Visenya watched Luke and Ellyn walk through the courtyard from one of the balconies that overlooked it. They both seemed to be smiling, a pleasant sight to Visenya's eyes. Her hands cradled the small bump that was forming. By the end of the year, there would be a marriage and a new Targaryen heir. Hopefully, her son would see his uncle's wedding even if he didn't remember it.

"Princess, you look tired," Brella said from beside her.

"I'm nearing four moons pregnant and my arousal is also through the roof. Sleep isn't in abundance, Brella," Visenya smiled, twisting the rings on her fingers. At least Aemond was taking it in stride.

"You haven't stopped watching them, Visenya. They seem to be fine."

"I want him happy and I know that look on her face. She's scared and she's young. She shouldn't be forced to worry about marriage and children. I wish this world were kinder to women. At fourteen they should be discovering themselves, having fun, making mistakes, and learning from them."

"You seem content," Brella added

"I found happiness in a shit situation. I'm very excited to have Aemond's children but I will not be defined by motherhood. They will not decide my worth. I am more than just a concubine."

Brella smiled. "Damn right, you are."

That's when Visenya noticed Brella's Dress. It was red, and now that she thought about it, Brella almost always wore red. "Brella, have you always worn red?"

Brella smiled. "Only since Red became the declaration of the rightful queen of Westeros."

Visenya wanted to hide her smile but Brella's declaration made it hard. "So red has become a declaration now? I thought it was only Black or Green."

"The small folk garnished the alliance - with my help. You're kind with your donations and you're a kind person."

"Funding a new orphanage being built might have something to do with that. I don't want people to think I'm doing it just for appearances, I genuinely care. I know what it feels like when you don't belong. They aren't afforded the luxury of wealth. What about you and the staff, Brella? What are your thoughts?"

Brella looked at her with a grin. "I think that the prolonged presence of Daeron has the serving girls losing their minds."

Visenya rose a brow. "I was asking about the conditions of their living arrangements, not their hearts."

"Both are important. Prince Daeron is becoming a looker. Isn't he your age?"

"I think he's a year younger because he's three years younger than Aemond. Don't tell me you have a crush on my brother, Brella."

Brella shrugged. "He's very attractive."

"He's fifteen!" Visenya laughed.

"And I'm seventeen! That's barely a difference. I can dream. I know as a serving girl it would never happen, you do not need to snap at me for having impure thoughts. You are so snippy, Visenya. One of my favorite things about you."

"Aemond is always telling me to shut my mouth," Visenya snickered.

"I bet he must love it when you have it around his cock."

Visenya paused and furrowed her brows. "What?"

Brella's eyes widened. "You've ... I thought you said he's gone down on you, right?"

"Yeah," She nodded.

"And he's never had you suck his cock?"

Visenya's eyes widened. "No! He doesn't make me do anything. That's ... never come up. It's a thing?"

Brella suddenly laughed. "Trust me, it's a very common thing. Most men go to pleasure houses to either fuck or get sucked off. I can't believe Aemond has never asked."

Visenya looked at her hands as she twisted her rings. "Aemond is different. All he cares about is giving. From gifts to pleasure, he's completely selfless. It's shocking and one of my favorite things about him."

"Do you think you would have still fallen in love had it not been for the marriage?" Brella asked.

"If I could have seen Aemond was at his core, yes. But he also needed to see me. We needed that close proximity to really understand each other. I would have never known how complex he is and he would have continued to think I was a spoiled crybaby. But I still fell in love and it was with who Aemond really is, not the monster he pretends to be. He's a good man and I wish more people saw it. He cares deeply for his family and when he loves, he loves with all his energy. He would kill for me, for Helaena, and probably even Aegon and Daeron."

Brella smiled at her words. "You sound lovesick, Visenya. It's adorable. I can't wait to see you as a mother."

"How long have you been here?" Luke suddenly asked, walking up the steps to the balcony, Ellyn by his side.

"Not long," Visenya lied.

"The whole time," Brella said at the same time.

Visenya glared at her while Luke glared at Visenya. "Why are you spying on us?"

"I was not spying! I was overseeing my little brother, making sure everything was okay. Good morning, Ellyn."

Ellyn curtsied with a smile. "Morning, Princess."

Visenya stood in front of her and grabbed her hands. "No need for formalities. You may call me Visenya, and maybe even Sister one day. This is your home now and we are your family."

"Thank you," She said softly. "How are you and the babe?"

"Strong and healthy. Much better than my last pregnancy for sure. The maester says there is not a single complication thus far," She smiled.

"And he has recently discovered her bladder," Brella added. "I am surprised she has gone this long without needing to piss."

Ellyn giggled at Brella's vulgarity. Visenya looked at her with a smirk and shook her head. "You have no filter, do you?"

"I am nothing if not honest."

"Vis, we are fine," Luke finally spoke. "Go live your own life instead of worrying. You have enough to worry about."

Visenya squeezed Ellyn's hands. "Has he taken you to the Dragonpit?"

Ellyn shook her head. "I am a bit frightful of the dragons."

"Grey Ghost is the calmest of them, I can assure you. Come with me, dōna Ellie."
*sweet Ellie

Ellyn's eyes widened and her head tilted in confusion at the sweet name and the foreign language. "Do I need to learn High Valyrian, Prin - Visenya?"

"Of course not. I don't think Lucerys is fluent yet," Visenya smiled.

"You learn a lot in passing," Brella added. "I feel comfortable enough to know what she's saying. She didn't even learn until she was fourteen and look at her now, so fluent she practically speaks it more than not. Especially when she and Aemond go at it. If you ever catch them in a yelling match, it's funny to hear them angrily yell at each other."

