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#jacaela kids
an-abyss-of-stars Β· 10 months
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Rhaemond babies content - Jacaela Edition!
The many faces of
Aethan Velaryon
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Aethan is the first born child of both Baela and Jace (he's currently a 1yr old baby in the story, but by the time Vaella is born, he will have turned 2!) He's Rhaenyra and Daemon's first grandchild, and their kids first nephew. Aethan is often thought to take after both of his parents, but mostly his features seemed to have favoured his mother. He inherited her eyes, her nose, her lips and especially her spirit. Whereas with his father, he mainly inherited his facial structure and his brown hair colour (both Aethan and his next sibling will have brown hair, but I'm imagining that their hair is not a simple regular brown. Like maybe in the sun there's a golden-like essence to it)
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Aethan was given a Velaryon name when he was born, not because either Jace or Baela felt it necessary to do so, but because when they looked upon their newborn son, they simply felt it suited him. He entered the world quite stoically as far as babies are concerned, barely crying or screaming. He whined only a bit, but once he was safely swaddled and placed in his loving mother's arms, he was sound, quiet and peaceful. Staring up at his parents with big lavender eyes, a clear mix of purple tones he'd inherited from both of his parents.
As a babe, he was doted upon by the whole of his family. His parents especially of course, but all of his aunt's and uncles loved him dearly. And once the family's bridges had been mended, he was truly free to spend time with all of his relatives. His uncles Aemond and Aegon were among the two to spend a great deal of time with him (even if Aemond was reluctant to admit how fond he was his nephew then). And Aethan's little uncles loved him just as dearly, little Aeggie and Vis were very excited to have a new playmate, as were Aethan's cousins little Jaehaerys and Jaehaera. Jaehaera had a habit of stealing Aethan away from his nursery, plopping him down at her little tea table in her nursery and having little tea dates with him. He was very fond of his cousin, and sitting beside delightful stuffed dragons, so he didn't mind at all.
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With Aethan's birth, the courtiers who frequented the Red Keep were forced to hold their tongue more than they ever had for Jace and his brunette brothers. For Aethan was a true born Prince of the crown, as well as being Jace's own heir to the throne. Aethan held a great deal of Valyrian blood, and with the Rogue Prince...now made King Consort being the boy's grandfather, it would be most foolish of any Lord to gain dragon Queen or King's ire by insulting their darling boy.
Aethan as a toddler could be seen accompanying many of his family members to different events and duties throughout the day. He'd sit upon his grandpapa's lap for hearings and petitions, he'd sit by his grandmama's side as well as his father's side during council meetings, doing his best to pay attention as he was the next heir after his father...though at such a tender age he most certainly was not paying attention.
He learned Valyrian quite easily from his maesters, as well as, mostly from his parents and grandparents. His mama sat with him often to go over his pronunciation, and his papa regaled him with myths and tales of The Flames in Valyrian to further help his understanding.
Aethan would sit and read with his uncle Aegon, though more often than not he'd remind his uncle that he'd skipped a page or misread a word. With his younger uncles Aeggie and Vis and his cousin Jaehaerys, the boys sought to teach their new little family member how to fight and play their favourite game Conquerors.
And when Jaehaera hoped to snag him away for tea dates, he'd be sure to sweetly invite his aunt Helaena for he always thought she'd enjoy having tea with them...even if some days it was just imaginary. He often enjoyed her sweet presence and attention.
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As a result, as a young child, Aethan enjoyed a great many things. He'd learned the ways of his eccentric family and found that he loved them all for various reasons (even his step-grandmother Alicent had been a pleasant force in his upbringing. I never mention her, but I think she's nice to the next gen of little Targs...not Otto tho...Otto scares the kiddos). Aethan was an incredibly bright child, he loved to learn, loved myths, history and philosophy. He loved to read, but more often than not he'd rather read with the members of his family who had the patience for it, his papa or his Queenly grandmama most namely. But he loved to receive his bedtime stories from his grandpapa most of all, for Daemon's retelling of his battle at the Stepstones was the most enthralling tale no matter how many times Aethan heard it.
On the other side of things, Aethan had found so many activities to occupy his time within because of another reason. His dragon egg had never hatched, gifted to him by his grandparents, an egg from the great Syrax and Caraxes, had unfortunately remained cold and dormant.
It wouldn't be until Aethan's 6th nameday. By then, Rhaenyra as Queen had decided to re-initiate a Targaryen custom that her own father had neglected to continue with. And this was the custom of teaching and creating strong bonds with the next Targaryen generation. In the days when Viserys, Daemon and Rhaenys were young children, they used to frequent Dragonstone. Stay for days there maybe even frequent visiting moons, learning together, training together, bonding with one another. There'd be no room for petty strife or parental squabbles infecting their ideas of how they felt for one another. As opposed to the generation of Rhaenyra's, Daemon's, Alicent's children who had grown away from one another and grew to create rifts and strained relations.
So starting at the age of 6, Aethan would frequent Dragonstone more often. To bond with his cousins there, (by that point Vaella would be 4yrs old, and the twins, Daemion and Aelyx would be 2yrs old) as well as being able to see his beloved aunt and uncle as well. It was during one of these visits to Dragonstone, that Aethan at the tender age of 6, had managed to claim the great King of the Dragons, Vermithor.
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As time went on, Aethan grew to become a most well rounded Prince. During his stays at Dragonstone he happily trained extensively with his uncle Aemond, relishing in the way that his uncle did not hold back/baby him (as Aethan sometimes felt his own father did, though I'm sure that was just because Jace didn't want to hurt his own kid πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚). During these training sessions, Aethan often went head to head with Vaella as well, see Vaella...she was his number one competitor in EVERYTHING. It started when they were little, training hard against one another, an ever growing competition of who could out do who. Once they both had claimed dragons, frequent dragon races were held almost daily as well. This competitive spirit followed them everywhere, whose studies were superior, who knew their family history the best, whose Valyrian was more accurate, whose written word was clearer. They were a terror running wild in the island towns.
