Chapter Text
hapter 1
AEMMA ARRYN
As Aemma sat there with a rather unlikely guest, she raked her mind as she tried to remember the last time he had come to visit her like this, yet in the end her mind offered her only distant memories from a time that was far simpler and kinder than this.
Still, his presence comforted her. For years now, she could feel the vultures gazing at her back, as they probed and searched for any weakness to further their own stations. For all the love she had for her husband, Aemma was not blind to his faults.
Viserys was kind and loving, yet he was easy to lead. He was a good husband and a good father, but the legacy of the Old King weighed heavily on his shoulders, and her own failure to provide him with a proper heir furthered his troubles.
It was her failing, and yet no one could fault her for not trying. Five times she had suffered the loss of a child in as many years. She had labored through the pains of childbirth five times, and yet the Gods have been merciless in their trials.
She had suffered through those losses for both her husband, and she had made her decision that this would be the last time. Her heart could not bear the loss of another child, and though the realm may call her a failure for yielding to the fates, but Aemma had long run out of bravery and heart.
The realm would simply have to contend itself with the heir it currently had, and though they named him the Rogue Prince, the young man who sat beside him was anything but the monster they made him out to be.
And as elated as she was to have him come visit her, she knew that he needed to be elsewhere.
"Shouldn't you be somewhere else?" she questioned her good brother who sat infront of her, and in all the years she had known him, for the first time in decades she could feel a sense of ease and contentment from him.
Daemon was younger than Viserys and had inherited all of a younger son's fallings. He was young and brash, and that rashness was not without reason. The court had little love for the Rogue Prince, who cared little for lords and their petty politics, and usually his frustrations and anger would be obvious on his face, yet now he seemed calm and serene, even though it should have been the opposite.
The child in her womb was meant to replace him, and though she knew that Daemon was not the kind of person to hate a child, some resentment would not have been out of the norm.
Yet she saw nothing of the sort in those eyes, as he raised a brow.
"You speak of the Council Meeting?" he questioned, and she nodded.
"I remember you having a seat on it," and though it was not the one he coveted, he still was her husband's Lord Commander of the City Watch.
"I couldn't care less for that thing," and she found herself smiling at his response.
"Still, Viserys would notice your absence," and he would have to answer for it as well.
"He will notice the absent cupbearer first," Daemon answered with a chuckle as her eyes widened, and as the King's cupbearer, she was meant to attend as well, and yet according to Daemon's words, she was not there as well.
"Where exactly is my wayward daughter then?" she asked, as Daemon turned towards the window, those eyes lit up.
"You know already," and the two of them were alike in that they both loved flying in the skies.
"What will I ever do with that girl?" and ever since her birth, Rhaenyra had been spoiled rotten by all those around her.
"Nothing," and Daemon was always quick to come to her defense.
"She is fine just the way she is," and she had expected nothing less from him.
"You Targaryens sure love the sky," and he shrugged.
"Perhaps you should experience it for yourself," he suggested, and she laughed in jest.
"I much prefer a place where my feet can touch the ground," and no one had ever accused Aemma Arryn of bravery, and though she did have Targaryen blood in her veins, she had never claimed a dragon for herself nor had she ridden on one.
"It is magical. Truly," he tried to convince her otherwise.
"I could take you flying on Ceraxes," and she tilted her face as she slowly rubbed her swollen belly.
"In this condition?" she asked, as Daemon simply shrugged.
"My mother rode on Meleys while she had me and Viserys in her belly," and this was teh first time she had seen him make a mention of her, and it caught her by surprise.
All she knew about Alyssa Targaryen came from whispers and rumors, and Daemon was not much different than her in that, for the Princess Alyssa had died shortly after giving birth to him.
"How do you know that?" she asked softly, as she saw his face soften.
"I was reading one of father's diaries," and she had never expected such an answer.
"The entire court was rather exasperated by her antics, and tried to make him stop her," and he had a strange expression on his face now.
"But he simply did not have the heart for that," and from all teh rumors and stories she had heard, that seemed to be true. It was often said that no two Targaryens had loved one another as Baelon and Alyssa and the Spring Prince had refused another, even a decade after her passing.
"So, my point stands. You should let me take you flying on Ceraxes," he suggested again, but Aemma still had some of her senses.
"I am not that brave," she answered as Daemon seemed dejected by her answer.
"At least not until the child is born," she added, and the realm and her husband both had their heirs.
"Perhaps I will take you up on your offer once my husband and the realm have their heir," and only once the words were said did she realize her own mistake, and she expected to see some anguish over that face, but Daemon had not even cared to notice at all.
