Disclaimer: I don't own ASoIaF/GoT. One small thing: for official things, Laena will be 'Rhaenys'. To her friends and family, she's Laena. They don't to risk causing doubts in regards to her heritage by using the wrong name.
Chapter Thirty-One
The Fall of King's Landing
King's Landing: 5th December, 299 AC
Elaena/Rhaenys:
Laena could not keep herself from beaming in pride as she surveyed the army that ringed King's Landing. They had set up camp a week beforehand, straight after arriving, but it was only now that everything had been properly organized and the last of the troops had trickled in.
It had not taken her small group much time to catch up with the army, slow-moving as the convoy was. Due to the army's slow pace, the soldiers were still several miles from the capital by the time that her group, consisting of herself, Robb, Arya, her padre, stepmother and Ellaria, the eldest four of her adoptive sisters/cousins and their trusted guards caught up to them. The two young boys had also come. How her madrasta had managed to convince Oberyn that bringing his still-recovering young wife and his infant sons to a warzone an entire kingdom away was a good idea, Laena had no idea. Thinking of the various ways her madre had 'persuaded' her padre to do things over the course of her life, she decided that she didn't want to, either. She might have been raised in the liberal culture of Dorne, but there were things a child ought never to know about their parents.
On receiving the letter declaring her heritage, the Crownlander Houses, which had always been loyal to the Targaryens and had only grudgingly bent the knee to the Baratheons due to their lieges being lost to them, had all promptly abandoned the Lannisters and Stannis like rats fleeing a sinking ship, racing to join her and sending letters assuring her of their eternal allegiance. A thousand Crownlander soldiers had arrived under the command of Lord Monford Velaryon to aid her cause, though many of their levies were still trapped in Dragonstone with the Baratheons, or else too weakened by the war with the Lannisters to come.
The Head of House Velaryon, who had ever been the Targaryens' most loyal vassals, had wept and fallen to his knees on seeing her, praising the Gods for her survival and declaring that he would forever consider himself indebted to the late Lord Stark and Lord Arthur Dayne for their intervention. Larra had clearly appreciated it, and later it had been revealed (after Lord Velaryon had publicly gone on one knee before her and apologized for 'his sins against her noble House') that during her captivity multiple loyalists including the Velaryons had made it clear that they blamed the Starks for the Rebellion, and that they had thought Ned Stark and Arthur Dayne's executions to be a good thing. Arya had almost attacked the man in her rage at the admission, but they had managed to calm her down by shoving little Daryn (as they had taken to calling Eddaryn) into her arms. Arya was not a very maternal person, but she clearly doted on her sister's children, and was ferociously protective of them both.
The Vale was also on Laena's side. And though Larra denied it, Laena knew that it was in large part due to the new Lord Protector being a distant cousin to Larra as well as being a close friend to her father at one time.
Combined with the armies of Dorne and the Winterlands, the Usurpers would be helpless.
The Winterlands' Navy had split in three, a third kept behind to defend their own coasts (and twelve sent to guard Dorne's also, given the Dornish had no navy of their own), and another third besieging Great Wyk (the navy had already taken Old Wyk, Saltcliffe, Harlaw, Blacktyde and Orkmont. Once they had control of Great Wyk, they would head for Pyke, and, more importantly, Theon Greyjoy. Letters had been sent informing them of the navy's progress, and that they had taken the initiative to liberate any salt-wives or thralls that they came across. They were doing very well indeed.). According to the latest letter from Admiral Seastark, they expected the island, unprepared and badly commanded as it was, to fall within the next two moons. Pyke might hold out longer, but it still did not have the ability to withstand their assault.
The rest of the fleet had originally been tasked with harrying the Lannister fleet and that of the Redwynes, so as to ensure that they were unable to defend the capital. Now, however, the remains of the fleet that wasn't occupied with the still-ongoing Siege of Dragonstone, was too damaged to be any use in a fight. As such, sixty-five ships of the Northern fleet under the command of Admiral Starstark had sailed to the capital, and sent up a blockade to prevent the lions escaping as well as stopping them from receiving any supplies.
And, unlike the Battle of Blackwater Bay, there were no more wildfire caches left (confirmed by Tyrion Lannister during his frantic attempts to save his own skin after his arrest and her padre revealing to him just whom she was and what they intended to do.). Because of that, the fleet was safe from defeat . Even if Cersei had somehow managed to conjure up enough wildfire to copy her brother's previous feat, the ships were prepared to deal with it. How they were prepared, Laena wasn't sure, but she had taken Larra and Robb's words for it.
