Pain.

Pain flows through the princess as she wakes up one morning with the sun of King's Landing shining on her pale complexion. She pulls back the pure white comforter to reveal just the tiniest red stain between her legs.

It cannot be.

She can't be bleeding yet.

She's only ten years of age, it's far too soon.

But Vaemyra does the only thing she can and quickly disposes of her stained sheets. She shoves them underneath her bed right before her handmaiden comes in. Confused by the lack of bedding, the handmaiden curtsies before darting off to fetch new sheets for the princess.

And so, Vaemyra gets ready all on her own. She draws her own bath water and sinks down into the boiling tub. She washes and dries herself and braids her own hair before picking out her own dress and covering her body with it. By the time the handmaiden returns, she's nearly all done.

The handmaiden sees Vaemyra struggling to tie up the back of her dress, and slowly approaches to offer her help and get the young princess ready for the day.

" Thank you, Emily," Vaemyra sighs as she gazes upon her reflection in the large floor mirror before her.

Emily bows her head in respect as she takes a step backward.

" The Queen asks you to join her for the day," The handmaiden conveys as her eyes meet with the princess through the mirror.

Vaemyra then makes her way out of her chambers and walks through the grand castle halls to visit her mother, whose pregnancy has not been easy on her and has spared her no expense of pain. But once the young princess walks through the doors, the Queen dawns a smile on her face.

" Come come, little lamb," Aemma beckons as she extends her arms.

Vaemyra brings herself into her mother's warm embrace, finding peace within her arms while nuzzling into her chest. Aemma begins to gently stroke the back of Vaemyra's neck, and it nearly sends her into a peaceful slumber as goosebumps form on her delicate skin.

" How were your dreams?" The mother asks.

" Peaceful," Vaemyra smiles as her eyes remain shut, " I dreamt of Drea."

" What of her?" Aemma questions.

" That she was as large as her brother," Vaemyra boasts in excitement, " And I here valiant rider."

" You have quite the imagination, little lamb," Aemma affirms as she pulls away just the slightest to look her daughter in the eyes, " And I truly wish your dreams could become a reality."

" Why can't they?" Vaemyra ponders with a furrowed brow.

" Because you are a girl, Vaemyra," Her mother answers, " And you have certain duties you must fulfill for the realm."

" What kind of duties?"

Aemma places her daughter's hand over her swollen belly so she may feel the babe within the womb.

" Duties to produce children of your own," Aemma sighs, " Someday."

As Vaemyra feels her mother's round belly, her thoughts can't help but wander to the blood in between her legs, a marker of her womanhood beginning, but she only knows so much since the Septa treats her as she is.

A child.

" Will it happen once I bleed?" Vaemyra questions, eyes wide and left unblinking.

" Well, not directly after," Aemma states, " But, yes. Once you begin to bleed, it means your body is ready to begin womanhood."

The little girl nods at her mother's words, even as a little frown paints her lips.

" I don't want to begin womanhood," She mumbles to herself.

" Ah... Rhaenyra," The Queen smiles as her eldest daughter enters, " You know I don't like you to go flying while I'm in this condition."

" You don't like me to go flying while you're in any condition," Rhaenyra remarks, then smiles down at her little sister, who stands up and leaps into her arms.

" I missed you," Vaemyra smiles.

" I missed you, too," Rhaenyra says as she kisses the top of her head, then takes a seat and brings her attention back to her mother, " Did you sleep?"

" I slept," Aemma affirms,

" How long?"

" I don't need mothering, Rhaenyra."

" Well, here you are, surrounded by attendants, all focused on the babe. Someone has to attend to you."

The Queen smiles at her daughter, whose concern is touching as always, and feels her heart flutter as she watches little Vaemyra fiddle with the rings on her sister's hand.

" You will lie in this bed soon enough, Rhaenyra," Aemma sighs as the conversation takes a darker turn, " This discomfort is how we serve the realm."

" I'd rather serve as a knight and ride to battle and glory," Rhaenyra proudly states.

