"𝐃𝐚𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧'𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐫𝐚, 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐑𝐡𝐞𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐜𝐞'𝐬 𝐝𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐲."

━━━ 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐲𝐥𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐧, 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 & 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐞𝐧 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐬

Daemon left King's Landing and mounted Caraxes the moment that the raven had arrived. He'd been sulking in Flea Bottom, drinking up every mug of ale he could find before one his former charges from the City Watch sought him out. He handed him the note, saying that a Kingsguard had passed it to him since Daemon had been banned from the Red Keep for a second time.

He'd left Caraxes atop Visenya's hill, not trusting the Dragonpit, and he congratulated himself on his diligent thinking. As he directed his dragon to fly north towards Runestone, he attempted to collect his thoughts in a manner that he could deconstruct the situation at hand.

The note told him that his wife, the Lady Rhea, had begun her labors.

He'd never thought much about his dalliances he'd shared with his wife over the course of the war in the Stepstones. He considered it a way of blowing off steam, though maybe part of him even thought that appeasing his marital vows might bring him into good graces with his brother again.

But a child was never an outcome he had thought much about.

Since it would've been reckless of him to completely write it off, he did take some considerations. He perceived two possible outcomes, one where Rhea would gulp a vial of moontea come morning, disgusted at the idea of bearing Daemon a child. Or, if she did become with child, then Daemon would inherit something more valuable than his brother's acceptance, which was a son that he could craft and mold to his liking. Any child they had would inherit Runestone, and Daemon could insist on his child claiming a dragon.

It would also strengthen any claim he had to the throne, though he supposed that was more out of the question than ever, what with the cursed Hightower girl constantly siring whelps off his brother.

And then, four months earlier, he'd come to Runestone in search of distraction, and instead found his estranged lady wife pregnant.

This was the one thing that Viserys had that he'd always wanted, save the Iron Throne itself, and he was not going to let that slip through his fingers. The Bronze Bitch may be the mother of his child but Daemon would not let their son be raised in the backwater mountains of Runestone. His son was a dragon, and he would be raised as such.

That may have been the only thing that had kept him from flying off the handle when he'd arrived to Runestone that day to find her over halfway through her pregnancy. He'd kept his calm as best he could, but his mind became an endless web of scheming and contingencies.

As he flew, he began to prepare for what would happen after the birth. Rhea would likely strive to keep the child as far away from Daemon as possible, but he knew that couldn't happen. She hadn't even told him about the pregnancy, for Seven's sake, until he had discovered the truth himself.

He had to tell himself that Rhea would be no ally of his, no matter how much affection he might've spared her. He did care about her, in his own sort of twisted way. It wasn't too dissimilar to the way a child loved their pet cat, in that he would make almost no efforts to nurse the relationship, but he thought that Rhea herself was somewhat decent.

Then he had a dark thought, that came from a corner in his mind that he tried to avoid indulging.

It would really be best if Rhea died.

He momentarily felt guilty but then as he began to think it through, he realized it would make everything entirely easy. He could be the sole influence on his son, and said son would also inherit Runestone itself. He could take residence in the castle if he ever needed use of it. He would be free to remarry. That last possibility seemed a much further one, now that he had revealed his cards to both Rhaenyra and his brother.

His mind did not quiet until he saw the rocky crags that surrounded the Runestone castle.

Where his son was, or would soon be.

As he descended on the castle, seeking to set Caraxes down outside the courtyard, he noticed figures in gold and black – the Runestone guards – rushing to notify the castle of the return of their Lady's husband.

When he, he did not miss the odd looks that the servants and guards were tossing his way. He quickened his pace, making his way to the rooms where he was sure to find Rhea.

Daemon did not quite make it to the chambers of his wife before stopping in his tracks at the sight of Maester Elwyn. His robes were covered in a deep crimson, and he reeked of sweat and iron.

"Prince Daemon, I-," Elwyn began to speak.

"Where is my son?" Daemon stepped closer, ice creeping into his voice that was unbefitting of a man of fire and blood.

Though Maester Elwyn was old, he would not cower in front of any man, even if he was a Targaryen prince. And he told Daemon plainly, "The Lady Rhea Royce, your wife, is dead."

Daemon's heart fell through his stomach.

His mind had become a duel of crippling fear and a yearning for power.

Rhea was gone, which meant he was not only free of their marriage, but he would be able to raise his son as he himself saw fit, unmarred from outside persuasions.

