Fire and Blood (Book One)

Chapter One

"As the first century of the Targaryen dynasty came to a close, the health of the Old King, Jaehaerys, was failing. In those days, House Targaryen stood at the height of its strength with ten adult dragons under its yoke. No power in the world could stand against it. King Jaehaerys reigned over nearly sixty years of peace and prosperity. But tragedy had claimed both his sons, leaving his succession in doubt. So, in the year 101, the Old King called a Great Council to choose an heir. Over a thousand lords made the journey to Harrenhal. Fourteen succession claims were heard but only two were truly considered: Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, the King's eldest descendant, and her younger cousin, Prince Viserys Targaryen, the King's eldest male descendant."

"It is declared by all lords paramount and lords vassal of the Seven Kingdoms... that Prince Viserys Targaryen be made Prince of Dragonstone." "Rhaenys, a woman, would not inherit the Iron Throne. The lords instead chose Viserys... my father. Jaehaerys called the Great Council to prevent a war being fought over his succession. For he knew the cold truth. The only thing that could tear down the House of the Dragon... was itself." "It is now the ninth year of King Viserys I Targaryen's reign. 172 years before the death of the Mad King, Aerys, and the birth of his daughter, Princess Daenerys Targaryen."

In the skies above Westeros, Princess Valaena Targaryen was flying on the back of her dragon, Seraphina, looking around the clouds; she looked around for her twin, and out of the clouds burst the dragon of her twin. Upon seeing her sister, she smiled then alongside her; she stirred her mighty dragon toward the Dragonpit that was a huge structure in King's Landing that House Targaryen once used as a giant stable for their dragons. It was built following Maegor Targaryen's destruction of the Sept of Remembrance. Once their dragons had landed, Valaena looked around the Pit and gently patted Seraphina's neck; she knew that her beloved dragon had missed her mate. Placing her other hand over her heart, she knew that she, herself, had also missed her dearest uncle. She looked down at the Dragonkeepers and their staffs, causing her to narrow her eyes at them. Like her beloved sisters, she was fiercely protective over her dragon, gently sliding down the side of Seraphina, she gently stroked her head, and watched as the Dragonkeepers ushered her further into the pit and with her sister dragon. Looking up at the stairs, she saw Ser Harrold Westerling who was relieved that the two princesses had returned safe and unharmed. As her sister walked ahead, Valaena stayed behind and watched as one after another the two dragons entered the Pit, just then she heard Alicent Hightower causing Valaena to curl her fingers into fists. Among the twins, she was the one who didn't trust Alicent, or her father, knowing that she had to be in the carriage with her, caused her to roll her eyes.

As her twin spoke to Alicent, the fourteen year old Valaena made her way to the awaiting carriage and slipped into it from the opposite side, upon sitting down; she leaned her head back and waited for the duo to stop gossiping. Soon the three ladies were all in the carriage and on their way to King's Landing, like her sister, she couldn't wait to speak to their mother and find out how she was doing. During the journey, the duo gossiped while Valaena leaned against the wall of the carriage and pretended to be asleep, though she knew that her twin knew, she was faking and just didn't want to talk. Upon finally arriving in King's Landing, Valaena was the first one out of the carriage and the first one who made her way to their mother, she was closely followed by her sister and Alicent, and first the sisters had to stop at their rooms to change out of their riding gear. Upon arriving at their mother's chambers, Valaena knew that her mother wouldn't like them be flying, "Ah... Valaena, Rhaenyra. You know I don't like you to go flying while I'm in this condition." Walking to her mother's side, she took over from one of the maids and helped their mother sit up properly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rhaenyra sit in the provided chair while Valaena herself stayed near the windows.

She watched as Alicent stood near the door then tuned out whatever conversation was going on between her mother and sisters; she did catch what her mother finally said about the sisters taking a bath because they smelt of dragon. While Rhaenyra went to the Small Council meeting Valaena had walked to her chambers were a tub was waiting for her, as her maids disrobed her, Valaena kept her eyes on her open windows. It was then that she heard one of her, maids gasp, following the maids line of sight, she saw something odd on the palm of her left hand, bringing it up to her face, she gently traced the mark with a finger of her right hand. She had no idea what it was yet she somehow knew it wasn't something fatal, waving her maids away, she walked over to her tub and when she step into it, she sighed in bliss. Though she knew that she should actually be washing herself, she found herself staring at the mark on her palm, suddenly a searing pain flooded through her palm, clutching hold of her wrist, she tried to ease the pain but was helpless to it. Climbing out of the tub, she fell to her knees and watched as the mark on her hand rose up like a blister then burst open, causing her eyes to widen as it formed a new shape.