Half of my Heart // Viserys Targaryen // Daemon Targaryen

3. Stranger

Cake and sweets, their father even came home for Avalon's first name day.

But all the decorations, bejeweled around them was nothing compared to Avalon's babbling, banging on a cup, making her own little music.

"How nice of you so join us." Daemon mused.

"How is she?" Baelon asked.

"Maybe if you stopped by more you would see her and know her and know how perfect she is." Daemon spat back.

"Daemon." Baelon hissed. "I am the hand of the king-"

"Grandsire." Daemon spat back. "He would understand if you said you wanted to visit Avalon, visit your children."

"Daemon," Viserys said pulling him back. Daemon looked one step away from beating their father to the ground.

"I'm sorry I havent been around as much." Baelon told them. "SHe looks healthy." Baelon remarked. "What is she doing?" Baelon asked as Avalon banging on a cup babbling.

"Singing." Viserys told him. She little body wiggled on the floor as she tapped out a beat on the cup, gibberish coming from her little mouth.

Baelon chuckled nodding.

"Alyssa used to do that when she was young." Baelon remarked. "She would make these songs, even at Avalon's age." He recalled. "She would babble and babble and she knew what she was saying, then she would dance around, still spewing nonsense... but it was..." Baelon sighed moving across the room to Avalon. She stared up at him as she stopped hitting the cup, her babbles silenced and she looked past Baelon to Viserys and Daemon.

"Hi honey." Baelon said reaching for her but Avalon whimpered leaning back. "It's daddy." Baelon told her but her little face scrunched up, her lip quivered on the brink of tears.

"Vii!" Avalon whimpered. "D-Dae!" She didnt know this man. She looked helplessly to Viserys as he scooped her up.

"She doesnt know you." Daemon spat. "You havent been around, you can't expect her to just love you after you abandoned her."

"Daemon." Viserys whispered. "Come on, this is supposed to be a happy day." He bounced Avalon in his arms.

"No, he is a stranger to her." Daemon reminded them. "Of course she doesnt want him picking her up." Baelon nodded understanding as Avalon tried to hide in Viserys chest.

"Avalon," Viserys coed. "This is father..." Avalon shook her head into him.

"It's fine." Baelon said stiffly as he took a step back. "Daemon is right. I wasnt here, it's my fault she doesnt know me."

"Damn right!" Daemon spat.

"You want some cake?" Viserys asked but Avalon gripped tighter to him. "Lemon tarts, I know you like lemons." Viserys said kissing her little forehead.

"She likes lemons?" Baelon asked.

"She makes the cutest face when she eats lemons." Viserys told him.

"She doesnt like lemons." Daemon countered. "But she likes eating lemons."

"That doesnt make any sense." Baelon told them.

"She likes lemons." Viserys told him. "She keeps eating them."

"But then her little face scrunches up." Daemon told him. "She sticks her little tongue out, shakes her head and then takes another suck. repeat the cuteness." Daemon declared tickling at her waist and Avalon giggled swatting at Daemon's hand.

"Come on love," Viserys said running a hand through her short silver hair. "Lets get you something yummy to celebrate."

Avalon kept a weary eye on her father as he lurked around the room watching her as she gnawed on some sweets. She didn't understand that man. Why he kept watching her. Trying to talk to her and pick her up. It didnt make sense in her little mind why a stranger would do such a thing.

"Look what I got you Avalon." Viserys said holding up a little dragon toy. She hugged it to her before giving the toy a kiss. "No kiss for me?" Viserys teased and avalon waved a hand for him to come closer and she kissed him too. "Ohh thank you Avalon." She hugged her new toy again.

"Thats a pretty dress." Baelon coed down to her. Avalon pulled at the hem of her dress babbling a bit before looking up to Baelon and hiding her face in her toy dragon.

"Dont be discouraged." Viserys offered. "If you spend more time here she will know you and love you as we do."

Viserys was always the responsible son. The good and kind son. Daemon was always Alyssa favorite. She was never one for rules and Daemon loved being mr mischief. Baelon stared down at Avalon and couldnt see his daughter but his sister. His Alyssa. Big eyes and delicate features.

Avalon saw him staring and twisted her lips anxiously before holding out her dragon toy to him.  He stared back at her. She hugged it close then held it out again.

"She thinks if you hug it you will feel better." Viserys translated. Baelon looked between his children before reaching out for the toy. Avalon nodded waiting for him. He hugged the dragon toy. He felt silly but Avalon smiled back at him then promptly reached a hand out wanting her toy back.

"Could I have a hug?" Baelon asked her and Avalon looked to Viserys as she clung to her toy.

"Its okay." Viserys assured. "Hes nice." Avalon looked to Baelon as he knelt before her. She handed her toy to Daemon and opened her arms to Baelon. He hugged her but Avalon glanced back at her brothers already ready for him to stop touching her. He let her go and Avalon scooted back into Viserys immediately, reaching a hand out for her toy again.

"Thank you Avalon." Baelon told her but her focus was on the toy again as she made it fly throwing it up and trying to catch it.

"Are you staying?" Daemon asked

"No." Baelon breathed out. His voice barely a whisper. "It still hurts to much."

Viserys would have liked to say that he understood but Alyssa was their mother too and now they were practically raising their little sister because Baelon couldnt handle being here. Looking at his daughter and only seeing all that he lost.