Chapter 10: Daenys 3

Nineteenth Day of the Month of the Falcon, Kings Landing

The sudden death of Ser Oswell Whent had affected most of the court directly as he was a great knight who served the realm to the best of his ability. Though, it is evident for Daenys that her brother-husband who had squired for him had not even shed a tear by the time he heard the news nor feel sad about it. The rest of the Kingsguard are feeling both sad that their brother died and angry at the Kingswood Brotherhood who killed him. When Ser Jonothor came back, he told the King that the Kingswood Brotherhood have a new leader who called himself the Black Crow and he is the one who killed Ser Oswell.

The news about the Black Crow had terrified many in Kings Landing and parts of the Reach and the Stormlands as the lords of Tumbleton and Felwood began to strengthen their defenses and the King immediately increased the size of the City Watch. Due to this, she and her husband are now currently on the carriage on the way to Dragonstone in order to keep the children safe, as he told her. Though, she is still mad at her husband for crowning Lyanna Stark and lashed her anger at him, she still agreed to his plea to hide at Dragonstone, as she too is afraid of this Black Crow.

The carriage in which she, Rhaegar and the children are now boarding are smaller than the one they used to come back from Harrenhal. Though, Rhaegar said that it is better not to attract the attention of the King as they left very early in the morning. As the carriage move towards the port, Daenys and Rhaegar had not even spoke a word to each other, but they successfully kept the children from crying and not attract the attention of everyone earlier. Several minutes had passed and they are very near the location of the port in which a ship is waiting for them to transport. As the carriage were about to reach the port, the carriage suddenly stopped.

"Stop! Prince Rhaegar, Princess Daenys come out! We know you are there!" a man shouted. Daenys began to peek from the carriage and saw that the City Watch had surrounded the carriage and the man who was driving the carriage is arrested by them. "I think we should come out. They surround the carriage. " "No" Rhaegar said as he pulls the sword from his sheath. "Please Rhaegar, for the children. " Daenys pleaded. Rhaegar then put his sword back to the sheath and came out and Daenys followed suit.

As they came out carrying the children with them, the guards began to lower their crossbows. "What is the meaning of this?" Rhaegar said. "Your grace, the King commands that Prince Rhaegar and his family are not allowed to leave the City of Kings Landing until it is clear that any future attempt or plot by yourself to overthrow him will surely fail." The guard replied. The reply by the guard makes sense, since her father had believed Varys in the accusation that her brother-husband is plotting to overthrow him. Although, she can see that this belief had been the basis of many of her father actions such as dealing with the Whents, she can't believe it will come to this. Perhaps something had changed she thought.

"Ok, then. You can leave, we are not going away." Rhaegar said. "No, your grace. You will come with us. His Grace also ordered that should you try to leave, you will be immediately brought to him." The guard replied as one of the city watch began to sit on the driver's place on the small carriage. "Rhaegar, come. Father awaits." Daenys said. Rhaegar and Daenys began to enter whilst carrying the children on their arms. "Let's ride!" One of the city watch said.

The ride from the port, had been so slower than the ride towards it as the new driver drove slowly which the children liked as they slept more soundly than earlier. After several minutes of the ride, Daenys felt her stomach growled as she didn't ate breakfast, and was expecting one on the ship to Dragonstone. "You're hungry, eat this." Rhaegar said as he gave his wife a loaf of bread from a sack within his garment. Daenys took the loaf and quickly ate it while some of the crumbs fell on to Aemon's body who was placed on her lap.

The bread itself does taste better, suprisingly than the ones the cooks normally prepare in the Red Keep and Dragonstone. Though, as she finished the last of the crumb of the bread, Daenys began to felt thirst. "Do you have any water?" Daenys asked. "Here you go." Rhaegar then brought out a bottle which contained drinkable water on it. She drank the water and didn't emptied the bottle as she was satisfied. "How come you are prepared with food and water within this carriage?" "Simple, before I asked you about going to Dragonstone earlier, I already ate my breakfast and prepare a loaf and a bottle of liquid should something like this happen. Though, I didn't prepare for the children as I think your breastmilk is enough to feed them for a journey like this." Rhaegar replied.

