Saerenyra Velaryon

Peasant woman from Essos. Escaped a life of poverty. Passing herself off as the stolen princess of house velaryon.

Backstory

Taltennia Maegah was born in the year 104, in the city of Meereen. Born to an impoverished family, her parents struggled every day to make ends meet. Her mother, Erinela, had been a wealthy merchant’s daughter who married her father, Belyrio, due to a whirl-wind romance and one-night-stand that led to Taltennia’s birth.Abandoned by her parents for having relations outside of wedlock, Erinela was left with no other choice but to marry the man who had gotten her with child. Nine months later; their first and only child was born. Erinela named her Taltennia after her paternal grandmother, who she had loved dearly and looked up to all her life.Though both of Taltennia’s parents tried their best to make ends meet, they often struggled. This caused several tensions throughout Taltennia’s family, with arguments often being started by her mother - who was used to luxury and expected to still receive those luxuries even when she now lived an impoverished lifestyle.Erinela loved nothing more than pageantry and mummery. She would take her daughter to view many plays, and little Taltennia came to love the pageantry, the idea of being on stage and playing a role. She became enamored with the life of a travelling performer, this being her dream in life. For in her young but shrewd mind, she understood that this was the way to her mother’s heart. She was not all that close to her father, a much quieter and more subservient man than his formidable wife, and it was from her mother that she craved the most affection.As the years passed, it became clear that Taltennia was not physically grwoing. In fact, her growth halted at around age seven; at the height of 3’6. At first, not much notice was taken of this, but by the time that she had reached her thirteenth name day and not grown at all, it was clear to her parents that she would not be growing any more.Her parents were both devasted by this. Taltennia’s proportions and size was that of a child, and therefore, any chances of finding a match for her were non-existent. Belyrio’s devastation at his daughter’s condition led to him turning inward even more, blaming himself and the impoverished upbringing he provided his family.Erinela, on the other hand, decided to use this as an opportunity to utilize her daughter’s condition to serve her own desires. She began to use Taltennia as a mummer, dressing her in more and more childish outfits and making her dance and perform for coin.After all, what was more brilliant than having a famous daughter who could always get the cute, sweet little girl roles? Who would never grow beyond the sweet, darling, obedient child that Erinela had always yearned for?But Taltennia would not remain so forever. Despite her short and childlike stature, she was growing up. Becoming a young woman. And she wished to live the life that a girl of her true age should be able to. She hated being dragged from pageant to pageant, hated being forced into frilly pink dresses and forced to behave like a child, not only in her work life, but also at home. She craved a different life for herself.Her mother had poisoned the idea of mummery and being part of the travelling performers; and all she wanted now was to put her wits and cunning to use; to make a real life for herself. But first? She would need to escape. And for that - she would have to burn down everything related to her past life.In the year 129, the now twenty-five-year-old Taltennia put her plan into action. As her parents slept in their beds, the young woman set the house - and her own life - to burn.She had no real plan after this, and so she wandered aimlessly through the streets. She spent several days and nights on the streets, eating whatever scraps that she could get her hands on. As she did so, she listened into every conversation. It was then that she overheard a discussion regarding the lost Princess Saerenyra Velaryon. People spoke of the stolen daughter of Rhaenyra Targaryen; with whispers spoken of how the child’s dark hair and eyes, like that of her brothers, led to whispers of her paternity.Taltennia overheard that Princess Saerenyra, who had been missing since she was three-years-old, would have now been seven - should she be alive. A plan formed in her mind; and she made her way to the docks, seeking out a ship bound for Westeros.➤ Princess Saerenyra Velaryon:Princess Saerenyra Velaryon was born in the year 122 AC. The younger sister of Prince Jacaerys and Prince Lucerys Velaryon, she was utterly doted upon by her family. She was a sweet, precocious child, a clever little thing who loved to talk and play. Her mother, Rhaenyra, loved her daughter with her whole heart, and would have done anything for her.Unfortunately, however, tragedy struck the family when the little princess was but three-years-old. She had been left in the care of a handmaiden on Dragonstone; and an accident took place, leading to Saerenyra’s death by drowning. In a fit of horror and terror of what might befall her if she were to confess this - the handmaiden got rid of the body, and hid the evidence, before fleeing into the night.From that moment on, Princess Saerenyra was believed by her whole family to be missing. Rhaenyra was beside herself with grief for the loss of her daughter; and never once gave up hope that she would be found alive one day.That day, and her dreams, came true, in late 129AC. A raven arrived, stating that the princess Saerenyra had been found, a captive of Meereen, and that she had managed to find passage home to Westeros.The seven-year-old princess returned to her family, and has begun the process of reintegrating back into her old life with the family that she had lost. However, not one person is aware that Saerenyra is not who she puports to be, and Taltennia, who now has the life of royal luxury that she has always wanted, must now live every day trying to keep up the mummer’s farce, and cleave to the facade that she has created for herself - all the while knowing that deep down that time is running out.

Personality

Princess Saerenyra Velaryon ( which is what she shall be known as henceforth ) is a cunning, manipulative and psychopathic young woman. She feels little to no emotional empathy for the vast majority of people.While she does understand the reason why people might feel the way they do (she is aware, for example, that a person may cry if they are upset in some way), she simply does not possess the capacity within her brain to care. Her amygdala is underdeveloped and she finds it hard to form a connection with people on anything more than a superficial level.Due to her upbringing and the life that she lived in Essos, she has learned to manipulate and con people; using her innocent appearance and status as the “lost princess” of House Velaryon to get what she wants.That’s not to say that she’s incapable of love and feeling things for people, she is. She simply struggles with it, and has some major trust issues due to having to keep herself hidden in plain sight. She has come to develop a grudging respect for Rhaenyra as a woman in this world, and, as someone who has never had siblings but always wanted some, she enjoys playing the role of younger sister to Jace and Luke.Saerenyra often worries about being found out for the liar that she is. She knows that she is on borrowed time - for it will one day be notable that “Princess Saerenyra” is not growing at all; and therefore, she fears that one day her lie will be discovered.