บท 17: 17

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112 AC

Kingslanding

Rhaenyra Targaryen

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The sun high in the sky beats down on me as I think about what I just heard from Daeron. My father is talking to his and there can really only be one thing that conversation will be about. The 'problem' of their dragons being a threat is too great and strong ties need to be made. I can't imagine they would discuss anything other than marriage to make those ties, my marriage.

"I am serious when I say I will help you avoid this if you are against it, I don't fancy a relationship where my wife despises me. I intend to be close with my future wife as my mother and father are, I can't imagine myself unhappy in a marriage. So just think about it before we head back and let me know what it is you desire and we can work together." I would like to believe him and say what I feel about it but I am still hesitant.

I do not dislike him, I have enjoyed the time I have spent in his company and would like to spend more time with him. But politics rarely wait around, especially when I am getting older with each day and the 'need' to be married grows. I understand the duty I have as a Princess and I am willing to act on my duty but as a person, I just wish I knew him better.

"If my father decides this is what is best I will do my duty as a Princess and his daughter." Through the gaps between my fingers, I can see him grimace making me smile. "But as 'Rhaenyra' I would like to know my husband better to see how I really 'feel' about it. That does not sound like too much to ask for does it?" I sit up and drop my hand away from my eyes as I look over at him.

"No, it makes sense as we have 'known' each other for truly less than a week. I would also like to get to know 'Rhaenyra' a little more, from what I have seen she is pleasant to be around." I smile and his lips twitch before some mischief passes through his eyes. "Most of the time at least." He chuckles seeing me freeze up before I push his shoulder.

"Well, I can only say 'Daeron' is at best 'entertaining' to be around." He sets a hand over his heart and opens his mouth in surprise.

"You wound me, Princess." Princess, what everyone calls me for the most part and not what I want him to call me if I want the 'gap' between us to close.

"Rhaenyra." He raises a brow in confusion and I cross my arms and lean against my knees that are pulled up to my chest. "I want you to call me Rhaenyra from now on, Princess just makes you seem like everyone else." He slowly smiles and nods, this smile more genuine than the ones before.

"I like that idea, I will address you as Rhaenyra and you can address me as Daeron. It would be weird if only I was calling you by name after all." I nod in agreement getting what I wanted from that exchange.

I reach down and grab my cup and pull it to my lips to wet my throat and find it surprisingly cold. I look at the cup in surprise and realize I grabbed the wrong one as mine was a bit further away. Daeron seems unaware as he looks through a bag he brought with different things to eat and I can't help but be curious.

I set down the cup after taking another sip of the cool water and cross my arms once more as Daeron turns back around and offers me what he found in the bag.

"Cake? I had one of my servants sneak into the kitchens and make my favorite, it's pretty good." It looks like a piece of bread more than cake but I pull a piece off it regardless.

The temptation of trying a new kind of cake is too much to resist.

"It's fluffy." I can't help but speak up as I crush it between two fingers and it reforms on its own.

"It's sweet too, it's pretty simple to make with just egg whites, flour, and sugar along with a secret ingredient." I raise a brow wondering what that ingredient could be but put the cake in my mouth regardless.

I trust him enough to not poison me as he has hundreds of other ways to kill me if he wanted to.

The decision is immediately rewarded with a sweet flavor that is going to be hard to forget. A light and fluffy texture as I was expecting that is far apart from the bread it looks like. I would even put it in the top five cakes I have ever had if I am being honest. My eyes drift back to the 'loaf' of cake that is wrapped up in cloth and he chuckles before tearing it in half.

"Thank you, Daeron." I take the half he handed me and watch as he takes a bite of his own with closed eyes, a hum escaping him.

Maybe there are some 'hidden' benefits to marrying Daeron that I haven't uncovered like his obvious love for cake. Either way, I will slowly uncover them along with the secret ingredient to this fluffy delight.

----

112 AC

Kingslanding

Daeron Nymeros Martell

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I should really do something nice for Myriah, she managed to dig up Rhaenyra's love for cake that I managed to abuse today. Rhaenyra 'informed' me if I ever want to invite her to something I only need to pack more of the 'fluffy cake'. I wonder how she will react when I make Strawberry shortcakes.

