The streets of King's Landing was filled to the brim with people running around the streets since the sun started to rise. The salesmen already started setting up their stands, some went down to the sea for their fishing duties, some were just now finding their way back home after spending the night at a pub.

Everyone had their own duty to fulfill in this world. The people who weren't of noble blood had it the worst, they were the ones left to fend for themselves. Nothing was ever given to them so they had to work hard to even have bread on their table.

Many people went out into the forest surrounding the city to hunt for animals that could give them the amount of meat to survive. In the morning a bigger group used to go out with a carrige and many dogs. They were full of elder men to young boys of the age of four.

"What do you like to use to hunt?" A young boy named Edd asked to children sitting in the back of the carriage.

A brown haired boy, the eldest of the group, motioned to the weapon beside him. "I like to use the bow and arrow, it can kill from a long distance."

"I use a spear."

"My favourite is the sword."

"Bow."

The young boys then turned to the other child sitting with them. He hasn't said a word the entire way so far and barely even moved. The clothes he wore were a bit dirty and seemed a bit big on his body with holes in them. A hood covered his head so the only thing they could see was the piercing blue eyes that followed their every move.

The eldest boy looked at the younger child with a questioning gaze, not understaning why he was not answering. "What about you, boy? What do you like to hunt with?"

The child lifted his head and a small chuckle escaped his lips. "I use daggers and I am not a boy."

The five boys looked at the sixth member in confusion.

"What, you want us to believe you are a girl? A girl has no place at a hunt." One of them laughed as the others joined.

Suddenly he shut his mouth immediately when a piece of metal embedded itself beside his neck taking a piece of his cloak with it. The five boys stared in disbelief as the young girl tucked her hand back away under her cloak. The boy still fearing for his life after almost getting a dagger though the neck let out a scoff and tried to pull the weapon out of the wood behind him. Only he couldn't, even with two hands, so the boy sitting next to him tried to help him aswell.

"Tell me again that a girl can't hunt and you will get that dagger in your throat so you can choke on your own blood." The young girl answered as she stared back into the depths of the forest.

"Alright, everyone calm down." The eldest of the group interrupted the threatening atmosphere. "What is your name, girl?"

She looked him up and down with disdain. "I don't believe I am obliged to tell you anything about myself, but if you must know, you can call me Selaehna."

"Just Selaehna?" One of them asked, curious of her last name.

The young girl hummed as a reply. "Just Selaehna, I don't have any other names."

The eldest nodded before motioning to himself. "I'm Frey, the youngest is Edd, he's Matthies, the one trying to help pulling out the dagger is called Dreimon and the fucker who you almost killed is Adam."

"How delightfull." Selaehna said sarcastically as she turned back to the forest. "I do have one question. I heard the elders talking about a beast in the woods..."

The boys looked at eachother, they have heard of the so called monster living in the surrounding trees. Some have said that once someone came face to face with it they were never seen again.

Frey looked back to Selaehna but leaned closer so he could whisper. "They say it is almost as big as ten ships. It moves in the shadows and even if they say it to be that big nobody ever hears it. Some people apparently saw it in one of the caves before but they were never seen again."

"They were eaten!" Edd giggled, thinking it was only a scary story.

"Some men think it to be a dragon but that would be impossible. The Targaryen's would most certainly know of it's existence if it were one." Frey continued.

Selaehna listened closely. She had no idea such a beast lived in the forest, she heard about it not so long ago, but thought it was just a stupid story. However as she listened and saw the genuine fear in Frey's eyes and the way the elders only whispered about it made her think. The young girl knew of her supposed inheritance due to her blood but she wouldn't dare to bring attention to herself. Her mother forbid her of showing who she really is, which is why she always wore a hood when she was outside in the open.

Suddenly the carriage slowed and the children jolted from the sudden stop. The elders started giving eachother different types of weapons and started getting ready for the hunt. An older man came past the carriage and hit the side a few times to get the attention of the younger members of the group.

"Get out, little ones!" He said with his booming voice. "The hunt is beginning."

The boys scrambled around grabbing their own pieces of steel or wood. Selaehna stood up and snatched her dagger back from Adam who was still holding onto it. She hopped off the carriage holding her hood with one hand so it wouldn't fall off her head.

The children gathered around with the group of men to listen to the one standing in the middle. He was a member of the city watch who was sent to supervise the hunt.

"I don't care what you do, come back once you found something." He stated carelessly.

