Chapter Text
The year of 135 AC brought fourth four pregnancies, with the birth of five babes. The first one to be born was Lady Alyssa Manderly, the firstborn daughter of Prince Joffrey Velaryon and Lady Jessamyn Manderly; Lady Alyssa was born with her mother's dirty blonde hair, with eyes so dark, they looked black under most lights, only showing their purple when hit by sunlight. She was fierce from a young age, a true dragon she was, a spitfire. Then came Princess Baela's and Prince Jacaerys' second child, Prince Daenys Targaryen, a boy of silver hair and amethyst eyes; even at birth, the boy was quiet, often frowning rather than crying. He also had a constant frown on his face, as if he refused to trust anyone, even his parents. Princess Baela found him quite funny, laughing any time her son pouted at whoever or whatever offended him, sometimes it was his wet nurse putting him down after he stopped suckling, other times it was the curtain that dared to more when the wind blew them. The boy was, in looks, a miniature of his grandfather, Prince Daemon Targaryen. Princess Baela had fallen pregnant around the same time as her good sister, with Princess Rhaena falling pregnant quite closely to her sister and good sister. The three women would oft spend time together, as Morning, Princess Rhaena's mount, had become of riding age that very year, growing rapidly in those five years. Thus, the two Princesses would often fly to visit Lady Jessamyn, accompanied by their husbands, who wished to visit Prince Joffrey.
"You've finally come to visit, lēkia¹" Prince Joffrey laughed as he hugged his brother.
Prince Lucerys had put Lady Maerea down to play with Princess Laena, leaving behind his uncle, Lord Vaemond, to overlook Driftmark in his absence. Prince Joffrey and Prince Lucerys were both ruling Lords, as Lord Desmond Manderly, had sadly passed away of the Winter fever, which he had developed when he visisted Winterfell; he had passed away in late 132, only a few moons before his daughter wedded Joffrey. So neither of them could fly to visit one another as often as they wished to do so; especially Prince Lucerys, who had to stay and overlook matters of the trading from and to Essos. In the three years he had been Lord, Pricne Lucerys had become just as corpulent as his deceased grandsire, Lord Corlys, his hands rough from the ropes of the sails, and the smell of sea salt always stuck in his skin. He had grown into a handsome man, still preserving the beauty of his father and aunt.
"Some of us cannot allow ourselves the pleasure of dilly dallying" Prince Lucerys jested. "Unlike our small heir here."
Prince Jacaerys slapped his younger brother's arm in a playful way, for his growth had come to be shorter than that of his younger brothers, both of whom surpassed him in height.
"That is your King, you shall respect him." Prince Joffrey warned, also jesting the eldest, as he bent down to look at him. Even if prince Jacaerys was only half a head shorter than his brother. "Are you alright your majesty?"
Prince Jacaerys snorted.
"I regret letting mother pick you both up from the dumpster." The Targaryen heir joked.
The three brothers had always been close, their bonds at their youth continued to grow with them, unlike many bonds between the children of King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne, the distance between the three never pulled them apart. When Prince Lucerys became Lord of the Tides, Prince Jacaerys had celebrated for his brother, even among the sadness behind the death of their grandsire; while Prince Joffrey had distracted his brother by challenging him to a race. And when Prince Joffrey became Lord consort to Lady Jessamyn, Prince Lucerys and Jacaerys flew the moment they discovered the Lord had passed in other to aid their brother and good sister in support. The three also oft raced one another during visits, something they had done ever since their dragons were of mounting size; their younger siblings could only join them once their own dragons were of mounting size. However, they couldn't join them much, especially their youngest sibling, Princess Visenya Targaryen.
The three younger children of Princess Rhaenyra could not spend much time with their older brothers as they wished. During their childhood, the boys could play with them, as the three children were twelve, ten and three years of age respectively when Prince Joffrey and Prince Lucerys had to leave for their own respective land in order to rule as Lords. Prince Lucerys was able to visit more often than Prince Joffrey, flying back to Dragonstone to visit his baby sister and child brothers, flying on top of Arrax while carrying Visenya and Viserys, while Aegon, who had been nicknamed "Egg" to differentiate him from his uncle Aegon, mounted Stormcloud next to him. Prince Viserys could only fly by himself after his dragon, Aegarax, reached mounting size the same year as Gaelithox and Morning in 135 AC; the boy proved to be a menace on top of his dragon, often sneaking out to fly with his dragon, exploring the skies and even seeing how long it takes to fly from Dragonstone to King's Landing to Driftmark and back again to Dragonstone. He'd often by joined by his older brothers, as Prince Jacaerys and Princess Baela lived in Dragonstone as Prince and Princess of Dragonstone. Despite not living with Prince Lucerys, Prince Viserys was still closer to him than to Prince Jacaerys, who was Prince Aegon's favourite.
