Chapter 1 - The Start Of A Song

'Fire and Blood'

Those were the word's of her house. The people in the Red Keep used them as words of hate and disgust. Hatred, fear, disgust. These were all emotions the girl knew very well. Most hated her for the crimes of her father, yet there were a few unlikely and unexpected people that did not blame the young girl for her parents troubles. One of those being the very man who had killed her elder brother, Rhaegar and who now sat on her fathers iron throne...

Robert Baratheon. The man who despised the House Targaryen, allowed the one year old child of King Aerys and Queen Rhaella to live. Everyone was shocked at the sudden announcement. After having just stormed King's Landing and killing the remaining Targaryens, the new king sat upon the iron throne, with the young girl at his feet. He stroked her silver-white hair and looked at the child with pity. Some said he felt guilt after the crimes done to her family. Some said he was using her as a pawn in the game of thrones. Some said that the girl tricked him, turned his mind to do her bidding with magic. But the truth was far from it...

No. The truth was simple. Robert Baratheon was a fierce man. Strong and determined with a warrior's heart. But the young Targaryen princess Aeria melted his heart with her strong and innocent gaze. Her purple eyes so much like Rhaegar's. Then and there, he knew the girl had captured his cold heart. He could not blame her for what others had done. She had barely lived to have such atrocious charges bestowed upon her. So the young girl was taken as a ward to the King. And, in turn, this simple kind action helped set up the very future of Westeros.

15 years later...

The castle of the King was silent today, eerily silent as the young Targaryen made her way through the long bright halls. Walking quickly down each turn, she scanned the halls for anyone she could think of. She'd only passed a few servants and maids but no-one else. After several long minutes strolling the corridors, she noticed Ser Barristan Selmy, one of Robert's KingsGuard, at the end of the corridor where he had noticed her.

"Aeria." He called, wave towards the girl to come forward to him. "King Robert is calling for you at the training grounds. I believe he wants to show of your archery skills to the Lannisters and maybe teach the Crown Prince a lesson." He mentioned, chuckling slightly in his deep voice.

"Of course. After you Ser." Aeria said before walking towards the training yard with the knight. Unknown to most, but Ser Barristan Selmy was a Targaryen loyalist and had watched over Aeria ever since she was a child. He was always worried for her safety being surrounded by enemies here in King's Landing but he knew she could handle herself. He was the one who had trained her after all, one of the greatest swordsman in Westeros.

Reaching the yard, Aeria noticed the Queen and her two younger children, Myrcella and Tommen, sitting under a shade along with Lord Tywin Lannister, the Queen's father. Ser Jamie Lannister stood with his brother the imp, Lord Tyrion Lannister and the King, Robert Baratheon. The crown prince, Joffrey Baratheon, stood in the middle of the yard, a wooden bow lay at his feet and arrows were scattered on the floor as if they had been thrown in a tantrum, but knowing the prince, they probably had.

"Aeria. How nice of you to join us." Tyrion Lannister exclaimed once he noticed the purple-eyed girl making her way towards the trio at the edge of the yard. Aeria had always liked Tyrion, going as far as saying he was the only decent Lannister. Probably because unlike his vindicative sister and brother, he was real, and unlike most of the inhabitants of King's Landing, could give an intelligent conversation to the smart girl.

"Lord Tyrion. How lovely to see you." She smiled widely at the small Lord. "Ser Jamie." She curtsied to the knight as best she could while wearing her tunic and leather riding pants. He only nodded at her, eyes narrowing at the girl. "Your grace, you called?"

"Aeria. You have your bow and arrows on you, as per usual. So, as it is quite convenient, may you demonstrate to us your shooting?" The ing asked the girl, smiling as he hugged the Targaryen princess.

Laughing to herself, she agreed to the request while going to stand next to Joffrey as he stared at her sullenly. Stopping but a meter away, she rapidly changed position, aimed at the target, and released her arrow, all in one fluid motion that lasted about three seconds.

The target hit dead center of the target with a thud. The king cheered for her to carry on she nocked arrow after arrow until she had none left in her quiver. Ser Barristan left to retrieve the arrows as she turned to the king.

"You see Joffrey? Now it's not so hard now is it?" The King called as the prince walked forward slightly, sending daggers to the silver haired girl.

