Chapter Text
Aeralyn Lannister was a rebellious child. She knew, as Prince Jacaerys Velaryon’s promised wife, that she would have no title but that in her life. She wanted more than to be another Targaryen princess. If it took bravery and a lack of apparent sense, so be it. She would be more than just Jacaerys’ wife.
From a young age she would wander the city streets alone, with only a cloak to conceal her lavish dresses. She watched the commoners interact, playing games with one another and going about their everyday business. She longed for a life as simple as theirs; one where she could choose her future and do with it as she pleased. There was a keen sense of kinship between her and the few people she interacted with that she could never find within the court.
There was never a day she didn’t wish to walk alone with her thoughts and her future people. There was the occasional indecent experience, but the good ones made it all worth it. Made the risk of getting caught worth it. Made the knowledge she would most likely be murdered by her father worth it.
None knew of her daily excursions. None but Prince Aemond Targaryen.
•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•
“Aeralyn, get up.”
She sat up straight in her bed at the sound of her father’s gruff tone. He was standing at the foot of her bed, his arms crossed over his puffed out chest. He meant business, which usually meant she had done something wrong. She looked away from him and gathered her blankets up over her chest. “Yes, father?”
“Ready yourself. We are to visit King’s Landing today. You will be the picture of a good wife and submissive queen, do you understand?”
“Yes, father.”
He nodded and left her alone again. She quickly went about getting ready, lacing her own dress and pulling her wavy hair behind her head. She left the bottom part down, as apparently Jacaerys had made a comment to her father about liking it the visit prior. The top part she tied into several twists and let fall down her back. Her dress was Targaryen red, as that had been the color Princess Rhaenyra had taken to wearing as of late, so her father deemed it one of the only appropriate colors. That and black, but she had so few black dresses in her wardrobe. They were surprisingly expensive to have made.
She bent her knee to her father as she reached the bottom of the stairs. He made a grunt of approval before opening the doors and leading her out to their carriage. She stared at the floor the entire ride. He said nothing, only watched out the window at the commoners as they rode to King’s Landing.
Lord Lannister left the carriage before his daughter, not even extending a hand to help her out. “Your graces,” he said as he bowed before the princess and her family. All of her sons stood to her right, with the Prince Daemon, her husband, on her left. Jacaerys had grown in height and in handsomeness since the last time their families had been together, and though he still wasn’t thrilled at not being able to choose a wife, he had come to be thankful he was promised to Aeralyn.
He nodded to Lord Lannister before rushing to the carriage to help Aeralyn out. She looked up in surprise when she saw a hand extended to her, and was even more surprised to find it came from Prince Jacaerys. Their eyes locked as she climbed out carefully. He held her hand even after she was out, bending to gently brush a kiss across her knuckles. “Lady Aeralyn.”
She came to her senses and bowed to him. “Your grace.”
Their eyes locked again as she came back up. “You’ve grown even more beautiful since the last time I saw you.”
“As have you, my prince.”
He smiled and held his arm out to her. “Shall we go inside?”
She nodded and took it, looking over to his family instead. Her father was gaping at her, but Princess Rhaenyra and Prince Daemon both had small smiles on their faces. Lucerys, Joffrey, little Aegon and baby Viserys all looked at her with curiosity. She smiled and bowed as they neared them, murmuring, “Your graces.”
“My lady, you’ve grown so,” the princess said as she stepped forward with baby Viserys on her hip. Aeralyn smiled and bit back a sarcastic response by nature. “You’re quite a beautiful young woman now. You’ve done well by her, Lord Lannister.”
Her father guffawed and said, “You know girls, your grace. They’re hardly much to tame.”
“On the contrary, I believe I was quite the roaring fire, wouldn’t you agree?” she asked, turning back to him. Aeralyn held back a grin by squeezing Jacaerys’ arm a little. Her father only nodded and looked at the ground. “Well, however calm her temperament may be, she is beautiful and will make a wonderful queen for Jace someday.”
“Thank you, your grace.”
Rhaenyra smiled at her future good-daughter. “Of course, Lady Aeralyn. Shall we all head inside?”
They did as she suggested, with Jacaerys and Aeralyn walking arm-in-arm at the back. Her father walked up front with Daemon, the other princes behind and Rhaenyra leading them through the palace.
“How is dragonstone, your grace?” she asked Jacaerys politely. He shrugged.
“The same as usual. Echoing with Viserys and Aegon’s crying most nights.”
“Ah, yes. How are all your brothers?”
“Very well. Lucerys is coming up on his twelfth name day soon. I had hoped you may join us for his celebration,” he suggested quietly, raising his eyebrows slightly.
“I would be honored, your grace,” she returned quietly. Jacaerys smiled to himself and walked on with some pride in his step, having already accomplished one task his mother had set to him. Of course she would also be asking Lord Lannister, but she had suggested that Jace ask Aeralyn first and gauge her reaction. It was very positive, which was good, his mother said. Though this was not a love match, she wanted them to like each other at the very least. Their past would certainly prove this to be a challenge.