Princess Visenya, now of six years of age, had grown to be like her mother, mounting her dragon at a very young age, taking her mother's title as youngest dragon rider. She was a combination of her mother and her sister, Princess Baela, enjoying the luxuries of gowns with jewels, all of them made with myrish lace; yet also enjoyed riding on her dragon and wielding arms, though she preferred arrows more than anything else. She often braided her hair to match her mother, who she looked up to quite a lot. She was her father's princess as well, always asking him to teach her how to wield a sword, though her current sword was quite thin and long. The young Visenya had already been betrothed to Lord Cregan Stark's eldest, Lord Rickon Stark, while Prince Aegon had been betrothed to Lady Myrielle Peake, a lovely and courteous girl who was brown of hair and eyes. The eldest of the three younger children would take her as his bride in the year to come, while Prince Viserys and Princess Visenya still had time before they became wedded.
As the three women advanced in their pregnancy, they were joined by their cousin, Princess Helaena Targaryen, who had fallen with child once more. In the years she sat as Lady of Riverrun, she had become accustomed to wearing the colours of her husband's house, red and blue. Her children were growing happily and healthily by the day, her eldest, Adalia, was seven years of age, while her twins were to turn five soon. She was still close to her brothers, and the permission to keep their dragon, allowed them to see one another often. At twenty-sex years of age, Princess Helaena had grown to be stout, her rather plump figure she had developed in her teenage years never leaving her. As the dragon twins grew more and more with their pregnancies, they noticed Princess Rhaena seemed to grow faster and bigger than her sister or her good sister; Princess Helaena had told them that she had also developed that way back when she was carrying her twins, something that had made Princess Rhaena panic, before her sister and husband managed to calm her down.
Lady Alyssa Manderly was first, on the first day of the ninth moon, followed then by Princess Rhaena, delivering a fortnight afterward; her babes both came earlier than expected, but thankfully healthy. She had given birth to a boy and a girl whilst she was on a ship, traveling to King's Landing to visit her grandmother, giving birth on the ship. The boy had been named after his great-grandsire, Lord Corlys, and the girl was named after the Narrow sea, Narra Velaryon. They were both born small, but given the dragon eggs the couple always kept by their sides, they survived. Lord Corlys Velaryon was born with hair as white seafoam, and eyes as blue as the ocean, while Narra was born with silver hair, sporting a streak of black hair, her eyes a deep burgundy colour. Their eggs belonged to Morning and Arrax's first clutch, Narra Velaryon's dragon egg was the same pearlescent white as Arrax, only difference was that her egg had no colour beyond white, while young Corlys' egg was a pale pink with white swirls.
Princess Baela gave birth to a boy a moon after her sister, who she named Daenys, after Daenys the dreamer, his dragon egg had been chosen by his elder sister, who had been shown the eggs at Dragonmont and had pointed at one, calling out for that one. The egg had belonged to Vhagar, a dark ocean blue egg, with golden scratches all around the surface of it. Finally, almost a moon after Princess Baela, Princess Helaena birthed her daughter, Lady Rhyssa Tully, born with silver gold hair and lavender eyes. She was the final child born to the children of Prince Viserys and Lady Alicent, the last one of the fifteen children. Lady Alicent was not made aware of the birth of any of her grandchildren, for her existence itself became unknown after she became a silent sister. Many rumours surround her, some claim that she got her tongue ripped off by the other sisters after violating her vow, others say she was tortured into silence, others that she actyually died of a broken heart and was simply buried in an unmarked grave. But her story became a legend, who's end was never known, only theorized. But given the fact that her direct family was also sent away, thus, nobody ever got a confirmation over the fate of Lady Alicent Hightower, her brothers or her father. Neither of her children seemed to even wish to visit her, having been offered the chance to meet her multiple times, but always claiming their duties as Lords, Lady and parents forbade them from making time to visit their mother.
