannot kill a dragon." He repeats it perfectly, with an air of confidence that Serenity is sure is because he has heard the phrase his whole life.

The air seems to still, even as the cherry blossom tree outside her window shakes with the summer breeze.

"Yes," Serenity agrees as she runs her finger through her good-brother's fine locks, "Fire cannot kill a dragon."

Rhaegar arrives just as they put Viserys to sleep, and he is in high spirits because of the eggs. It's a sign he thinks, that Serenity will bear the three heads of the dragon. Rhaella tries to convince Rhaegar to ignore the prophecy but he's insistent that his children will fill the prophecy. He had believed himself the prince who was promised but he has abandoned that idea and has instead come to the conclusion that their first child will be the Prince. Serenity becomes more and more anxious each time Rhaegar mentions the three heads. She tries to tell him that prophecies do not always come true, and that when they do it is because they are forced to do so.

"Trying to escape a prophecy or a will a prophecy usually has the opposite effect," she says earnestly, "We cannot change our fates. Only the Gods can do that."

It's their first true argument, because Rhaegar takes her objection to the prophecy as a rejection of having more children and of his family's history.

"That's not it," Serenity swears, "I am just afraid that this prophecy will cloud our judgment. What is most important is that we love our children and raise them to be good people."

It settles their argument, but it puts a measurable distance between them for several weeks.

The prophecy cannot rule their lives. It cannot control their family. She worries that it is the beginning of the same madness that King Aerys suffers from. Just as that thought crosses her mind, Rhaegar dismisses their guards, and stations Serenity's guardians at their doors.

"We cannot allow this to continue," Rhaegar near whispers to his wife and his mother. "He grows more unstable each day. Yesterday he burned a man alive in the throne room."

Serenity holds back her vomit, recalling all of the ravens Rhaella had sent during their grand travels across Westeros. Aerys had been mad when Serenity arrived, but Rhaegar and Tywin had managed to keep the King at bay. Aerys and his hand were not seeing eye to eye and it made Serenity nervous that a civil war was brewing if only because Tywin and Rhaegar were culling Aerys' lust for fire and blood. Worse, Rhaegar knew that his father was beginning to see his eldest son as a possible enemy after the noble houses had sung praises of their visits.

"He is having us watched. Varys has been feeding him information."

"Is he untrustworthy?" Serenity questions.

Rhaegar hesitates, "He is loyal to our family and the Crown. If the Crown were mine…"

Rhaella sucks in a breath, "You are alluding to breaking a sacred law of our people."

Serenity shivers, "I cannot even think of the word."

"It may be the only option," Rhaegar says, "If father will not step down peacefully and hand the throne on it is the only solution. I thought perhaps we could dispose him if the remaining noble houses saw his behavior at the tourney but he was able to hide his insanity. For the most part."

Rhaella locks eyes with Rhaegar and then with Serenity, "If we do this, then no one can know. They cannot even suspect."

"If anyone finds out, he will put us all to death," Serenity whispers, as she puts her hand to her swollen middle. She feels a swift kick and is reminded that the fate of this child and her people lies in the hands of a madman. In that moment she knows that she is now committed to regicide. It wasn't for revenge, or fueled by her dislike of Aerys. Rather, she knew that if they continued to let him rule he was a danger to everyone – from the smallfolk to her unborn child. They were all targets, and Aerys' madness knew no bounds.


Their travels across Westeros brought whispers, and the events at Dragonstone exacerbate them. The common folk spoke of their future King and Queen with reverence. They loved Rhaegar and Serenity in a way that Aerys had never experienced. Surely the smallfolk had no true dislike for the King, for they did not know the madness in the Red Keep. They knew full bellies under his reign, with excellent crops, and winters without starvation. But Serenity and Rhaegar had promised that and more. The nobles could only overthrow a king with the help of the smallfolk, and the smallfolk had more love for their Prince and Princess than their King, especially after the measures Serenity had taken to make improvements to King's Landing.

They called her a Goddess, and these rumblings were the strongest in King's Landing and Dragonstone. Serenity had taken to reforming what little she could as Princess of Dragonstone. There were schools for the common children now, and shelters for unwed or widowed mothers. There were orphanages that gave children better chances to learn a trade, and she had even had a library built that taught smallfolk to read for free. She had put a stop to wasteful practices in the Keep (which the nobles found distasteful) and had taken to donating the uneaten food from the extravagant palace meals to the shelters to feed the old and the sick. Serenity had donated the items of her trousseau that no longer fit her to the women's shelter instead of gifting them to noblewomen. She had also ordered the castle seamstress to use the scraps of linen that weren't able to be made into clothing into blankets and other provisions to prepare for winter.