Daenys know that she wasn't lactating this day like she was when they were at Harrenhal. Ever since, they arrived on the Antlers, Daenys relied on the "baby food" the septas and the maester serving Lord Buckwell prepared, to feed the children. But yesterday, after feeding the twins before she heard about Ser Oswell's death, these "baby food" had ran out. "Sorry to disappoint, husband. But my breast are not providing milk ever since the Tourney." Daenys said. As Rhaegar heard that, he began to open the window of the carriage and they saw a Gold Cloak on a horse. Rhaegar then opened the window of the carriage and said, "Can we go faster? My wife and kids are hungry." Rhaegar said to the gold cloak as the guy nodded.

The ride afterwards, then became faster as it was going to the port. After a few minutes, they reached the Red Keep, and began to walk with the gold cloaks to the dining hall within the Red Keep. As they walked, servants and lords alike began to look at the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess as they were surrounded by the gold cloaks, as if they were prisoners. Daenys began to think of ways to convince her father to allow her and her twins to go to Dragonstone while Rhaegar stayed. But as they continue to walk, the selfishness of such thoughts began to be realized within her. Despite these, part of her thinks this is Varys' fault since he said what he said.

"Ah, you almost miss breakfast, my children." Aerys said as he stand up and walk to the couple. He then looked at his grandchildren and saw Aemon still covered with the breadcrumbs from earlier. "It seems that your mother still have to teach you a lot about being a mother, Daenys. Myrielle, Cerenna take my grandchildren and feed them and clean them up." Myrielle and Cerenna then walk as Rhaegar and Daenys handed over the children to the handmaidens. "Come sit with us. After all you almost left without saying goodbye." Aerys said.

Seeing her father like this, seem to give the illusion that he is not the mad king that many wants to overthrow. As she and Rhaegar began to sit on the table with their mother and the rest of the siblings except Baelon and some lords, a meatball hit Rhaegar. "That's for you. Wanna be Kinslayer!" Jaehaerys said. "Jaehaerys. That's rude. Say sorry to your brother." Rhaella shouted. "No! I won't." Jaehaerys said as he stood up and began to leave and attempted to throw his fork before Rhaella caught his hand. "Say sorry, or you're grounded." "Fine then. Ground Me!" Jaehaerys shouted as he left. "I am so sorry for what Jaehaerys did, Rhaegar. Hope you forgive him." "It's okay mother. It's understandable."

After Rhaegar said that, Rhaella left and the newly arrived couple seated on the dining table. "Look what you did, your grace, telling him all those lies by Varys." Steffon said. "You told him, about that father?" Daenys asked. "Lies? I say those are the truth. Your grace." Varys then surprisingly appeared behind Daenys. "Varys, you surprised us. Come sit, the food is good." Aerys said as he is munching on a steak. "Father, forgive me for saying. But talking with food in your mouth is not exactly good etiquette." Visenya said. "Who told you to speak?" Aerys asked as he swallowed the steak.

After he said that, Visenya began to look down and were suddenly quiet. "Truth or not, saying something like that to a little child is not a good move father. Especially if that something is definitely a lie." Rhaegar said. The servants then came with dishes in which they served in front of the newly arrived. They began to eat the food in front of them, though the court can see that Rhaegar ate less than Daenys. "I'm full." Shaena said as she stood up and leave the dining hall to go to her daily lessons. Steffon, Lucerys, Qarlton and Jon followed suit as they finished their food a few minutes later.

Aegon, Naerys and Visenya stood up as they ate the last meatball in their plates and left for their lessons. On the other side of the table, it can be seen that Daeron is helping Larra ate her porridge. Daenys thought that the circumstance of Larra's illness was just a chance which helped Larra and Daeron to get closer. Though, the rest of the court viewed the illness as a sign of the curse of Harrenhal, as on the same day that she came to court, her uncle, Ser Oswell, died.

