She was a girl whose identity got lost in time; taken away from her ancestors because of their own faults, but she came to claim what was rightfully hers, and with that, she found herself in the middle of chaos.
After all, she was a special girl w...
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VISENYA COULD SWEAR she was dreaming. Or hallucinating. She probably had a fever, because there was no chance what Rhaenyra had just told her was true.
"Princess, are you sure about that?" The girl asked the smiling woman in front of her. "Is it possible for the people to believe that?"
"The King will announce it, dear, they have no other choice than to believe his words," Rhaenyra reassured her but the girl still looked at her nervously. "You will officially be part of our family."
"Princess, you know you are not obligated to do that. I cannot claim a title that isn't mine, and I certainly cannot be a burden in your family," The girl said, only making Rhaenyra smile as she placed her hand on her cheek and caressed it. The girl leaned in on her touch, for a moment remembering her late mother and how she would try to make her stop worrying even with the simplest actions.
"You are a princess, Visenya. Just because you weren't born here but in the North doesn't mean that you are less of a Targaryen than we are," The woman told her and she nodded her head. "This is your rightful title, and seeing that you get along well with my boys, I thought that it would be better if you joined our family. Laenor has no problem with that, and the boys, as you already know, are very excited. In such a short time you've become a part of our family, dear."
"That is really nice to hear, Princess, but what about my brother in the North?"
"I sent a raven to Lord Cregan," Rhaenyra said making Visenya's eyes light up. "Even though he will not be able to attend the fest today, he promised to visit sometime soon, and he also agreed to this decision. We would not do such a thing if we did not have your brother's permission. The North is a very important ally, and such an act holds as much power as a marriage would hold. Family ties are what make us stronger."
***
THE FEST WAS too boring in the eyes of the youngest royals. However, for the newest royal, Princess Visenya, this gathering was the most nerve-breaking event that she ever attended.
The news of her newly claimed title did not seem to impress the public. She was unknown to them, and her physique did not make things easier. Perhaps, if she had the characteristic silver hair of her family, instead of just the striking lilac eye color, the people of King's Landing would be warmer towards her. Instead, many were the people that found it strange. How could a random girl show up a day and suddenly start calling herself a princess, much more a Targaryen?
Visenya did not bother to stay at the gathering for long. Many lords had come to congratulate the royal family and wish prince Jacaerys — the fest was thrown in honor of his and Visenya's name day — and it wasn't just a few of them that gave the brunette girl a nasty look before they walked away. It was subtle but easily noticeable to her. And she had grown sick of that.
She anticipated more than anything the arrival of her brother from the North, despite the little voice in the back of her head repeating over and over again that he would not attend. It was no new information, but down in her heart, she missed home. Days at King's Landing were fun, but the Targaryens could not give her the feeling she so much craved. It is not like she had been that close with Cregan in the past, but in all honesty, he was her family. And yet, she had made her choice. Enthusiasm and curiosity took her over, and now, she was far from home, grounded in a castle with people she hoped one day she could call family if it wasn't for the nudging feeling in her chest whenever whispers about her were heard in the corridors.
The library was her safe haven. She hugged her knees tightly, hiding in the shadows of the dark room, and she lowered her head as she shut her eyes. She took deep breaths and kept her eyes closed, in a way trying to escape reality. She regretted everything. She missed her mother, and she was no princess. She could never be. And yet, she somehow managed to trap herself in this royal circle of craziness. A circle of competitiveness between people that are supposed to be family. A circle of hate and disappointment. She hated it.
Tears had started falling from her eyes freely. She did nothing to stop them from falling. She was overwhelmed and she detested the situation she had gotten herself in. She made some friends, but she knew she wouldn't be able to survive this hell of a family like that. She was being polite to everyone, even if most of the people there looked at her in indifference, or judged every step she made.
Her arrival had made things worse — that's what she kept telling herself. Her life had become so much more complicated than it already was. She had planted herself in a family that wasn't hers. She could never be a part of that family. She did not have a dragon, nor did she have striking silver hair. Perhaps, her eyes could help her defend her legacy, but their color wasn't noticeable unless people paid attention to them. Externally, she did not look like a Targaryen, and it made sense why people were not happy when the king welcomed her into the family. How could this stranger bare the blood of the dragon?
Talks concerning the legitimacy of Rhaenyra's sons started rising again. Jace told her it wasn't just a couple of times that this had happened again, but it would still break his heart every time. He had not found the courage to ask his mother, but the question, if he was a bastard, kept swirling around in his head. She could not imagine how the poor boy would feel now that she was the reason those talks arose again.
She felt like it was her fault. Everything. She tried to understand if there is some other reason, but she knew problems started when she arrived at the castle three moons ago. Perhaps, she was indeed the problem.
"Visenya," A whisper came from next to her as a hand caressed her back softly. She squeezed her eyes harder, not reacting much, and kept crying. "Visenya..." The same voice repeated, and she felt two arms wrapping around her shoulders. The girl sniffed and lifted her head lightly, letting her face rest on the shoulder of the boy next to her. Her arms wrapped slowly around Jace as he held her tight in his arms, running slowly his fingers through her curls.
The boy did not speak. He chose to hold the girl in his hands; let her cry on his shoulder. He did not know what had gotten her into this situation — he had some ideas — but he did not care. All he cared about was calming down the girl whose smile he so much adored. Her laugh was contagious, and he'd swear he could watch her smile for the rest of his life. He wanted nothing more than to see her happy. Always and forever.
He had never seen her like that, though. He had noticed that her mind was occupied by thoughts lately, but her smile would always be there. Even if it was lost for a moment like the sun in the clouds, it would reappear and shine a light on his whole world. Finding her curled up in a ball in her favorite room in the castle was a sight that broke Jace's heart. He had rushed to her side instantly, putting his hand on her and rubbing her hand trying to soothe her. Hugs are always more effective was something his brother would say since he was little and woke up scared by a nightmare. He had told that to their mother countless times, and Jace would watch how all worries would leave his little brother as soon as Rhaenyra embraced the kid. So, he hugged her. And now, her head was buried in the crook of his neck as she sobbed uncontrollably.
He held her head, playing with her hair with one hand while with the other he rubbed her back. Her hands were holding him tight as if she was scared he would vanish into thin air. But he was there for her. And he made sure to let her know, whispering those simple words to her as he rocked her in his arms. He was there for her.
And he would stay there forever if that's what it takes to see her happy.
That's the promise Jacaerys made that day; a promise to both himself and the girl he was holding. He'd always be there for her, he gave his word and he intended to keep it.
