A Crown of Winter Roses

Prologue Part 1

"Daddy, tell me about the Dragons again; of Arrax and Balerion, even of Queen Rhaenys and Meraxes. Please!" Rosaerys whined to her father, as he bent slightly over her in her bed. His curtains of silvery hair fluttering lightly between her fingertips. A magic like chuckle left his lips as he tucked her in, pulling the red blankets up nice and tight.

"Not tonight, sweetling. Daddy has to go." He lent Down, kissing her softly.

"No, don't go Daddy, please." Rosaerys gripped his hand tight, refusing to let go. Rhaegar sighed, he knew more than anyone else that she wasn't going to let him. But he still tried.

"Please, Rose, let go."

Rosaerys shook her head. "No! I know where you're going and I won't allow it! You're seeing that stupid Stark girl again. You're hurting my mother, Dad, and I'm not standing by it!" Rosaerys was growing angrier with every second, throwing her covers off her small body, she stood her small height, indigo eye clashing again her violet ones.

"Calm down right now, otherwise you'll remain locked in the room for the rest of the month." Rosaerys's recoiled, almost as though the heat of a thousand dragons had nipped at her skin; Rhaegar had never used that tone in all the 6 years Rosaerys had been alive. He could see the plates of armor she wound round herself tighten before eventually forming thick scales shutting him out from anything she may be feeling.

"Do it! It's not as though you'll be here anyway." Rosaerys gripped the duvet before tugging it over her head, listening out. Rhaegar sighed, before slumping down. He laid a pale hand over the lump she formed, before speaking to her.

"I'm sorry Rosaerys, I know I haven't been the best recently but I'm not abandoning you sweetheart, you come before anything else in my life, as do your siblings but this is something I have to do." She didn't speak for awhile, almost letting him believe she was asleep.

"You've already seen that it'll end bad, so why continue it?"

"Because I have to. When you've grown to be the beautiful Targaryen woman that I know you'll become, you'll understand why I do things the way I do."

"And what 'things' is that?" She peeped out a second, her eyes full of unshed tears.

"I'm gonna have to go away for a while with Lyanna, baby girl, and keep her away from others. But I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise. I love you Rosaerys, all the way to the moon and back." She simply nodded before letting him leave. He lingered at the doorway before shutting it gently.

The tears began to flow freely down Rosaerys face, marking her pale white cheeks as they went.

Rosaerys was never a bad kid, she treated everyone with respect whether they deserved it or not; she was grateful for everything she got and shared it whenever she could; but she was never meant to be born. To be here with him in Westeros.