These small acts had cause some annoyance for the nobility, who were unhappy that they were being ignored in favor of the smallfolk, but it had influenced the smallfolk greatly. In short, the people loved her, and they loved Rhaegar. He was charming, handsome, and he listened to the common folk. He walked alongside them while his father sat on the Iron Throne decaying with every breath. He gave them food, and unlike his father he held court and carried out true justice. Between the two of them, Aerys had no chance of courting the smallfolk.

For Serenity, she did not do these things with any expectation. Rather, she wanted the love of her people because she wanted to make their lives easier and happier, even as much as she wanted the love of her husband.

As Aerys' madness grew more pronounced, Serenity was forced further into Rhaegar's protection. Her husband cursed their situation, and the fact that their marriage was forcing his hand. But Serenity believed that they had been blessed. Their child grew and in less than three turns, she would have her baby in her arms. They could be happy parents of a child, but they could not forget their duties. Aerys would not let them forget.

Her good-father has also heard the whispers across Westeros, and he is anything but happy. He knew how dangerous it was for the people to favor the heir over the King. That is when they know they must treat even more carefully. If Aerys had any suspicion that the Prince and Princess had plans to remove him, he would execute them in a painful death and there would be no protection left for anyone. He would fall into his madness and he would take the Seven Kingdoms with him. Serenity shudders when she thinks of what he may do to their child within her if he puts her to death, and her commitment to stopping Aerys is renewed.

Rhaegar is gaining supporters of the smallfolk and within the nobility every day but he is worried about the Tyrells. They are fiercely loyal, wealthy, and they have the population needed that could create military pressure on King's Landing if Rhaegar needs to raise an army. Without the Tyrells on his side, their would be no way to successfully depose Aerys.

The only positive is that the Lannisters have turned to support Rhaegar. They are a dangerous bunch, as wealthy as they are cunning and though he trusts them only as far as he can throw them, Rhaegar knows that at worst they will only sit out a war rather than take his father's side. After being spited twice, Tywin Lannister has begun to spy on the King for Rhaegar. Initially Serenity is distressed to hear this. She has heard that you should never trust a Lannister, and she's heard it several times from several different people.

"Never trust a Lannister," Rhaegar agrees, "Unless they've got something to lose. If my father finds out Tywin has sided against him then he will go down with us. He shan't say a word. Even if he did, all it would be is that I've asked him to tell me if my father means to kill any of us." Rhaegar had asked Tywin a favor in exchange for another favor. He would not tell anyone that that the Lannister mines were running dry as long as Tywin kept him informed about whether or not his father had decided to have he or his wife assassinated.

Princess Venus assures Rhaegar that Dorne will side with the Crown Prince if they fall into civil war. She has influence over Oberyn, and she shares that Prince Doran is distinctly unhappy that Elia Martell was passed over a Rhaegar's potential bride in a snub against his people. That makes Serenity somewhat uncomfortable, because she worries that the Sandsnakes may try to dispose of her as well. Princess Venus assures her that is not the case. Rather, she explains, the Dornish were not happy about being snubbed when they had never been conquered by the Targaryens.

"And what of the North?" Serenity questions.

Rhaella sighs, "They are unpredictable. They are fiercely loyal, but they have honor and I cannot see them siding with Aerys. He is everything that they stand against."

"If we can get the Stormlands and the Vale to side with us, the North will as well," Rhaegar pointed out, "Jon Arryn fostered a Stark and a Baratheon." He pauses, "And the Baratheons are our direct family. Robert and Stannis are our cousins."

Rhaella nods her head, "Stannis has honor for his family. Robert drinks and whores, but he mustn't be so bad if the Stark boy hangs about them."

"Isn't the Stark girl, Lyanna, betrothed to Robert Baratheon?" Serenity questions inquisitively. She remembers meeting Lyanna at Winterfell. She's a pretty girl, certainly, and Serenity enjoyed her vivacious nature. Lyanna reminds her of Princess Jupiter, even down to her dark hair and strong cheekbones.

Rhaella smiles wickedly, "That is something we can use in our favor. We must gain the support of the Baratheons. If we can do that, we will gain the Vale, the North, and the Riverlands."

