Chapter Text
The morning sun met the small council. The only people not currently present were Princess Rhaenyra and Prince Daemon. Harold watched as the king tensed from the chants of the crowd that had gathered outside of the keep. Their words were simple, and they were biting.
“Viserys the butcher.” They chanted, “Maegor the cruel and Viserys the butcher.”
“At least Maegor had a dragon! This cunt does not.”
Each word seemed to depress the king. Harold thought back to the only sentence the Princess Rhaenyra had uttered last night.
“There was no need to butcher my mother so that you could fuck a red-headed noble whore.”
The corridor that had been filled with courtiers, septons, and Lord Paramounts who were silent at the princesses’ words. The king flinched back as if his daughter had struck him. She turned around and left, her arm in the crook of her newly returned war hero uncle. The prince Daemon stopped and turned to his brother.
“Our father mourned our mother till his death, and you could not even respect the memory of our cousin for one night. You are a disgrace.”
Lady Alicent had been found in the king’s rooms. That was all the realm could talk about.
“Where is my daughter?” The king asked
“She left for Dragonstone,” Harold replied, for the dragon keepers had informed him of that.
Before anyone could speak, two dragons made a sound that filled the air. Signalling the princess’s return.
Lyman, in all his years serving on the small council, had never seen such a mess. The room watched as the princess and Prince Daemon, the newly minted lord paramount of the narrow sea, walked in. They wore all-black riding leathers, and a maester followed them, carrying a white sheet.
The princess declared, without preamble, “Prince Daemon and I are wed.” The room exclaimed in shock, and all turned to the king.
Viserys’s face went through a series of colours before it settled on red.
“You did what! How could you?!” the king raged.
“I needed protection, and who better to protect me than a dragon-riding prince?” The princess asked.
Lyman noticed that Prince Daemon had yet to say a word.
“I am king, your father! I can protect you!” The king raged.
“It is you I need protection from, Your Grace.” The princess replied, and the king stepped back, as if the very words had been a slap the princess had delivered.
“I would. I would never hurt you, Rhaenyra.” The king whispered.
“I am sure my mother thought the same thing, but that illusion quickly shattered when you had men hold her down whilst they cut her open. You have shown yourself to be a danger to the blood of Aemma and Daella. Marrying Daemon will keep me away from you.” The princess said.
The king’s eyes filled with tears as the princess dropped the white sheet onto the council table. “Wedded and bedded, your grace.”
Rhaenys watched with the rest of the room as Rhaenyra spoke. Nobody moved, and they could still hear the small folk chanting.
“Your grace! You cannot let this go unpunished!” Otto Hightower said.
“What are you going to do, Viserys? Slit her open too?” Daemon taunted, his hand rested on the pommel of Dark Sister. Suddenly Rhaenys could see the silhouettes of two dragons, Syrax and Caraxes. Those standing near the window moved. Viserys still seemed shocked that his daughter had so willingly named him a monster, one that she feared, and Rhaenys realised her cousin would do nothing, he would allow the marriage to stand, if only so that he did not push Rhaenyra further away from him.
Daemon had changed, Rhaenys realised as well, for normally he would rant and rage at his older brother, but it seemed as if the war of the Stepstones had changed him. Rhaenys wondered if it was because he finally had something of his own. He finally had his own legacy, and now he had added a Valyrian wife. The one he had dreamed of having as a child.
Rhaenys turned and looked at Otto and Alicent Hightower, the girl was dressed in another gown that was clearly not her style, for she kept trying to pull the bust up to hide her chest, Viserys had not touched the disgrace that happened yesterday yet, and now he would not. But the realm would never forget it; Rhaenys was sure that Rhaenyra would never let them.
“They performed the wedding correctly, and there was a witness.” When the court is out of mourning, we shall celebrate.” Viserys said he stood up and walked out of the room.
Viserys looked at his Valyrian model and took a deep breath. His daughter had married his brother, her words running through his mind again and again.
“It is you I need protection from, your grace.”
The words hurt — that his daughter saw him as somebody she needed protection from, that she wanted to leave him, to escape him.