Rhaena often worried that the children were competing too much, but Aemond often found it more amusing than not, assuring his wife that the competition was healthy enough. It wasn't a violent hatred, it was a natural sportsmanship, something that was motivating both kids to strive to do better than the other. This behaviour followed them back to King's Landing as well, for the many frequent visits Rhaena and Aemond had there, where they brought their children with them. The rest of the children all happily bonded and played with their cousins and uncles, while Vaella and Aethan were always going at one another.
Whether it was 4yr old Vaella biting 6yr old Aethan's arm because he dared to take the last custard tart, or 9yr old Aethan pushing 7yr old Vaella too hard when she insulted his brown hair and called him "only part Targaryen!"
The day a ten year old Vaella had defeated in a 12yr old Aethan during one sparring match, she'd inadvertently given him a black eye with the blunt handle end of her practice sword. It wasn't a terribly permanent wound, so while Baela may have wanted to be upset, but she loved her niece far too much to actually lecture the girl on the brutality needed for a sparring match. Instead she had turned to her sister, and laughed "you do realize you've simply birthed a mini version of Aemond, yes?" Rhaena had found herself laughing, because she'd always thought the same.
Besides it all, Aethan had taken the wound like a champ, neither crying or acting viciously in retaliation, instead he just stormed back to the castle...where Vaella quickly followed suit screaming apologies with added advice, "you should've dodged left! I told you, your movement was too predictable! But I am sorry, cousin!"
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As a young man, Aethan had become quite the stunner. He'd filled out rather handsomely, truly taking after his father and his grandfather. His shoulders had widened, his arms and body toned with strong muscle, and his height had shot up immensely just slightly surpassing his father's 6ft in height, now reaching 6'1 or possibly even 6'2 (more on par with Aemond's height).
Aethan was a most accomplished fighter, having competed in several tourneys, and having won more than half of them by age 18. His bond with Vermithor was strong and well taken care of, as he flew with his mount as often as he could. Often going on trips with his beast either to the free cities to bring his mother, grandmother, aunts, sisters or cousins some lovely gifts. Or over to the North as he'd become great friends with Rickon Stark, Lord Cregan's eldest son (a kind of mirror to how Jace and Cregan are meant to be besties!). They'd often go hunting together, train together, drink and tell tales (he even had grown to see Cregan as another sort of uncle-type figure.)
With the amount of time Aethan spent in the North, it was largely rumoured that he'd most likely marry a Northern girl (something his mother and grandfather were adamantly against, they definitely wanted him to marry Valyrian). But if anyone was paying attention...and Rhaenyra always was, Aethan's eyes had only ever been set on one girl. The only girl in their family that he couldn't ever stop mentioning even when she had returned home was safely away from him. He'd say he hated the bickering, hated the fighting, loathed her competitive and brutish nature. But it was clear to his grandmother, that Aethan was never more alive, burning with true dragon's fire, than when he was in the company of his cousin Vaella Targaryen.
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Romantically, Aethan was very fluid. He was a crown Prince, thought to be both handsome and beautiful, with something hypnotically captivating in the contrast of his Valyrian eyes and dark brown hair. Many Ladies of the land had set their cap for him, hoping to be the one he'd choose as his bride...hoping to be his future Queen come the day he became King.
And by this point, Aethan securely taken after his father and uncle Aemond, in the way that he deeply cared about his duties. He sat in many council meetings, stood by for all hearings, petitions and decrees. So the thought of his future and his future wife was not a thought he was neglected. He knew he needed start thinking of ensuring his own line. Whether his marriage would be a match of political alliances or one based on Valyrian purity.
Aethan had bedded both men and women in his time, for attraction to him went beyond the bounds of simple gender norms. But deep within himself, he certainly knew the feelings he had for Vaella that were unmatched by anything else. By the time Vaella had turned 18, she was officially of age for marriage proposals, and as he'd heard it, she'd already been receiving several since she was 16yrs of age.
But Aethan knew Vaella better than anyone, she'd never been fond of the idea of marriage. At least not to the men who had offered themselves to her. She had too much of her father within her, she needed volatility. If she was to marry, she wanted a warrior. She wanted someone capable of defeating her, not just with blunt strength, but with real skill. So when she made the request to their grandparents, a tourney for her hand, but the winner must defeat her single combat.
Well...Aethan wasn't beyond throwing his hat in the ring. Conversations of his own possible betrothals ranged from Lannister girls to Baratheons, to Starks...and certainly talk of Vaella becoming his wife had been mentioned. Contention was drawn as Vaella was his uncle Aemond's eldest, and in Queen Rhaenyra's reign, she hoped to instill that the eldest child, male or female, would be the heir to any seat especially in their family. That would make Vaella the next Princess of Dragonstone...but that would only hold, if Vaella chose to marry a second son...a man who stood to inherit nothing.
Whereas...more likely than not, she would marry a man who stood to inherit something more. Aethan's parents had hoped that maybe Vaella would rather be Queen one day...by Aethan's side. It was a possibility that had given his heart a great sense of warmth, the idea of having his beautiful cousin standing by his side, as his wife, as his Queen.
And as the idea had been mentioned to his aunt and uncle, his aunt Rhaena was not against the match, ever the sweet woman he knew her to be, she was in fact all for it so long as her daughter was interested in making it so. While his uncle teetered on the idea of having to give his daughter up as his own heir...but certainly loved and trusted his nephew as the best viable option, as he was respected and Valyrian...and surely Aemond enjoyed the idea of his daughter one day becoming the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. (Aemond's gotta have a nice little think about it all πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ that's his precious little baby girl to him still.)
Either way, once Vaella returned to King's Landing for the tourney, Aethan decided to join the tourney. A fact that truly angered Vaella when she'd heard that he had. It was during this time that Aethan truly began to see his cousin in this new light, a light he never dared to view her in before. Acknowledging that their bickering and back and forth actually was something that entertained him greatly, it amused him, aroused him. He'd always lived to annoy his cousin, but now he was drawing even more from every interaction they had. Every round of the tourney that he succeeded to move past, Vaella only argued more with him, pulling him into close dark rooms to claim he was only "jesting, wasting her efforts to actually prove a point, to prove herself, to find a truly suitable person-".
