Visenya woke with a stabbing pain in her stomach and groaned, reaching for the water on her bedside table "Fuck," She mumbled as another wave of pain stabbed her.

"Princess?" Brella knocked on her door. "Princess, are you okay?"

"Yes -" She gasped and dropped the cup.

Brella entered the room and ran to her side. "Princess, what is it?"

"It hurts so much. My stomach is in so much pain."

Brella lifted the covers off of her and pulled her up into a sitting position. Brella gasped when she looked down and back up at Visenya. She became aware of the wet feeling around her thighs and when she looked down, any color in her face drained.

She was bleeding.

"Visenya," Brella said calmly. "You know my loyalty belongs to you but -"

"I know," Visenya nodded, wiping away her tears. "You have to tell her. It's ok."

Brella nodded and grabbed her hand. "I promise it will be okay. The pain you are experiencing is cramping and that is completely normal."

Visenya couldn't stop staring at the blood. How could so much come from such a place and still be normal? Now she was doomed for life. Just days ago when she rode Grey Ghost with the others she had appreciated her happiness and freedom but this was how it was being taken. Now she was able to be wed and bed.

But Aemond promised. He promised she could cut him and use that blood for the sheets as proof, he promised he wouldn't force her. That was a promise Visenya was holding onto for dear life.

"I will be right back, sweet girl," Brella said softly and kissed the top of her head. Visenya gave a weak smile and watched her leave the room. In her moths at the capital, Brella had been her best support. She was young but old enough to dote on the girl as an older sister might. She had grown to trust her immensely, something she had been scared to do.

"Oh, Visenya!" Alicent said from the door. She walked in and took a look at the sheets for proof and Visenya wanted to barf.

"I will draw you a bath, Princess," Brella said and rushed to the washroom.

Alicent pulled up a chair and sat across from her as she stayed on her bed. "I know you know what this means now. We will need to begin planning the wedding and I was thinking maybe at the same time as your nameday. This is a special time for you now. Brella can walk you through using a sanitary cloth and some tea to relieve the cramping. This is wonderful. It means your body can create new life now, it's a beautiful thing."

"Doesn't feel beautiful. It's disgusting and it smells and hurts," She frowned.

"I know. You can used to it after a while. When you are pregnant you don't bleed. That's a perk to that process," Alicent smiled.

"Are you going to write my mother?" Visenya asked.

"Yes. She will want to help with wedding planning, seeing as you are her only daughter and her eldest child," Alicent nodded. "And since you are the King's oldest grandchild, he will want to plan a week of tourneys and celebrations. It will be a grand affair."

"Yippee," Visenya mumbled and looked down at her hands. "Do you mind if I have some privacy now?"

"Of course. If you need anything, Visenya, you need just ask."

Visenya started biting her cheek again and watched Alicent leave her, closing the door behind her. Visenya looked over at the washroom and made her way over, feeling at ease when she smelled the scent of lavender.

"I will let you wash up and I will grab some cloth for you. Just relax, the warm water will help," Brella said and left the room. At this point, Brella knew she could make the water as hot as possible and it would be fine for Visenya.

She sank into the tub and closed her eyes, letting out a satisfied groan at the comforting feeling of the warm water.

Visenya felt like an emotional wreck now, tears falling into the tub water. She knew this day could come but now that it was here, she was panicking. She would have to stand before the Kingdom and kiss Aemond, she would have to pledge herself to him, and it all sounded atrocious.

She washed herself up and Brella showed her how to use the sanitary cloth. She dressed in riding leathers, with only one destination on her mind. Brella gave her a simple braid and she was off to Blackwater Bay in no time

As she approached the beach, Aemond stood from the steps and frowned. "You are late."

She had completely forgotten it was a training day. "I am not training," She said, walking past him and straight for her dragon.

He reached for her arm and pulled her back in front of him. "Excuse me?"

"Let go of me, you arse."

He was glaring at her at this point. "Visenya, you train this morning just like all the other mornings. We haven't even gotten past footing and positions. You haven't even had a weapon in your hand since the first time."

"Seven hells, let me fucking go!" She yelled, tears springing in her eyes. "You best prepare yourself. I have bled now and your mother is moving steadfastly in planning for a wedding the week of my nameday. So enjoy your freedom while you can."

"Again with the tears. So what, Visenya? We knew this was happening, were you stupid enough to think it never would? Get a grip, Bastard."

She brought her hand up and slapped him.

Aemond's eye was furious but he smirked like a fucking devil. He was pissed. "You fucking brat," He hissed and pushed her away from him, causing her to trip and fall into the sand.

Grey Ghost was at full attention and snarling at Aemond.

"Here I was thinking you had finally started to get smart but I guess it was momentary. You are more stupid than I thought. Do you think you can get on your dragon and fly away from here and it will stop whatever responsibilities you have? You are stuck here, Visenya. If you fly away right now, my mother will treat you like an escaping prisoner."

Visenya pulled herself up and touched Grey Ghost's neck. "Shh, leave him be." She walked over to his wing and climbed onto his back. "I am going to Driftmark to see my grandmother. I never said I was running away. If she wants to see me before I return, she may send for me. Soves, Grey Ghost."

Aemond watched her with a scowl as her dragon spread his wings and took flight. Visenya held on as she steered him in the direction of Driftmark, trying to remember which direction she was going.

He soared over the ocean, occasionally dipping to the surface of the water and splashing her while catching fish.

"Hells," She groaned at how cold the water was despite the sun beating down.

The flight lasted all but a couple of hours but her belly was aching with cramps by the time she landed outside of the castle. Meleys, who slept guard on the shore, rose to attention at the presence of a new dragon. She started to get on the defense when Rhaenys came out of the castle.

"Lykirī, Meleys," Rhaenys called and walked towards Visenya as she hopped off her dragon. "Visenya?"

