Childhood
Rhea Royce cursed all deities in existence and swore that she would kill, herself with her bare hands, her husband the next time she saw him. She shouldn't even have gotten pregnant after fucking her husband just once in the long years of her marriage. She didn't even know how they got to fucking, but they went from arguing to fucking each other very quickly. Perhaps it was due to the five empty wine jugs with which they had both drowned their sorrows.
But her father had cheated on her, her only daughter. He had sent the maids with a fake moon tea and Rhea herself had felt safe knowing that the dragon seed would not bloom in her womb. Sadly, it had blossomed and her father had ordered that they watch over her day and night to make sure that she did not get rid of the creature in her womb.
Rhea had endured the pregnancy while she hated the dragon seed that grew inside her. Towards the end of her pregnancy her father had died, making her the lady of the Royce household. Only if this being that was struggling to get out of her womb was not a child.
Rhea howled, her screams lost in the great storm that raged through the Vale. A storm unlike any other seen in over a hundred years. At last the desperate cries of a creature filled the room.
- Look, lady! She is a very healthy girl! Big and strong like a colt!
Rhea only looked at the girl for a few seconds. Even if the newborn was covered in blood she could see that her hair was that disgusting shade of Targaryen white. And her eyes were visibly purple, later they would be described as the color of orchids by various poets and troubadours. But the exhausted mother didn't give a damn about that.
Rhea refused to acknowledge her daughter, to hold her, or to look at her, and asked for that thing of hers to be removed from her bedroom. The matrons and servants looked at each other, visibly nervous. Her mistress may not have loved the girl, but she was still a blood princess with a Targaryen name. Things could go very wrong if she was treated carelessly.
-My lady, you must at least give your daughter a name. It's what the gods want me to do. – The Master tried to minimize the hateful feelings of the new mother. he did not succeed
-Very good. --– Rhea had thought of Maegor for a child. If she had to put a Targaryen name she at least wanted to put an ugly one with a bad history. –Haelyx. – She spat, a cursed name for the Targaryens, no girl named Haelyx had survived infancy and that's why the Targaryens stopped using the name.
The midwives looked at each other. That name was a mother's death wish for her daughter. The midwives took the girl away, and one of the maids offered to nurse the young lady of House Royce.
And so Haelyx Targaryen was born. The last day of the seventh moon of the year 112 after the conquest
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Three moons after her birth the child was a mass of white curls, wide orchid eyes, and a wide smile. She was a happy, plump little girl who moved and babbled a lot. And in those three moons neither her mother nor her father showed up in the room. The maids felt great sympathy for the girl, as well as the master.
Three moons after her birth, King Viserys and Queen Alicent visited the little lady. A dragon egg was laid in her cradle. Viserys was blind to the signs that something bad was up, as always. But Queen Alicent was not. She glared at the sparsely furnished, toy-filled, and definitely unwelcoming room.
The Queen's lips looked red as she bit them upon hearing the name of her niece. There she silently cursed Rhea and Daemon. She might not like blacks, but this was an innocent baby. Still, she must have been the kind and generous Queen Alicent to win allies in the Vale, one of Rhaenyra's cores of power.
The next moon two interesting events happened in the Runestone. The first was that Haelyx's dragon egg hatched revealing a beautiful white dragon with golden eyes. The little hatchling climbed between the covers and rested her head on the girl's hand. The second event was that Queen Alicent sent a series of nannies, a dragon keeper, and furniture and toys.
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Two more years passed and Haelyx was growing like a weed, according to her mother's words. The girl called the dragon Hedwig and she used to run around the yard while the dragon was chasing her. The girl was growing well and was showing signs of being intelligent. She though she still hadn't uttered a word.
That year her mother died and she left all her inheritance and possessions to her nephew Gunthor Royce. Rhea Royce did not leave a single coin for her daughter that she passionately despised and that was the result of the mistake of one night with a man she hated more than anything. Haelyx's father didn't even bother to go to her for her, his own daughter, and left her stranded in Runestone after failing to claim lordship of Castle Royce. Gunthor was young and had certainly forgotten about his cousin until he saw her in the castle library with a book open before her. Gunthor had no use for the Daemon seed fruit, so he decided to send the girl to the Red Keep with other Targaryens.
