Protecting an Heir

15

Daelera is visiting with Helaena in her chambers when Alicent walks in. She gives Daelera a look and then sits on the opposite side of Helaena. They all sit their for a moment in silence when the doors barge open, a knight from the Kingsguard brings Aemond in.
"Your Grace." the Kingsguard said.
"Aemond. What have you done?" Alicent asked.
"He did it again." the Kingsguard said, referring to Aemond going in where the dragons sleep.
"Thank you," Alicent said as the Kingsguard left.
"After how many times you've been warned, must I have you confined to your chambers?!" Alicent said.
"They made me do it!" Aemond answered.
"As if you need encouragement. Your obsession with those beasts go beyond understanding." Alicent replied.
"They gave me a pig!"
"A what?"
"They said they found me a dragon for me."
"The last ring has no legs at all," Helaena whispered.
"But it was a pig." Aemond cried.
"You will have a dragon one day." Alicent said.
"He'll have to close an eye," Daelera said.
"I know it." Alicent said ingoring Daelera's remark.
"They all laughed. Even Nys. She's never laughed at me." Aemond said.
"I'm sure she just wanted to fit in with them. Or she is like her mother."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Daelera asked.
"Mother, don't start another thing with Visiera's family, especially Daelera, I like her and I'd to not have tension between our familie." Helaena said, sticking up for Daelera.
"Sweet Helaena. Aemond, go to your chambers, wash up, I will see you later after training with Ser Criston," Alicent said, leaving.
"Thank you," Daelera said.
"I'd do anything for you, sticking up for you and your family is the least I could do," Helaena smiled.
Daelera and Helaena hugged as Daelera left. Daelera walked over to the garden where Haella, Nys, Rhae, and Malia were. She stood there smiling as Nys chased a laughing Rhae around the garden. Visiera walked over and stood by Daelera smiling at them.
"They're so young. They are yet to know what comes with the Targaryen name." Visiera said.
"At least they have the name Targaryen. I never really liked father and I am the only one who has his name." Daelera answered a little upset.
"You are my firstborn, my lovely Daelera. The Realm's hope. You have the name Martell not as a memory of your father, but as a memory of what his name stood for." Visiera explained.
"Unbowed, unbent, unbroken," Daelera said.
"Very good. You are the best of the Martell's. Not the bad. Now go, do what you'd like, I trust you."
"Thank you, mother,"
Daelera ran over and played with Nys and Rhae while Malia walked over to Visiera. Visiera looked at Haella while Malia stood by her.
"She's nothing like me." Visiera said.
"How so?" Malia asked.
"She's perfect. She's everything I tried so hard to become. I don't know how something so innocent and loving could come from me,"
"You put too much pressure on yourself. You wanted to be perfect so no one would ever hate you. You always hoped to be something more than yourself, and you didn't need to be. You are perfect the way you are. Everyone is. It took me a long time to realize that."
"I don't deserve you, not as my Hand, not as my friend, not as my peace,"
"I owe you everything, without you, I don't know where I'd be now,"
"You owe me nothing, dear girl,"
"Well, then I owe you nothing. With your permission I'd like to go read up on more of the histories."
"Of course."
After Malia left Visiera walked over to Haella who was looking at the flowers and sat by her.
"Sweet Haella, what flowers are those?" Visiera asked softly.
"They are called primroses. They are my favorite. When I pass, I want to join the earth and come back as one of these." Haella answered.
"You are already thinking about your death?" Visiera asked.
"It'll happen eventually, I want it to be done my way, not by fire, by ground and soil so that I may join as I came," Haella answered.
"I hope you live longer than I so you must tell your sisters when that time comes." Visiera laughed.
Haella laughed too as she planted primroses. Visiera smiled at her and put her arm around her.
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" Visiera asked smiling.
"Kind. I can't thank of any other way to live," Haella answered.
"What did I do to deserve you?" Visiera smiled.
"What did I do to deserve an amazing mother like you?" Haella smiled.
"I'm not amazing, I am far from that," Visiera said.
"You would tear the world apart if any of us were hurt, in danger, or even gone. We are your everything and you love us with everything in you. But you have to find room to be yourself and love around, not just save it only for us," Haella explained.
Visiera kissed her daughter on the forehead and she got up, Haella got up with her and they headed back into the castle. Haella went to her chambers while Visiera headed to the council room where the council including Alicent and Rhaenyra were. They were discussing warfare when they were about finished and were about to leave when Visiera wished to get a point acrossed.
"Wait! I wish to speak!" Visiera said.
"Be seated, now. Listen to her." Rhaenyra said.
Everyone sat down and Rhaenyra looked at her giving her the permission to speak.
"I have felt the... the strife between our families of late, my Queen... Alicent. And for any offence I have given by mine, I apoligize. But we are one house. And long before that, we were friends. Good... friends... My daughter Daelera will inherit the throne of Driftmark and Dragonstone after me. I propose we betroth her to your daughter, Helaena. I understand this is not to normal customs but they are close to each other and find comfort in one another. You and I know that. Ally ourselves... once and for all. Let them rule together." Visiera explained.
"A most judicious proposition." Viserys smiled.
"Additionally, if any of my 3 female dragons, Nivne, Rhaelys, or Flaemma brings forth another clutch of eggs, your son Aemond will have his choice of them.. uh, a symbol of our goodwill." Visiera continued.
"Visiera. Princess, dowager Queen. A dragon's egg is a handsome gift. The King and I thank you for your offer, and we will consider it duly." Alicent said leaving with Viserys.