That argument had ended with a rough kiss, and with their volatile nature with one another, almost every one of their outburst arguments started leading towards more and more aggressive kisses, grinding, and sexual encounters.
By the time Aethan reached the end of the tourney, he'd beat out every major Lord/house, collected no more than a few minor flesh wounds. And when he finally faced off against the one woman he wanted most of all, he knew better than to go easy on her, she'd never accept the outcome if he did. It was said to be a most spectacular match, as Princess Vaella Targaryen was a beast unleashed with her blade in her hand. But as Aethan knew best, Vaella always fought viciously when she was emotional...but in that state she also left room for very slight minuscule mistakes. Mistakes Aethan knew how to spot and capitalized on, and used to defeat her.
He pinned her twice, once she held her blade at an equally vital spot...but she would not yield. So he separated from her, and worked his way to knocking her sword from her hand, before pinning her again. His true dragon unleashed, he was grinning ferociously when he pinned her down for the second time. To the sound of screaming cheers from nobles and commoners alike viewing in the crowd, Aethan cared for none of it, he just needed to hear her say the words, that she yielded...and that she'd finally accept his offer for his hand.
And she did.
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Funnily enough, back when I first wrote Vaella's character bio I had no idea what my plan was for her future or for her love interest(s). But once I started thinking about Aethan and Jacaela's other babies and Lucenaera's babies, and I started drawing the lines between who'd end up with who. Aethan seemed like such a fun perfect character to match Vaella with!
Plus I find that the parallel throughline between Vaella and Aethan here feels like it really draws back to the core of Rhaemond in this universe! Like the base relationship isn't starting with real hatred or them being actual enemies, but there is an enemies to lovers element to them, and the bickering and competitive nature between seems super fun to me.
There's also technically a 3rd party to this relationship, a character I decided not to mention here. He will be introduced in this story and then he'll be more important in the sequel story when I focus on adult Vaella. There, I think, eventually with the three of them their relationship will result in becoming more of a throuple than just a straight linear marriage (though Vaella and Aethan's marriage will still be the core.)
Sidenote: when I do make Part 3 of this series, don't mind me if some of these details change when I do get to writing it. These are just my main initial thoughts for these characters now. But once I go into more depth with them, things might alter just a tad!
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Jacaela kids in order:
Aethan Velaryon (133 AC), baby #2 (137 AC), baby #3 & #4 (142 AC)
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Rhaemond kids in order:
Vaella Targaryen (135 AC), Daemion Targaryen & Aelyx Targaryen (137 AC), Valaena Targaryen (138 AC), Naerys Targaryen (139 AC), baby #6 & #7 (142 AC), baby #8 & #9 (153 AC)
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daenerysies Β· 4 months
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faye | 23 | she/they
└───❀*Μ₯Λšβ”€β”€β”€β€*Μ₯Λšβ”˜
pfp: ayhotte
⋆
i write metas and share a multitude of opinions sometimes. avid defender of cripples, bastards, women, and broken things.
β€” asoiaf/f&b
β€” pro targaryen ✧ women ✧
β€” daenerys stormborn & rhaenyra the cruel apologist first, human being second.
β€” lover of jacaerys, baela, visenya, queen rhaena, arya, margaery, brienne, book!jon (only), cersei, & olenna.
β€” snowstorm, laenyra, and jacaela supremacy β™₯︎
β€” not team green friendly (sans helaena and kids).
β€” DNI if you’re racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, a zionist, *insert being any other type of raging bigot* or i will happily punt you and your shitty opinions into the sunset :)
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kat-is-confused Β· 7 months
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could you tell us more about your jacaela kids au?
Gladly ! Now it's still not fully fleshed out, I'm still working out dates, relations and what's going on outside of the lil jacela fam. But I can give a good few details, so their eight children are: β€’ Viserion Velaryon (Eldest triplet, Born in 130 AC) β€’ Vaella Velaryon (Middle triplet, Born in 130 AC) β€’ Valaena Velaryon (Youngest triplet, Born in 130 AC) β€’ Daenys Velaryon (Third daughter, Born in 133 AC) β€’ Baelor Velaryon (Second son, Born in 135 AC) β€’ Aerion Velaryon (Third son, Born in 136 AC) β€’ Rhaenys Velaryon (Fourth and youngest daughter, Born in 140 AC) β€’ Aegon Velaryon (Fourth and youngest son, Born in 143 AC) I'll now give a handful of detail's about each of them. Viserion has the same complexion as his mother and also gained the classical Valyrian hair from her, however he has his father's eyes and look's quite a lot like him in his face. Though not skilled with a sword, the prince is an adept archer. Viserion had a dragon egg placed in his cradle, though it would never hatch, neither would the one his grandmother Rhaenyra would gift him a few years later. He grew up resentful as he watched his younger sibling's hatch dragons, this reached his peak when his youngest brother Aegon (13) claimed the dragon Caraxes, which Viserion (26) had failed at a few years prior. While training his younger brother (who was his squire at the time) Viserion lost focus and accidently swung his morningstar into his brother's head, killing him after a few hours of agony, Viserion has never forgiven himself. A small bit about his lovelife, in 144 AC despite being betrothed to his sister Valaena since birth, Viserion fell for the youngest daughter of Lord Lyonel Hightower, Lady Neila Hightower and she seemed to return his affection's. However his grandfather, Prince Consort Daemon was not fond of the idea of him marrying a non-valyrian, and worse a Hightower, so he had Neila sent away from court. After Viserion's betrothal with his sister was broken, Daemon sought out houses in Essos with valyrian blood, and eventually he brought a noble lady from Volantis, named Saebelle Traelys (19), and the two were wed in 146 AC. (This ended up longer then expected, so I'll just be posting the rest of the sibling's in their own posts πŸ’™.)
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forwithinthishollowcrown Β· 3 months
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Who will all the children be in ACOB?
