Life on Dragonstone was not as bad as Aelinor had feared. Sure, it was not filled with the luxuries of the Red Keep, but the island smelled much better than King's Landing, so that was a positive.
Now if only she could get used to the weather….and the fortress itself.
There was always a constant harsh wind, and while the storms were not as severe as the ones in Storm's End they were not very pleasant here either. They made it impossible to take a stroll outside to get some fresh air. Not that there was much to see.
There were several small villages present on the island, which included a small port town, but they were not the sorts of places that Aelinor felt comfortable visiting. She had caught a glimpse of some of the smallfolk on her way to the fortress, but she was able to tell that they were not living very wealthy lives.
They all shared her son's Valyrian features, though. What were they called again? Dragonseeds?
'I wonder how many can trace their blood back to past Targaryens….'
Aelinor knew some of the history of the island. The first smallfolk to settle here with the Targaryens had been slaves and other servants that were brought over from Old Valyria, which had been subsequently freed. Even now, that heritage still showed with their silver-blond hair and purple eyes.
It sort of made Aelinor feel self-conscious about her lighter blonde hair, so she tried not to think about it too much.
Aelinor and Aenys did not come to the island by themselves. For once Aerys took action and followed them to Dragonstone, just like he said he would. Of course, he practically emptied half of the library of the Red Keep in the process, which he brought with him to the island, but a part of Aelinor was still happy to see him. Despite the misgivings in their marriage, Aerys was still her son's father. She was not going to deny him a relationship with their son even if she could.
She tried not to dwell on the fact that her husband was only showing an interest in their son because of the dragon.
Prince Baelor and his family joined them as well. The crown prince had left a knight he trusted in charge as castellan of the fortress. Aelinor forgot to catch his name, only remembering that he came from house Scales oddly enough. They were not a powerful family by any means, only holding a modest keep in the bay. However, they were a minor house of Valyrian descent, so that made them stand out if only a little.
Another person to follow them was Shiera, much to Aelinor's distaste. When the girl first heard about the dragon, she had practically burst in excitement and became all the more focused on her son. She was more annoying now than before. Aelinor had asked the king if he could forbid the girl from following them to Dragonstone. She had been hopeful at first when King Daeron said that he would talk to the girl.
And yet, here she was. Aerys didn't say anything about her, just letting her be. Worse still, her little Aenys did not seem to mind her presence, so it was not like Aelinor could raise a legitimate complaint. Aelinor found some semblance of peace when Prince Baelor managed to temper the girl's overbearing enthusiasm after having a talk with her.
From that day on, Shiera seemed more restrained, but her interest in her son did not wane.
A real vulture that one.
While Aelinor was not a fan of the architecture of the castle, finding it too dreary, her precious Aenys seemed to take to it, as did his dragon. Since the dragon was still small, it remained at her son's side at all times, even sleeping together. Aelinor did not know how quickly dragons grew, but given its temper she could only pray to the Seven that the dragon did not cause too much issue when they were forced to separate it from her son.
The dragon was fed fish and other meats, all of which it ate with gusto. The maester of Dragonstone documented everything with elation. Sometimes Prince Valarr came to watch the dragon feed with Prince Baelor. Sadly, when the young prince tried getting close, the dragon would refuse him. Prince Valarr had already cried twice over the rejections, but there was nothing to do about it.
Despite her initial hesitation, Aelinor found herself growing fond of the creature. It took a couple of weeks, but she was able to tell that the dragon did not mean to cause any harm toward her son. It was the opposite. The dragon was fiercely protective and usually only allowed her to get close to Aenys.
Aerys found that a bit off putting, but he didn't complain too much, just muttering words as he wrote in his new journal. Supposedly he wanted to document everything, much like the maester, which just made Aelinor want to roll her eyes.
This was no experiment. It was real life, but she would let Aerys have his fun. At least it meant that he spent more time with Aenys. Her son grew accustomed to having Aerys around. She didn't know if her son knew that Aerys was his father, but the fact that he seemed at ease with Aerys' presence was a good sign.
Life on Dragonstone never became monotonous. She might be stuck inside the dreary fortress, but she had much to keep her occupied. For you see, in the months that followed their relocation to the island, Dragonstone was subjected to a large number of guests.
The first was Princess Elaena Targaryen. The woman had come straight from the Parchments. The sole remaining child of King Aegon III cried when she first laid eyes upon the baby dragon. They were not tears of sadness or regret. Rather, they were ones of happiness.