The secret to the success of the 'Ever-Victorious' Army was shockingly simple. It was frankly embarrassing that nobody had ever realized it before. The army was ever adapting and switching their strategies and methods so that the next time it confronted an enemy, they would be certain to win, instead of simply repeating and reusing old tactics that had been successful in earlier times. They also shamelessly stole tactics from their opponents and allies alike, and adapted them as well. Not to mention keeping up with any new developments in war technology.
It was so obvious and simple, yet everybody had been convinced that there was some great secret or magic. But the greenseers were apparently never consulted in regards to the outcome of a battle, as doing so risked prejudicing the commander's decisions by making them cocky or hopeless. Laena would be having the Army's tactics implemented in her own army also.
In addition to the extra troops supplied by the Crownlands, they now had two thousand Vale knights as a part of their ground forces as well. The knights had been sent to join them by Lord Royce under the command of Ser Andar Royce, Lord Yohn's eldest son and heir. The Lords Declarant had all sent apologetic letters explaining that the Vale was currently dealing with the upheaval caused by Lady Lysa and Littlefinger's removal, and they could neither come themselves nor send more for the moment. Laena had wondered if they wanted a safety net in case of her failure to claim the Iron Throne, but her padre was sceptical. Their excuses were genuine, he had pointed out, and two thousand was still not a small host under the time constraints. They had to have been gathered already when the Lords Declarant had seized control from the Baelish couple, and then marched double-time after taking their ships to Duskendale to make it in time.
With the addition of the Crownlanders and the Valemen, the ground forces laying siege to King's Landing contained about forty-one thousand men. The city itself was defended only by the redcloaks and the City Watch. According to Ser Manfrey's report, even with both groups combined, they still only had about forty-four hundred men to defend the city, and not near enough supplies to withstand a siege. Especially with the siege weapons brought by the Winterlanders via ship and then transported from the port at Duskendale. They had two siege towers, and a battering ram on wheels covered with a canopy to shield them from arrows being fired from above. The Dornish army, meanwhile, had contributed a trebuchet and a pair of ballistae. Ammunition for the weapons were stockpiled alongside them, and they had been carefully checked and tested multiple times to ensure that they would work properly.
In reality, the lions and roses had no choice save to surrender, because they were both outnumbered and outgunned. All they would do by resisting was earn harsher punishments and prolong the suffering of everyone. Laena intended to be a fair, yet firm queen. Should they surrender immediately, she would be gracious and merciful (save for Cersei and Tywin, of course). However, should they resist out of stubbornness and pride, then she would have to ensure that they served as an example for any other future dissidents.
"Here," Laena said to the messenger they had selected to deliver the terms to the lions, handing over the scroll she held. It was sealed with the three-headed dragon of House Targaryen. "Give this offer to Lord Tommen and Lady Margaery. Inform them that they have until sunset tomorrow to respond. If they fail to do so by then, we will assume they have refused Our gracious offer, and then We shall act accordingly."
"Yes, Your Grace," Ser Myles Manwoody, the chosen messenger, agreed. Ser Myles had been chosen for several reasons: first of all, he was fiercely loyal, and skilled, fighter. Secondly, he, along with his brother Lord Dagos Manwoody and Lord Dagos' two sons Dickon and Mors, had all been a part of the retinue that her padre had taken with him to the capital for the so-called King Joffrey's (and her padre's own) wedding. As such, he was more familiar with it than many of their army, and would have a higher chance of getting away in the event of things going sour. None of them trusted the lions to hold to messengers' rights.
"Thank you, Ser Myles," she murmured, stepping back and watching, her arm tucked into Robb's elbow, as he mounted his sand stallion, a white flag to signal he was being sent to parley attached, and rode off, leaving the safety of the camp behind to approach the sealed Dragon Gate.
"Something is troubling you," Robb muttered discreetly into her ear as they headed back in the direction of the command tent, to go over the battle plan again, in the event that the lions refused to surrender.
Robb was one to talk, in her unspoken opinion. There were shadows beneath his eyes, and both he and his sisters had been having difficulty sleeping the closer they got to King's Landing. It was obvious that they were being haunted by memories of their father and uncle's deaths, and by 'what ifs'.
Of course, so was she.