With that the men started to go off into the surrounding darkness alone or in smaller groups. Selaehna turned around to see if anyone would go with her but she didn't see the group of boys anymore. Shrugging she grabbed one of her daggers and started marching into the depths of the trees away from everyone else.

Selaehna has always been able to be by herself and find ways to survive. She learned that from her mother, the only parental figure in her life. Her father was nowhere to be found.

The young girl was born in the pleasure house where her mother worked and grew up in a disgusting environment. Her mother tried to hide her away from the disgusting men who came to the building and she was successful with that task. Airis, her mother, was left in King's Landing by her father to survive on her own and the only work she could find was at this house, even if she found it humiliating the only thing she wanted to do was live and the only way to do so in this world was with money. Loads and loads of money.

In the past she had a guest who came by many times. She never thought that she would ever get pregnant from one of her customers but here they were. The woman was left with a newborn who she was destined to keep in the shadows due to her parentage. She feared that her own flesh and blood would be slain if they found out about her, or worse.

Selaehna trudged through the leaves and fallen branches trying to make no sound. She was on the lookout for any animal she could hunt for her mother and her for dinner. The fallen leaves and sticks crunched beneath her as she walked deeper and deeper. Once she saw a small cliff of rocks she finally heard rustling coming from the bushes.

The young girl quickly ducked down into some grass. Two deers were passing her but as she readied her daggers the animals disappeared into a big opening by the rocks. Selaehna was not giving up that easily so she stood up and rushed after them only to stop at the entrance of the cave. It was huge and she couldn't see a thing but her mother hasn't eaten in days so she decided to follow the animals.

Selaehna walked down into the cave with some caution as her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. She was walking for a moment, more like staggering down the rocks, but she finally arrived into the biggest cave she has ever seen. The young girl was like an ant compared to the size of the opening. The only lightsource was from the ceiling from a big crack.

She then saw the two deers standing by a big puddle of water drinking. The young girl crouched down and moved towards them, stopping at a safe distance. She grabbed two of her daggers once more and with a swift movement, that she practiced many times, threw the two knives at the deers. The two animals were struck by the weapons right in the heart and eye, which killed them almost instantly. Selaehna didn't feel bad about killing animals anymore.

In this world you either kill or be killed. She didn't wish to be the latter.

Once Selaehna was certain they were dead she stood back up getting ready to tie a rope on the legs so she could pull them after herself but she was frozen in her spot. In a second a huge beast emerged from the shadows and swallowed one of the deers whole.

A rock dropped as Selaehna stepped a foot back. The beast quickly turned around, its yellow eyes flashing in the sunlight, and faced the young girl. It was clad in black scales and horns were coming out from it's head. Selaehna was barely even half the size of its snout on which its nostrils flared. Suddenly the beast let our the biggest roar Selaehna has ever heared, even though she lived in King's Landing were roars from dragons were a normal occurance.

The breeze knocked the hood off of Selaehna's head which revealed the white hair many knew due to the dynasty ruling over the kingdoms. The young girl tried to stay standing as the beast finally finished its signal for her to leave but it tilted its head at the girl as it inched closer. Selaehna stood there like a statue trying to calm herself. She was only seven, she didn't want to die at such a young age. Even then she wanted to die fighting not just standing there like a statue.

The beast's head came closer and closer as it's mouth opened and closed showing off the sharp teeth that it had inside its mouth. Selaehna wasn't terrified, only scared, as the size difference became clearer. It sniffed a few times before turning its head to the other deer that was on the ground but then turned back to the white haired girl standing before it. The beast blinked a few times before letting out a groan and turning back around and moving away into the darkness of the cave.

Selaehna blinked quite a few times as the figure of the beast became evident. That was no beast. That was a dragon.

The girl took one cautious step to see if the dragon was just setting a trap for her but it did nothing as it layed down, blending into the darkness. Selaehna, after seeing the coast was clear, took the rope from her pocket and walked over to the dead deer. She tied it around two of its legs and started pulling it after herself. The dragon followed her figure with its eyes as Selaehna staggered past with the deer.

She stopped once she was about to go back up to the surface since the dragons tail was in the way. Selaehna slowly turned to the beast with pleading eyes and the dragon blinked but lifted its tail so she could walk by under it. The young girl quickly ducked under and pulled the deer along but flinched when the dragon slammed its tail back down. Selaehna looked back only to hear it let out a few weird squeaks as if it was laughing at her.

The girl continued her way back to the place where the group split up. She had no idea how long she was away for but after her encounter with that dragon that was the least of her problems. Why that dragon didn't kill her right then and there was a mystery to her.

