Disclaimer: All belongs to G. R. Martin.

This fic is about Daenerys, but I could not resist writing about Rhaena. She seems to me a very peculiar Targaryen. Specially for a woman. Anyway, I hope that it won't be so annoying.

I hope you'll enjoy it! :)

…

…

...

Part II

..

172

.

King Viserys dies in less than a year of his ruling.

They write it in the history books: he safeguarded the chests of gold while his brother Aegon was dealing with nightmares of his mother being devoured by monsters of fire. He kept a kingdom that crumbled at the expense of Daeron and his wars. He prevented the beginning of civil wars by the great nobles that were embarrassed by a saintly king.

It's not poison, or even a decent conspiracy.

The second of his name, son of Princess Rhaenyra, and tenth king Targaryen.

Viserys dies peacefully in his sleep.

How could he sleep forever, knowing that he left his monstrous son on the Iron Throne?

There are enough Targaryens that could change the sad story that will be written under the mandate of the new king. But none of them do something, no one will.

They will stay still and silent, with their heads bowed.

'Our cousin is now a king' whispers Daena with that beautiful secret smile of hers. As if she knew something that nobody else knew.

'And we continue to be low chess pieces, and worse, women' Elaena is very observant, the fact that Aegon is now the king doesn't pleasure her too much 'I will marry whoever I have to marry, before that staying in this city under his rule'

'You're a princess, daughter and sister of kings, a dragon' Daena almost spits in her sister's eyes 'There is nothing and no one whom you should fear. Instead, you ought to be betrothed to a son of Daeron and not an unworthy Andal'

'So you'd rather have me promised to a three year old boy?'

Daena does not respond.

At the corner of the room, Rhaena seems a modest tapestry that no one bothers to toss. She sews, and listens.

Uncle Viserys promised me to a four year old Baratheon. But he did it for the sake of my character and not by cruelty. And now he is gone, and there is not a good and noble king on the Iron Throne anymore.

But nobody ever asks Rhaena what she ponders.

'We could run away, the three of us together' is Elaena, and no Daena, who proposes the only thing that all three of them have been fantasizing for years 'We will ask Alyn to get us a ship that sails to the free cities, and then ... '

'And then, what is next? You will be with the man you love, a third Velaryon son that will never inherit anything and Rhaena could sew and pray all day. But what about me?' To Daena is obvious that it is not the most joyfully idea 'What could possibly be there for me?'

For the first time, Rhaena gives the impression to come alive.

'You could raise Daemon far away from this place' Her voice sounds smooth and firm, a melodious whisper as if in reality she was accustomed to speak out loud so very often 'Imagine it, Daena, he could be free to be whoever he wanted to be, and no one would ever call him a bastard'

That accomplishes to infuriate her older sister straight more.

'He is not a bastard' she grinds her teeth with fury.

Rhaena is again forgotten.

'For such bravery, you are so silly sometimes' Elaena interrupts her sister's rage 'Do not fool yourself, and neither deceive your son. He is a bastard, and he will remain so. In the free cities he may become more than that, there may be a future in there that he can forge for himself'

'He already has a future in here' there is nothing or no one that will convince her otherwise.

'Then, I am sorry for him, and I feel sorry for you'

Daena begins to storm away, with the fury of red staining her lovely features 'Do not even delusion about it, Elaena' but of course she turns around, with her purple eyes almost as black as night, digging into her little sister's face 'You will not leave this place, is that understood? Or else, the king will know that it was all Alyn's idea, and while you're happy walking from side to side of every free land, our cousin will lose his head on your behalf'

Rhaena stops her needlework.

Like Aegon, Daena is cruel. Cruel to herself by allowing being ruined by a man. Cruel to her own son, for denying him the opportunity to be truly unrestricted and free. And cruel to our own little sister, whose only sin was to give her heart to a man who can never be with her.

But nobody asks Rhaena what she ponders.

And she does not bother to separate her sealed lips.

'You got that true, Daena, I will not run. Ever' Elaena is the smallest, but she rises more regal than any 'Unlike you and our father, I do not live with ghosts or flee from them'

Both look at each other for a moment, aware of the gap that was there and now seems to grow larger.

Be released from the maidenvault has not only separated them physically.

Daena ends her triumphant exit.

The three pretty sisters playing together and conspiring together never again do so.

It's the last time they speak again.

…

That night, while sleeping next to Elaena, Rhaena Targaryen doesn't fall asleep.

Run away.

The words tastes sweet and dangerous.

Run away...

And suddenly, in her awake dreams, she imagines her life if she stays at the expense of a cruel king and a kingdom just as cruel.

A cousin of lascivious eyes and without anyone who will dare to stop him.

Would he rape me and then marry me off to some lesser lord? Would they marry me to an old man with cold cruel eyes?

He could die. Aegon may not last many years. As with King Viserys, no one ever expects a sudden natural death, even those that seem to anticipate everything. But only the gods are who decide and provide, who grant and grab away with the same ferocity.

What if the gods really want them for their service? Should I stay still and wait for their command? Or should I go to look it for myself?

It is that same night, after dreaming of King Aegon raping her and her sisters, with fire and screams around, dragons and blood devouring every living soul, that Rhaena truly believes that she receives her reply.

…

…

Taking advantage of the confusion that only the premature death of a new king can create, Rhaena escapes from the Red Keep to the heart of the faith: the Starry Septon in Oldtown.

It is not difficult to become a septa.

She does not have to fool anyone, nor hurt a single soul in the process.

She doesn't have to lie too much.

She dresses in an old gown which Daena used to wear for disguise herself when she wanted to flee the maidenvault.

No one notices her absence in the morning.

She must be praying as always, thinks Elaena. And Daena doesn't even notice.

They thought that sweet Rhaena who only knows how to pray and embroidered dresses with gold would not be capable of something as rebellious and selfish. And maybe I am selfish.

They underestimated her: her sisters, the guards and the new king.

I saw him observing me with dilated pupils and that deceptive smile which makes me so terrified.

Once the damage is done, the royal family can't repair it.

Daeron would not dare to remove her from the Septon, offending the faith and the gods. King Aegon is too busy with his new lover to even repair in the matter.

Daena laughs and calls her defiant. Elaena believes her sagacious.

Rhaena Targaryen becomes the first Targaryen who resigns to be a Targaryen and becomes what she always wanted to be: a septa.

The gods provide, grant and grab away. I'm theirs.

…

…

Thank you to: Bess Woodville and kimbo-smarties for your lovely reviews. They made my week :)