House Targaryen, in recent years, had been plagued with unruly daughters.

Princess Alyssa had always been coarse and unladylike, swearing like a sailor, fighting like a boy and dancing like a tavern wench. Princess Saera was exiled from court in 84 AC after a lewd scandal that disgraced her entire family. Princess Viserra had died three years later during a drunken horse race in the streets, the night before she left to be married. In the previous generation, there was the wild Princess Aerea - who had met a grisly end after an ill-advised trip to Valyria on the back of the Black Dread - and Princess Rhaena, who had been plagued with rumours of her shocking affairs with other women.

Daena Targaryen, second child and only daughter of Alyssa and Baelon, had been compared to all of these women at least once in her life.

She enjoyed people saying how much like her mother she was, only having fleeting memories of the loud, laughing woman who had strapped her onto her back at two weeks old and gone flying on her dragon, Meleys. She resented the comparisons to her aunts, however. Daena was far too good at both riding horses and getting drunk to die in such a way as Viserra, and she was not as much of a whore to be caught in a compromising position like Saera. Her beloved Caraxes obeyed her better than the Black Dread ever obeyed Aerea, and as for affairs with women... well, most other girls despised her

Caraxes was the creature she cared for most in the world, excluding her father. Her dragon had not hatched from the measly purple egg placed in her cradle as a baby. She had claimed him after the death of her Uncle Aemon when she was eleven, for Caraxes had been his mount. 

There was outcry at the time, that the Blood Wyrm - vicious, deadly and the veteran of many battles - was now bonded to a young, disobedient princess.

"She is like Viserra come again," Daena overheard her grandmother hissing to the King. The woman had never liked her overmuch; not since she deemed her a bad influence on her beloved youngest daughter, Gael. "Reckless, hot-tempered and childish. Imagine Viserra with that beast of a dragon to back her up - she will do more damage than a drunken horse race through the streets!"

"Mother, Daena is nothing like Viserra," Her father Baelon said, calm but firm. "If she is childish, that is because she is a child. It is good, that Aemon's dragon is bonded. Not least because now the Blood Wyrm is under control again - perhaps he will eat fewer of the Dragonkeepers,"

"What would you have me do, Alysanne?" The King spoke over his wife's protest, irritable. "Daena has claimed Caraxes. Though she would not be my first choice, the bond is formed, and cannot be broken. House Targaryen has another dragonrider,"

Scowling, Daena had stormed off. What had she done, to make them think so little of her? Dragged Gael down to the stables and got her gown muddy? Lost her temper at her idiot brother too many times? Not listened to her simpering septa enough? Hardly enough to warrant the level of mistrust and dislike. She was not sorry. She he would much rather have the formidable grown dragon - huge, lean and beautifully red - than a ratty little hatchling.

Better Caraxes too than Balerion. Daena would admit that she had been slightly - only slightly! - envious when her good-natured brother had claimed the legendary mount of the Conqueror for himself, though that jealousy had died quickly when she watched Viserys struggle to rouse the enormous beast and barely fly three times around the city before having to land again. Balerion was old, sluggish and surely about to die soon anyway.

Even in his prime, the Black Dread would have been wasted on Viserys. Her brother, elder by four years, would be King some day, yet he was far too... pleasant to inspire any fear at all. Balerion needed a rider with fire, not an amiable young man who hated conflict and was too eager to please by far. The only vaguely kingly quality Viserys had was that he was very stubborn when he wished to be.

It was a good, in that sense at least, that she was to be his Queen.

Her father was apologetic, when he told her that not only was her betrothal to her brother confirmed, but the wedding would take place in a few short months.

"I am sorry, Daena," Prince Baelon said. "If it were up to me, I would not have you wed until you were at least sixteen. Your grandfather insisted, however,"

"I know it's because stupid cousin Rhaenys just had a boy," Daena folded her arms, defiant to hide the sinking feeling in her stomach. "That's what everyone is saying,"

Her father hesitated. "It is one thing," He started. "To pass over Aemon's daughter. Quite another when she has a son of her own. Viserys must have a bride, and it must be you. Rhaenys' daughter will wed the son of you and Viserys, some day, and this whole sorry business will be behind us,"

"A son?" Despite herself, Daena's eyes widened. "Father, I can't - " She broke off. 

Can't what? Be a mother at thirteen? Lay with her brother on their wedding night? Be trapped by the position of Queen her entire life?

Baelon caught what she was trying to say, with a sorrowful expression. "You don't have to... to consumate the marriage. Not yet. You are much too young. Though... it must appear like you have,"

For once, her voice caught in her throat, and Daena just nodded, much to her father's surprise. I want to be Queen, she told herself. And she truly did. She wasn't scared of Viserys - the thought was laughable, he was no doubt more scared of her - but she resented that her relative freedom was being taken away so soon. Better to be a queen that than some pitiful lord's wife, and at least she would keep her name, and stay in her home. But just... not yet.

And so what if, once her father was gone, she immediately ran off to the Dragonpit and mounted Caraxes, screaming at the top of her lungs into the clouds over Blackwater Bay? Her voice was lost in the wind, but the Blood Wyrm let out a great roar, sensing her turmoil, which echoed far and wide. Flocks of seabirds scattered, and fishing boats below cried out in alarm. With a dragon, the world knew her.

Sometimes, it was as though the only thing keeping her from feeling suffocated in her own family was the great beast. With Caraxes, she could go wherever she wished, for who was going to stop her? She was meant to be escorted everywhere she went, but of course none of her septas or maids were willing to mount a dragon. And if they had tried, he would eat them.

On a deserted beach somewhere down the coast, Daena curled up against Caraxes' great red shoulder, leaning her face against his warm scales. The beast, who was feared even by the Dragonkeepers for his temper, lowered his snout, nudging her gently, no hint of those fearsome teeth showing.

"If it's truly so awful, we can run away together," She told him, and herself too, stroking his red scales. "I know you hate the Dragonpit, anyway. I wish they wouldn't chain you up. Who cares if you eat the odd servant?"

He made a rumbling noise, and she smiled.

"At least I will have you," Daena said. "I will always have you,"

*

The long awaited and frequently requested next volume to my Westeros Genderbend series! This started off as a bit of a crack pairing (Daemon and Viserys, come on) and got away from me somewhat haha. How did I do? Daena marrying Viserys made the most sense here, given her dragon and his lack of one compared to Rhaenys, but do tell me what you think!