Once she heard voices she quickly pulled her hood back onto her head to cover her white hair. She pulled the deer behind her as she came into the clearing where most of the men were already ready to go back to King's Landing. Most of them were boasting how they found multiple rabbits and foxes but none got an animal as big as a deer. So when Selaehna, a child, appeared in the clearing covered in dust pulling a full grown deer behind her all the men were silent.

The guard from the city watch came over to her. "How the hell did you manage to kill that deer all by yourself, boy?"

"Easily, ser." She replied as she let go of the deer so the man standing by the cart could pull it onto it. "This is not the first one I have killed by myself."

"How old are you, child?"

She cleared her throat so she could once again pretend that she was a boy. "Almost nine, ser."

The guard made an impressed face before patting Selaehna on the shoulder. "Keep it up, boy. You would make an excellent huntsman."

Selaehna offered the man a small smile before sitting back onto the carriage she arrived on. After the group was once again the same amount of people that arrived the carriages and men all started their journey back to King's Landing. It didn't take long for them to arrive but Selaehna took that time to think about the encounter with that dragon and she was curious if it was due to it recognising her hair colour.

Once the carriages and the group arrived back into the city and rolled past the gates the ones sitting hopped off onto the ground. Selaehna pulled over her own cart that she built from scrap and waited until the man gave the deer she hunted back to her. She bidded goodbye to the group of young boys and started walking back home.

Her home was above a brothel which was not the ideal place to live at as a a child but Selaehna was used to it. She also felt bad for the women who worked there since most of them had no choice of places to work at. She stopped the cart at the back and pulled the deer up the steep steps that led to their small part of the house. As Selaehna struggled to open the door with the dead animal behind her she finally managed to push her way in. The young girl pulled the animal to the back room that they used as their food prepping space, mostly where they skinned the animals Selaehna hunted and got them prepared so they could eat and not starve any longer.

Since her mother wasn't home yet Selaehna decided to start preparing their meal on her own. She quickly changed out of her clothes and braided her hair so it would be out of the way. Then did she finally start to remove the skin of the deer.

It didn't take her too long but once she was finally about to cut it in pieces the door opened to reveal her mother.

Airis walked inside hanging her cloak on the nearest chair and went over to her daughter whom she loved dearly. "My sweetest! Did you find something for us?"

"I killed two deers, mother!" The young girl replied, proud of her accomplishment.

The woman gasped and looked behind her daughter but her eyebrows knitted together. "That is wonderful! However, what happened to the second one?"

"I ran into some... complications." Selaehna answered, leaving out the most important detail.

Airis looked at Selaehna, not believing her but decided not to push it. Instead she ruffled her daughters hair. "It does not matter, sweet thing. A deer is a deer, and it is still enough for the two of us. I am very proud of you!"

Selaehna grinned and went back into the room, now with her mother, to prepare their meal for the night. The young girl ate some bread on her way back so she wasn't that hungry yet.

The two of them worked in a comfortable silence, however Selaehna's mind was swirling with thoughts that she couldn't keep to herself.

"Mother?" She mumbled to get her attention.

Airis turned to her daughter with a smile. "Yes, dear?"

"May I ask you a question?" When she nodded Selaehna continued. "Am I a Targaryen?"

Her mother looked at her baffled and almost dropped her knife. She knew that this moment was coming sooner or later but she still didn't expect it. Airis tried to keep away any details from her daughter even if it was not the best thing to do, but she just wanted to protect her in this cruel world.

Airis cleared her throat but motioned Selaehna to follow her as they sat down in the other room by the table. "I knew you would ask this sometime..."

"I've suspected it for a while but I was never too sure. It would explain my white hair and the reason why I need to hide it away."

"There was a man of the Targaryen house who spent many nights with me years ago." Airis started telling her story to her young daughter. "He was nice to me, but once I told him that I was with child he never came back. But then you came into my life and I couldn't bear to know what they would do with you, which is why I hid you away."

Selaehna listened to her mothers words but there was only one question in her mind. "Who is my father?"

Airis took in a deep breath as she tried to decide if she should tell her or not, but felt the need to tell her the truth after all these years. "Prince Daemon Targaryen."

༻ ⚔️ ༺

Selaehna walked by the streets of King's Landing in silence. She decided to go for a walk and maybe steal a few things so she could make some money for bread.