Visenya looked at her grandmother and ran to her, wrapping her arms around her and letting more tears release.

"Sweet girl, what is it?"

"I know you don't like me and whatever but I kind of need someone."

"That was unfair of me to say, Visenya. I love you, okay? You are my granddaughter and I shall love you like mine own. That reason I gave about you being a bastard and Baela and Rhaena was unfair of me and I am sorry. When I look at you, I see Laenor."

Visenya sniffled as she cried and shook her head. "No, you don't, you're saying that to make me feel better."

"I am not. When I look at you, I see Laenor's strength and love. You may not have his physical but you have all the rest. I know my son loved you like his own. I can't say the same for your brothers but I can for you. So, I am dreadfully sorry, okay? So tell me, what troubles you?"

"I bled, Grandmother. I bled and now the planning for the wedding is in motion and I am scared. He scares me and I don't want to marry him and I have no allies. My mother doesn't favor me, Daemon hates me, and I haven't received a raven from my brothers in months. I miss them. They're still my baby brothers and I miss them so. But Daemon has them wrapped around his finger so I can't even blame them."

"So the rumors are true?" Rhaenys asked, "Did he hurt you?"

"He is awful. I miss Father more than anything and it hurts. He was the only person that understood me and I want him back but I can't. He was taken from me and every part of me believes they killed him."

Rhaenys nodded and tilted her head. "I believe it too."

Visenya started to feel less pressure on her as she realized she was in like-minded company. "I want him back, Grandmother. He was my only person."

"I know, Visenya. When you become a mother, I hope you never have to experience this pain. Losing one child was torture but losing both ... I would rather walk through each of the seven hells."

"I don't want his children, I would rather die."

"You might change your mind. When you deliver your child and they place it on your chest, nothing compares. You never love a child like your firstborn. When they put Laena on my chest, I was enamored. She become the center of my existence the moment I looked into her lilac eyes. Maybe having a child would help you find some purpose."

"Maybe," She sighed. She saw something behind Rhaenys and when she looked over she saw Baela walking out.

"Oh. You," Baela frowned and twisted her lips in disgust.

"No animosity, Baela. She is your cousin and your sister. You are both my granddaughters and I want this indifference settled. Visenya, would you like to come inside? I can have a raspberry leaf tea that does wonders for cramps."

"I would love that," Visenya said and walked behind her grandmother next to Baela.

"I see you claimed a dragon," Baela said.

"In a sense. He claimed me if I am to be honest." Visenya didn't say more and decided to keep the memory to herself.

"He's bigger than my Moondancer. But I suppose he is older," Baela added.

"It is rumored Grey Ghost hatched when King Jaehaerys was young and was not claimed by any of his children so he flew to Dragonstone and stayed there and always stayed hidden," Visenya explained.

"The Gods blessed you with a gift, Sister."

Sister. As if they would ever be such a thing. Visenya had one sister and it was Helaena. Baela and Rhaena ruined any chance at a close kinship. That night she ruined any possibility of a relationship with her betrothed and with her half-sisters. That night was the beginning of the end for her. And then to lose Laenor right after.

"Martella, may you whip up a raspberry leaf tea for my granddaughter and bring in some lemon cakes and plum pudding?" Rhaenys asked the maid in the grand hall.

"How did you know?" Visenya asked.

"Laenor mentioned how he found it peculiar that you hated lemon cakes and you have since you were young. You mentioned when you were a babe and off the wet nurse that they couldn't get you to eat anything besides plum pudding. He would write us all the time because he had no how to be a father yet but he did so well and he loved you so dearly."

Visenya smiled at the story and watched her grandmother speak with a smile. "I wish he were my biological father and that I could share your blood."

"I guess technically you still do. More such as distant cousins but your grandmother for all intents and purposes. I am sorry for all the intense treatment you have received these last few years."

Visenya looked at Baela. "Has he always been such a cunt?"

Baela straightened her posture and looked uncomfortable at the question. "I shan't lie, it's not as if he were the best father but he never laid his hands on us or Mother. He was more of a silent warrior. The glares and disapproving looks. Mostly with Rhaena because she was more of a crybaby and her egg turned to stone which caused some judgment."

"I should have never let my daughter run off with him," Rhaenys scoffed.

"When Daemon wants something, he gets it. Like war. He will get his war against the Greens, mark my words," Visenya said before Martella entered with a tray of tea and sweets. Visenya took the tea and enjoyed the smell before sipping on the tea. She was never much of a tea drinker but she did enjoy the taste of this one. The plum pudding was what she had her eyes on.

"Daemon always searches for a battle. The Hightowers will never let Rhaenyra be Queen and that is the truth. It will be a civil war between the Greens and the Blacks and we will all have to choose a side," Rhaenys continued.

"And do you have an idea?" Baela asked.

"I believe Rhaenyra and Daemon killed my son but I have no love for the Hightowers. I suppose when the time comes I will need to be persuaded, as should you. Don't ever feel compelled to join just for the family."

"I don't know if I could join the Blacks," Visenya admitted. "I always hated Alicent but for whatever reason, she has shown me nothing but welcoming hospitality. She has treated me kindly and made me comfortable there. Aegon isn't anywhere near as awful as I believed, Aemond is an arse but he's not an abuser, and Helaena is the only innocent one in this whole situation. It is Otto that is a problem."

"Your mind sounds made. If war comes and you have a child with your husband, their protection will be your priority," Rhaenys added.

"Betraying Father sounds like treason," Baela said.

"There is no treason here, Baela, only hypotheticals," Rhaenys added.

"And hypothetically speaking, I will make Daemon pay."

How is everyone doing with the pacing? As I have mentioned I have never done an enemies to lovers before and I want to make sure I am not going to fast.