Throughout the Dance of Dragons - House of Dragon

Part I - Where it all started

When Rhaenyra and Alicent were young they used to be close friends. They would blabber on and on about the present and the future that awaits them. While dreaming about the future none of them could have imagined that they would become sworn enemies. Unfortunately, that happened because foolish little Alicent was a young girl who only listened to what her father, the Hand of the King, would say. He planted seeds of hate in her head that Rhaenyra would kill her sons because she wants the Iron Throne. He planted ideas in Alicents head that her first born son should be King after Viserys dies. And now after all the plotting her father had done the realm is tense whenever princess Rhaenyra and Queen Alicent are in the same room.

The thick air could be felt by the children as well. None the less they managed to get along most of the times. There would be times where they would forget about their mothers and would just fool around as children are supposed to. Things between the young princes and princesses started get more tense with age and as they all were around the age 10. This was the turning point where Alicents sons have already learned the term bastard.

But before everything that will happen in the future between their houses started at the palace gardens were a bold and fiery prince Aemond vowed to as equally fiery but much more empathetic princess Daenaera that he will make sure her life is a living hell. "You will be kneeling and asking for forgiveness for all of this in the future Daenaera" Aemond said getting off the ground and try to clean of the mud that was on his clothes. The white haired princess only laughed at the boy before her "No dear friend it is you who will be kneeling in front of me and asking for forgiveness" she continued to laugh at the prince who was desperately trying to wipe off the mud staining his face.

Little did they both know that this scenario would actually happen in the future and that one of them will be kneeling for forgiveness. Prince Aemond was prideful since a young age and beeing  pushed in mud by a smaller girl was getting the better of his sense as he wanted to behead her right at that instant. He imagined her blue and white dress soaked with mud and little worms crawling all over it. Her white hair full of all sorts of shit from the puddle besides them and her face swollen from tears. At that very moment he thought of himself hating princess Daenaera Velaryon. He had hated her from the moment they started to get to know each other. From a little age something about the princess would annoy him so much as he would constantly imagine her flying of the walls of Kings Landing. But he was the only one hating on her like that. Everyone else around would not shut up about what a delightful young lady she was. As beautiful as her grandmother the late queen and her mother. His father the King would take her in his arms every second he could and flaunt at how mesmerizing she is. She would also be pampered by her mother princess Rhaenyra, always she would receive hugs and forehead kisses. She would always be at the attention of prince Daemon when he would fly to Kings Landing with his wife and daughters. It seemed to him that everyone loved her except for himself.

But little did he know that in mere seconds something in his heart will flip and cause confusion to the young little heart which was only filled with ambition, dreams of having a dragon and pride. He felt a soft hand on his cheek as he looked up. Princess Daenera was just centimeters away from him and touching his face while softly saying "You missed a spot" and cleaning his cheek of mud that was still left even though how hard he tried to clean it off. As he looked at her bright eyes something other than hate and spite for the princess awoke. Even as a little boy he noticed the warmth the princess radiated, her hands were soft and gentle and when the light wind of spring blew past them he could smell the serene scent of lavender. He looked at the princess and he could feel something pulling at his chest. Something as strong as an anchor, something that arose a mixture of feelings in him that he could not comprehend. And as a little boy it frightened him that he did the next thing that would come to his head.

Princess Daenera knew that prince Aemond disliked her. She would notice the faces he makes when she enters the room. She always noticed how he left the room when he could if she was there. He would call her names under his nose and say some hurtful words. She did not understand why was it that the only one-year older boy despised her so much. She once asked her mother about it but Rhaenyra only smiled at her while stroking her hair and said "Pay no attention my sweet child. He will grow out of such behavior". Her mothers' words did not comfort her as it did not explain why did the prince hated her so much. As she did not have such emotions towards him. Yes, he did annoy her with his talk regarding dragons and such, his pride and fiery attitude would make her questions his sanity. But other than that she enjoyed him, he was well mannered, unlike his older brother Aegon. The fact that the prince would run from her all the while made her want to annoy him even more.

She looked at prince Aemonds face and couldn't help but smile while he tried to clean off mud of his face. She had intentionally pushed him into the puddle as he was badmouthing words about her brothers. But something about Aemond at that moment made her heart soft for him and while he did not notice she came closer to him in order to wipe his face of the remaining mud. Touching his face wasn't weird for her but at that moment a soft thought crossed her mind that prince Aemond would is most likely to grow up into a fine and honorable man. Her thoughts stopped as the prince met her eyes and something other she had never felt before sparked in her heart. Her cheeks got red as she finally understood that she was just holding her hand there on his cheek. But before she could swiftly take it away the ground beneath her feet was gone and she found herself sitting in the same mud puddle where prince Aemond had been sitting a little while ago. He pushed her.

"Mud suits you" prince Aemond said looking at her while standing near. He felt pride in what he did even though something in his heart told him that this was not the way he should have behaved. But he was young and the emotions that piled up in his heart, the soft hands of the princess and her eyes made him move fast as he had to act. And the only reasonable thing he thought of at that moment of unknown feelings was to push her into the same mud puddle in which she pushed him. He looked down at the surprised face that Daenaera had. It made him laugh and feel superior and as he took a fistful of mud which he wanted to drop on her head as a final blow something stopped him. Or someone to be exact as the princess took hold of his leg and pulled him back into the puddle together with her "It suits you as well" Daenaera said scoffing.

Right there in that puddle of mud a seed of a first crush was planted to the unknowing of the two young children.

"Why do you hate me?" Daenera asked Aemond as he was getting up from the puddle annoyed. She could see how the boy was fuming with anger. But her question caught Aemond off guard and as he stood up and looked at the girl sitting before him he stumbled for words. The same emotions as before flooded his heart only this time he chose a different approach "I do not" he said extending his little hand for the princess to take. As she took his hand to help her up he continued "You just annoy me". After she stood up they did not let go of each other hands. "I am glad to be not hated by you Aemond" Daenera said and then added when she released her hand "But I will continue annoying you throughout your life because you annoy me as well" And as she turned her way to leave the gardens and Aemond behind she heard him say "It's a deal" to which they both smiled on same accord. Little did they know that fate had other plans for them.

As days and weeks, and then months passed the relationship between the prince and princess changed. Aemond would still feel annoyed at the sight of Daenera but because of different reasons than before. Seeing her smile at him would make his stomach turn and flip, her coming to him and touching his hand would blaze fire to his cheeks. To all of this he would push her and call her names. The insults did not stop Daenera from taunting the young prince. She enjoyed annoying him as it brought her much joy.