𓆩♱𓆪𓏲 ˖ © nostalgiclogan " 𓂃 !

Aelyna had turned nine. A great festivity was held for the kings niece. Great lords and ladies of whom made the travel to celebrate. Aelyna made no effort to join. Like most people in the city the great lords used her nameday celebration to offer their sons as suitors for Rhaenyra.

Aelyna had no care to attend her nameday celebration, the saving grace was no one noticed- besides the queen.

Since on her tour Alicent Hightower had become the girls only company.

In the queens chambers Aelyna sat quietly as Alicent braided her hair.

The girl found comfort in Aelyna's quietness. She never screamed and cried when being held, didn't make her pray to the Seven when not taking order. Alicent was never be allowed to speak it- but she was drained from motherhood.

Helaena her newborn made her question the faith her father installed into about being the queen. While most girls her age were in blossoming marriages exchanging gossip tales from knight who glanced at them- she every moon had to lay with the king and produce more heirs for the house of the dragon.

Aelyna kept to herself but even she pitied Alicent. She knew and understood what Viserys was. He was not only the king, Viserys the peaceful-

He would always be a man.

Aelyna was the closest thing Alicent had to Rhaenyra. In moment of silence, if she closed her eyes enough she could see a glimpse of Rhaenyra with her.

"The king tells me the war has ended in the Stepstones. Daemon and the Seasnake have won this war." Alicent said as she braided the young girls silver locks.

Aelyna narrowed her eyes. "So?"

"Is this not good news princess?" Alicent asked

"He's abandoned me to play a war the king had no interest in." Aelyna snapped "I'll only greet Caraxes."

"Aelyna." Alicent turned the princess to face her crouching down to hold her hand "For many moons my lady in waiting tells me you've cried for Daemon. Would it not be best to make up for lost time."

"I'm still angry that he left me here, alone." Aelyna replied "I'll never forgive him for this, your grace." She turned to face herself in the mirror. Playing with the jewelry in front of her "He does not deserve my grace."

"Despite what we all think of him-" Alicent sighed "He does adore you princess. I've seen in him what most can only dream of receiving from their father."

"If it were you, your grace, would you ever forgive your father if he threw you to the wolves?"

Alicent remained silent.

Aelyna kept full to her promise. She sat on horseback as the wind gushed through her hair as Caraxes' song could be heard from the clouds. The dragons eyes met with the princess as his song became gentle to the babe who sat in her father's arms as the flew over the city.

When Daemon climbed off his dragon he was met with the cold stare of his daughter.

Aelyna was surprised in how much he'd change. He was more muscular than she'd remembered- his hair so much shorter than she could ever remember. It had been too long.

"Hello, my spitfire." Daemon strided to his daughter. Unable to hide the smirk, her pout the same as he'd given Viserys when they were children. "Have you missed me terribly?" He teased kneeling down to his daughters height "You've grown so much." He moved to kiss her forehead

Aelyna shifted back "Yes." She replied in Valyrian "I've grown. Almost as though it's been years."

"Spitefire..."

"Don't. I no longer care for your excuses." Aelyna held her hand to him further pushing him away

"You're cross with me?" Daemon sarcastically remarked. The cold expression on his daughters face made him realize this was no temper tantrum. It was pure anger "This is no joke, is it?"

"You left me with these pigs." Aelyna snapped with narrowed blue and violet eyes. "To be called a whore child and bastards whilst I couldn't spell my own name."

A flame ignited within Daemon. His child, the princess to be humiliated. He'd kill anyone who's tongue rose against her "Who?" He asked "Who dared to call you a bastard?" Daemon spat "I'll have their tongues." He threatened.

Unimpressed Aelyna shook her head "You can take their tongues, it will not take away what they said."

"Aelyna..."

"I won't forgive you for this." Aelyna said  "Viserys and Rhaenyra could only protect me from so much but what I needed these four years was a family." She bit the corner of her lips. She had kept her peace for too long. She'd dream of so many nights of being reunited with Daemon. She cried herself to sleep at the moment she would run into his arms and he'd hold her, keeping her safe from everyone in the world.