Serenity gasped, "Because the heir of Winterfell and the Warden of the East are both set to marry one of the Tully girls." Serenity didn't like either of them. They'd met at Riverrun, and when they had left, Serenity had a bad taste in her mouth. Petyr Baelish had seemed untrustworthy, and both Catelyn and Lysa had made snide jabs. Catelyn about Serenity's culture and religion, and Lysa about the rounding of Serenity's cheeks (she had only recently been with child) after Littlefinger had looked in Serenity's direction with lust.

"Exactly correct, my dear," Rhaella praised and Serenity smiles widely at her good-mother who has come as close as she can to being the mother that Serenity misses on the Moon.

"This may be easier than we thought," considered Rhaegar, "But we should not become cocky. One mistake could cost us our lives."

How right her husband was. One mistake could cost all of their lives.


280.

Prince Rhaegar drops hints to courtiers who he knows will tell Varys information so that he can get his father to send him to Highgarden. After dropping careful hints that are slightly different and seeing which ones reach Varys for months he has figured out which nobles at court are informants and which are not. He and his mother decide he will take Serenity, but he cannot bring Rhaella and Viserys or his father will become suspicious that they have plans to destroy the Red Keep and everyone inside of it. But he cannot leave his wife at King's Landing under his father's thumb.

Serenity is heavily pregnant, and Rhaegar is worried that the journey may be too much for her. Her movements are slower, and Grand Maester Pycelle has confirmed that their dragon is only a fortnight from dropping. It is not an ideal time to travel, especially if Serenity is forced to have their son at an inn on the Kingsroad without the watchful eyes of Princess Mercury of Grand Maester Pycelle. But he also knows that if he leaves her behind she is at the mercy of his father. He sees the bruises that his father leaves on his mother, and he has no desire to leave his wife in the hands of a madman who has molested her before and has repeatedly raped his mother and other noble women at court. They plan to set out in three days. If the child does not drop before then, they may be able to make it to Highgarden before the birth. At best the Prince of Summerhall will be born under the fragrant roses of the ancestral seat of the Tyrells, at worst his wife will die on the side of the road. He ignores that possibility, knowing that if they don't leave for Highgarden, they are all dead under his father's rule anyway.

They must gain the loyalty of the Tyrells before they gather the loyalty of anyone else. If they can gain the support of the Tyrells, everyone else will be easy to convince. Most importantly, the Tyrells control the Reach and the Reach is the breadbasket of the Seven Kingdoms. If they have the loyalty of the Reach then they have all the grain supply needed to fight a civil war. They hope it won't come to that, but it's a possibility that Serenity and Rhaegar are forced to accept.

Serenity smooths her hands where their child grows and she is filled with fear. The King has burned three smallfolk alive in as many days. The nobles at court are seemingly held hostage. Aerys refuses to let them leave, because he seems to know that if what he is doing spreads across the Seven Kingdoms there will be open war. He does not seem to trust Rheagar and Serenity very much, but he clearly trusts them enough that he is willing to allow them to leave King's Landing. Serenity is terrified that this is a plot from Aerys, that he has planned for his son and good-daughter to be murdered by a band of thieves on the Kingsroad to Highgarden. When she brings up this fear, Rhaegar admits that it is possible and so he discreetly asks Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning to protect them on their trip. Rhaegar explains it is to keep his wife and coming heir safe, and Aerys agrees without hesitation. That makes them both feel a bit better, but they are still wary of the Mad King. Yes, he is mad, but he is no fool.

Aerys is becoming bolder by the day, and he has begun seating Serenity in the chair closest to him whenever he can. It cuckolds Rhaegar, and embarrasses Rhaella. He spends mealtimes trying to force more food than Serenity can possibly eat down her throat. He is constantly touching her belly, and Serenity is unable to make him stop in fear it may set him off on a violent tangent. Worse, the nobles have begun to believe she has cast a spell on the King because he ignores his wife and keeps giving the Princess of Dragonstone his favor.

"He is enraptured by her mere presence," they begin to say, "He has set sights for a new Queen."

The worst rumor she hears is that Aerys had been the one who took her maidenhead and that the child in her belly was of his seed. Those who believed this rumor thought she was playing both King and Heir so she would be Queen no matter who was on the throne. The thought made her sick, especially since she worried that their children may inherit their grandfather's madness.