The girl was carried like a load to the crown lands. Her dragon in a cage next to her. Big tears were running down her face and she looked definitely miserable. The knights in charge of carrying Princess Haelyx were surprised because they were not expected.
Gunthor Royce hadn't even sent a raven to say that he was sending Haelyx to Court. The King let his Hand take care of the girl.
Otto Hightower could not be cruel to the girl, he felt that something prevented him. He reasoned by telling himself that it was because Haelyx could be handed over to a lord in the future to consolidate Otto's power and influence over the Court and the lords.
Two nannies were assigned to the girl. She was given full use of the Tower of Poetry. A three-story keep with a private garden where the Queen of King Jaehaerys retired from court to rest for a few moments. Hedwig refused to move from Haelyx's side, which was common for a dragon her age.
The Hand forgot about the girl, everyone forgot except King Viserys. The man used to go to see the girl carrying with him sweets and toys in her pockets, remembering Rhaenyra when she was so young. And hating his brother more for not wanting anything to do with the girl. He had said that he had never wanted to be a father, so he didn't know why he had to take care of his daughter.
Later, the same year as Rhea's death, Daemon had married Laena Velaryon and they were now expecting a child. Viserys attempted to take the child to Daemon at that time, but Daemon continued to refuse to care for his daughter, saying that his very recent wife would feel uncomfortable raising another woman's daughter. Laena herself refused to take the child under her roof. Much to the surprise of Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys, they paid the girl a visit the next time they were at Court and found her lovely and young.
Viserys couldn't imagine how anyone would want to miss a single moment of his daughter's life. He would have killed for more of Rhaenyra's childhood moments.
And then Haelyx fell ill, shortly after the birth of her sisters in the year 116. Throughout the fourth year of her life the girl was plagued by terrible fevers and crying fits of pain that ran through her small and fragile body. her. Viserys was told five separate times that they did not believe the girl would make it through the night. All five times he sat by the girl's bedside and told her stories about the Targaryens, about Ancient Valyria, about their family legacy.
The King spoke to his niece in High Valyrian most of the time, realizing that Haelyx had learned this from just listening to the conversations he had with Rhaenyra. The nannies whispered about her cursed name and how the girl's mother had cursed her at birth. Viserys cursed Rhea Royce as well, understanding Daemon's hatred for the bronze fox a little better.
The only thing that seemed to calm the poor girl down was when her dragon lay on her bed next to her. The dragon was already big enough to be in the Pit, as one of the dragon keepers pointed out, but Viserys forbade everyone to let the dragon be brought into the Pit and chained. Haelyx seemed to grow weaker each time the dragon was pushed away from her.
The King asked the gods not to take that poor and unfortunate girl.
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Finally, in the year 117, Haelyx began to recover. But where before there was a plump and talkative girl, now one could find a quiet and stick-thin girl. A frail and weak creature who could barely get out of bed on good days. Of the first moon after the march of the fevers, only the daily visits of the master were remembered, and how the maids had to teach the girl to walk again, since she was deeply weakened.
Queen Alicent and the Hand accompanied the King on his visits to his niece a couple of times. And although she seemed like a pretty and intelligent girl, they both commented later that a simple breeze of wind could kill her and since her name was cursed.
The next day a Septa was sent to take care of the girl by order of the Queen and educate her in the manners worthy of a Targaryen Princess, since the King had granted her the title of her when he became her main caretaker so many years ago.
Haelyx began to participate in the life of the Court at the age of seven, in the year 119. The maester had already declared her a genius by that time and he complained bitterly that as a female Healyx could not go to the Citadel to study the great tomes. The Septa considered her an educated, elegant girl, and appropriate to her rank.
Haelyx Targaryen entered the Court like a breeze of wind passing between bells without ringing them. Admirable, thought Otto Hightower looking at the young Princess. It was a task that was not easy that the little lady was carrying out.