"It happened," she said through her tears. "A miracle has happened. My egg….it's finally hatched."
The dragon had regarded the princess with some curiosity, but beside that it remained firmly at Aenys' side.
Princess Elaena did not begrudge the dragon for its behavior. Rather, she just smiled.
"I finally get to see you," she said softly, still crying.
Aelinor felt out of place watching this, but she remained where she stood, allowing the princess to have her moment. She could not begin to understand how Princess Elaena must be feeling at this moment. She had carried that egg with her for most of her life. She held much attachment to it, and now it had hatched. Not for her, but for someone else.
Princess Elanea proceeded to hold the giggling Aenys in her arms while the dragon just watched them.
"You're going to be quite something, aren't you?" she cooed as she gazed at Aenys with affection.
Aelinor was happy that the princess found peace with the situation.
Princess Elaena spent around two weeks on Dragonstone, spending time with Aelinor and her son, as well as the other members of her family. It was a peaceful time.
Before she left, the princess left her with a warning.
"Be watchful, Aelinor. I know you wanted to live in peace with your son, but unfortunately that will not be possible. Whether you want it or not, he's now become the most important person in the realm, and that includes the king. Many will try to use him or get rid of him. Be watchful."
It was a fear that had been growing in the back of Aelinor's mind since the morning she found the dragon with her son. It was a fear that she did not want to face, but she knew that trying to run away from it was foolish. Even if she were to escape to Essos, Westeros would follow her and her son so long as he lived.
No, she had to face the problem head on and prepare for it as best she could.
Maesters and even Archmaesters from the Citadel arrived next, all expressing their desire to study the dragon. King Daeron had given his approval, so there was nothing for Aelinor to do but just watch them carry out their work. Aerys found his element here, working alongside them as the dragon continued to grow and mature.
The king had also sent expeditions as far east as Asshai to gather more knowledge on dragonlore, so there would probably be foreigners visiting Dragonstone as well once the expeditions returned.
Queen Myriah also paid them a visit, which was followed by the arrival of Prince Maron and Princess Daenerys Targaryen. They brought their children with them: Prince Olyvar Martell and Princess Arianne Martell. The two children could not be more different. Prince Olyvar favored his Dornish heritage while Princess Arianne was almost the spitting image of her mother minus her eyes.
Prince Maron declared that he was here to greet his new great-nephew, but Aelinor was not blind. The Dornish prince had come to the celebrations of Prince Valarr's birth, but beyond that he did not have much of a presence in the lives of his sister's family.
The inclusion of their children was alarming. If Aelinor was cynical enough, then she might start thinking that the Dornish prince was already trying to push his daughter on her son. Aelinor already had been forced to read through countless letters from the Stormlands, all filled with empty platitudes which also brought proposals of future fosterings and betrothals. Aerys had read through them too, but he had not answered any of them. Aelinor feared that he might accept one of them, which would separate her from her only child.
The Dornish Prince spent around a week on Dragonstone with his family. Aelinor had never met Princess Daenerys in person, but she found her pleasant enough. She was kind but was also not afraid to speak her mind. Despite what the lords of the Marches and the Reach said, the princess seemed happy with her life. Prince Maron seemed to be genuinely in love with her as well.
Or maybe she was just putting up a front. Aelinor knew that she herself did, so perhaps the princess was good at it too.
In the end, Prince Maron left in peace with no word of any proposal of any kind.
It made Aelinor believe that she had been overthinking the visit, but then she was called to a private meeting with the crown prince.
Prince Baelor shared that the idea of a betrothal or even a future fostering had been thrown around by Prince Maron when he invited her to the chamber with the famous Painted Table. The Dornish prince sold it as "Prince Aenys maintaining his Dornish roots." It was an offer that was not extended to Prince Valarr.
"Prince Maron is eager to continue the ties between our families," he said as he sat at the head seat. Aerys was also present, but he sat in silence. "He mentioned the possibility of a betrothal between Aenys and his daughter."
"But Aenys will not be king," Aelinor argued. It would make more sense for Prince Maron to offer his daughter to Prince Valarr, right?
The argument was weak, she knew.
Baelor similarly seemed bitter as he replied, "In face of a dragon, such things matter little."
Fear started to grip Aelinor's heart. A match between her son and one of the most powerful houses in the realm would make people start talking.
"Prince Baelor, I have no desire to cause any trouble for you and your family."
