House of the Dragon: Stars of the Realm.

A man with blond hair lay writhing on the ground, his eyes locked onto a young man who aimed a gun at him with a clear and simple intention. In those dark, abyssal eyes, he saw a pair of cold stars, and he couldn't help but shiver, recalling how his own victims must have felt under his gaze.

"Was it worth it, Aqua?" he asked, his voice strained as he tried to delay the inevitable. "To lose everything you hold dear because of vengea—"

A gunshot cut his words short.

"Shut the fuck up, bastard," Aqua spat, his voice rasping as he slowly lowered the smoking gun. He lost his balance and stumbled beside the now lifeless man.

Seeing them side by side, the resemblance was striking, the only difference being their age. Aqua raised his head towards the sky. Perhaps it was a hallucination, but he could swear he saw two shooting stars, one red and one purple, streaking across the clear night sky.

"I did it, Ai, Ruby... I've killed him."

But instead of the fulfillment he had hoped for, or the relief he had sought, all he felt was emptiness and cold. He raised his blood-soaked hands to the sky, a testament to his still-beating heart, though not for long.

"How ironic," he mused, "I'm going to die from a stab wound. Who would have thought this bastard had a spare weapon?"

He chuckled to himself. His once cold and calculating eyes now filled with tears of regret as he lamented his past mistakes.

"Ai, Akane, Kana... Ruby. I've avenged you all. But I guess that can't bring you back, can it?"

His eyes grew heavier and heavier, his well-deserved rest finally within reach.

"It's a shame that even if there's a heaven, I won't be joining you after all the sins I've committed."

He felt so sleepy. Maybe if he closed his eyes for just a few seconds, he would wake up and everything would have been just a dream.

"Maybe I can just sleep a little bit..."

He closed his eyes for the last time, never to witness the two stars he once thought were hallucinations lighting up the entire sky with an unearthly glow.

~~O~~

Aqua slowly opened his eyes again. He found himself staring at a strange, unfamiliar ceiling, its design reminiscent of the fantasy TV Shows Ai and Ruby used to watch in their free time.

"My prince, the babies are awake!"

He heard a distant voice. The language wasn't Japanese, but it sounded like English, something he had learned in his past life as an actor, allowing him to somewhat understand them, even If they sounded a little bit odd compared to the modern English he had learned.

Soon, hurried footsteps and whispered voices filled the room.

"Are the twins awake? Are they okay? Any signs of trouble with either of them?"

The new voice, masculine and jovial yet filled with parental concern, asked. Aqua soon saw the owner of the voice: a man with long, silver hair, whose rare beauty seemed almost alien. With an aquiline nose and high cheekbones, and dressed in fine garments, he exuded both elegance and docility. His eyes, purple like amethysts, trembled slightly as he gazed at Aqua—a sight Aqua recognized from his first life as a doctor, the look of a first-time parent.

Realizing his situation, Aqua sighed internally.

'No... not again...'

The silver-haired man saw the baby's expression, an expression reminiscent of someone who had weathered many hardships, much like his grandfather Jaehaerys. The combination of the baby's wrinkled face and that weary look reminded him of an old man tired of life.

Laughing at the absurdity of his thoughts, he shook his head and turned to a nearby maester.

"Can I hold her?" he asked, his tone hopeful and excited.

"Of course, my Prince," the old maester replied, a subdued smile on his wrinkled face.

Aqua, now even more shocked, screamed internally.

'Wait, her!? Not only have I reincarnated again, but now I'm a girl?'

He cursed his luck mentally.

'Am I cursed to be forever stuck in reincarnation after reincarnation, without rest, carrying all the memories and pain with me for the rest of my existence?'

Without realizing it, the man approach and pick her up in his arms. Frightened by the sudden movement, she looked more closely at his "giant" face. He smiled gently, his gaze filled with fatherly affection.

"Rhaenyra, my daughter, you have your mother's eyes. I can already see you're going to give me a headache because of your beauty."

He laughed softly at the thought. "I barely know you, and I would kill and die for you and your brother."

Aqua, now named Rhaenyra, mentally jolted at his words.

'Brother? I have a brother?' She weakly tried to move her head to scan the room, searching for her supposed brother. And right on cue, the cooing of a baby filled the room.

Upon hearing it, her father said, his voice full of surprise and joy, "Would you look at that, your brother just woke up. How about I take you two for a walk?"

He walked slowly to the other side of the room, his steps careful not to disturb baby Rhaenyra. She saw an extravagantly adorned crib, decorated with golden dragons and jewels. Given the opulence and the respectful manner in which the maester addressed her father, she realized she was likely born into a noble, and very wealthy, family.

'It seems like I'm royalty now...' She sighed weakly, trying not to delve on the many, many challenges awaiting her, especially as a girl now.

As they got closer, she finally laid her eyes on her brother. He had a full head of silver hair, just like their father. It was unusual for a newborn to have so much hair, but not entirely unheard of. His eyes were a striking purple, carrying a depth of wisdom and serenity that seemed out of place in a baby.

'Just as I feared,' she thought silently as she gazed at her younger brother. He was just like her—an old soul trapped in an baby's body.

One question gnawed at her mind. Did she know him? Was he, like Ruby, someone from her past? For a small moment, Rhaenyra considered the possibility that this was Ruby reincarnated but quickly dismissed the idea.