"My clearest memory of when I was a child is the Sack," she revealed to him, feeling her heart wrench as she recalled that awful night, the one that had been haunting her nightmares since she was a mere three namedays old. "I keep seeing it, every time that I close my eyes."
He squeezed her arm softly, sympathy (but not pity) shining in his blue eyes. "Do you wish to tell me?" he inquired gently, silently telling her with he would not push if she refused.
She glanced away briefly. "Later," she finally replied. "But not now. We must focus for the moment."
"As you say, my lovely Queen."
SotNSotNSotN
The Red Keep: Fifteen Years Ago
Rhaenys whimpered in fear as she clutched Balerion to her chest. All around her people were screaming and running, and she could hear loud clanging like when the guards were practicing in the yard or at tourneys. But this was different somehow. People sounded scared, not excited as they had at the tourney.
She had looked for Mama, but she couldn't her, or any of the white-cloak men who were usually around to look after her. Most of them had been gone for a while, she knew, but Ser Jaime was usually there. She couldn't find him tonight, though, and she couldn't see any other guards in gold either. Tears spilled from her violet eyes as she stumbled through Maegor's Holdfast, searching for Papa's room so that she would be able to hide beneath his bed until all of the scariness had abated.
Balerion must have been afraid as well, because he was quiet as a mouse, curled within himself and shivering in her tight grip as she shoved open the door to Papa's bedchamber, running over to crawl beneath the bed.
She trembled and wept quietly as she hid, wishing for Mama to come and kiss her better, as she always did after Rhaenys suffered a nightmare. She couldn't understand why her mother had failed to come and find her yet. Mama was always there when Rhaenys needed her, no matter what. She had promised that she always would be. Where was she?
The young princess felt a scream rip itself from her mouth as one of her ankles was roughly grabbed and she was dragged out of her hiding place, accidently releasing Balerion from her tight grip as she struggled against the harsh grip. Her beloved cat hissed violently, his fur standing on end.
Rhaenys was thrown on her father's bed, and she twisted around to see a man looming above her with a cruel sneer twisting his piggy face. He gave a mocking laugh as he took in her tearstained face and shivers of fear.
"So much for the fearless and undefeatable dragons," he mocked her.
Rhaenys didn't understand what he was talking about, but the tone he used frightened her even more, and her sobs increased. "Mama!" she cried. "Mama!"
Unlike every other time she had called for her mother, Princess Elia did not instantly come rushing to her side, crooning soothing words and hugging her softly. Rhaenys' cries only made the man's expression turn irritated, and she screamed when he slapped her harshly, barking at her to "shut up, brat!"
Balerion lunged at the man, scratching at his face, but was batted away with contemptuous ease, the man's eyes flashing with annoyance.
"Gods, why did I have be the one to go for the wailing toddler while Clegane got to have fun with the princess?" he complained to nobody in particular, before unsheathing his sword. "Right, I've had enough of your howling, little dragon princess. Time to meet the Stranger."
Suddenly, the door burst open and two more men came running in with swords raised. They were the biggest swords that Rhaenys had ever seen, and the sight of them dripping with a red liquid she recognized as blood made her sobs increase. Her chest was sore from the force of her weeping, and her body shook with a mixture of the force and utter terror.
"Get away from her, you childkilling, oathbreaking monster!" one of the men, the one with silver hair a bit like her father's family's, snarled. Without giving her attacker a chance to snap out a response, the silver haired man lunged at her attacker and engaged him, though even Rhaenys, young as she was, was able to tell that Silver Hair was the better swordsman by far.
While his companion fought, the other man hurried around the edge of the fight to the bed. "Hello, Little Dragon," he greeted Rhaenys in a gentle voice. It sounded different to any voice she had heard before, but she recognized the tone. It was similar to the one that the guards and such used with her, gentle and respectful. He carefully reached out for her with his free hand, the other holding the sword pointed away from her. In the back of her fright-filled mind, the young princess wondered how strong he was, to hold it so easily when it appeared to be half the size of him.
She flinched away from him, hiccupping in fear. "No!" she whimpered. "No! Mama! Mama, help me! Mama!"
Dark Hair looked stricken by her words, freezing in place. "Shh, Little Dragon," he crooned. "Shush. It's alright. You are safe now. I will not allow you to be hurt. I am going to take you away, to a place where you will be safe. Will you come?"
She sniffled, eyeing him nervously. There was a thud from behind them, and the sound of the fighting ended. Silver Hair came striding around into her line of sight. He was covered in blood, and it frightened her.
