Before the union of Rhaenyra with Ser Laenor Velaryon, an event etched forever in memory took place when Daemon claimed Rhaenyra's innocence in the hidden corners of a brothel, planting a seed of life within the princess rightful to the Iron Throne...
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Towers of gold are still too little These hands could hold the world but it will never be enough
In that moment of weakness, Rhaella felt her world collapse upon itself. With her eyes blazing a crimson red and her heart racing, the young princess wanted nothing more than to fall into a deep slumber and never awaken.
To be married to a man incapable of love or have a mother who is gravely ashamed of her daughter-it became apparent the young maiden had no control over her life. She had nothing to live for, no one to come home to, and her entire existence had been nothing more than a lie. Rhaella Targaryen, the firstborn and heir to the Iron Throne, was a mistake. If her mother hadn't wanted her, nor the man she was destined to spend eternity with, then what was there to live for?
She refused to allow anyone to see her vulnerable. With her hand on her beating heart, she ran as fast as her skirt would allow. As she fled through the castle, the young princess stumbled across a ledge, one that peered down towards the rocky mountain and into the dazzling sea.
Grabbing the railing, Rhaella kicked both legs over the edge and steadied herself onto the cobblestone ledge. One final time, she breathed the faint scent of sea salt and admired the sun's glistening on the blue water below. Her legs quivered as she balanced herself on the ledge, still holding onto the railing from behind. If she relaxes her hands or loses balance, she will never see the stars dance in the sky again, nor will she see Akira's smile brighten as Rhaella brings flowers each morning. No, this would be the end. There was more to life than blood or marriage!
Tears ran down her hot, flushed cheeks as she screamed, "I shall die with my sanity if not my freedom!" One last time, Rhaella smiled at the sky, and then...
"You shall do no such thing, niece!" A voice exclaimed from behind the young maiden, startling her.
The sudden sound startled her, causing her hand to slip from the grasp of the ledge's railing as her legs began to dangle from the edge. She shrilled upon finding herself hanging on by her hand while the other held the edge of the ground. "H-Help," she croaked.
"Hmm, I was under the impression that you would rather die with your sanity if not your freedom. Were those not your words?" The man gloated.
Weakly, Rhaella sobbed, "Please, Aemond! I don't want to die anymore. I changed my mind," she winced, her grip loosening from the railing.
"Hm, if I let you die..." he began, "then I am not required to marry you."
She swallowed her nervousness, "Then I shall save us both the heartache and finish the job!" Rhaella released her grip from the railing as her body became weightless against gravity. The strong gusts of wind swooshed against her hair and blew her skirt in different directions.
"Vhagar!"
Without warning, a gust of even stronger winds enveloped the air beneath Rhaella as the young princess fell into the safety of the world's most giant and mighty dragon. A loud, earth-bending screech escaped the dragon's mouth as flames were sent flying through the air and into the distance. After circling back around, then standing beside Red Keep, she squealed for Rhaella to jump off and back to the edge of the castle.
"What the fuck was that?! What if I wasn't here, niece? Hmm, you'd be dead at the bottom of the sea!" Prince Aemond scolded.
The girl laughed, "Oh, but I wouldn't. You haven't allowed me a moment of freedom since I've been held prisoner here! Don't take me for a fool, Aemond."
"When the god's flipped a coin on your sanity, Rhaella, they chose intangible madness!"
She smirked, "Get used to it, husband. If I can't have my freedom, you shan't have happiness."
The curves of Aemond's lips twitched upward, "Remember our deal, niece. We wouldn't dream of relinquishing the darkness of death onto your servant. Hmm, Akira, is it not?"
"You wouldn't dare, uncle," Rhaella's delicate features darkened.
Clicking his tongue, he hissed, "Perhaps, niece-you don't know me as well as you believe. I may not be able to harm you, but I have the ability to make your life a living nightmare...."
Her hands bawled into tight fists as she squeezed her eyes shut and sighed, "I want my life back."
Aemond teasingly remarked, "What life, niece? Tell me, do you miss the bleak, poor nature of your cottage? Oh, did you mean the prison cell of the tallest tower of King's Landing?"
For once, Rhaella agreed-even the slightest bit, and yet, it felt wrong. Why would she prefer to be held prisoner by the royal family of the seven seas versus her mother in a tower? Maybe the few hours she spent with Aemond sowed bad seeds in her once-pure garden. No, she would never allow such a thing!
Rhaella grits her teeth and scrunches her nose. "I don't want to see you anymore! Hopefully, never again!"
"Hmm, ask your brother, Lucerys, for assistance-maybe he could gouge your eyes out, too?" He smirked.
Gasping, the young maiden gathered her skirt and marched away from Aemond. Despite not being familiar with the castle, it didn't matter where she wound up as long as it was far away from that man. After minutes of scuffing her feet against the ground, the eerie sound of footsteps crept up behind her like a shadowy creature.
Rhaella bit the inside of her cheeks and jumped around to face the lingering figure. "Aha," she cried out, "show yourself!"
"I-I apologize, your majesty! I heard the commotion from the land above, and I was concerned..." the servant spoke lowly as he peered from behind a statue of a steel-plaque knight.
She cleared her throat and eyed the man, "It's quite alright. No need to apologize, Silas. You hadn't wronged me," Rhaella said with a giggle to diffuse the awkwardness.
Silas sighed heavily and shook his head with pity, "If I may be frank with you, Princess Rhaella, you deserve better than Prince Aemond."
The young princess frowned, directing her gaze to the ground. "I wish for a life better than this, but it could always be worse...."
"Correct! You could shovel piles of horse shite' like me!" he joked.
Rhaella laughed, but her amusement quickly dissipated as she realized the gravity of Silas' words. "I am sorry for laughing at your difficulties, Silas," she paused. "Actually..."
"What is it, your majesty?" he perked up.
She smiled, "I was blessed with a flower, almost as dark in color as your eyes-blue with flakes of golden," Rhaella spoke softly as she gently removed the flower from her sleeve and placed it in the servant's hands. "I want you to have it. May it bring fortune and happiness into your life as it has mine. Though, I admittedly only held it for no more than a few hours...."
"That is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me! I greatly appreciate it, your majesty," the man beamed.
Shaking her head, "Rhaella. You may call me Rhaella, as we are friends. Are we not?"
"I would want nothing more than to be your friend," he spoke breathlessly.
Her eyes brightened, and she smiled, "I hope we can be the best of friends, Silas."
