Night dawned over Pentos beautifully as the sound of waves clashed while the moonlight shone down on the sea. The city was beautiful at night and more so due to it's newly built. Perhaps the reason why Prince Daemon planted his family in such a foreign city. He wished for his family to not be near or live in the place where he had grown up, under the protection of snakes and wolves was not the ideal place he wanted for his family.
Neither could he live in King's Landing due to his actions infuriating the King by marrying his second wife, Lady Laena. But after fleeing to the Free Cities and abandoning the Stepstones, the couple fell for Pentos quickly and both decided to raise their children there.
The couple had been satisfied with their decision despite the fact Daemon had carried along his newborn daughter with them, a bastard child.
A bastard child was a shame in the realm's eyes, but Daemon couldn't care less. In addition he was more proud to be a father to his firstborn child. Lady Laena wasn't ashamed of her husband's child, in fact, she always waited for the opportunity to hold the babe in her arms. As if she were her own. Maela never wailed nor did she scream in the crib, she was a calm babe. Laena enjoyed it when Maela's small fingers would wrap around her own. She fell in love with the child.
Maela Targaryen is the name she was given from birth and since then it remained, Daemon never spoke about her mother to anyone except for the moments when he would be drunk and spill the truth to his daughter. But even at those times, she wasn't old enough to understand.
The truth about her mother remained a mystery but Maela understood slightly once growing older and hearing the pain in her father's voice when he would speak about her. From what she gathered from him, her name was Alora — she was a dancer from Dorne and their relationship was pure love.
Aside from the way he felt for Rhaenyra, he once felt the same way for Alora. Perhaps a bit stronger.
Her death was his punishment.
"I'm tired father. Can't we resume on the morrow?" Pleaded Maela when her sword fell to the floor once again, she stood tiredly in a spacious room with her father. The two had been training since the sun was blaring from the clouds and now the hour had grown late, everyone in the castle had gone to bed by now. Maela could no longer remain in the same stance she once was and her eyelids closing more often.
"How do you expect to be good with the blade when you whine each time I practice with you?" Daemon adds on with furrowed brows, a small pitch of glee rises within him as he watches his daughter stay committed to her words even when she grows tired. He wasn't a father to show affection or express his love to his children but when it came to Maela, there was a connection between the two. Perhaps it had to do with the traits he passed along to her, the sharp tongue and boldness.
They spit fire.
"You only practice with me because you don't want to face the wrath of your wife, she still is angry with you."
Lady Laena had been more than clear with her actions towards her dear husband. Their disagreement was obvious to the children, with Maela coming to understand words and being able to dissect them.
Her father wanted to remain in Pentos away from his family and she didn't, Laena wanted to return home to Driftmark with her family to raise the children. Daemon refused to listen to her protests and continued living with the quiet life he built in Pentos. He wasn't happy, and Laena could sense it. She would question his devotion to her and he would quickly hush her speculations. Deep within her, Laena knew of the truth. The person you love can be the best version of themselves, but sometimes it's only with someone else.
Daemon tilts his head to the side before speaking further, "Do you like it here in Pentos?" Maela carefully picked her sword from the stone floor, sliding it back into her scabbard. Now meeting her father's lilac-colored eyes, "Will my answer change your mind?"
A heavy sigh escapes his throat, "I would start a war with my brother if I hid you away in Pentos, you know that."
"You rather feed me to the hounds?"
His jaw ticks at his daughter's reply, but he could understand her fury. It reminded him of his first marriage with Lady Rhea, a person whom he never wished to marry.
"You are my daughter Maela, of course not."
Maela was arranged to marry the young Prince Aemond, her cousin by blood. The mere thought disgusted her entirely. She did not want to marry him, she wished for the free will to fancy someone, if only she had the chance to.
King Viserys explained their valyrian bloodline, and by marrying each other to keep the family line pure.
Keep the blood of the dragon thick.
Maela continued to disagree with her grandsire's wishes and beliefs, but the only thing she could do was remain silent. A woman's voice to often ignored, and their words are never acknowledged.
After the announcement of Maela's marriage to Aemond, her father became enraged by the idea. It was rumored that Daemon stormed into the small council apartment and cursed Otto Hightower, and came to dislike the Queen as well due to her feelings towards Maela. Words from the men who were in the room claimed Daemon drew his sword on the hand of the King, but Viserys quickly demanded peace between the two men.
Daemon's daughter was an easy target to use against him.
He should've known better.
Rhaenyra had pitched in an idea for one of her sons to marry Princess Maela, but the Queen denied it. In truth, Alicent believed two bastards shouldn't be wed.
However, in the time Daemon and his family resided in Pentos — there was time for the Rogue Prince to calm his nerve but it was out of his hands to defeat such power. He felt weak by the fact he couldn't protect his daughter, and that is when rage flared within him.
"If you remain in Pentos, I'll have no one in King's Landing."
Confessed Maela as she allowed her eyes to wander away, her emotions taking over. "That isn't true. Rhaenyra and her children remain in the Red Keep and my brother wouldn't dare to mistreat you."
"I'm certain that Rhaenyra won't last longer than I do and the King is beginning to grow old, father. He is too sick to protect me at all times." Maela further expressed her true emotions behind the situation, she did not want to leave behind her family. Laena is the only mother figure she was granted and her half-sisters treated her decent. Their life treated them well and she did not want to give up such happiness for a life she never wanted.
"My brother will give you the choice of your own to choose a sworn sword. I will make sure of it."
"He even swore to make you a cupbearer," added the prince as he calmly expressed ideas that would turn the upsetting ordeal into better. "Cupbearer? Must've been your idea. I do not mind telling you all their secrets," she smiles in return, changing the tension within the room that had begun to suffocate Daemon.
The roguish prince grins in a jester-full manner, before grabbing a cup of wine from a small table nearby. "Best tell me everything those cunt lords speak of in that small room of theirs," Maela displays her amusement with a small laugh before almost exiting the room to return to her chambers, but to their surprise — a fearful maester appears in front of Maela and which causes the young girl to gasp.
Grasping the attention of her father.
The maester from Pentos stood with wide eyes but difficulty breathing from the amount of running, "It's Laena. She has gone into labor!"