His expression, though, was soft and kind when he looked at her. "The bad man who tried to hurt you is gone, Princess," he told her. "Will you come with us? We will take you away, to a place where you will not be hurt or scared again."
"Promise?" she asked hesitantly. Balerion had recovered from being thrown, and jumped up onto the bed to scamper into her arms. She held him close, reassured by her pet's familiar weight and warmth against her small chest. "No more bad mans?"
"No, there won't be any more bad men," Dark Hair assured her. "We promise."
"Mama 'n' Egg there?" she inquired, uncurling from her protective ball slightly. Maybe Mama and Egg had gone to this safe place already, and that was why she had not come when Rhaenys had called for her. But that still did not explain why they had left her behind. Had she been bad, and this was her punishment? Usually Mama only put her to bed without supper when she was disobedient. Rhaenys must have been very bold indeed, to earn such a punishment.
The pair flinched at the question, confusing her.
"Your mama and brother had to go away, Little Dragon," Silver Hair informed her gently after a moment. "But we are going to take you to your uncles, Doran and Oberyn. Do you remember them?"
Rhaenys crinkled her brow, images of men who looked like Uncle Lewyn and who made Mama smile coming to mind. The younger one had given her Balerion, and both of them had daughters for her to play with when they visited her family. She liked them, especially because of how happy Mama was when they visited. Mama had been sad lately, ever since the tourney where Papa had given the flowers to the other lady. Rhaenys had tried to cheer her, but it hadn't worked very well.
Rhaenys nodded, relaxing fully and crawling into Dark Hair's open arms. He settled her on his hip, and she was fascinated by the feeling on his cloak, giggling softly at the fuzzy feeling of unfamiliar material. "Balerion come with us?" she asked them hopefully.
"Of course, Balerion will come," Silver Hair agreed, scratching the animal between his ears to make him settle and purr before picking her beloved cat up and draping him over his shoulders.
"Now, Little Dragon," Dark Hair began. "My name is Ned. This is my goodbrother, Arthur."
Rhaenys wrinkled her brow. "Goodbrother?" she repeated. "Is that like Egg is my brother?"
"A bit yes," Ned confirmed. "But not quite. But it's unimportant at the moment. I need you to do something very important for me, alright?"
Rhaenys nodded, straightening and feeling proud that her saviours were giving her an important task. "I'm a clever girl!" she told them eagerly. "Everybody says that I am. I can do it!"
They smiled at her, further increasing her pride.
"Of course you are, I can tell," Arthur complimented her. "And you're brave too. What we need is for you to keep being brave alright? Ned is going to put you beneath his cloak. You have to stay very quiet, and make sure that you do not peek out from underneath, alright?"
"Like when Uncle Lewyn and I play hide and seek?" Rhaenys inquired. "I'm really good at that! Mama and Uncle always has to look for me for forever! I always win!"
"I bet you do, and yes, just do exactly like that," Ned grinned at her, though she thought that his eyes were very sad looking still. "Just stay very still and quiet, no matter what, alright? I promise that you will be safe. Arthur and I won't let anything happen to you. Just be a brave little dragon, and when everything is over you can have some sweets on the ship and a nice long nap."
"Are we going back home?" Rhaenys blinked. "We always take a ship to Dragonstone."
Their smiles grew strained, like Mama's smiles had been since they had come to visit Grandfather and Grandmother all those moons ago.
"No, Princess," Arthur gently refuted her. "We are taking you to Dorne, to where your uncles are. You will like it there. Your mama grew up there."
Rhaenys felt herself light up in excitement. "To the Water Gardens?" she asked eagerly. "Mama and Uncle Lewyn have lots of stories about them! I want to go and see the fountains!"
"Well then," Ned's smile looked happier. "Your wish is our command Princess."
Arthur draped a large, dark and warm cloak over her, and she clung to Ned, staying as quiet as she could as they began heading out of the bedchamber.
"You're going to be a great father, Ned," she overheard Arthur murmur to his goodbrother as they left the awful room behind. Rhaenys hoped she never had to step foot in it again. She could still hear sounds of screams and fighting, but she was no longer afraid.
Ned and Arthur would protect her, and then she would play in the Water Gardens with Arianne and the Sand Snakes. And Mama might come soon. She would not stay away forever. She always said that Rhaenys was her sun, and Egg her moon, and that she could not live without them. She would come and they would play together. Hopefully Egg would be big enough to play properly by then. At the moment, he did little more than shuffle around on his bum and make noises or cry.