A day before they are set to leave for Highgarden, all of their plans go to hell.

Aerys finds out that Rhaegar has been visiting with his mother and his wife for hours on end in his solar and his mind comes to the most immediate and correct assumption that they are planning to have him killed. In his rage he storms to his daughter's room after he is done beating and raping his sister-wife. He will teach the Moon-bitch a lesson, and then he will take his son's head and present it on her dinner plate.

When he slams open her door without announcing himself, Serenity is spooked. She's just finished her bath and has only put on her smallthings and a light dressing gown she wears to sleep in the summer heat.

"H-hello, father," Serenity forces out, stumbling at the loud crash of a vase that fell as her door slammed open. She hates that she must call the monster by such an affection name, especially when she has not father but her mother, "Is something the matter?"

When Aerys lets out an inhuman screech and raises his hand to shove her to the ground, Serenity lets out a startled cry and barely manages to break her face forward fall with her arms. She hears a sickening snap and an intense shooting pain in her left arm and realizes that while trying to protect her baby she's broken her arm. She places her arms protectively around her swollen middle and tries to scurry away but Aerys is faster. He has his hands around her neck, and he is literally squeezing the life from her. She tries to raise her arms to push him away, or at least scratch him until he lets her go, but Aerys uses his free hand to send a fist straight across her jaw. It aches viciously, and with her broken arm extended, and her jaw alight with near fire Serenity can barely keep her eyes opening. It nearly knocks Serenity out, but she lets out a horrendous groan of pain as Aerys grabs and then twists her broken arm to pin her to the ground.

It becomes a cry of fear when her good-father begins to open his trouser and began to pull out his manhood. It is as deformed as he, and Serenity's panic continues to escalate. She begins to pray, that anything, anyone, would stop the pain and save her from this beast of a man.

"You've used your witch-magic to ensnare me, daughter," he ground out as ran his tongue down the side of her face, "And you taste-" he groaned and began to grind into her. "I thought my son was no true dragon but he's put you in the family way. It is of no consequence. We can put another in you as soon as this one is gone."

She shrieks and sobs but no one comes to her rescue. This is how she and her baby would die, alone in her chambers, raped and left for dead by her own good-father. He tears her dress with the hand that isn't at her throat and she could feel the world closing in around her. Her vision is darkening, and she can't see it, but her lips are turning blue. Her entire face hurts, and she knows her heart is racing because she can feel the blood thrumming in her ears.

"Aegon the first was a true dragon and he had two women to wife, and so shall I," commands Aerys and he runs his tongue across her breasts.

Serenity prays it will end, that he never touches her or anyone else again, that he would let go of her, that someone-anyone- would come to save her from her good-father. In the blink of an eye, a flash of white light sent Aerys flying in that moment and as he struggled to stand, Rhaegar and her ladies finally rushed into the room. Before they could even take sight of the Princess of Dragonstone, Aerys stumbles, and staggers and he falls gracelessly out of the open door to her balcony, over the short stone wall, and onto the pavement four stories below.

The guards rush towards him but it is too late.

The Mad King is dead.


Her ladies, Rhaella and Rhaegar make a pact of secrecy. They had seen the magic, witnessed Serenity send him away. His own mistakes had caused his death, but they knew that some may not see it that way, especially if anyone found out that they had been conspiring to take the Crown from his head and the throne from under his bum. They take an oath in blood, sworn on the Moon and dragons not to speak of what happened, and to take their conspiracy to the grave.

The Noble houses travel to King's Landing and arrive over the span of several days. The Tyrells arrive first, and Rhaegar and Serenity are grateful for their swift arrival because it means they have time to get their allegiance.

"We must court them for their support," Rhaegar said as one of his wife's handmaidens- was it Selena or Seraphina? They all looked the same - helped to tighten her white, beaded gown as Princess Mercury finished healing Serenity's recently broken arm. "The Tyrells could be our most loyal supporters, but only if they are respected."

Serenity nods as Serena finishes tying her hair into place, "You are dismissed, Serena," she says and the blonde handmaiden bows deeply and exits the room.

"The Tyrells will support us," Serenity says resolutely, as she slips her toes into her most comfortable court sandals.