But seeing him, made her realize what a fool she was. To be wanted. To be protected. To feel safe in Daemons care. To be Daemon Targaryens daughter, there was no greater joke.

All she could feel was rage for the nights she cried herself to sleep. She was furious because of her father. She could her rage in her hand.

The hand she needed him to hold.

"The king is waiting for you."

"He can wait." Daemon snarked "He has waited for four years, what's a minute more."

"Of course he can." Aelyna agreed "Everyone has waited for this war to end."

"Aelyna." Daemons tone dropped

"Why did you leave?" Despite her cold demeanor the child inside her was slowly crawling closer to tears "Why was the Stepstones more important than-"

Me, the young girl wanted to ask but she dared not to. She feared his answer. That they, who called her a bastard was right. She was a joke from the gods- a cruel twist of fates to punish the Rogue Prince. A coined flipped from his whore mongering ways.

Daemon remained quiet. Had he known how his choices would have changed her- perhaps he wouldn't have gone. Was it true though? Would he have stayed, even after Viserys humiliated him at court and made Rhaenyra heir. Would it have been satisfied to keep Aelyssa with him, or would he have punished her for his resentment towards his brother?

Aelyna fists curled into a ball. Her throat felt dry, too exhausted from asking the questions she'd rather have no answer to. The silence painting as she flung her tiny fists at Daemons chest. Hitting him repeatedly, her breath became short as her voice choked from keeping tears at bay.

Daemon allowed it, he'd rather have her fire fuel than burn her from the inside. Daemon attempted to bring her closer into him, his hand on her back as he tried to bring his daughter into his chest. His spitefire. But her tiny palms pushed off his chest

"Don't touch me!" She screamed her cheeks red. Caraxes let out a quiet whistle, hoping to calm the hostile child. "I'll never forgive you for this!" She turned storming away from him. When turned to face his dragon he was met with a low groan as both his dragon and daughter turned to walk further away from him.

Aelyna would rather suffer the consequence of not being in attendance as the king welcomed his brother back, than be in the throne room to see her. It was rare that Aelyna allowed herself to feel, at all, but something about her father's return woke a fury in her that could not be blissed. She opted to play with Aegon instead. On many occasions the girl tried to teach him Valyrian but he refused. The young prince could not keep still long enough to finish a lesson, instead he played with the wooden figures in Aelyna's chambers.

The door creaked open as Rhaenyra peaked her head through to see her cousin and brother playing. Aelyna looked over to her shoulder once. The cousins eyes met, with no hesitation Aelyna scrambled to her feet as she ran to greet Rhaenyra. The princess laughed at the sudden impact of her younger cousin. It had been too long since they saw one another. "You're back!" Aelyna cheered "I've missed you so much!"

"And I you." Rhaenyra placed a kiss to her cheek as she took her hand. "How is it that you did not come to welcome your father?"

"It's complicated." Aelyna rolled her eyes. Leading Rhaenyra to the longue in the center of her chambers "I'd rather tell me of your tour. Have you found a suitable king consort?"

"It's complicated." Rhaenyra replied looking to see the four year old playing with a dragon figure of Vhagar "Hello, Aegon." Rhaenyra greeted the boy picking him as she blew against his chest to which the four year old giggled

"Nayra!" Aegon cheered with a near toothless smile

"No, brother." Rhaenyra corrected him balancing her younger brother on her hip "Rha-nee-rah" She slowly instructed him. Aegon turned to give Aelyna a cheerful smirk "No!" He babbled "Nayra! Nayra, down."

"Don't bother with him." Aelyna noted taking a piece of cake from the table "Once he's given you a name, he will never want to unlearn it." She offered Rhaenyra a seat. Aegon babbled his sister placed him on the floor. The prince grabbed the dragon figures in his fat hands as he ran off to Aelyna's bed.

"You've returned earlier than expected." Aelyna spoke "I can not imagine the king will be too fond of this decision. He's made too much effort for you to come back with a foreseeable husband Rhaenyra."

