I paced my mothers sitting room as my brothers played during her most recent labors. Her labors with my younger brothers had been difficult and the birthing bed was a dangerous battlefield for a woman. I sighed before grabbing a book and tried sitting and reading it.
"Rest, Princess Daeneara." I glanced up at Ser Harwin Strong as he placed a hand on my shoulder. "Relax." I brushed his hand off my shoulder wishing my silver hair wasn't braided so I could run my hands through it. I jumped up when the doors opened and Mother and Father entered with the new babe in Father's arms. Mother looked exhausted and her hair was unkept.
"Mother, look!" Both Jace and Luke jumped up and ran to where the dragon egg stayed warm and showed it to her. "We chose an egg for the baby."
"Ahh. That looks like the perfect one." I moved to Father's side as Mother sat down so I could see my newest sibling, standing on my toes to see it.
"I let Luke chose," Jace told her proudly.
"Thank you, Jace." My bothers shared a smile as Father showed me the babe.
"Do I have a sister?" I asked him and he chuckled lightly.
"Another brother, I'm afraid."
"That's okay. I'll still watch out for him." Father chuckled once more placing his hand gently on my cheek before looking back down at my new brother.
"It's not everyday an eff leaves the Dragonpit, Princess," Ser Harwin informs my mother. "I thought it best to escort the children."
"Laenor and I thank you, Commander," Mother says gently as Jace gently replaced the lid on the egg warmer.
"What a fine knight you are going to make, eh?" Father asked the babe in his arms.
"Might I?" I looked between Mother and Ser Harwin curiously before looking at my brothers.
"Ser Harwin wishes to be introduced to Joffrey." I looked between the adults. Father looked as if he wanted to say something, but instead consinted and handed Joffrey to the Commander of the City Watch.
"Father, is Joffrey a Celaryon name I don't know?" I asked him and he just smiled down at me.
"No, dear one. Joffrey was the name of a knight and a dear friend of mine many years ago. Before you were born." Father told me with a gentle smile.
"Father, please may I hold Joffrey?" Luke asked reaching for the babe. Ser Harwin held a hand stopping the 8-year-old from getting the babe as Father stopped him.
"No, no. No. Back to the Dragonpit with you three." Father pulled us all back to the door and closed it behind us.
"Father, if I don't have a dragon why must I go to the Dragonpit with the others?" I asked him.
"You wanted to train with your brothers and uncles, you will be in the Dragonpit with them," Father reminded me. He wasn't wrong. I had wanted to train with the others, but with swords and weapons instead of sewing needles as my Aunt Helena did.
At the Dragonpit, I stood between Aemond and Jace as Jace's dragon, Vermax, was brought forth on chains.
"Ōregon (Hold)," the Dragonkeepers demanded in High Valyron.
"Ivestragī zirȳla māzigon (Let him come)." The keepers slowly lowered the chains and removed them from Vermax as the Head Keeper pushed Jace forward. Vermax moved towards his future rider with purpose.
"Brōzagon Vermax naejot heel, dārilaros Jacerys (Call Vermax to heel, Prince Jacerys)," he was instructed.
"Dohaeragon (Serve)," Jace ordered and still Vermax came closer. Vermax rose to Jace's height and roared at him. I grabbed Aemond's hand and sqeezed it gently. "Keligon (Halt)." Vermax lowered himself down watching Jace closely.
"Sȳrī gaomagon (Well done)," The High Keeper commended. A sheep bleated as it was brought forth causing Vermax to grumble and roar at it. Vermax began stalking the sheep as it was tied up and Jace called to his dragon.
"Vermax." The dragon ignored him. "Vermax!" I felt a squeeze on my hand and I looked down to mine and Aemond's hands. I took my hand back with a small smile on my face.
"Keligon," One of the keepers ofered and Vermax screeched at him, but did as ordered. The High Keeper spoke to Jae in High Calyrion, but Jace had to have the words translated for him.
