They've been arguing for so long, yet to Rhaenyra and Danaerys the solution is simple.
Jaime Lannister, the kingslayer, stands before them, face drawn, that of a man who knows his fate will be decided today.
-" To me the solution is simple." Rhaenyra spits, interrupting Brienne's vying for his life, Sansa's and Daanerys' arguing and jon a in between it all.
Her words silence everyone. Danaerys looks up, as does Sansa.
Rhaenyra stalks closer, hair swinging on her back ,as her purple eyes focus on the man in the middle of the hall.
-"And what is that solution?" Jon pries, brow furrowed. Rhaenyra arches a brow. -" We kill him, lord Snow, it's as simple as that."
Protest rises form Brienne and Tyrion.
-"He.."
-" This man killed the king of the seven kingdoms. He killed my FATHER!" Rhaenyra screams in hot fury, uncontrolled for the first time in a long long time.
- " I don't care if my father was a good man or not. He swore to protect the king and killed him! Not only that, he tried to kill Me, and Danaerys and Vyserys. All that lannister scum and Baratheon did!"
She turns to to the kingslayer, standing up to his height. -" Look at me, if you have the guts." She snarls. -" Look at us, the children of the man you murdered, if you dare."
But he doesn't look up. She sneers. -" That's what I thought, a coward."
Then Rhaenyra turns to Danaerys. -" You are the queen, it's your decision, but if it were up to me..."
Danaerys slightly bows forward, a brow raised, but face cold with anger. - " Then what would you do, Sister?"
-" Scum like him is not worthy of dragon fire. I would kill him the same way he did our father."
-" But it is not up to you, Princess." Sansa interjects. -" It is up to Jon-.."
-" Up to Danaerys and Jon." Ireyne says from beside Sansa.
-" Very well." Danaerys says. -" What is your decision, lord Snow?" Jon seems uncomfortable, especially now that he has the two Targaryen's staring at him with unhidden distaste.
Then he sighs. " We can use every man we can get."
-" Bullshit!" Rhaenyra scream is Old Valyrian and then she turns, walking harsly through the lines of man gathered and slamming the big doors on her way out.
This time she does not interject when Danaerys when she turns furious to Sansa and Jon, and with venom in her voice questions their decision.
She does not intervene when Dany and Tyrion fight, she leaves them to their own devices and breezes past in the great stonehalls of Winterfell.
The oldest Targaryen stops after walking for who knows how long and then she stops. Her hand rests on the cold stone walls, not as comforting as dragonstone, her home, and then breaks.
Tears start to come unbidden. She had not cried for her father in years. She had not but now, she can't help it. Rhaenyra huffs, her chest expanding in loud sobs as she cries for her dead father, though a bad man, still hers. She cries for her innocent mother and the pain she had to endure at their father's hands. She cries for her brother Rhaegar and her sister-in-law Elia. She cries for her nephew and niece murdered in cold blood and she cries for the fact she's only learned in the previous days the hound, Arya's so loved companion, I was responsible for her family's death.
She cries for Vyserys, warped by the happenings in their family, how cruel he became, and his death.
She cries for Danaerys and everything her little sister has been going through,for the dragon she almost lost and the fear of what is to come.
The flood has come and it will not stop, the gates broken open. Her head rests against the cold stones, eyes pinched closed as the metal of the pin her hair scrapes against the wall and tears wet her cheeks and her chin.
Who knows for how long she stays there. But time passes as she continues crying, no one a witness to her plea.
When she calms down, Rhaenyra's eyes open and tears still fall from her eyes, but she's silent. The eerie sound of wheels on stone reach her ears first.
Brandon Stark, the broken comes riding up to her in his wheelchair.
-" I thought you could not push your wheelchair yourself?" She asks with a bite in her tone. Bran simply looks up at her with a small smile. -'' I can, it just tires me out."
A small hopeless laugh leaves Rhaenyra.
I hoped to find you." He continues. Rhaenyra turns, her back against the wall. -" You let him live and you knew he was coming." she accuses, sneering.
Bran is unfazed, face unemotional.
- " He is useless to me, dead. And we will need him yet. His role has not been done."
Then his eyes focus again on her. -" I will never forgive him if that is what you think." She sneers.
Bran only smiles, unfazed again. - " I will not forgive him either. It is he who made sure I could never walk again. But then again, without his course of actions taken, I would not have become what I am now. Many things would not have happened had he not done what he did. "
Rhaenyra shrugs uncommittedly. -" Did you especially come here to tell me that?" She quips. Bran shakes his head. -"No, I find your company just agreeable. There is something in you, lady Rhaenyra, that makes the dull life of Winterfell brighten.
