House of The Dragon-The Beauty, The Bold, and The Black Dread: Chapter 173: The Whore-Queen II

(Third Person POV)

[Mereen, Essos]

"I remember bullying my elder sister, Daella Targaryen, like it was just a day before." Saera Targaryen said as she sat down in a couch, "Sending cats to her chambers at night, knowing she was terrified of them....constantly throwing milk on her head, to make her hair whiter.....oh, those were fun times that I had as a girl." 

In front of her, Ada Waters and her brothers sat down, wearing local clothes. They had managed to escape the assault on Braavos and were able to come to Mereen with the other Dragonseeds. 

Ada was holding her son, Corlys, "O-Oh...." She said softly, "You are....." 

"Daella was such a sweet and gentle soul...such a weakling, truthfully...." Saera said as she had Small Baelon in her lap, the boy was eating a fruit with both of his hands, "But she was still my sister....and when I heard what happened to her....it was such a terrible thing...."

"What?" Adam said as he looked around, "W-What happened..." 

"After she gave birth to Aemma Arryn, my niece.....a vile man walked into her chambers one night....her husband was not in the castle at the time..." Saera said, "And he raped her.....leaving her with a child....a bastard.....for some reason, they did not give her Moon Tea, which I find odd.....and she ended up having the child....." 

"How horrible..." Ada said

"That child was your Mother." Saera said bluntly, "Her name was Sara. A simple name but one that Daella gave her regardless...you three....as much as you look like your father, that overzealous and obnoxious moron of a Velaryon, are direct descendants of Jaehaerys." 

"W-Wait, what?" Ada said, "M-Mother....?" 

"I suppose that the man who raped Daella was also dusk-skinned...." Saera said, "Sara had a complexion similar to you lot, did she not? Or was she paler?" 

"I...." Alyn said with a frown, "It is....we did not see her much..." 

"Shame." Saera said, "When Corlys discovered that, he was obsessed with having his own children with Targaryen blood....which I find ridiculous....because he married my Niece! My eldest brother's daughter! What more could a fool like him want??? I have had my differences with House Targaryen, yes, but I had nothing but respect for Aemon. In fact, there was a time when I wanted him myself....but oh well.." 

"And...." Adam said, "So we are related to the King?" 

"Distantly, yes." Saera said, "As are my children....Well, I say children loosely....only Erys, Gael, and Maegor are actually mine. The rest, I simply raised. Daron is Vaegon's son. Vaegon received the same treatment that Gael gave your Crown Prince. The woman who bore Daron would then give birth to him over here and I took the boy in. Lynn and Erys.....they are brothers....my youngest sister, Gael.....she disappeared for a good while before her death was mysteriously declared. The truth is, she ran away and had two sons...My poor sister....she ended up becoming ill later and dying....I took good care of her, though, while she was with me and raising those two boys." 

Ada looked at her brothers, a bit taken aback by the sudden revelation. 

"Viserra, my idiot little sister...." Saera continued, "She had the Twins. Those two....oh, boy....to say they were a handful is an understatement. But my soft heart could not refuse her wish to care for them on her deathbed......so I had to step up and become a mother to them. All while dealing with my own little bunch of bastards...." 

"Why are you telling us this?" Alyn asked

Saera chuckled, "Because you have the dragon's blood." She said, "Do you understand what that means? You are Marked. Merely speaking to me....no, merely laying your eyes upon me has marked you for Death. Baelon Targaryen was the target of another assassination, this time he was much closer than when your Father died. And to say that House Targaryen is about to lay down Fire and Blood is an understatement, I used to be part of that House, after all. I know it all too well, how they work...." 

The door opened and Hugh walked in, taken aback almost immediately by the sight of Saera. It was as if he did not expect to see his own Mother there. 

"W-What?" He said, "What are you doing here?" 

Saera smiled, "And there he is...." She said, "The Firstborn....the one that left me....the one that abandon me.....have you returned to me, My Hugh? To your Mother, the one who you cursed?" 

Hugh's face hardened, "I did what I had to do...for the sake of my survival." He said, "Daemon Targaryen would have killed me." 

"Wise choice." Saera said as she gestured at the others, "Your cousins....they are here...they will help us." 

"Where is Gael?" Hugh asked, "I did what she asked." 

"Gael is currently getting the other Bastard, the one that she thought she lost...." Saera said as she patted Small Baelon's head, "You see....Prince Baelon does not have two....but three living bastards....such an ironic shame, for someone like him, who is so loyal to his wife....to have bastards....Gael is quite the cruel girl, is she not?" 

"Bastards..." Hugh said, "That is what this is all about, is it?" 

"You are correct." Saera said, "But worry not...with Vermithor on our side....we can change that..." 

"How so?" Hugh asked

"Sweet Hugh....." Saera said, "After all this time, you dare question me?" 

"M-Mother...." Hugh said, "A lot has happened.....the truth is....I thought you were dead....I even mourned you....and well....I am not surprised that you are not..." 

"Hm..." Saera said, "I will say, Hugh....I am quite disappointed....why is my youngest child the one that has given me a grandchild? The others were so obsessed with having Gael that they did not even bother and Maegor? Well, he is something else entirely. But you? I figured you would have a family of your own." 

"I did." Hugh said, "I...I do not want to speak about it." 

"Oh, sweetling...." Saera said with a frown, "Did something happen?" 

"I said...I do not want to speak about it." He said seriously, "You know that the Targaryens are going to come, right? They know we are in Mereen.....Baelon was about to ride out....he could have descended and burnt everything down." 

"And I am grateful that your assault kept him from doing so." Saera said, "Truthfully, that one scares me. He is something else, Baelon Targaryen.....the fact that he rides Balerion should be frightening enough....but he is much more than just that....he is the Future.....I cannot explain it...." 

"Hm...." Hugh said, "I know he survived." 

"Oh, he did." Saera said, "And there is no doubt that Balerion will soon descend upon us. But worry not, I have a plan." 

"A good one."