“Ser Harold, please bring me the princess.” Viserys said to the man outside his door. He did not wait long before his daughter arrived. She still wore black because Aemma had only been dead for a few days, and everything was falling apart.
“Your Grace.” She said, her curtsy was perfect, her face cold.
“Rhaenyra, I,” Viserys started.
“I swear to you, I never stepped out of my marriage with Aemma,” he said, looking at her, hoping she would believe him. “The maesters said it was the only way to save the babe.”
Rhaenyra looked at him, her face unmoving. His words met with complete silence. When the silence became too much, Viserys started speaking again.
“I am going to name you heir,” Viserys said.
“No,” Rhaenyra said.
“What?” Viserys asked to make sure he had heard her correctly.
“I will not be your heir. It is an insult to my mother. You could have named me heir and saved her the hassle, the pain, everything.” Rhaenyra spat, “So, no, your grace, I will not be your heir.” She did not wait for anything else Viserys meant to say. She simply walked out and slammed the door.
That was the last time Viserys saw his daughter for over three years.
Three years ago, Alicent had married the king, and yet Otto’s daughter had yet to give the king a son that lived past a moon. So Otto was forced to stand in the great sept and school his face while Viserys waited for his new bride, Cassandra Baratheon. If the Baratheon girl gives Viserys a son before Alicent, then he may never have the throne. He once again sent a curse at Rhaenyra, for if the girl had accepted to be the king’s heir, this would not have happened. Instead, the spoiled princess had left for the Stepstones with her wayward uncle and refused to answer any of Viserys’s letters. Making the king irritable and less malleable. During the last six moons Alicent’s presence had been ignored by the king, it was as if she did not exist; she stood next to Otto in the sept and began picking her nails as the lords and ladies of court looked at her, some with pity and some in mocking jest. If only that blasted girl Heleana were a boy.
During the feast, Otto and Alicent sat at the end of the high table.
The doors opened, and he and Alicent watched as the announcer stepped through.
“Their royal highnesses, Prince Daemon and Princess Rhaenyra, of House Targeryen, prince and princess of the Stepstones, lord and lady paramount of the narrow sea and prince and princess consort of Dragonstone.” The man said. Otto grit his teeth, for Daemon was still heir to the throne.
Viserys perked up and stood up immediately, and the entire room followed the king. Rhaenyra and Daemon were clad in black leathers, and a red cape bearing the sigil of House Targaryen flapped behind them. But what quietened the hall was the babe Prince Daemon carried.
“Your Grace, our apologies for our late arrival.” Rhaenyra said. “One cannot fly as fast with a babe.”
Otto raged because this was not good, Rhaenyra and Daemon had refused to show up for Alicent’s wedding, and yet they appear now.
“You have a child?” Viserys asked as he stared at the child. Otto also looked at the babe, and he looked like Prince Daemon, except he had Rhaenyra’s eyes and lips.
“Yes, Aegon,” Prince Daemon said.
“I — you never told me you were pregnant.” Viserys said quietly.
“Apologise, we wanted to avoid a repeat of what happened to the last Targaryen women with Arryn blood.” Daemon said, his voice loud enough that it carried.
“Congratulations on your wedding, Your Grace. You, Cassandra and Alicent, may it be everything you deserve,” Rhaenyra said. “Hopefully this goes better than the last time. For the last time a king had two wives, one son turned out to be weak, and the other a monster. I suppose we’ll see how it turns out for you.”
Otto shivered, for the words Rhaenyra uttered sounded like a prophecy.
Daemon watched Rhaenyra as she brushed through her hair. Viserys had insisted that they stay in the heir’s chambers, as it had a nursery attached to it. Rhaenyra was about to speak when a gold cloak opened their door. A maid walked in looking nervous.
“The king has asked for you both,” the maid said, curtsying and leaving.
“What do you think he wants?” Rhaenyra asked
“Probably to ask you to be the heir again.” Daemon said, and Rhaenyra rolled her eyes.
“I said no already.” Rhaenyra said,
“And Viserys never knows when to give up.” Damon answered.
