Laena Velaryon (107 A.C. Nineth Moon)
King's Landing – Laena's Chambers
Laena woke nervously, the pale morning light spilling through the shutters of her chambers. Today, she would officially be wedded to Aemon. When she had first started dreaming of this, she did not know. But especially after yesterday, after the dances they had shared. They had danced before, even practiced the first dance many times, yet that dance in front of everyone had sealed it in her mind.
She rose from her bed and went to her chamber pot to relieve herself. After a short wash in the basin, she looked around the room, knowing that in the evening she would sleep in Aemon's chambers. The thought made her heart flutter a little. They had sneaked into each other's rooms on Driftmark and had kissed and done other things. Yet they had always stopped before they could do more.
They both knew it was for the best, although they both wanted it. Yet what if something went wrong? What if she became with child when the moon tea did not work? Sure, they could arrange a rushed marriage, but then the whole realm would know their child had been conceived before wedlock. And while dragons allowed their family more leeway in some regards, it still did not sit well with either of them to have a future child stained by scandal.
Thinking back on it now, that drunken kiss with Rhaenyra, Visenya, and Alicent had been foolish. She had enjoyed it, more than she wished to admit, but she had stopped there. Rhaenyra and Visenya had not. Their hearts had become tangled together, and both had turned toward Aemon with hope and desire. Laena understood them, perhaps too well, but she would not begin her marriage with betrayal.
Her heart ached a little when she thought of them, Visenya and Rhaenyra. Both women she cared for, yet for now, after today, until perhaps something changed, she needed to leave them behind. She supposes that is part of life, leaving things behind. Becoming older, doing things you normally would not do but did for family, duty, honor, or your own sense of belief.
For now, she would leave that hope behind. Perhaps one day, if Aemon chose it freely, things could be different. But not today. Today was for her and Aemon.
She walked to the door and saw Seranella already waiting, as well as her other handmaiden, Falla.
"Laena, should we prepare a bath?" Falla asked.
"Please. I need a good wash and add rose aroma to it. I think Aemon will appreciate it."
Sera gave her a knowing look. The two of them had chatted quite a lot about what Aemon had done, and she had seen her great cousin blush more than a couple of times. Laena smiled as she walked back into her chambers while the two of them began to prepare. Soon enough, the bath was ready, steam rising gently from the warm water as the scent of roses filled the chamber.
Sera brushed her hair, making her silver locks smooth and loose, with no knots. Meanwhile, Falla brushed her skin. The night before, she had even asked Sera to shave the hair near her private area. She hoped Aemon would like it. It had been an awkward question, but her cousin had done as she asked, in return for the promise that Laena would help her with the same in the future.
Soon enough, the bath was finished, and she ate a small breakfast with Falla and Sera, as she knew she would be going to the Dragonpit and did not know when she would get another meal. However, she had heard the King had at least ten courses prepared for the feast.
Afterward, she was dressed in her beautiful gown, designed to still allow her to ride a dragon, something she was grateful for, as it was the plan for her and Aemon to arrive upon their dragons. The gown was of silver and white, with an embroidered Velaryon seahorse upon the left shoulder and a red dragon upon the right.
"Laena, you look beautiful. The work is magnificent," Sera said as she stroked part of the gown.
"My lady, it is wonderful work," Falla added.
Then came a soft knock.
"Enter."
In walked her mother.
"Oh, Laena, you look like a true bride," her mother said as she kissed her forehead. "Girls, give me a moment alone with my daughter."
Both girls nodded and walked out of the room. Her mother took her by the hand and sat her down on the bed. She did the same, sitting beside her and taking her hand.
"Laena, I know we have had this talk before, when you had your first moonblood," her mother began.
Color quickly rose to her cheeks. She remembered that conversation, and the one with Aemma and Alicent before that, as they had been in King's Landing at the time when her first moonblood came.
"I know. I am a woman now," she added quietly.
"I know, and I suppose you have some idea of what is expected of you," her mother asked.
More than you think.
"I do."
"Good. And the duty of a wife is to bear children for her husband, and knowing the both of you, that will hopefully not be a problem," her mother noted.
"I do not know what you mean."
Her mother smiled and took her face in her hands. "Laena, I know very well that you and Aemon have visited each other's chambers. Or that you slipped into the baths when he was bathing."
She looked mortified."Mother, I..."
"Hush, girl. I know very well what passion can bring."
Laena blushed, thinking of her mother in the throes of passion. "I know you have not asked for moon tea, nor has Aemon. So I know that both of you have at least been careful enough."
Laena let out a sigh of relief, then added quietly, "I tried to wait, but Aemon does not make it easy."
Her mother laughed. "I know, girl. I have eyes. Your future husband is a handsome man, and that boy is training with Laenor without their shirts during the hot days on Driftmark."
Laena blushed deeply. "Aemon has not taken my virtue. We have not lain together as man and wife."
"Good, although after tonight, I doubt that will still be true," her mother said with a smile.
"Mother!"
"Laena, it is nothing to be ashamed of. However, there will be some things that will be difficult, like the bedding. It will not be pleasant. Men will pull you into the air and start grabbing at your clothes, taking them off. And the boldest of them might even try to feel you up," her mother said, ending with a word of disgust.
