love and duty | daemon targaryen

one

87 AC - The Red Keep, King's Landing

"Maera, stop playing with your food."

Maera pouted and dropped her fork loudly onto her plate at her mother's reprimand. Daemon giggled beside her, enjoying her misfortune as he stuffed a piece of venison into his mouth. Maera harshly dug her elbow into his side.

The Targaryen family had gathered in the private dining hall of Maegor's Holdfast. They sat around a long, oak table, surrounded by ornate tapestries and statues. Torches burned on the walls, painting the room in a golden glow as the moon rose high in the sky outside. The smell of dragon smoke filled the hall, emanating from the Targaryens who lived in the sky more than they did on the ground.

Jaehaerys and Alysanne sat at opposite ends of the table, their children and grandchildren seated between them. Aemon and Baelon sat on either side of Jaehaerys, the two heirs at their father's beck and call. Jocelyn Baratheon sat next to her husband, Maera beside her. Daemon sat beside Maera as always, and Gael on the other side of him. The youngest of Jaehaerys and Alysanne's children sat at attention, ignoring Maera and Daemon's antics as usual as she dutifully listened to Alysanne speak beside her.

Beside Baelon on the other side of the table sat Viserys and then Rhaenys, the two older cousins speaking softly to each other about something neither Maera nor Daemon cared enough about to eavesdrop on. Beside Rhaenys was Viserra, the second youngest daughter of the Old King and Good Queen, just a few years Rhaenys's senior. Viserra sat next to Alysanne, a fact that annoyed Viserra to no end, much to Maera's amusement.

Viserra was Maera's favorite aunt, though that was more so because she was the only aunt that still remained in the Red Keep other than Gael.

Daenerys was Alysanne and Jaehaerys's first child and first daughter. Maera knew next to nothing about her, her death having occurred long before Maera was ever a thought. A year before Maera was born, Daella, another of Alysanne and Jaehearys's daughters, passed in the birthing bed, she too had passed into the beyond before Maera ever drew breath.

It was Alyssa, the second daughter of Jaehaerys and Alysanne, to whom Maera had first attached herself, who had the honor of claiming the title of Maera's favorite.

Alyssa was Daemon's mother and sister-wife of Baelon. Maera hardly remembered the woman, she had died on the birthing bed when Maera and Daemon were just three years old. Still, Maera liked to think of her as the first favorite, and all knew how true that had been. Even as just a babe, it was clear how similar Alyssa and Maera were, the pair gravitating to each other as though they were mother and daughter rather than aunt and niece.

Alyssa was fiery and headstrong, yet the only one with whose arms Maera could fall asleep in those first few months of life. Alyssa had been the one to give Maera her first dragon ride, strapping her and Daemon to her chest when they were just a few weeks old to acquaint them with the skies they would one day rule on dragons of their own.

When Alyssa died, Maera latched on to Saera. Lovely, beautiful Saera whose smile could light up a whole room, whose sinful smirks could ignite desire in even the most pious of men. Maera had heard servants whisper that Saera could spark a desire in even castrated men. But then Maera also heard whispers of Saera in the pleasure houses of King's Landing and heard knights boast of having the Targaryen princess in their bed. Within a fortnight, Saera had been sent off to the Silent Sisters. Days after that, word had reached the Red Keep that she had stolen away onto a ship for Essos. The last anyone had heard, Saera was in Lys, having the adventure of a lifetime far away from the confines of royal life.

Maera had waited months for a letter from her favorite aunt Saera only to be disappointed each day. Rhaenys had told Maera not to hold out hope.

Then, the only aunts who remained were Maegelle, Viserra, and Gael. Maera had hardly ever seen anything of Maegelle before her aunt had gone to Oldtown to be a septa. Maegelle had always been fond of her books, shy and quiet, and always hiding behind Alysanne's skirts. It was no real loss to Maera when Maegelle announced her plans to follow the Faith.