A small smile forms on her face. -" Are you flirting with me?" Was he? Bran's face is still the same without any emotions.
-" Three eyed ravens don't flirt." He say before turning. Rhaenyra arches a brow. -" Sure. Do you want me to escort you to the library?" Bran nods as Rhaenyra starts pushing the chair in front of her.
She's never entertained the thought of a relationship with a man. Whether it is friendship or romance. He focus has always been her family.
Yet, there is something in the Stark's aloof outside and character that interests her.
They might become friends and though she recoils at Sansa and Arya, she does not when she thinks of bran.
To his credit, Jamie Lannister stays away from the Targaryen girls as much as possible. Rhaenyra still stalks among the castle of Winterfell but all northerners stay clear of her. There is something in her gaze that scares them and something in her walk that falters them. Rhaenyra Targaryen is a dragon personified, as ruthless and dangerous as the dragon she rides.
She ignores Jon now, as does her little sister, their relationship in a bind now that they know that he chooses the side of the Lannister yet again. It is with these thoughts that, when the sky is dark and the torches on, she finds her little sister on the rafters.
-"Dany?" Rhaenyra whispers softly, the stone face of Danaerys turning to reveal a small crack. Her brows are furrowed. As if something happened.
- "Rhaerhae..." When she says that name, Rhaenyra knows its serious. Danaerys only called her that when she was a babe and could not speak her name.
For all the years she's been alive and reunited with her sister, never has the Dragonqueen used her old nickname. It means she is insecure and uncertain, fragile and scared of something.
- "What is it? Did someone hurt you?" Danaerys shakes her head. "No.. Jon.. He..he told me he is a Targaryen."
It feels as if a door has slammed on her face. -"A Targaryen? But how..." Danaerys sighs. "The son of Lyanna and Rhaegar Apparently they were married."
"Bullshit !" Rhaenyra whispers and then takes hold of Danaeyrs hand, tearing down the stairs, ignoring Danaerys startled yelp. Before long they stand before the library when the oldest pushes the door open.
Jon and Samwell, Bran, they all stand together.
-"YOU!" Rhaenyra roars, pointing a finger at Jon. -" What are these lies of being a Targaryen?!"
-"We have proof!" Samwell counters. Rhaenyra nearly shoots him down with her eyes. -"What proof?"
She grasps the paper in Sam's hand to read it. Her heart nearly shatters.
It is true. A recording of Lyanna's and Rhaegar's marriage. She's always adored her brother, but now she cant help but curse his past folly. When she looks up at Bran , she knows enough. He knows, he has seen and it is the truth.
-"Jon has right to teh throne." Sam says. -"He will never be a king or an heir to the throne to me!" Rhaenyra hisses. -" The only rightful queen is my sister."
- "Legally speaking..."
-"Damn you! Damn you all! Has she not done enough for you?" Rhaenyra screeches. -"She nearly tore her family bonds apart... For you! She risked her life for you and your stupid northerners and now you would turn your back on your queen?! He will never be a king to me! You hear me!? NEVER SHALL A SON OR DAUGHTER OF FIRE ACCEPT THIS MAN AS A KING! "
Then she turns to Jon snow but he comes in between them. "I don't want it! The throne is for Dany." Rhaenyra arches a brow.
" If so,you shall address her as queen, Jon Snow." Rhaenyra spits. Danaerys's brows furrow. - " Rhaeny.."
She turns to Jon Snow, her purple eyes furious. -" I don't care if your are a Targaryen by birth or not, I don't care if you have right to the throne or not. You will never be a king to me. And if you are serious, you will address your queen in company as such. Or is that to much to ask, Snow?"
Jon Snow looks her straight in the eye, his face pinched in an awkward thinned mouth. -" What I and Dany do is between us, lady Rhaenyra." The Oldest Targaryen laughs humourlessly. -" Lady it is suddenly huh? Where is the respect you showed me before Snow? It seems you are not such a good ruler after all." She taunts.
-" Rhaenyra!' Danaerys hisses but her sister takes no heed.
" First you accept a murderer of kings among us and then you show no respect to the sister of your queen. You are falling low, lord Snow."
Samwell frowns. - " But they are a couple.."
Rhaenyra laughs again. - " There is a long way between lovers and getting married. If you ever wish my allowance of this union, you will treat me with the respect I deserve.." Danaerys shakes her head. - " right now, I don't want to think about it..I..."
Pale as the snow outside of Winterfell, Danaerys turns and then starts walking out. Rhaenyra shoots an angry look at them, and then steps up to Jon, her mouth to his ear.