(I’m gonna guess you mean the (future) kids of couples like Jacaela and Lucaera)
The Reds:
Maegor-Ceryse;
Aerion Targaryen
Gaemon-Daenaera;
Daeron Blackfyre
Naerys Blackfyre (twin of Maegon)
Maegon Blackfyre (twin of Naerys)
Daena Blackfyre
Rhaena Blackfyre
Elaena Blackfyre (twin of Laenor)
Laenor Blackfyre (twin of Elaena)
Celia/Rhaenar;
Rosamund Celtigar
Shiera Celtigar
Arthur Celtigar
Elaena-Viserys;
Daella Targaryen
Gael Targaryen
Vaegon Targaryen
Aemma-Aemond;
unborn child (maybe a future daughter called Aelfwynn?)
Valaena-?
no issue currently
Daenys-?;
Gaemon Blackfyre (legitimized by order of King Viserys I)
Daenys-Tommen;
Jaime Lannister
Cerelle Lannister
The Blues:
Aegon II-Cerelle;
Myrcella Targaryen
Monterys Targaryen
Aegon II-Elaena;
Aegon β€œthe Younger” Targaryen
Rhaena-Aenar;
Aurane Belaerys
Daenys Belaerys
Saera-Lucerys;
Laenor Velaryon (twin to Larra)
Larra Velaryon (twin to Laenor)
Joffrey-Cassandra;
Jocelyn Baratheon
Orys Baratheon
Daeron-Helaena;
Jaehaerys Targaryen
Maelor Targaryen
Larissa Targaryen (twin of Lianna)
Lianna Targaryen (twin of Larissa)
The Blacks:
Jace-Baela;
Jaehaera Martell (twin to Maegelle)
Maegelle Martell (twin to Jaehaera)
Viserra Martell
Morgan Martell
Aliandra/unnamed husband;
Nymeria Martell
Nymor Martell
Visenya/Cregan;
Rickon Stark
Ragnar Stark
Qyle/?;
Meria Martell
Trystanne Martell
Coryanne/? Dayne;
Aethan Dayne
Baelon/?;
no current issue
(Yes there are a lot of twins, not everyone is in the correct order, also anyone got any ideas on who Aliandra, Coryanne and Baelon should marry?)
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an-abyss-of-stars Β· 10 months
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Rhaemond babies content - Jacaela Edition!
The many faces of
Daella Velaryon
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Daella is the 2nd born child of both Baela and Jace, she was born 4yrs after her elder brother Aethan (my idea with Jacaela is that while they absolutely love to fuck a lot, Baela is very keen on drinking a daily dose of Moon Tea. She doesn't wish to push out a shit ton of babies, not like Rhaena will eventually πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ so the gaps between Jacaela's babies are a bit bigger).
Daella was born with bright vividly luminescent violet eyes (eyes that made Rhaenyra tear up upon holding her newborn granddaughter, as they reminded her of her own late mother's eyes) and similarly shimmering dark chocolate brown curly hair as her elder brother. Her grandpapa Daemon was nearly choked up as he held his newborn granddaughter, he'd murmured to his daughter "ziry jurnegon sepār hae ao gōntan skori Δ«lΔ“ āzma," she looks just as you did when you were born. And it was true, despite her slightly paler complexion, and the slight hints of Jace which graced the babes face, she looked to be very much a little mini version of Baela.
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On the list of names that Baela and Jace had prepared should they have a girl, Daella was not their first choice. Originally they thought of Laena, to honour Baela's mother, they thought of Aemma to honour to Rhaenyra's own, they thought of Alyssa to honour their father, Daemon's own mother, and they thought of Daenys, to honour the dreamer that saved their ancestors from the flames of Old Valyria.
But oddly, when Baela held her little girl in her arms for the first time, with her loving husband, Jacaerys sitting by her side, cooing sweetly at their child. They both seemed to wordlessly agree that none of their chosen names truly suited their darling girl. And as their 4yr old son climbed up onto their bed to greet his sister, the rest of their family had been given permission to enter as well. And once the younger children of the family were allowed to meet their new family member, it became a bit more chaotic (granted, I think baby Daella was very chill, so while all of the kids are screaming their suggestions, Daella's just comfortably curling into her mama's arms).
Baela and Jace's 2yr old niece, Vaella, had wiggled in her father's arms bouncing as she suggested proudly that her new cousin should be named Visenya after the conqueror. At that, their own son, Aethan, quickly glared at his cousin and countered that his new sister should be named Rhaenys instead (they didn't know it yet, but the rivalry started even earlier than they thought! πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚)
Their little brothers Joff, Aeggie and Vis, now 13yrs old, 9yrs old and 5yrs old. Had their own little opinions with their 9yr old twin cousins Jaehaerys and Jaehaera, the names suggested being Aerea, Alysanne and Viserra. Which as the couple pondered, they agreed were all lovely suggestions...yet still none of them would suit their babe. It would be their sister, ever the quiet perceptive one, Rhaena, who would waddle over to them (so technically Rhaemond's twins Daemion and Aelyx are born the same year as Daella, and story wise I haven't worked out who's born first...but I feel like Daella would be a great Spring baby while the twins feel very Summer to me. So in this instant, let's say Rhaena is still very much pregnant with the twins). Pressing a sweet kiss to her newborn niece, Rhaena smiled at her siblings and said "her name should most definitely start with a 'D', it would suit her. Daenys or possibly Daella?"
Daella had struck Baela instantly, while Jace teetered more on the edge of Daenys. But as Baela hummed the name Daella softly over her babe, she noticed her girl gurgle in delight at the sound, the first name she recognized as something she approved of. And while the children still bickered, the adults knew the matter was settled. The newest member of the Targaryen family finally had a name, Daella Velaryon (partially retroactively named after Rhaenyra's maternal grandmother/Daemon's aunt, but it feels less intentional here πŸ˜‚)
Unlike Aethan, Daella's dragon had hatched in her crib. A hatchling birthed from a clutch brought by Silverwing and Vermithor (a gift from aunty Rhaena and uncle Aemond). A deep lavender toned she-dragon, that shimmered iridescently especially in natural light. She had horns and claws that were pure white at their base, but bled dark onyx to their tips. Lilarion, Daella would name her, as not similarly to her grandpapa's mount, Caraxes, Lilarion also had a fault in her vocal chords. It was not a physical malformation, not seen by the naked eye, but the she-dragon's roar was often said to sound like piercing shattering glass mixed with the boom of thunder.
