The Unburnt

Chapter 23 - Shadows of Prophecy

I want to announce again, that this will be slightly different than the book&show, it has my spin on it so if some things are not what they were supposed to be, there is a reason. It took me quite a while, to find a way to (you know) have that moment, that spilling point, the event that would break, and will result in what we have been wanting to see, Visenya as Queen. Now, be patient, and enjoy this chapter while I continue writing because it is about to get very very dark, if you love Rhaenyra (like I do), please be mindful that Visenya and Daemon are endgame here and therefore their happiness. All hail to V&D!

And I am a little torn between how I want this 'catalyst', because at first I wanted it to be Viserys' death but then I was thinking, nope, and that is all the way in 129 AC so no. Then I came up with an even darker idea, and this whole rift between Rhaenyra and Visenya will be, abysmal. Do you all remember, the legitimacy trial? Between Rhaenyra and Vaemond? Well...gues who will be taking Vaemond's place? TURST ME, you wil love that chapter, I am so excited to write iiit!!!

Also usually, the children take the father's name, yet in the case of the children Otto had with Laena, both are named Velaryon, such thing is possible if the mother had lands or anything that could be inherited (hence why they usually took their father's name).

Also 10k reads? *faints*

High Valyrian in bold.

Daemon Targaryen

123 AC

The winds sweep across the shores of Dragonstone, carrying the scent of salt and sea, mingling with the scent of fire-dragonfire. I watch as Visenya straps Darones to her chest, the little one nestled close against her, seeking his mother's scent the same way I do. Daemalia, our troublesome daughter, clings to her mother's hip, babbling in High Valyrian, her silver hair wild as she squirms in her mother's arms. Ahead of them runs Daryon, my eldest son, a mixture of calm and chaos, the perfect mix of me and my wife.

All our children speak High Valyrian, which is the first language they were taught. Slowly we will introduce them to the common tongue, feeling a sense of pride whenever I hear them talk the old tongue so easily.

Daryon is obsessed with dragonriding, always asking to ride upon Caraxes. I cannot deny him, for the skies have always been my domain, and it brings me joy to see him soar with me, even though his dragon egg remains unhatched. The pain of it is familiar, for I too waited long past my name day to bond with a dragon. Caraxes found me in my late teens, but I still recall the bitterness of watching others ride while I was left grounded. Visenya too felt the bitter edge of not having bonded with a dragon until she was almost fifteen name days old. Yet, Daryon's time will come, just as mine did. Mayhaps I should take him into the dragon caves beneath Dragonstone, let him walk among the beasts.

The boy has the strength of the skies in him, I see it already-though at times, he shows more care than I ever did, especially for his little sister, Daemalia. A smile tugs at my lips as I think on it. That girl, though-she is entirely mine. A walking tempest, her mother would say. Daemalia causes trouble wherever she goes, and I couldn't be more proud. There's no one like her, and I swear there will never be.

As I walk behind them, my mind wanders, back to the day when Visenya bonded with Vhagar, after Laena's death. The questions still haunt me-how did she bond so swiftly with such an ancient dragon? Visenya told me that she could bond with the she-dragon, that she felt it in her bones, she was adamant that her cousin had to perish, so I had done what was necessary. I pushed Vhagar's rider into the waters. Visenya asked me to fulfill my promise and so I did-but how did she manage to bond with the dragon in just mere time? I wonder still.