The Song of Ice and Fire

House of the Dragon

It is now the ninth year of King Viserys I Targaryen's Reign.

172 years before the death of the Mad King, Aerys. And the birth of his daughter, Princess Daenerys Targaryen.

172 years before Daenerys Targaryen.

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Fire and blood. That is what every Targaryen at war has always wanted, fire and blood.

I come from two bloodlines that survived the doom, that comes with expectations. My mother, the Queen Who Never Was, was of Targaryen blood, and has been known to have a handful of mad relatives who have either tried to steal the Iron Throne... or died doing so. Meanwhile, my father, the Sea Snake, has come from a long line of strong, fine warriors who had found their home in the sea's waves.

My name is Laenys Velaryon, princess of Dragonstone, the Red Sea, the Black Fire, or I'm best known as... Laenys the Cruel. And I am a warrior, just like my father.

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"Lord Corlys, of House Velaryon, Lord of the Tides, Master of Driftmark and his lady wife, Princess Rheanys Targaryen, and their son and heir Sir Laenor Velaryon. The future King Consort."

The royal wedding. The marriage that ensured the dance of dragons was between Laenor Velaryon and Princess Rhaenrya Targaryen, the heir to the Iron Throne.

The royal wedding was ethereal to say the very least. The noblest of the seven kingdoms attended the ceremony, even the Velaryons who were dressed in gold intricate fabric, which matched well with their brown skin. Since the doom the House Velaryon have always been known for their golden skin and brown eyes, that is what made them so special. They were unlike the rest, similar to the Martells.

So you would understand that Rhaenys stood out like a thumb when she came into the throne room with her two children behind her: Laena and Laenor, nothing but a spitting image of their father. Rheanys's skin was pale, similar to her father's, and her forefathers. But, she was a Baratheon, which gave her a few strands of black hair in her snow-white locks. So she had something different about her.

The Velaryons walked down the open aisle which had about 100 people on either side, watching their every move. Some judged their choice of who Laenor betrothed, seeing that recently there has been gossip that Rhaenrya fornicated with her uncle, Daemon Targaryen, a man who was entirely his own. The incest was not put to question but it was her Majesty's virtue. Most men believed they would rather serve a mad king than a Queen who kept her legs spread... how hypocritical they must be.

There was a long table at the end of this aisle that sat Princess Rhaenrya around seven and ten, her father King Viserys, the Queen Alicent Hightower, and the smug Daemon Targaryen.

Rhaenys and her husband Lord Corlys made their way closer to the table, and the woman placed a hand on the side of her belly, rubbing it gently. Her belly protruded slightly under her golden robes but if you were at least 10 feet from her you could hardly notice. The Queen Who Never Was was pregnant once more, with their final child.

They could not explain it themselves how it happened, but suddenly the Lady of Driftmark fell ill, and her monthly cycles stopped, and she was well-versed enough to know what that meant.

The people who stood on the sides of the aisles clapped as they walked. And King Viserys and Rhaenrya stood from their chairs and joined the rest. The princess smiled warmly as she saw them approach their table, bowing before her. Laenor split from the rest and made his way up to Rheanrya who went around the table to stand before him.