Familiarity ||| Jacaerys Velaryon

forty-nine

Alyssa's favourite thing was watching her daughters grow. Watching them interact with everyone who loved them. It wasn't a surprise that Aemma was fond of her father and Daemaera was fond of her mother. Yin and Yang, truly.

The girls were smart. And Alyssa loved teaching them Valyrian the same as they began to learn common tongue. Little baby babbles in Valyrian were her favourite.

When they were eight months old, Baela told Alyssa in person that she was pregnant. A shock and an exciting surprise for the older woman. Alyssa gave Baela all of the advice she knew. And since it was likely she was only carrying, her pregnancy shouldn't have been as bad as Alyssa's was.

It was only a shame that she was due around the time Luke and Rhaena's wedding had been set for later the next year. They'd been betrothed long enough and were being encouraged to marry. Driftmark needed heirs, after all.

Corlys spared no expense during the planning of their wedding. Imports from all across the known world, the best food, decorations, and entertainment money could buy. It was set to be an even more extravagant affair than Jace and Alyssa's had been.

Good for Rhaena. She deserved it. Both she and Luke did. Future Lord and Lady of Driftmark.

Rhaenyra was also very involved in the planning of Rhaena and Luke's wedding. Only the best for her sweet boy. After all; he'd be leaving after the wedding on a voyage with Corlys. To learn how to command the sea just as his grandsire did.

It seemed like time flew between the planning, the announcement of Baela's pregnancy, and the actual event.

Alyssa couldn't believe her girls were one, almost one and a half. Speaking a few coherent words, just learning to walk. She truly didn't know where the time had gone. From a newborn to her children calling her various iterations of "mother".

Their dragons hatched when they were a year old. A beautiful pink dragon was born to Aemma and a light blue dragon to Daemaera. Both hatched. And they would be named when the girls could begin to speak.

Until then, they would spend time with their hatchlings. Playing with the dragons learning the world like they were.

But first, the wedding. An extravagant affair was held at High Tide. The whole Velaryon line was in attendance, as was the entire royal family. Rich decorations themed for the sea. Blue and pearls were a common sight among the hall of High Tide.

Rhaena and Luke were married by standards of the Faith while incorporating a few Velaryon customs into their ceremony. It was held on a cliff of the island, next to the sea.

Alyssa and Jace watched on proudly with hair family as Luke and Rhaena said the vows, gently wiping salty water from the sea on the lips of the other. Similar to Valyrian traditions but more to do with the sea.

Everything did. The sea connected them all. It would lead them in life and death. There was something beautiful about that.

At the feast, Alyssa almost laughed when she saw Corlys had ordered the finest boar to be served. Only Jace knew why that was.

Poor Baela, however. Nearing the end of her term, she was quite miserable at the feast. Alyssa was sympathetic to her plight and did her best to support her sister while also joining in the festivities.