He pulled Rhaenyra closer to him and kissed her head. “You would make an amazing queen, little dragon. Better you than some Hightower or Baratheon welp.”
“And if they bare sons, it will be war.” Rhaenyra said. “It will be war as it is now. With a second wife, Viserys has set the realm on the path of war.”
“Not unless you have Viserys set a rule, clarifying that the throne is yours, full stop. Viserys will give you a lot, especially to heal this rift between you two,” Daemon explained.
“No, I do not want the throne.” Rhaenyra said, “With the throne comes expectations from Viserys, and I cannot stand the man. I refuse to shackle myself or our children to him or that throne. Laws do not stop the greed of men. We will build the Stepstones for Aegon and his siblings. The Hightowers and Baratheons will destroy each other, and I intend to stand by and enjoy watching it.”
Viserys sat down and drank a large cup of wine when the maid he had sent for his daughter and brother finally came back.
“The prince and princess ask for the audience to be in the morning, for the princess is tired, and the babe needs feeding,” the maid said. Viserys nodded and requested a morning meal for the three of them.
Viserys was the first to arrive in the dining hall. He sat down and nursed a cup of watered-down wine. Soon, Rhaenyra and Daemon arrived.
“Your Grace,” Rhaenyra and Daemon said. Daemon pulled out a chair for his daughter, and she beamed at him as she sat down.
The two ate silently, waiting for Viserys to break the silence.
“Rhaenyra, please, I would like to mend all that is between us. Please, I am your father.” Viserys pleaded.
“How do you intend to do that?” Rhaenyra snapped. Daemon took one of her hands and kissed it, and Viserys saw her calm down. He swallowed the reprimand he wanted to hurl at his brother and nodded.
“I know it cannot bring your mother back, but please be my heir. Your mother’s blood, Aemma’s blood, would be on the throne as she deserves.” Viserys pleaded.
His daughter turned to his brother, and Daemon nodded and stood up to leave the room. Viserys was immensely surprised that his brother followed her orders so well. Daemon kissed her head and left the two of them alone.
“And if your Hightower or Baratheon wives bear you sons?” Rhaenyra asked.
“You will never be replaced; it will be you and then your boy,” Viserys said
“Aegon, his name is Aegon, Egg,” Rhaenyra said.
“Yes, it will be you, Aegon, and any other children you have,” Viserys said. His heart leapt with hope. “You can even live on Dragonstone; I know the Stepstones is not complete yet.”
Rhaenyra looked at him. “Daemon has a house in Essos; that is where we are.” Viserys nodded, not saying anything against his brother, for he could tell his daughter would become defensive. After all, Daemon was her husband as much as Viserys hated it, the father of her son.
“No, I appreciate your offer, but no. My words still stand. You could have made me heir, to keep my mother alive, to allow her to be alive to meet her grandson, yet you killed her.” Rhaenyra said. “I will not spit on her memory like that.”
Viserys nodded and really looked at his daughter then. She had grown; she was a mother, a wife.
“Please let me still give you Dragonstone, for your second son. You can live there and rule while the Stepstones is being built. That will take years. The castle will be yours, and the territory added to the Narrow Sea when Aegon inherits it.” Viserys begged. Hoping that at least this would reduce her ire towards him.
Rhaenyra looked at him and nodded.
“I will take Dragonstone, but like I said, I think it best for you to allow one of your wives to give you an heir. Or you could set a precedent and marry a third wife.” Rhaenyra said. “I do want something else.”
“What?” Viserys asked excitedly, he wanted to earn her favour.
“Ser Harold.” Rhaenyra said with a smile towards the door.
Gwayne, his father and his sister were walking down the halls when they met Princess Rhaenyra and Ser Harold.
“Ah, Otto Alicent,” Rhaenyra said with a smirk. “What a wonderful day! Weddings are such joyous occasions.” The princess turned to walk away.
“Rhaenyra! Surely you cannot support a harlot as queen.” Alicent said, looking begrudgingly at her former friend.
Rhaenyra laughed. She laughed so much even Ser Harold looked concerned.