Princess Rhaenyra and Queen Rhaenys I Targaryen had taken to joke about their great-granddaughter and granddaughter, calling them "The vengeances", claiming Princess Rhaena and Princess Daenerys sent them to get back at those who lead to them being skipped over in favour of their younger brother. For not only would Princess Baela be considered Queen regent once she became of age and joined Jacaerys as a co-regent. But her daughter, Princess Laena would become Queen as well. The two oldest brothers and their spouses had also betrothed their children to one another, specifically, Prince Daenys to Lady Maerea and Lord Corlys to Princess Laena. Lady Narra was also betrothed to a Braavosi boy, a great-nephew of the same Sealord who would've married Lady Laena had he not been killed by Prince Daemon. This boy, only a year older than Lady Narra, was the son of the Sealord's niece, and had inherited the riches from his father, so his uncle's splurging did not affect him. The boy was named Ōgheldlie Antaryon, a boy wose hair looked like a young field of wheat in the early hours of the morrow, when the sun hits their sides.
"Why are they so small?" Princess Visenya, of now six years of age, questioned, looking at her niece and nephew.
Prince Lucerys smilled.
"Twins are smaller." He explained. The young Corlys strapped to the Prince's torso. "They will grow bigger with time."
Princess Visenya pouted, staring at the months old babes.
"Why do they not have teeth?"
"They are born toothless, they will grow teeth in three to six moons" Prince Lucerys explained.
"I was born with teeth" Princess Visenya insisted.
Prince Lucerys snorted.
"No Zaldrītsos" He smiled fondly. "You were born toothless, as did all of us."
That had angered the princess, who swore she was born with teeth and hair. Prince Lucerys had ended up just chuckling, knowing his sister was as stubborn and fierce as a dragon starved.
Queen Rhaenys had become enamoured with Princess Laena and Lord Corlys, for she had shed her title of "The Black Queen", as she slowly grew out of her mourning clothes, at first she would dawn on rubies and other red stones, sometimes a red gown or cloth; and now, she'd alternate between colours, from red and black, to yellow, to her signature garment, blue, to conmemorate her husband and children. She had grown accustomed to holding Princess Laena in her arms, carrying her as if she were her very own deceased daughter come again. The Queen remained healthy and lively, in spite of her pain and grief; her age was slowly starting to show, such as it had done so with the Queens and King before her. Her sight became duller, she sometimes experienced pain on her lower back and knees. However, her sight was corrected by the use of spectacles, a tool invented by a young boy who claimed to have been a pupil of Prince Vaegon Targaryen. He had given the Queen the spectacles when she visited the citadel. Along with multiple books written by the Prince, which had been kept by the citadel in rememberance of the Prince. In the book were multiple inventions, some of which would later be used by future Queens and Kings as well as commoners. And whilst the Citadel knew of the books, they did not know of the contents, for Prince Vaegon refused to show them at all. And whilst we may assume it was due to him seeing them as useless, or being ashamed of constructing certain things when his sisters had reconstructed the Fourteen Flames, we will never know the true answer, for Prince Vaegon had been dead for thirteen years by the time the book was opened by his pupil.
With her spectacles, the Queen could still read and write the laws for the Kingdom and deal with letters to allies and others.
136 AC came with the wedding between Prince Aegon Targaryen the young and Lady Myrielle Peake, the girl was dressed in a burnt orange gown, with her hair braided with gold thread. In spite of her plain looks, she looked breathtaking, like a Princess rather than a Lady; her betrothed and husband was dazzled by her looks, and some claim he did not even blink whilst the union took place. And during the bedding ceremony, his brothers helped disrobe the Prince while the Lady was disrobed by her sisters. Prince Viserys, soon to be fourteen years of age, continued to reside in Dragonstone, along with his brother and sister, Jacaerys and Baela, her niece and nephew, as well as his younger sister, Princess Visenya Targaryen, who would remain in Dragonstone for ten more years until she took Lord Rickon Stark for a husband. He, however, would soon become a cupbearer for his older brother, Prince Lucerys Velaryon. He would often dote on Lady Maerea, Lady Narra and Lord Corlys, claiming he couldn't wait to have children himself.
"Please wait." Prince Lucerys would laugh. "For the Gods, please wait."
Princess Viserra was also a great fan of one of her brothers, of Prince Joffrey. The girl was unable to spend more time with him, given his duties in House Manderly, however, whenever they got the chance to be together, she'd convince him to teach her how to wield a sword. Princess Baela had even sent for a sword to be made for the girl, however, after her husband and stepmother told her a sword was too big for a six year old girl, she traded it for a dagger. And even gave her a bow and arrow. Prince Jacaerys was also someone his sister idolized, however, she claimed he was not as fun as Joffrey, who had taken the girl once to fly on Tyraxes, and made the dragon spin so many times that the princess threw up. That was a memory she recalled happily, and had even done that with her own dragon, once Gaelithox was of mounting size. Her and Lucerys were not as close, even if they were good, they just did not have the connection Visenya and Joffrey had.