But the other voice that was whispering in his mind brought to reality that he was alone. Alone with a baby that he did not know how to care for. And sure, he would have as many nursemaids as he wished to care for his child, to take care of the tedious parts he thought himself above. But it was his son, his legacy.

He noticed Maester Elwyn had stray tears falling down his face. This man would be of no help to him, too emotional over Rhea's loss.

Daemon began towards the door where he knew his dead wife and his very much alive son would be waiting. The past and his future legacy existing in the same space for this one moment.

However, he found himself turning to where Elwyn was still standing, who was surely unsure of what his purpose was now that his lady was dead.

"How did she die? Did you... did you cut into her?" The question surprised him as it passed his lips.

Elwyn was seemingly surprised too, taken aback by Daemon's concern for Rhea, a trait he'd never observed before.

"No, my Prince. She perished from blood loss."

Daemon supposed that was a small comfort. No matter how little he felt for Rhea, he was contented to learn that she hadn't met the same fate that his good sister had. He didn't believe in the Seven, but on that day he swore he saw the Stranger looming over the blood soaked sheets and Aemma's corpse.

He continued towards the room, where he could hear a babe crying, and the rush of the handmaids attempting to quiet his son. He barged through the doors, though when he saw the scene in front of him, he wished he hadn't made such a hasty entrance.

Rhea's body was still strewn across the bed, her eyes shut and skin paler than he'd ever seen.

And she was still holding his son.

The handmaids were attempting to take the babe from his mother's lifeless arms, but the small form thrashed and cried as more hands grabbed at the bundle.

Noticing Daemon's entrance, with Elwyn trailing behind him, the handmaids finally pulled the babe from Rhea, sending her body into a contorted slumping position against the pillows.

Daemon rushed forward, taking the babe from the arms of a frightened handmaid. He curved his arms under the linen wrapping, looking his child in the eyes.

"Prince Daemon, please let me introduce you to your daughter," Elwyn solemnly spoke, observing the scene with caution.

The prince's head shot up at the revelation. His voice veering on discontent, he replied, "It's a girl?"

Maester Elwyn nodded, then turned to murmur orders to the remaining handmaids about cleaning the babe and retrieving the Silent Sisters to attend to Rhea's body. When he turned back to Daemon, the man was staring at the babe, his face painted with the oddest look of awe.

As Daemon held his daughter in his arms, he once again felt his mind waging war inside itself. He'd been sure that it would be a boy, a son, an heir. But the babe was a girl. Yet, she was still his. She was still his legacy, cemented even more by the tufts of golden white hair that were peeking behind the gore of birth that clung to the babe's skin.

Perhaps, he would still have his way. A daughter might cause more strife to raise, but that didn't mean she wouldn't be an esteem to the Targaryen name. She would be a fierce dragonrider, like his mother was, and perhaps she'd train with the sword like famed Queen Visenya. But most importantly, she was his to have, to raise, and care for.

Suddenly he felt shame that he'd so loudly insisted – to both himself and all of Runestone – that he'd been expecting a son.

Maester Elwyn sat in an uneasy silence, watching as Daemon pondered his daughter. He braced himself for shouting, for raging, for coldness. Yet none of that was what left Daemon's mouth.

"She is the finest Targaryen princess to ever grace Westeros," Daemon spoke.

Letting the smallest flutter of a smile flash across his features, Elwyn agreed, "I believe you are most correct, my Prince."

The moment passed, with Daemon so entranced by his daughter that he didn't notice the attendants that came to remove Rhea's body. The Silent Sisters trailed behind the corpse as it was carried from the chambers.

When the two men were alone with the babe, Daemon found his senses enough to inquire to the Maester, "Did she give her a name?"

Elwyn glanced up to Daemon, "She only held the child for a second before she... before she faded. But on her dying breath, she started to say her mother's name, Evelyn. I do believe that is what she intended to name the child."

Daemon considered this, glancing back down at the babe's face and scrunching his face in thought, "Well that won't do. My daughter is a Targaryen, she should have a proper Valyrian name."

The expression on Elwyn's face began to drain, "My Prince, forgive my forward request, but the Lady Rhea will never be able to be a mother to her daughter. Will you take this one act of love she was able to bestow on her daughter, away from her?"

