𝐀 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐘𝐄𝐍
___________

117 AC

𝐀elora Targaryen, despite her last name, never felt as if she where a true Targaryen.She never felt that she belonged in their world of dragons, riches and violence or that the dragons blood ran through her veins as thick as it did her siblings.While her siblings had the signature silver hair and blue or purple eyes, Aelora might aswell have been a pure Hightower, she looked nothing like a Targaryen with her dark red curls and green eyes, not to mention her lack of dragon.

Aeloras egg never hatched, much like her elder brothers, and she was never allowed to forget it.The young girl, naive and oblivious, thought that she could replace her non existent dragon with training, thinking that if she couldn't fight with a dragon she'd learn to do it by hand.Naturally she was turned down that offer, because she was a girl.Her mothers sworn guard Ser Criston had tried to break the news to her as gently as possible but that plan quickly flew out the window when Aeloras eldest brother, Aegon, decided to blurt out that his sister was a weak girl and didn't belong on the battle field.Aegon never let Aelora forget she didn't have a dragon, that she was weak and little without one, and in return she never let him forget of the drunk secrets he'd whispered to her.

"I may not be worthy of the battlefield but at least I am worthy of mothers love!"The young girl raged, her face red and cheeks puffed as she spun around and stormed away from the training yard, leaving her brother and others who heard speechless.If she couldn't defeat them with violence, she'd defeat them with words.Unfortunately she seemed to loose control of what left her mouth when she was so enraged, and that quickly became one of those moments she'd later have to carry around the guilt off.

Aelora sat besides her sister, Heleana, with her arms and legs crossed as if she where a child having a tantrum...which she was.Thankfully her mother had not been present to hear the generous words she spat in her brothers face but he had and she felt incredibly guilty about it already.

Aelora, much like her mother, had trouble controlling her emotions and mind, that loved to overthink and stress the young girl out, so for the rest of that training session, that she was forced to only observe, her eyes were trained on her eldest brother while she picked and bit at the nails and bruised skin off her fingers.As if her intense focus on him would magically make him forget what she said, but from his slumped shoulders and head hanging low Aelora knew it hit him hard.

The princess had been so focused on her brother that she did not even glance in the directions of her nephews, it going therefore unnoticed by Aelora that the eldest of the Velaryon boys found simply the sight of her more interesting than any sword.Causing him to be knocked over or defeated, several times.

Jaehaerys may have been to quiet for his own good, he too never felt like a true Targaryen with his dark curly hair and deep brown eyes, so dark that they almost blended into one with his pupils.He was awkward, incredibly anxious and could barely string a sentence together without stuttering, yet somehow he was expected to be Lord of the tides someday.Jaehaerys had to be almost dragged across the floor, kicking and screaming, every time he had to even speak with someone, alone, for more than a few seconds yet there he stud completely entranced by one of the loudest people he probably knew.

Aelora wasn't loud per say but compared to a boy like Jaehaerys, who hated to even hear himself speak, she almost exhausted the prince with the amount she would ramble onto him about.But he truly did enjoy it, enjoy her company.He spoke to the girl nearly everyday and yet when Aelora finally looked in his direction and simply smiled and waved, Jaehaerys hide away his suddenly flushed face almost instantly.

Jaehaerys thanked the gods when training finally ended, when he could finally escape Aegons constant teasing and Ser Cristons incredibly unfair treatment, and retreat to hide elsewhere for the rest of the day.He was attempting to fix his messy, curly head of hair while walking doing the halls, which was difficult to do without the help of his sister, when he heard a loud voice calling his name echo down the hall.Aelora jumped up besides him before he could even turn around to spot her.

"You dare ignore my kind smile"Aelora dramatically held a hand to her heart, mocking an offended tone.

"I-...I was busy"Jaehaerys stuttered, a terribly embarrassing habit he'd never been able to control, making him want to never speak again every-time it slipped past his lips.

Aelora hummed and nodded, interlacing her hands behind her back as she strolled besides him."Being knocked over by my brothers?"

Jaehaerys briefly glared at her before removing his hands from his hair and dropping them back at his sides with a heavy exhale in defeat."As if you could fight any better"

"Fair point"Aelora frowned and nodded but her mischievous smile quickly returned as she perked up on her tippy-toes to whisper in Jaehaerys ear."But that still doesn't mean I can't poke fun at you for it"

"I hate you, I hope you now that"Jaehaerys grumbled keeping his head down and his eyes locked on the stone floor beneath his feet.