The Houses arrive one by one and soon it is the day of coronation. Rhaegar is with his mother, seeking her council, and Serenity is enjoying her time with her good-brother. Serenity wants to watch Viserys. Now that his brother is King, and Serenity is with child, it is unlikely that Viserys will ever sit on the Iron Throne. Serenity wants to make sure that Viserys does not resent his family, so she gives him as much love as she can. She is relaxing in the large stone bath, and Viserys is swimming around it with his toy ship. She has fallen asleep when she feels a comfortable weight on her chest. Viserys seems to have given up on playing sailors and sea dragons and he has instead decided to sleep on her. They have plenty of time before the coronation, and Serenity closes her eyes and holds her snoozing good-brother to her chest before falling back asleep in the warm water.

She's woken some time later by Princess Mars, who is careful to let the baby dragon continue to sleep. She helps Serenity out of the water and, still holding Viserys to her chest, Mars wraps her in a sheet to recover from the water. Viserys' nursemaid appears with smallclothes and dresses him as Serenity sits down to allow her ladies to attend to her. They finish massaging rose oil into her skin and applying color to her lips and cheeks when Viserys is finally roused from his slumber.

Princess Venus is combing through Serenity's long tresses and Viserys is fascinated when he sees his good-sister's hair be trimmed and then immediately grow to compensate the lost length. He pulls on Princess Venus's skirt and earnestly asks if she can cut his hair with the magic scissors. The girls all giggle and Serenity explains it is not the scissors that are magic, but her own hair.

Then Viserys asks from the floor, "My hair grow too, sister?"

Serenity smiles but shakes her head, "Not like this, Viserys." It hurt to say, because truly she and Viserys share no blood, and this will be only the first of many conversations where she must point out the differences in their forms.

He looks disappointed but he continues to play with the sewn dragon that she and her ladies had spent hours perfecting for his name day. It walks, roars, flies only in his reach, and even spits a very harmless fire.

Serenity is still in her dressing gown when the gravity of the day hits her. Today she will become Queen. Her husband is a King. Princess Venus hugs her, and then Princess Jupiter sniffles. They are all crying and hugging and Viserys looks alarmed, "Sister, leaking!" The girls laugh and Viserys looks disappointed when his nursemaid begins to pull him from the room to ready him for the coronation.

The Red Keep is lavishly decorated, and every noble house is blessed to witness the coronation of Rhaegar Targaryen, Prince of Dragonstone and his ascension to the throne as Rhaegar of the House Targaryen, the First of His Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm. And as Serenity watches the crown be placed upon her husband's head, she knows that they will make Westeros a paradise, without the Mad King's desire for blood. He has melted down Aegon IV's crown, his father's crown and made a new crown. He will take the old and create something new – something better. The symbolism is not lost on those in the audience.

The nobles watch as the new King Rhaegar turns, and retrieves a delicate tiara of Mercurian platinum. It holds a perfect, white diamond in the center with pearls scaling across the sides, and it is heart like in shape. Serenity is reminded once again that she lives in a different culture when he announces her Queen Consort.

The smallfolk rejoice in the streets, and celebrations last for days after the coronation, including a tourney, a parade, and a ball.


When it is time, Serenity is instantly aware. There is a crystalline hum in her head, as though someone is asking for attention.

That is when the pain starts.

She labors for hours, helped only by a nurse-maid, two maesters and Princess Mercury.

Rhaegar is banned from the chamber but outside of the room he can hear her wailing in pain.

He is slumped in front of the door, waiting. His only assurance his wife is alive is that she is giving great cries of agony. Then he hears another cry join hers. He is relieved, for but a moment.

The maesters are shouting and he can hear the nurse-maid praying loudly to the seven. If this is the moment his Queen should die, he will not let her last moments be of pain. He breaks the door down, but what he sees on the other side is more terrifying than he could have imagined.

His wife is alive, and happy, if not exhausted, and she is holding a baby boy who has dragon wings and breathes fire.

Rhaegar is convinced his wife has birthed the first head of the dragon. They name their baby dragon Prince Rhaegon of Dragonstone, to honor both his father and his ancestor who conquered the land he will one day rule.

Across the solar, one of the stone eggs Rhaegar has on display cracks.

Two dragons are born within the day.


At first Serenity fears Viserys will be jealous of his nephew and the attention that he receives, but Viserys is mostly uninterested in his nephew when he finds out that he isn't a girl. He takes one look at him, and says he doesn't do much but sleep and cry, which Serenity can't disagree with.

"When can he played, sister?" he asks thoughtfully.

Serenity bites her lip to keep herself from laughing, "Not for a while yet, little dragon. He is too small to play for now."