Her heart dropped a little. She had known and seen it before, but it still did not settle her heart.
"Still, it is something we must endure. However, the husband is not any better off. The women will do the same. Men usually do not mind being touched by other women. As for the coupling, it might be pleasurable. It depends on the man," her mother added tentatively.
"On what?" she dared to ask.
"On whether the man knows what he needs to do, or if he cares for you. Although it will be a little easier for you, as you no longer have a maidenhead," her mother replied.
"Aemon said he understood that. I told him before."
"Good. And I do not think you need to worry about the wedding night. With Aemon, you will be fine. Aemon is a good man, and he will be a good husband to you," her mother replied.
"Thank you. I know he is, and I love him already, as he does me," she said. Her mother smiled at her words.
"Mother, would you braid my hair in the style of your namesake?"
"Of course, dear. I would love to."
Corlys Velaryon (107 A.C. Nineth Moon)
Outer yard of the Dragonpit
There he was. Finally, the slight against his wife and family would be rectified, or at least the beginning of it. Aemon Targaryen, Prince of Seadragon Point, would marry his daughter. Third in line, if the precedent was any example.
Perhaps if Viserys did not have a son, if Daemon died or was passed over in favor of Aemon, his grandchildren would sit the Iron Throne. His legacy secured. And yesterday he had shown the realm his power and his wealth.
Yet what he enjoyed most was that it was Aemon his daughter was marrying.
Although the laws named King Viserys the most powerful man in the realm, that was very much not so. His merchants, informants, and the letters sent to him, to Laena, or to Viserys had told him what Seadragon Point had become. The castle, by all accounts, showed the power of House Targaryen more than the Red Keep ever did.
Seadragon Point, as the tales went, stood upon a hill of black and grey stone, looking out over a city that was growing by the day, built by the power of dragons. It stretched far beyond the horizon.
Then, in the last two years, ships from the North had begun arriving in Seadragon Point, carrying ironwood, silver, and other metals, if the tales were to be believed. The profits came from daring expeditions into the far North, something his son had joined.
Something his wife had not been happy with.
Yet he had told her, "He is a Velaryon. Adventure and the sea are in our blood."
It had been good for Laenor to be close to Aemon. Now he was the squire and page of Aemon, even if it was still unofficial, as Aemon was not yet a knight. Corlys had asked him why, and Aemon had smirked and said that he would be knighted, but only at the right time.
He was like Baelon the Brave, dutiful, daring, and bold, yet in Corlys's eyes he was far more tempered. Aemon had restraint and a work ethic you rarely saw in boys that young. Those grey eyes always seemed older than they ought to be.
Perhaps if Aemon's power continued to grow, together with his own, they could take the Stepstones. The King be damned. And with Aemon came Balerion, the greatest power in the realm.
Then a thunderous roar shook him from his thoughts.
The Black Dread blotted out the light of the sky, and beside him flew a smaller dragon. His daughter's dragon, blood red with silver markings and silver wing membranes. After another roar, both dragons spouted flames into the sky, making a wonderful spectacle for all to see.
Then they landed, one by one, and lastly Balerion. As he landed, the ground trembled beneath him. The power of the Black Dread stood proud for all to see.
Aemon dismounted, which was quite a hassle, yet he managed it, and walked her over to the entrance. Aemon gave Laena a small kiss on the cheek before walking into the Dragonpit, leaving his daughter waiting for him.
Soon the royal family began to arrive, one by one.
He smiled.
"Your daughter looks happy and proud. A true Velaryon, Baratheon, Targaryen princess," Lord Boremund spoke from behind him. "The first step to right the wrong of the Great Council."
It was true. That slight against his family would finally be righted.
"What more could a father want in a husband for his daughter? Or from a daughter? Laena is a dragonrider and a dutiful lady as well," he said quietly, making the Lord of the Stormlands chuckle.
"Well, who knows? Boros is not yet betrothed. Perhaps one of the princesses could be betrothed to him. They are both of an age, and my son is ready to wed, so a match sooner is better. Otherwise we will soon have some storm bastards running around," Boremund said, ending with a laugh.
Corlys frowned slightly at that thought. He himself had also set his eyes on the princesses for Laenor. He was a dragonrider, and it would stand to reason that the crown would wish to bind him closer.
"Yes, Boros is very boorish. He will be plowing fields he should not soon enough," he said with a smile, and Boremund laughed.
"Yes, that describes Boros very well," Boremund said with a grin. The Lord of Storm's End always had his humor and could laugh in the face of truth. One could trade japes with him, but still no man would dare disrespect the Lord of the Stormlands.
"Well, let us hope your son finds a good match," Corlys said, turning again to watch the crowd greet the three dragons as cheers rang through the yard.
"Well, Corlys, ready to give your daughter away?" his wife asked as she joined him, taking his hand.
"Never, but I am comforted that she is with someone worthy of her," he answered.
Together they looked toward Laena. Her face shone with happiness.
Good. Not all brides wore that look on their wedding day.
