WILDFIRE○J. VELARYON

³°125 AC: A FATHER'S DAUGHTER

As Vaera played with her fingers, she watched her brothers fight. Ser Criston expertly dodged every blow the boys threw at him.

Usually, King Viserys could be seen in the courtyard, watching over the boys, but since Jace and Luke went back to Dragonstone, Viserys rarely came to watch the boy's training anymore, but on this occasion, he managed to be there, however, much to everyone's surprise.

Vaera felt great sympathy for her brothers in this regard. She, too, wished that her father would be there for her. Think about her for once, but he never did.

Even as he watched over his children, he didn't seem interested in the fight.

Viserys was so disconnected from the world that Vaera didn't even know how a real father acted toward his children. All the fathers around her weren't very good examples of fathers.

Her grandfather was a lying, manipulative snake. She tried to stay away from him as much as possible.

She was sure Viserys didn't even know he had other children besides Rhaenyra.

When Laenor Velaryon was still alive, he, too, cared little for his children.

Vaera desperately craved the love of a father who actually cared for her. Little did she know, she would soon feel that very love she longed for.

As she watched the fight, Vaera suddenly stood up, wanting to join the boys like she had before. Though, in reality, all she wanted to do was impress her father.

Even though she thought Viserys didn't care for her, she desperately craved his approval. His admiration.

"My turn." She commented, causing her brother's and Ser Criston Cole's heads to turn.

"Princess -" The knight was cut off when Aegon smirked. "Finally, a fight I could win." He said, causing Vaera to back up slightly.

She was wearing clothes her mother was sure she wouldn't be caught dead in. Then again, Alicent barely knew her daughter.

There were two versions of the girl. The true one and the act she put on for her mother.

Ser Criston threw Vaera a training sword, and as she caught it, it collided with Aegon's sword, making a metallic clang that echoed across the courtyard.

Aegon greatly underestimated his sister. Although she was smaller than him, she almost exceeded his height, and she was still surprisingly fast.

As Ser Criston observed the siblings fighting, he noticed that Vaera never moved to attack Aegon, but he never got to land a blow on her either.

Every time Aegon went to stab her or slash at her, he missed. She dodged out of the way before he could hit her.

Ser Criston found it almost amusing. Vaera had had the least amount of training between the Targaryen siblings, yet she was essentially making a fool out of Aegon.

Before long, Aegon got exceptionally annoyed. He tossed his sword aside and lunged at his sister, but she moved out of the way, causing him to fall to the ground.

Vaera let out a little laugh, which only made Aegon angrier. He let out an animalistic howl before grabbing her leg and pulling her down to the ground, causing Vaera to hit her head.

The courtyard suddenly became silent as Aemond and Aegon looked at their sister lying on the ground.

Blood began to pool from her head, staining her once silver hair crimson. Ser Criston rushed over to the girl. Her eyes were closed, but she was still breathing.

He quickly picked her up, carrying the frail girl back to the castle. "My Prince, go get the Maester." Aemond nodded before walking away.

Surprisingly, Aegon walked with his youngest sister. He didn't show remorse, but he did stay.

Alicent Hightower walked past Ser Criston before releasing that he was carrying her youngest daughter in his arms.

"Vaera?" Ser Criston stopped in his tracks as he looked at the Queen. Aemond soon came running with a Maester close on his heels.

"I'm sorry, my Queen." Was all Ser Criston managed to say.

"Vaera, my darling." Alicent had tears streaming down her face as she looked at her youngest daughter. As her eyes slowly fluttered open, she looked at the knight and then toward her mother.

"Where's father?" Viserys was, of course, nowhere to be found. He hadn't even watched Vaera fight. He'd left before she stood up, but she didn't want to distract herself by looking up.

As she came to the realization that her father wasn't even there to begin with, she turned her face to her elder brother.

He was right. All that time, he was right. Her father didn't give a fuck about them. Her father didn't care at all.

Vaera's face contorted ever so slightly before she let out a sob as her tears began falling. She cried as the Maesters stitched her head closed, but not from the pain.

She had gotten hurt. She could have been killed by her brother's actions, and her father wasn't even there. He didn't care that she got hurt.

Even Aegon, the boy responsible for the incident, cared enough to at least be with her.

All throughout this process, Alicent and Ser Criston remained at her side. She had desperately craved a father's love, but she finally accepted that she'd never get that from her real father.

As the evening went on, Vaera almost felt numb. She couldn't cry anymore. Her tears had dried up. As she sat in her bed, looking at her cupboard, she heard a knock.

"Enter." She said blankly, expecting her mother. To her surprise, when she looked up, she saw Ser Criston Cole standing at the foot of her bed.

Vaera looked at the knight, a blank stare adorning her features. The knight smiled at her, but she couldn't even muster up a pity smile.

"Princess, I just wanted to make sure you were alright." She nodded. "I'm fine." Vaera said, not meeting the knight's gaze.

"You know, that was quite a fight. If Aegon hadn't fought dirty, you might have won just by tiring him out." The knight stood firmly at the foot of her bed.

"Hmm." Vaera let out a soft sigh. Ser Criston stepped forward and handed her a dagger, ingrained with the Targaryen sigil, a three-headed dragon.

"A gift for your bravery." Vaera looked up at the knight and finally smiled. It was a genuine smile. She truly appreciated the gift.

Her father had never given her any gifts. The gifts that were presented to her on her nameday were clearly picked out by her mother, but on her namedays, the gift would be presented as coming from her mother and father.

The gift would only be presented by her mother because her father was never there.

Her father was always too sick to attend, so this gift meant the world to her. "Thank you." Vaera said as she held the dagger.

"No need to thank me, Princess. Sleep well." Vaera nodded as the knight left the room. She no longer felt bad.

~~~

A/N~ I don't really like Ser Criston Cole, but I hate Viserys more than I hate him, and I needed a replacement dad for Vaera lol. ~D