This is why I need to get away from these people as quick as possible, Daemon selfishly thought. He let out a gruff sigh, thinking carefully on how he could get out of the situation amenably.

He considered that usually, he wouldn't care about being so agreeable. Normally, he'd insult and berate those who went against his wishes or challenged him. But when he looked at Maester Elwyn, who was looking at the babe so tenderly, he felt his priorities shift, if even for a moment.

"Well, she will still need to have a Valyrian name, but I suppose that I can honor her lady mother all the same," he took a second, racking his brain through years of Targaryen lineage, "The name that comes to mind as being closest to Evelyn, is Evaenyra," Daemon explained, trying to keep his tone from becoming belligerent.

Elwyn's face lit up, and the old mand reached to the babe, taking a cloth from one of the handmaids who'd returned, and began wiping the mess of birth off her, "Princess Evaenyra Targaryen she should be then."

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Daemon might've lingered in the castle of Runestone longer, if it wasn't for the raven that followed him to the Vale.

Once he had formed this peculiar and thin truce with Maester Elwyn, he allowed for the babe to be cleaned and fed by a wet nurse. He found his throat rising in anxiety each time that he remembered that he had a daughter and that she wasn't with him. He forced himself to distraction by discussion what the terms of his daughter's inheritance with the steward, trying not to worry about the girl that had been so suddenly put into his sole care.

It was when he was treating with the steward, that the apprentice Maester entered the antechamber. Elwyn was attending to Evaenyra, and the boy nervously shuffled over to him, announcing a raven from King's Landing.

Daemon tore the missive from the boy's hands, swearing to himself under his breath as he noticed the seal of his brother.

He hesitated when he realized it wasn't even addressed to him. It might've been foolish to believe that word of Daemon's return to Runestone and the birth of his daughter would get to the Red Keep in the matter of an hour.

Instead, the letter read:

To the Lady of Runestone, Rhea Royce, consort of Prince Daemon Targaryen,

The Crown is pleased to announce the marriage of the Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, Princess of Dragonstone, and heir to the Iron Throne, to Laenor Velaryon, son of the Lord of the Tides, Corlys Velaryon. Your house has been invited to a week of tourneys, feasts, and ceremonies to celebrate this royal union of the blood of Old Valyria, in one moon's time.

Please send notice of your attendance and your estimated arrival in King's Landing.

Signed,

Lord Lyonel Strong, Hand of the King, in the name of Viserys Targaryen, First of his Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm

Daemon had two initial reactions to the letter. First, there was an uncontrollable mirth that built up inside him, realize that Otto Hightower must have been officially removed as Hand. He almost laughed out loud, giddy at the career demise of the man who had begun to ruin his family.

But then, he realized that the whole purpose of the letter was to announce that Rhaenyra was getting married.

When his brother had refused him Rhaenyra's hand and kicked him from the Keep, he knew that Viserys was likely to attempt to Rhaenyra off at the first available chance. Anything to cover up the rumors that Daemon had defiled the Princess.

In some ways, he regretted leading Rhaenyra out of the keep. In others, he knew that he was an inherently selfish person, and that he'd do it all over again.

But regardless, Rhaenyra was soon to be married.

And his wife, who was the attendee technically invited, was dead. So it made sense that he must go in her stead now. And if he showed up during the opening feast, with all the lords and ladies of the realm watching, his brother could not refuse him. Especially if he brought his newborn daughter.

Viserys would crumble at the face of the babe, forgiving Daemon of all sins.

Beside him, he instructed the apprentice Maester to ignore the invitation to the wedding, and to simply respond with the news of Rhea's death, and the birth of Daemon's daughter.

When the time would come, and the beginning of the celebrations descended upon the capital, Daemon would act.

He would mount Caraxes, carrying Evaenyra in a sling against his chest, just as his mother Alyssa had taken himself and Viserys to the skies when they were newborns, atop her dragon Meleys.

He would make himself a place at the table.

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐯𝐞𝐞!

━━━ 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐲'𝐚𝐥𝐥. 𝐝𝐚𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐯 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫... 𝐢 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝. 𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬.  𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐠𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐝.

━━━ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 '𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐬' 𝐛𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐚. 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐭, 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫. "𝐢'𝐦 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐬𝐨𝐧" 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐎𝐍

━━━ 𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐦𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬! 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐢'𝐦 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧 (𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝) 𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭, 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞!

━━━ 𝐦𝐚𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐥𝐰𝐲𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝??????