VALAENA STARED QUIZZICALLY at the odd-shaped object with jagged and uneven scales that upon further inspection, were not entirely bronze as the light revealed the subtle hints of green beneath the surface.

"That's supposed to turn into a dragon?" she questioned as she lowered the egg from her eyeline, glancing up at her father with an unimpressed look on her face.

"Someday, yes," Daemon nodded as he knelt to meet his daughter's height. "Give it time and the right care, the egg will hatch and you'll have a dragon of your own."

Valaena stared back down at the egg in her hands as it suddenly felt heavier than before. Her fingers traced the rough edges of the shell as her mind raced. She thought back to what she had overheard the other day, of her cousin's egg never hatching when he was a babe.

"But what if it doesn't?" Valeana asked with a nervousness in her stomach, feeling self-conscious with her locks of dark hair that fell upon her shoulders. "That's happened before, hasn't it?"

Daemon's expression softened as he reached out to gently lift Valaena's chin, tearing her eyes away from the egg to meet his gaze.

"It has," he admitted as he watched how her face fell. "But it doesn't mean you're not worthy. Sometimes a dragon won't hatch because your dragon is already out there waiting for you."

Valaena's eyes flickered with doubt as the words slipped through her lips before she could stop them, "But I'm just a bastard."

"Dragons don't care about titles and formalities," Daemon shook his head. "You are a Targaryen, Valaena. My blood, our blood runs through your veins."

Valaena found her gaze back on the dragon egg as a guard entered the room, clearing his throat to catch Daemon's attention as the prince released an sigh at being interrupted.

"My prince, the king has requested you attend to his chambers immediately," the guard informed him.

Daemon shook his head, obviously annoyed at being called away as he stood back onto his feet and placed a hand on Valaena's shoulder.

"Why don't you go place your egg in the fire," Daemon suggested as he gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before dropping his hand back down to his side. "I'll be back soon."

"Okay," Valaena nodded as the rest of the words died at her lips, Father.

"Good," Daemon smiled at her before turning toward the guard at the door. Valaena watched as he strode out of the room, the guard following closely behind as the doors closed firmly behind them leaving her alone in the unnecessary large room.

The fire crackled, filling the silence as she looked down at the egg in her hands. Following her father's advice, she approached the burning flames as she hesitantly reached out before dropping the egg into the fire.

Valaena watched the flames lick the sides of the jagged egg as she felt the nerves bubble to the surface again. Not wanting to think on the matter any longer, she turned away from the egg in hopes that keeping it out of her sight would mean she wouldn't think about it any longer.

Her feet brought her to her familiar comfort in the Red Keep, the gardens awaiting her as she brushed her hands against the hedge bushes that brought her towards the weeping tree. She paused when she arrived at the clearing, surprised at what waited for her under the tree.

Rhaenrya spotted her first, smiling as she held the young boy with brown hair in her arms while he struggled to escape her grasp.

"Valaena," Rhaenrya greeted as she waved the young girl over, releasing her hold on the boy as he escaped her grasp. "Come, join us."

Valaena could hardly refuse, hesitating before walking over to where the pair sat. The boy hardly seemed to notice their newest addition as he ran around the clearing with a loud giggle.

"Jacaerys, come over here and greet your cousin," Rhaenrya tried to order the boy to no avail as he ignored his mother's call.

"It's quite alright," Valaena shrugged, not at all interested in interacting with the hyper boy as she sat in the grass next to the trunk. She much preferred to spend her time talking with the garden with Rhaenrya to relieve her stress at the new environment she found herself in.

"I swear he's usually better behaved," Rhaenrya commented with a small laugh. "But I suppose he's still just a child."

Valaena hummed in response, but did not comment anything else as she leaned back against the trunk of the weeping tree.

"Daemon has told me he found you a dragon egg," Rhaenrya prompted, unaware that Valaena had been trying to avoid the very topic. "That must be exciting."

"Hmm," Valaena nodded her head, but her cousin could sense her hesitation.

"You do not think so?" Rhaenrya raised a surprised eyebrow at her.

"I just worry it will not hatch," Valaena admitted as she watched her cousin's expression soften.

"I see," Rhaenrya pursed her lips as she glanced over at the brown-haired boy for a moment before returning her attention back to Valaena. "It's natural to feel that way, but I assure you that you have nothing to worry about. Just because it does not hatch does not mean you are undeserving of a dragon. It may be that you are meant to claim a dragon elsewhere. There are many unclaimed on Dragonstone still."

"Daemon said the same thing," Valaena muttered.

Rhaenrya did not comment on Valaena addressing her father by his first name.

"Well he is right, much as I hate to admit it," She stated as she leaned forward and gave Valaena's hand a reassuring squeeze. "We have the blood of the dragon coursing through our veins, nothing can change that."

Rhaenrya seemed to be thinking of something else entirely as her gaze was back on her first-born child who ran around oblivious to the world around him. Valaena may have been young, but she wasn't a fool. She had heard the whispers throughout the Red Keep, not that she needed them. It was clear as day that her first-born son was a bastard just as Valaena was. The only difference was that the Targaryens seemed adamant on pretending otherwise.

"Princess," the pair glanced away from Jacaerys as one of the handmaidens approached the princess, leaning down to whisper something in her ear. She left as quickly as she appeared, scurrying away from the garden as Rhaenyra released an annoyed sigh.

"I'm afraid duty calls," Rhaenrya huffed out with a soft smile. "I shall be back shortly."

She didn't have time to respond as Rhaenrya hurried away with an annoyed expression on her face, leaving Valaena alone in the gardens with nothing but a small child to keep her company and the one guard posted to watch over them.

Jacaerys seemed to finally realize his mother had left, a frown making its way onto his face as his attention turned to the only other person there. Valaena glanced up as the boy approached her, raising an eyebrow as he stopped before her. The pair stared at each other in silence for several moments as Valaena took in his warm, chocolate eyes that proved he was more bastard than Targaryen.

Annoyed with his staring, Valaena reached out with a finger as she pushed it against his forehead rather harshly, sending him tumbling to the ground. He released a surprised yelp as his bottom hit the ground, looking up at Valaena with a look of surprise etched across his face.

It was soon replaced with a wide grin, one that worried Valaena as he climbed back onto his feet and rushed over to her.

"Again, again," he begged as he hung onto her arm while she desperately tried to shake him off. She had meant to scare him away, not make him cling to her even further.

"I think he's taken quite a liking to you," Rhaenrya's voice pulled her gaze away from Jacaerys as she found her cousin had rejoined them in the clearing.

Valaena glanced back down at the small child only a few years younger than her who clung to her arm, before giving a forced smile to her cousin as she joined them. She dearly hoped Jacaerys would soon find other things to keep him entertained and leave her alone for the rest of her time at the Red Keep.

Valaena would soon find this was not the case, and Jacaerys would continue to cling to her as an annoying brother would to a sister.

Not that she wanted a brother.