"Fear not, Aelinor." Baelor shook his head, his tone reassuring. "I know you and my brother do not harbor such thoughts. But I want you to understand the reality that we find ourselves in. Aenys is not yet a year old, but for various reasons there will be many who will prefer him over me and my line."
It wasn't just about the dragon, Aelinor knew. But she had enough tact to not bring up the crown prince's looks at a time like this.
"Putting that aside, I do not wish to dictate my nephew's path," Baelor continued. "I'm sure my father will agree. Talks of betrothals will be left up to you and my brother. He is your son, not mine."
Even though his own son had been passed up by Prince Maron in favor of Aenys, which was no small insult, Baelor maintained his friendly demeanor.
Aelinor could not thank the gods enough for such a miracle.
Aerys remained calm throughout the whole exchange, much to her frustration. Wasn't he worried about where all of this could lead?
'No, he's just concerned about his books.'
For the first time in her life Aelinor found herself wanting to slap someone. She would later ask the Seven to forgive her for such thoughts, but she could not deny the desire in that moment.
It went without saying that she and Aerys did not share a room. Aelinor still slept with her son and his dragon while Aerys retreated to his own chamber every night. There would not be a second night like the one that conceived Aenys.
Even as the moons continued to pass and life seemed to settle, things did not remain stagnant. The dragon grew, and so did Aenys. No name was given to the dragon, not officially. King Daeron decreed that it would be up to Aenys to give the dragon a name as its rider.
Prince Valarr tried to name it but was denied, which just made the prince cry all over again.
Lady Dyanna was a frequent visitor, along with her son. Prince Daeron had started to frequently cry in his sleep and was always frightful of everything around him. The maesters claimed that he was suffering from night terrors or something similar. However, the baby's temperament changed every time that he was around Aenys. It was discovered that his frequent cries ceased when he shared a cradle with Aenys one night, and he was in a noticeably good mood every time he came to visit Dragonstone. As such, Lady Dyanna asked Prince Baelor if Daeron could stay for longer periods of time on the island, to which the crown prince agreed.
Aelinor did not have a problem with this either. None of them understood why Aenys was such a calming presence for Daeron, but it was a miracle that Dyanna welcomed.
Lady Dyanna would be the first to give birth to a second child, another prince. She and Prince Maekar would name their second child Aerion Targaryen. Unlike Prince Daeron, Prince Aerion shared Aenys' Valyrian looks: curly silver-blond hair and deep violet eyes. He was the very definition of a Targaryen.
During these early years of Aenys' life his other uncle, Prince Rhaegel, would finally be married. His wife was Lady Alys Arryn. She was the only daughter of Lord Donnel Arryn of the Eyrie and Lady Lenora Lannister. A fine match for a Targaryen prince, especially a third son.
There was a wedding ceremony held for the couple in the Great Sept of Baelor. For obvious reasons, Aelinor could not attend, so she just sent the couple her best wishes.
Aerys on the other hand was made to attend, much to his annoyance. Aelinor was later told that it was a happy affair, with Rhaegel beaming with happiness at his bride.
Practically all the lords of the realm attended, save for the Ironborn. The Starks made an appearance as well, surprising everyone. Another surprise was the presence of Daemon Blackfyre with his family. His half-brother Aegor attended too. He and Brynden had glared at the other with contempt throughout the ceremony.
None of these men were here for the wedding, though. No, they had come to see if they could catch a glimpse of the prince who had managed to hatch a dragon egg. Unfortunately for them, Aenys remained safe on Dragonstone with Aelinor.
It was for the first time that Aelinor was happy to have Shiera around as the girl was happy to tell her everything that had happened at the wedding since she had attended. She told her how many lords had approached Aerys throughout the ceremony. Lords from the Crownlands, the Reach, the Westerlands, Stormlands, and Dorne had all spoken in private to Aerys over the course of the wedding. Not just any minor lords either. The Lannisters and the Tyrells had been among the lords who had sought an audience with Aerys, so people noticed.
Needless to say, these talks made the court in the Red Keep nervous, and Shiera told Aelinor that the king had spoken to Aerys in private as well. About what, she didn't know exactly, but the king did not seem happy.
Losing patience, Aelinor sought out her so-called husband who had been in his private chamber all day after returning from the capital. For once, she let Shiera look after Aenys as she cornered Aerys who looked somewhat surprised to see her barge into his room without notice. He was sitting by the table that he had set up in the room which was filled to the brim with books and other documents.
The guards in the hall looked startled but wisely said nothing as they let her walk past them.
"What are you thinking!?" Aelinor half-shouted as she slammed the door behind her.
