Pawn to Queen (A House of the Dragon Fanfic)

Chapter 3

Daenyra had been playing her part perfectly since her mother's death. The day her father asked her and Rhaenyra to a private audience she solidified her claim as her father's favorite.

They sat in awkward conversation, trying to avoid the elephant in the room. The council was pressuring the king to re-marry and soon. Of course, Daenyra remembered who her father would select from the show. Alicent Hightower. 

Her disdain for the Lord Hand was solidified time and time again, especially when he dared to suggest betrothing her to some lord. Luckily her father exploded in a fiery rage at the prospect and the idea was long forgotten. 

Now as they sat Viserys had finally broached the topic. He hobbled his way to Daenyra's chair and kneeled to look at her. It brought her a sick satisfaction to make the king of the seven kingdoms kneel before her at such a young age. 

"Now, my Diamond... This may be difficult to understand until you're a bit older-"

"It's okay Kepa, I smart!" She gave him her most angelic and cheesy smile causing his already crumbling resolve to falter. 

"Well, my little love, it is my duty... Our duty, for the betterment of the realm, is to continue our family line so that there will always be a Targaryen on the Iron throne... That is why very soon I must get married..."

"Silly Kepa! You can't get married, you're married to Mommy!" She giggled, knowing well that she was crushing her father's and sister's hearts with her seemingly childish words. 

"Y-yes... But now that your mother is... gone. The realm requires a new queen." Virserys looked as if he was going to burst into tears. 

She allowed her eyes to go wide and fill with tears, her bottom lip began to quiver as looked up at the king, "Do... do the realm need new princesses too? Am I no your diamond no more?" 

She had mastered the art of the pretty cry long before she ever entered the House of the Dragon, and as she watched the king and princess's eyes go glassy in horror she knew she was winning. 

Viserys immediately swooped her into his arms cradling her close, "No! No, baby! You aren't going anywhere, you will always be my diamond!"

With that small remark, she had set a precedent that Viserys would never falter in his affection for his sweet diamond.

The now six-year-old princess sat on her father's lap on the way toward the hunt organized for Prince Aegon's second birthday. Queen Alicent sat heavily pregnant across from them. 

There had been tension since Alicent married King Viserys. Rhaenyra was raging about the situation still. She was named heir and yet with the birth of his first son Rhaenyra was put in a precarious situation. 

Aegon fussed as he tried to reach for Daenyra. It had not been hard to get baby Aegon to fall absolutely in love with his half-sister. 

She smiled pretty and brought him treats and kissed his cheeks. His own mother had a deep resentment towards the personification of her stolen childhood. 

Aegon grew more agitated as they refused to give him 'his Daeny'. 

They arrived and the king stepped out still holding his beloved diamond Daenyra. 

She looked to her left finding Derek slightly agitated, he had ridden on horseback but it had always made him uncomfortable when he didn't have eyes on Daenyra. She had a habit of getting herself into trouble and needing him more often than not.