Chapter 46: Rhaenys Velaryon
Rhaenys Velaryon (107 A.C. Second Moon)
The Central Hall of the Dragon Pit.
She surveyed the crowd gathered to witness a wedding between Velaryon and Targaryen, not seen since her own wedding to Corlys. She was saddened that her own mother could not come. A bout of sickness had kept her at Storm's End, though she had come to Driftmark earlier to meet Aemon and had welcomed him into the family. She had spoken of how she saw some of her father in him. Her mother had been right in many ways. Aemon did resemble her father, though younger, with curling hair and grey eyes.
Aemon stood there, adorned in the finest silks and colors. A snow bear cloak with his personal sigil, a dragonwolf upon a laughing weirwood, draped over him in red, black, and white. The rest of his attire paid homage to his two ancestral houses. Seeing him standing there, she could not have been happier with her future goodson. A Targaryen prince bearing her father's name, possessing strength, will, and genuine love for her daughter, was all that mattered to her.
Behind him stood Aemon's most trusted man, Ser Harrold Westerling, all in white and silver, save for the blade he carried, whose pommel and handle bore the colors of House Westerling. He was the only one besides Ser Ryamun known to carry a Valyrian steel blade. In his hands, he held a Targaryen cloak, ready to be wrapped around Laena so she would be cloaked under Aemon's protection. She, Rhaenyra, and Aemma had all helped Lyanna and her daughters with the work, and seeing the cloak now made her heart jump a little.
Before all the commotion, she had spoken with her daughter about what was expected. Her daughter had blushed, though it hardly mattered, because she knew full well that Laena and Aemon had already crossed lines not acceptable to the Faith of the Seven. Not that her family held much stock in them. Most still held to the Valyrian gods, or worshiped both.
Not that Laena had much to give in the form of a maidenhead. Like her mother, she had likely broken it during dragonriding. She had allowed the two of them their fancies, as long as they were careful and their actions did not result in a child. She knew Aemon and her daughter well enough to believe they were wise enough to avoid that.
Her thoughts broke when she caught sight of her husband walking up with their daughter. A Valyrian beauty in blue and silver representing House Velaryon, with a three headed dragon embroidered upon her shoulders as a nod to her father's house. Her daughter had insisted upon it, a detail that made Rhaenys smile as she remembered their conversation. The bridal cloak around Laena's shoulders bore the seahorse, and when they reached her, mother and daughter embraced.
"My little Seadragon," Rhaenys said as a tear rolled down her daughter's cheek.
She kissed her daughter's cheek, and then Laena proceeded toward the dais where Aemon awaited, wearing the widest grin.
Aemon Targaryen looked handsome as he smiled, perhaps too handsome. Corlys had looked much the same in his youth, and Rhaenys knew full well her husband did not always stay within their marriage bed, either at home or when he was away. She pushed the thought aside.
No, not today. Today was for her daughter and her future goodson.
"My Graces, my lords, and ladies," the High Septon proclaimed. "We are gathered here today to join these two souls into one. The Father, Mother, Maiden, Smith, Warrior, Crone, and the Stranger have blessed this union. These two souls are of great houses of the realm, both of royal blood, and the realm has never been so blessed. Today, the lines of the sons of King Jaehaerys the Conciliator, Aemon and Baelon, will be joined."
"You may begin to cloak the bride under your protection," the High Septon said to Aemon, who smiled.
Aemon walked over to Laena and removed her Velaryon cloak, handing it to her father as a sign that her protection now passed from him to her husband. Then Aemon took the Targaryen cloak from Ser Harrold.
He gently placed the cloak around Laena's shoulders, and both of them wore bright smiles, which made Rhaenys smile in return. Aemon then took Laena's hand and walked with her to stand united before the High Septon. Their hands were bound together as they spoke the vows.
"Father, Smith, Maiden, Warrior, Crone, Stranger. I am theirs, and they are mine, from this day until the end of my days."
A small smile touched Rhaenys's lips as they spoke the words. The two stood together, and she hoped the bond would last.
"Let it be known that Laena of House Velaryon and Aemon Targaryen are one heart, one flesh, and one soul. Cursed be he who would seek to tear them asunder," the High Septon proclaimed.
And just like that, her little one, now a woman, was wed.
Aemon spoke then, his voice carrying across the hall.
"With this kiss, I pledge my love to my love."
Then her goodson kissed her daughter and sealed the marriage.
He took Laena's hand and raised it toward the gathered crowd as applause, and cheers echoed throughout the Dragonpit.
Hello everyone!
If you've enjoyed my stories and would like to support my work, consider joining my community. Your support means the world to me and helps me continue creating the content you and I love.
By becoming a Patreon, you'll get access to exclusive benefits like:
- Early access to new chapters (Up to Four months ahead)
- Writing and story updates.
- Access to concept art for the stories.
- And, of course, you will support me.
- And much more!
Join now and be part of a community that loves and supports creativity. Your contribution makes a huge difference and allows me to keep bringing you exciting new stories.
If you want to join, go to Patreon. Copy this link : www.patreon.com/HeroDut1998
Thank you for all your support!