"Where are we going?" you asked sleepily, rubbing your eyes. The moon was high in the sky when your father had shaken you from your slumber. It wasn't often that he came to Runestone, you usually only saw each other when you visited the Stepstones. You'd been bursting with excitement when you'd heard the familiar whistle of Caraxes roaring in the dark, but Mother made it clear you would have to wait until morning.

But Daemon never listened to his wife.

Daemon hushed you, closing the castle door quietly and leading you across the hills, "It's a surprise, sweetling."

"That usually means Mother won't like it."

"Well, yes. That's why I did it."

You gave a barely audible sigh at his response. Even as a youngling, you'd been able to see that your parents did not like each other. While initially confused as to why your Father was never around (and when he was he and Mother were fighting), your cousin Rhaenys and her husband Corlys had been kind enough to help. They taught you early on that sometimes people marry for political gain, and that they never learn to love each other. You thought that sounded horrid, but it seemed normal.

Father said you were going to marry a boy named Aemond one day, you hoped he was nice.

Caraxes whistled when he spotted you. The Blood Wyrm nudged you with his large, scarlet head. You were so focused on petting Caraxes that you almost didn't notice what he was curled around. Your eyes widened and you turned to look at your Father hopefully.

Daemon smirked, already picturing the argument this would start with Rhea. "A dragon egg, just for you, sweetling. I won't have my daughter denied her birthright any longer."