Her dress dragged behind her as the cloak stayed on her head once again. The torches lit were the only source of light in the darkness of King's Landing. There was one building that was always lit up, the Red Keep. That castle always seemed so huge and magnificent to Selaehna, she dreamed of just setting a toe on the grounds atleast once in her lifetime.

The young girl continued to walk by the people who were still walking about, taking bags of coins from their pockets or jewellery from their wrists. It may have been dark but Flea Bottom never slept. People were still awake at every part of the day. From one sunrise until the next.

There was a pub lit up and full of a sea of men and women so Selaehna got the idea of going inside to see if there was anything she would be able to find. The girl has been in there many times in her life and had no problems so why would she have any now.

Selaehna was still thinking about how the Prince Daemon wad her actual father. She was really a Targaryen, but due to the circumstances of her birth she was still considered a bastard.

She stepped inside the pub only to see a group of people gathering around four men in the middle of the circle.

"Why do the Targaryen's still think we don't see the truth?" One of them yelled. "Those children are no Targaryen! Their dark hair should make that clear to anyone who lays eyes on them!"

A series of chants echoed through the building in agreement.

"They are supposed to be the heirs to the throne? Atleast their hair should be white!" Another series of supporting shouts surrounded the people. "I would even support a bastard of the Prince Daemon more than those cunts!"

Selaehna stood in the crowd with her head down listening to the crowd cheer. This was quite ironic considering she just learned not so long ago that she was a bastard of that certain prince.

"Even if that bastard were a girl! If her hair is white who would care, atleast she would look the part!" Even more shouts of agreement.

The young girl looked at the faces of the people agreeing to that declaration. She had to admit that it felt good, knowing that she fit those statements perfectly. Selaehna even started to imagine herself sitting on the infamous Iron Throne, even though she had no idea what it looked like.

Selaehna realised that she was standing in one place for too long so she started walking around stealing whatever she could but it didn't take long for someone to notice.

"Thief!" A woman yelled pointing straight at her. "She stole my money!"

Selaehna turned around wide eyed and after seeing all those eyes on her she decided to run. However due to her small size, compared to all the adults, they easily caught her.

"Take her hood off!" A man yelled and many others followed along.

Before she could realise what was happening the piece of cloth was torn from her head to reveal the messy white hair. A series of gasps echoed through the room. Selaehna was suddenly grabbed and thrown inside the circle where the four men chanting previously stood. A knife was then pressed against her neck which against her will made her flinch.

"Who is she?"

"I haven't seen her before."

"That definitely isn't Princess Helaena, she seems younger."

The man holding the weapon against her neck looked at the girl who was very obviously from Targaryen descent. "Who are you, girl?"

Not being able to see a way out yet, Selaehna decided to answer. "Selaehna."

"Last name?" A woman asked from the crowd.

"...Targaryen, apparently." The girl replied once more still feeling weird about saying it out loud for the very first time.

Another wave of shouts and yells filled the pub, but the four men who were trying to start a riot laughed in excitement. 

One of them stood back on the table in a hurry. "Here is the proof! Even a bastard can look the part so why couldn't she be the heir? Rhaenyra Targaryen's children are not Velaryon's!"

Selaehna looked at the man with a grimace. He was not making any sense in his drunken state. He was just repeating everything over and over again and the people there were also probably drunk. This whole situation was just utter madness.

"I say we meet here again in two days time and take this girl with us to show the King that this is complete blasphemy, what he is doing!" A man from the crowd shouted, many others agreeing right after.

"What do you say, girl? You are coming with us to show the King that this is mad--"

The man holding the knife to her neck was interrupted by another weapon slashing against his own neck. Blood immediately began pooring out and the man grabbed at his neck trying to help the inevitable. Selaehna, who was now covered in red, turned back around to the men and women in the room.

"You won't be taking me anywhere without my agreement unless you want to end up like him." She stated looking into the eyes of everyone.

The people moved away in fear from the eight year old. It was an odd sight to see that's for certain, adults cowering at the feet of a child. A bastard too.

Selaehna scoffed and walked past the people back into the fresh air. That was the first time she harmed another human, it certainly wouldn't be the last time, but she had to admit it felt powerfull. The way everyone feared her in that moment fed into her ego and she wanted to see it again.

As the girl disappeared into the darkness of the alleys or King's Landing she failed to notice the two members of the city watch standing my the doorway at the pub. They saw the whole ordeal and looked at eachother in understanding before departing in a hurry towards the Red Keep.

Selaehna, now known as Selaehna Targaryen, was going to be the biggest news around the Red Keep by morning.

And it would certainly not be the last time they hear of her.