-Think about it, interact without standing out. No positive rumors but no negative rumors. Without antagonizing a single noble but without making friends with any. It is like a butterfly with transparent wings. – Her daughter told the Queen, one day while they were embroidering together. – A fascinating being because she is not fascinating
The only remarkable thing about the princess was her dragon in the opinion of the Court, which grew so rapidly that the guardians said that she was already comparable in size to Caraxes, if not larger. The Guardians were frightened when one day they saw that the dragon was missing and that the Princess was riding her beast.
That was the day a raven came to King's Landing saying that his father's daughters had betrothed to the eldest sons of Princess Rhaenyra, the heir to the Iron Throne. Lucerys with Rhaena and Jacaerys with Baela. Young Haelyx swallowed the injustice.
She was the older sister. She deserved to be betrothed to the heir's heir. She could always target Joffrey, who was five years her junior. Daeron was two years younger than her, but he was in Old Town and unreachable. And Aegon the first son of the queen, who was five years her senior, but he was engaged to Helaena. But it was not the same than the heir of the heir.
There was also Aemond, who was two years older than her. But that boy was strange
Haelyx, only seven years old, worried about her marriage. She couldn't count on her father to find her a good match. she was alone
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Haelyx grew into the eighth year of her life, growing tall for her age and spindly for her. Letting see a taste of the woman she would become. A tall, slim, curvy Targaryen woman. But Haelyx had other problems.
That year Aegon had discovered the wine and the pleasure that could only be found in the body of a woman.
Haelyx bolted her door every night for fear that her cousin would do the same thing to her, what he did to the castle maids. Her thirteen-year-old cousin was a pervert and Haelyx didn't think her age would stop him from trying to push her.
Haelyx was beautiful. Devilishly beautiful, she could see that with the mirror the King had given her that belonged to Queen Aemma. Not just big orchid eyes and her thick curly white hair that shone like freshly fallen, pristine snow. Her cheekbones were high, her nose was tall and elegant, her lips were rosy and her skin was flawless. She is a very beautiful maiden even by Targaryen standards.
King Viserys had said something about marrying her to the second Prince, but the Queen had forbidden it. After all, the marriage of Haelyx and Aemond would bring no benefit to the greens other than pureblood Targaryen children. Haelyx had no lands, rents, castles, or titles behind her. She had no dowry beyond what her uncle gave her, her father had little real money and currently he and her daughters lived on what Lord Corlys gave his daughter. She only had her dragon
A Princess who lived on the pity of other people. If only her mother had left her some of her possessions as an inheritance she would have something to lean on….
And a princess with magic
Because Haelyx remembered his past life in which he had been Harry James Potter. She remembered it all in the fourth year of her life as fevers ravaged her body. Haelyx knew that she shouldn't display her magic in the Red Keep, Queen Alicent would burn her without hesitation. Besides, she had read all kinds of parenting books when Ginny was pregnant. If the magical core is forced before the age of eleven, it atrophies and deforms, which is why magical children began their education at age eleven. Accidental magic was fine, but conscious magic was dangerous.
Haelyx knew that she must survive on her wits and her dragon alone for three more years, until she could use her magic. Court was easy if you compared it to the Wizenmagot. And not being a person of interest she was even easier.
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If Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, The Man Who Lived, Bizarre Enemy of the Forces of Evil, Twice Order of Merlin First Class, Member of the Wizenmagot, Member of the ICW, and Lord Potter-Black-Peverell-Gaunt-Slytherin, If he had seen eleven-year-old girls flirt with men of thirty or twenty, he would have gone into a rage. he would have been disgusted
But Haelyx was not Harry. She fully understood that she was not in England, she was not in any place where her ideas were appropriate. The brides got married when their blood arrived, that was the sign that they were of legal age. And she would bleed soon too, so she had to prepare for a wedding in three years or less. possibly less
It was the year 123 after the conquest.
It was the banquet in honor of her name day. Rarely had anything of Haelyx's life been celebrated. But this time her uncle did it for her. A banquet in her honor. Daemon Targaryen and his family had not come. But she had her uncle and that was fine.
And tonight she could use magic again. She would have to retrain a bit, but she was the greatest wizard in a thousand years once. And ever since she got the elder wand, wandless magic came naturally to her.
She would return to her bedroom later and try to call the relics.