"Well, I will have Shara with me to help," Ned replied. "Nobody could ever fail with her at their side. Gods, I cannot wait for this all to be over so that I can get home and meet my daughter."
"Aye, I do not blame you," Arthur answered back. "I'm looking forward to seeing my new niece also. What did Shara's letter say that she named her again?"
"Alarra Stark," was Ned's gentle response, an almost awed tone to his voice. "For Alaric."
Arthur's voice was strange, almost strangled, when he answered. "Ric would have been honoured."
Rhaenys could hear the steady thump-thump of Ned's heart beneath his tunic as she laid her head against his chest. Combined with her exhaustion from the night's events, and the feeling of safety she had in her saviour's arms, she swiftly drifted into sleep, unaware that her life had been forever changed, and that Ned Stark and Arthur Dayne would be last people to ever address her as 'Dragon' or a 'princess' again in her life.
SotNSotNSotN
The Red Keep: 5th December, 299 AC
Margaery:
Margaery clutched the hand of her young husband, fighting the tears that were pricking her eyes. She liked Tommen very much, and far more than her previous two husbands. He was kind and compassionate, and the complete opposite of his family. He was a good person, who cared for the people around him and had been trying hard to be a good king in spite of the circumstances.
She cared for him a great deal, and feared for both of their lives.
"We must bend the knee," Tommen murmured solemnly, his head bowed and shoulders slumped in defeat. "I have no legal right to the Iron Throne, whether through blood or through conquest, and we do not have the ability to withstand a siege. We must surrender, and pray to the Seven that Queen Rhaenys will stay true to her promises."
He had admitted to her that he and his siblings were bastards born their parents' incestuous relationship. For his sake, Margie had pretended not to have known so already.
"I know," Margie sniffed, reaching out to grasp his hand. "Gods save us."
"Perhaps they will agree to dissolve the marriage," Tommen suggested, avoiding her gaze. "You can wed again. To a- to somebody worthy of you."
"No," Margaery denied immediately. "I have wed thrice, and this is the only time that I have been happy with the match because of the one that I wed, not because of the title that came with it. I'll not wed another Tommen. I won't do it."
His emerald eyes glistened as he whispered a soft thanks to her, squeezing her hand.
He glanced at the letter again, pain flickering across his expression. "I know that she has done some truly awful things," he said painfully. "That she has gone against the laws of the Gods and men, murdered innocent people, abused a maid and committed incest and treason. But she is still my mother. I am afraid for what will happen to her and my grandfather when Queen Rhaenys takes control of the Keep."
"Of course you are," Margaery answered softly, running a hand through his gold strands. "I have never liked Cersei, I confess it freely. But she has always been a loving mother, nobody will ever deny that. Of course you fear for her fate, and for your lord grandfather's.
But if you do not surrender, it will not just be her and Lord Lannister who pays for everything that has happened, it will be the two of us, the rest of the lords and ladies in the Keep, the smallfolk in the city. We are still the King and Queen for the moment. We must put what is best for the good of the many above what is best for the few."
"Yes," Tommen whispered. He straightened his shoulders and held his head up high. "Yes," he repeated. He took a deep breath and rose to his feet, going to the door and opening it to reveal the Dornish messenger, Ser Myles Manwoody, waiting along with a dozen redcloaked guards.
"Ser Myles," Tommen spoke calmly, no sign of the turmoil she knew was within him. "Please inform Queen Rhaenys that we accept her terms. We will have the gates opened at sunrise."
Ser Myles smiled and bowed to him. "My thanks for your quick answer. I shall inform the queen immediately."
The next day, Margaery watched her husband kneel before the victorious Queen and Prince Consort as they rode into the city ahead of the rest of their host. He had a solemn, regal air to him as he knelt before the conquering couple and greeted them, pledging his fealty. In that moment, she thought him the bravest, strongest man that she had ever been fortunate enough to meet, and she was proud to be his wife.
AN: I know that people were expecting a fight, but this is how I always pictured it happening. Any attempts to try and write a battle scene turned out awkward and stilted, so I gave up and went back to the original idea. There will (I think) be battle scenes of Pyke (Robb vs Theon) and I'm thinking of what to do with Stannis. Not quite settled on that yet though. I hope, even without a battle, that you guys still liked it!