"Most of the men I've met are older than him." Rhaenyra replied to her cousin. Taking the cake out of Aelyna's hand as she finished the rest of the berry cake. "It was no pleasure meeting them, like most they only lust for our Valyrian blood and our dragons." She added "The marriage pact wouldn't have been for love." She shrugged. Aelyna thought long and hard about what the word even meant. Love, from what she understood from her mother and Daemon, is that it could only leave you wounded. To loved is to ride into battle without a shield, the pain to endure love would leave her bleeding to be cared for

"Love." Aelyna mocked "What is it good for? Absolutely nothing."

"I've heard that the queen has kept you company since I have been away." Rhaenyra quipped, a straight expression on her face. To say the nature of her friendship had withered was an understatement. She was no longer friend to her, only her queen. None of it by choice. Rhaenyra wondered why Aelyna had come to keep her. Had her cousin truly grown so lonely that she sought the care from a former friend and confidant. She also questioned Alicent's interest in Aelyna, was it based on truthful care or was Alicent hoping to find a glimpse of her within Aelyna?

"Is that you truly want? To marry for love?" Aelyna innocently asked "Is it even possible with your title?"

"When did you become so smart." Rhaenyra grunted as laid to her side, resting her head in her cousins lap

"I've always been smarter than you." Aelyna laughed as she felt Rhaenyra's hand wrapped in hers "Besides, I need to study all your mistakes, so I don't make the same as you when I'm of age."

Three knocks at the door and the princesses noticed Shayna in the door. "Princess Rhaenyra, princess Aelyna, prince Aegon, the king advice you join them in the gardens to celebrate the return of the prince." Shayna affirmed closing the door behind her.

"First time me, did our spiders catch anything since the morrow?" Aelyna inquired as Rhaenyra sat up straight. In the corner of her lip a smirk formed on Shayna's face. "How many?"

"More than yesterday." Rhaenyra's eyes widened at the shock of Shayna. She understood Valyrian, not many if any lady in waiting did.

"You speak Valyrian?" Rhaenyra gasped looking between the two "What spiders? What are you talk-"

"Rhaenyra, please stop." Aelyna suggested. Shayna nodded her head as she sat across the princesses "Shayna, is more than a servant. She is my friend." Aelyna explained squeezing Rhaenyra's had twice "She has been my watchful eye over the years."

"Watchful eye?" Rhaenyra asked

"When the princess arrived, her father appointed her into my care. There aren't too many in the red keep that he trusted."

"Shayna, tell me of the biggest spider you've caught." Shayna remained quiet, her eyes lingering to the confused princess seated next to her. "I trust her."

"As we speak your father and the king are discussing you, again." Shayna started "Your father is somewhat confused to your cold demeanor. The king as well, as far as he could tell you have been nothing but a timid and shy child." Shayna sat forward as her eyes strained back to Aelyna "The king made a suggestion of sending you and the prince back to the Vale. To make of Rhea Royce a mother for you."

"What?!" both Rhaenyra and Aelyna quietly shouted, Rhaenyra clung to her cousins hand tighter

"The king think it is unhealthy for you to not have a motherly figure." Rhaenyra felt an irritation grow inside her. She wondered if her father had the same reasoning when he married Alicent Hightower. To attempt to give her the mother he stole from her. To make of his child bride a mother to her. The same Alicent who Rhaenyra spent hours of her days with. The queen Alicent who she wanted to take on dragonback and fly across the Narrow Sea eating only cake. Typical of her father to see a child and make a mother out of her.

"What did my father say?"

"He opposed." Shayna confirmed "He'd rather take you to Dragonstone. He think it would be best if you were given your own space after being in Kings Landing all these years."

"To achieve what?" Aelyna commented "To make up for lost time?"

"You know he's never cared for his responsibilities in the Vale." Shayna snarked "Or would you prefer being sent to the Vale while takes on dragonback to where?"

In the garden Aelyna kept to herself as she stood next to Alicent. Growing bored of her uncle and fathers endless tales of their youth. As their stories went on Alicent shared unimpressed glances to one another. Both wanted to be anywhere but in the company of the king. In the corner of her eye she noticed Shayna walking along the servants, collecting more spiders for she hoped.