Viserys looks disappointed but then he smiles, "Mama borned, too."

Serenity tries to smile but Viserys doesn't notice that her eyes are cold when she thinks about her husband's future sibling. The Mad King left them a final gift, one that nobody had foreseen. Queen Rhaella is with child, and it was most certainly conceived on the night they both nearly died.

Viserys watches his good-sister breastfeed in amazement. He is very focused, and is amazed when fire appears after his nephew burps. When Rhaegon is back asleep, Serenity notices that her good-brother is fixated at the place where his nephew was.

He has questions – many questions about what he's seen. He knows what breastfeeding is – after all he has yet to leave his wet nurse's teat. But he does not understand why Rhaegon does not have a wet nurse. "I give him mine?" he asks, and Serenity's heart soars with how sweet Viserys is.

"No, my love," she says as she lays him down to sleep, "Although you are a kind boy for offering, the wet nurses are too afraid of Rhaegon's burps." That is putting it kindly. Wet nursing was unusual on the Moon, because the population was so much lower, and so Serenity had already planned to feed her son. Now, she had no other option because the nurses in residence were terrified that they would be savaged by her son.

"Me too," Viserys responds determinedly, and Serenity finds out that Viserys has the same streak of jealousy she has seen in her husband when a man looks at her just a little too closely.


Tywin Lannister's daughter has come to visit court for Rhaegon's name day tourney and Serenity dislikes her after only speaking to her for a few minutes.

Cersei is spiteful, mean, and wickedly smart – and not in a good way. Her tongue is acidic. Serenity remains determinedly polite but when she is alone with her trusted ladies from the Moon she confesses that she doesn't understand why she dislikes the girl so deeply, or why Cersei disliked her before meeting her.

To be fair, most of the ladies at court do not like Serenity, but it's nothing to do with her personally. They dislike that King Rhaegar married a foreign bride while they were all in residence, and they dislike her because the people love her for giving up luxuries they are all used to receiving. As they meet her, many of the ladies change their minds, but Serenity is still wary of their behavior. She has ladies in waiting from Westeros that she has become close enough to, but she trusts them with little. He would trust her sisters with her life.

Instead, she bonds closely with her good-mother and continues to spend time with her ladies from the Moon. Princesses Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, and Mars are her sisters, her guardians.

When she confesses that she doesn't understand her own feelings about Cersei, they share looks.

"She was the second choice as His Grace's bride," Princess Mars informs her, "I've gathered from the other ladies at court that she was very determined to wed the dragon."

"Aye," Princess Jupiter agrees, "My sources have told me that she felt jilted when she was passed over, since her father's money and servitude to King Aerys is the only reason the kingdom did not fall during his reign."

Serenity ponders this and wonders what the world would have been like had Cersei Lannister been Queen.


281.

Rhaegar realizes he must secure the complete loyalty of the Seven Kingdoms, especially the North, the Westerlands, and Dorne. Brandon Stark must stay at Winterfell, as he will be the lord there. Eddard on the other hand has just married Ashara Dayne, and is known above the neck as an honorable man. Serenity and Rhaegar scheme to invite the newlywed couple to Court, and Rhaegar appoints Jon Arryn in a new position on the Small Council – Master of Infrastructure.

With the permission of the Princesses themselves, Rhaegar and Serenity arrange for her ladies to marry into the great houses. Princess Venus is married off to Prince Oberyn of Dorne to solidify the bonds between the Targaryens and the Dornish people much to Venus' delight. Princess Jupiter is married off to Stannis Baratheon of the Stormlands. Princess Mercury is betrothed to Jaime Lannister, who Rhaegar releases from his vows for this marriage. He and Serenity make this decision in order to keep the favor of the Lannisters, and because they notice that Jaime and Princess Mercury give each other many lingering looks. Princess Mars declines a marriage because her duty to the Gods must keep her maiden until the next Princess of Mars can be chosen.

Serenity and Rhaegar orchestrate these weddings for the sole purpose of tying more houses to the Crown. She doesn't tell Rhaegar, but she plans to stop the incestuous activities that her husband's family is known for by marrying their children to other houses when the time comes.

Tywin Lannister, who is still Hand of the King, is displeased with Rhaegar's decisions, but Rhaegar can only tell because he's grown up with the man watching over his shoulder. In any case, both Serenity and Varys agree with Rhaegar's decision and that is enough for him.

