CHAPTER FIFTEEN

ROSEVA TARGARYEN awoke to find her husband missing from the bed beside her. The woman sat up and brushed her hair away from her face and shifted to climb off the bed.

Her feet touched the cold floor making her shiver before she put on her shift dressing gown and covered her feet with her shoes before leaving her chambers.

Her first thought was to find her husband — she hated arguing with him but it was rare he ever saw her side of things. Daemon was a high born man and she understood he had to make decisions he necessarily didn't want to make but it was expected of him.

That often coursed a rift between their marriage but nonetheless they stayed strong. Neither Roseva or Daemon ever let their fights get to the point where their marriage was on the brink of doom.

They loved each other too much for that.

Roseva stopped when she heard humming, a small and low hummer but she heard it. She approached the room with an open door and entered to see her son, Rhaegar sitting by the fire with his dragon egg in hand humming a Valyrian tune that he must have gotten from his father.

Rhaegar was the only one from her children with Daemon to not get a dragon. He had an egg but it never hatched. Roseva understood his eagerness and disappointment to an extent but she wasn't a Targaryen therefore she never truly knew how it felt to not be able to bond with a dragon.

Daemon understood and often Rhaegar would find himself in his fathers arms in tears when another year went by where the egg hadn't hatched. His father did everything he could to tame the sadness his son was feeling and helped him start his journal.

Rhaegar was a fantastic artist and had started drawing different dragons he had gotten from his fathers books as well as sitting with Caraxes and drew him while Daemon sat beside him reading another book.

"What are you doing, little dove?", Roseva asked tentatively, knowing it was a delicate situation.

Rhaegar turned at his mothers voice and smiled, putting the egg down as though he was ashamed that he was still trying, "It's been eight years, mother, mayhaps I'm not meant to have a dragon".

Roseva walked over to the empty chair beside her son and she took a seat, rubbing her belly softly. She wants more than five months a long but she was big, she was hoping it wasn't another set of twins — may the gods help her if it is. "Half of them never do".

Rhaegar's eyebrows pinched in confusion as he softly looked up at his mother, "Never what?".

"Hatch", she smiled sympathetically.

"Will they let me stay?", he spoke after a moment of silence, he wasn't looking at her now he was rubbing his hands of his egg in longing.

This time Roseva was confused, "Will who let you stay?".

"The prince of Pentos", he looked at her again, she saw so much of Daemon in him but mostly her, the same way Robert did.

"I can't say understand what you mean".

"He wants you and father . . . Daeron and Rhaena because they have dragons and you can birth more", if it had been anyone else, Roseva would have been offended but she knew what her son meant and she couldn't help but see his point.

The world was run on men's want for children but no gratitude was ever spared for the women who grant them their wish.

Roseva sighed and shifted her body onto the floor next to her son and swept him into her arms, he was careful to mind her belly as he didn't want to hurt the baby or his mother. He gently rested his head on her chest and closed his eyes — listening to her heartbeat.

He had done that often as a child, when something frightened him and his twin wasn't there to comfort him, he'd run to his mother and lay his head on her chest and soothe over her heartbeat as Roseva petted his head.

"Your cousin, Rhaenyra once told me there is more than one way to bind yourself to a dragon the Lady Laena Velaryon was without her dragon until she was fifteen years old and now she rides Vhagar, the largest dragon in the world", she voiced and Rhaegar smiled against her chest. "You have a harder road. Daeron and Rhaena's dragons were born to them. But . . . if you wish to be a rider, you must claim that right. Your father will tell you the same".

Rhaegar sat up and looked back at his mother with an appreciative smile before saying, "Can you speak with father? I hate when you fight".

Roseva frowned but nodded with a kiss to his forehead, "Let's get you back to bed".

⸺

Once Roseva had put her son back to sleep she exited the chambers and went to look for her husband — knowing he was upon the roof once her son mentioned seeing his father going that way.

Daemon sat with a cup in his hand in deep thought. He was thinking of his precious daughter and how he didn't want to wed her off in exchange for some land and people — she was more than that and he knew it when the words were exchanged.