'I would recognize her instantly, just by her look,' she reassured herself.

Lost in these thoughts, she became momentarily distracted, not noticing the footsteps approaching behind them.

"Couldn't you wait one more day, my love?" a woman's voice called softly. Startled, her father turned towards the source.

There stood an extraordinarily beautiful woman with long, platinum hair, clad in a loose white dress that shimmered in the sunlight. The fabric, likely a high-quality silk of unknown origin, seemed almost ethereal. Her pale skin and the slight struggle with each step she took spoke of volumes of her current condition. Her face, as pale as fresh snow, contrasted sharply with her piercing lilac eyes, eyes brimming with affection for the man and child before her.

'Those eyes…' Rhaenyra sighed. The last time she had seen such eyes was in Ai's gaze—a mother's loving eyes.

She drifted into memories of her past life as Aqua, barely registering the conversation between her parents.

"Aemma, what are you doing out of bed? The maester said you should rest, my love," her father said, attempting to sound stern. The woman merely shook her head and embraced him gently.

"I don't care what the maester said, Viserys. No one can stop me from seeing my babies and my handsome husband."

Viserys sighed, a mixture of exasperation and affection in his expression. He knew his attempts to keep her at rest were futile.

"You won," he said with a small laugh. "I knew I couldn't keep them away from you for long. Not even Balerion could."

The idea of a contest between Aemma and Balerion amused him. Balerion was fierce, but his wife's determination could rival even that legendary beast.

Aemma smiled, her eyes twinkling with a mixture of mischief and warmth. "Balerion might be a mighty dragon, but he would known better than to stand between a mother and her children."

Viserys chuckled, his laughter a soft rumble that resonated through the room. "Indeed, my love. Now come, sit with us. The maester would have my head if he knew you were standing for so long."

Aemma allowed herself to be guided to a chair beside the crib, her gaze never leaving the baby. She reached out, her fingers brushing against the silver hair of her newborn son. "He's beautiful, Viserys. So much like you."

"Rhaenyra has your eyes, and Aemon has mine," Viserys replied, his voice filled with pride and affection.

Aemma's gaze shifted to her daughter, who was nestled comfortably in Viserys's arms. She reached out and gently caressed Rhaenyra's cheek with her fingertips, her touch soft and tender. Rhaenyra felt a warmth spread through her, something that she had forgotten for a long time in her past life. 

"Our little Rhaenyra," Aemma whispered, her voice full of love and wonder. "She has a strength in her eyes, just like her father."

Rhaenyra, though still grappling with her new reality, found herself oddly comforted by Aemma's touch. It was a sensation she hadn't realized she had missed so much until now. Her previous life had been filled with pain, but at this moment, this simple act of love, felt like a balm to her tired soul.

Viserys looked down at his daughter, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "She's going to be a strong one, I can feel it. Just like her mother."

Aemma laughed softly, the sound light and fresh. "Let's hope she doesn't inherit your stubbornness."

Viserys chuckled, the sound deep and resonant. "Or your temper, my love."

Their banter continued, a gentle teasing that spoke of deep affection and years of shared history. Rhaenyra watched them, feeling a strange mix of emotions. She was both an outsider and a part of this family, something that was hard to deal with. 

'I'll have to get used to this, just as I have before,' she thought silently, for the first time feeling thankful for the past experiences that made her more adaptable to this whole situation.

~~O~~

In the midst of all this, without anyone noticing, baby Aemon watched everything with his tiny, curious eyes.

'I guess this is my new family, huh?' thought the young Targaryen.

He had been confused upon waking, surrounded by unfamiliar faces. It wasn't until he heard the names Aemma, Viserys, and most importantly, Balerion, that the pieces began to fall into place.

'Somehow, I've reincarnated in HOTD...'

The why and how of it all eluded him. There had been no truck running down upon him, no tragic accident or violent end. He had simply been sitting on his bed, about to press play on the first episode of "House of the Dragon," a show that had garnered much attention lately.

He had been a devoted fan of the original series, but after that shitty ending, he had turned his back on the world of Westeros. Even "HOTD," as the new series was nicknamed, hadn't stirred much excitement in him. He was only watching because his friends had pleaded with him, desperate to discuss it with someone who understood the lore.

Had he known it would lead to this, he would have told them to fuck off.

If he had been reincarnated into the period of "Game of Thrones," he might have used his knowledge of future events to navigate the treacherous political landscape. But "House of the Dragon" was a different era altogether. All he remembered was the civil strife that shattered the Targaryen dynasty and decimated their greatest asset: the dragons.

'The Dance of the Dragons...'

Somehow, he had to prevent this event. From his parents' conversations, he discovered that he was a prince, and not just any prince, but the male twin of the infamous Rhaenyra Targaryen. This placed him directly in the line of succession, with his father Viserys soon to be named heir.

Yet something puzzled him.

Though his memory of this era was hazy and superficial at best, he was certain Rhaenyra had never had a twin brother—at least, not one who survived. Unless history had been rewritten to erase his existence, he was an anomaly.

This revelation changed everything, rendering his little knowledge of this period almost useless.

And then there was his sister's gaze. Something in her eyes unsettled him, as if she could peer into his very soul, uncovering all his secrets.

He couldn't help but think that perhaps his sister was an anomaly too. 

Both of them crossed gazes and the same though crossed their minds. 

'This is getting more and more annoying...'