Aerys did not answer her. He merely closed his journal as he looked at her with one eyebrow raised.
"Do you not understand the situation our son is in!? You are not the crown prince, Aerys! If Prince Baelor believes that you covet his throne, what do you think is going to happen to our son!?"
"Covet the throne?" Aerys scoffed. "Do you actually believe that I have any interest in being king?"
"Then why bother to meet with so many lords!?" she hissed. "Do you not know how that looks?"
Her past self would no doubt be in disbelief if she saw herself right now. She was openly screaming at her own husband. It would have been unthinkable for her before, but when it came to the safety of her own son Aelinor no longer cared to keep up her facade of the docile wife.
"I didn't seek them out. They came to me," Aerys retorted. "They sought the same things as any other. Promises. A chance for more power."
"And you didn't bother to turn them away?"
"Don't be a fool, Aelinor. I know you're smarter than this," Aerys said with another scoff. "While you wish to hide here on Dragonstone, blind to the world, the realm stirs. My father faces many threats. There are many lords unhappy with his rule. Many seek revenge for his reforms and for his marriage. They were happily gathering around Daemon Blackfyre. Now, the man's allies are eating themselves alive, paralyzed about what to do."
Aelinor found the conversation steering into unfamiliar territory now. The fire that had been burning inside of her slowly trickled away.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not blind to what has been said about my father. They have called him a usurper. A weak king. A bastard. One not of true blood. How can those arguments hold true when my son, the king's grandson, has managed to do something that no other has? How can they claim that my father's blood is weak when that same blood runs through Aenys?"
Aelinor saw her husband's point. "Then why did they wish to meet with you?"
"Because, while Daemon Blackfyre's image might have weakened, the resentment toward my father and Dorne have not."
Aelinor began to understand. "Prince Baelor."
Aerys nodded. "My brother's looks work against him. Many lords are happy to dismiss him because he looks too much like our mother. So now, many are looking to champion my son as their new mouthpiece for their resentment. That he holds more legitimacy on looks and blood both."
In other words, Aenys could very well become another threat to Prince Baelor, only one with possibly more sway than Daemon Blackfyre. For Aenys was no bastard who had been legitimized. He might not have the Valyrian steel sword Blackfyre, but he had something better: a dragon.
Aelinor felt her body shake. She could feel her heart beating faster and faster. "Aerys-"
"We are in a precarious position," Aerys said it for her. "Baelor would never harm our son. I promise you that. That doesn't change the situation we find ourselves in, with Aenys now becoming a contender to my brother and his line. Even Lord Baratheon was more than happy to praise me over Baelor."
No doubt. Both Aenys and Valarr carried Stormlander blood, so to the Baratheons it was a win-win. Except that only one of them held a dragon.
Aelinor's shoulders sagged as she nearly fell to her knees.
"All of this goes back to that, doesn't it? To the dragon."
"Dragons are power. It was through dragon's fire that the realm was forged. It has not forgotten that fact," Aerys stated.
Of course.
She knew. The moment that she laid her eyes on the dragon, Aelinor knew that her son would not have a simple life. But all of this was happening so fast.
'Aerys is right.'
Despite what she had said, Aelinor was still trying to hide from the truth. She thought of Dragonstone as an escape, but it wasn't. The world was moving, and the realm continued to stir. The game of thrones was still being played, and despite her son's age he was already a key player.
She looked at Aerys, her eyes pleading.
"What are we going to do?"
Standing up from his seat, Aerys clasped his hands behind his back as he paced in front of her.
"I did not seek those lords out, Aelinor. You know that I have little interest in politics. These childish games detract from what is important. However, my desires in this endeavor matter little now. Aenys is my son, and that fact alone means that I must put up with these antics. I entertained them because I wanted to see who the politickers were. I wanted to see which lords were already scheming. I did not imagine that so many would be eager to displace Baelor. My father was not happy with this either, but he also understands how delicate the situation is. He and Baelor both would never harm Aenys. I know this. They also know that trying to control my son will only lead Aenys to resent them one day, and that will only lead to disaster, which is what they are trying to avoid. So where does this leave them?"
Aelinor did not know. When Aerys broke it down like this, she was surprised that Prince Baelor hadn't simply thrown her and her son out.
'No, what am I saying? Prince Baelor isn't that type of man.'
The crown prince was an honorable man who sought to do what he thought best. He also cared for his family. Unfortunately, he was now in a very dangerous position where there was not one clear answer.
