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Visenya had asked for a princess party to celebrate her 7th name day.
Well, that wasn't quite right. Visenya very rarely asked for something. The spoiled royal girl was much more accustomed to demanding the things she wanted from her family members. Of course, she had good reason for the habit; her parents and grandfather indulged her shamelessly and her older brothers adored her and snuck her treats on the rare occasion that she was ever denied.
Her mother tried to persuade her only daughter to choose a different theme for the party. She argued that as the girl was already an actual princess, granddaughter of the current king, calling it a princess party was over the top. Visenya had looked at Rhaenyra with exasperation on her face.
"No, Muña ! I mean everyone dresses up like a princess and then we tame a dragon!" The little girl rolled her eyes.
"Tame a…? Sweetheart, what are you talking about?"
"Like in the story! The one about the first Princess Rhaenyra. You know, she was 7 when she rode her Golden Lady and she was the youngest to ever fly on her own. That's the theme of my party!"
Rhaenyra couldn't help the giggle that escaped at her daughter's enthusiasm. Visenya would sit for hours listening to her grandfather tell stories about the ancient Targaryens and their dragons. Of course, her favorites were the ones about her and her mother’s namesakes, Queens Visenya and Rhaenyra Targaryen.
She sighed and kissed the top of her daughter's head. "Alright then, my little dragon. You can have your princess party."
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Visenya darted past her in the fluffy, wisteria-colored dress she'd picked out, pearl diadem still nestled securely in her curly hair. Rhaena and Daenys Velaryon, Laena's twins, were just a step behind her in their matching teal and silver dresses, though Rhaenyra could see that Daenys had already kicked off her little slippers and Rhaena's embroidered sash had been discarded.
Chuckling to herself, she watched as the three girls crashed into the newest arrivals to the party: Mylina Celtigar and Dyana Baratheon. Jeyne and Johanna Arryn called out to their cousin, Dyana from their spot near Lyanna Massey. 8 energetic little girls, all dressed in pastel cupcake confections and a variety of elaborate hairstyles and accessories. Rhaenyra had no doubt that each pristine dress would be destroyed by the end of the party, but she was just glad to see them all having fun.
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"Daemon! Where is the piñata I ordered?! I already had Laena take the foam bats out to the girls. They're so cute; they look like little swords." Rhaenyra looked around the supply tent for her husband but her eyes landed on something else. "And why is there a giant stuffed dragon out here?"
The curtain hanging in the back moved and Daemon’s silver head popped out. "Hey, hand me that." He held out a hand with no further explanation but Rhaenyra just looked at him. He sighed. His wife was more stubborn than even him and he knew she wouldn't move without more details.
"When I showed up at the party place to get the piñata, I started chatting with one of the workers, telling him about Visenya’s party. He got really excited and then he suggested another way, a better way, to bring her vision to life."
Rhaenyra still didn't move. "And that better way didn't involve the custom dragon piñata that I had made specially to resemble paintings of Syrax? Really, Daemon?"
He threw her a sheepish grin. "The first Rhaenyra rode her dragon at 7. She didn't beat it with sticks until candy fell out." He wiggled the dragon's head at her. "We'll just give them the candy before they leave and then their parents can deal with the sugar high."
"So you thought giving our daughter a ride on your back, the same back that requires a monthly appointment with a physical therapist to function properly, was the better idea?"
Daemon winced at the dig. Sometimes being 16 years older than your wife was an exercise in humility. "Ten minutes won't kill me. Our greedy girl will be in a hurry to make it to cake and presents. It'll be fine!"
Famous last words.
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Daemon emerged from the tent, adjusting the dragon's head so he could see out of the eye holes. As he approached the cluster of "princesses" near the cake table, he watched as his daughter’s eyes lit up before she let out a squeal and ran towards him.
" Kepa! Kepa! "
Reaching down to pick her up, Daemon missed the look of mischief on the faces of Rhaenyra and Laena as they crouched down to huddle with the rest of the girls. He definitely didn't notice the two women handing out the foam swords as a giggling Visenya climbed onto his back for her dragon ride.
But he absolutely noticed when his precious little girl turned to her mother and held out a hand for her own sword. And he certainly paid attention as she called out to her friends.
"My name is Visenya Targaryen and I am the blood of Old Valyria! My dragon and I are here to conquer you all! Surrender or perish!" She punctuated her words with a few sword thrusts into the air and an adorable little war cry. Then, to Daemon's immense surprise, she dug her silk-slippered heels into his sides and ordered him to attack.
Confused, Daemon craned his neck to ask Visenya who he was supposed to attack but didn’t get a chance to get the question out before the 7 girls on the ground answered with their own war cries and sprinted at him with their sword bats. Looking past them, he saw his wife and their cousin laughing together. Rhaenyra winked at her husband before dissolving into another fit of giggles. Daemon finally realized the danger he was in and took off in the opposite direction of the screaming little girls.
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Rhaenyra walked into the bathing chamber that sat over the hot springs under Dragonstone. Apparently, the large soaking tub in their actual chambers was insufficient to soothe the pains of the beating her husband had endured from their bloodthirsty daughter and her friends.
"I hope you've brought more with you than that smug look, niece. I'm covered in bruises and could use a soothing rub down with that infused oil I ordered for when you wanted…"
"Yes, Uncle." She interrupted. No need for the servants hovering behind her to hear about the many uses of her favorite medicated lubricant, or the adult toys they'd used with it.
Rhaenyra motioned for the staff to finish laying out towels and robes on the warming racks, lotions and slippers, and tea on the little tables surrounding the tub. She waited until they'd gone before a giggle escaped.
“Well it was certainly more entertaining watching them beat you up than it would have been with my pinata, but maybe next year, we stick to the original plan, hmm?”
Grumbling under his breath, Daemon feinted like he was reaching for the tea before snatching up his preoccupied wife and dragging her into the steaming tub with him.