"You must hold mastery over your dragon, my young Princes and Princess. As Prince Aegon has with Sunfyre. Once they are fully bound to you, they will refuse to take instruction from any other." Vermax screeched again and Jace turned to the High Keep with a grin on his face.
"Can I say it?"
"Mm-hm." The High Keeper nodded and Jace turned his grin to us before looking back at Vermax.
"Dracarys, Vermax!" Vermax did as ordered and let fire lose burning the sheep before devouring it.
"Aemond, we have a surprise for you," Aegon told his younger brother.
"What is it?" Aemond asked him skeptically.
"Something very special." Luke ran off and Aegon pulled us to follow slowly.
"You two are the only two without dragons," Aegon pointed out and I glared at him. What was he up to?
"Indeed."
"Ad we felt badly about it, so we found one for you," Aegon told his brother.
"A dragon? How?" Aemond asked seeming to get annoyed with his brother and nephews.
"The Gods provide." Luke walked out of the with a pig tied to a lead with wings and a tail attached to its sides. "Behold..."
"The Pink Dread!" All three boys began laughing and I clenched Aemond's hand in mine.
"Be sure to mount her carefully," Aegon told his brother. "First flights always rough!" Aegon snorted as they continued laughing. Aemond tore his hand from mine as I turned to my brothers.
"Jace! Luke! Enough," I ordered. "Mother and Father would be ashamed of you."
"It's just a joke," Jace told me sheepishly.
"It's shameful behavior from a prince of the realm," I corrected him.
"I'm sure your precious Aemond doesn't need help defending himself," Aegon mocked before leading the next round of laughter and snorting.
"You're the worst of them all," I added to my eldest uncle. "As the elder siblings we are responsible for protecting our youngs siblings, not harassing them."
"And where is your beloved Aemond now?" I turned and sighed. Aemond was gone from my side most likely going to see the dragons again.
"Come, Princess Daenaera. I will wait for the prince here." I sighed before following after Aegon and my brothers.
That night, I was sitting inthe library reading with Aemond stormed in.
"Aemond? What happened?" I asked closing my book and going to him.
"Why must we be different from them?" Aemond asked and I pulled him into a hug. "Why couldn't our dragons have hatched?"
"Maybe the Gods have a different fate in mind for you," I told him gently feeling him wrap his arms around me slowly. "Come," I said pulling away from him with a smile. "Sit with me and read something calming." I handed him a book on the histories of Old Valyria with a smile on my face. He just stared at the book in my hands and I sighed. "Is this about the pig?"
"They went to far."
"Yes, they did," I agreed. "īlon kostagon't ivestragī zirȳ jiōragon naejot īlva bē se zaldrīzoti, uncle. Mēre tubis īlon jāhor emagon zaldrīzoti raqagon se rest hen zirȳ. (We can't let them get to us about the dragons, uncle. One day we will have dragons like the rest of the them)."
"Skorkydoso kostagon ao gīmigon bona? (How can you know that?)" He asked me and I smiled at him.
"Konīr issi several zaldrīzoti isse se vys rūsīr daor riders. īlon jāhor find mēre syt jemēla. Nyke swear ziry. (There are several dragons in the world with no riders. We will find one for ourselves. I swear it.)" He gave me a skeptical look before sitting down so we could look over the books together. Neither of us were aware of the eyes watching us and the plan beginning to grow in their mind.
The next morning, I stood next to my grandsire as we watched the boys train under the tutalige of Ser Criston Cole.
"Soften your knees," he told Aemond. "Feet light." King Viserys chuckles lightly. "Keep your feet light and your hands heavy."
"This is the stuff, Lyonel," the King told his hand. "Lads that learn together, train together, knock each other down, pick each other up. They will certainly form a lifelong bond, wouldn't you agree?"
"That is the hope, Your Grace," the Hand told him.
"Could I train with them?" I asked them making my grandsire laugh.
"Why would you want to do that?" he asked me as Aemond knocked Luke's wooden blade out of his hand.