"She is nothing but a dragon whore." Joffrey announced in front of anyone, the Lannisters, bar Tyrion, Tommen and Myrcella, all smirking as the king grew furious with the boy's words. Even if she was Targaryen, King Robert grew very protective of the girl. After all, she was one of few that he could trust fully.

"Yet she can shoot better than you ever could. And she is a girl also." The King shouted at the boy, slighty annoying Aeria at the 'girl' comment although she just rolled her eyes.

With a scoff, Joffrey walked away, with Cersei and Jaime following him and Tywin left to God's no where whilst Tyrion left, probably to visit one of Little Fingers brothels.

"That boy needs to learn a lesson." King Robert muttered lowly, so that only Aeria and Barristan could hear.

"It's because his mother lets him get away with everything." Aeria mentioned, brow rising at Robert.

"Yes, but what am I to do about it? The woman is infuriating." Hatred laced the King's voice. It wasn't a secret in the Red Keep that the King and Queen despised each other. It probably wouldn't be a secret in the whole of Westeros if Varys and Aeria's suspicions about Cersei Lannister's children were correct.

"He's your son also, your grace. Make sure the woman knows." Ser Barristan mentioned before turning away and going to do whatever business he had.

"He's right Robert." Aeria reminded the King.

"Yes. I know. But if the boy is to be king he needs to grow up. And soon. I will not have him on the throne as he is now."

"Well, it's lucky that he has a while to wait as you won't be leaving any time soon." The Targaryen girl commanded almost, even if she had a smirk on her face. But her haunting eyes told a different story. In a year, Robert Baratheon would die at Lannister hands. She had foreseen it in a dream a month ago and had immediately told Varys. Since then, the two had been awaiting another vision as for Aeria, they usually came in groups.

"Of course. Someone needs to keep you in check." Robert admitted, chuckling in his deep baritone with the strange dragon girl.

A few hours later...

Aeria Targaryen was in Lord Varys study, with a large old book in front of her. The Lord himself sat on the opposite side of the small oak table, glancing at the girl occasionally. The bald man and the young girl shared a strange relationship. Varys himself was a supporter of her house, and he had taken it upon himself to teach Aeria the ways of court and the secrets around it.

Unknown to all except the two and Barristan Selmy, Lord Varys had plotted to put her on the throne ever since she was taken as ward. Especially after her first few visions and prophetic dreams. At first both were wary of the facts and if they were true but after she had foreseen the Greyjoy rebellion and the births of both Tommen and Myrcella, Varys had full trust in her dreams and what she saw and knew would happen.

Unlike King Robert and Ser Barristan, who both acted as father figures to the girl, Lord Varys was more a friend and a close confidant. It was no secret to the court that the bald pale eunuch saw Aeria as a sort of younger sister.

Aeria read book in High Valyrian as Varys pondered on whether or not this was the right time to give her the gift he had been looking for for years now.

She read up on Old Valyria and seemed enthralled in the book until she looked up at Varys, he immediately became worried and ran towards her side of the table as her purple eyes turned pale white and rolled in the back of her head as she twitched and jerked in her seat. He brought the girl to the floor and turned her on her side as he shoved a piece of leather between her teeth to prevent her from biting her tongue.

She flexed in his grips, limbs flying wildly as her small body convulsed, pale hair strewn across her eyes. After a minute or two, she slowly stopped fitting, only to return to consciousness with a large breath. She slowly sat up, moving to take her chair again as Varys helped her with a hand on her shoulder.

As she sat, she breathed in a deep but mournful sigh which raised his concerns.

"What..." Varys started before being quickly cut off by Aeria's strong voice. She'll make an excellent queen. Varys thought to himself for a second.

"Jon Arryn will die..." She uttered, head falling slightly as she silently made sense of what she had just seen. The visions weren't always clear but she had never been wrong. "The Lannisters will kill him. Robert will ride North and name Lord Stark as hand of the king. He will agree and ride back south with two daughters. One will be betrothed to Joffrey. The King will then die by Lannister intentions, and Eddard Stark will die. Joffrey will be king and the realms will go to war." She told Varys without stop.

"It'd make sense for Eddard to be the next hand. But his death? That is strange." Varys muttered aloud, trying to think of a reason.