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As a babe and a toddler, Daella was indeed a favourite of Rhaenyra's (my idea here, is that while Rhaenyra absolutely considers Baela and Rhaena to be her daughters, I think subconsciously there's still the part of her that would have wanted to raise a baby girl from birth. Rip Visenya. And so, while they may not be 'daughters' per se, I think Rhaenyra gets really happy with the chance to help raise her granddaughters/baby nieces). With Vaella only having visited the capital from time to time, Rhaenyra's time with her was limited compared to the time she could spend with her new granddaughter Daella who lived in the castle with her.
So with that fact, Queen Rhaenyra happily brought the little girl with her almost everywhere. Sat upon her lap during council meetings, during hearings upon the throne, and in her mind such obvious devotion was done to prove two points. One, was simply that she'd use any and all excuses at her disposal just to justify carrying her sweet little granddaughter around with her throughout the day. But secondly, it encouraged her serving nobles and subjects to relinquish the notion that any Targaryens born to this family who happened to have dark brown hair should be viewed as anything less than what they were... Targaryens.
It was an example Rhaenyra hoped to instill with her actions, but it was one her husband and King Consort, Daemon, was all too happy to threaten with verbally (I just imagine Daemon walking around or sitting council meetings/throne room hearings carrying an adorable baby while he threatens people like business as usual πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ bonus points if he has Aethan along with him too).
In either case, Daella as a babe was still slightly more coddled than her brother. She was softer, more sensitive, the tiniest little criticism was sometimes enough for her break into tears. She was very self conscious about her hair, about her knowledge of things, and even though she was just as loved and doted upon as her brother had been...there was something waning on her self esteem. Whether it was her ability to learn and repeat Valyrian words back to her parents, or her ability to hold and practice with a practice sword, little Daella seemed to think she was lacking in something.
But it was due to that fact, that Aethan took it upon himself to be her number one protector, as soon as she was old enough to walk and talk, Aethan guarded his sister as if he was her very own little sworn sword.
Little did he know, his younger sister's self esteem issues developed in the face of feeling somewhat inferior to her elder brother. Through no fault of his own, Aethan was effectively the Golden Boy of his family. He was bright and he was quick to grasp things, where Daella needed more visual methods taught to her, she needed teachers with patience and more time to learn things (I kinda want to imply that she's possibly dyslexic, maybe with a medieval sort of neurodivergent vibe to her, but overall just a rather shy kid who needs more interactive learning).
It was a lesson that took her family a few years to understand, especially for her mama. Baela was not one for patience or taking things slowly. Unknowingly, she could become frustrated, speaking directly if not bluntly, she was never harsh or cruel, but to the young toddler, Daella, she took the tone of her mama's frustrated voice rather personally. And it often made her frustrated as well, brought to tears as she became frustrated with herself for no understanding or reaching the correct conclusion in a timely manner.
Oddly enough it had been Baela's very own father, Daella's grandpapa Daemon, who had informed his daughter that her quick insistences on performance and psuedo perfection was stressing her baby girl to bits. And grandmama Rhaenyra could attest to it, that Daella was an incredibly bright girl when given the chance to reach conclusions at her own time. It had been a tearful sit conversation, when Baela took her daughter in her arms and sat with her in the quiet royal gardens one evening. Attempting to apologize to her 4yr old, she reasoned with the toddler, that she'd gotten stuck in a groove of sorts, working at a speed that everyone around her seemed capable of following. But that it wasn't fair for her to try and make Daella function at such a speed, if it was not suitable to her. Daella for her part hadn't entirely understood what her mama was saying, but she understood the emotional beats behind her words. So she simply crawled over to her mama and climbed up upon her lap, hugging her sweetly, nuzzling in against the safe warmth that only her mama could provide. Nodding along an "okay, mama" as if she understood everything.
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As Daella grew, she was found to be a particular quiet child. Even when she played with her brother, cousins and uncles, she never seemed to be as boisterous or loud as they were. She liked to play with Jaehaera and Viserys II the most, because they seemed to understand her best. Vis had always been an incredibly patient boy with Daella and while Jaehaera always seemed to be rather chatty in Daella's presence, Daella had never minded. In her cousin's company she grew to find a fondness in romantic tales and myths, glittering gowns, and the idea of shimmering feasts and balls...gleaming white knights and Princes and Princesses. It was an interest Jaehaera had sparked within her, one that carried over to her aunt Helaena. The three of which could often be found reading such romantic tales in the gardens, if not imagining worlds of their own as they played various games.
When she wasn't spending her time with other family members, Daella actually stuck quite close to her papa. Almost always toddling along at his heels, riding on his back, flying with him on Vermax or swinging from his arms. She liked hearing tales from his youth, especially because she loved hearing how all her uncles used to behave when they were young. She loved her papa's bedtime stories, where he always made sure to end things with a happy ending. And she loved to watch him train, even though she herself held no interest in it (try as Baela might, I don't think Daella is a much of a fighter).
As a child, Daella would often sit by her bonded dragon in the pits, the two truly kindred spirits as Daella would curl up with her beast and speak to her of her day's events. Somedays she'd brings snacks to share, books to read together, she'd practice her commands with Lilarion as well as her Valyrian in general. And since under her grandmama's reign, dragons were no longer chained in the pits, it allowed Daella's dragon the opportunity to spend vast amounts of time away from the pits. Free to hunt and spread her wings, to grow larger in an untamed more wild space.
By age 6, Daella would embark on the same splitting of her time between King's Landing and fostering at Dragonstone as her elder brother did.
