( ACT I; the calm before the storm. )
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chapter 1: rhaela targaryen.

ALICENT Hightower was a complicated, worrisome woman. It was obvious with the years that passed. For a young girl, Rhaela Targaryen thought she knew her mother well enough to guess the reason for her general disposition, the way her mind worked, but she was often left surprised by aggrieved reactions. Her mother had often been distant, begrudgingly accepting her father's affection since as early in her life as she could remember. A part of her believe that's how all parents were toward each other.

Before the news of Rhaela's elder half-sister, Rhaenyra, having a successful birth yet again reached the queen, the young princess had been in the company of her mother in her chambers as she often was. As taboo as the fact was, Rhaela was noticeably preferred by her mother over her siblings, Aegon the epitome of a royal prick, Helaena often too focused on her fascination with insects and riddles that never made sense. Aemond, the sibling that had been born after Rhaela, was the only one that the princess ever had anything to do with. They were betrothed to one another, after all.

The doors to her mothers chambers opened with a groan, likely at the behest of one of the guards in the hall, Rhaenyra and Ser Laenor Velaryon stepping inside. The young girl found herself in shock once her elder sister stood before them, all disheveled and bearing the signs of the difficult birth that had just occurred. Covered in the obvious residue of sweat, Rhaenyra's white-blond hair was messy and stuck to her cheek and neck as she practically limped to present her newborn child whom she must have insisted to bring herself. The young princess flashed her mother a lilac look, eyes narrowed before she focused back on her sister.

"By the Seven, Rhaenyra, why aren't you abed?" Rhaela's mother exclaimed as she quickly wandered toward the princess who held her son to her chest. "You shouldn't be walking in your condition."

"It's a boy?" Rhaela asked her sister excitedly from where she stood, Alicent's half-hearted concern forgotten. Rhaenyra replied with a warm but tired smile and nodded to the young girl before directing her gaze back to the queen. It returned to the usual mask that Rhaela's sister often used in the presence of the young girl's mother. Something she'd grown aware of as the years passed.

Rhaela followed after her mother to catch a glimpse at her new nephew, wandering up to Alicent's side. Getting to the tip of her toes, the princess strained to catch a glimpse of the quiet babe wrapped in the blanket. Managing to see him, she smiled. Such tiny features, she noted. She took a step back as her mother went to envelop the babe in her own arms.

"It was a difficult birth, but I am fairing just fine," Rhaenyra replied shortly to Alicent, her warm demeanor used toward Rhaela replaced with a lack of warmth. "I wished to present him myself."

Alicent's intense resentment toward Rhaenyra grew and stayed persistent every time she saw a dark haired child born of the princess. This child would be the fourth that her old friend produced, the first starting with Princess Aemera. Her husband's eldest daughter held no consequence of her own, Alicent knew, yet anytime she spotted her or either of her two brothers in the Red Keep, her heart would flutter with disdain. Rhaenyra's children were a living and ever persistent reminder that Alicent was bound to the life she was given, married to a man thrice her age while Rhaenyra would simply live her life as she chose. This was her fourth child with a mess of chocolate curls. The princess' unchecked behavior often filled the queen with haughty jealousy, as well as a drive to make sure she received justice.

The driving force behind the queen's resentment toward Rhaenyra was not entirely founded on the jealousy she held for her, or the fact that she'd been able to do as she pleased with nearly no consequence since marrying the Velaryon heir and even prior. Alicent feared for her family's lives, for what might happen once Viserys passed and Rhaenyra ascended the iron throne. The queen's father had warned her of the possibilities. . . And they had driven her to be hypervigilant ever since. The king's ever crumbling health made Alicent fear for her family's safety more every day as he remained the only barrier between the outside forces that would mean to destroy her and her own. Rhaenyra could change her sympathies toward them at any moment, which chilled Alicent to her bones.

The door to her chambers opened once more as Viserys made his way in. The years had not been kind to him since they'd wed so long ago, his ailment taking his left arm after first taking his fingers. He'd lost much of the hair on his head and his skin had become littered with sores and what seemed to be a non-aggressive rot. Though suffering from his disease, Viserys still offered a wide, joyous grin as he made his way toward Rhaenyra. The one quality Alicent was able to appreciate of her husband was his lasting love for his family.