"The Queen's children and their parentage." Aeria admitted, hand running through her white hair.

"Of course. So our suspicions are right?" He asked as she nodded. "And the realms will call for war... Was there anything else?"

"Yes, but I don't understand it yet."

"What did you see?"

"Lions and wolves battled one another as two stags fought and bashed antlers. But then, one of the stags disappeared as the other had a red light surrounding him. The lions and wolves kept fighting until the lions put down the now lone wolf. His fur turned black and he left. Not dead. I don't think." Aeria mentioned to Varys who looked as confused as she felt.

"Well, who everyone is or at least what house is obvious..." Varys said, eyes trailing back to the wooden chest he had hidden for the girl.

"That's not all. There was other things. A dragon, down south, I'm guessing either Viserys or Daenerys, but she or he bowed down to something. I don't know what. And a power feeling came over me. A cold feeling from the north as fire came from the south. That was all that I could see."

"Well, we must start making preparations mustn't we?" Varys said, standing to go to his chair.

"First, we need proof of the children's parentage. That won't be hard I think. Also, I believe it would be wise to tell Daenerys of my plans."

"No. Viserys has too much of a big mouth and is just like your father when it comes to madness." Varys exclaimed, looking at me as if I had contracted the familiar Targaryen madness.

"That is why I only suggested Daenerys." I said calmly as he realised my plan. "Daenerys is loyal to me more so than Viserys. Even if I have never met my younger sister in person, I have been in contact with her ever since she was a babe, sending her letters and gifts, just as she has done so for me. If I tell her of our plan she will rally to my side when I call. In my vision, I saw a death also. Of a snake who calls himself a dragon. His head was covered in molten gold."

"Viserys..."

"Yes. And even if he is my brother, I can't say I'm not thankful. All I have heard are terrible things and I want nothing more than to take Dany away from that monster..." Aeria whispered, her memories of Viserys were sketchy at best, but she remembered feeling wary around her elder brother. "But, I also trust Dany, and I'm sure she does not want the throne."

"Sure?" Varys wondered, curiosity in his voice.

"I have never met her, so I cannot be certain."

"But you will be soon..." Varys remarked, regarding the curious look now in her dark eyes.

"Tell me." She demanded as he chuckled and relented.

"Fine. Robert has kindly agreed to allow you to visit the city of Pentos. Although we wil be telling everyone else that it is only Braavos you are visiting. In Pentos, I have so kindly arranged for you to meet Viserys and Daenerys." He said as the girl attacked him in a strong hug, one he couldn't help returning.

"When?" The usual serious girl inquired excitedly.

"Next month. So start thinking about our plan now."

"Of course." She screamed as she pulled the eunuch into another hug, something rare for the girl.

"Ser Barristan will escort you along with me to Braavos but you'll make your own way to Pentos. I trust you'll be fine?" Varys asked as the girl smiled gleefully at the short plump man.

"Fine? Of course I will. What is a little trip? We all know that I'm perfectly capable of it." She mock soothed the man and his worries over her safety, even if he knew she'd be fine.

"Yes. Well... in the meantime, we should carry on with our plan. Don't you think?"

"Of course..."

That night...

Aeria Targaryen dreamed of dragons. Of fire and blood. 5 magnificent dragons flew above her head, their shadows covering the grounds below. She was in an unknown land, full of sand and sun. She thought it may of been Dorne or somewhere in Essos but at the moment, that didn't matter. She never saw the dragons, just their balck shapes as they all flew in the clouds, occasionally roaring for the world to hear.

Behind her, she heard a name calling for her. 'Aeria. Aeria. Aeria.', it said. A voice that was deep and raspy and... burnt. It smelt of fire and blood, but she could not turn to see the figure behind her. Only felt it's presence.

Then, all of a sudden, all 5 dragons roared and Aeria Targaryen awoke.

She woke up from her bed and it's smooth covers with a jolt. Surprised at her dream as she thought and understood immediately that it was not just a dream. But her instincts told her to keep it to herself for now. This wasn't something she wanted to tell anyone yet, or that the figure in her dreams that whispered her name wanted her to mention anything yet either.

All Aeria Targaryen knew was that soon. Very soon. Things would change. And it all started with the death of a falcon...