"You love me"Aelora titled her head and grinned, again stepping up on her toes to reach the side of Jaehaerys face but this time to plant a quick, chaste kiss on his cheek.

Jaehaerys froze, stopping dead in his tracks, as his eyes widened and his cheeks flushed a bright shade of red."W-..."He opened his mouth to speak, turning his head around, only to see Aelora had already disappeared.

He sighed and turned back around, to continue his track back to his chambers, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair as he tried to ignore the goosebumps running along his arms and his heart, pounding loudly in his ears, that felt as if it were about to burst.

𝐖hen the queen, Alicent, finally stepped outside to check on her children Aegon jumped at the chance to tell of his little sisters insult and even though he knew their mother would never dare hurt her youngest girl, her clear favourite child, it was still a victory to watch Aelora be dragged inside with a pout on her face and usual proud posture slouched.

"I didn't mean it..."Aelora mumbled, her eyes fixed on the floor to avoid Alicents disapproving glare that she could feel burning into the top of her head.

"I know you didn't but you can't be yelling that out for anyone in the yard to hear, Aelora"Alicent hissed, her hands on her knees as she leaned down to be face to face with her daughter.

Aelora was Alicents favourite, that was obvious to everyone, she was her youngest child, her baby girl who Viserys had no say in upbringing.She didn't look like a Targaryen, Viserys was to old by the time she was born to bother with her and raise her in the ways and traditions of the Targaryens, allowing Alicent to raise her how she wanted, to raise her in the faith of the seven.Aelora was Alicents, not Viserys, not the crowns, Aelora was Alicents daughter and sometimes when she looked at her Alicent could pretend for a moment, only for a moment, that she never married Viserys, was never forced to have his children, and Aelora was the child of whatever man she chose to be with but that fantasy faded the moment she looked too her other children and saw Viserys in all four of them, nothing but pure Targaryens inside and out.

"I am sorry..."Aelora whispered after a pause of silence, biting at her bottom lip and picking at the bruised, purple darkened, skin around her short nails she chewed at often.

Alicent loved Aelora with all her heart and soul but her eyes widened whenever she witnessed her pick her nails or skin until she drew blood, it was if she was looking into a dirtied, tainted mirror that reflected everything she hated about herself and rubbed it right in her face.Alicent got onto one of her knees and clasped her daughters, warm, delicate hands in her own cold, scarred ones and stared into her eyes with a sympathetic look for a long moment.Sometimes at night, or even at random moments of the days, Alicent prayed to the seven her daughter did not face the same entrapment as she did, she prayed her father would not use her children like puppets, like he did her, unfortunately that seemed to be a future Alicent could not control or stop from happening.

"Is Aegon upset with me?"Aeloras precious voice broke as her lip began to quiver, it seemed she was taking the insult harder than the person who it was aimed at.

Alicent frowned and shook her head, as usual her eldest son wasn't bothered by his sisters words, he wasn't fazed by much and simply spent the day sleeping, drinking or wandering around the castle looking for god knows what.

"He-..." Alicent was interrupted by the sound of the chamber door unlocking and opening, whipping her head around to see Ser Criston Cole walking inside with his grip tight on Aemonds shoulder.

Aelora immediately knew he'd snuck into the dragon pit again, in an attempt to claim a dragon, when she saw the frizzy mess of his hair and the smoke stained skin of his face, she could smell the dragon scent from a mile away even if she didn't have one of her own.Aemond had tried to convince Aelora to tag along on his risky adventures to the dragon pit but she refused, especially after becoming a witness to him being dragged back by a knight, covered in dirt, and scolded by their mother.

Aelora slowly crept away from behind her, now fuming, mother and towards where her elder sister, Heleana, sat inspecting another one of her insects as it crawled about her hands.Her eyes were fixed on Aemond for as long as she could keep them their, before sitting down besides Healena and turning her eyes to the bug in her hands instead.

"They gave me a pig!"Aemond raised his voice over Alicents scolding one, causing her to stop whatever she was saying and lean her head back in shock.

Aelora whipped her head around once more at his words, furrowing her brows in confusion and curiosity as to what he meant, what did a pig have to do with sneaking into the dragon pit?Alicent spoke more words to Aemond which Aelora couldn't over hear depsite how hard she tried to, all she picked up on was "you will have a dragon" before Healena muttered something that diverted her focus.

"He will have to close an eye"

"What did you say?"Aelora asked and turned back to her sister, titling her head as she attempted to inspect the girls face but she wore nothing but a blank and unreadable expression.