“Bloody hell, Alicent, I never knew you were so funny!” Rhaenyra said. “You of all people cannot talk about another woman being a harlot. You who slithered her way into a widow’s bed? On the night of his wife’s funeral? Spare me your sanctimonious sob story. You’re a whore and so is the other one.”
“I never!” Alicent said.
“I do not care.” Rhaenyra said, she pushed her hair behind her ear and walked away.
“You had one job! To bear Viserys a son, you will fix your relationship with Rhaenyra. I do not care if you have to get on your knees and grovel! Cassandra already has three dragons on her side, for the Velaryons will support her. I should have had Gwayne marry the princess, at least her womb can bear sons.” Otto said and left the two siblings alone in the silent corridor.
First moon of 120 AC.
Rhaenyra and her father had a relationship that she could describe as tolerance. She did not feel the burning hatred she had felt for him in the past. Being a mother had shown her that Viserys was simply incapable of being a good person; she and her mother had never deserved the lack of care Viserys had shown them. When she looked at Daemon with their son, she realised Viserys had been a terrible father.
Cassandra and Alicent had given birth to sons. Cassandra named hers Aenar, and Alicent named hers Aemond. Both factions claimed their heir was born first, but Viserys was yet to declare either heir. The invitation to the celebratory hunt had arrived on Dragonstone a moon ago. Daemon found it surprising that they agreed to a joint hunt. Rhaenyra had simply shrugged and said that it was none of their business.
Rhaenyra sighed. Daemon had wanted them to skip the hunt, but Rhaenyra had insisted they go. They did not want the realm to think they were fighting with the king, and that they were unhappy with the new princes.
“The realm knows well that you dislike your father, darling.” Daemon had teased. But he had agreed that it would be for the best if they went, if only to see the half-breeds, and the pain in Otto’s eyes.
When they arrived at the camp, Daemon got down first with Aegon. Her son, almost a full year now, looked confused, his dragon Stormcloud wrapped around Daemon. Daemon helped Rhaenyra down from the carriage. “Rhaenyra!” the king exclaimed, standing up from the table he had been sitting at. Rhaenyra looked at her husband with her eyebrow raised. The king seemed far too excited to see them.
“Father,” she said, allowing the man to hug her.
“Aegon!” he said, collecting their son from Daemon.
“I am here too, brother.” Daemon teased, but the king was gone, showing off his grandson to the assembled lords. She noticed Alicent was sitting at the very end of the table, the Hightower girl, clutching her newborn son, while Cassandra did the same with her son at the other end. They were both surrounded by the ladies that supported them, and Rhaenyra shook her head.
So it begins, she thought.
Alicent watched as Viserys sat Rhaenyra next to him. They had returned her son Aegon to her, and he was now in her lap. His cradle-hatched dragon also sat on her lap. The beast was enormous, almost the size of a babe. She immediately thought about the egg placed in Aemond’s cradle, which had not hatched yet.
“Introduce Aemond to the princess.” Her father instructed. She nodded and picked Aemond up, walking towards Rhaenyra and the king.
“Rhaenyra!” Alicent said, smiling.
“Alicent,” she answered; her tone was cold and uninviting. She looked at the child in Alicent’s hand and then looked up at Alicent expectantly.
Why are you being so cruel to me? Alicent wants to ask her, I was only doing my duty.
I did my duty, her mind kept telling her. The king needs an heir. Her father had been so proud of her when the king announced he would marry her, and rather than the knight she had dreamed of marrying, she was stuck with the king. Viserys in the first three years of their marriage would drink and bemoan how his daughter refused to speak to him, refused to answer any of his letters.
Alicent always thought Rhaenyra was spoiled, and she hated that Viserys cared so much about her. But it did not matter; Alicent had given the king a son. She had borne the future king; she had done her duty. She had done the duty Aemma Arryn failed, but instead of the realm celebrating with her, she had to share the moment with a whore from the Stromlands.
Rhaenyra should be on her side, should be supporting her true brother, instead, she looked at Alicent as if she did not matter.