At first, Daella felt rather uncomfortable on Dragonstone. She wasn't fond of changing her surroundings, and while she knew her cousins as well as her aunt Rhaena and uncle Aemond well enough, she'd never been left completely alone without the opportunity to go to running to her parents should she wish to. For the first couple of weeks, she stayed close to her dragon (which, unlike Daella, I think Lilarion was really happy to go 'home' and spend time with her parents Silverwing and Vermithor πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚).
Somedays Daella felt like the odd one out, watching as her brother seamless fit into the games and conversations their cousins would have. Splitting into groups, understanding one another's sense of humours, and overall just making great friends with everyone. To be fair, Daella was never excluded, she just didn't always feel as if she 'belonged'. Her baby steps to working into the group, started with her usual way of picking friends, she started with her like-minded more quiet cousins. By then Aelyx was the same age as her and Valaena was only one year her junior. Together the three of them would often sit in the gardens together, giggling over stories and various ideas they'd had. Eventually, Daella would find her way to warming up to her more boisterous chaotic cousins Daemion and Naerys, finding the two of them often managed to make the most mundane things messy yet amusing.
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But the most shocking thing to occur during her time on Dragonstone was the close friendship she struck up with her cousin Vaella. The two girls were most definitely the polar opposite of one another, but maybe something within that is what attracted them to one another. It had happened quite unceremoniously, their bond solidified somewhat easily. Daella would never join her elder cousin and brother in their competitions or their various pranks, but Vaella's outspoken viciousness could be quelled in the presence of her sweet kind younger cousin. Should anyone try to attack Daella's person, appearance, or even ruin something she cared for (I imagine Daemion has ruined a painting or destroyed a toy or two of Daella's...more on that later), than Vaella was quick to defend.
The two girls found commonality with one other in a very close sister-like bond, Daella would watch Vaella train and cheer her cousin on, and Vaella, even to her own father's surprise, would happily sit and listen to Daella read her favourite romance stories even though those were Vaella's least favourite to read herself (they're 100% a parallel to their mother's, Baela and Rhaena being the opposites that they are, that still get along really well. I mean Vaella has that with Valaena in a way too. But with Daella, they're ages are a bit closer. So they're bond is a bit more on par I think).
Daella would eventually find that she quite loved the moons she fostered on Dragonstone. She'd always been fond of her aunt Rhaena from the beginning, maybe due to the fact that she always felt like a sweet warm mama (not that Baela isn't that for her, but I feel like Rhaena just exudes that energy. Like even with her nieces and nephews, she's just got "sweet mama" energy). In the early days, when she felt utterly uncomfortable, Rhaena's kind presence did a lot to comfort her, and maybe it certainly helped that her kind aunt was the near spitting image of her own mama, it seemed to add to the safe feeling she provided. Daella loved reading with her aunt, strolling the grounds with her, analyzing stories and myths, and the stories of lullabies especially.
On the other hand, Daella had been slightly less keen to spend the same amount of time with her uncle Aemond. He'd only ever been kind and welcoming to her, but ever since she was a toddler, she'd always been slightly frightened of him. She thought his usual expressions to be cold and surly, his eye-patch unsettling and his usual hard stalking steps to be the stuff of nightmares. It was in juxtaposition to watch said 'scary uncle' be incredibly soft and loving towards his wife, his children and her cousins. He'd join their games, jest with them, train with them, carry them around jovially and read them to sleep. All things her own papa did with her. It was even more odd to see her own brother be so comfortable and familial with the man, considering Daella usually politely curtsied and bowed, before scurrying away whenever she was made to encounter her uncle. It wasn't until several moons had passed, her second issued stay on Dragonstone, when her uncle found her struggling to read a Valyrian account of Daenys The Dreamer prophetic dreams.
She'd been struggling on several words, pronunciation as well as definitions, before Aemond, having been leaning against the arching door frame of the Dragon Nest's private family library observing her...interrupted her. He didn't do much to announce his presence, he simply corrected a word she'd mispronounced, and in that moment, Daella's heart pounded, she'd wanted to escape. Knowing her uncle to be particular man, she worried he may be like one of her many impatient tutors back home in King's Landing.
Instead though, he'd managed to coax her into staying seated, as he offered to read the book to her. He'd read the book with as much patience as her own papa, eyeing her and asking her if she understood the meaning of the words he'd read. Still somewhat uncomfortable, she mumbled softly if he didn't mind her asking questions, a sentence he obviously quirked a brow at, and there she admitted her own tutors did not always like taking time with her learning. His reply had held as much burning vitriol as if he'd heard such insolence being directed towards one of his own daughters, "you, little one, are a Princess of House Targaryen, no less than any other in our family. Those tutors of yours are meant to serve you, cater to you, not the other way around." (I'm pretty certain Aemond either discreetly or not so discreetly had those tutors killed the next time he visited King's Landing 🀣🀣 he's very a good uncle!)
It was slow goings, but eventually Daella found herself reading with her uncle to be a daily occurrence. She went from sitting beside him, keeping to herself barely leaning near him. To leaning over him just to see the page, to eventually feeling quite comfortable enough to crawl upon his lap and read the books with him. Eventually Daella would find, that a lot of the things she loved about her cousin Vaella, were very prevalent in her uncle Aemond. And very quickly she realized he wasn't scary at all (once she saw his sapphire eye or possibly another gem. Haven't decided if he'll keep the sapphire as his only option. But either way, once she saw it, heard the story behind it, I think it eased her nerves too)...at least none of his vicious dragon's fire was ever aimed at her, and that was good enough.
He quickly became one of her favourite uncles, her champion, her hero (I think little Daella might've had one of those innocent little kid crushes on her uncle Aemond too πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚). She'd hold his hand and skip the halls of Dragonstone with him, ramble to him happily about little things and he'd never tell her to stop, always actually listening to her and indulging her, as well as the fact that she'd managed to grasp Valyrian much easier under his tutelage. (I think it's very much a mutual feeling, Aemond is one of Daella's favourite uncles...might be tied with Luke and Viserys II πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ for various reasons, but it's vice versa. Aemond of course still absolutely adores Jaehaera, but I think Daella is right up there as his other favourite niece. He sees a lot of Rhaena in her, I think.)