Aelora stared at her sister with a puzzled look for a lot longer than she realised, trying to decode and figure out whatever her riddle was telling or warning them off.She was so distracted by Helaena and her riddle that Aelora almost jumped up when she suddenly felt a head on her shoulder, slowly turning, as to not move them, to see a sniffling Aemond resting against her.

Aemond never cried, Aelora had not once seen him shed a tear despite all the teasing he endured from Aegon and their nephews and yet there he sat, choking back tears as he found comfort in simply sitting besides his little sister and watching his elder play with a bug.Aelora stared Aemond for a moment, as if waiting for him to crack, but he never did, so after a moment of watching him with a sympathetic look Aelora rested her head atop of his.Staying like that for the rest of the afternoon and almost closing her eyes, drifting off, on numerous occasions.

Their father may not have loved or even taken notice of them, he may not have seen them as special or proud children of his blood line, like he did Rhaenyra, but Aelora would always try comfort her siblings, she would always make it known to them that she cared for them, that she thought them to be special.She would sit at each and everyone of their graves for days if that's what it took to prove to them that they were loved by some, maybe not many, but some was enough to matter.

"𝐃aeron!"Aelora hissed, kicking the knee up that her brother rested his head on to wake him.

Daeron groaned and rolled off her lap, that he was peacefully using as a pillow to sleep on moments ago."Why do you always wake me?"

"Because I am wasting my breath reading to you and you don't listen!"Aelora attempted to scold her elder brother but the grin fighting its way onto her lips ruined and collapsed her stern glare, and exterior.

Daeron sighed, breathing in the fresh scent off the grass which he buried his face in.Everyday Aelora read to him under her favourite tree, and everyday he fell asleep resting against her lap and was scolded the moment he woke for not listening to Aelora and her "wise words" as she put it.

"Why not read to Helaena or...or Jaehaerys! he'd definitely listen to your nonsense-...ow!"Daeron was cut off by a hard smack to the back of his head as he tried to sit back up, only to be knocked back down again.

"This is not about Jaehaerys, it's about how you can not even listen to a single knowledgeable sentence without falling asleep, if you don't learn to listen and take in important information, soon, your head will be filled with nothing but dragons and violence"Aelora sucked in a deep breath after ranting all her words out in one, shutting the book and moving it off her lap so she could lay on her back besides Daeron, who's face was still buried in the dirt.

"That doesn't sound all too bad"Daeron hummed as he flipped over to lay on his back, following the trail of Aeloras eyes, to view whatever cloud she was staring at with such focus and interest but it was only a clear, plain blue sky.

"Well of course it doesn't to you, your a boy, a Targaryen...not to mention with a dragon"Aelora hesitantly spoke just above a whisper, so quiet Daeron barley heard her words.She turned her eyes away from the clear sky and to her hands, that she was yet again picking at the bruised and scarred skin off.

"Whatever do you mean?"Daerons face quickly dropped to a concerned, worried written look as he leaned on his side and propped himself up on his elbow, immediately reaching out and grabbing one of Aeloras hands in his to prevent her from biting and pulling at her skin until it bled, any longer."You are a Targaryen, it is in your name, your blood"

"Hmmm well it doesn't feel like, I feel no fire, no dragon, in me..."Aelora rolled her eyes and forced a small, mocking-like, smile as she emphasised on the word dragon.

Daeron clicked his tongue off the top of his mouth as he nodded in understanding, her problem was not just that she didn't look like a Targaryen but that she didn't even have a dragon of her own.There was no violent or brutal Targaryen quality in her, that was obvious, Aelora was sensitive and peaceful.There was nothing about her that made Aelora feel like a true Targaryen, no silver hair, no purple eyes, not even a dragon.She didn't usually care what others thought, Daeron knew that, but he also knew it wasn't about other's opinion but her own, she wanted a dragon, she wanted to feel what it was like to soar through the clouds and forget the rest of the world existed, she wanted to feel like she belonged and without a dragon that could never happen.

The whispers she heard her mother and grandsire spreading of her nephews being bastards, simply because of the colour of their hair and eyes, did not help her confidence either.It caused her to second guess everything, anything nice anyone did for her, what if she were a bastard and her mother only pitied her, what if Viserys truly wasn't her father and her lack of Valyrian blood if why she could not claim a dragon.Daeron told her that such ideas was ridiculous and nothing could change the fact she was his sister, Aeloras mind forever haunted her and made her think otherwise.

"I feel I'm being left behind, like your all gonna fly off on your dragons one day and leave me"Aelora forced a small laugh as she tried to brush over the rather sensitive subject, for her, light heartedly.