"I hear I have another grandson," the king preened with pride at Rhaenyra. He awaited anxiously to greet the new addition to the family.

The princess smiled at her father as she handed her babe to him, making sure his remaining arm was secure around the blankets. Alicent watch with a tight lip as her husband looked down on his grandchild in a way she'd only ever seen him be with one of their children: Rhaela. The queen suspected he saw much of Rhaenyra in their second-born daughter, but she didn't particularly know why. She made an effort to be more of an influence than Rhaela's eldest sister.

Rhaela looked up to her father with admiration as he lightly bounced her nephew. Drawing his attention to her, he grinned. "He has his father's nose. Your nephew will be a fearsome knight," he continued to preen, looking down at his daughter Rhaela. "As you wish to be, my dear. Perhaps you could show him your skills one day, when he's of age."

"Our daughter will not be a knight," Alicent was quick to retort. It earned the crestfallen expression of the younger princess, who looked to her mother with saddened lilac eyes.

Ignoring her harsh comment, Viserys turned his attention to the babe's father. "I must extend my congratulations to you as well, Ser Laenor," the king amiably exclaimed. "As well as thank you for blessing me with yet another grandchild."

Laenor gave the king a gratuitous nod as he stood close to Rhaenyra as any dutiful father would while standing before the king. He hand gripped her arm and rested on her waist as if to stabilize her after such a long birth. "Of course, Your Grace. We are both blessed to have yet another son."

"And what of his name?" Viserys asked, grin unwavering.

Rhaenyra seemed as if she were to give an answer, but was cut off by Laenor. "Joffrey," he stated to the king. He earned a glare from his wife, but ignored it. "We've chosen Joffrey."

Viserys grinned once more as he looked down at the babe. "Ser Joffrey Velaryon, what a name that will be."

The happiness in Viserys was the almost unbearable for Alicent. Never had he acted in such a way toward their children except Rhaela. The queen glanced slightly at her youngest daughter, her was now clinging to her dress.

"Indeed, Your Grace. But I do think it is best that the princess return to bed as she has exerted herself heroically," Laenor told the king as his body began to angle toward the door. Viserys hands over Joffrey to Laenor before he begins making his way to exit the room. Alicent follows close behind.

Leaving Rhaenyra, Viserys, and Rhaela together, the younger princess moves forward to envelop her sister in a hug. "Don't listen to my mother, I will one day train with all of my nephews," Rhaela vows.

Rhaenyra and Viserys hummed a chuckle at her enthusiasm despite Alicent's vocalized displeasure. "Of course, my dear. My husband is right though, I do think it's best I return to bed," the Rhaenyra stated before directing her gaze back to her father. "Please feel free to visit him later, father."

Rhaela watched as her sister gave their father an embrace before leaving with her husband and newborn son, a limp evident in her shuffles. Rhaela's gaze lingered on the door a long moment before turning back to her mother, who had assumed her place at the window. The princess wished to reassert her desire to be a lady-knight after her mother had so quickly denied it, but the girl chose to keep her thoughts silent. Arguing with her mother was futile.

AKIN to a dim coliseum, the dragonpit would be daunting to any typical person who didn't frequent its cavernous darkness on more than small occasions. Torches surrounded the pit to offer some light, while windows toward the top of the structure filtered the slightest ambiance of the sun's rays. Rhaela kept her gaze focused on the slope that led deeper into the dragon pit, where most of the other beasts made their lairs within the ground. She'd wished to make her way down there many times, but the hissing and growls of the dragons in its depths had kept her from descending many times in the past.

Standing close to her nephew Jaecerys and her niece Aemera, the three waited with Lucerys, Aemond, and Aegon as the dragon keepers began to lead the wily Vermax up the slope for a lesson with the children. Jace's green beast let out groaning hisses, his yellow eyes looking every which way as if he were searching for his next meal. Which he would be receiving soon enough, Rhaela knew. Around the size of a small horse now, he pulled at the chains that the keepers were struggling to grapple before they finally unlatched them. With another of the dragonkeepers providing assistance, Jace stepped forward to say commands unto his dragon for training.