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As Daella grew into a young woman, she began to truly care for court appearances. She really leaned under the tutelage of her aunt Rhaena, as court etiquette was never something her own mama had ever truly enjoyed. As Vaella grew to truly hone in on her skills with the blade and her formidability upon her mount, the Cannibal. Daella instead lived for the art of courting, of balls, of glittering gowns. She loved when there were feasts and festivals to celebrate on Dragonstone most of all, for it gave her many chances to dress up and dance with fanciful young men from several houses and even the Free Cities (I'm imagining the Free Cities mingle a bit more with Dragonstone than the capital/King's Landing, just cause Dragonstone is VERY Valyrian and the culture permeates throughout everything, and people from Valyrian Free Cities might be more likely to mingle there? If that makes sense).
It was around the age of 16 (and followed through to her 18th nameday), Daella's body began to shift. Puberty had taken hold and she'd begun to fill out more than her cousins had. Daella had a pension for sweets, pastries and cakes, as well as savory foods that had all added to her physic. (In other words, Daella is a THICC girl! I've just always imagined her as such, like ever since I created her original art/face!)
Her waist remained nearly fashionably small but her hips had grown wider, curvier, her bottom was rounded and her chest and breast had grown full and defined. (Queue Daemion's crush on his cousin starting soon...)
She'd grown to become just as lovely as her beloved Vaella, she was even the same flattering height as her cousin. Only she was also plumper, less lean and slim than her favoured elder cousin. Which in some ways remained a double edged sword as the two walked the halls in either castle, Dragonstone or the Red Keep. Daella most days already felt like the "other" Targaryen Princess with her brown hair, but now she was also sometimes deemed the "round" one by comparison.
Somedays it dwelled on her feelings more than not, but should she ever feel slighted during a ball or feast, she always had several men who jumped to the opportunity. Her uncles, her cousins, her brother, her papa, and even her grandpapa would be damned to see their precious Daella feeling down and or excluded (I don't think any man/Lord openly slights her, ;like they value their lives, the last guy who did that is certainly dead. Even the ones who thought they could whisper about her behind her back. Take your pick on which family member or members committed the deeds πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ but there's definitely still some who subtly ignore her...or try to).
Even still, Daella had to put up with the two-faced efforts of many eligible Lords who wished to marry a Targaryen Princess, brown-hair or not. She carried true dragon's blood within her, the blood of Old Valyria, and many less than worthy houses attempted to lure and court her into believing they wanted her. Her only respite came from House Stark, her elder brother's closest friend outside of the family, Rickon Stark (the younger), who was just shy a year elder than Aethan...was always kind to Daella. He greeted her sweetly, always, and he almost always brought her gifts from the North (Northern flowers or gems, pretty things he always says "made me think of you". And Daella absolutely cherishes these gifts). Every feast and or ball, she'd always make sure to save a dance just for him...as a friend of course (πŸ‘€πŸ‘€)
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Now, while it was said that Aethan visually took greatly after his mother (a fact that I think fades once he grows into a grown man, by then I think he really looks more like Jace), once Daella had grown into a woman truly, her looks were said to truly resemble the Princess Baela in her youth. Facially that is, while her body had fully found its own definition, she would remained larger and curvier than her mother had ever been at her age. But it wasn't only in her looks, beneath the surface Daella had bouts of her mama within her, little sparks of untamed dragon's fire that surfaced in rare moments. But it was in those moments where she truly looked to be her mother's daughter.
By age 18, Daella's first season had come and gone. That wasn't entirely true, in fact, two years prior when her bosom cousin Vaella had married her elder brother. An outcome Daella and her grandmama, Rhaenyra, had seemed to be the only true ones paying attention to and expected it all along. Daella had seen her brother and cousin's bickering matches, and new they both held far too much tension with one another that existed for no one else. It was inevitable to her. On the other hand, since Vaella had decided to wed a man third in line for the throne, she forfeited her right to be the next Lording Princess of Dragonstone. A right that then passed down to the next sibling in line, Daemion Targaryen. Who, as he was the same age as Daella, was not technically in rush to be married (men being afforded the right to marry later in life blah blah. But I think neither Aemond or Rhaena would set their children to be matched...not unless they felt they needed to...MOST of their children will be allowed to make love matches. Key word MOST) and yet he seemed to be scouting for brides anyhow.
It was well known to the realm that Prince Daemion Targaryen was indeed a rake, a far more tasteful one than his elder uncle, Aegon II, to be sure, but a constant flirt and a rake nonetheless. He'd bedded countless woman and even a couple of men, the list of broken hearts he left behind him in his wake was especially well known to his siblings and cousins even if his parents did not know the whole of it (I like to think Rhaemond are in the KNOW of things with their son, but maybe not every little intricate detail). So when Daella's 18th nameday came and went and her season began shortly after, she was both surprised...but also not...when her cousin began to hang around her more than usual. By then, she was extremely familiar and close with Daemion, they were friends in kind, and she was not entirely blind to the very obvious fact of how attractive he was. Targaryen beauty was not a thing to be argued, it was obvious and it was clear, and Daemion Targaryen had it droves.
And while he was an incredibly accomplished flirt, Daella still found a relationship with him...was not one she could trust. They were friends, great ones at that, but she did not love him in any real sort of a romantic way. Try as he might, one of her most persistent suitors, and yes she had several flocking to her (not a horde of desperate ones like there was for Vaella or as they would be for Valaena in the coming year. But she's a Targ Princess, she's still getting a lot of offers no matter what) it was still not a certainty.
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The following year (because I don't think Baela or Jace, or her grandparents, would force Daella into match she didn't want. Plus it's not a time of war or uncertainty, so she doesn't need to quickly marry for alliance sake either), Daemion would be more certain of himself and what he had to offer. He made claims of being in love with her (let's be honest, he didn't stop trying when season ended. He kept this up throughout the off season πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚), claims that if she were to marry him she would be able to keep her Princess status, and their babes would be true dragonriders. All things which were true, but there was another growing truth layered underneath it all.