Unfortunately, their plan comes too late, because Rhaegar crushes his first rebellion only five turns after his crowning and a week after Rhaegon's name day tourney ends. The Ironborn believe that a new king is easier to overthrow and start moving their ships towards the mainland immediately.

"You will be safer at Dragonstone," Rhaegar says the eve before he must journey to the Riverlands, "While I silence this rebellion and deal with the Ironborn."

After he beds his wife, Rhaegar sends Serenity, Viserys, and Rhaella to Dragonstone along with several kingsguard, and Serenity's guardians to make sure they are out of harm's way in case the war reaches King's Landing. On Dragonstone, they are removed from the violence, and are behind thick stone walls in the ancestral fortress of the Targaryen family.

It becomes boring within days of arrival. The island and many other parts of Westeros are not as lively while the soldiers are off to war, and so Serenity tries to fill her and Viserys' day with adventures.

They explore the island and the castle of Dragonstone and Serenity shows her good-brother the skulls of his ancestors' dragons. They inspect ancient Valyrian texts and Serenity spends hours exploring the Targaryen seat of power. One day, they spend all their time in the library reading about the history of the Targaryen family, dragons, and the Doom of Valyria. They learn about the tales that say that a dragon lives under the fortress, and is simply asleep until Old Valyria is awake once again.

One day she, Viserys, and little Rhaegon (who is strapped to her chest in a Jovian sling) find a hidden passage way deep below the fortress. Serenity calls for a knight to check the passageway for safety. When Ser Barristan deems it safe for them to explore, she tries to entertain Viserys by convincing him they are going on a dangerous adventure to find the sleeping dragon. Viserys is clutching his toy dragon, Balerion, fiercely, but Serenity notices that whenever he gets scared he jumps in front of her and squeezes Balerion to release his fire rather than hiding behind her skirts. When Serenity comments how brave he is, Viserys puffs his chest proudly and announces that he must protect his good-sister and his nephew, just as Rhaegar told him to. Serenity's heart melts a little more at how much she adores her good-brother and the two explore the passageway with a torch when Serenity sees something that catches her eye.

The walls that line the passage are not grey stone, but murals of painted scenes. When she rubs the dirt away she sees scenes depicting the first Balerion conquering Westeros with Aegon on his back. As they go deeper and deeper into the tunnels with Ser Barristan a safe distance behind them, Serenity uncovers a freeze of a skeletal creature with a sharp obsidian blade through it's chest.

Viserys looks truly frightened now, and Serenity shields his eyes and tells him they've explored enough for the day. When they are free from the passage both Serenity and Viserys let out a breath but for different reasons. Viserys is exhilarated from their adventure and Serenity is concerned about why this passage has been walled up, what the creature is, and why the images deep in the tunnel seem to look older than most of Dragonstone.

When Viserys is down for his nap, Serenity asks her good-mother about what she's seen. Rhaella tells her a tale of the Long Night, the Children of the Forrest, and the First Men. When Serenity sleeps that night, she feels impossibly cold, as though a shiver has breathed down her neck and when she dreams she is surrounded by snow and a pair of glowing blue eyes meet her own. The chill gets more intense and Serenity gasps when she wakes from her restless sleep.

She feels as though someone is watching her, and quickly lights the torch beside her bed. The room is empty save for Viserys, who has crawled into her bed in the night. His head is lying on her chest and his arms and legs are completely wrapped around her. He must have also been scared in the night, Serenity thinks as she strokes his back. She tries to fall asleep but in her paranoia the sandman never comes.


They visit the market, and the children are quick to recognize Serenity and rush towards their new Queen. They hand over many small trinkets, from rocks and shells, to flowers they've picked. Serenity accepts them all and promises to cherish them, which the children love.

Ser Barristan begins to get twitchy when the children at the port ask to see the new Prince. Serenity grins broadly and without any hesitation, crouches down to show the children Prince Rhaegon. Serenity can tell that Viserys is jealous that she is giving other children attention and so she has the children introduce themselves.

"He's so small, Your Grace!" whispers a little girl who is missing her two front teeth.

Serenity smiles sweetly, "Would you all like to hold him? You'll have to be careful, babies are very fragile."

Ser Barristan is horrified but Rhaella gives him a pointed stare. The people of Dragonstone have worshipped the Targaryens as though they are gods since they conquered the island after the Doom. Most of the island can claim relation to the royal family, and because of the harsh smell of Sulphur and brimstone, non-natives are unlikely to be able to bare the atmosphere. Those who live on Dragonstone are the ones that are the most loyal to their great house, and the Targaryens must always keep the loyalty of the smallfolk on their native island.