"Don't mind my friend, Aemond and I haven't been in a fight for quite some time. Brella is just jealous."

"Jealous?" Daeron asked, approaching the group. He smiled at everyone, winking at Brella.

"Oh my," she whispered next to Visenya.

"Yes, my sweet friend here wishes she had a love like Aemond and myself," Visenya said to Daeron.

Daeron raised a brow. "You're jealous you don't have someone to fuck nonstop?"

Visenya enjoyed watching Brella's face turn bright red. Recently Brella had been acting distant but she was more embarrassed now than Visenya had ever seen her. "Um, my Prince, I merely wish I had a man to love me as Aemond does to Visenya."

Daeron nodded. "Yes, his devotion is inspiring. It seems my nephew and his betrothed are fond of one another. I can only hope my sister and brother find me as swell a match."

"One day," Visenya nodded. "But let's all go down to the Bay. My dragon is very calm as long as I am near."

-

He was majestic. Brella had seen him many times, Luke and Daeron had seen him and flown with him, but Ellyn's reaction was unreadable. The shock was obvious but Visenya couldn't tell if she was scared or in awe. Her blue eyes (different from the standard Baratheon dark eyes) were full and wide. She was frozen in the sand, not moving forward.

"He's harmless, I promise as an outsider from this family," Brella smiled. "Isn't he beautiful?"

"Technically he is a she now," Daeron smiled, watching Brella. "You should see Tessarion sometime. She's magnificent."

"She's like the clouds," Ellyn finally said.

"Grey Ghost and Arrax are similar in color if you love her scales so much, my lady," Luke said.

Brella stood next to the bench in the sand, watching Brella meet Grey Ghost. He truly was a cloud in dragon form, but Brella still hadn't gotten in the habit of calling Grey Ghost a girl. Visenya's pride was so evident on her face. If there was anything Visenya loved more than Aemond, it was her dragon.

Brella looked over at the steps and saw a falcon land at the top of the handrails, looking down at the peasant. Not really a peasant anymore, she realized. When she moved to King's Landing to be in service of Visenya, she was a poor girl saving her family that serviced and was in debt to Borros Baratheon. Now, she was so much more.

Visenya did give her a small income, not too much to be suspicious, but Brella had her gambling network and all the money that Visenya gave her to pay off her debt had been way more than double. Brella had enough wealth to have nice dresses and even then, she was extremely set for a servant. But Visenya made her feel like so much more than a servant.

Visenya had merely laughed when Brella explained her debt despite her own stress. Stress so crippling that her dreams had become ... alarming. For about five months now she had intense dreams that she could barely remember. She just knew there was a falcon and she was ... flying? And every morning she was on high alert.

Which might be fine if it weren't for the fact that she saw a falcon sitting mere feet away from her. And it was looking right at her.

"Did you know," Daeron spoke, startling Brella. She didn't even see him approach her. "That the falcon is a symbol of bravery, intuition, and freedom, and they have a keen eye for detail. They never miss an opportunity."

Brella looked at him and noticed the intense way he was staring at her. Almost like he knew something. "I did not, My Prince."

"Hm, I wonder now then if it following you means something."

"Following me? I haven't seen it until today."

Daeron snickered. "Interesting, I see it follow you and my sister at least once a week. You're not an Arryn, are you?"

"Not even close," She grins. "My family comes from a long line of peasants in the Stormlands. My parents were lucky to get us jobs at Storm's End where we served House Baratheon."

"Did you serve Ellyn, my nephew's sweet future bride?"

"I did not. I was in the kitchens but I do remember her and her sisters." Brella looked at him with a bashful smile. She wasn't normally so affected by men.

"Either way, I'm glad my sister seems to enjoy and trust you. You are quite a beauty, Lady Brella."

"Oh," She chuckled. "I am definitely not a lady."

"Not yet," He took her hand and kissed the top of it. He smiled at her before walking away, leaving Brella feeling like a puddle. When she looked back over at the crowd, Ellyn was running her hands along Grey Ghost's scales with a large smile.

"Wow!" The young lady giggled, understandably in love with the dragon. How could someone not fall in love with Grey Ghost? So in tune with Visenya, she was the calmest of all the dragons.

Brella watched as Visenya cradled her stomach and sucked in a deep breath. Brella's smile disappeared and she rushed to Visenya's side, kneeling in front of her.

"What is it?"

Visenya shook her head and Brella noticed Aemond approach them for the first time all morning. "Visenya, what's wrong?"

"I don't know. There's moving and last time I felt this, we lost Elaena," Visenya's violet eyes were wide with fear and Aemond was clutching her hands with his own, both shaking.

Brella, not even worried about Luke and Ellyn watching, lifted part of her skirts and felt just to check if there was bleeding. But her hand was dry and there was not a drop of blood.

Brella placed her hands on Visenya's bump to feel and her relief radiated through her whole body. Her own mother had children as Brella grew into a grown woman so she was familiar with this.

"Visenya, you are okay. That's your babe moving. He's just kicking you, saying hello, and letting you know he's okay."

Visenya's eyes softened and she looked at Aemond, her shock turning into pure love and admiration. "Aemond, that's our baby, our son."

Aemond's large hands replaced Brella's as he felt the moving and he looked up at Visenya. "That's him? He's so strong."

"Hopefully not too strong," Luke whispered, making Ellyn laugh.

Even Aemond laughed at the joke. "Fortunately, your sister does not have a sworn protector besides me. No bastards here. Just a genuinely strong baby, the next king."

Brella watched them with a smile, the falcon taking off into the sky.

I'm starting something ... I hope you all love Brella as much as I do.