" We have royal wombs, the three of us," The Queen chuckles, " The child bed is our battlefield. We must learn to face it with a stiff lip. Now take a bath. You stink of dragon."

The elder princess gets sent to the King's Small Council in order to perform her duties as cupbearer. While she is present for the meetings, she is never truly part of them. She listens but it is never heard. She listens to how her father longs for a boy and is confident that is what the Queen has in her belly. The king is certain that the Queen will birth an heir, a comment not taken lightly by his daughter.

Once the small council meeting is adjourned, the King is left alone, sat at the head of the table with a cup full of wine, and from the open double doors comes running in his daughter of age 10.

Vaemyra rushes to her father and quickly wraps her tiny arms around his waist, bringing a smile to his lips as he sets down his cup.

" How is my darling girl?" Viserys asks.

" I'm well," Vaemyra smiles, " I spent the morning with mother."

" And how is she?" He asks.

" Well," She nods.

Viserys looks upon his daughter's face and smiles as he gently pets her hair and gazes into her sparkling eyes.

" Have you eaten?"

Vaemyra shakes her head.

The king brings his daughter onto his lap, setting her on one knee as he motions for a servant to bring over the bowl of grabs resting by the window. One by one the king plucks the grapes from the vine and feeds them to his daughter, watching intently as she consumes the sweet fruit.

And once the young princess is satisfied with her meal, she hops off her father's lap and makes her way to the doors.

" And where might you be going?" Viserys calls out to his young one.

" To find Rhaenyra!" Vaemyra exclaims as she begins to happily saunter throughout the palace.

And the princess continues her journey for quite some time, searching far and near for wherever her sister may be, only to find her in the throne room with her uncle, who's placing a red pendant around her neck.

" Ziry iksos gevie (It's beautiful)" Vaemyra states as she enters the throne room, " May I see it?"

" Of course," Rhaenyra says as she bends down.

Vaemyra reaches her hand out to touch the Valyrian steel, eyeing the beautiful necklace as she toys with the pendant. Her eyes reach over Rhaenyra's shoulder to make contact with her uncle, who's gazing down at the two sisters.

" Hello, uncle," Vaemyra smiles.

" Hello, dove," Daemon utters as Rhaenyra stands up.

" Thank you for the gift," She acknowledges, " But I must be on my way."

As Rhaenyra exits, Daemon turns his attention back onto the little girl.

" Skorkydoso iksis aōha Valyrīha? (How is your Valyrian?)" He questions.

" Ao gīmigon ñuha Valyrīha iksis sȳrī (You know my Valyrian is well)" Vaemyra states, " You taught me."

" That I did," Daemon says point blank, " Aren't you 7?"

" 10," Vaemyra corrects, " You missed a few birthdays."

" I suppose that means I'll have to make up for that, then," He sighs, " What did you have in mind?"

And in that moment, her eyes light up with a mischievous grin.

" Let me ride Caraxes," She states.

" Are you mad?"

" Possibly."

Vaemyra's childlike innocence is truly a divine gift in these troubled times. She goes through life as if no dangers persist, as she does so with a gentle smile that makes Daemon's heartache. Under normal circumstances, he positively hates children... but there's something about Vaemyra that makes him want to give her the entire world on a silver platter.

" Go back to your mother," Daemon orders, attempting to brush off the small girl, " I would imagine she needs you."

And back to her mother Vaemyra goes, though with a frow evident on her heavy cheeks. She goes back into her mother's arms and falls asleep on her chair, to which Aemma leaves her as she stands up to get into the bath. Viserys soon enters her chambers, where he quietly steps past his sleeping daughter to accompany his wife, and their conversation then begins to veer off course.

" One of the servant girls sad she found sheets underneath Vaemyra's bed," Viserys mutters, unable to meet his wife's gaze, " Stained with blood."

" So it begins," Aemma sighs.

" She's so young..." He trails as he turns his head to gaze upon the sleeping girl, " Too young..."

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