Helping them to support Rhaegon's head, the children each take turns holding the Prince of Dragonstone. When they've all had a turn, they start asking Viserys questions ("What's it like being a prince?" and "Do you get to spend lots of time with Her Grace?") and Viserys asks Rhaella and Serenity if he can stay to play with the children for longer.

They all look at the two Queens with wide, hopeful eyes and Serenity allows it as long as Serena, Selena, and Seraphina stay with them and Princess Jupiter volunteers to stay as well.

As they walk along the water, Rhaella comments to her good-daughter, "You have a way with the smallfolk that even I never achieved."

Serenity gives a lilting smile, "A monarch should know the smallfolk, not just the nobles."

Rhaella hums in agreement, and Serenity finds herself hearing about the reigns of the most respected Targaryen Kings.

"Rhaegar will exceed all of them," Serenity replies resolutely, "His fortitude of mind, and his compassion make him a wiser dragon than even Jaehaerys I."

Rhaella kisses her good-daughter on the cheek, "Bless you for being the right wife for my eldest son. He will be a good king, but he will be a great one with you at his side."

The two women interlock arms and after they retrieve Viserys (who is now covered in dirt from his exploits) they retreat back to the Keep.

The days turn into weeks and the weeks becomes turns and the Ironborn have still not been quelled. The ravens that Serenity receives from Rhaegar say that the issue is no longer crushing the rebellion, but weeding out enemies to the Crown and implementing a punishment. The Tullys and the other Noble houses of the Riverlands want a harsh punishment, since they have dealt with the hostility of the Ironborn for far too many years. Rhaegar and Serenity both believe that if they are too harsh with the Ironborn they may create more problems in the future. Over correspondence, they settle on a plan to penalize the Ironborn with higher taxes for five years and force them to hand over dominion of their land for the next ten years to the Tullys.

For those who violently resisted the King, the only penalty is death. Serenity does not like the fact that her husband is sentencing men to die, but she knows if the rebels live the other houses will see Rhaegar as weak. Under the advice of Jon Arryn, who is known to be an honorable man, Rhaegar carries out the executions himself. Serenity knows that it troubles Rhaegar deeply, and he has no desire to kill anyone, but he also knows he needs to gain the respect and admiration of the North. In his most recent missive he says that he expects to leave the Iron Islands in less than a fortnight, but he wants her to stay at Dragonstone until he has returned to King's Landing as a precaution.

Serenity is afraid though, because she and Rhaella have been in the keep for months and Rhaella is near swollen with child. She cannot travel by sea back to the Red Keep safely in her condition. Rhaella is slower now, because she's less than a turn from the birthing and Serenity discreetly asks two maesters to occupy Dragonstone in case the worst should happen.

And it does. Rhaella births a new dragon during a storm that wreaks havoc across Dragonstone. The smallfolk are displaced, and the storm rages so fiercely that Rhaella and Serenity must allow the townspeople into the keep. The ships on the port are all virtually destroyed, and until the storm passes, there is no way to contact the mainland without endangering sailors or ravens. The storm ravages the island for four days when Rhaella feels the familiar, sharp pains of childbirth begin.

The maesters seclude her in a solar in a far tower, and Serenity shepherds Viserys and Rhaegon away from Rhaella. As they hide from the storm, the Dowager Queen continues to birth a dragon and the smallfolk begin to worry when the labor continues for hours. Finally, a maester retrieves Serenity to tell her that the child is almost born and that Rhaella requests her presence. Serenity rushes to the chamber and immediately she knows that her husband will soon be without a mother. There is blood everywhere, bright red, and the nurse-maids are arm deep in red with blood soaked linens in their hands.

Rhaella pulls Serenity close as she holds her new daughter in her arms. Rhaella has not even had the squalling baby to her breast when her vision starts to darken. She has just enough strength to name her daughter Daenerys and make Serenity promise to raise her as her own before she passes on.

Serenity weeps as she holds her good-mother, and promises that she will love her good-sister as a mother would a child, and then promises she will bury her good-mother's ashes under the cherry blossom tree.

Serenity is the only mother Daenerys 'Stormborn' of house Targaryen will know.


Hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next one will be up as soon as I finish chapter 4.