"Don't stand too upright, my Prince," Ser Criston told them. "You'll get knocked down."
"Our female ancestors went to war with their husbands. Why can't we now?" I asked him and he just smiled at me.
"Are you planning on going to war, Daenaera?" He asked me and I glanced down at the boys in green and black.
"I hope not," I mumbled to myself.
"Aegon."
"I've won my first bout, Ser Criston," Aegon told the knight. "My opponent sues for mercy."
"Well, you'll have a new opponent then, My Lord of the Straw," Ser Criston told him. "Let's see if you can tough me. You, and your brother." Both boys attacked Ser Criston, grunting as they did. "You're gonna have to do better than that." Even attacking together did nothing as he smacked them on the ass before noticing Ser Harwin talking to my brothers.
"Weapons up, boys. Give your enemies no quarter," he instructed. Both men stared eachother down as Aegon and Aemond went back to their original opponents.
"It seems the younger boys could do better with a bit of your attention... Ser Criston," Ser Harwin told the man.
"You question my method of instruction, ser?" Ser Criston asked him.
"Oh, I merely suggest that method be applied to all your pupils." We watched Aegon push one of my brothers away from him and Ser Criston seemed to agree with him.
"Very well. Jacaerys... come here." Ser Criston roughly grabbed my brother's breastplate making the boy grunt. "You spar with Aegon." My uncles chuckled at the idea. "Eldest son against eldest son."
"It's hardly a fair match," Ser Hawin told him still circling the training grounds.
"I know you've never seen true battle, ser, but when steel is drawn, a fair match isn't something anyone should expect," Ser Criston told him. "Blades up. Engage." Aegon attacked with a grunt and my brother could do nothing but block his brutle attacks on him before Aegon finally pushed him down. Aegon chuckled at Jace and walked away. Jace got up and ran at him screaming and Aegon had to jump back so as not to get hit with the wooden blade. Jace continued his attack before Aegon pushed one of the staw men down on my brother.
"Foul play," Ser Harwin called out.
"I'll deal with him." Each knight moved to one of the boys and gave them private instructions before moving away from them.
"You!" Aegon shouted before attacking him again.
"Close with him," Ser Criston called out as Aegon attacked Jace. "Press him backward!" Close with him! Stay on the attack! Use your feet!" Aegon kicked Jace down on the ground. "Don't let him get up." Aegon used his sword to attack Jace as he blocked the best he could with one hand. "Stay on the attack!"
"Enough!" Ser Harwin eventually called out grabbing Aegon and pulling him away from Jace.
"You dare put hands on me?!" Aegon shouted at him.
"Aegon!" Grandsire called out.
"You forget youself, Strong," Ser Criston told the man. "That is the Prince."
"This is what you teach, Cole?" Ser Harwin asked the man picking up the wooden swords. "Cruelty... to the weaker opponent?"
"Your interest in the princeling's training is quite unusual, Commander," Ser Criston told him. "Most men would only have that kind of devotion toward a cousin... or a brother... or a son." I jumped as Ser Harwin attacked Ser Criston and eventually knocked him on his back. Ser Harwin continued to punch Ser Criston until he was forced off him by two other knights of the Kingsguard.
"Say it again!" Ser Harwin called out. "Say it again!" I glanced at my brothers as they backed away from the men.
Not even a moon later, we stood in Mother's chambers as Ser Harwin said his goodbyes to us.
"Be good to your mother, children. I'll visit when I can, but that may be some time." Jace got up and moved to Mother's side.
"Jace." Ser Harwin mmoved to stand in front of both of them.
"I will return. I promise." Jace simply nodded before moving in front of Mother and Joffrey. Ser Harwin leaned down and kissed the babe on the head. "I will be a stranger when we meet again." Mother and Ser Harwin stared at each other before he bowed his head to her. "Princess." He gathered his things and left her rooms.
Mother and Father moved us from King's Landing to Dragonstone with no warning and no time to say our goodbyes.