"How sweetly the fox speaks when it's been cornered by the hounds." Alicent said in the other room.
"She is sincere,"
"She is despirate, Viserys. She feels the earth washing away beneath her feet and now she expects us to ignore her transgressions and for me to marry off my only daughter to her... plain-featured daughter."
"The proposal is a good one, Alicent. We're a family. Let us put aside these childish quarrels, join hands and be stronger for it."
"You may do as you wish, husband... when I am gone and you are remarried."
Alicent then leaves in anger. She doesn't feel bad for what she said about not only Visiera's daughter but hers. Denying the fact Daelera is her daughter and calling her plain-featured. She doesn't care. And she wouldn't have her proposal happen. Visiera walked with Rhaenyra heading up to Daelera's chambers, which to their understandings, is where all of their children are.
"So, what of your offer?" Rhaenyra asked.
"Daelera and Helaena? I have been undermined... and made a spectacle-we have been made a spectacle. They whisper about us in the corridors." Visiera answered.
"Well, then I leave them to it. I propose our families leave."
"To Dragonstone? I was banished there and then welcomed back, and now people rumor of us, so that sounds like something we should do."
"We can't leave together,"
"So what if we do? People won't stop even if we don't."
There is a pause until Visiera continues once more.
"Haella's dragon, Freefyre has been confined to her cell, she'll probably need to come with us."
"We'll take all of the dragons with us, even the little ones?"
"What of Joffrey's egg? Or the egg the Stark's sent as a gift of gratitude for bringing them peace,"
"Those too, what is that egg even? How'd they find it?"
"They found it buried in the snow of a blizzard day beyond the wall. It doesn't respond well to fire and only continues to incubate in freezing temperatures. I put it in a shack a little south of the city, close to the wall. We found blocks of ice and shade to hopefully  keep it cool."
"Interesting egg, that's for sure."
"You don't have to tell me twice. I'll leave first, you'll follow?"
"Always do," Rhaenyra smiled as they opened the doors to find the children going crazy.
Jace was running after Luke while Rhae and Nys were playing with wooden swords. Haella was reading to baby Joffrey while Daelera and Laenor were trying to calm the kids down.
Luke wasn't looking where he was running and knocked over Joffrey's egg, Visiera ran over and caught it and Rhaenyra ran over and took the egg from Visiera, putting it back in it's container. Rhaenyra gasped as the scales from the egg burned her hands but Visiera looked almost a little confused and shocked. Rhaenyra took her hands and looked at them, they weren't burned, but Rhaenyra's were.
"You're hurt, fetch the maesters," Visiera said.
"And how are you not?" Rhaenyra asked.
"I-I don't know,"