"No, no, no." Viserys disagreed "I will not revisit this debate. You were always mothers favorite." Rhaenyra had joined them as Aelyna felt a pinch to her shoulder "You truly were." Viserys grabbed hold his brothers shoulder looking to Alicent with cheer "Our mother had no regard for custom, nor tradition or rules. And I certainly was no great warrior."

A soft smiled on Aelyna's face. The few wonderful qualities she enjoyed of her uncle was the tales of their family. The Targaryen history was the only sense of identity she had. She had no mother, not even a name to trace back to her lineage. Only the tales of Old Valyria and centuries worth of Targaryen history.

"Congratulation on your victory." Rhaenyra spoke, only to receive a silent warning from Viserys. As Aelyna suspected he was all but thrilled at Rhaenyra's premature return. Aelyna shared an uncomfortable glace to Daemon as he thanked her.

"Perhaps prince Daemon would enjoy a tour of the gallery." Alicent suggested "The tapestry has been gifted to you since the war."

"Oh, would you like to see the tapestry?" Viserys' teased in a soft tone, clearing mocking his wife. The two brothers giggled amongst each other much to Aelyna's irritation. The kind face of Alicent dropped in embarrassment. A resentful eye shared among the two daughter for their fathers "He has no interest in the tapestries!" Viserys laughed louder

Rhaenyra rolled her eyes "Well, I'd like to see them."

Viserys face dropped "Well, then you should not deprive yourself."

"I shall enjoy them alone." Rhaenyra left with Alicent trailed behind her. The two girls finding a bench to occupy as Aelyssa remained stood with her uncle and father. Shaking her head in disappoint

"Despite being the youngest, you two are the real children among us." She said

Viserys only rolled his eyes "Oh, come now Aelyna. It's all harmless fun."

Aelyna felt her palm forming a fist. She'd always hated it when told to be calm. Be calm, be quiet, be sweet- all harmless fun. God, they were infuriating "Harmless? Remember the last tine you had harmless fun of drinking too much wine uncle." She mocked in the same tone he used against Alicent "Aegon's name day, was it not." Smirk on Viserys' face dropped, as Daemons only grew more prominent. She bowed her head as she left them behind.

"Gods be good." Viserys swore under breath taking another sip of wine "If there was ever doubt, she'd definitely us. In fact, she takes too much after mother." 

Daemon kept his eye on his daughter as she walked away, despite her tantrum it did not make him miss her less. He could not believe how much time had gone by, when he left for the Stepstones she barely felt comfortable speak at all. "Tell me brother, has she made you older before your time?" 

"Between her and Rhaenyra? It's been a challenge?"

"How so?" Daemon turned to his brother

Viserys shook his head sighing in defeat "Aelyna is a sweet child, but she is often restless. I can not tell you the many of times she was caught crawling in between the crypts of this castle. Climbing up down the walls, do- do you know what they call her?" Viserys managed to laugh as the wine eased his head "Ah, but when they're younger, it's easier." He added "She has missed you a great deal. They're have been too many times she's come to study to hear tales of you."

"Really?"

"Oh, yes. If you had waited any longer she would have claimed a dragon and end the war in the Stepstones herself." 

Daemon felt his heart grow as Viserys spoke of her child. Perhaps she was right in not welcoming him back. When she needed him, all she had was war stories to comfort her. 

"You said you wanted to take her to Dragonstone, for what if I may ask?"

"I've already missed her ninth name day." Daemon shrugged "I wondered if a dragon would encourage her to forgiveness."

☆ ࣪ ִ AUTHORS NOTE :l 𝆬 3

Aelyna and Daemon being the definition of something something daughters being their fathers worst traits. 

Okay, so hotd as a lot (and I mean) of time jumps. My brain actually hurts from keeping them all in line. I don't want to spend too much time with Aelyna as a child but also not skip very crucial points to her character so I'm thinking of dividing this book into three parts. Kings Landing, Winterfell (iykyk) and then the Dance of the Dragons. Also big thanks to everyone who is reading this book even if it's just voting I appreciate it so much because this has been in the drafts for too long.  Please don't forget to vote or comment, i would love get feedback back <3