"Really?" he asked somewhat excitedly, as she nodded slowly.
"I make no promises," but perhaps it was time for her to take to the skies herself to see why her daughter and good brother were so infatuated with them.
"I will hold you to your word," he protested.
"We will see," and she gave in, as until now she had been unable to think beyond the birthing bed, but this gave her some hope to look beyond that, and for the first time in a decade, she began to imagine a life where she would no longer have to suffer through the pains.
She looked at the maids and the servants around her, and with a subtle nod, they all backed away, and Daemon noticed their movements as well as he frowned.
"I have made a decision," and she had not yet told Viserys, but her mind was already made.
"What?" Daemon asked.
"This is it," and he was the person who would be affected the most by her actions after her and Viserys.
"This will be the last time," and she did not need to say anymore as his face shifted in realization.
"Have you told Viserys?" he asked, and she shook her head.
"I will today," and it was her duty to give him an heir, but she could suffer no more.
"He will understand," and she hoped that he would.
"I do not have the heart to suffer through the pains of losing another child," and her eyes watered up as she remembered all the sons and daughters she had buried.
"It will all be fine," Daemon assured her as she held her hands, but she did not miss the hesitation in his voice as he said those words.
"Viserys has convinced himself that the babe is a boy," and she did not have the heart to deny him his happiness, as she looked down at the babe in her belly.
A tourney had already been arranged, and the whole realm was readying itself to celebrate the birth of its heir.
"My brother has always loved his celebrations and tournies," and that was why he was so well loved.
"But I can assure you he would be equally happy even if the babe is a girl," Daemon assured her, but she could not bring herself to trust those words.
"And what would you like?" she asked, and he seemed taken aback by her question, as she looked up and met his eyes.
He took a second to answer.
"I would like for the babe to be healthy. I would like for it to bring you and Viserys happiness. That is all I desire," and she believed him.
"I know how cruel the court can be. I know you have little love for it, but if something happens to me," and he began shaking his head.
"Nothi...."
"Promise me that you will protect my child," and Viserys was ruled by his councilors, and a few months ago, she would never have dreamt of asking this of Daemon, but he had changed much in the last half a year, and she had witnessed the change with her own eyes.
He had become calmer and more caring than he had ever been. His antagonism with Viserys's Hand and Council did not lessen, but she had heard whispers that the Rogue Prince had become rather mellow.
"Promise me this. Please," and Daemon sighed as he nodded.
"I promise, but you did not need to ask this of me. I would have protected them regardless," but she needed to be certain, and now she could rest easy that even without her, the child would have Daemon and Viserys watching over them.
"You have changed," she added, and saw him pull back slightly.
"I know," and he did not deny it, and seeing this, she decided to push on.
"You would make a good father as you are," she suggested, and his lips thinned at her words.
"I know that the circumstance of your marr...," and he was not quite ready for that.
"I do not wish to discuss my marriage," and he was on his feet already.
"You cannot keep ignoring it. You will have to resolve the matter someday," and she had Arryn blood in her veins, and could perhaps provide some mediation.
"But that day is not today," Daemon remained defiant, as Aemma sighed in defeat.
"So be it, but you must give it some thought. You need to come to terms with it," and Daemon refused to say anything more, and then soon enough, a familiar figure walked in through the door.
"Good morning, mother," and it was her wayward daughter, and as Rhaenyra walked in, she could feel the smell of dragon from her.
"Good morn, my little dragon," and all thoughts of admonishing her left her mind the second she saw her beaming smile, as the girl came in, halting slightly at the sight of Daemon.
"Uncle, what are you doing here?" she asked, as Aemma noticed Alicent walk into the room.
"Searching for the King's Cup bearer," and Rhaenyra made a face at those words as Daemon folded her arms.
"You are lying," still, her daughter knew Daemon well as she caught his lie.
"You can ask your mother," he nudged his head towards her, as Rhaenyra's head snapped towards her.
"He is not lying," she answered sweetly, as she turned towards Daemon.
"And now that she is here, perhaps you should both go and join the Council in their gathering," and Rhaenyra groaned as Daemon shook his head in defeat.
"Come then, our little cupbearer, we must go and slay those demons," and Rhaenyra chuckled as she followed after him.
"Demons, they will not like this," and suddenly they came upon the girl that Rhaenyra had come in with, and it was obvious who Daemon had taunted with his words.
"Good morn, Lady Alicent," and yet Daemon offered her a greeting as he walked past her catching her by surprise.
"Good morn, my lord," and she took a second to respond, as Rhaenyra raised a brow before she stopped beside her.
"I will meet you in the Godswood as soon as the meeting ends...."
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