Per request (and my own urge to do it), this is a mini-chapter on Dragonstone and what's going on with the Strong boys I have yet to address them in depth so enjoy this shorter chapter.

The Blood Wyrm's shrieks alerted the island that Daemon had returned only hours after leaving. Wherever he went, he hadn't stayed for long.

Rhaenyra was on the Dragonstone throne, all of her children in the room with her. It wasn't for anything specific, they just liked it. Jace and Luke would read their histories with Rhaena while the younger children played with their toys. Rhaenyra had just given birth to her youngest, Viserys, merely days prior.

When she received word that her daughter had forsaken Laenor as her father. And exposed Rhaenyra for her lies.

To the Lords and Ladies of Westeros,
The Hand of the King, Otto Hightower, brings news of the newfound legitimacy of Princess Visenya Targaryen. In light of Princess Visenya claiming that Princess Rhaenyra admitted to coupling with her uncle shortly before her wedding, it is the Princess that requests the truth be honored. Even though Princess Rhaenyra and Prince Daemon were not married during the conception and birth of Visenya Velaryon, it should only be fair for her to be confirmed now that they have married. Visenya Targaryen, first daughter of the Heir, shall hold her position and title of Princess and the true-born daughter of Rhaenyra and Daemon.

Rhaenyra still kept the scroll, clenching it in her hands. When she had received it, her labors started shortly after, and Viserys was born. But now she was left with the betrayal of her daughter.

But how could she be mad when she heard of the violent labor and miscarriage her own daughter endured? She should have been there for her daughter instead of the Hightower snakes that had likely influenced her recent actions. Surely Alicent pushed her to do it in order to weaken Rhaenyra. But Visenya wasn't the same girl she once was. She saw that at the tourney.

And it was only natural Rhaenyra had regrets. That was her only daughter, her baby girl, and the monster she had become was her own doing. She let Daemon fear her into everything. She named Jace heir. It was all of her own doing. But Rhaenyra couldn't bring herself to regret her actions. She loved Daemon. Visenya had been a constant reminder of the night Daemon fucked her in a pleasure house and then left her alone. She was a reminder for years of the uncle she always wanted and couldn't have.

Not that it was Visenya's fault, it could just be painful at times. And she knew daemon tried to like her when they first met on Dragonstone but Daemond could tell by the way she admitted her bastard ness that she was hard to reign in. Even when she acted like a scared little girl, she did everything her own way and made it very clear she hated Daemon for abandoning her. She only loved Laenor as her father and Daemon needed him gone if he was going to take control of Visenya, a girl now betrothed to a Green Prince. It was the perfect opportunity for a spy.

But getting rid of Laenor only made things worse. Rhaenyra hated it but she needed Visenya isolated.

"Nyra, please don't do this. She needs me."

"Don't forget yourself, Laenor, she is my daughter."

Rhaenyra shook the memory away and watched Joffrey and Aegon play with their toys. All of her boys.

Lucerys was the only one that seemed to care so much. He'd give his mother letters to send to Visenya but was always told she never wrote back. He knew Visenya wouldn't ignore him if she were getting his letters.

Everyone's thoughts were interrupted when Daemon entered the halls, his nose cracked open, and his face bloodied and bruised.

"Daemon! Who did this?" Rhaenyra gasped. She handed Viserys to the wet nurse and ran to Daemon.

"Children, leave," Daemon called. They quickly left the room but Luke his behind the door. He needed to hear word on Visenya.

"Who?" Rhaenyra asked.

"Aemond."

"Why? What did you do? You rushed out before we could discuss."

"I might have ..."

"Daemon! I told you not to! You're lucky it was only Aemond to retaliate. The Kings's Guard could have gotten involved maybe even the king."

"No. If he were involved, he would have never allowed it. He would never allow someone to publically accuse you of this. That girl needs to be put in her place before she continues to create a mess."

"She wants a mess daemon. And can you blame her for what we did? And then to lose her own babe. I should have been there for my daughter's first pregnancy."

"That castle does not need another Hightower and Targaryen halfbreed. She made her choice, Rhaenyra, and so did we. She will get in the way of you being Queen, which is our priority. I did what I had to do."

Luke frowned. He ... hurt Visenya? He should have known something was wrong. Visenya had been gone for over one and a half years. Rhaenyra always told them she was fine but when Luke asked Daemon, he shut him down and almost trained him not to talk about her. He never understood, he knew the truth of Daemon being her father, just like he knew Ser Harwin was his father. Jace was becoming so much like Daemon he never spoke of Ser Harwin, living in perfect denial. Even Jace didn't bring up Visenya in conversation.

"She is still my daughter, a small part of me still has the urge for that bond."

"Then you and I can fuck until you birth a girl and we can start over with a child that doesn't wish to see us suffer. She has always called you out and she never once liked me. And now she has made herself a good claim to the Throne, how do you not see it?" Daemon asked.

"She wouldn't dare do that, Daemon. My Visenya, love her as I may, has always been timid and she isn't smart with politics or anything. She is not a strong reader and she is too afraid to do anything, Visenya couldn't take a throne even if she were given a manual with step-by-step instructions."

Luke knew he had to start sending ravens to Visenya privately, not sending it through Rhaenyra. He loved his mother and he loved his sister, it was eating his heart. But Daemon was not his father.

"She still believes we killed Laenor, I think she might be a tad bit smarter than we think. How does she know?" Daemon spoke.

Luke's eyes went wide and he backed up. Wait ... were the rumors true? Laenor was - no. There was no way that his mother and Daemon would do that. Father, adopted or not, loved them and was good to them. He acted as if he were their own father and was so kind.

"She doesn't know anything, she is an emotional girl. You are overestimating her, Daemon. It's her husband I fear for. It won't be long before she's pregnant again if Alicent has her way."

Visenya was pregnant?! Luke was growing angry, wondering how much they had been keeping from him and his siblings. She was stuck in a castle with family members that always bullied her and she was alone. And he missed her.

"Rhaenyra, if she has a son, they will use it. She may not want that, but they will use her trueborn son with Aemond as a way to put him on the throne. She may not want it, but I bet he does."

Luke felt a hand on his shoulder and almost yelled at the surprise but Jace was pulling him away to a close room. "What the hell were you doing, Lucerys?"

"It's a lie, Jace, all of it! With Visenya, it's not what we think at all!"

"So?" Jace frowned.

"Daemon hurt her. He went to the castle today and he hurt her."

"Lucerys, she moved over to our uncles and the Hightowers and they are all cunts."

"Let me guess, you heard that from Daemon?"

"And he is right! Visenya is a traitor to this family. She opened her legs for our cunt of an uncle and has been seen acting jovial with our other cunt of an uncle. She forsake us, Luke, she accused Mother of being unfaithful to Father."

"Jace, Laenor wasn't our true father. And he certainly wasn't Visenya's father."

Jacaerys scoffed. "Wow. Maybe you should go live with our traitor sister and her new family, seeing how she has forgotten us."

Luke shook his head. "You can't possibly believe that, Jace. She was always so kind and good to us. Even when she was passed over and you were named heir."

"Because she is dim-witted! She struggles with reading and she was awful at politicing."

"Seven hells, do you even have your own thoughts anymore or did Daemon influence everything? She was our sister long before Daemon was your father."

Jace rolled his eyes. "Do whatever you want, Little Brother. I know where my loyalties lie."

Daemon wasn't direct family, not like Visenya. But there was only one way to get everything cleared up and put the confusion of the missing pieces together.

He had to go see Visenya.