"Once Tessarion is big enough, I will have a saddle for two made, and you can come flying with me"Daeron nodded, after an awkward moment of silence, as his fingers intertwined and played with Aeloras.

"You promise?"

"I promise"

"𝐉aehaerys!Hello~..."Visenya waved her hand in her younger brothers face who sat on the chair beside her, having zoned out while holding their newly born brother, Joffrey."If you don't keep focus you'll drop our brother, and if he hits his head he might end up as stupid as you"She hummed while leaning her head back and picking off grapes to drop into her mouth.

"Shut up"Jaehaerys mumbled, glaring at his sister out of the corner of his eye, as they were focused on his baby brother who he cradled in his arms with gentle care.

"What's got you so distracted"Visenya's titled her head in question as her corner of her lips curled up.
"Or should I say who?"

"Whatever do you mean?"Jaehaerys sighed, his eyes fluttering closed for a brief moment, as he lifted his head from his brother to Visenya.

"You-..."Visenya paused to wave her finger in her Jaehaerys face, which he quickly slapped away with scoffed as she lightly laughed in amusement."...-and Aelora, your little admirer"

"You!-..."Jaehaerys mocked her tone and finger waving, not being able to completely hold his finger in her face as his arms were still wrapped around Joffrey."...-and Aegon, your little dog"

"Your not funny"Visenya rolled her eyes and retuned her gaze to her fingers, which she spun her golden rings around.

"Your right, I'm hilarious"Jaehaerys sarcastically smiled and, too, rolled his eyes before dropping his head and gaze back to his brother.

The twos head shot back up to look at the chambers door as their mother sauntered in, to probably take Joffrey back to his nursery.

"Have you made enough fuss of him yet?"Rhaenyras smile beamed onto her three children, despite her eldest looking rather unbothered and miserable with her as she chewed at the inside of her cheek and fidgeted with the rings on her fingers.

Jaehaerys screwed his nose and furrowed his brows in confusion with his sisters sudden change in attitude towards their mother, curios as to what Rhaenyra could have possibly done to make Visenya give her the cold shoulder.

"Uh-...yes, yes we have"Jaehaerys stammered, cutting into the awkward silence, smiling widely back at his mother and nodding reassuringly, as he passed Joffrey back into his mothers arms.

"Have you actually bothered to touch your brother, Visenya?"Rhaenyras joyful expression and tone seemed to drop as she turned to speak to her daughter, Jaehaerys eyes widening as he panicked they were about to argue.

"I don't trust myself with children"Visenya mumbled after a moment of silence and a heavy exhale slipped from her lips, shaking her head and turning her lips into a thin line as she spoke.

"So you plan on never holding your own children?"Rhaenyra raised an eyebrow at Visenya, a slight look of disapproval on her expression, as she rocked her new-born child in her arms.

"I plan on never having children"Visenya widened her eyes slightly and forced a rather sarky smile, finally looking up and met her mothers eyes.

"Well I'm afraid that's one of your many requirements as my heir-..."Rhaenyra voice faded as Jaehaerys got up from his seat and walked to exit the room, the bickering of his mother and sister becoming a distant echo when he'd finally slipped out the room and exhaled a breath off relief.

Jaehaerys couldn't stand people arguing, while his sister was stubborn and could go days without speaking to whoever had annoyed her, he could never sleep on an argument.He also hated the shouting and horrid things people would say even if they didn't mean them, he hated what anger did to people and the hurt it caused.Even if he couldn't always control his temper he'd never plan to use it to hurt someone, not intentionally anyways.

(A/N)
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This isn't rlly long or detailed but the first chapter is always rlly slow and awkward to right, I just wanted to focus on showing Aelora and Jaehaerys dynamic with diff ppl and each other, even if they didn't interact much this chapter.

feel free to envision Daeron, and young Jaehaerys and Aelora, however you want but for edit purposes I'm using Viserys for Daeron and Elliot/Luce as young Jaehaerys.

Aelora and Daeron don't rlly have a romantic relationship but he's defo a bit jealous and he and Aemond just constantly get in the way of Jaehaerys and Aelora(Aemond just for fun and cause he loves to cause shit, and ofc to fill his lil obsession with his nephews.)

surprisingly wrote this in a day, and it's definitely not my best work but I hoped u all still enjoyed and will enjoy the rest of the story (I have such a huge plot twist planned, that's already been foreshadowed in this chapter, it's gonna be so fun🤭)

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