They didn’t speak again until they had reached the sitting room, where they were presented with tea. The little boys played at their mother’s feet while the adults talked, Jacaerys and Aeralyn sitting in silence. She watched her future good-brothers roll and crawl with each other with great affection. She had adored kids ever since she was young, and often entertained the common kids running in the streets with stories she had learned from the maester that taught her. They all loved her, and it seemed she had a natural ability with them. So when little Aegon crawled over to her and pulled on the bottom of her skirt, she bent down and softly asked, “Yes, my prince?”
“Play?” he asked brightly. She looked up at her father and the princess for permission. Though her father shook his head minutely, Princess Rhaenyra smiled and said, “If you’d like, you may play with Aegon.”
Aeralyn smiled and slid to the floor, tucking her skirt under her knees and holding her hands out to the young prince. “What shall we play, your grace?”
“Chase!” he said, and started to waddle away from her. She looked back at Prince Jacaerys for help. He smiled and slid down onto the floor next to her, holding her forearms and drawing her up.
“He wants you to chase him, my lady,” he whispered. She flushed.
“Oh, of course. Thank you.”
He smiled and released her. “He thinks he’s quite fast. Best to let him win.”
She shook her head. “I had no other intention.”
He smiled and nodded at his little brother, who was almost halfway around the room. “Best at least pretend you’re trying, though.”
She chuckled and started off behind the little prince, smiling when he turned to make sure she was chasing him. “I’m going to catch you!”
He giggled and kept running away, doing the occasional zigzag to throw her off. She pretended he had confused her and spun to see where he went, only to find him a second later. He had made it almost back to the sitting area when Jacaerys grabbed him up in his arms and hung him upside down.
“She’s going to get you!” he called teasingly. Aegon squealed and squirmed to no avail. Aeralyn soon caught up to him and began to tickle his stomach, making him let out a series of high-pitched laughs. “Oh no! She caught you!”
She smiled and grabbed under his arms, flipping him upright again and placing him gently on the floor. “I got you!”
Aegon smiled at her and grabbed her leg. “Up.”
She looked to Princess Rhaenyra for permission again, but she was deep in conversation with her husband and Lord Lannister, so she instead turned to Prince Jacaerys. “May I?”
“If you so wish.”
She bent down and took the little prince in her arms, holding him securely to her hip. He grabbed one of her twists and played with it. “You like them?”
“Pretty.”
“Why thank you, my prince.” She smiled at him and pulled another one forward for him. He giggled happily and began to twist them together. Prince Jacaerys watched the two of them happily, glad Aeralyn had begun to warm up to him and his family. His baby brother crawled over to them and began to pull on Jacaerys’ pant leg, begging with his eyes and random gurgles to be held like his brother.
Viserys reached for Aeralyn’s twists too, though less gently than Aegon. She winced before tilting her head toward him, making the pressure of his grab less painful.
“You like them as well, your grace?”
Little Viserys gurgled happily and reached for a second twist, which Prince Jacaerys put a quick stop to.
“We don’t want to pull out Lady Aeralyn’s pretty hair, do we?” he asked his little brother gently. Viserys began to tear up, so Aeralyn moved closer and held out a second twist to him.
“It’s no bother to me, your grace,” she said to Prince Jacaerys. “Your brothers may steal as much of my hair as they wish.”
He smiled and helped Viserys twist the twists together like Aegon was doing. “There. Now they’re extra pretty, like Lady Aeralyn.”
“Aeralyn pretty,” Aegon repeated. She smiled and flushed, pushing a few stray hairs off Aegon’s forehead with her free hand.
“Thank you, your graces.”
“You’re ever so welcome,” Jacaerys returned with a gentle smile. Their eyes stayed locked until Aegon squirmed to get down, wanting to show Aeralyn some of his toys. Viserys held his arms out for Aeralyn to take him from his brother, so she did, and he held around the front of her dress tightly. “You’re very good with children, my lady.”
“Thank you, your grace.”
He smiled and chucked Viserys under the chin lightly with his pointer finger. “These little men don’t take well to many people. You must be very special.”
“I can only hope so, my prince.”
“You may call me Jacaerys if you prefer.”
She looked up and met his gaze, which held a surprising amount of respect and care. “As you wish…Jacaerys.”
He smiled wider and leaned in. “Thank you, Aeralyn.”
She looked down at his lips briefly before meeting his eyes once more. He seemed to remember that they were not yet married, were in a room full of family, and she was holding his baby brother, so he backed up slightly and swept his arm out to where Aegon was gathering his favorite toys. “Shall we?”
“Of course.”
•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•
The carriage ride home with her father was as silent and tense as ever. He hadn’t appreciated her playing with the boys as much as she did, as he expected her to stay still and silent, ‘like a good wife should’. She had said nothing, as usual, because that would only get her punished. She hardly wanted the next meeting she had with the prince to be marred by her appearance; that being covered in cuts and bruises.
She curled up in her bed as soon as they arrived home, thinking over her experience with the prince and his brothers. For the first time, she could picture having a healthy and happy relationship with the Velaryon family. Her whole life had been planned from the time she was in the womb, and yet, she suddenly felt in control of it all. What a wonderful feeling that was.