Nothing he wooed her with was truly specific to her, all of his gifts and compliments, his tactics and his efforts...they resembled the efforts of every other Lord vying for her hand (minus the dragonriding babies...since no one other than another Targaryen or Valyrian could really offer that.)
He did not love her... he just wanted for a wife he'd be comfortable with having. A wife he already knew, would be capable of Lording over Dragonstone with him and one he was already happily attracted to. Which may have been enough for most woman, but Daella had been raised to expect slightly more. What she felt for Daemion was simply familial if not teetering the edge. But with Vaella now living in King's Landing with her, several moons pregnant with her first child, she gleamed a lot of sage sisterly advice from her good-sister. That as Daella believed herself, Vaella was sure her little brother simply wanted for what he could not have.
But to Daella's surprise, Daemion aside, after listening and enduring the court of tired Lord after tired Lord...a new suitor entered the Keep. Lord Rickon Stark, the next Warden of the North. He'd missed Daella's first season the previous year as he'd been helping to put down a Bolton rebellion in North with his father Cregan. He'd mention it was to his regret that he'd missed her previous year, as he'd wanted to see her. He'd caught her strolling the gardens alone then, and there on that sunny afternoon might have been the first time Daella realized just how handsome she found the rugged Northern man. As if in the few years she hadn't seen him, he'd grown so much taller, so broad and muscular, just nearly as massive as his father the current Warden of North seemed to be.
Daella had known the man for years, seen him at a dozen functions and or celebrations as House Stark had always been loyal and respectfully welcome to join the royal family. She'd danced with him only a couple of times, but now without anyone to buffer the space between them. It seemed like she could finally see him. To think he'd been her brother, Aethan's, closest friend for years now (it was a fact Rickon himself would not dwell on)...and it was only now that she could see him in a new light.
Rickon, unlike her other suitors, simply engaged her in witty conversation, the ease of it all really, it was the first conversation in moons with a suitor who did not feel as if he was doing his best to sell himself, his house and his land to her. Instead when she teased him about his heavy furs in King's Landing spring heated weather, he laughed and sarcastically mentioned that while he could have ridden through the Northern lands shirtless to prepare for the heat...it would not have been ideal.
It was a gradual, natural process. Her strolls with him turned into a most pleasant occurrence that she looked forward to daily. It was an overwhelming compiling list of little things. The way his stormy blueish green eyes pierced right through her whenever he truly gazed at her, the way he'd quietly listen to her ramble on about a recent book or thing that fascinated her. In those moments she'd miss just how vividly he seemed to see her.
Somedays she'd feel so comfortable with him she nearly forgot he was a man in contention for asking for her hand. But it was in the quiet moments, the ones that would catch her off guard, where he'd tell her that her eyes glowed like no gem on earth...that even the brown hair she herself thought to be dull in comparison to her more Valyrian looking family members. To him, he said it glistened like spun gold. His compliments always felt far too real, as if he was seeing right through her and instead right into her heart and soul. It was the nearly blunt way in which he always delivered such words, something she supposed was just the Northern way. But even so there was warmth to it all.
For his compliments were the only ones that ignited that true burning dragon's fire that her mama, aunt Rhaena and good-sister Vaella always spoke of.
In the end it was no competition, though Daemion would always see it as such. If Daella went with her heart, than she'd have to admit that it was a Northern wolf who had claimed it instead of a dragon (once Rickon proposes to her, he gives her the ring his father used to propose to his mother. And I imagine it's this silver band ring that has this rose embedded in it, beautifully carved out of sapphire or pale blue larimar type of gem. Resembling a winter rose from Winterfell.)
Telling the rest of her family had been a far less painful affair than she thought it would be, as even her incredibly Valyrian purist grandpapa, Daemon, could admit that the next best choice to marrying Valyrian was to marry one who carried the blood of the First Men. As the House Stark was known to, it seemed a greatly respected choice to make. Daella's mama could attest to finding the match equally as appealing as her own father, as Daella's own papa and grandmama were simply happy she'd found a match with someone who was kind, respectful and one she loved. (Plus I think everyone in the family just really likes Rickon as a person, so they're absolutely behind this.)
Truthfully Daella worried for the opinion of her uncle Aemond most of all, for even while Vaella had assured Daella that she'd feel no slight if her dearest cousin did not choose her brother (LMFAO I need you all to know Vaella was team Rickon this entire time πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ she really said my brother is a fuckboy, you can do better sis!). While her aunt Rhaena assured her that so long as Daella was happy with her choice then she would support it vehemently. Uncle Aemond however surprised her, in a way, she knew he loved her greatly, but part of her worried she had disappointed him by somewhat slighting his son.
However he reasoned that this was her marriage, and he only wanted her to make the choice that would make her happiest (he's less bitter that she didn't choose his son, but more bitter that his little niece chose to marry Cregan's son of all people 🀣🀣🀣).
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Now I don't think I mentioned Aethan's reaction to his best friend falling for his younger sister, but I'm thinking queue in the usual shenanigans of an elder brother feeling weirded out by a situation like this. Like he's trying to bud in a ruin things, meanwhile his very pregnant wife (like she's like 8months along), Vaella, is literally reeling him back. Dragging him away kicking and screaming LMAO
Sidenote: when I do make Part 3 of this series, don't mind me if some of these details change when I do get to writing it. These are just my main initial thoughts for these characters now. But once I go into more depth with them, things might alter just a tad!
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Jacaela kids in order:
Aethan Velaryon (133 AC), Daella Velaryon (137 AC), baby #3 & #4 (142 AC)
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Rhaemond kids in order:
Vaella Targaryen (135 AC), Daemion Targaryen & Aelyx Targaryen (137 AC), Valaena Targaryen (138 AC), Naerys Targaryen (139 AC), baby #6 & #7 (142 AC), baby #8 & #9 (153 AC)
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