However, he was a prince and he had duties, he had never thought he'd be a father when he was married to Rhea Royce so he never thought of the responsibilities a father would have. But now he was a father he couldn't imagine not being one. But it came with sacrifices he didn't want to make.

Roseva felt that Daemon never understood her views but he did, he always did but it was different for her. She wasn't able to make decisions for her children the same way he had to — he wished every day he could give her that burden but then he felt guilty for wishing it.

Roseva felt that Daemon never understood her views, but Roseva also didn't understand his.

A common misunderstanding of two people who only want best for the children but have to do it in different ways.

Daemon as the father has to ensure his children marry well into a good house and produce enough heirs to satisfy the people and make sure their Targaryen bloodline prevails. On the other hand, Roseva was the mother and she has to ensure the wellbeing of her children and make sure they never suffer what she suffered.

Daemon looked up when footsteps were heard, his eyes fell upon his wife — his beautiful wife — holding her belly as she ventured towards him. His frown turned into a smile when he softly watched her walk over to him.

He pushed up a pillow for her to rest on as she sat on the bench beside him, shifting to make herself comfortable. Daemon rested a hand on her thigh and she interlocked their hands together and rested them there.

"Rhaenyra has written. She has delivered another son", she informed her husband as he sipped his wine in distaste.

"Does she mention if this one also bears a marked but entirely coincidental resemblance to your cousin, Steffon?", he then chuckled and Roseva rolled her eyes.

"She . . . seems to have left that detail out", Roseva spoke and he hummed, "I do miss my cousin, Daemon. He's the only part of my Baratheon heritage that I speak to. My father abandoned me the moment Viserys annulled my marriage to Otto", Daemon remained quiet but tensed at the mention of the man she was once wed to, "And I believe you miss home too".

"I miss Westerosi strong wine. It could be depended on for a few hours of peaceful oblivion", he smelled his wine before throwing the rest away.

Roseva scoffed and let go of his hand and stood, "I am tired of arguing, I'm going to bed", she swiftly turned but his hand stopped her and pulled her to his chest.

Daemon stood over her and kissed her lips tenderly and she kissed back before they parted, he rested his head on hers and sighed, "I'm sorry, my love. I don't wish to argue".

"Do you never long for home?", she asked again and Daemon rubbed a hand over his face and walked off to stand by the wall so he could overlook it. Roseva followed him and rested her body against his back, looking over his shoulder to see the view.

"No".

"I don't believe you".

"You often don't".

Roseva kissed his clothed shoulder, "You laud the virtues of Pentos, but you have no interest in it. If you did, you would venture into the city, but instead, you spend your time here, in the library, reading accounts of the same dead dragon lords whose legacy you claim has no hold on you".

"Didn't realise I was being so minutely observed".

"I always observe you, my love. We missed out on so much time".

"Precisely from the people who reside in Kings Landing and yet you want to go back to badly", Daemon turned and held her body close to his chest now, leaning his back against the wall to sit straight.

"But at least when we were together there we had some form of time. Here, in Pentos, you do not sleep, you wander the halls searching for something to ease your mind and I know it's because you worry for your brother who you also claim is surrounded by vultures who are trying to claim his throne".

Daemon let out an aggravated sigh, "They are vultures, Rose! Viserys will be dead soon enough, I'm surprised he's lasted this long, and once he is Alicent will usurp the throne".

Roseva looked at him sadly and he knew it was because she saw Alicent as her daughter the same way she saw Rhaenyra as her daughter, "I cannot believe that. I have to believe Alicent will put aside her feelings and do what is right and what is right is Rhaenyra sitting on that throne".

"I know . . . life has disappointed you as it has done me", she spoke when he said nothing, "But you are more than this, my love. The man I married was more than what people expected from him", she cupped his face gently and kissed him once.

"Rhaena will only wed someone that you and her choose, that is all I can do", Daemon spoke softly and smiled when his wife smiled brightly.

"Thank you", she kissed him again and smiled into the kiss when he kissed her back. He pulled away and snuggled his head into her neck and wrapped his arms as best as he could around her waist.