“Is there something you want, little Hightower?” Daemon asked. Alicent blinked because she was so stuck in her head she was unaware that he had arrived. “You’re making my wife and son uncomfortable by just standing there and staring at them.”
“I wanted to introduce Rhaenyra to her brother; I know she always wanted one.” Alicent said, smiling at Rhaenyra.
“Except my mother is dead, so I will never have a brother, or any siblings at all. But I congratulate you and Cassandra both.” Rhaenyra responds by sipping her drink.
Alicent takes a step back in shock at the blatant dismissal.
“Aemond is the king’s son,” Alicent mutters. “He is of your blood.”
“So? Contrary to popular belief, there are quite a few Targaryens running around. Six of them are sons.” Rhaenyra says.
“Mu!” Aegon yells, and Rhaenyra’s entire face lights up. She turns to look at Daemon, Alicent long forgotten. “Muna!”
“Aegon! Did you hear Daemon?” Rhaenyra turns and asks her beaming husband.
“Yes, my love, that is your Muna,” Daemon says to the boy, rubbing his curls.
“Ah, my grandson, a councillor so young.” Viserys shouts to the crowd of knights and lords.
“We must make sure that Rhaenyra does not support the Hightowers,” Rhaenys said to Cassandra.
“Why would she support the woman who insulted her mother on the day of her funeral?” Cassandra asked her cousin.
“Rhaenyra is a spoiled girl. All she knows is Daemon and her dragon Syrax,” Rhaenys said. “Aemma Arryn never got to teach her daughter anything. She may let Otto Hightower and his daughter sway her with pretty words like Viserys.”
“Then we shall make our words prettier.” Cassandra responded. She turned to look at the dragon-riding princess then. Rhaenyra was clearly her husband’s favourite, for the king had given his daughter Dragonstone for her second son, and had paid Daemon a hefty dowry even though he had not initially sanctioned their marriage. Daemon and Rhaenyra already had three dragons, and who knows how many more children they would have? The princess had already proven herself stronger than her mother. The question Cassandra needed to have answered was whether the girl was smarter than her father.
Cassandra got her chance to speak to Rhaenyra the next morning when the men were off hunting. The princess was speaking to one of the Strong girls when Cassandra approached her.
“Princess Rhaenyra!” Cassandra said, walking to hug her, Rhaenyra took two steps back and put her hands behind her.
“Cassandra,” Rhaenyra said. Cassandra waited for her to continue speaking. Viserys seemed to love the sound of his own voice, but Rhaenyra said nothing else; she simply looked at Cassandra. She did not return Cass’s wide smile.
“I thought we might take a walk together.” Cassandra said after Rhaenyra had made the silence awkward. She nodded and waved to the Strong sisters. Cassandra was feeling unnerved. Usually, people fell for her smiles and charm. She had used them easily on Viserys and even Rhaenys and her husband, but Rhaenyra did not seem to fall for the trap.
“Prince Aegon seems to have grown.” Cassandra commented.
“That’s what children typically do.” Rhaenyra said, her voice was flat, and Cassandra wondered why they called her the realm’s delight. Ice queen might be a better name. “Is there something you want?”
Cassandra laughed. “Of course not; we are family now, and I wanted to get to know you well.”
“I am a princess of the realm; you know plenty about me,” Rhaenyra said, and this time she smiled, her eyes twinkling, as if she could read Cassandra’s mind.
Cassandra laughed. “Of course; but we are family now, and I wanted to get to know you better.”
“Are we?” Rhaenyra asked.
“Rhaenys and I would like to invite you to spend some time with us in the capital, perhaps we can bond as new mothers.” Cassandra offered.
“I appreciate it, however my Aunt Amanda, and septa Rhaella have been very helpful.” Rhaenyra said.
Cassandra nodded stiffly, annoyed that she was being rebuffed. “Well if you change your mind.”
“I won't." Rhaenyra responds.
Cassandra suddenly realised that Rhaenys was wrong; Rhaenyra was not just a spoiled princess, she allowed people to come up with their own narratives about her. She was a dragon, who allowed the foolish to underestimate her.