"I do not wish for my son to be tied down by these games either," Aerys said after a moment's silence, sighing softly. "Or perhaps I am being naive. Perhaps he is meant for the throne."
Aelinor's eyes widened. "What?"
"I have been reading, and there are visions of the past that are now being whispered through our son," Aerys said. "Perhaps conflict will be inevitable."
"You cannot mean that." Aelinor couldn't believe that.
"I don't know." Aerys sounded earnest in this. "What I do know is that my brother is a good man, and I do not wish to bring ruin upon him. Ultimately, the choice will be in Aenys' hands. You are better at this than I, Aelinor. I ask that you try and guide him as best you can, but I think you'll find that there is only so much that we can do."
Aelinor stared at her husband. It was the first compliment that he had ever given her.
"You sound as if we've already lost."
Lost the battle to protect their son from conflict.
"I'm being honest with you." Aerys glanced at her. "Isn't that what marriage is supposed to be about? Whether we want it or not, we are in this together."
Yes. That much was true. They had a son together. That fact would never change now.
Aelinor folded her arms in front of her. She wanted to wrap them around herself, to give herself a hug. She desperately needed one.
"I suppose….we can only try our best," she said, coming to a final decision.
Aerys did not want conflict. The king and crown prince did not want conflict. She didn't want conflict.
The decision was now up to Aenys, and Aelinor vowed to try her best.
Their argument ended there, but the core problem would persist for a long time, outside of their control.
---
The moons continued to pass. Aenys did not remain an infant forever. Right before Aelinor's eyes, her son turned one and then two. Finally, he turned three in the year 194 AC.
Her son was tall for a child his age. He took to his lessons well with the maester. If there was one thing that Aenys inherited from his father, then it was his mind. He was quick during his lessons, and the maester had nothing but praise toward the young prince. This wasn't to say that he was bookish like Aerys. Far from it. Aenys was always on the move, always exploring the castle, always wanting to go into the mountain to see where the dragons had once roosted. Sometimes Aelinor felt as though her son was trying to give her a heart attack with the kinds of mischief that he got up to.
If there was one thing that could keep Aenys occupied, then it was spending time with his dragon. During his private name day celebration, Aenys finally decided on a name to give to his dragon.
Vaeraxes.
Aenys named it so after Queen Rhaenys' mount.
Somehow the name seemed to just fit. The dragon did indeed possess white-silver flames. But oddly enough, there was also a beautiful streak of a red-gold in the mix too. Much like the coloring of its body, the dragon's flames reflected the beautiful but contrasting colors. According to the maesters, no other dragon had been recorded to possess such unique flames.
Time would tell if the dragon was a she-dragon capable of laying eggs. If it indeed turned out to be a she-dragon, then it was just something else for Aelinor to worry about. No doubt neither the king nor Prince Baelor would stay quiet then.
Vaeraxes was growing big and healthy, much like its rider. The dragon was not chained as the others had been in the Dragonpit in King's Landing in days past. There were no dragonkeepers either. There were talks that King Daeron might consider bringing the order back, but that would be for the future.
There were initial concerns about the dragon's temperament as it grew in size. Some also worried about the dragon's understanding of home. Would it just fly off one day never to return?
Both concerns were dismissed in time as Vaeraxes always behaved when Aenys was around even though the dragon now towered over the young prince.
Vaeraxes regularly went out hunting on the island as well as the bay, catching sheep, fish, and other prey. The dragon never hurt anyone, but more than once it gave the smallfolk and the passing ships a fright. According to the maesters, such activities would help the dragon grow faster and stronger. The fire from the Dragonmont was also said to help as dragons preferred the heat. Sure enough, while it was no behemoth, estimates showed that it was growing faster than any known dragon before the Dance. So far, the dragon had about a length of around seven meters with a wingspan of roughly eighteen meters.
And that was in three years.
If this growth rate continued, then Vaeraxes would be more than ready to be ridden by Aenys by his tenth birthday.
Aelinor could confidently say that Vaeraxes was a very beautiful dragon. The way its scales reflected the sunlight was a sight to behold. The way the scales shone at night. Aelinor felt as if she could get lost in the dragon's eyes for days with how mesmerizing they were.
To think such a creature would one day be capable of causing massive destruction.
Aenys had never set foot outside of Dragonstone. Even so, he was not alone. Not only did he have Vaeraxes, but her son had become good friends with Prince Daeron.