"So are you going to keep me in suspense the rest of the night or are you going to open your mouth?" I ask impatiently as my father leans back in his chair with his eyes closed.

He slowly opens his eyes and looks toward me with an annoyed glare.

"I am thinking son, give me a moment longer to collect myself." He closes his eyes once more and I sigh. "They can say what they want about King Viserys but I will say he stands his ground once he finds it like no other. I felt like I was trying to convince your mother of something, I send my condolences my son if your wife will be like this. It must be something about their dragon blood that makes them so bullheaded." My eyes widen as I sit forward putting both my hands flat on the table.

"So that's a 'yes' I take it?" He groans and grabs his cup of Dornish red before downing the whole thing and looking toward me once more.

"He is fine with marriage but what comes with it or he takes from it is the problem as I expected. He gave and he took in equal measure and I would have been satisfied but a few things I wanted out or in he would not budge." He stands up and walks to the wine pitcher that was out of reach.

"You are killing me here." I groan and put on an annoyed face but inside I feel quite happy knowing Rhaenyras dad approved the match.

Once he makes it official I can be a bit more forward in my pursuits and really sweep her off her feet. Right now I can only really play around what she is willing to do or take responsibility for, like going on long flights or sitting in the library or Godswood. If I asked her to go somewhere and it was all my own doing and something happened I would be responsible and could even provoke a war.

But if we are engaged I can go a lot further so long as I don't go 'too far'.

"So far we have many little deals and plans, it all is resting on a single and simple pact. This pact is the future of all cooperation of Dorne and the sole reason we willingly join the 'seven' kingdoms. The Martell main line who will inherit Sunspear and are Prince and Princess of Dorne will be from Rhaenyra and you for our part of the pact. The Targaryen part of the pact is troubling as King Viserys has no son or the boy would have ideally married Myriah but it's not possible. He is adamant he 'will' have a son so for his side of the pact his son and heir will marry a Martell and put our blood into their main line." The room goes silent as I think about how that will work should canon happen.

If Aemma's baby dies and Rhaenyra is named Heir it could be quite simple with her having at least two kids. One will get the Iron throne and be the next king or queen of Westeros, the other would be Prince or Princess of Dorne and have Sunspear. They would both be Martells at birth but upon ascension, to the Iron throne, the one who will rule Westeros will likely take the Targaryen name. A simple way to enact the pact, but I can foresee some problems if the Hightower line is born. They might try to use the pact to marry a dragon blood Martell to Aegon if he is born and that would complicate things.

"I see, and we would be keeping the title Prince and Princess as well as being fully in control of our own military assets?" The two things I wanted to make sure no matter what, taxes can go kick rocks I need to make sure the men of Dorne are under my house or there will be problems.

"Of course my son, do you think me a fool that I forgot how our people hate the rest of Westeros?" He raises a brow at me and I shrug.

"I just wanted clarification that we will still be a 'principality' for the most part." He nods and returns to his own thoughts.

Well, the 'hard' part could be considered over, that leaves the 'hardest' part which is securing the heart of the Princess. She grows on me more and more so I have no complaints and am looking forward to the future.

I mean who could even complain when marrying the 'realms delight'?

----

A red dragon circles the Dragon pit before landing and I feel excitement knowing who just arrived. Getting to meet the 'Rogue Prince' for the first time has me excited more than I expected, I wonder how he feels about my family. I would expect he is unhappy, to say the least about our dragons and would lose little sleep if we all turned up dead.

I freeze in place at the window looking toward the Dragon pit as a thought worms its way into my mind. If Daemon will not be able to marry Laena or Rhaenyra who will he end up having kids with?

I thought about it before but soon put it out of my mind as the engagements of Laena to Lewyn and Rhaenyra to me were still unsure. But now that Laena and Lewyn are confirmed and even announced and my own engagement to Rhaenyra is nearly in the same position I can't get the thought out of my mind.

Is there a chance he will have kids with the Royce wife he has or will he 'kill' her in this world as well like in canon? He might even run off to Essos for some reason or another and start another line of Targaryens over there. I do not know what he will do but I feel like I need to keep a close eye on the situation.

I doubt he would pull a Daemon Blackfyre and try to take the throne by force eventually but there is the chance. He is loyal to his brother and lusts after his niece but if he argues with his brother and his niece is unavailable what will he do?