From the Ashes | House of the Dragon

chapter one.

        It was no secret that Daenyra longed for anywhere but Pentos. They had moved here before her first name day. Ten years had passed since then and she'd now grown bored of the city and its people. But they had need of their dragons, or rather her parents dragons. She and Vaerion lay atop the roof watching as her father and Laena soared around each other in the sky. She was in awe of the dragons and how they would play with their riders. Someday, she would do the same with her own. 

        Vaerion had his eyes closed, one of his arms strung over his forehead. Daenyra laughed slightly at her brother before returning her sight on the magnificence that was happening above her. She could hear Baela and Rhaena down in the yard, laughing at each other as they played a game of chase. 

        "Do you think she should be riding Vhagar in such condition?" Vaerion questioned as his eyes opened to follow the path of the dragons in the sky.

        "She's with child, idiot. Not dying."

        "I know that! But couldn't it be dangerous?" He squecked, sitting up so fast that Daenyra had to look twice before following his actions. She took both of his hands and held them with her own. Vaerion was a worrier, and a bad one at that. Constantly he was thinking of all that could go wrong in their lives and usually Daemon would pull him aside and talk him out of it.

        "I'm sure it could be dangerous, but look at how happy she is up there. No one should try to take that away." She responded while pointing to the sky. The two dragons landed in the field and Daenyra rushed to go greet them, leaving her brother behind to follow her. It was almost tradition at this point to go down to the dragons after landing.

        She ran past her twin sisters, straight to her father, and stopped in front of Caraxes as Daemon dismounted. He made his way towards her, scoping her up into a hug before letting her down. her smile was always the brightest after seeing the two of them safely land. She then hugged Laena as best she could, her arms could no longer go all the way around but she tried nonetheless. Vaerion, Baela, and Rhaena had reached the clearing by them and were following suit. 

        "Come children, we are dining with Prince Reggio and the other lords tonight. We must all wash up."

—

        The table was filled with a multitude of food and drink. Daemon was sat at the head of the table, with Daenyra, Vaerion, and Baela to his left and Laena and Rhaena to his right. Across from him sat the Prince, who was shoving his face with food so fast that Daenyra couldn't help but laugh a little. Her sisters wore matching pale blue gowns, simple in design with their hair in matching styles. They looked nearly identical in this light. Her own dress was the same pale blue color, but it was trimmed with gold to match her brother. Vaerion was usually dressed to match his father, a statement that he was the eldest.

        "The lamb hearts are excellent." Prince Reggio commented as he finished his plate. The Lords that accompanied him following suit. The servants had already begun cleaning up the other empty ones.

        "We are fortunate in our cook, Your Excellence. There's a plum-cake yet to be served, which will have us fighting over the crumbs." Laena mentioned as her clean plate was taken. Daenyra was a slow eater, her own plate still having a bit of food left on it. She couldn't help but look at her mother. Daenyra had always thought she was beautiful, but tonight she looked better than she ever had. Vaerion nudged her foot under the table to break her stare. 

        "Then before we come to blows," Reggio started as he raised his cup. "A toast to Aegon the Conqueror, your exalted forebear, who joined our cause against Volantis in the Century of Blood. On the great dragon Balerion, he flew to our aid in Lys and burned a fleet of enemy ships, thus turning the tide."