Rhaela sneered when she caught Aegon yawning as if he couldn't be deigned to care they were there to support Jace with his efforts to further hone his bond with the young dragon. After her brother had claimed Sunfyre as his mount, the brilliantly golden beast, Aegon seemed to become more pompous and vain toward those of them that hadn't claimed a dragon. Including her. Aemond had received the blunt treatment the most out of the two of them who remained the youngest. Such an attitude of her eldest brother had leeched into the other facet of his personality.

"Dohaeris, Vermax!" Jace commander in Valyrian to his dragon after receiving instruction from the dragon keepers. The beast didn't seem to care, still more concerned with his surroundings that were not the lair he usually occupied. Rhaela's nephew tried again, more commanding this time. "Dohaeris!"

At the disobedience of Vermax, the dragonkeeper proceeded to instruct Jace on his efforts to coax the dragon to listen. Rhaela listened intently, as she was always eager to hone her use of the Valyrian language as well as prepare herself for the day she would claim a dragon. No eggs had managed to hatch when placed in her cradle, nor had any in Aemond's. They remained the only children in the family without mounts. Aemond had remained jealous at the success of their nephews and niece, while Rhaela had made the effort to be supportive out of simple excitement to be in the presence of dragons. She'd take any opportunity she could get.

"Lykiri, Vermax. Dohaeris," Jace said once more after his brief instruction from the dragonkeeper. Commanding him to be calm and serve, Rhaela translated in her mind despite already knowing the words well.

Luckily, Vermax listened this time, as his head cocked and focused on the Prince while his frilled tail twitched in curiosity. The sounds dragons made had always fascinated Rhaela, their hisses and growls unlike any other beast in the known world. It made her heart quicken in excitement.

Vermax, now seemingly ready for instruction, wandered forward to Jace. Nearby, a live goat was brought out by servants and tied to an anchor point made of steel. The presence of the animal drew the dragon's attention almost immediately, his tail twitching harder and his head cocking in a way that suggested he was ready for a hunt; or more likely, a particular word. The indicator that Jace had in fact bonded with his dragon by bartering his obedience.

"Can I say it now?" Jace asked the dragonkeeper that had assisted in translating some of the Valyrian he didn't understand from the senior keeper. The short haired woman nodded, which had Jaecerys beaming with excitement as he looked at his dragon.

As Vermax awaited the anticipation of crawling closer to the goat, Jace stepped forward. "Vermax! Dracarys!"

Opening his jaws for the building flames in his body, the glow visible through the flesh of his throat, Vermax unleashed a blinding plume that engulfed the goat. The animal screeched for a few long seconds before ultimately breaking down into a pile of cooked, smoking meat and bones. The dragon began lunging forward eagerly in anticipation of his meal, but Jace was quick to stop him.

"Umbas!" Jaecerys commanded his mount to halt. Rhaela grinned as she saw Vermax hesitate on the first command to wait, his bright yellow eyes looking at his rider. Once it was deemed the dragon had obeyed, Jace ordered him to feast. "Naejot!"

Rhaela shared a grin with Aemera as Vermax lunged forward and began to feast on the smoking meat. She caught sight of Aemond's sneer that was clearly evident on his features while his arms were tightly crossed. Between the two of them, he'd been more bitter about his lack of a dragon, while Rhaela had chosen to remain hopeful. Mostly because of the promise from her father that it would someday be true. A small frown still forced its way on her lips as it nurtured the empathy.

"You'll have a dragon soon enough," Aemera said supportingly at Rhaela's side, likely noticing the longing in the princess' face as they watched Vermax feast.

Rhaela gave her niece a look before looking at Vermax, who still feasted on the goat. Smoke billowed from the cooked carcass. "Perhaps. Yet no eggs hatched in my cradle. Sometimes I think I'm not worthy of a dragon. You, Helaena and Aegon already have their mounts." She looked to Vermax, frowning. "And now Jace."

Aemera shook her head. "Nonsense. One day, you will fly on your own mount as I ride Lyrax and we'll explore all that we possibly can." She gave Rhaela a reassuring smile and a hand on the shoulder. "Aemond has yet to get a dragon either. You're not alone."

