BONES ▹HOUSE OF THE DRAGON

VISSERA meets JACAERYS

vissera has never pushed her dragon, moonknight, faster than today. one moon ago, a raven was delivered that princess rhaenyra would most probably give birth to her first child in three weeks time. unfortunately, vissera was out helping settle a small village spat and didn't receive the raven till yesterday. she just hopes that she'll make it in time before the king and queen themselves are introduced to the new babe.

as she storms into the keep, she notices that there's many people around, probably waiting for the announcement that the heir to the iron throne has finally given birth.

as she reaches rhaenyra's room, she notices ser harwin stand guard as the maids are leaving with soiled garments. as soon as he notices her, he straightens up and gives her a respectful nod.

"lady vissera."

vissera smiles, ser harwin has become a dear friend in the time that she's flown to kings landing ever since laenor and rhaenyra were married.

"ser harwin. is the princess in her room?"

"yes, lady vissera. i have been informed that ser laenor is on his way as well." she could tell that ser harwin was trying not to run into rhaenyra's room and check up on her himself.

with a stifled laugh, she motions one of the other knights to take ser harwin's place and grabs said man's arm and takes him into the princess' room.

as soon as she walks in, she can see rhaenyra's messy hair. she was sitting down besides the window, looking down at something with a fond gaze. she slowly looks up and smiles when she sees vissera and harwin.

vissera rushes towards her when rhaenyra makes a move to stand up.

"no, my princess. you stay sitting down, labor is no easy feat. this lowly lady can walk to see the realms new prince or princess."

rhaenyra huffs out a laugh but sits back down. "prince," she says.

vissera breaks out into a huge grin. "a prince! well that's just wonderful. the gods have blessed you, nyra. now, can i see my little nephew?"

rhaenyra gives vissera a small, tired smile and nods. vissera bends down and slowly cradles the little babe in her arms. as she straightens up, the babe starts to whine.

"shh, shh. none of that, little prince," vissera coos, starting to slowly sway her body to calm the babe down.

instead of going back to sleep, the babe in vissera's arms opens his eyes. it takes every ounce of strength not to gasp in delight and accidentally scare rhaenyra and ser harwin. instead, vissera's eyes well up with tears and she gives both ser harwin and rhaenyra a watery smile.

"oh, nyra. he's perfect. he looks so much like our mothers." vissera continues to look down at the babe, who's just staring at her with the most beautiful deep purple eyes vissera has even seen in her nine and twenty years of living.

"have you decided on a name, my princess?"

"jacaerys, my lady."

she starts slowly walking around the room, letting ser harwin and rhaenyra talk while see rocks the babe in her arms. "you carry important history within your blood, little babe. a targaryen, and an arryn. lady aemma would be delighted with your existence."

"i, vissera targaryen, of house targaryen and house arryn, rider of moonknight the silver beast, high mage of the old lands, general of the untamed, vow to protect you, jacaerys velaryon, of house targaryen, till my last breath."

she makes a lap around the room and eventually makes her way towards ser harwin. the commander of the city watch is looking at her and the babe in her arms with barely concealed fondness and hope.

"care to carry him for a bit, ser harwin? i need to speak to my niece." before he could even utter an answer, vissera was already placing jacaerys onto his arms. the little babe was already fast asleep. she gives harwin a smile then turns towards rhaenyra, who looks exhausted.

vissera gives rhaenyra a small smile and bends down to get to closer to the princess, her sword clanging on the ground. she places a small kiss on rhaenyra's forhead and holds her hands. "how are you feeling, rhaenyra?"

"the labor was exhausting, if i'm being honest. the maestors said that since i'm still seven and ten, it was more intense. but the babe has been cleared as healthy." but even as she smiled, clearly delighted at the fact that she birthed her first child with no complications, vissera could see the inner turmoil in rhaenyra's eyes.

"what troubles you, my princess?"

"aunt... his hair. it's brown," rhaenyra says, voice wobbly. "people will start talking, and shame him. i can't have the entire realm talking ill of my son. i can't."

vissera sighs and brings up rhaenyra's hands up to her mouth and kisses them. "all will be well, little dragon," she says in high valyrian, "prince jacaerys is of arryn blood, and he has baratheon blood in him as well. leave it to me, if even one person speaks ill of him, their tongue shall be cut from their throats and fed to their kin."

rhaenyra smiles, but vissera can still see the doubt in her eyes. "will this cause people to question my claim to the throne? they already scorn me because i am the first female heir, and his grace has decided not to name his son aegon as heir and keep me next in line to the throne. i cannot, in good conscience, let my child feel that same scorn as he is my heir."

and this is what vissera loves about rhaenyra, she may seem like a spoiled princess, but she is a royal, the next queen of the seven kingdoms. and she knows when to act like one.

"the lords of the kingdom bent the knee and swore fealty to you. even if they didn't truly mean it, they still did it. the dragonriders of the kingdom all stand behind you. i, and my army, are at your full service, my future queen. all you need to do is ask."

—
vissera: *meets baby jace for the first time* if anything happens to this baby i will kill everyone in this room and then myself

okay but vissera loving her family >>>
truly what hotd needed, just some familial love.