Halfway through the year 136 AC, Princess Baela Targaryen announced her third pregnancy.
And nearing the end of 136 AC, Lady Jessamyn Manderly announced her second pregnancy.
Two girls were born once more.
First, Princess Aerea Targaryen, born in the early moons of 137 AC, with silver gold hair and lilac eyes, a circular birth mark on her cheek; she was given a craddle egg by her older sister and brother, who picked a beautiful aquamarine egg with grey foam. However, the egg never hatched. Later that year, Prince Joffrey and Lady Jessamyn presented a girl, Lady Rhaenyra Manderly, born quite a big baby, little Rhaenyra had the same dirty blonde hair as her mother, only with a streak of silver near the front. Her eyes a periwinkle shade. Princess Rhaenyra had wept when the name was announced, honoured to have her granddaughter named after her, the same way Viserys had been named after his grandfather. The same year, as the girls were born, Prince Aegon the young and Lady Myrielle Peake, as well as Prince Lucerys and Princess Rhaena, announced their pregnancies.
"Brother, this is not a competition" Prince Jacaerys jested. "You do not need to surpass me in heirs"
"Tell that to Rhaena." Prince Lucerys chuckled. "She still accepts more children, we'll stop once she wishes to stop."
"Well then sister say stop" Princess Baela hummed. "Really, I do not see how childbirth is not pushing you away the more you have."
"It is not my fault my husband looks the way he does when he wears his leather pants." She smiled at her husband, who winked at her.
In 138 AC, Lord Titus Peake was born, despite Lady Myrielle announcing her pregnancy around the same time as Princess Rhaena, she gave birth earlier, something her good sisters explained was due to this being her first babes, as they start showing much later. Lord Titus was born with the Targaryen silver hair, as well as brown eyes and Lady Myrielle's nose. He was a bit small for a babe, but healthy nonetheless. Later, a girl was born, Lady Asterea Velaryon, born with pitch black hair, with a few streaks of pearlescent white hair. Her eyes a pinkish lilac shade. Hers was the blood of Rhaenys no doubt.
"Oh, look at her, she has my mother's nose." Queen Rhaenys cooed at her great-granddaughter, who smiled up at her.
That same year, Princess Rhaenyra's youngest son became married, as he took Lady Daerea Celtigar to bride, a girl with a plain face and stout build, but with the most beautiful blue eyes, like seaglass. Her dress was one of white and gold, her hair braided up as she became the wife of Prince Viserys at sundown. The ocean painted orange and pink, and Aegarax circling above them. As a gift, Prince Lucerys gave them a dragon egg, one that had long gone cold, for it never hatched. Some claimed the egg had been laid back when Daenys and her family reached Dragonstone, others claim it was laid when Aegon the conqueror was born. However, what mattered was not when it was laid, but how beautiful it was. With scales dark as dark, darker than anything it could be compared with, darker than coal, darker than the bottom of the ocean, darker than the night sky. With bright specks of silver scales that looked more like minuscule diamonds growing on a wall of coal. The Prince gifted it to his younger brother, claiming that he was to have it now that he introduced dragons into House Celtigar.
The union took please early in 138 AC, since Prince Viserys was younger than his wife by a year. And like a miracle, the bedding ceremony was all it took for his seed to take, as his wife soon missed her blood, her skin becoming almost shiny as she noticed she was gaining quite a bit more weight than usual. However, it was only confirmed when the egg they had placed above the fireplace, actually became warm to the touch. Lord Lucerys Celtigar was born on the last day of 138 AC, his dragon egg hatched as well on that very day. From it, a dragon of pitch blackness, with silver eyes, horns and wingbones emerged. The dragon named Morghul, after the High Valyrian word for dead. Prince Lucerys cried when Prince Viserys told him the name of the boy, holding the babe to his chest and weeping like a willow. Lord Lucerys, nicknamed Luce in order to differentiate him from his uncle, was born with pale skin, which turned sunkissed as he grew, his hair was more like white sand than anything, and his eyes were a dark purple. He was also quite stout, short and stocky rather than tall and lean. Finally, the year 138 AC ended.
And the year 139 came, along with three more babes, one girl and two boys.