At the mention of her brother and betrothed, Rhaela's gaze drifted to where he stood with a tight lip and furrowed brow. Such an angry expression, one that was not uncommon for him. Yet the girl felt the same longing he did, the same frustration.

While the two girls were talking, it was apparent that Luc had wandered off down the ramp to fetch something down in the dragonpit. The shadowy appearance of a lumbering figure making its way up the slope made both Rhaela and Aemera cock a brow in confusion.

"We are aware that you are without a dragon," Aegon began to say to Aemond, where he stood behind him with his hands clasped on his shoulders in a mocking, brotherly way. "So we took it upon ourselves to change that for you."

Finally, Luc reached the summit of the slope but it was not a dragon he'd been leading. A giant sow with crudely fashioned wings of wood scraps and reeds strapped to its sides clopped about, her snout lifting up as she sniffed the air and snorted. Immediately, Jace and Luc erupted in laugher. Aegon continued. "This here is the Pink Dread," Rhaela's eldest brother told Aemond. "Now, be careful for the first flight, as you know it seals the bond between rider and mount."

Feigning encouragement, Aegon shoved Aemond forward toward the sow, the younger boy hardly catching himself before finding the hardness of the ground. Rhaela's original smile had long faded since her nephew had brought the animal from the pit, her features hardening as she quickly stomped her way over.

Rhaela's brother and two nephews continued carrying on over their joke as the princess neared her brother and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, seeing the evident anger and wounded pride on his face. Tears didn't look too far behind. She looked back to her brother and nephews with venom.

"Mother will be hearing about this," Rhaela muttered through her teeth, all the Targaryen rage she could muster showing on her soft features.

"Mother, mother, mother," Aegon taunted her as he rolled his eyes. "It'd be no surprise. You are her favorite child after all. None of us could come close to the love she shows you."

Rhaela knew his words held some truth, but she would deny it again and again. Ignoring him, she said, "You act as if she isn't going to punish you like a fool for this." She looked back to Aemond whom didn't look away from the ground, his loose silver hair shielding his features now.

Suddenly, Aemond is on his feet, darting for the slope that lead deeper into the pit. Rhaela was on her feet quickly, eyes wide. Aegon and the other boys erupted in laughter once more. Despite her fear, Rhaela shot after Aegon, shooting a vulgar gesture toward her brother and nephews before letting the darkness engulf her.

Aemond didn't get far. She found him a little ways into the tunnel systems, wind breezing through the tunnels and bringing the smells of ash and dragon with it.
Reeling to a stop at his side where he looked toward the darkness, only a single torch illuminating the path far down the way, she gave gripped his shoulder and shook him.

"What are you doing?" She exclaimed, looking to his blank expression. He continued to

"Aegon is a bastard," Aemond muttered. Rhaela knew he didn't mean it in the literal sense, but saying it either way was a dangerous claim that could be met by death.

"Don't say that," she scolded him. Suddenly, he stepped off, wandering deeper into the pit. If he was hurt, there was no telling what their mother would do, therefore she was forced to follow.

"It's not safe down here," she uttered while trying to keep up with his swift walk.

"So?"

"So?! What has gotten into you? This is not the proper way to approach the dragons, you know this!"

"We'll be fine. They're chained and probably sleeping, anyway."

"This is a horrible idea."

Rounding a corner, they were immediately met with a low growl from the darkness not far ahead that echoed against the stone. As if the beast lurking in the darkness were warning them. Rhaela's stomach lurched as she gripped Aemond's elbow, her eyes never leaving the pit of darkness where the outline of the massive dragon could be seen moving. If she remembered correctly from the path they'd taken, this was Dreamfyre's lair. Helaena's mount. The she-dragon wasn't privy to sparing them without their sister present.

"We should turn back—,"

Suddenly, Dreamfyre angrily unleashed her plumes of flames, the heat harsh against Rhaela's features even from the distance they were from the beast. Both of them yelped, lurching back as they shielded their faces with their arms. Rhaela was quick to yank on Aemond's elbow she'd been gripping, dragging him to his feet from where he'd fallen into the dirt.

Stumbling their way from the maw of Dreamfyre's lair, the two fled from the depths of the dragonpit as quickly as their legs would carry them.