Daenaera Velaryon

Daenaera Velaryon is the eldest daughter of Aurane Velaryon and his first wife, Naera Sunglass. The daughter of both houses, Daenaera was gifted a dragon egg when she was a babe, which quickly hatched and was given the name Erinnon. She bonded the dragon, and is currently one of the two Velaryon dragonriders.

Appearance and Character
A young woman in her teens, Daenaera Velaryon beholds the classical Valyrian looks: She has violet eyes, pale skin, and long, tightly woven silver-gold hair. In her youth, Daenaera looked more a boy than a girl, and kept her hair short. Now that she has grown into womanhood, her face has rounded with a heart shape to it. Her lips are pink, and her nose is narrow, her eyebrows thin, the color of smoky grey.

Daenaera is much shorter than her sibling, Valaena, standing at just over five feet. Her skin is remarkably smooth, without blemishes, and is kept that way with frequent baths.

She prefers to wear Essosi perfumes, and enjoys gowns of Myrish make. She has personally woven her own gowns before, and frequently experiments with style. When riding Erinnon, Daenaera often wears colors of gold and turquoise over heavy chainmail. She has also attempted to combine armor with fashion.

Like her ancestor, Laena, Daenaera has a love for flying, and will fly as frequently as she can. She enjoys the thrill of reaching the clouds, and often soars just above the calm waves of Blackwater Bay.

Daenaera is also educated, and known well throughout the isle of Driftmark. She enjoys music and writing, and other worldly pursuits.

Her relationship with her family is strong, and she spends a great deal of her time with her uncle, Lucerys. They often ride together, at her insistence, seating herself beside him at feasts and balls. Her relationship with Valaena is more strained, the focal point of their mutual dislike being Erinnon.

History
Daenaera was born in the year 389 AC, shortly before the birth of her elder sister, Valaena by Baela of Summerhall. It was said that her birth came on a sunny day - very much a contrast to Valaena’s stormy birth.

Shortly after her birth, Lord Aurane and his wife quarreled briefly over the naming of the child. Aurane spoke of naming the babe Laena, after the flight-loving rider of Vhagar so many years ago. Naera protested, insisting on naming the girl Daenaera, after the fair and beautiful Queen that had taken the hand of Aegon the Dragonbane. At this, Naera did not relent, and so the babe was given the name Daenaera.

Daenaera was a quiet child, though playful, always overshadowed by her elder sister, Valaena. Though they were but babes, separated by all of eleven months, they did not share the common sisterly love so afforded children their age. Aurane was observed to comment on this much, and expressed a worry for their children’s future, but Baela was adamant that the two would come to love once they learned to walk.

This did not prove the case. In her cradle, Daenaera was given a dragon’s egg, of the clutch of Seastar. The egg was the color of cobalt, with violet swirls and a smooth surface. Three weeks, it was said, in the company of Daenaera, was all that was needed to hatch the egg. And so it was that the dragon Erinnon was born into the world. She was said to resemble the dragon Tessarion, with foreboding cobalt scales and black horns, eyes the color of rich blue, and wings of dark gold.

From that day, the dragon watched over Daenaera’s cradle. Much the same had been done with Valaena, to little success. Her dragon’s egg never hatched, and soon grew firm in her own cradle. This was said to have been the moment where the two children truly did begin an enmity, and no more was this proved than during the sixth moon of 194 AC.

Valaena and Daenaera were playing in the gardens, Erinnon at her side. For some reason or another, the two began to fight, and bonded to Daenaera as he was, the dragon lept between the two and intervened, biting at Valaena. He managed to grab ahold of her hand with his teeth, and though small, his grip proved fierce, and he did not let go until he had ripped a finger from Valaena’s hand.

Erinnon was not allowed out thereafter, and Daenaera received a fierce scolding, but the damage had been done. Only with the help of a skilled Maester was Valaena able to retain four of her five fingers. Even then, the event scarred Valaena, and it was said that she did not step within sight of Daenaera for years afterwards.

Without the trouble of Valaena in her life, Daenaera sought out knowledge. Through Driftmark’s Maester, Daenaera was able to get her hands on old, valuable books. Her mother taught her to read, and her father encouraged her learning, and before her seventh nameday, Daenaera had read the writings of Maester Gyldayn, and began studying healing as an art. Furthermore, she often visited with the common folk of Driftmark, learning of their experiences and lineages.

Daenaera was not fierce, to be certain. Aurane had called her as quiet as a mouse, and though she was demure and shy, she was easily satisfied, never over-eating or indulging herself too much in worldly pleasures. She was a moderate, and by the time she turned ten, and Erinnon was big enough to ride, Daenaera expressed a desire to soar to the skies.

Having designed her own saddle, Daenaera was the one to fasten it around the beast’s neck and body. Thrice her size, Erinnon had outpaced her in growth significantly, and as she climbed up onto the dragon’s back, it tilted it’s head back and roared, nearly flinging Daenaera from the saddle. As soon as she had her hands steady, however, Erinnon relented, flapping his wings a dozen times before launching himself from the pavement below.

Both rider and dragon were ten years old when they took their first flight together, circling around Driftmark no more than three times before landing.

The realm was in a state of upheaval at this time, embroiled in the War of the Three Thieves. Though Daenaera was not involved at all, her family was. Daenaera took the time to further advance her skills, and sought to end the rivalry that had so been plaguing her and her sister’s lives.

Such efforts proved fruitless, however, as Valaena was never shy to remark of the event of several years earlier, where she had lost a finger. Though healed, the scar was ugly, and Valaena had a strong fear of Erinnon, which further separated the two sisters. Thoughts of reconciliation would have to be put on hold for a time.

Just as the Scarlet Winter was beginning, Daenaera sought out her uncle, Lucerys, on Dragonstone. He had returned to Driftmark some years earlier, and had become a Dragonrider in his own right. Lucerys frequently praised Daenaera, citing her adventurous spirit as one of her many virtues.

During the year 403 AC, Erinnon was once again taken to flight, this time with intent of travelling east. Daenaera pleaded with her uncle to join her, and in this, he relented. Upon the backs of Erinnon and Seastar did they soar, and a new bond developed between them. One that would not break, despite her father’s best wishes.

It was during this time that her connection slowly subsided in favor of her new bond with her uncle. Though her relationship with Aurane was hardly strained, Daenaera found herself spending more and more time in the company of her uncle, often accompanying him on flights to Dragonstone and elsewhere.

The year 405 AC struck Daenaera hard as the spring bloomed and the snows subsided. Whilst out on one of her many flights on the back of Erinnon, she chanced upon a chill that quickly took her. Three months of steady, consistent care saw a return to health - but the Daenaera that emerged was different, and more demure.

Little has changed since them. Daenaera has kept a peaceful life on Driftmark, reading to her heart’s content, but the world would soon see her thrust into a war that would end all wars. With the death of her grandfather, Vaemond, the future is unclear, and her loyalty to her uncle Lucerys may see a turn of events far grander than Aurane could ever expect.