Shiera Targaryen

Princess Shiera stands graceful yet petite at 5’3”. Her hair is silver as the moon’s thin light and falls into soft waves down her back. Her eyes are wide, their tone of pale violet, which ring true to her blood of house Targaryen. Whilst her complexion is porcelain ivory, her cheeks are gently flushed. Her features are soft, with a small nose and heart-shaped lips. Her build is lithe, with wrists and ankles thin, but this only adds to Shiera's unique and delicate beauty. She is most often spied adorned in flowing gowns, favouring pale colours, embroidered with intricate patterns. She is almost always wearing a silver chain around her throat, dangling an opal dragonegg pendant.

EARLY LIFE
The Princess Shiera was born in 362 AC to King Vaegon I Targaryen and Queen Alys Targaryen née Reyne, only minutes after her twin, Prince Aegon. She grew up sheltered behind the walls of the Red Keep, with a childhood spent mostly alongside Septas. She studied skills which were expected of a young princess - song, dance, embroidery, and learned to be fluent in High Valyrian. Growing up, Shiera spent little time with her king-father. Though a harsh and cold man, she loved him all the same, but there had always been distance between them. However, Shiera more than made up for this with the members of the household, who fussed and dotted over the little princess. She grew especially close with the Septa Alys. At age 6 Shiera would be assigned a sworn sword, Ser Tristan Darke, who would remain dedicated to her service in the following years to come.

Whilst Shiera appeared in every part the proper princess, there were still secrets which she held. Ever since she could remember, she had experienced prophetic dreams (Mythic: Dragon Dreams). The first time she had seen that blazing red star - falling, bright against the smoky sky. Ash falling softly as snow. Distant and surreal. The woman with silver hair. And then there were those dragon skulls - she had been caught speaking to them as a child… For she believed that they could hear her. With regard to her visions, Shiera would only confide in only a few, wishing to keep her ability private, musing it to be both a gift and a curse.

Shortly after her 13th nameday, the princess grew ill with fever. For days she lay in bed, tossing and turning, at the mercy of the Grand Maester’s care as she teetered in and out of consciousness. And that was when her dreams grew stranger yet - the silver haired woman appearing again. She led Shiera to three dragons - red, black, and opal. The red and black dragon were fighting, the opal one watching. All was consumed by flame as the opal one cried out. That was when Shiera had at last woke up, fever broken.

After recovering from the fever, Princess Shiera’s strange dreams only continued. She would sometimes dream of small things, coincidences which would happen. Thinking the silver haired woman in her dreams to be the Maiden, she then begged the King to allow her to become a Septa, of which he refused. Though another dream would soon follow. The silver haired maiden returned, assuring Shiera that her true place was among dragons.

ADOLESCENCE
As the years passed, Shiera began to blossom into womanhood. She continued to live a secluded life at the Red Keep, only making appearances at the occasional tourney. But living such a sheltered life only caused Shiera’s curiosity of the world to grow. She would sometimes find herself sneaking out of the castle, donning the disguise of a servant girl, making sure to cover her silver hair. She would visit smallfolk villages, yearning to see what life was like outside the castle walls and befriended many of the peasant children. She would continue her secret excursions in the years to come, never getting caught (Covert (e)).

Shortly after Shiera’s 15th nameday, she would take her first lady-in-waiting, Elaena Celtigar. A year later she would take a second into her service, Bethany Bolton, whom had been a friend since childhood, the girls keeping in touch through letters all these years. In that same year of 378 AC, Shiera visited Storm’s End for the wedding of her brother, the Crown-Prince Daeron Targaryen to Lady Argella Baratheon. At the wedding feast, Shiera danced with many notable lords, including Crispian Celtigar and Davos Darklyn. After the feast, Shiera then attended the tournament alongside her ladies. She was awarded Queen of Love and Beauty with the victory of Lord Davos Darklyn, an event which would stay with Shiera from then on. Ever since then, she had been enamoured by the stoic, dark lord. In the following year, she would take Lord Darklyn’s sister, Daena, into her service as a lady-in-waiting.

In 379 AC, the Dragon’s Defiance broke out. With the death of Argella and her unborn son, this would lead to Daeron’s rebellion. Rumour had it that they were poisoned by the unforgiving King, which left Shiera in complete shock. Shiera felt pulled between her family, especially with Aegon siding with the king. For most of the war, she was locked in the maiden’s tower with the other women, guarded by Ser Tristan Darke. So distraught, she refused to speak as the war waged on. When not silently speaking her prayers to the gods, this time left Shiera alone with her thoughts. She mused if her visions of the red and black dragon had been warning her all along, feeling guilt in knowing she was unable to prevent what was fated. With the death of King Vaegon, Shiera has since supported her brother Daeron. Though she does what she can to comfort Aegon as well, wishing to be there for both brothers. But even after the death of the late-King, her strange dreams still curiously continued, musing if there was more to what she had foreseen, prior musing that black dragon may have represented her father. But those two dragons still continued to battle in her dreams; red and black… Ash falling soft as snow. Fair and silver of hair. Red blazing star in the smoky sky - falling. Such dreams which continue to haunt her, oft keeping Shiera awake late into the night. It is not uncommon for the princess to lose sleep, oft caught wandering the castle halls into the late hours of the night.

PRESENT DAY
Now aged eight and ten, the Princess Shiera remains graceful, chaste, and gentle. Yet there is a strange distantness to the fair princess, with those strange purple orbs. Knowing she must take caution after the war, Shiera has decided to make more friends around King’s Landing, knowing that she cannot rely on her cryptic visions alone. She remains cautious to possible threats (Investigator). With Daeron now ascending to the Iron Throne, Shiera has shown her support to him. However, this only leaves her feeling more pulled between her brothers, after the defeat of Aegon. She feels guilt in knowing that despite her visions she has not been able to prevent so much death. However, Shiera is determined to still protect her family’s legacy and to be in control of her own destiny. But being a seemingly delicate lady, she knows it is not the battlefield which is her place. With years spent studying history and of conquerors - of mighty men and women… Shiera has discovered that her own battlefield is her dreams, where she could be as powerful as any dragonlord of old.

The Princess Shiera currently prepares to attend the grand tourney at King’s Landing, in celebration of her brother Aegon’s coronation as the Prince of Dragonstone.