From the moment that he could talk, the prince asked his parents that he wanted to be with Aenys. His mood always changed when he was with Aenys. Aelinor still didn't understand it, but Prince Maekar and Lady Dyanna seemed to come to an understanding with their son. They were not thrilled to have their son leave Summerhall at such a young age, but they also accepted it.
Because of it, Daeron was now almost always at Aenys' side. Aenys would rope the more quiet Daeron into his ideas, which quickly changed the more meek prince. He started to come out of his shell, and in recent months had become more confident and self-assured.
Prince Maekar and Lady Dyanna were happy when they last came to visit with their younger son.
Unfortunately, Aenys didn't have the same friendship with Prince Valarr. It could just be because they were still young, but Prince Valarr had become bitter and jealous of Aenys as time went on. He often complained to his parents that the dragon should be his, not Aenys'. That he was going to be king, not Aenys, and so he deserved to have the dragon. Despite only being three and Valarr already five, Aenys punched him when Valarr kept saying that Vaeraxes would be his one day.
Aerys and Baelor agreed to separate the two for a bit. The whole situation had Baelor stressed, she could see. Aelinor had come to understand that Prince Baelor was not being wholly altruistic in keeping Aenys safe on Dragonstone. No doubt he'd hoped that his son and Aenys would grow close as Daeron had.
But the boys were young still. Much could change. Aelinor had already spoken to Aenys, chastising him for picking a fight with his cousin. Aenys seemed to listen, but Aelinor knew that her son was already becoming headstrong. She also couldn't fully fault him for his actions.
Another confidant for Aenys was Shiera, much to Aelinor's private displeasure. The girl was already four and ten, quickly approaching fifteen. The past three years had been kind to her. Too kind. Many were already saying that she was the most beautiful lady in the realm. From what little information Aelinor was able to gather from servants, Shiera was already being sought after by many lords despite her dubious background. She brought nothing but her looks and blood to the table, but to many that was enough.
Shiera's most persistent admirers seemed to be her two half-brothers: Aegor and Brynden. The two men already despised the other because of their families and their rivalry, but now they were competing for the same woman who was not yet a woman.
Shiera made no attempt to remain in King's Landing, however. Every time she ventured to the Red Keep for events and celebrations, she would always return to Dragonstone. To Aenys. She was always hosting private lectures with Aenys. Sometimes Daeron joined in too. They were lessons about their family's histories and about the dragons. She often sang to her son too, which he seemed to enjoy.
Aerys didn't see an issue with his, and Aelinor begrudgingly admitted that Shiera had a lovely singing voice. Despite her reluctance, she knew that her son was already too fond of the older girl to separate them. Shiera had also never harmed Aenys in any way, so a part of Aelinor knew that she was perhaps being too overprotective.
Then life changed again.
Lady Jena gave birth to her second child. This was another prince. Prince Matarys Targaryen they called him. The prince was born with his mother's looks: auburn hair with blue eyes. There was no trace of the Targaryen silver-blond hair on him unlike his older brother, and even then Prince Valarr only had but one streak of it.
Aelinor anticipated the whispers that would continue when word got out of the birth of a new prince. Even though it should be a happy occasion, politics kept polluting everything.
The king and queen came to Dragonstone to greet their new grandson. Prince Matarys was the first Targaryen to be born on Dragonstone in quite sometime, so it was a special occasion.
It was here, when King Daeron summoned the family to the chamber with the Painted Table, that he announced that he would hold a special celebration to announce the birth of a new prince to the realm.
Aelinor was happy for Prince Baelor and Lady Jena. Despite all the tension, they had been good to her and her son.
But then King Daeron made another declaration. He announced that Aenys would be attending the celebrations as well.
Aelinor was instantly alarmed. "Your Grace, is that wise?"
The king seemed resigned.
"We cannot keep the boy hidden away forever, Aelinor. From what I am told, Aenys is a smart boy. If we keep excluding him from family events, he'll start to feel alienated from us. I cannot let that happen."
Aelinor knew this. Since the dragon had hatched, Aenys had remained on Dragonstone. He couldn't even remember King's Landing or the Red Keep.
No doubt the lords of the realm were asking questions too. Aenys couldn't remain locked away forever.
Still, Aelinor felt trepidation at this. She did not doubt that the whole realm would descend on King's Landing to see if they could catch a glimpse of her son. Perhaps they sought more than that. Perhaps some had vile intentions toward her son.
So many what-ifs.
'Let it all be okay. Please.'
It was all she could pray for.
It was now the year 195 AC, and Prince Aenys Targaryen was four years old.