-" If you or your family ever tries to take the throne from my sister, I will personally see to your destruction. Am I clear Jon Snow?!" She hisses it so lowly Jon's stomach goes cold. Then she shoots another angry look at them and follows her sister out the door. Because for all their strength and Rhaenyra's threats, they are well aware of the problem. Jon, as a male, has more right to the throne than Dany.
But Rhaenyra will not allow it. Danaerys will be the only queen the seven kingdoms will see and if Jon Snow or his helpers as much as try for it, Rhaenyra will unleash a whole new war on them.
Both sisters are silent as they walk, but hold each other's hands all the way back up, holding on to each other. But they do not have long to think for soon sounds the alarm bells.
The night king has finally come.
-" What are you doing?" Ireyne startles, nearly throwing her goblet of wine away. With flushed cheeks she turns to find no one but Jorah. -" Jorah." She smiles, though uncomfortable. She's been avoiding the man lately, or well,ever since they've come back from the unfortunate happenings behind the wall.
Jorah has always been a friend to her, kind and wise, with a heart of gold. How can she possibly explain him that along the way she has fallen in love with him? Especially after it is clear to everyone he adores their Khaleesi so much?
-" I'm waiting on..Well...The arrival of the nightking I suppose." Ireyne sighs. - " I hate it though, the waiting."
She sits back down, her eyes pinched closed. Jorah's armour clings when he sits beside her. - " Do not be afraid Lady Ireyne, Rhaegal will protect you."
-" But who will protect him? I could not bear going through what Rhaenyra went. It devastated her. I could not bear such a loss again." Jorah watches her before taking hold of a cup as well and pouring ale. - " You refer to your feelings for Jon Snow. He has hurt you..deeply."
She sighs, turning her eyes to him. -" I have forgiven him of course..And i wish him the best of luck with the Khaleesi, they both deserve some luck and peace..but..It hurt me so much..I know it will hurt only more if Rhaegal dies...I would loose a part of myself.. And I don't want that... He is to dear to me."
Tears brim in the brunette's eyes but she pushes them away. Jorah looks at her. - " Aye..I can understand..The dragons, I'm close to them as well in a way. I saw them grow up, seeing those magnificent creatures fall down again would be a tragedy."
The Jorah's hands take hold of her hands and squeeze hers. - " Don't worry, you'll be all right." She smiles, heart pounding.
Is it the wine or the fear before the fight that makes her bold? She does not know; but at that moment she knows what to do. - " Then there is one more thing left to do." She mumbles.
Ireyne than hefts her head, thinking of Raneyra's words that she must bow down to no one and musters up her courage.
She squeezes back the knights' hands and the looks him straight in the eyes. -" Ser Jorah Mormont,...I'm falling in love with you." She expects an acceptance but denial or a soft rebuke that he cannot return her feelings or in the worst case, his hands pulling back and him leaving.
But Ser Jorah does not. He merely smiles, kind and gentle, continuing to look at her. -" I know." Immediately Ireyne flushes red, a blush rising to her cheeks. Ser Jorah smiles at her. -" It seems the Khaleesi was right." His hands still squeeze hers.
-" I am starting to fall in love with you as well, young Northerner."
Ireyne's mind is blown. - " But you were in love with the Khaleesi." He nods. - " I was...But feelings can change, little one. They've started changing ever since you took care of the dragons in the pit." Ireyne frowns. " But Daario said that you had declared your love to her."
At that a laugh escapes Ser Jorah. -" It seems he tried to throw you off, like I asked. I told the Khaleesi I loved her indeed but not the same...I had started to see her as family by then. But I was sick with greyscale and not sure I would heal. I did not want to burden you with the knowledge I started developing feelings where it was almost certain I would die."
Ireyne splutters, then frowns. -" I..I.." Then she looks up at him, still that look of panic in her eyes. But there is that definite feeling for longing as well. She's just not fully ready yet.
Like the wise man he is, Jorah smiles again and then presses a kiss to her brow. - " We'll take it as slow as you like. Get time to get to know each other better and when you trust us enough, we can move forward. I'm not going anywhere, Ireyne, not now I know you have the same feelings." They stay like that for a while, and when others join them and Podrick starts singing, it does not even bother her so much the kingslayer is seated next to her.
But then sounds the alarm bell. They stand and bustle around each other. Ireyne starts making her way to join the Khaleesi and Princess Rhaenyra before looking back one last time.
Jorah looks at her with a gentle smile and then nods his head.
A soft smile plays on her lips as she nods back and then starts walking, not looking back as she walks into the cold night air, ready to fight for her life and those around her.