For Daenys, this so called curse, was so ridiculous, that everything can be attributed to it. But still, one can't help speculate about such a thing after looking at what happened to the houses that held Harrenhal. "Ah, you're finished. Come, the healers will see you now." Daeron said as he helped Larra stood up and they began to leave the dining hall. Rhaegar then finished his food followed by Aerys then Daenys finished hers a couple minutes later.

Aerys then stood up, and said, "Follow me to my desk." Afterwards he walks to the right. Daenys and Rhaegar followed and the gold cloaks followed suit. They followed the King, and after several minutes they reached the desk. On the desk, there were already piles of paper stacked and the hand of the king and the master of coin stood there. Aerys seats on the desk, the gold cloaks didn't enter the King's office and the couple seated as well.

"What is this father?" Daenys asked. "Daughter, these are the income reports by the lords of the Crownlands, here have a look at this." Aerys said as he hand Daenys a piece of those reports. The piece which Aerys handed to Daenys were those of Duskendale's. The piece reported that Duskendale earned 10000 gold dragons in total. The expenses were reported as those of 30000 gold dragons in total for the month of the Falcon. Although in the piece, daily expenses and revenue were detailed, it seems unbelievable that a settlement like Duskendale would perform this worse. Daenys viewed Baelon as an intelligent man, but ruling a prosperous city at a lost is so much unbelievable.

"Pass the piece to your brother Daenys, and here look at Duskendale's record for the last month." Aerys began to hand Daenys another piece of report. The report on the previous month look almost the same, but the values are roughly, 20% higher, yet she saw many ships going to Duskendale for trade, and the success of the Red Faith had attracted so many adherents among the smallfolk, which could boost the incomes of that city. "May I see that paper, your grace?" Qarlton said as he looked at that paper.

"Why do we have to see this, father?" Daenys asked. "Since your husband had been too eager to replace me as King, and the circumstance in which you violate my orders. I decided to have you assist me in performing my everyday duties as King, till I can believe that your husband is doing no such thing. Qarlton, read me the incomes and expenditures of each house." Qarlton then took some of the papers and began to speak the incomes and expenditures of all houses of the Crownlands one by one. As Qarlton finished. "Steffon, read the incomes and expenditures for the previous month." Steffon did that in the same manner as Qarlton.

Once Steffon finised, Daenys can see that Rhaegar's eye began to close. Aerys snapped his fingers and Rhaegar blinked. "I understand that you had not slept yesterday, since you are sad that your mentor died. Don't worry I send his body back to Harrenhal, after you left. You can go back to your chambers to sleep, provided that a gold cloak would watch you sleep." "No thanks, father. I am awake." "Good. Daenys, write this down." Daenys then took the quill and ink, and an empty paper. "Prince Baelon, You are hereby summoned to answer for the accusation of forfeiting the records of income and worshipping the false Lord of Light, Your Father, King Aerys the Second of His Name." Daenys wrote that down and show it to the King. "How's this father."

"Excellent. Have a gold cloak accompany you, and send it to the Maester. Make sure he ravens it to Duskendale. Guard, guide her to the throne room afterwards" Aerys said. "Understood, your grace." The goldcloak said. Daenys then left the room with the letter on her hand. Being used as a scribe by her father, felt different unlike the first time in the previous decade. But, the contents of the letter seems odd, since she does not know details of either of the accusations. It seems that the King knows something, that she doesn't, and even if Baelon allowed the Red faith to practice their faith in Duskendale, doesn't mean he abandoned the Seven, she thought.

As she and the gold cloak reached the ravenry, she encountered Grand Maester Pycelle. "Please send this letter to Duskendale." Daenys said. Pycelle then took the letter, wrapped it carefully, and placed it on the raven. Pycelle then instructed the raven to fly to Duskendale, which it did. "Thank you. Grand Maester." She curtsied and left the ravenry. "This way to the throne room your grace." The guard said, as they went to the throneroom.