Her uncle gave her jewelry fit for a Targaryen Princess. Her Cousin Rhaenyra gave her some dresses and the Queen gave her a copy of the sacred writings that from now on Haelyx must always keep in mind.
Haelyx thanked her aunt and had fun at the party. She danced with several gentlemen, a few who were clearly interested in her. It was a very fun night for Haelyx
And, like every time Harry had let her guard down in her life, misfortune struck her.
Haelyx was walking to her quarters as she crooned when a hand landed on her shoulder and she was thrown into a side room. Haelyx could see her cousin Aegon of hers through the light from the fireplace. He was drunk and he was looking at her with lust
Aegon's hands seized her and Haelyx's dress tore.
The girl kicked the boy's crotch and turned towards the locked door starting to kick and pummel it screaming for the royal guard, for anyone who could help her.
Her cousin grabbed her hair in a painful yank and flung her to the ground before standing on top of her. Aegon's eyes swept over her body with lust as he drew a dagger and began to tear at her dress.
-Don't worry, cousin, I'll do it very well for you.
Haelyx tried to push him away from her with her weak, frail arms, but she couldn't against the muscular sixteen-year-old boy.
The door creaked as it broke inward and someone pulled Aegon off Haelyx. The girl's clothing was torn but was still on her body. Haelyx glanced at a young, red-haired man who was getting a second and third punch at Aegon.
Haelyx realized at that moment who Edmyn Tully was, future Lord Tully and heir to Riverrun. And he was beating a Prince, the son of the King. Haelyx grabbed his arm before the fifth hit.
-You can not. – She whispered as the sobs continued to break her chest. - They will kill you. The Queen will kill you if you do more damage to him.
The young Lord began to calm down just before the group of the King, Queen, and Crown Princess entered the door. What they saw was the young Princess in her torn clothes hiding behind Edmyn Tully and with Prince Aegon clearly beaten up and Aegon with remnants of the Princess's dress in his hands.
- What the hell! I was just going to fuck that bitch, not for you to treat me like! I'm a prince! – Aegon shouted, still submerged in his drunken stupor, not realizing the presence of the three most powerful people in the Kingdom in the room. -Maybe she didn't want to, but in the end she would enjoy the act like all the others!
A knight stopped Edmyn from hitting the Prince again, but it wasn't necessary. The King had his son chained up and said that one night of solitary confinement in the dungeons would get him drunk away.
One thing Haelyx could admire about Alicent and Rhaenyra was that together they were unstoppable. Haelyx was covered and taken to her tower. She was laid on the bed and an old Septa delved gently into her privacy.
-Still intact. – She said after a few seconds to the great relief of the Queen.
Then a maid brought some tea and Haelyx looked at it.
- Is it moon tea?
Rhaenyra sat on the bed next to Haelyx and tucked the strands of her hair behind her ear while her maid undid her hair.
-It is a medicine to sleep, the moon tea will be given to you tomorrow morning
- But I'm intact, the septa said so!
-It is better to prevent in this case, sweet girl. Now take the medicine and sleep. In the morning everything will be better
Haelyx knew. The King was a weak-willed man. Her fate, Aegon's fate, and what happened after tonight would be up to the two women before her. And Haelyx would have no say in the matter. If it weren't for the Queen being desperate for grandchildren to entrench her claim they would marry her off to Aegon.
But what Haelyx knew for sure was that they would marry her off. Quickly and discreetly. She only prayed for a good husband who would let her body mature before demanding the rights he would obtain over her body.
Haelyx took the medicine and soon sleep claimed her body.
The next morning everything was settled and silenced, with only eleven people knowing the real truth. The truth that was told was that Prince Aegon was robbed in Flea Bottom and received a beating, the King was furious at the constant escapades of his son and sent him to the Sept in Old Town to fix his customs. Going on foot, without dragon or horse, with an escort of twelve knights.
Haelyx learned that the King ordered his son to be beaten to put some sense into the boy's body before exiled him for a few years.
Then they told her that she must be happy. In six moons she would marry Edmyn Tully, the knight who rescued her and first struck Aegon. A twenty-one-year-old boy for her eleven.
The moon tea tasted bitter in Haelyx's mouth and her stomach twisted cruelly.