"I love you", he mumbled but she heard it.

"And I love you".

⸺

A few mornings later, Roseva awoke to the sound of Damon's snoring which made her laugh quietly — over the years he had proclaimed that he never snored every time she brought it up.

The chamber door opened and Rhaena and Rhaegar came flying through and jumped on the bed, careful not to hurt their mother.

"Good morning, my doves", Roseva smiled and hugged them tightly when they situated themselves between herself and their father. Rhaegar cuddled himself into Roseva and Rhaena did the same with Daemon.

Roseva could tell Daemon was now awake when his snoring stopped and he tried his best not to smile when his daughter started poking his cheek to wake him up.

Rhaena screeched when Daemon flew from his laying position and tackled her into a hug and tickled her, "Mother, save me!".

"I simply cannot tame such a dragon, my darling. You're on your own", Roseva laughed as did her son by her side.

Daeron came waltzing in, rubbing his tired eyes, "What's this? Another family meeting I missed?", he groaned and walked toward the bed and sat by his mothers feet and rubbed her belly softly which a small smile.

It wasn't often Roseva got to experience such tender actions from her son but when she did she cherished them — he was just too much like Daemon.

Lastly, Robert came in with disheveled brown curly hair and bare feet. "Mother, Daeron kicked me in the face again".

"Only because you've got a fat head".

"Daeron!", Roseva scolded, "Apologise to your brother".

Despite Robert not being Daemon's son, both parents ensured that each of their children treat him the same way they do each other but they didn't need to do much because they adored their oldest brother.

Robert was there for it all, he made sure Daeron had someone to play with when they first arrived in Pentos as they both struggled to make friends — Daeron because of his attitude and Robert because he was so quiet and shy.

He made sure Rhaegar had all the art supplies he needed and often sat with him in silence as the big drew.

Rhaena would come and join at some point and Robert would let her do small braids in his hair as it fell down the sides of his head but not all the way — she would always compliment his curls which often made him blush.

Roseva had always noted that her son was . . . different. There were things he said to her that made her feel as though her son was hiding something from her about himself.

She never encouraged it purely because she didn't want to pressure him but also because the world was a cruel place for people with peculiar tastes but to her it wasn't peculiar. She believed you should be able to love whoever you wanted to love without fear of being in danger.

So she waited for him to tell her or waited for her to be wrong about who she thought her son was. To her it didn't matter, she'd love him all the same.

"I apologise, brother. Though you should train with me today", Robert smiled and nodded, "I need someone to beat up", his smiled quickly faded and he rushed over to grab his younger brother and put him in a head lock.

"Say sorry".

"No".

"Say sorry", Robert held him tighter. Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and watched either amused (in Daemon and Rhaena's case) or appalled (in Roseva and Rhaegar's case).

"Robert!".

"I won't lie", Daeron spat.

"Say sorry or I'll tell mother you ate her biscuits", he whispered and Daeron visibly paled. He might be a smart mouth who hates most people but one person who scared him the most was his mother.

Roseva raised an eyebrow as she had heard him loud and clear, Daemon looked at her and laughed loudly but she didn't find it very funny.

Those were her favourite biscuits.

"Sorry. I'm sorry!", Daeron quickly yelled and Robert let him go with a satisfied smile.

"Daeron".

The boy turned slowly to see his mother was an unimpressed look making him gulp. "Mother?".

"Did you eat my chocolate covered milk biscuits?".

Daeron looked between her and his father for help but Daemon merely shrugged trying not to laugh. "Rhaena made me do it!".

"You little snitch!".

That set off another fight causing Roseva to sigh but the fight was over when a guard knocked on the door and came in informing Roseva that she had a letter.

The woman stood from the bed and read the letter that spoke words she never thought she'd see — Daemon stood from the bed and walked around it when he saw the tears coming from his wife's eyes.

The children noticed too and stopped fighting and looked at their mother sadly, not liking to see her sad.

"Love, what's happened?", Daemon asked and rubbed her back.

"Laena Velaryon is dead".